After struggling to find
his legs during the early season, Muscatine, Iowa's Brian Birkhofer found his comfort zone at 34
Raceway and scored a popular home state win in Lucas Oil Series action at 34 Raceway Friday. It was his
first trophy of the season. (Mike Ruefer)
Lucas Oil Series: Birkhofer Ignites Partisan Crowd With 34
Raceway Win
James
Essex
BURLINGTON, Ia. – May 13. With his home state
fans on their feet and cheering, Brian Birkhofer of Muscatine, Ia. ended the four-race win streak of Scott
Bloomquist and captured the 50-lap $10,000 to win Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series event on Friday at 34
Raceway. Bloomquist rebounded from a poor start to finish second, but was several car lengths behind the
winner.
After leading the first lap, a fading Brad Neat is sandwiched by #32 Chris Simpson
and #23 John Blankenship, who both put in strong showings of sixth and fifth, respectively.
(Mike Ruefer)
Debuting his news MasterSbilt race car, Steve Francis was able to pace a couple
of laps before fourth starting Birkhofer drove his #15 into the lead and claimed his first win of the
season at 34 Raceway. (Rick
Schwallie)
“Man, to win this race in front of my home state crowd is just awesome. I know they had to be
cold up there, and to win for Johnny Johnson, he put so much into this place, it’s a great facility, I just
can’t say enough for what that man did for me and the sport of late model racing,” said the 39-year-old
Birkhofer, who was joined by his sons Cruz and Creed in Victory Lane.
Brad Neat outgunned fellow Kentuckian Steve Francis to take the lead at the start. Francis,
who was debuting a new MasterSbilt Race Car vaulted to the point a lap later. Francis held the top spot
for two circuits, when Birkhofer, who had started fourth, eased into the
lead.
Scott Bloomquist races outside of #20 Jimmy Owens before advancing to second, one
position shy of achieving a stunning five-race win streak on the Lucas tour. (Mike Ruefer)
After the caution for Moyer, Francis looked solid as he built a seven-to-eight car length
advantage over Birkhofer with 15 laps scored. Birkhofer made up quite a bit of ground in a short period of
time, cutting Francis’ lead to a car length by lap 21, a lap later he was around Francis to take the lead for
good.
Birkhofer then pulled out to a straightaway lead over Francis with 20 laps remaining and a
few laps later he had picked up the tail end of the field to begin lapping cars for the first time in the
race. Bloomquist powered by Francis in the top groove on lap 34, but by then Birkhofer was well out in
front. Bloomquist cut the lead down as the two took the white flag, but Birkhofer held a several car
lengths lead at the finish.
Don O'Neal struggled to a mid-pack finish at 34 Raceway, while #53 Ray Cook made an
early exit. (Rick Schwallie)
“Thanks to all my sponsors, we had a great car tonight. Anytime you beat that Zero car you’ve
done something. I have so much respect for him. I didn’t know if I could catch Francis there for a while, but
our car came into it. I am down on crew help here lately, but thanks to everyone who pitched in
tonight.".
It was Birkhofer’s 12th career Lucas Oil Late
Model Dirt Series victory came aboard his J&J Steel, Zens Flooring, ASi Racewear, VP Fuels, Pro Power
Engines, MB Customs Chevrolet.
Michigan's Jeep Van Wormer joined the Lucas Oil troops at 34 Raceway. Van Wormer
races a non-finishing Eric Wells (#18) and #36 Mike Marlar, who advanced to ninth place.
(Mike Ruefer)
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Big Gains for Hubbard, Pearson, Ogle - The A-Team Has Been Updated 05-15-12
Scott James battles #13 Barry Doss in heat race action at Florence (Ky.) Speedway, but in the $2,000-to-win feature, the only thing anyone saw was the tail end of James' #81 car. (Roy Walker)
After plenty of trash-talking via the electronic media between Jeff Matthews and Ivedent Lloyd last week, it was #21 Lloyd who got the final word as he reeled in #33 Matthews to win Friday's LM feature at Oclala, Fla.'s Bubba Raceway Park. (R.E. Wing)
Fans at Markleysburg, Pa.'s Roaring Knob Motorsports Comlex were treated to dual LM features Saturday - one a makeup from a May 5th rainout. (Above) Tim Senic challenges eventual regular feature winner Chuck Harper, while Jared Hawkins (below) claimed the makeup race. (Tommy Micheals)
Henley, Missouri's Jason Russell leads the way to Victory Lane in the ULMS Late Model feature at Lucas Oil Speedway Saturday. (Chris Bork)
Some fierce racing action at Lucas Oil speedway. (Chris Bork)
Dalton, Ga.'s Craig Reece returned to Dixie Speedway Saturday and led all the way to win the Crate LM victory. (Steve Hixson)
Ray Guss Jr. races last week's Quad City Speedway winner, Mike Murphy, Jr. This time, it was advantage Guss. (Chris Damitz)
With a strong motor back into his mount, Veteran Lamar Scoggins claimed last Friday's Crate LM victory at Boyd's Speedway. (Steve Hixson)
Veteran racer Lance Matthees navigates Spring Lake, Minnesota's Deer Creek Speedway before taking Saturday's WISSOTA Late Model checkers. (Jason Durst)
Racing hard at mid-pack, it's the dueling 55s of Cory Mahder (inside) and Greg Nippoldt at Deer Creek. (Jason Durst)
Ryan King (above and below) swept both the Ltd. Late Model and Crate Late Model features Saturday at 411 Motor Speedway in Seymour, Tenn. (Chad Wells)
Still riding his wave in Iowa, Mike Murphy, Jr. in early action before taking the main event win at Davenport last Friday. (Chris Damitz)
Jason Jameson ran a gauntlet to finally capture another win Friday night at Moler
Raceway Park (see main page). (Roy
Walker)
After holding back a charge from Alex Ferree, Chub Frank drove home with a Friday night win at Lernerville Speedway in Sarver, Pa. (John Stivason)
Bobby Pierce, Brett Sievert, and Mike Glynn race in a tight pack in Kankakee (Ill.) Speedway's "Crosstown Cup", but (below) it was ultimately Shawn Toczek (42) here racing the high side of Mike Provenzano, who sailed to the win. (Dan Simpson)
A-Team Leaders from 1997-2011 (Click on link for complete rundown)
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