(Cedar Rapids, IA 5/16/2012)—This Friday night, May 18 is round three of the 2012 racing season at Hawkeye Downs Spedway- Eastern Iowa’s premier racing facility with action in all six divisions of the Papa Johns’ Cup/I-Wireless Championship Series.
by Brad Grupe
The 2011 Hawkeye Downs regular season came to a close Friday night with the running of Barron Motor Supply Season Championships. Point champions were determined in all six divisions of the Papa John Cup/I-Wireless Championships Series.
by Brad Grupe
Coca-Cola presented six divisions of racing in the Papa Johns Cup/I-Wireless Championship Series at Cedar Rapids’ Hawkeye Downs Speedway. The Performance Concepts Late Models and Budweiser Modifieds also ran make-up feature giving fans eight features of racing action.
Doug Hornickel Photo | fastlapphoto.comby Kari Shear-Carlson
The Miller 100 presented by McGrath Powersports at Hawkeye Downs Speedway ended with revenge to the track from winner Jonathan Eilen. Last year, Eilen hit the wall coming out of turn two and sustained season-ending injuries which required months of rehabilitation. He returned with the ASAMT full-time this season and won his first event of 2011 at the very track that bit him in 2010.
“It was great to show the track who was boss,” said Eilen. Eilen took advantage of the double-file restart after a caution. Leader Nathan Haseleu started on the inside followed by second place, Tim Schendel. Eilen opted for the outside and was able to get a run on Haseleu and the rest was history.
With the threat of rain earlier in the week, the day turned out to be a perfect day for racing. It was sunny and warm with a perfect breeze and not a cloud in the sky as the day went on. The fans started to fill the stands around 5:00PM, just as qualifying was getting started.
Current point leader, Andrew Morrissey was the ECHO Quick Cut Qualifier for the third time this season with an 18.386. He was followed by Nick Murgic with an 18.475 and the youngster from Hinckley, OH, Matt Tift with an 18.486. Chris Weinkauf was fastest in the second practice session with an 18.659 and Dan Fredrickson was fastest in the first session with an 18.851.
Nathan Haseleu started on the pole after an inversion of 11. He took the lead and checked out from the field for the first 57 laps. Tim Schendel was the only one keeping him in his sites for most of those laps. When the caution flew on lap 56, Eilen took the lead two laps after the restart and continued to pull away from the field for his first win of 2011.
It was a pretty rough night for several ASA Midwest Tour Stars. During one of the cautions of the night, several Touring Stars, including Nick Murgic, Steve Carlson, and Ross Kenseth, as well as last week’s Iowa Speedway winner, Jeff Choquette, all went into the pits to make adjustments and returned to join the field before it went green.
Doug Hornickel Photo - fastlapphoto.comby Kari Shear-Carlson
Jonathan Eilen won the American Speed Association® Kwik Trip Midwest Tour presented by ECHO Outdoor Power Equipment and GrandStay Hospitality race at Hawkeye Downs Speedway in Cedar Rapids, IA tonight in the 39th Annual Miller 100 presented by McGrath Powersports.
Jonathan Eilen who had a season-ending wreck in turn two last year in this event came back and took home the victory! “I was so happy to be able to come back to this track and show that wall who is boss,” said an emotional Eilen from victory lane.
Nathan Haseleu took the lead in the early running and as the field got a little crossed up, Ross Kenseth lost about 10 positions. Tim Schendel did not waste anytime running Haseleu down for the lead as the field began to spread out into single file. Haseleu was able to begin to stretch out his lead as the first 10 laps fell into place.
Third through sixth were nose to tail for the first 15 laps as fast qualifier, Chris Weinkauf, Michael Bilderback, Chris Wimmer and Travis Sauter were fighting for the position.
Nathan Haseleu stretched out his lead by about 10 car-lengths by lap 20 over Tim Schendel. Travis Sauter took over the fourth spot on lap 25 and started the hunt on Chris Weinkauf. He looked to the inside and made the pass two laps later.
The field began to even out around lap 30 as Nathan Haseleu led the way. Haseleu ad Schendel had a full straight-away lead over third place, Travis Sauter on lap 40.
Ross Kenseth was having a rough go of his day and went one lap down on lap 40. As Haseleu battled with traffic, it gave Schendel a chance to close in on him.
Doug Hornickel Photo - fastlapphoto.comby Kari Shear-Carlson
The ASA Midwest SCAG Truck Tour and ASA Midwest Sunoco Sportsman Tour will be heading into Hawkeye Downs in Cedar Rapids, IA as they join the the American Speed Association® Kwik Trip Midwest Tour presented by ECHO Outdoor Power Equipment and GrandStay® Hospitality this Friday night, August 12th for the Miller 100 presented by McGrath Powersports.
The SCAG Truck Tour will be racing the Hawkeye 40 lap feature while the Sunoco Sportsman Tour will run a 35 lap feature. It will be race number eight of eleven for the Trucks and race number six of seven for the Sportsman division. As the season winds down, the points battle will become a huge factor at Hawkeye Downs.
Early in the season, Bobby Wilberg and the Lefthander Chassis Truck appeared to be the ones to beat. Bobby took home top honors both at the Joe Shear Classic at Madison International Speedway and Wisconsin International Raceway. Eric Darnell drove the same truck to victory lane at the Wayne Carter Classic at Grundy County Speedway.
The SCAG Truck series has seen a few new, and not too mention, young, winners this season as well. The 18-year-old from Adell, WI, Austin Luedtke not only took home his first ever win at the Madison Firecracker 40 on July 2nd, but he leads the points by 18 over Jerry Wood heading into Hawkeye Downs.
Another youngster, Ty Majeski, who will turn 17 on August 18th, took home his first victory in the Larry Detjens Memorial at State Park Speedway on July 29th in his MAC Racing owned machine. The only other winner so far this season is last year’s champion Jerry Wood, who won the GrandStay® Summer Clash at Elko Speedway in early July.
Last year’s ASA Midwest Sunoco Sportsman Tour champion, Chris Marek started off his season on top once again, winning the Joe Shear Classic at Madison International Speedway, and followed it up with another win at Wisconsin International Raceway.
Farmington, MN driver, Dillon Sellner showed the way at Raceway Park in Shakopee, MN, while the first ever female to win in the Sportsman division, 18-year-old, Stephanie Losiniecki, took home the checkers in the Wayne Carter Classic at Grundy County Speedway.
