Lost Drive Shaft Keeps Hampel from $10,000 Pay Day
By Tom Lathen
(Corning, IA) Local favorite John Hampel and series points leader Kyle Berck scored 50-lap feature race wins Tuesday night in WORLD Dirt Racing League PolyDome Super Series racing action at Adams County Speedway in Corning, Iowa.
The southwest Iowa facility staged the special Twin-50 after heavy rains washed out the traditional Memorial Day weekend WDRL event on May 29 prior to the feature race.
Hampel nearly pulled off a $10,000 double, winning the $5,000-to-win make-up feature race in convincing fashion and racing to large leads in the second feature before losing a drive shaft while running ahead of John Anderson and Brady Smith eight laps from the checkers.
“This was an awesome race car,” said Hampel after his win in the opening feature race.
“When I was lapping those guys, I could turn this thing on a dime and drive off the bottom or come off the top, it didn’t matter. This was just awesome.”
Although impressive, Hampel’s win was an unlikely one, as the Nodaway, Iowa chauffeur secured the 27th and final starting position only after Paul Glendenning, who had qualified for the field before rains halted action at ACS in May, was unable to return for Tuesday night’s action.
Aided by three caution flags during the first 15 laps, Hampel steadily worked his way through the field as Tommy Elston and John Anderson set the early pace. Elston, who started second in the field, led for the first nine circuits, before Anderson took control on lap 10.
After the third caution period, Hampel moved to fifth, and on lap 20, roared past Coffeyville, Kansas driver Al Purkey to grab fourth behind Anderson, Mark Teske, and Elston. A lap later, Hampel’s car number 2H advanced to third, and a pair of laps later, raced into the runner-up spot when Teske sailed high in turn two.
Coming off the bottom out of turn two on lap 27, Hampel raced side-by-side with Anderson in front of the grandstands, before powering into the lead down the back stretch a lap later.
Over the final dozen laps, the driver of the McCarty’s One-Hour Heating and Air Conditioning/Steve’s Yard Care entry raced to sizeable leads and took the checkered flag nearly a full straightaway ahead of Anderson, who held off Brady Smith for second.
“I never expected to win from back there,” noted Hampel. “But it is sure good to win one here at the home track,”
Hampel’s impressive win in the make-up feature was nearly overshadowed by an exciting finish in the second 50-lap feature.
Hampel was clearly the class of the field in the second feature, but relinquished the lead on lap 42 when his car lost a drive shaft heading down the back straightaway.
John Anderson, who had run second to Hampel since lap 13, inherited the lead at that point and appeared to have things well in hand until disaster struck on the checkered flag lap.
Anderson’s THT Designs/Marcorp Electric entry drifted high in turn two allowing Kyle Berck to pull along side him heading down the back straightaway and into turn three.
The pair tangled briefly in the corner, with Berck’s car number-14 roaring into the lead and Brady Smith slicing through the melee to grab second.
At the checkers, Berck nosed out Smith for the win, with Anderson limping to the line for third.
“I got a run up under him (Anderson) and we just fought for the same real estate coming into turn three,” explained Berck of the final lap tangle.
“We both drove in there deep, we bumped, and I broke loose and slid into him,” he added. “That’s not how I wanted to win it, but I guess that’s just racing on a rubbered down, one-lane track.”
Finishing behind Berck, Smith, and Anderson was Al Purkey, with Joe Kosiski rounding out the top five.
RACE REPORT:
Make-Up Feature: 1. John Hampel (Nodaway, IA), 2. John Anderson (Omaha, NE), 3. Brady Smith (Solon Springs, WI), 4. Al Purkey (Coffeyville, KS), 5. Joe Kosiski (Omaha, NE), 6. Matt Furman (Iowa City, IA), 7. Tommy Elston (Keokuk, IA), 8. Skip Frey (Ely, IA), 9. Denny Eckrich (Tiffin, IA), 10. Steve Kosiski (Papillion, NE), 11. Ed Kosiski (Ralston, NE), 12. Steve Isenberg (Marshfield, WI), 13. Mark Teske (Spring Valley, MN), 14. Rusty Zook (Riverside, IA), 15. Steve Boley (West Liberty, IA), 16. Eric Pember (Pittsville, WI), 17. Jason Hobscheidt (Nehawka, NE), 18. Keith Foss (Winona, MN), 19. Mike Wallace (Omaha, NE), 20. Kevin Kile (West Liberty, IA), 21. Mike Danburg (Council Bluffs, IA), 22. C.J. Lyle (Raymore, MO), 23. Kyle Berck (Marquette, NE), 24. Al Humphrey (Giltner, NE), 25. Mike Smith (Jewell, IA), 26. Ace Ihm (Hazel Green, WI), 27. Dave Eckrich (Cosgrove, IA)
Billet Proof Lap Leaders: Elston (1-5), Anderson 10-27), Hampel (28-50)
Seubert Calf Ranches Rookie-of-the-Race: Smith
Chase Race Decals Hard Luck Driver: Ace Ihm
Contingency Winners:
Oval Craft Racing Aluminum Designs: Hampel, Anderson, Smith
MSD Ignition: Joe Kosiski
Performance Bodies: Furman
Peterson Fluid Systems: Elston
Fast Shafts by Axle Design: Fry
Hooker Harness: Denny Eckrich
Weld Racing Wheels: Steve Kosiski
Diamond Oil/Sunoco: Ed Kosiski
First PolyDome Qualifier: 1. Purkey, 2. Smith, 3. Ed Kosiski, 4. Johnny Saathoff (Beatrice, NE), 5. Larry Skalberg (Emerson, IA).
Second PolyDome Qualifier: 1. Teske, 2. Lyle, 3. Anderson, 4. Isenberg, 5. Gary Webb (Blue Grass, IA).
Third PolyDome Qualifier: 1. Smith, 2. Chris Spieker (Massena, IA), 3. Kevin Kile, 4. Steve Kosiski, 5. Furman.
Fourth PolyDome Qualifier: 1. Hampel, 2. Fry, 3. Joe Kosiski, 4. Berck, 5. Foss.
First KSE Racing Products Consolation: 1. Foss, 2. Elston, 3. Denny Eckrich, 4. Sonny Findling (Kirksville, MO), 5. Wallace.
Second KSE Racing Products Consolation: 1. Boley, 2. Kurt Kile (Nichols, IA), 3. Kelly Boen (Henderson, CO), 4. Craig Preble (Yutan, NE), 5. Pember.
Iowa-Illinois Taylor Insulation Pole Dash: 1. Smith, 2. Anderson, 3. Hampel, 4. Teske, 5. Purkey, 6. Spieker.
Adams County 50: 1. Berck, 2. Smith, 3. Anderson, 4. Purkey, 5. Joe Kosiski, 6. Steve Kosiski, 7. Saathoff, 8. Elston, 9. Teske, 10. Dave Eckrich, 11. Isenberg, 12. Denny Eckrich, 13. Boen, 14. Pember, 15. Spieker, 16. Hampel, 17. Lyle, 18. Kurt Kile, 19. Foss, 20. Furman, 21. Boley, 22. Frey, 23. Ed Kosiski, 24. Webb, 25. Kevin Kile, 26. Smith.
Billet Proof Lap Leaders: Anderson (1-12), Hampel (13-42), Anderson (43-49), Berck (50)
QA1 Shocks Passing Points: Hampel (67.8)
Seubert Calf Ranches Rookie-of-the-Race: Smith
Chase Race Decals Hard Luck Driver: Hampel
Contingency Winners:
Oval Craft Racing Aluminum Designs: Berck, Smith, Anderson
MSD Ignition: Joe Kosiski
Performance Bodies: Steve Kosiski
Peterson Fluid Systems: Elston
Fast Shafts by Axle Design: Teske
Hooker Harness: Dave Eckrich
Weld Racing Wheels: Isenberg
Diamond Oil/Sunoco: Denny Eckrich
By Tom Lathen
(Corning, IA) Local favorite John Hampel and series points leader Kyle Berck scored 50-lap feature race wins Tuesday night in WORLD Dirt Racing League PolyDome Super Series racing action at Adams County Speedway in Corning, Iowa.
The southwest Iowa facility staged the special Twin-50 after heavy rains washed out the traditional Memorial Day weekend WDRL event on May 29 prior to the feature race.
Hampel nearly pulled off a $10,000 double, winning the $5,000-to-win make-up feature race in convincing fashion and racing to large leads in the second feature before losing a drive shaft while running ahead of John Anderson and Brady Smith eight laps from the checkers.
“This was an awesome race car,” said Hampel after his win in the opening feature race.
“When I was lapping those guys, I could turn this thing on a dime and drive off the bottom or come off the top, it didn’t matter. This was just awesome.”
Although impressive, Hampel’s win was an unlikely one, as the Nodaway, Iowa chauffeur secured the 27th and final starting position only after Paul Glendenning, who had qualified for the field before rains halted action at ACS in May, was unable to return for Tuesday night’s action.
Aided by three caution flags during the first 15 laps, Hampel steadily worked his way through the field as Tommy Elston and John Anderson set the early pace. Elston, who started second in the field, led for the first nine circuits, before Anderson took control on lap 10.
After the third caution period, Hampel moved to fifth, and on lap 20, roared past Coffeyville, Kansas driver Al Purkey to grab fourth behind Anderson, Mark Teske, and Elston. A lap later, Hampel’s car number 2H advanced to third, and a pair of laps later, raced into the runner-up spot when Teske sailed high in turn two.
Coming off the bottom out of turn two on lap 27, Hampel raced side-by-side with Anderson in front of the grandstands, before powering into the lead down the back stretch a lap later.
Over the final dozen laps, the driver of the McCarty’s One-Hour Heating and Air Conditioning/Steve’s Yard Care entry raced to sizeable leads and took the checkered flag nearly a full straightaway ahead of Anderson, who held off Brady Smith for second.
“I never expected to win from back there,” noted Hampel. “But it is sure good to win one here at the home track,”
Hampel’s impressive win in the make-up feature was nearly overshadowed by an exciting finish in the second 50-lap feature.
Hampel was clearly the class of the field in the second feature, but relinquished the lead on lap 42 when his car lost a drive shaft heading down the back straightaway.
John Anderson, who had run second to Hampel since lap 13, inherited the lead at that point and appeared to have things well in hand until disaster struck on the checkered flag lap.
Anderson’s THT Designs/Marcorp Electric entry drifted high in turn two allowing Kyle Berck to pull along side him heading down the back straightaway and into turn three.
The pair tangled briefly in the corner, with Berck’s car number-14 roaring into the lead and Brady Smith slicing through the melee to grab second.
At the checkers, Berck nosed out Smith for the win, with Anderson limping to the line for third.
“I got a run up under him (Anderson) and we just fought for the same real estate coming into turn three,” explained Berck of the final lap tangle.
“We both drove in there deep, we bumped, and I broke loose and slid into him,” he added. “That’s not how I wanted to win it, but I guess that’s just racing on a rubbered down, one-lane track.”
Finishing behind Berck, Smith, and Anderson was Al Purkey, with Joe Kosiski rounding out the top five.
RACE REPORT:
Make-Up Feature: 1. John Hampel (Nodaway, IA), 2. John Anderson (Omaha, NE), 3. Brady Smith (Solon Springs, WI), 4. Al Purkey (Coffeyville, KS), 5. Joe Kosiski (Omaha, NE), 6. Matt Furman (Iowa City, IA), 7. Tommy Elston (Keokuk, IA), 8. Skip Frey (Ely, IA), 9. Denny Eckrich (Tiffin, IA), 10. Steve Kosiski (Papillion, NE), 11. Ed Kosiski (Ralston, NE), 12. Steve Isenberg (Marshfield, WI), 13. Mark Teske (Spring Valley, MN), 14. Rusty Zook (Riverside, IA), 15. Steve Boley (West Liberty, IA), 16. Eric Pember (Pittsville, WI), 17. Jason Hobscheidt (Nehawka, NE), 18. Keith Foss (Winona, MN), 19. Mike Wallace (Omaha, NE), 20. Kevin Kile (West Liberty, IA), 21. Mike Danburg (Council Bluffs, IA), 22. C.J. Lyle (Raymore, MO), 23. Kyle Berck (Marquette, NE), 24. Al Humphrey (Giltner, NE), 25. Mike Smith (Jewell, IA), 26. Ace Ihm (Hazel Green, WI), 27. Dave Eckrich (Cosgrove, IA)
Billet Proof Lap Leaders: Elston (1-5), Anderson 10-27), Hampel (28-50)
Seubert Calf Ranches Rookie-of-the-Race: Smith
Chase Race Decals Hard Luck Driver: Ace Ihm
Contingency Winners:
Oval Craft Racing Aluminum Designs: Hampel, Anderson, Smith
MSD Ignition: Joe Kosiski
Performance Bodies: Furman
Peterson Fluid Systems: Elston
Fast Shafts by Axle Design: Fry
Hooker Harness: Denny Eckrich
Weld Racing Wheels: Steve Kosiski
Diamond Oil/Sunoco: Ed Kosiski
First PolyDome Qualifier: 1. Purkey, 2. Smith, 3. Ed Kosiski, 4. Johnny Saathoff (Beatrice, NE), 5. Larry Skalberg (Emerson, IA).
Second PolyDome Qualifier: 1. Teske, 2. Lyle, 3. Anderson, 4. Isenberg, 5. Gary Webb (Blue Grass, IA).
Third PolyDome Qualifier: 1. Smith, 2. Chris Spieker (Massena, IA), 3. Kevin Kile, 4. Steve Kosiski, 5. Furman.
Fourth PolyDome Qualifier: 1. Hampel, 2. Fry, 3. Joe Kosiski, 4. Berck, 5. Foss.
First KSE Racing Products Consolation: 1. Foss, 2. Elston, 3. Denny Eckrich, 4. Sonny Findling (Kirksville, MO), 5. Wallace.
Second KSE Racing Products Consolation: 1. Boley, 2. Kurt Kile (Nichols, IA), 3. Kelly Boen (Henderson, CO), 4. Craig Preble (Yutan, NE), 5. Pember.
Iowa-Illinois Taylor Insulation Pole Dash: 1. Smith, 2. Anderson, 3. Hampel, 4. Teske, 5. Purkey, 6. Spieker.
Adams County 50: 1. Berck, 2. Smith, 3. Anderson, 4. Purkey, 5. Joe Kosiski, 6. Steve Kosiski, 7. Saathoff, 8. Elston, 9. Teske, 10. Dave Eckrich, 11. Isenberg, 12. Denny Eckrich, 13. Boen, 14. Pember, 15. Spieker, 16. Hampel, 17. Lyle, 18. Kurt Kile, 19. Foss, 20. Furman, 21. Boley, 22. Frey, 23. Ed Kosiski, 24. Webb, 25. Kevin Kile, 26. Smith.
Billet Proof Lap Leaders: Anderson (1-12), Hampel (13-42), Anderson (43-49), Berck (50)
QA1 Shocks Passing Points: Hampel (67.8)
Seubert Calf Ranches Rookie-of-the-Race: Smith
Chase Race Decals Hard Luck Driver: Hampel
Contingency Winners:
Oval Craft Racing Aluminum Designs: Berck, Smith, Anderson
MSD Ignition: Joe Kosiski
Performance Bodies: Steve Kosiski
Peterson Fluid Systems: Elston
Fast Shafts by Axle Design: Teske
Hooker Harness: Dave Eckrich
Weld Racing Wheels: Isenberg
Diamond Oil/Sunoco: Denny Eckrich
