Dan Christopher won the USRA Karl Chevrolet Stock Car feature Wednesday, Aug. 31, at the Fairmont Raceway in Fairmont, Minn.

FAIRMONT, Minn. -- The Iron Man Challenge made its maiden voyage to the Fairmont Raceway Wednesday night with two new winners sharing the spotlight in victory lane.

Tad Reutzel of Burt, Iowa, passed points leader Matt Lettow with two laps to go and went on to capture his first Iron Man trophy in the USRA Karl Performance Parts B-Mods.

Lettow, who led from the start from the pole position, had to settle for the runner-up spot but earned some quality points as he looks to sew up the title tomorrow night in Allison, Iowa.

Fairmont’s Kyle Steuber finished third and Cullen De Ruyter of Ruthton came from ninth to finish in the fourth spot while Jason Fisher of Lakefield wound up fifth.

Matthew Looft, Brandon Hare, Parker Hale, Brian Schrage and Dan Paplow rounded out the top-10 finishers.

Making his tenth Iron Man start, Hare’s seventh-place finish was his worst finish of the campaign and trails Lettow by 17 points heading into the season finale Thursday. Cayden Carter is another nine points back in third, and all three drivers have the door open to take the title.

With fifth-place being his lowest finish of the season, only a top-4 result will help Lettow increase his advantage as points are awarded based on a driver’s 10 best nights.

If Lettow wins or finishes second Thursday night, Hare is mathematically eliminated. However, if Lettow finishes third or worse, Hare can win the championship with a victory … if Lettow finishes fourth, Hare can win the championship with a runner-up finish … if Lettow finishes fifth or worse, Hare can win the championship with a third-place finish while a fourth-place finish would result in a tie with Lettow holding the tie-breaker advantage based on top-5 finishes for the season (both have two wins).

The scenarios become even more confusing when factoring Carter into the mix. The youngster from Oskaloosa, Iowa, trails Lettow by 26 markers but can increase his points total by as much as 48 with a win. A trip to victory lane or a runner-up finish by Carter Thursday night gives him the crown regardless of what Lettow or Hare does.

While Lettow came close to wiring the field in the B-Mod main event, Dan Christopher pulled it off in the USRA Karl Chevrolet Stock Car feature race.

Starting from the outside of the front row, the driver from Decorah, Iowa, maneuvered flawlessly around the Fairmont oval to take home the $700 winner’s share of the purse while the rest of the field fought it out for the rest of the positions.

Ken Tietz of Belle Plaine scored runner-up honors, Derek Green of Granada finished third in his first Iron Man Challenge appearance and fellow Granada pilot Malcolm Teachout crossed the finish line fourth.

Points leader Mike Van Genderen of Newton, Iowa, had to rebound from an early-race problem and clawed his way back to a fifth-place finish while Tory Reicks, Dan Thate, Chris Ullrich, Kyle Falck and Jason Minnehan rounded out the top 10.
Like Lettow in the B-Mods, Van Genderen has ten top-5 finishes this season, so a Wednesday’s fifth place did not increase his points total. However, his nearest challenger, Kevin Donlan, made his tenth start his worst with an 18th-place finish – his first outside of the top 5 this year.

Van Genderen leads Donlan by 35 markers, and ‘The Flying Dutchman’ can sew up the championship by finishing first or second in Thursday’s finale. However, a win by Donlan coupled with Van Genderen winding up third or worse gives Donlan the 2011 Iron Man Challenge crown … if Van Genderen is no better than fourth when the checkered flag waves tomorrow, Donlan can take the title with a runner-up result while a third-place finish for Donlan creates a tie with Van Genderen holding the tiebreaker advantage based on season-long top-5 finishes (both drivers have three wins).

The Iron Man Challenge will wrap up the 2011 campaign on Thursday, Sept. 1, at the Highway 3 Raceway in Allison, Iowa.

Stock Cars will be racing for $700 to win and $125 to start while B-Mods will compete for a $500 top prize and $80 to start. Tow money for non-qualifiers will be $75 and $50, respectively. Stock Cars will have a $25 entry fee while the B-Mod entry fee is $15.

Tow money for non-qualifiers will be $75 and $50, respectively. Stock Cars will have a $25 entry fee while the B-Mod entry fee is $15.

What’s more, the Iron Man Challenge champions will merge from Thursday’s finale where the points fund for the Stock Cars carries a $2,000 top prize while the B-Mod champion will earn $700.

The USMTS Modifieds will round out the spectacular tripleheader of events.

Thursday’s event in Allison will kick off with spectator gates opening at 5 p.m. Hot laps begin at 6:30 and racing starts at 7. Race fans can pick up $2-off coupons on race day at the Casey's General Stores locations in Allison, Cedar Falls, Nashua and Waverly.

The Highway 3 Raceway is located 0.3 miles north of SR 3 on S. Main St. (at the Butler County Fairgrounds). For more information, call 319-267-9977 or check out www.highway3raceway.com online.

Licensed USRA drivers in both classes also earn national points in the American Racer USRA Weekly Racing Series, and some tracks may also award track points.

Nineteen dates at fourteen dirt ovals in four states comprise the 2011 schedule for the second season of the Iron Man Challenge.

Licensed USRA drivers in both classes also earn national points in the American Racer USRA Weekly Racing Series, and some tracks may also award track points.

To learn more about the USRA, visit www.usraracing.com or call 515-832-6000. You can also like us on Facebook, join us on MySpace or follow us on Twitter.

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OFFICIAL RESULTS
American Racer USRA Weekly Racing Series
Iron Man Challenge
Fairmont Raceway, Fairmont, Minn.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Showing finishing position, starting position in parentheses, car number, driver, hometown, and money won.

USRA KARL PERFORMANCE PARTS B-MODS

Heat #1:
1. (2) 14 Jason Fisher, Lakefield, Minn.
2. (4) 7j Jeremy Smith, Luverne, Minn.
3. (5) 1 Greg Sidles, Emmetsburg, Iowa.
4. (6) 56h Brandon Hare, Elma, Iowa.
5. (1) 24 Travis DeBoer, Fairmont, Minn.
6. (3) 25 Dan Paplow, Dundee, Minn.
7. (7) JD1 Justin DeBoer, Granada, Minn.

Heat #2:
1. (1) 36 Jeremy Aust, Fairmont, Minn.
2. (4) 21L Matt Lettow, Roland, Iowa.
3. (6) 80 Josh Bonnstetter, Slayton, Minn.
4. (5) 1 Nick Johansen, Tyler, Minn.
5. (3) 2j Jeff Carter, Mapleton, Minn.
6. (2) 28 Parker Hale, Grand Meadow, Minn.
7. (7) 23 Jeremy Oakes, Spring Grove, Minn.

Heat #3:
1. (3) 18 Kyle Steuber, Fairmont, Minn.
2. (5) 5r Tad Reutzel, Burt, Iowa.
3. (4) 7 Cullen De Ruyter, Ruthton, Minn.
4. (6) 14 Brian Schrage, Cresco, Iowa.
5. (1) 9 Matthew Looft, Swea City, Iowa.
6. (2) 98 Dan Hanselman, Algona, Iowa.
7. (7) 32 Robert Black, Ventura, Iowa.

“A” Main:
1. (5) 5r Tad Reutzel, Burt, Iowa, $500.
2. (1) 21L Matt Lettow, Roland, Iowa, $400.
3. (7) 18 Kyle Steuber, Fairmont, Minn., $300.
4. (9) 7 Cullen De Ruyter, Ruthton, Minn., $250.
5. (6) 14 Jason Fisher, Lakefield, Minn., $200.
6. (14) 9 Matthew Looft, Swea City, Iowa, $175.
7. (10) 56h Brandon Hare, Elma, Iowa, $150.
8. (16) 28 Parker Hale, Grand Meadow, Minn., $130.
9. (11) 14 Brian Schrage, Cresco, Iowa, $100.
10. (15) 25 Dan Paplow, Dundee, Minn., $90.
11. (13) 2j Jeff Carter, Mapleton, Minn., $85.
12. (19) 23 Jeremy Oakes, Spring Grove, Minn., $80.
13. (4) 80 Josh Bonnstetter, Slayton, Minn., $75.
14. (17) 98 Dan Hanselman, Algona, Iowa, $75.
15. (20) 32 Robert Black, Ventura, Iowa, $75.
16. (8) 7j Jeremy Smith, Luverne, Minn., $75.
17. (3) 36 Jeremy Aust, Fairmont, Minn., $75.
18. (12) 1 Nick Johansen, Tyler, Minn., $75.
19. (2) 1 Greg Sidles, Emmetsburg, Iowa, $75.
20. (18) JD1 Justin DeBoer, Granada, Minn., $75.
DNS – 24 Travis DeBoer, Fairmont, Minn., $50.

Points Standings: Lettow 906, Hare 889, Cayden Carter 880, Carter VanDenBerg 795, Hale 755, Jared Timmerman 749, Bonnstetter 738, Schrage 730, Brandon Leeman 642, Ben Kates 494.

USRA KARL CHEVROLET STOCK CARS

Heat #1:
1. (2) 32 Derek Green, Granada, Minn.
2. (1) 110 Ken Tietz, Belle Plaine, Minn.
3. (4) 27t Tory Reicks, Waucoma, Iowa.
4. (3) 66 Dan Thate, Fairmont, Minn.
5. (5) 30 Mark Massey, Worthington, Iowa.
6. (6) 33 Kevin Donlan, Decorah, Iowa.
7. (7) 20 Dustin Wannarka, Winnebago, Minn.

Heat #2:
1. (4) 5x Luke Saathoff, Jackson, Minn.
2. (2) 15 Mitch Hovden, Decorah, Iowa.
3. (1) 83 James Richert, Comfrey, Minn.
4. (3) M2 Matt Fox, Paton, Iowa.
5. (7) 57v Mike Van Genderen, Newton, Iowa.
6. (6) 7 Jason Minnehan, Churdan, Iowa.
7. (5) 35 Wayne Crimmins, Fort Dodge, Iowa.

Heat #3:
1. (4) 42 Dan Christopher, Decorah, Iowa.
2. (5) 67 Kyle Falck, Decorah, Iowa.
3. (3) 01u Chris Ullrich, Kiron, Iowa.
4. (2) 20t Malcolm Teachout, Granada, Minn.
5. (6) 00 Danny Cole, Lansing, Iowa.
6. (1) 14z Ned Kalis, Wells, Minn.
7. (7) 20x Andy Altenberg, Truman, Minn.

“A” Main:
1. (2) 42 Dan Christopher, Decorah, Iowa, $700.
2. (4) 110 Ken Tietz, Belle Plaine, Minn., $500.
3. (7) 32 Derek Green, Granada, Minn., $400.
4. (12) 20t Malcolm Teachout, Granada, Minn., $300.
5. (13) 57v Mike Van Genderen, Newton, Iowa, $250.
6. (3) 27t Tory Reicks, Waucoma, Iowa, $200.
7. (10) 66 Dan Thate, Fairmont, Minn., $170.
8. (9) 01u Chris Ullrich, Kiron, Iowa, $150.
9. (8) 67 Kyle Falck, Decorah, Iowa, $130.
10. (17) 7 Jason Minnehan, Churdan, Iowa, $125.
11. (15) 30 Mark Massey, Worthington, Iowa, $125.
12. (5) 5x Luke Saathoff, Jackson, Minn., $125.
13. (14) 00 Danny Cole, Lansing, Iowa, $125.
14. (20) 20x Andy Altenberg, Truman, Minn., $125.
15. (1) 83 James Richert, Comfrey, Minn., $125.
16. (6) 15 Mitch Hovden, Decorah, Iowa, $125.
17. (18) 14z Ned Kalis, Wells, Minn., $125.
18. (16) 33 Kevin Donlan, Decorah, Iowa, $125.
19. (11) M2 Matt Fox, Paton, Iowa, $125.
20. (19) 20 Dustin Wannarka, Winnebago, Minn., $125.
DQ – 35 Wayne Crimmins, Fort Dodge, Iowa, $0.

Points Standings: Van Genderen 930, Donlan 895, Justin Temeyer 884, Nathan Wood 865, Reicks 831, Steve Jackson 819, Jeff Joldersma 780, Todd Staley 759, Ulrich 741, Ryan Leeman 622.

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USRA OFFICIAL SPONSORS: American Racer Racing Tires, Awesome Race Suits, Intercomp, Karl Chevrolet, Karl Performance Parts, KEVKO Oil Pans & Components, Nitroquest, RACEceiver, RHS – Racing Head Service, Western Flyer Race Cars.

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