300 Raceway
Bruening wins career-high $7,500 at Yankee Classic
Tyler Bruening celebrates his first career Deery Brothers Summer Series victory.
FARLEY, Iowa (Sept. 17) – Tyler Bruening says its always good when hard work pays off. In his case, that effort resulted in his career first win on the Deery Brothers Summer Series circuit and a check for $7,500.
The Decorah, Iowa, driver led all 50 laps of the IMCA Late Model tour main event Saturday at Farley Speedway’s Yankee Dirt Track Classic, holding off Denny Eckrich by less than one length at the checkers. | Slideshow | Prelims
“I couldn’t believe I won it,” he admitted. “This is definitely the biggest win of my career. It makes all the hard work pay off.”
Eckrich’s brother Andy was right behind the front pair in third. Series point leader Ray Guss Jr. and Mark Burgtorf rounded out the top five. Terry Neal, winner of the Friday Brodix Silver Anniversary Shootout at Farley, was sixth.
The only caution of the contest came for debris on lap three. Bruening caught up with the back of the 24-car Yankee field by lap 17 and built a sizable advantage by midway.
That comfortable lead disappeared by the final laps as Denny Eckrich gradually reeled the leader back in. Eckrich tried inside and was right alongside Bruening the last time around the oval.
“After the first few laps, I felt we had the car to beat. I’d gone into the race anticipating running around the bottom but after we got out there that part of the track went away and I ran a higher line,” Bruening said. “I kind of got stuck in lapped traffic late in the race and he (Eckrich) closed right up on me.”
“I had pushed the car pretty hard all night,” he added. “After the race we pulled in and took a look at the right rear tire and it was pretty well gone.”
Notes: Bruening's Barry Wright Race Car is sponsored by Bruening Rock Products, Minnowa Construction and Skyline Materials. ... Bruening has 45 career starts in series features. ... His previous best finish was third at Marshalltown (Iowa) Speedway in May. ... He has five top-five finishes this season. ... Bruening won his heat race, then topped the dash to earn the pole start. ... Bruening’s father Greg, a former Deery regular, is his car owner and crew chief. ... Chad Simpson won the open-competition portion of the Yankee. ... Six points separate Guss and Andy Eckrich heading into the Sept. 24-25 series finale at Quad City Speedway in East Moline, Ill.
Yankee Dirt Track Classic: (1) Tyler Bruening, (2) Denny Eckrich, (3) Andy Eckrich, (4) Ray Guss Jr., (5) Mark Burgtorf, (6) Terry Neal, (7) Justin Kay, (8) Luke Goedert, (9) Brian Harris, (10) Dan Shelliam, (11) Jay Johnson, (12) Joel Callahan, (13) Boone McLaughlin, (14) Nate Bueseling, (15) Darrel DeFrance, (16) Dale Stolte, (17) Joe Zrostlik, (18) Jeff Guengerich, (19) Jim Brokus, (20) Kevin Kile, (21) Travis Smock, (22) Matt Ryan, (23) Colby Springsteen, (24) Justin Reed. Heat race winners (among 46 cars): A. Eckrich, Guengerich, D. Eckrich, Bruening, Neal. Dash winner: Bruening. Consolation winners: DeFrance, Ryan. Provisional starters: McLaughlin, Beuseling, Smock, Zrostlik.
