Davenport Speedway
August 24, 2012
________________________________________

Guss wins feature, Murphy wins track title at Davenport

by Mike McGuire
DAVENPORT, Ia. (August 24, 2012) – Friday was Season Championship Night at the Davenport Speedway. With the Season Championships on the line, the point leader in each class was offered the Back Row Challenge, where a win would pay double the prize money.

The Petersen Plumbing & Heating IMCA Late Model feature went green, white, checkered with Ray Guss Jr. leading all but the very first lap. That lap was led by point leader and pole sitter Mike Murphy Jr.

Guss started the race on the high side and was closely followed by Murphy. When the high groove started to wear out, Guss dropped to the bottom and began to pull away from Murphy.

As Guss was extending his lead, Andy Nezworski also used the bottom of the racetrack to pass Murphy and move into second. Guss took the checkers more than a straightaway ahead of Nezworski in second. The win was the second of the season for Guss.

Murphy’s third place finish was more than enough to guarantee him the track title over Guss. Mike Zemo Jr. finished fourth, with Justin Kay edging out Matt Ryan for fifth.            

Late model heats went to Zemo, LeRoy Brenner, and Joe Ross.

The only driver to accept the Back Row Challenge was EMS IMCA Modified point leader Doug Crampton, although he didn’t go there voluntarily. Crampton’s racecar developed mechanical woes during his heat race. Doug borrowed Jason Bahr’s mod to start the feature and was forced to start in the rear.

At the front of the pack, Kelly Meyer rocketed out front to lead lap one. The caution flag came out on lap two. After the restart, Bob Dominacki, riding the high side, raced into the lead. Dominacki would lead until lap 19.

In heavy lapped traffic, Meyer dropped to the bottom and reeled in the leader. Coming to the white flag, Meyer retook the lead.

At the finish, it was Meyer winning his second straight feature. Dominacki held on for second. Thad Wilson took third, with Dean McGee and Brian Bushong completing the top five. Crampton finished eighth and captured the modified track championship.

Jeremy Marquette led all fifteen laps of the Koehler Electric Street Stock feature. The victory was his fourth of the season and locked down his third Street Stock track championship. RJ Gonzales was best of the rest, finishing second, ahead of Jerry Pratt. Kevin Dickey and Keith Blum rounded out the top five.

Aaron Hitt was looking to put an exclamation point on his championship season in the Roto-Rooter 4 Stock main. Hitt started on the pole and led the first seven laps. A caution on lap eight allow the field to pull up to his rear bumper for the restart.

The restart gave Andy Loy a chance to pass Hitt on the bottom of the racetrack. Loy would lead the remaining laps and capture his first feature win at Davenport. Gage Neal and Jake Ellithorpe would also pass Hitt and finish second and third respectively. Hitt crossed the stripe in fourth and sealed his championship.  Nick Bennett finished fifth.

Post-season racing action at the Davenport Speedway begins on Friday, Sept. 7th. The Brockway Mechanical & Roofing Sprint Invaders come to town for some winged sprint car action on the historic Davenport half-mile track. Also racing will be IMCA Late Models and 4-Stocks.

Davenport Speedway
August 24, 2012
Results

Petersen Plumbing & Heating IMCA Late Models
Heat 1: 1. Mike Zemo Jr.; 2. Nate Bueseling; 3. Justin Kay; 4. Buck Harmening; 5. Jeff Stevens;
Heat 2: 1. LeRoy Brenner; 2. Ray Guss Jr.; 3. Doug Nigh; 4. Mike Guldenpfennig; 5. Collin Straka;
Heat 3: 1. Joe Ross; 2. Matt Ryan; 3. Andy Nezworski; 4. Mike Murphy Jr.; 5. Brunson Behning;
Feature: 1. Ray Guss Jr.; 2. Andy Nezworski; 3. Mike Murphy Jr.; 4. Mike Zemo Jr.; 5. Justin Kay; 6. Matt Ryan; 7. Stephan Kammerer; 8. Chuck Hanna; 9. Jeff Stevens; 10. Doug Nigh; 11. Joe Ross; 12. Marty Diercks; 13. LeRroy Brenner; 14. Bart Miller; 15. Buck Harmening; 16. Brunson Behning; 17. Mike Guldenpfennig; 18. Collin Straka; 19. DJ Burke; 20. Nate Bueseling;
2012 Track Champion: Mike Murphy Jr. – Colona, IL

EMS IMCA Modifieds
Heat 1: 1. Kelly Meyer; 2. Scott Olson; 3. Terry Rentfro; 4. Matt Stein; 5. Jason Bahrs;
Heat 2: 1. Bob Dominacki; 2. Tony VonDresky; 3. Bruce Foscyck Sr.; 4. Brian Webb; 5. Mitch Morris;
Heat 3: 1. Thad Wilson; 2. Greg Wilson; 3. Craig Crawford; 4. Dean McGee; 5. Brian Bushong;
Feature: 1. Kelly Meyer; 2. Bob Dominacki; 3. Thad Wilson; 4. Dean McGee; 5. Brian Bushong; 6. Matt Stein; 7. Tony VonDresky; 8. Doug Crampton; 9. Brian Webb; 10. Scott Olson; 11. Terry Rentfro; 12. Craig Crawford; 13. Aaron Burroughs; 14. Greg Wilson; 15. Bruce Fosdyck Sr.; 16. Scott Griffin; 17. Jordan Hicks; 18. George Spence;
2012 Track Champion: Doug Crampton – Rock Island, IL

Koehler Electric Street Stocks
Heat 1: 1. RJ Gonzales; 2. Kevin Dickey; 3. Jerry Pratt; 4. Gerald Ward; 5. Jeremy Marquette;
Heat 2: 1. Phil Anderson; 2. Keith Blum; 3. Bryan Ritter; 4. Emily Gade; 5. Mike Adam;
Feature: 1. Jeremy Marquette; 2. RJ Gonzales; 3. Jerry Pratt; 4. Kevin Dickey; 5. Keith Blum; 6. Dwaine Hasson; 7. Mike Adam; 8. Jacob Whittington; 9. Emily Gade; 10. Phil Anderson; 11. Bryan Ritter; 12. Gerald Ward;
2012 Track Champion: Jeremy Marquette - Davenport, IA

Roto Rooter 4-Stocks
Heat 1: 1. Andy Loy; 2. Gage Neal; 3. Kyle Rhoads; 4. Ricky Kay; 5. Nick Bennett;
Heat 2: 1. Aaron Hitt; 2. Jake Ellithorpe; 3. Tristin Clark; 4. Jake Morris; 5. Justin Fink;
Feature: 1. Andy Loy; 2. Gage Neal; 3. Jake Ellithorpe; 4. Aaron Hitt; 5. Nick Bennett; 6. Kyle Rhoads; 7. Ricky Kay; 8. James Parr; 9. Justin Fink; 10. Jake Morris; 11. Tristin Clark;
2012 Track Champion: Aaron Hitt – Davenport, IA