Gjere conquers Dart Iron Man Challenge at Cresco, becomes seventh different winner


CRESCO, Iowa – Starting in the sixth row of Wednesday night’s Dart Iron Man Challenge main event, Brian Gjere had a long way to go to have any chance at winning the 20-lap contest.

Opportunity knocked on lap 13 and Gjere’s answered.

Points leader Nathan Wood of Sigourney had his sights set on becoming the first repeat winner in the newly-formed series for the full-fendered USRA Karl Chevrolet Stock Cars. From the outside of the front row, Wood led the first 13 laps and had built a full straight-away lead when the yellow flag waved and erased his advantage.

Three laps later, Gjere wrestled the lead away from Wood and the Mabel, Minn., driver set sail over the final four laps to become the seventh different winner in seven events and pocket Wednesday night’s $1,000 winner’s share of the prize money.

Wood held on for his second runner-up finish in as many nights while Lynn Panos of Protivin captured the third spot. Decorah drivers Jake Ludekng and Mitch Hovden finished fourth and fifth.

Sixth through tenth, respectively, went to Austin Curtin, Mike Van Genderen, Mike Bergan, Shay Curtin and Cody Cook.

Wood’s second-place finish helped him pad his points lead in the Dart Iron Man Challenge. The former USRA Hobby Stock National Champion now sits 74 points ahead of Van Genderen (662 to 588), followed by Steve Jackson (537), Greg Elliott (489), Bergan (435), Ryan Leeman (424), Logan Staley (345), Jim Mitchell (322), Mark Elliott (277) and Shane Weller (231).

The Dart Iron Man Challenge travels to the Jackson Speedway in Jackson, Minn., on Thursday and Murray County Speedway in Slayton, Minn., on Friday for three more action-packed battles $1,000 to win each.

Film crews will be present in Jackson and Slayton for recording all of the USMTS action for the upcoming Dirt Knights TV show. Dirt Knights will be an on-going dramatic series of one-hour programs that will air twice a week for 13 weeks. The much-anticipated TV show is set to debut in January of 2011 on the VERSUS cable network - the fastest growing cable sports network in the nation, which reaches more than 75 million households.

In all, 14 dates at 12 premier speedways throughout Iowa, Minnesota and Missouri dot the calendar for the inaugural campaign for the Dart Iron Man Challenge, which will accompany the popular USMTS Modifieds at each event.

The points fund carries a $1,000 top prize with the 10th-place finisher earning $100. In addition, each race will award national points in the USRA Karl Chevrolet Stock Car division of the American Racer USRA Weekly Racing Series where the national champion will earn $700.

The Dart Iron Man Challenge will score a driver’s 10 best points during the 14-race campaign toward the final year-end standings. Drivers are invited and encouraged to compete in all 14 shows, but perfect attendance is not be necessary to be eligible for the year-end points total.

A USRA license is not required to compete and/or earn points in the Dart Iron Man Challenge, but only USRA-licensed drivers will be eligible for points funds in either the Dart Iron Man Challenge or American Racer USRA Weekly Racing Series.

Each event will have a qualifying format similar to the USMTS, with heat race passing points determining the “B” Main and “A” Main line-ups.

USRA rules will apply at each event. Drivers are permitted to utilize the Rochester, Motorcraft or 1¾ Holley 4412 open carburetor but must be run with the Edelbrock Performer (Part #2701) or Weiand X-CELerator (Part ##7541) intake manifold. These intakes must be stock (no porting allowed). The 4412 carb must be stock and must be 1-11/16. For conforming to IMCA rules, the 350 carb is allowed with a 2,800-pound weight rule. Any driver running the 604 crate motor is allowed the 4-barrel carburetor.

To view the complete USRA rulebook, check out www.usraracing.com online.

2010 DART IRON MAN CHALLENGE SCHEDULE:

Wed May 26 … Southern Iowa Speedway, Oskaloosa, IA (winner: Nathan Wood)
Thu May 27 … Highway 3 Raceway, Allison, IA (winner: Mike Van Genderen)
Sat Jun 19 … Scotland County Speedway, Memphis, MO (winner: Steve Jackson)
Tue Jun 22 … Mineral City Speedway, Fort Dodge, IA (winner: Mark Elliott)
Sun Aug 1 … Nobles County Speedway, Worthington, MN (winner: Greg Elliott)
Tue Aug 3 … Algona Raceway, Algona, IA (winner: Jake Masters)
Wed Aug 4 … Cresco Speedway, Cresco, IA (winner: Brian Gjere)
Thu Aug 5 … Jackson Speedway, Jackson, MN ($1,000 to win)
Fri Aug 6 … Murray County Speedway, Slayton, MN ($1,000 to win)
Wed Aug 18 … Hamilton County Speedway, Webster City, IA ($600 to win)
Sat Aug 28 … 24 Raceway, Moberly, MO ($600 to win)
Tue Aug 31 … Marshalltown Speedway, Marshalltown, IA ($600 to win)
Wed Sep 1 … Southern Iowa Speedway, Oskaloosa, IA ($600 to win)
Thu Sep 2 … Highway 3 Raceway, Allison, IA ($600 to win)

To learn more about the USRA, visit www.usraracing.com or call 515-832-6000. You can also follow the USRA on Facebook, MySpace and Twitter.

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OFFICIAL RESULTS
American Racer USRA Weekly Racing Series
Dart Iron Man Challenge for USRA Karl Chevrolet Stock Cars – Round 7 of 14
Cresco Speedway, Cresco, Iowa
Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Showing finishing position, starting position in parentheses, car number, driver and hometown. Passing points accumulated in the heat races determine the “A” Main starting order, with the top 8 re-drawing for starting positions 1-8.

HEAT RACE #1 (8 laps):
1. (1) 40 Austin Curtin, Waukon, Iowa.
2. (9) 15 Mitch Hovden, Decorah, Iowa.
3. (4) 11 Shay Curtin, Waukon, Iowa.
4. (2) 121g Arlen Hoy, Marble Rock, Iowa.
5. (5) 97 Lynn Panos, Protivin, Iowa.
6. (6) 23 Brian Gjere, Mabel, Minn.
7. (3) 48 Casey Sebastian, Cresco, Iowa.
8. (7) R31 Ryan Leeman, Roland, Iowa.
9. (8) 14 Logan Staley, Webster City, Iowa.

HEAT RACE #2 (8 laps):
1. (4) 52 Nathan Wood, Sigourney, Iowa.
2. (5) 57v Mike Van Genderen, Newton, Iowa.
3. (9) 69 Jake Ludeking, Decorah, Iowa.
4. (7) 5 Mike Bergan, Ridgeway, Iowa.
5. (1) 29 Cody Cook, Decorah, Iowa.
6. (3) 11L Jake Lampert, Caledonia, Minn.
7. (2) 27t Tory Reicks, Wacoma, Iowa.
8. (8) 27 Shawn Peter, Mable, Minn.
9. (6) 1 Greg Elliott, Webster City, Iowa.

“A” MAIN (20 laps):
1. (11) 23 Brian Gjere, Mabel, Minn.
2. (2) 52 Nathan Wood, Sigourney, Iowa.
3. (9) 97 Lynn Panos, Protivin, Iowa.
4. (7) 69 Jake Ludeking, Decorah, Iowa.
5. (6) 15 Mitch Hovden, Decorah, Iowa.
6. (5) 40 Austin Curtin, Waukon, Iowa.
7. (4) 57v Mike Van Genderen, Newton, Iowa.
8. (3) 5 Mike Bergan, Ridgeway, Iowa.
9. (8) 11 Shay Curtin, Waukon, Iowa.
10. (10) 29 Cody Cook, Decorah, Iowa.
11. (1) 121g Arlen Hoy, Marble Rock, Iowa.
12. (15) R31 Ryan Leeman, Roland, Iowa.
13. (17) 14 Logan Staley, Webster City, Iowa.
14. (13) 48 Casey Sebastian, Cresco, Iowa.
15. (12) 11L Jake Lampert, Caledonia, Minn.
16. (18) 1 Greg Elliott, Webster City, Iowa.
17. (14) 27t Tory Reicks, Wacoma, Iowa.

Lap Leaders: Wood 1-15, Gjere 16-20.
Hard Charger: Gjere (started 11th, finished 1st).
Dart Awards: Gjere, Curtin.
Next Race: Thursday, Aug. 5, Jackson Speedway, Jackson, Minn.
Points Standings (top 10): Wood 662, Van Genderen 588, Jackson 537, G. Elliott 489, Bergan 435, Leeman 424, Staley 345, Mitchell 322, Mark Elliott 277, Shane Weller 231.