Mark Dobmeier celebrates at Knoxville (Dave Hill Photo)
by Bob Wilson
KNOXVILLE RACEWAY, Knoxville, IA, June 22, 2013 – Number ten was so sweet for Mark Dobmeier on Farm Bureau Night Saturday at Knoxville Raceway.
In the 25-lap Mid-season championship, Dobmeier trailed race-long leader Danny Lasoski until lap 23 when he closed in on the "Dude" in heavy lap traffic and grabbed the top spot as they headed into turn three. Lasoski was not done by any means as he battled Dobmeier the rest of the way and came within two car lengths of winning. Dobmeier's tenth 410 win came at the expense of Lasoski's 99th career victory at this historic Iowa fairgrounds.
Dobmeier started right beside Lasoski on the front row grid, as each time a yellow slowed the race, the "Dude" was able to pull away. In the early portion of the event, both drivers chose to run the cushion which was no more than six feet from the Knoxville tall fences. At this time, the top five began to sort out and all were running the same line.
As the front runners headed into heavy lap traffic on lap nine, both second running Dobmeier and third running McCarl had closed in on the lead and it was simple to see that some battles would be at hand. Just as this was developing, the yellow came out for Dakota Hendrickson who had spun in turn two.
On the restart Lasoski again secured the lead, but a newcomer Bronson Maeschen had joined the charge. At this point Lasoski had pulled away to a twenty car-length advantage and looked to be in control of the race. Heavy lap traffic once again slowed the leaders and made the race vastly exciting to the fans. That was also when the nose wing on Rager Phillip's car came loose and he stopped on the track unable to make it to the pit area. There were ten laps to go.
The final restart saw Lasoski lead Dobmeier, McCarl, Maeschen and Ian Madsen back to green. This time the "Dude" was unable to shake Dobmeier. Davey Heskin also got a great start and shot to the fifth spot while being the only one racing the bottom.
As the top running cars once again came upon the back markers, Dobmeier was set to make his move. With the leaders again being impeded by these cars it was Dobmeier who took his sprinter into turn three hard and came out of turn four with the lead on lap twenty three. Lasoski stayed very close to the Dobmeier machine but was unable to make a pass in the waning laps of the race. He finished just two car lengths behind the driver from Grand Forks, North Dakota. Trailing behind those two was a close Terry McCarl. Rounding out the top five were Maeschen and Ian Madsen.
The 20-lap 360 feature was a "Doozey" too. Local driver Wayne Johnson led that event past the half-way point as Clint Garner trailed ever so closely. When they headed into lap traffic on the eleventh circuit, both drivers manipulated the slower cars with ease. Just as Johnson flew past the flag stand completing lap 13, his left-rear tire popped and exploded sending him into a near miss of the turn one fence.
Garner led the field back to green and immediately began to pull away from them. There was no one to challenge the Sioux Falls driver and he coasted to his 18th career win here, tying him for third on the all-time 360 list with Randy Martin and Dean Chadd. Jamie Ball, Jamie Veal, John Agan and Nate Van Haaften trailed to the finish line.
Larry Ball Jr. captured his fifth career win in the 305 sprint division. Mathew Stelzer led the event from the get-go with Ball chasing him on this big half-mile oval. Stelzer had the race in hand and was in fact pulling away when Cody Ambers spun his car in turn three on the 9th go-around. Stelzer, who was focusing on the lap traffic tried to dodge the Ambers' machine but slid into him none the less. It was not a hard hit but Stelzer was pushed to his pit stall unable to continue.
The restart saw Ball Jr. take control of the closing laps and finish ahead of Jay Kinder, Josh Higday, Chris Walraven and Jake Strayer.
Five new members were inducted into the Knoxville Raceway Hall of Fame: Owner Jack Anderson, Race Director Ralph Capitani, Owner Stan Shoff, Driver Norm Wiemers and Owner Marlin Wineland.
Saturday, June 29, will be Marion County Cattlemen, Corn and Soybean Growers Night! It's also Knoxville Hall of Fame Night. Racing will feature the 410's and Twin Features for the 360's! For more information, visit www.KnoxvilleRaceway.com!
410 Results
Time Trials (Qualifying Order), 1 lap: 1. 96, Bronson Maeschen, Pleasantville, IA (7), 16.123; 2. 12, Lynton Jeffrey, Prairie City, IA (12), 16.232; 3. 24, Terry McCarl, Altoona, IA (9), 16.269; 4. 18, Ian Madsen, St. Marys, NSW, Aust (21), 16.290; 5. 55, R.J. Johnson, Tampa, FL (3), 16.361; 6. 17A, Austin McCarl, Altoona, IA (4), 16.473; 7. 49, Josh Schneiderman, West Burlington, IA (5), 16.500; 8. 13, Mark Dobmeier, Grand Forks, ND (1), 16.555; 9. 1m, Danny Lasoski, Dover, MO (26), 16.603; 10. 2, Garrett Dollansky, Elk River, MN (11), 16.644; 11. 20, AJ Moeller, Rockwell City, IA (6), 16.730; 12. 7K, Dustin Selvage, Indianola, IA (14), 16.744; 13. 47, Don Droud Jr., Lincoln, NE (18), 16.799; 14. 56, Davey Heskin, St. Michael, MN (22), 16.859; 15. 77x, Wayne Johnson, Knoxville, IA (19), 16.880; 16. 10V, Glen Saville, Razorback, NSW, Aust (8), 16.933; 17. 4, Dakota Hendrickson, Omaha, NE (2), 16.941; 18. 10, Rager Phillips, Pleasantville, IA (15), 17.075; 19. 16, Dustin Clark, Agency, IA (13), 17.116; 20. 91, Dusty Zomer, Sioux Falls, SD (24), 17.251; 21. 7TAZ, Tasker Phillips, Pleasantville, IA (25), 17.255; 22. 7, Kaley Gharst, Decatur, IL (17), 17.257; 23. 23K, Rob Kubli, Milo, IA (20), 17.316; 24. 69, Mike Moore, Des Moines, IA (16), 17.318; 25. 35, Skylar Prochaska, Lakefield, MN (23), 17.465; 26. 71, Robert Bell, Colfax, IA (27), 18.513; 27. 6R, Ryan Bunton, Morton, IL (10), NT.
Heat one (started), 8 laps, NT: 1. Bronson Maeschen (6); 2. Don Droud Jr. (2); 3. Kaley Gharst (8); 4. Ian Madsen (5); 5. Josh Schneiderman (4); 6. Garrett Dollansky (3) / 7. Dustin Clark (7); 8. Glen Saville (1); 9. Skylar Prochaska (9)
Heat two (started), 8 laps, NT: 1. Davey Heskin (2); 2. Mark Dobmeier (4); 3. Lynton Jeffrey (6); 4. R.J. Johnson (5); 5. Dusty Zomer (7); 6. Dakota Hendrickson (1) / 7. Rob Kubli (8); 8. AJ Moeller (3); 9. Robert Bell (9)
Heat three (started), 8 laps, 2:25.9: 1. Terry McCarl (6); 2. Danny Lasoski (4); 3. Wayne Johnson (2); 4. Rager Phillips (1); 5. Mike Moore (8); 6. Dustin Selvage (3) / 7. Austin McCarl (5); 8. Tasker Phillips (7); 9. Ryan Bunton (9)
B main (started), 12 laps, 3:09.7: 1. Austin McCarl (1); 2. AJ Moeller (2); 3. Tasker Phillips (5); 4. Rob Kubli (6); 5. Ryan Bunton (9); 6. Dustin Clark (4) / 7. Skylar Prochaska (7); 8. Robert Bell (8); 9. Glen Saville (3)
A main (started), 25 laps, NT: 1. Mark Dobmeier (2); 2. Danny Lasoski (1); 3. Terry McCarl (6); 4. Bronson Maeschen (8); 5. Ian Madsen (5); 6. Davey Heskin (12); 7. Dusty Zomer (16); 8. R.J. Johnson (4); 9. Lynton Jeffrey (7); 10. Don Droud Jr. (11); 11. Ryan Bunton (23); 12. Mike Moore (18); 13. Wayne Johnson (13); 14. Tasker Phillips (21); 15. Dustin Selvage (10); 16. Josh Schneiderman (3); 17. Garrett Dollansky (9); 18. Dustin Clark (24); 19. Rob Kubli (22); 20. AJ Moeller (20); 21. Austin McCarl (19); 22. Dakota Hendrickson (14); 23. Kaley Gharst (17); 24. Rager Phillips (15). Lap Leaders: Lasoski 1-21, Dobmeier 22-25. Hard-charger: Bunton.
360 Results
Time Trials (Group Qualifying): 1. 53, Joe Beaver, Knoxville, IA (6), 16.527; 2. 3, Nate Van Haaften, Otley, IA (2), 16.655; 3. 2J, Zach Blurton, Great Bend, KS (1), 16.721; 4. 5J, Jamie Ball, Knoxville, IA (8), 16.913; 5. 4, Jon Agan, Knoxville, IA (9), 16.938; 6. 51, David Hall, Des Moines, IA (7), 16.986; 7. 40, Clint Garner, Sioux Falls, SD (11), 16.992; 8. 35AU, Jamie Veal, Victoria, NSW, Aust. (10), 17.086; 9. 44, Chris Martin, Ankeny, IA (5), 17.089; 10. 77x, Wayne Johnson, Knoxville, IA (15), 17.117; 11. 45c, Russ Hall, Pleasant Hill, IA (14), 17.186; 12. 2m, Matt Moro, Polk City, IA (17), 17.313; 13. 9m, Ricky Montgomery, Lakewood, CO (18), 17.557; 14. 5M, Troy Manteufel, St. Peter, MN (19), 17.702; 15. 8L, Tom Lenz, Marion, IA (13), 17.755; 16. 126, Stacey Alexander, Lacona, IA (16), 18.032; 17. 33g, Jeff Metli, Mason City, IA (12), 18.771; 18. 6, Mitchell Alexander, Knoxville, IA (3), NT; 19. 71, RJ Johnson, Tampa, FL (4), NT.
Heat one (started), 7 laps, 2:06.8: 1. Russ Hall (1); 2. Clint Garner (3); 3. Jon Agan (4); 4. Zach Blurton (5); 5. Ricky Montgomery (7); 6. Joe Beaver (6); 7. Chris Martin (2); 8. Tom Lenz (8); 9. Jeff Metli (9); 10. RJ Johnson (10)
Heat two (started), 7 laps, 2:25.9: 1. Wayne Johnson (2); 2. Nate Van Haaften (6); 3. Matt Moro (1); 4. Stacey Alexander (8); 5. Jamie Veal (3); 6. Jamie Ball (5); 7. David Hall (4); 8. Troy Manteufel (7); 9. Mitchell Alexander (9)
A main (started), 20 laps, NT: 1. Clint Garner (3); 2. Jamie Ball (5); 3. Jamie Veal (2); 4. Jon Agan (4); 5. Nate Van Haaften (7); 6. Joe Beaver (8); 7. Russ Hall (9); 8. Ricky Montgomery (11); 9. Matt Moro (10); 10. David Hall (13); 11. Stacey Alexander (12); 12. Troy Manteufel (15); 13. Chris Martin (14); 14. Zach Blurton (6); 15. Tom Lenz (16); 16. Wayne Johnson (1); 17. Mitchell Alexander (17); 18. Jeff Metli (18); 19. RJ Johnson (19). Lap Leaders: W. Johnson 1-13, Garner 14-20. Hard-charger: Ball.
305 Results
Time Trials (Group Qualifying): 1. 5J, Larry Ball Jr., Knoxville, IA (11), 17.250; 2. 0, Mike Mayberry, Fremont, IA (19), 17.315; 3. 28, Chris Walraven, Knoxville, IA (7), 17.502; 4. 05, Bill Boles, Harris, IA (4), 17.516; 5. 88, J Kinder, Holts Summit, MO (13), 17.534; 6. 55, Matt Stephenson, Altoona, IA (18), 17.584; 7. 99, Matthew Stelzer, Omaha, NE (20), 17.608; 8. 59KB, Mike Philben, Grimes, IA (16), 17.686; 9. 6, Mitchell Alexander, Knoxville, IA (6), 17.711; 10. 29, Dalton Ryder, Webster City, IA (9), 17.822; 11. 3, Sawyer Phillips, Pleasantville, IA (3), 17.853; 12. 57, Steve Breazeale, Trenton, MO (12), 17.953; 13. 96, Eddie Evans, Marysville, WA (10), 17.967; 14. 1K, Jake Strayer, Newton, IA (14), 18.006; 15. 92c, Cody Ambers, Knoxville, IA (2), 18.100; 16. 55KC, Bob Hildreth, Iowa Falls, IA (8), 18.235; 17. 7, Tanner Edwards, Van Meter, IA (15), 18.864; 18. 19K, Sarena Paul, Monroe, IA (1), 19.241; 19. 82, Lee Patterson, Des Moines, IA (17), 20.790; 20. 24, Josh Higday, Altoona, IA (5), NT.
Heat one (started), 6 laps, NT: 1. Larry Ball Jr. (6); 2. Mitchell Alexander (2); 3. J Kinder (4); 4. Matthew Stelzer (3); 5. Chris Walraven (5); 6. Cody Ambers (8); 7. Eddie Evans (7); 8. Sawyer Phillips (1); 9. Tanner Edwards (9); 10. Lee Patterson (10)
Heat two (started), 6 laps, NT: 1. Steve Breazeale (1); 2. Mike Mayberry (6); 3. Josh Higday (10); 4. Bill Boles (5); 5. Mike Philben (3); 6. Matt Stephenson (4); 7. Jake Strayer (7); 8. Bob Hildreth (8); 9. Sarena Paul (9); 10. Dalton Ryder (2)
A main (started), 15 laps, NT: 1. Larry Ball Jr. (8); 2. J Kinder (4); 3. Josh Higday (12); 4. Chris Walraven (6); 5. Jake Strayer (15); 6. Mike Mayberry (7); 7. Bill Boles (5); 8. Steve Breazeale (10); 9. Mike Philben (1); 10. Bob Hildreth (16); 11. Mitchell Alexander (9); 12. Dalton Ryder (20); 13. Tanner Edwards (17); 14. Sawyer Phillips (13); 15. Eddie Evans (14); 16. Matt Stephenson (3); 17. Sarena Paul (18); 18. Lee Patterson (19); 19. Matthew Stelzer (2); 20. Cody Ambers (11). Lap Leaders: Stelzer 1-8, Ball 9-15. Hard-charger: Strayer.