DART Corn Belt Clash Late Model Series
Mississippi Thunder Speedway
June 3, 2011
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Rauen rolls to victory at Mississippi Thunder Speedway



by Ryan Clark
FOUNTAIN CITY, Wis. (June 3) - Jason Rauen proved to be the man to beat as he led all 35 laps of feature action when the Dart Corn Belt Clash Late Model Series presented by Cen-Pe-Co Lubricants made its second-ever visit to Mississippi Thunder Speedway.

Tim Isenberg found himself on the pole of the main event for the second straight night when Fast Dash winner Justin Mitchell pulled a "3" at the scales during the invert draw. Rauen, who started outside of the front row, quickly took charge, leaving Isenberg to battle with Mitchell for second.

While Isenberg ran the top side and Mitchell the bottom groove, Rauen built a straightaway lead by the time lapped traffic slowed his progress 10 laps into the event. Shortly after Rauen worked past the first of numerous lapped cars, the caution flag waved on lap 12 when Dave Eckrich slowed on the back stretch. Mitchell, who was running second when the caution waved, and Isenberg, pulled onto Rauen's bumper for the ensuing restart.

Rauen again took command when racing resumed as he once more built a straightaway advantage. Isenberg took advantage of the restart and worked the high line past Mitchell for second only to see the caution flag wave once more on lap 19. By this time, Chad Simpson, who started 15th after a miscue in his heat left him out of the dash lineup, made his way into the top five behind Chris Simpson.

On the restart, Rauen continued to dominate out front while Isenberg rocketed ahead of Mitchell for second, remaining committed to the high groove. Isenberg was able to keep Rauen within his sights in the waning laps as the leader once again entered lapped traffic, but he was unable to close the gap as Rauen drove to the win. Mitchell came home third ahead of Chris Simpson, who furiously held off Chad Simpson at the line for fourth.


A-Main
1 2 98X Jason Rauen
2 1 9T Tim Isenberg
3 3 28X Justin Mitchell
4 4 32 Chris Simpson
5 15 25 Chad Simpson
6 6 90 Lance Matthees
7 7 50 Denny Eckrich
8 11 24 Brad Waits
9 23 96 Doug Herrick
10 9 19 Mike Sorensen
11 12 16 Tyler Bruening
12 10 6 Nick Herrick
13 5 20 Jake Meier
14 13 71 Andrewq Mckay
15 16 31 Jason Utter
16 20 1 Kyle Jumbeck
17 14 8 Kelly Anderson
18 19 18 Dustin Hapka
19 25 7 Dennis Hillson
20 18 55 Kevin Kuehn
21 21 22 Jill George
22 24 4G Chris Gilbertson
23 22 35B Jerry Bloom
24 17 3 Kevin Sather
25 8 58 Dave Eckrich

B-Main
1 31 Jason Utter
2 3 Kevin Sather
3 55 Kevin Kuehn
4 18 Dustin Hapka
5 1 Kyle Jumbeck
6 22 Jill George
7 35B Jerry Bloom
8 96 Doug Herrick
9 4G Chris Gilbertson
10 61 John Rogers
11 9 Roger Herrick
12 33 Joe Ludemann
13 7 Dennis Hillson
14 97X Don Schaefer

Pole Dash
1 28X Justin Mitchell
2 98X Jason Rauen
3 9T Tim Isenberg
4 32 Chris Simpson
5 20 Jake Meier
6 90 Lance Matthees
7 50 Denny Eckrich
8 58 Dave Eckrich
9 19 Mike Sorensen

Heat #1
1 98X Jason Rauen
2 50 Denny Eckrich
3 32 Chris Simpson
4 6 Nick Herrick
5 71 Andrewq Mckay
6 55 Kevin Kuehn
7 3 Kevin Sather
8 4G Chris Gilbertson
9 22 Jill George
10 7 Dennis Hillson

Heat #2
1 28X Justin Mitchell
2 20 Jake Meier
3 58 Dave Eckrich
4 24 Brad Waits
5 8 Kelly Anderson
6 18 Dustin Hapka
7 35B Jerry Bloom
8 96 Doug Herrick
9 9 Roger Herrick
10 33 Joe Ludemann

Heat #3
1 9T Tim Isenberg
2 19 Mike Sorensen
3 90 Lance Matthees
4 16 Tyler Bruening
5 25 Chad Simpson
6 31 Jason Utter
7 1 Kyle Jumbeck
8 61 John Rogers
9 97X Don Schaefer