Sports : Auringer first in fast Frostbuster feature at Benton County

Austin Kaplan

Jason DeShaw

J.D. Auringer

Scott Pippert

Sports Compact Feature winner

Auringer started on the pole, ran ahead of Richie Gustin most of the 25-lapper and took the $1,000 checkers a car length ahead of Dan Ratajczak.

The main event took just a tick of the clock under eight minutes to complete. Ken Schrader, Gustin and Troy Cordes completed the top five.

Auringer stuck to the bottom line in pulling away from the field. Gustin chased him into lapped traffic with four circuits left. Ratajczak, winner of last year’s Frostbuster at Vinton, and Schrader both caught Gustin on the last lap.

Auringer was already on the ballot for this year’s Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational.

Other winners during the Easter special were Jason DeShaw in the IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, Austin Kaplan in the Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMods, Scott Pippert in the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks and Jacob Ellithorpe in the Mach-1 Sport Compacts.

DeShaw put some distance on the Stock Car field before a caution halfway into the 15-lap Stock feature. J.C. Howell challenged at that point while Damon Murty moved up a line and into third.

Howell fell off the pace and Murty’s bid came up half a car length short at the checkers. Jeff Mueller and last-starting Paul Shepherd completed the top four.

After a flurry of action up front, Kaplan led the final two laps in winning the SportMod feature. Rac­ing from the ninth starting spot, he’d maneuvered into first after Curt Hilmer got caught behind an ailing car.

Danny Dvorak, Dave McCalla and Nick Roberts followed.

Scott Pippert and Jacob Ellithorpe both won handily, in the Hobby Stock and Sport Compact fea­tures, respectively.

Feature Results

Modifieds – 1. J.D. Auringer, Evansdale; 2. Dan Ratajczak, Frog Station, Wis.; 3. Ken Schrader, Concord, N.C.; 4. Richie Gustin, Marshalltown; 5. Troy Cordes, Dunkerton; 6. Kyle Strickler, Moores­ville, N.C.; 7. Mark Schulte, Delhi; 8. Johnny Whitman, DePere, Wis.; 9. Mark Elliott, Web­ster City; 10. Ronn Lauritzen, Jesup; 11. Jeff Waterman, Quincy, Ill.; 12. Joe Docekal, Dysart; 13. Marcus Yarie, Wausau, Wis.; 14. Kyle Kudick, Two Rivers, Wis.; 15. Scott Hogan, Vinton; 16. Jared Siefert, Green Bay, Wis.; 17. Mitch Morris, Eldridge; 18. Ed Thomas, Waterloo; 19. Jamie Johnson, Waterloo; 20. Ray Cox Jr., Maquoketa; 21. Bob Heffer, Swift Current, Sask.; 22. Patrick Flannagan, Cedar Rapids; 23. Todd Reed, Parkview; 24. Adam Johnson, Independence.

Stock Cars – 1. Jason DeShaw, Hopkinton; 2. Damon Murty, Chelsea; 3. Jeff Mueller, New Lon­don; 4. Paul Shepherd, Marengo; 5. Austin Evens, Independence; 6. Luke Lemmens, Green Bay, Wis.; 7. Dave Stricker, Waterloo; 8. John Emerson, Waterloo; 9. Scooter Dulin, Cedar Rapids; 10. An­drew Burke, Eldridge; 11. Matt Greiner, Washington; 12. J.C. Howell, Mabank, Texas; 13. Mike Galli, Urbana; 14. Norman Chesmore, Rowley; 15. Russell Damme Jr., Waterloo; 16. Jamie Su­chocki, Forestville, Wis.; 17. Thomas Thompson, Hopkinton.

Northern SportMods – 1. Austin Kaplan, Ankeny; 2. Danny Dvorak, Vinton; 3. Dave McCalla, Cedar Rapids; 4. Nick Roberts, Des Moines; 5. Curt Hilmer, Dysart; 6. Mike Hogenkamp, Water­loo; 7. Kyle Olson, Cedar Rapids; 8. Jim Buhlman, Cedar Falls; 9. Matt McCahen, Waterloo; 10. Joel Rust, Grundy Center; 11. Jason Doyle, Cedar Rapids; 12. Rob Czarapata, Oconto, Wis.; 13. Mike Knapp, Cedar Rapids; 14. Kip Siems, Cedar Falls; 15. Jody Mitchell, Cedar Rapids; 16. Al Sweerin, Evansdale; 17. Dave Schulze, Keystone; 18. Mike McDonald, Cedar Rapids; 19. Lonnie Mercer, Urbana; 20. Brian Anderson, Grinnell.

Hobby Stocks – 1. Scott Pippert, Elberon; 2. Justin Lichty, Cedar Falls; 3. Cale Petersen, Dysart; 4. Justin Wacha, Vinton; 5. Matt Brown, Dysart; 6. Doug Laughridge, Garrison; 7. Rod Grother, Cedar Rapids; 8. Brad Forbes, Cedar Falls; 9. Jeremiah Wilson, Waterloo.

Sport Compacts – 1. Jacob Ellithorpe, Delmar; 2. Merv Chandler, Vinton; 3. Steve Miedke, Shells­burg; 4. Bill Whalen Jr., Riverside; 5. Jaycee Floyd, Cedar Rapids; 6. Jasen Freeman, Ce­dar Rapids; 7. Jacob McVay, Palo; 8. Duayne Herb, Marion; 9. Travis Ross, Evansdale; 10. Brett Vanous, Quasqueton; 11. Joe Goodenbour, Garrison; 12. Jeremy Lerch; 13. Chad Bremer; 14. Nathan Chandler, Cedar Rapids; 15. Burn Bielenberg; 16. Mitch Bielenberg; 17. Adam Gates, Cedar Rapids.

Photos courtesy of Scott Tjabring Action Track Photography