Docekal doubles up on championship night at Benton County Speedway

Joe Docekal flipped the script from 2012 by earning his career first IMCA Modified track title Sunday night at Benton County Speedway. (complete results follow)

Docekal led the points following 14 of 17 weeks in 2012 only to finish second in the final standings. This year, he led the points only once through 20 nights of racing - following Sunday's season finale.

The unique championship qualifying format allowed point leaders the opportunity to race their way into front row starting spots, yet also gave fans their money's worth by making the heat races a meaningful component of the season finale. While heat race lineups were structured like a regular weekly program - inverted based on season point averages - drivers lined up for features in the same order they finished their heat races. In divisions with two heats, the first heat comprised the inside row of the feature and the second heat the outside row. In divisions with more than two heat races (Modifieds and SportMods), the heat race winner who had the highest point total started on the pole. This guaranteed those drivers front row starts if they won their qualifiers.

Heat winner Docekal started the 20-lap Modified main from the pole position and quickly extended his advantage ahead of fellow front row starter Jerry Luloff. While Docekal pulled away, Luloff was challenged on the top side by Patrick Flannagan. Flannagan worked his way into second before the caution flag waved with seven laps scored complete.

On the restart, Docekal again held command with Flannagan and Luloff continuing their battle for second while Mark Schulte raced his way past Troy Cordes for fourth. Meantime, Ronn Lauritzen, who entered the night with a three point edge over Docekal in the standings, was working through the pack after contact from another driver in his qualifier forced him to a 10th place start. Lauritzen, who needed to finish within two spots of Docekal to secure the track title, made his way into fifth just before the final stoppage came to set up a green, white, checker finish.

When racing resumed, Docekal held on to lead the event in its entirety to score the win ahead of Flannagan and Luloff. Schulte came home fourth ahead of Lauritzen. Docekal edged Laurtizen in the final standings to earn the title by a single point.

The win was Docekal's fourth of the season, all coming in the final six nights of racing. It was his first on season championship night. Docekal has now earned 11 Modified wins in weekly racing history in Vinton, tying him for 14th on the all-time list with Mike Burbridge.

John Emerson entered the night needing a top-five finish to earn track champion honors in the IMCA Stock Car division. From his outside front row starting spot, Scott Pippert was hoping to gain five points on Emerson to claim the title for himself.

Pippert took command at the drop of the green with Damon Murty in tow. Emerson, who started alongside Murty in row two, chased the leaders until Pippert stopped off the top of turns three and four with a flat tire.

On the restart, Murty set sail to score the victory in the 15-lap event, his sixth win of the season and his fifth straight (yes, five-in-a-row) on championship night in Vinton. For his career, Murty has now earned 61 Stock Car wins in weekly racing in Vinton, which leads all drivers. In addition to his season championship feature wins in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013, Murty also took top honors on championship night in 2005.

By virtue of his runner-up finish, Emerson locked up the track title and became the fifth straight different Stock Car driver to wear the crown in Vinton.

An excellent field of 33 IMCA Northern SportMods signed in to do battle for 20 starting spots in that championship feature. Outside front row starter Dakoda Sellers shot into the lead at the drop of the green in the 15-lapper.

From his second row start, Brennen Chipp slipped past pole-sitter Curt Hilmer to snag second. Chipp then went to work on Sellers for the lead as the two swapped the point numerous times until caution slowed action just past the midway point.

Chipp led the field back to green with Sellers heavy on the gas for the restart. The race was slowed for debris and Sellers was penalized two positions for jumping the restart. That put Hilmer back into the runner-up spot.

When racing resumed, Chipp took command with Hilmer in pursuit. Hilmer shot past Chipp and held off the furious pressure from a handful of drivers to score his second win of the season and the first of his career on championship night.

Hilmer has now won multiple features three straight years in the division. His eight career SportMod wins in Vinton tie him with Drew Fish for fourth on the all-time list.

Points leader Danny Dvorak came home fifth to secure his third straight points title and the fifth of his career in the nine-year history of SportMod racing in Vinton. His three straight SportMod titles in Vinton (2011, 2012, 2013) matches Austin Kaplan's record of three straight championships (2008, 2009, 2010).

Brian Happel simply needed to stay out of trouble to earn the first track title of his career in the IMCA Hobby Stock division. Happel, who entered the night with a nine point lead over Chris Luloff, needed to secure a ninth place or better finish in the 13-car field to guarantee title honors.

Pole-sitter Happel slipped back to fourth at the start of the 15-lapper while Jacob Keiser and Nathan Ballard worked by the point leader. Keiser quickly pulled away from the pack until Ballard was able to apply pressure in lapped traffic.

Keiser spun in the low side of turns three and four when navigating a backmarker, leaving Ballard on the point for the lap nine restart. Ballard led the remainder of the event to earn his first season championship win in Vinton ahead of Matt Brown, which was also Ballard's first win at the speedway since May of 2012.

With six career Hobby Stock wins in Vinton, Ballard now ranks tied for 21st on the all-time list with Bill Bonnett, Curt Hilmer, Curtis Roster and Rick Johnson.

Happel finished fourth to win his first championship by eight markers over Luloff, who ran third Sunday night.

Bill Whalen Jr. already had his first BCS track title locked up entering Sunday night in the IMCA Sport Compact division, but it was Merv Chandler out front for all 12 laps in the championship feature.

From his pole position start, Chandler took command and pulled away to victory, his fourth of the year. He became the first Sport Compact driver to win from the pole in 22 events this season. With 12 wins in his weekly racing career, Chandler is alone in fourth on the division's all-time list at the speedway.

Championship Night Notes: Sunday night marked the end of the 2013 season in Vinton. Twenty-two points nights were held in the SportMod, Hobby Stock and Sport Compact divisions, 21 nights in the Stock Cars and 20 in the Modifieds. The best thing about it? Four of the five track championships were still up-for-grabs entering Sunday night.

It was the 13th consecutive season championship program when at least one track champion finished the night in victory lane. Docekal was the lone titlist to get the job done. Ironically, he was also the only champion to enter the night not with the points lead.

Docekal became the fourth track champion in speedway history to earn all of his wins after August 1. And, he's the only champion to earn four wins in the same season after that date without a victory prior to August. Ironically, all of the other three champions to wait until August 1 to reach victory lane were Modified drivers, as well. Scott Hogan earned one win in 2012 and it came after August 1 in that championship season. Jerry Luloff's one win during his 2001 title run came in August. Aside from Docekal, the only driver to win multiple times during a championship season, but not once before August? Dave Burrell, whose three wins during his 1993 title run all came during the month of August. Those folks from Dysart must be late bloomers...

Only two drivers in track history have earned track titles without a single feature win during their championship seasons. Any ideas? This is a tough one so I'll give you some time to think. The answer follows below the complete results from Sunday night...

For those who may be curious, Docekal finished the month of July fifth in points. He moved to fourth August 11, to third August 18 and to second September 1 before his climb to the top Sunday night.

You have to feel for Modified driver Ronn Lauritzen. The 2013 Karl Performance Hawkeye Dirt Tour presented by XSAN champion had a stellar season in both weekly racing and his travels throughout Iowa, but he is still in search of his first track championship. And, boy, has he been close. In fact, Sunday night, Lauritzen was dangerously close to celebrating his fourth track title in the last two years.

Along with his runner-up finish to Docekal by a single point in this year's Modified standings in Vinton, Lauritzen was one point shy of Marshalltown Speedway track champion Jon Snyder, as well. He finished just four points behind Tyler Droste for top honors at Independence Motor Speedway. Yes, that's a combined six points away from three track titles. Lauritzen also finished second last year in Independence to Mark Schulte - by three points. Four runner-up finishes by a combined nine points. It's coming, Ronn. And when it does, many more will follow.

Thoughts are with IMCA Modified driver Mike Burbridge, a weekly regular in Vinton. Burbridge was recently hospitalized with a Staph infection in his leg. I hope you're feeling better soon, Mike!

A number of first-time visitors made their way to Vinton for championship night. Among them? A pair of SportMod drivers who traveled great distances to get another race night in the books. Matt Webb made the haul from Des Moines and Matthew Looft made the four hour trek from Swea City. Looft said he was still short on race nights and needed to go where they were still racing. I think a second place finish in a field of 33 made the trip worthwhile. If you're not sure where Swea City is, it's in extreme northern Iowa, about 25 minutes east of Estherville. If you still don't know, draw a line straight north from Fort Dodge to the Minnesota border. It's just west of there and it's a loooong drive for a Sunday night. Thanks for making the trip to join us, Matt!

Special thanks to BCS announcer Bucky Doren for asking me to announce the championship program with him. It was great to be behind the mic one final time this year and a pleasure to call the action with you, Bucky!

Although the season is now complete in both Independence and Vinton, my racing travels are far from over. Sunday night was my 81st race of the year and I may reach 90 before the end of the season. Next weekend I'm considering splitting time between post-season specials at Knoxville Raceway and Hamilton County Speedway. The following weekend, I plan to spend at least one day at Southern Iowa Speedway's Fall Challenge and I hope to make it to Shiverfest at Lee County Speedway in October. After that, I plan to make my second visit to Thunder Hill Speedway in Mayetta, Kansas, for the Thunder on the Hill special in mid-October. You never know, there may be more racing in store beyond those events!

A number of people have questioned my lack of race reports the last few weeks here at Positively Racing. They tell me they've seen me at the races, but that I haven't written much lately. I can honestly answer that by saying my focus shifts starting in mid-August. At that point in time, my attention always turns to preparation for season championship night at Independence and the IMCA Super Nationals. After Super Nationals, I like to attend post-season specials to socialize and catch up with folks I may not get the pleasure of seeing in the off-season. I dedicate this part of year to "me time" and love every minute interacting with friends and fellow fans as the season winds down without taking notes on all the action.

To those who are regular readers, thank you for your loyalty and fear not! I may or may not include notes here and there of the next few events I attend, but I guarantee I'll have a stronger presence this off-season compared to past years. I plan to do some writing through the off-season to keep the winter blahs from setting in.

One thing is certain - the five years I've written for Jeff Broeg and his crew has been a truly rewarding experience. I've made a lot of new friends that I may not have met otherwise and it's an honor that so many people look forward to the race reports I provide through this web site. In fact, I'm rapidly approaching 100,000 hits on my page alone at Positively Racing. That's incredibly humbling.

As we continue making our way through the post-season schedule, please support a track in your area or, if you're able, plan a trip to see a show at a track you've always wanted to visit, but have never been able to attend. The season may be winding down, but there are a number of great specials out there in the coming weeks. If we happen to cross paths at one of them, be sure to say hello.

As always, thanks for reading!

RESULTS
IMCA MODIFIED
Feature: 1. 12D Joe Docekal, Dysart; 2. F7 Patrick Flannagan, Cedar Rapids; 3. 18 Jerry Luloff, Independence; 4. 27M Mark Schulte, Delhi; 5. 10K Ronn Lauritzen, Jesup; 6. 71 Troy Cordes, Dunkerton; 7. 93K Jeff Kriz, Waterloo; 8. 80 Jerry Dedrick, Vinton; 9. 98 Jason Snyder, Dunkerton; 10. 20L Zach Less, Hopkinton; 11. 171 Buck Swanson, Waterloo; 12. 7 Todd Jensen, Waterloo; 13. 01 Ed Thomas, Waterloo; 14. 77 Tim McBride, Denver; 15. 14B Shane Burbridge, Manchester; 16. 81 Jesse Belez, Marengo; 17. 49 Mike Manson, Manchester; 18. 10 Kaleb Bentley, Fairbank; 19. 111 Buster Pate, Hiawatha; 20. 7S Robbie Schmuecker, Vinton.
Heat one: 1. Docekal; 2. Thomas; 3. Kriz; 4. McBride; 5. Pate; 6. Schmuecker; 7. Snyder.
Heat two: 1. Luloff; 2. Schulte; 3. Dedrick; 4. Lauritzen; 5. Swanson; 6. Burbridge; 7. Bentley.
Heat three: 1. Flannagan; 2. Less; 3. Cordes; 4. Belez; 5. Jensen; 6. Manson.

IMCA STOCK CAR
Feature: 1. 99D Damon Murty, Chelsea; 2. 87 John Emerson, Waterloo; 3. 22K Kevin Rose, Waterloo; 4. 15 Norman Chesmore, Rowley; 5. 7H Phil Holtz, Manchester; 6. 4JR Russell Damme; 7. 4Q Richard Quail, Waterloo; 8. 8 Curtis Roster, Vinton; 9. 17 Jason Niedert, Winthrop; 10. 76 Mike Galli, Urbana; 11. 22D Jared Daggett, Marshalltown; 12. 8B Scott Beauregard, Center Point; 13. 76S Chad Siems, Shellsburg; 14. 47 Scott Pippert, Elberon.
Heat one: 1. Damme; 2. Emerson; 3. Roster; 4. Quail; 5. Siems; 6. Holtz; 7. Daggett.
Heat two: 1. Pippert; 2. Murty; 3. Rose; 4. Niedert; 5. Beauregard; 6. Galli; 7. Chesmore.

IMCA NORTHERN SPORTMOD
Feature: 1. 22H Curt Hilmer, Dysart; 2. 9L Matt Looft, Swea City; 3. 21 Brennen Chipp, Waterloo; 4. 3R Danny Dvorak, Vinton; 5. 7D Dakoda Sellers, Vinton; 6. 72L Brett Lowry, Montezuma; 7. 10S John Schaefer, La Porte City; 8. 4 Ryan Maitland, Waterloo; 9. CH19 Colby Heishman, Brooklyn; 10. J2 Dave Schulze, Keystone; 11. K3 Kyle Olson, Cedar Rapids; 12. 57R Ryan King, Montour; 13. 00 Jim Buhlman, Cedar Falls; 14. 14 Shane Ebaugh, Evansdale; 15. 51X Matt Webb, Des Moines; 16. 95 Mike McDonald, Cedar Rapids; 17. 80 Duane Van Deest, Grundy Center; 18. 26J Joel Rust, Grundy Center; 19. 3B Brian Anderson, Garrison; 20. 15B Troy Burkhart, Urbana.
Heat one (3 qualify): 1. Lowry; 2. Heishman; 3. Schulze; 4. Webb; 5. Van Deest; 6. Burkhart; 7. 93 Josh Burrell, Dysart; 8. 35B Kyle Bentley, Quasqueton; 9. 35 Josh Miller, Lisbon.
Heat two: 1. Hilmer; 2. M. McDonald; 3. Dvorak; 4. Anderson; 5. 9 Scott Williams, Atkins; 6. T17 Tom Rawlins, Kellogg; 7. 14A T.J. Hampton, Waterloo; DNS 115 Bob Ebaugh, Raymond.
Heat three: 1. Sellers; 2. Rust; 3. S. Ebaugh; 4. Maitland; 5. 86U Rod McDonald, Manchester; 6. Olson; 7. 11M Mike Mitchell, Cedar Rapids; 8. 45 Matt Petrzelka, Norway.
Heat four: 1. Chipp; 2. Schaefer; 3. Looft; 4. King; 5. 44G Brady Graham, Brooklyn; 6. Buhlman; 7. 339 Kevin Hurst, Janesville; 8. 50H Steve Wimer, Toddville.
B feature one (4 transfer): 1. Webb; 2. Van Deest; 3. Anderson; 4. Burkhart; 5. Burrell; 6. Miller; 7. Williams; 8. Rawlins; DNS Hampton; DNS Miller; DNS B. Ebaugh.
B feature two: 1. Maitland; 2. King; 3. Olson; 4. Buhlman; 5. Mitchell; 6. Wimer; 7. Petrzelka; 8. Hurst; 9. R. McDonald; DNS Graham.

IMCA HOBBY STOCK
Feature: 1. 29 Nathan Ballard, Marengo; 2. 78 Matt Brown, Dysart; 3. 18 Chris Luloff, Independence; 4. 46 Brian Happel, Vinton; 5. 23S Adam Streeter, Walker; 6. 07 Jacob Keiser, Marengo; 7. 45 Justin Wacha, Vinton; 8. 4P Matt Pohlman, Keystone; 9. 90 Chris Moore, Fairfax; 10. T64 Jeremiah Wilson, Waterloo; 11. 75D Dale Kite, Keystone; 12. 19B Jim Sheldon, Marion; 13. 17K Kyle Parizek, Belle Plaine.
Heat one: 1. Happel; 2. Ballard; 3. Wacha; 4. Streeter; 5. Pohlman; 6. Sheldon; 7. Parizek.
Heat two: 1. Keiser; 2. Brown; 3. Luloff; 4. Wilson; 5. Moore; 6. Kite.

IMCA SPORT COMPACT
Feature: 1. 2 Merv Chandler, Urbana; 2. 00W Bill Whalen Jr., Riverside; 3. 3S Craig Streeter, Vinton; 4. 69 Bill Michel, Muscatine; 5. 3 Neil Nabholz, Waterloo; 6. 111 A.J. Witten, Cedar Rapids; 7. 7B Brad Schmidt, Cedar Rapids; 8. 99J Jeremy Lerch, Vinton; 9. 44 Troy Scott, Fairfax; DNS 9 Toby Denning, Mt. Auburn.
Heat one: 1. Chandler; 2. Streeter; 3. Michel; 4. Schmidt; DNS Denning.
Heat two: 1. Whalen; 2. Nabholz; 3. Lerch; 4. Witten; 5. Scott.

Have you figured out the only two drivers in Benton County Speedway history to win a track title without a single feature win during their championship seasons? Hobby Stock driver Max Leonard was the first to do it in 1993. Leonard was winless in 16 events that season, but still earned title honors. The other was 2002 Hobby Stock champ Steve Kesl. Kesl won seven times in his career in Vinton, but none came during his title season, which included 18 Hobby Stock events.