The Origin of "Shiverfest"

The first time that the now twenty year tradition of "Shiverfest" was held it was known as the "Millenium Grand Finale", the final race to held in the state of Iowa in 1999. You know, before the world would come to an end on New Year's Eve.

It was a cold, cloudy and dreary day even for late October and the first race car to line up at the pit gate that afternoon was a red #6 Late Model to be driven by Carl Edwards. The dad, not the future NASCAR star. The event was also a part of the National Kidney Foundation Heartland Tour for a Cure for the Modifieds and Hobby Stocks and unfortunately those are the only results that I can find on my computer for now. The race story and the results for those two divisions are listed below.

Following the racing Trick Or Treating was held for the kids in the pit area and finally after a long day in the wind and the cold, co-promoter Jenni Hoenig came into the pit office and said, "well that was a real Shiverfest" And, after we all survived the 2K transition, the event had a new name.

Hope to see you this Saturday at the Pepsi Lee County Speedway for Shiverfest!

Donnellson, Iowa – Mark Burgtorf of Quincy, Illinois, and John Oliver of West Burlington picked up feature wins on a chilly night during the Millennium Grand Finale event at the Lee County Speedway Saturday, but many eyes were riveted to the “race within the race” going on behind them. Both of the Toyota National Kidney Foundation Heartland Tour for a Cure point leaders, Tim Folkerts and Rod Miller, experienced misfortune during their feature events that helped Bruce Hanford and Blaire Benzing to come from behind for the 1999 Tour titles.

In the Modified feature Mark Burgtorf moved to the front quickly in the Verl Gordy owned #69 coming from the second row to take the lead on lap one. The 1999 Lee County Speedway track champion was never seriously challenged throughout the twenty laps picking up the $500 victory. The drama behind him was intense however as Tim Folkerts tried to make his way to the front from the fourteenth starting spot to preserve his six-point lead over Bruce Hanford in the final race of the ’99 NKF Tour. As the field took the white flag Hanford was running fourth followed closely by Darin Thye and Folkerts with Tim needing to get around Thye on the final lap to take the title by just a point. Two cars were battling side-by-side for seventh just behind them and when the pack entered turn one, Folkerts ended up sideways near the guardrail, bringing out the caution and ending his title hopes. On the green-white-checkered restart Vance Wilson held off Corey Dripps to finish second while Darin Thye eased past Hanford to take fifth. The $2,500 Tour championship for Hanford follows a runner-up finish in the 1998 title chase.

Rod Miller entered the Hobby Stock feature with a twenty-six-point advantage over Blaire Benzing and for the first half of the race Miller stayed glued to Benzing’s bumper as they picked their way to the front from a mid-pack start. Shawn Whiting paced the field early before John Oliver slipped past for the lead and just as that happened Miller’s car began to slow with mechanical problems. With Miller retiring to the infield Benzing needed to finish sixth to tie, and fifth or better to win the championship and in the final laps he moved from sixth to fourth to finish behind Oliver, Whiting and Bobby Greene. Harley Hill rounded out the top five as Benzing collected the $1,200 NKF Tour Hobby Stock championship.

Results

Toyota NKF Modifieds

1^st Heat – 1. Corey Dripps, Cedar Falls 2. Scott Hogan, Vinton 3. Harley Curless, Astoria IL 4. Dan Robey, Niota IL

2^nd Heat – 1. Vance Wilson, Bowling Green MO 2. Donovan Lodge, Cambridge IL 3. Tim Folkerts, Albia 4. Doug Metz, Galesburg IL

3^rd Heat – 1. Jim Roach, Kahoka MO 2. Timm Jensen, Dunkerton 3. Troy Folkerts, Albia

4^th Heat – 1. Bruce Hanford, Davenport 2. Scott Holbert, Morrison IL 3. Scott Boles, Mt. Pleasant 4. Bob Jennings, Mt. Pleasant

5^th Heat – 1. Mark Burgtorf, Quincy IL 2. Paul Lawson, Ft. Madison 3. Jason Krigbaum, Hannibal MO 4. Jardin Fuller, Memphis MO

6^th Heat – 1. Darin Thye, Burlington 2. Harry Walker, Washington 3. John Bull, Rock Island IL 4. Brian Fullenkamp, Eldon

1^st B-Main – 1. Fullenkamp 2. Tony Fraise, Montrose

2^nd B-Main – 1. Leroy Brenner, Aledo IL 2. Fuller

A-Main – 1. Burgtorf 2. Wilson 3. Dripps 4. Thye 5. Hanford 6. Troy Folkerts 7. Hogan 8. Bull 9. Fuller 10. Holbert 11. Lodge 12. Jensen 13. Brenner 14. Tim Folkerts 15. Max Dunlap, Zearing 16. Krigbaum 17. Roach 18. Curless 19. David Brown, Kellogg 20. Walker 21. Lawson 22. Fraise 23. Fullenkamp

Toyota NKF Hobby Stocks

1^st Heat – 1. Shawn Whiting, Burlington 2. Jody Dodson, Fort Madison 3. Harley Hill, Wayland MO 4. Matt Strassheim, Sperry 5. Tony Happs, Alexandria 6. Les Holtkamp, Burlington

2^nd Heat – 1. John Oliver, West Burlington 2. Scott Donlan, Burlington 3. Todd Phillips, Ollie 4. Russell Fett, Montrose 5. Christina Beggs, New London 6. Cory Richards, Burlington

3^rd Heat – 1. Bobby Greene, Tracy 2. Blaire Benzing, Waterville 3. Rod Miller, Eldon 4. Jerry Bliesener, Burlington 5. Lee Hansmeier, Waukon 6. Lorne Parks, Ottumwa

B-Main – 1. Dave Breuer, Burlington 2. Ryan Meyer, Mt. Pleasant 3. Kirk Kinsley, Wapello 4. Dean Kratzer, Ft. Madison 5. Terry Schaffer, State Center

A-Main – 1. Oliver 2. Whiting 3. Greene 4. Benzing 5. Hill 6. Bliesener 7. Meyer 8. Parks 9. Donlan 10. Strassheim 11. Fett 12. Happs 13. Beggs 14. Holtkamp 15. Kratzer 16. Richards 17. Breuer 18. Phillips 19. Miller 20. Jason Buck, Danville 21. Hansmeier 22. Dodson