Nigh, VonDresky, and Bechen are first-time winners at Davenport

by  Mike McGuire
DAVENPORT, Ia. (August 15, 2008) - Points were at a premium during Kid's Back to School Night, sponsored by Applebee's, Friday at the Davenport Speedway. With the Season Championships one week away, the 113 racers on hand were giving it their all and then some!
Doug Nigh returned to the winner's circle in the IMCA Late Model feature. Nigh started on the pole position and led all 25-laps en route to the win. The victory was Nigh's first this year.
The real battle was for second. Matt Ryan had the spot, but a caution on lap nineteen set up a dash to the finish. The yellow had put Ray Guss Jr and Joe Zrostlik behind and beside him. On the final lap, Guss tried to dive under Ryan, going into turn one. Ryan came out the other side, Guss didn't, bringing out the caution and ending the race.  Ryan held on for second, with Zrostlik third, Nate Beuseling fourth, and Mike Garland completing the top five.
The Pro Mod main produced a first-time winner for '08 in Tony VonDresky. VonDresky started on the pole and stuck to the bottom groove, to lead all twenty laps. Kevin Blum worked his way through the top five to finish second, but could not catch the speedy VonDresky. Chuck Hanna took third, followed by Mike Zemo Jr and Bob Dominacki, in that order. Blum, Doug Crampton, and Thad Wilson took Pro Mod heat wins.
The B&C Auto Salvage Street Stock feature was a real slam-bang affair. The race started with Donnie Louck out in front for the first five laps. On lap six, Jason Bahrs and Louck made contact, causing a big wreck that eliminated several cars. When the race resumed, Jeremy Marquette took over the point and never looked back. The win was Marquette's fifth of the year. Andrew Burk finished second, followed by Tim Koehler and Dan Anderson. Louck rebounded from the collision to finish fifth.
Kelly Meyer picked off win number four in the Kimberly Dodge B-Modified class. Former hockey player, Drew Otten, led the first nine laps until Meyer caught and passed him. Otten was trying to hang on to second, when he spun on the final lap, bringing out the caution and dropping him back to the tail of the lead lap. Todd Stickler was moved up to second, with Kevin Fitzgibbon third, Dan Anderson fourth, and Rick Schriner fifth.
Bret Diercks took his second win of the season in the INEX Legend Car feature. Diercks started fourth, but had the point by lap two. Once in the lead, Diercks would cruise to the win. The battle for second was often three-wide and when the dust settled, Warren Ropp had the runner-up spot. Dennis Begyn finished third, just ahead of point leader Jeremy Meyer. Keith Meyer rounded out the top five.
A large field of CrashedToys.com 4 Stocks were on hand, with drivers preparing for the $1000-to-win Spooktacular, next month.
Brannon Bechen took the lead on lap three of the 4 Stock feature after starting in the sixth row. Bechen would go unchallenged to record the win in his first visit to Davenport this season. Joe Zrostlik finished second, with Jacob Ellithorpe third.
Next Friday, August 22nd will be the 2008 Season Championships at the Davenport Speedway. Four of the six track championships are still up for grabs going into the final night of racing.

Davenport Speedway
August 15, 2008
Results -

IMCA Late Model
Heat 1: 1. Doug Nigh; 2. Marty Diercks; 3. Nate Beuseling; 4. Mike Garland; 5. Mike Murphy Jr;
Heat 2: 1. Ray Guss Jr; 2. Matt Ryan; 3. Stephan Kammerer; 4. Keith Pratt; 5. Mike Guldenpfennig;
Heat 3: 1. Kevin Williams; 2. Todd Malmstrom; 3. Joe Zrostlik; 4. Boone McLaughlin; 5. Hershel Roberts;
Feature: 1. Doug Nigh; 2. Matt Ryan; 3. Joe Zrostlik; 4. Nate Beuseling; 5. Mike Garland; 6. Boone McLaughlin; 7. Stephan Kammerer; 8. Andy Nezworski; 9. Mike Murphy Jr; 10. Keith Pratt; 11. Marty Diercks; 12. Jason Pestka; 13. Kevin Williams; 14. Ray Guss Jr; 15. Joe Lowder; 16. Fred Remley; 17. Hershel Roberts; 18. Todd Malmstrom; 19. Mike Guldenpfennig;   

Pro Mod
Heat 1: 1. Doug Crampton; 2. Donovan Lodge; 3. Bob Dominacki; 4. Jim Sandusky; 5. Jake Bowman;
Heat 2: 1. Thad Wilson; 2. John Bull; 3. Chuck Hanna; 4. John Ahlers; 5. Chad Patch;
Heat 3: 1. Kevin Blum; 2. Tony VonDresky; 3. Rick Ratliff; 4. Mike Zemo Jr; 5. Bart Miller;
Feature: 1. Tony VonDresky; 2. Kevin Blum; 3. Chuck Hanna; 4. Mike Zemo Jr; 5. Bob Dominacki; 6. Doug Crampton; 7. John Bull; 8. Jim Sandusky; 9. Jake Bowman; 10. Bart Miller; 11. Matt Stein; 12. Jim Willert; 13. Davey Hammond; 14. Randall Verplaetse; 15. Steve Speth; 16. Tony Baker; 17. Donovan Lodge; 18. Thad Wilson; 19. Chad Patch; 20. John Ahlers; 21. Rick Ratliff; 22. Rich Smith; 23. Matt Irwin;

Street Stock
Heat 1: 1. Jason Bahrs; 2. Jeremy Marquette; 3. Rob Nylin; 4. Gerald Ward; 5. Jon Poll;
Heat 2: 1. Andrew Burk; 2. Tim Koehler; 3. Tom Riggs Jr; 4. Donnie Louck; 5. Henry Carson;
Feature: 1. Jeremy Marquette; 2. Andrew Burk; 3. Tim Koehler; 4. Gerald Ward; 5. Donnie Louck; 6. Henry Carson; 7. Dustin Spicer; 8. Kevin Schloemer; 9. Cary Brown; 10. Ray Jefferson; 11. Bruce Fosdyck; 12. Jason Bahrs; 13. Rob Nylin; 14. Jon Poll;

B-Mod
Heat 1: 1. Kelly Meyer; 2. Mike Fluegel; 3. Dan Anderson; 4. John Abbott; 5. Bill Kretschmer;
Heat 2: 1. Todd Stickler; 2. Pat Fennelly; 3. Joe Jones Jr; 4. Dustin Schram; 5. Hunter Wilson;
Heat 3: 1. Craig Crawford; 2. Drew Otten; 3. Kevin Fitzgibbon; 4. Chris Stein; 5. Rick Schriner;
Feature: 1. Kelly Meyer; 2. Todd Stickler; 3. Kevin Fitzgibbon; 4. Dan Anderson; 5. Rick Schriner; 6. Derrick Carlson; 7. Craig Crawford; 8. Joe Jones Jr; 9. Pat Fennelly; 10. Chris Stein; 11. Dustin Schram; 12. Todd Dykema; 13. John Abbott; 14. Bill Kretschmer; 15. Keith Silvers; 16. Drew Otten; 17. Mike Fluegel; 18. Greg Wilson; 19. Hunter Wilson;

INEX Legend Car
Heat 1: 1. Warren Ropp; 2. Bret Diercks; 3. Keith Meyer; 4. Lane Swearinger; 5. Jeremy Meyer;
Heat 2: 1. Dustin Begyn; 2. Chad Hale; 3. Dennis Begyn; 4. Darrick Calhoun; 5. Scott Blankenship;
Feature: 1. Bret Diercks; 2. Warren Ropp; 3. Dennis Begyn; 4. Jeremy Meyer; 5. Keith Meyer; 6. Dustin Begyn; 7. Lane Swearinger; 8. Chad Hale; 9. Aaron Meyer; 10. Darrick Calhoun; 11. Ryan Bales; 12. Scott Blankenship; 13. Terry Elsbury; 14. Craig Morris; 15. Al Kump;