CRESCO, IA (June 23, 1999) - Early morning showers yielded to sunny skies producing a great race track Wednesday night as the Toyota National Kidney Foundation Heartland Tour for a Cure visited the Mighty Howard County Fair in Cresco. Bruce Hanford of Davenport captured his first career NKF Tour Modified feature win while Charles City driver Jeff Vsetecka accomplished the same feat in the Hobby Stocks.

Pole-sitter Mike Jones paced the first two lap of the 15-lap Hobby Stock main event before yielding to Vsetecka on lap three. Ryan Smith was the man on the move after starting in the twelfth position, he move in to challenge for the lead over the final three circuits. Vsetecka and Smith took the white flag in a dead heat, but Vsetecka was able to use the cushion in turns one and two to re-establish his lead and take the victory. Smith was a close second, followed by Brian Losen who made a late charge from his fifth row start. Jones and Jason Rohde completed the top five.

The Modified feature was a non-stop twenty-lap thriller with outside pole-sitter Brian Bronner snaring the lead at the outset. Vern Jackson and Bruce Hanford both raced to the front quickly from the third row and began to apply the pressure to Bronner for the lead. The young Lime Springs driver kept his cool and fought off several challenges from the veterans until late in the race. Lapped traffic presented an opportunity for Hanford to dive to the inside of Bronner in turn three for the lead with just two laps to go. Bronner tried to comeback on the final lap, but Hanford worked the traffic like a pro and held on for the victory. Bronner and Jackson were next in line with Dan Bohr and Jack Mitchell closing fast in fourth and fifth.

The NKF Tour Modifieds will next be in action on Wednesday, June 30th, at the Butler County Speedway in Allison and both the NKF Tour divisions will be at the Benton County Speedway in Vinton on Thursday night, July 1st.

RESULTS

TOYOTA NKF MODIFIEDS

1st Heat - 1. Max Dunlap, Zearing 2. Kyle Chiglo, Rushford MN 3. Larry Schmidt, New Hampton 4. Kevin Hoehne, Westgate

2nd Heat - 1. Bruce Hanford, Davenport 2. Brian Bronner, Lime Springs 3. Al Hejna, Clear Lake 4. Chuck Stanton, New Hampton

3rd Heat - 1. Vern Jackson, Waterloo 2. Corey Dripps, Cedar Falls 3. Dan Bohr, Decorah 4. Ron Barker, Dubuque

4th Heat - 1. Matt Girdley, Vincent 2. Jack Mitchell, Cedar Falls 3. Owen Grube, Cambridge MN 4. Todd Suhr, New Hampton

1st B-Main - 1. Stanton 2. Hoehne 3. Mike Hejna, Clear Lake 4. Dennis Fink, Fairbank 5. Dennis Hillson, Blooming Prairie MN 6. Larry Grube, Cresco

2nd B-Main - 1. Barker 2. Casey Schram, Sterling IL 3. Ken Hofner, St. Annes 4. Suhr 5. Jason Weis, Rochester MN 6. David Brown, Kellogg

A-Main - 1. Hanford 2. Bronner 3. Jackson 4. Bohr 5. Mitchell 6. Chiglo 7. A. Hejna 8. Schmidt 9. Barker 10. O. Grube 11. Stanton 12. Schram 13. Hofner 14. M. Hejna 15. Dunlap 16. Hoehne 17. Brown 18. Timm Jensen, Dunkerton 19. Girdley 20. Dripps

TOYOTA NKF HOBBY STOCKS

1st Heat - 1. Mike Jones, Waukon 2. Jeff Larson, New Hampton 3. Ryan Smith, Greene 4. Rod Miller, Eldon

2nd Heat - 1. Brian Losen, Ridgeway 2. Blaire Benzing, Waterville 3. Dan Hanselman, Algona 4. Jason Rohde, Fayette

3rd Heat - 1. Mel Tieskotter, Decorah 2. Lynn Panos, Protivin 3. Jeff Vsetecka, Charles City 4. Tory Reicks, Waucoma

A-Main - 1. Vsetecka 2. Smith 3. Losen 4. Jones 5. Rohde 6. Panos 7. Reicks 8. Benzing 9. Rick Stockman, Preston MN 10. Miller 11. Tieskotter 12. Hanselman 13. Larson 14. Dave Mayer, Riceville 15. Nathan Ferrie, Cresco 16. Jason Schlangen, Cresco 17. Shawn Erickson, Cresco 18. Jay Schwamann, Fort Atkinson 19. Tim Gabel, New Hampton 20. Kenny Dotzler, Cresco