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Birkhofer Da' Man in Jackson 100

Brownstown, IN-August 11- The Northern All Star Late Model Racing Series sanctioned Jackson 100 at Brownstown Speedway saw 29 year old young gun Brian Birkhofer of Muscatine, Iowa take his first ever NALMS win and first ever Brownstown win as he captured the 22nd Annual Jackson 100. Birkhofer also became the 13th different Late Model feature winner at Brownstown in 2001.

The 22nd Jackson 100 would be a caution free affair and would take only 25 minutes to complete the 25 mile chase around the Jackson County Fairgrounds 1/4 mile oval. Outside polesitter Jim Curry would jump to the top spot at the drop of the green flag, with Birkhofer giving chase, followed by Doug Ault, Kevin Claycomb, and Pete Parker. Claycomb would take third on lap 2, while Scott James would go to fifth on the same lap. Curry would set a torrid pace at the point, as James began to pressure Ault for third, while Kevin Weaver would charge to sixth by lap 6 after starting 11th. James would get fourth from Ault on lap 7, with Weaver now challenging Ault for fifth and taking that spot on lap 12. By lap 15, Curry and Birkhofer were beginning to catch slower traffic as Birhofer trailed Curry by two car lengths. James now began to bring the heat to Claycomb for third on lap 16 and would take the third spot on lap 18. Meanwhile Billy Drake had also charged through the pack and was now going side by side with Ault for sixth as the field reached the 25 lap mark of the event. As Curry and Birkhofer continued to set the pace, Weaver was now beginning to reel in third place James. This would turn into a great battle for third as the pair would dice it up back and forth for about 10 laps only to be joined by Claycomb as the field worked lap 45. Drake would also join the fray and at the midpoint of the race, Drake would take fifth from Claycomb, only to lose it back to Claycomb one lap later. Birkhofer had now closed up on Curry's backbumper as the lead duo work heavy lapped traffic, with Birky take a peak beneath Curry on a couple occasions. Weaver would finally win the battle for third with James on lap 57. With Birkhofer barking at Curry's heels now, the veteran Curry would make a bold move between slower traffic in turn three to get just a bit of breathing for the moment, as James, Claycomb, and Drake battled for fourth. Claycomb would ride past James for the spot on lap 64, with Drake taking fifth from James two trips later. As Curry fought it out with lapped traffic, Birkhofer began to work his magic as he would pull alongside of Curry for the lead on laps 74 and 75, while Ault would get by both James and Drake and go back to fifth on lap 76. Lap 80 would see Claycomb's night end with a broken driveshaft, while Birkhofer really began to turn the wick up on Curry for the top spot. Birkhofer would drive alongside of Curry on lap 84 and the duo would dance side by side for the top spot until Curry slipped a bit in turn two on lap 88, allowing Birkhofer to grab the top spot. The final 10 circuits would see Birkhofer and Curry work in lapped traffic with Birkhofer scoring his first Jackson 100 win aboard his Seubert Calf Ranches, Jody's Bar and Grill, Bryant Roofing, Parks of Iowa, Daufeldt Transport, Hardrock Powder Coatings, Duralite Wheels, Auto Value Parts Store #15 MasterSbilt Race Car, Pro Power Race Engines, Hoosier Tire shod entry. Curry would finish second, with Weaver, Ault, and Drake completing the top five. James, Dennis Erb, Shannon Babb, Steve Barnett, and Greg Johnson would round out the top ten, with Barnett of Franklin, IN winning the 5th annual Lou Ahlbrand Memorial Award for advancing the most spot in the Jackson 100 after starting 19th. Seventy-two Northern All Star Late Models from nine states were on hand for the event, with heat race wins going to Curry, Birkhofer, Ault, Parker, Steve Hillard, and Claycomb. There were three B-mains and they were taken by Barnett, Doug McCammon, and Mark Barber. NALMS provisionals went to Jeff Martin and Ted Loomis, while Steven Godsey got the Brownstown track provisional.

The 25 lap UMP Modified main event was also a hard fought contest as John DeMoss of Bloomington, IN scored a flag-to-flag in the open-wheel main event. DeMoss took the win behind the wheel of his Southern Indiana Drywall Supply, Erwin Drywall, Kadex Drywall Products, Jeff Cooper Insulation #79D Ellis Race entry. Adam Sasser would scoot by Clint DeMoss on the final lap to take runner-up honors for the evening. Matt Boknecht would take fourth, while Brad Cummings would inherit fifth after apparent fifth place finisher Todd Gilpin was light at the scales. Completing the top ten were Levi Godsey, Vernon Soeder, Dale Hobbs, JD Roberts, and Al Flick. Twenty-seven Modifieds were in attendance with heat wins going to John DeMoss, Clint DeMoss, and Sasser, while Soeder won the B-main.

SUMMARY-Brownstown, Indiana-August 11, 2001

NALMS LATE MODELS (72 entries)
Top Qualifier- Scott James 15.935
1st Heat- Jim Curry, James, Dan Sturgeon, Terry Eaglin
2nd Heat- Brian Birkhofer, Shannon Babb, Ernie Barrow, Steve Barnett
3rd Heat- Doug Ault, Dick Phillips,Justin Blackwell, Marty O'Neal
4th Heat- Pete Parker, Steve Smith, Dennis Erb, Doug McCammon
5th Heat- Steve Hillard, Kevin Weaver, Tim Prince, Mark Barber
6th Heat- Kevin Claycomb, Billy Drake, Greg Johnson, Scott Smith
1st B-Main: Barnett, Darren Miller, Jeff Wildung, Terry Eaglin, Bryan Barber
2nd B-Main: McCammon, Mark Burgtorf, O'Neal, Duke Whiseant, Shawn Negangard
3rd B-Main: Mark Barber, Timmy Yeager, Joe Godsey, Gary Barrow, CJ Rayburn
Provisionals- Jeff Martin and Ted Loomis (NALMS) and Steven Godsey (Brownstown)
JACKSON 100- Birkhofer, Curry, Weaver, Ault, Drake, James, Erb, Babb, Barnett, Johnson, Ernie Barrow, Mark Barber, McCammon, Steve Smith, Phillips, Sturgeon, Prince, Steven Godsey, Martin, Hillard, Blackwell, Claycomb, Parker, Loomis

UMP MODIFIEDS (27 entries)
1st Heat- John DeMoss, Matt Boknecht, Todd Gilpin, Ryan Thomas
2nd Heat- Clint DeMoss, Josh Wells, Darrin George, Brad Cummings
3rd Heat- Adam Sasser, Al Flick, Jason Thomas, Levi Godsey
B-Main: Vernon Soeder, Matt Bex, Brad Sturgeon, Billy Despain, Dale Hobbs
Feature- John DeMoss, Sasser, Clint DeMoss, Boknecht, Cummings, Soeder, Hobbs, JD Roberts, Flick, John Hollifield, Bex, Wells, Thomas, Murl Robinson, George, Despain, Sturgeon, Thomas, Gilpin