Sunny skies and warm temps were too much to resist, so we made the decision to head north to 34 Raceway in West Burlington for Saturday night racing. Due to the cranky spring weather, this would be our first visit of 2026 to Brad Stevens and Jessi Mynatts' legendary three eighths mile high banked speed plant. Seven classes filled out the card, with extra money on the line for the 305 Sprint Cars. Other rule changes have been implemented in an attempt to increase car counts in this crowd favorite division. Late Models, Modifieds, Sport Mods, Stock Cars, Hobby Stocks and Mini Haulers filled out the card. And even though the radar showed showers in the area, nothing developed at the track and it was a cool but pleasant spring evening.
The racing family must have agreed with my opinion as a nice crowd filled in to watch a very solid one hundred and three race teams come through the pit gate. The track was in excellent condition and remained so throughout the night with three distinct fast lines around the oval, even as it slicked off late in the program.
Heat race action kicked off just after 7:00, with fifteen qualifiers clicking off in quick fashion, with the "one and done" rule in evidence. Following a short intermission, it was time to go feature racing.
The extra incentive sadly did not seem to impress the 305 community as only ten signed in to race. A first lap collision eliminated Riley Scott, but after that it was fifteen caution free laps. Daniel Berquist led early before Dugan Thye blasted to the front on lap seven, coming from a row three start. Dugan then pulled well ahead to score a popular victory. Ryan Jamison came on strong late, taking runner up honors after starting in eighth. Berquist was third followed by McCain Richards and Nick Guernsey.
Eighteen Sport Mods came to race, with all but one lining up for fifteen circuits. Dylan VanWyk fired off from row two to the front as racing began and never gave up the top spot. Three caution periods slowed the action with close racing behind the leader. VanWyk cruised out to a comfortable lead as did seventh starting Sean Wyett in second. Rookie driver Bryson Eckrich also gained separation to finish third while Jarrett VanDenBerg and Joe Roller completed the top five.
Hobby Stocks were not a part of the original lineup at the track for 2026, but after an early successful trial, they have been included on a part time basis. Fifteen signed in on Saturday and all of them lined up for fifteen laps. Again a first lap yellow flag scrambled the line up and four times more cautions would interrupt the action. Daniel Wauters was wheeling the #17M car and he shot off from the pole to grab the early lead. While Wauters remained in control, an intense battle for second developed between John Richardson and Jorden Patz. Eventually the field was reset in single file order, and the plethora of solo spins spoiled some good racing among the top five drivers. Wauters would go unchallenged for the win, with Patz claiming runner up honors. Garrett Porter made a late charge to third ahead of Richardson and Billy Stanford.
Calm was restored as the Late Models came to the track for twenty five circuits. Only Ed Hollenbeck, who was involved in a heat race crash with Jay Johnson, was absent from the seventeen car field. Mark Burgtorf and Jeremy Pundt paced the pack, but it was third starting Curtis Glover powering to the lap one lead over Burgtorf and fifth starting Andy Nezworski. Glovers' big lead was erased on lap ten as Cruz Birkhofer came to a stop above turn two, the only caution of the race. Nezworski charged to the runner up position following the Delaware restart, but he was unable to run down the flying #30 of Glover. As the quick twenty five circuits came to a close, it was Glover, Nezworski and Burgtorf with podium finishes. Tommy Elston finished where he started in fourth and Dustin Smith advanced six spots to round out the top five. Logan Veloz led Jake Griffin, Blaise Lewis, Ray Raker and Darin Weisinger Jr. sixth through tenth.
An increase in start money seemed to be an incentive for the Modifieds, as a late arrival pushed the count to eighteen. First lap issues eliminated pole sitter Dennis Laveine in one of only two caution periods. Jace Whitt is making the long tow from Hamilton, Missouri to race at Lee County and 34, and he shot to the early lead over Adam Shelman and Austen Becerra. Becerra climbed to second on lap three, taking along the Eckrich boys, Jace and Jared. The final caution came at that lap three mark, and back under green, Jace moved to the runner up position while tenth starting Chris Zogg advanced to fourth. On lap five Becerra regained the second spot and the chase was on. Whitt was running Becerras' preferred high line forcing Austen to operate in the middle groove. In what proved to be a mistake, Whitt dropped down on lap ten, opening the top side for Becerra, who rocketed to the lead. He then drove off into the Des Moines county night. Five laps later, Jace Eckrich was able to clear Whitt for second using an inside move. As the checkers flew it was Becerra, Jace Eckrich, Whitt and Zogg, while after lining up in row eight Eric Barnes slipped around Jared Eckrich in the closing laps to finish fifth.
Sixteen strong were the Stock Cars, with Austin Kemper leading lap one. The next time under the flag stand it was fourth starting John Oliver Jr. out front where he would stay for the remainder of the fifteen laps. Two times the yellow flag waved in the first three circuits, then it was green flag racing until the end. Oliver Jr. moved well out front while Greg Gill and Jordon Miles staged the race of the night, running side by side and nose to tail, swapping the runner up spot several times on the now black slick track. At the same time, Casen Keller and Chad Krogmeier waged a tight battle for fourth. The final running order saw Oliver Jr. with win number seven on the young season, followed by Gill, Miles, Keller and Krogmeier.
We had hit the 10:30 mark with an early Sunday call as the Mini Haulers headed to the track, so it was off to the parking lot for our band of three. Congrats to Caleb Ealey on his feature win.
Thanks to Brad, Jessi and their group for a fun Saturday night of racing. Despite several early season rain outs, there are still many special events on the 34 Raceway schedule in 2026, so check the website for more info.
Tonight we will be back in our familiar spot at Quincy Raceways, hope to see you there!
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