34 Raceway
Murphy cruises to $3,000 victory at Slocum 50
Mike Murphy Jr. (14) takes the lead from Jay Johnson (93) at 34 Raceway. (John Vass)
WEST BURLINGTON, Iowa (April 7) – Once Mike Murphy Jr. got into the lead, the race was for second in Saturday’s Slocum 50 at 34 Raceway.
The Colona, Ill., driver took the $3,000 checkers half a lap ahead of runner-up Tyler Bruening of Decorah, Iowa, lapping all but five competitors at the second Deery Brothers Summer Series race of the season. | Video | Slideshow
Hometown driver Jay Johnson led the first six times around the track from the track before giving way to the eighth-starting Murphy, who set sail from that point. What proved to be the only caution of the night had come out on lap three and Murphy was lapping cars by the 17th circuit. He cruised to his second career series victory.
Bruening repeated his second-place finish from opening night on Friday in Farley, Iowa. Joel Callahan of Dubuque, Iowa, was third while reigning series champ Ray Guss Jr. of Milan, Ill., advanced 12 spots to finish fourth. Farley winner Andy Eckrich of Iowa City, Iowa, rounded out the top five.
Brenton Slocum, IMCA Late Model track champion at West Burlington in 2004, was remembered with the missing man formation during parade laps. 34 Raceway also raised and contributed more than $1,000 Saturday evening for the scholarship fund in his name that benefits area high school students.
Notes: Murphy's No. 14 is sponsored by Sherri D's Auto Sales, Riverbend Pizza Place and Rock River Arms. ... Jeff Aikey came from 20th to finish sixth. ... Charlie McKenna won the $250 Sunoco Race Fuels feature qualifier drawing. ... Among drivers failing to make the feature lineup: Lonnie Bailey, Travis Denning, Doug Yates, Kyle Hinrichs and last year's winner Matt Ryan. ... The third of 21 stops for the 26th series season is April 14 at Hamilton County Speedway in Webster City, Iowa. ... Murphy and Bruening share the points lead as the tour returns to Webster City for the first time since 2006 with a $2,000-to-win event.
Slocum 50: (1) Mike Murphy Jr., (2) Tyler Bruening, (3) Joel Callahan, (4) Ray Guss Jr., (5) Andy Eckrich, (6) Jeff Aikey, (7) Mark Burgtorf, (8) Tom Bowling Jr., (9) Tom Darbyshire, (10) Matt Bailey, (11) Darrel DeFrance, (12) Colby Springsteen, (13) Sam Halstead, (14) Jay Johnson, (15) Nate Bueseling, (16) Matt Strassheim, (17) Luke Goedert, (18) Joey Gower, (19) Justin Kay, (20) Charlie McKenna, (21) Jason Hahne, (22) Mike Garland, (23) Dean Wagner II, (24) Gary Webb. Heat race winners (among 37 cars): Burgtorf, Bailey, Strassheim, Callahan. Consolation winners: Darbyshire, Springsteen.
