MAQUOKETA, Iowa – Mitch Bielenberg smiled when he saw the lineup, and then the Charlotte, Iowa ace went to work and swept the Hall of Fame Night Obie’s Bar and Restaurant/B&C Liquor 4 Cylinders Twin 20s Saturday evening at Maquoketa Speedway.
“I thought they were inverting the whole field for the second one,” Bielenberg said in Hoker Trucking/C&W Trucking/Kam Koncepts Victory Circle. “Car was great so I could’ve passed more, but it worked out.”
The lead lap cars from the first 20-lapper were inverted for the second green flag. Bielenberg started fifth in the nightcap and zoomed past Colton Keck on lap four for the lead.
He flew from sixth in the opener and took the point from Joe Zrostlik on lap five. The latter was the runner up in both features.
Ashley Reuman, Keck and Jamie Wood completed the first top five. Brandon Bechen, Korey Lana and Brett Marshall followed in the second.
The wins came after the inaugural class of the Maquoketa Speedway Hall of Fame was inducted. Ernie Cook, Bob Current, Pickle Edwards, Tom Feller, Lloyd Nabb and Karl Vohringer were honored during intermission.
“This is not my kind of track,” Bielenberg added. ”I like it a little slicker, but it was hammer down. It’s a special night. Ernie Cook is related and Lloyd Nabb’s wife was one of my teachers, so kind of a small world and a racing family together.”
Ray Cox Jr. was surprised to find himself in victory circle after the QCJeeps.com IMCA Modified 20-lap feature.
An on-track altercation after the checkered flag took away the finishes of apparent winner Bryce Garnhart and runner up Jeff Larson. The two have dominated the class, but were both disqualified.
Jarrett Franzen, Bruce Hanford, Mitch Morris and Tyler Madigan followed Cox.
Jerry Miles bided his time, worked the high groove and sped by Logan Veloz with six laps left to win the 15-lap B&D Pit Stop IMCA SportMod finale. Veloz, Rusty Deshaw, Tyler Soppe and Wes Digman came next.
Point leader Soppe suffered a mechanical issue in his own No. 3T ride during his heat. He hopped into Scott Williams’ No. 9 and raced from the tail to that finish, his first outside the top two all season at Maquoketa.
David Brandies topped Terry Dulin in a nine-circuit, side-by-side thriller to win the 15-lap GRE / REV Chassis IMCA Stock Car feature. Both moved by early leader Donnie Louck, switched grooves and put on a show for the fans.
Louck, Tim Bader and Jimmy Comins followed.
Randy Lamar held off a late fender rubbing, high side battle with Daniel Wauters for his second Shawn’s Auto Service IMCA Hobby Stock 15-lap win. Shane Oberbreckling, Randy Byerly and Kile Vohringer were next in line.
Austin Honts rolled off ninth and launched to the lead on lap six to win the Midwest Jalopies 12-lap feature in his 1930 Plymouth. Mark Merfeld, Jeff Blunt, Tom Honts and Dennis Blunt followed.
A total of 85 race teams hit the track for 20 total events and racing was completed before 10:30 p.m.