Davenport Speedway
Aikey wraps up 7th title with Davenport victory
Jeff Aikey celebrates his victory and seventh Deery Brothers title. (chrisdamitz.com)
DAVENPORT, Iowa (Sept. 22) — Jeff Aikey will have to make room in his trophy case for two more Deery Brothers Summer Series awards.
The 49-year-old veteran from Waterloo, Iowa, wrapped up his seventh IMCA Late Model series touring championship with his 58th career feature victory Saturday at Davenport Speedway. | Slideshow
The win on the historic half-mile oval was good for $2,000, the series title another $5,000. Andy Eckrich was runner-up in both the standings, nine points back, and in the 40-lap race. Brian Harris, Ray Guss Jr. and Denny Eckrich completed Saturday’s top five.
Pole-starting Justin Kay led the first two circuits. Aikey took over until lap 12, when Andy Eckrich drove to the front. The first in a series of cautions negated an Aikey pass on lap 14, but he stayed close and caught Eckrich again on lap 34. He checked out from that point, winning comfortably ahead of Eckrich.
Notes: Aikey’s Mach 1 Race Car is sponsored by Fleck & Son Trucking and Callie’s. ... He was also series champion in 1987, 1988, 1996, 1999, 2006 and 2009. ... Ray Guss Jr. won the $250 Sunoco Race Fuels feature qualifier drawing. ... Recipients of $99 Ideal Ready Mix Ironman Challenge cash bonuses were feature qualifiers Mike Murphy Jr., Kay, Jay Johnson, Guss, Andy Eckrich, Darrel DeFrance, Joel Callahan and Aikey. ... DeFrance finished 10th in maintaining his perfect series attendance through 26 seasons and 404 events. ... Among drivers failing to make the feature lineup: Tommy Elston, Mary Diercks, LeRoy Brenner, Mike Klinkkammer, Joe Ross and Jeremiah Hurst.
All Star Classic: (1) Jeff Aikey, (2) Andy Eckrich, (3) Brian Harris, (4) Ray Guss Jr., (5) Denny Eckrich, (6) Justin Kay, (7) Mike Garland, (8) Andy Nezworski, (9) Joe Zrostlik, (10) Darrel DeFrance, (11) Jay Johnson, (12) Jeff Mitrisin, (13) Tom Goble, (14) Jonathan Brauns, (15) Mike Zemo Jr., (16) Fred Remley, Davenport, (17) Joel Callahan, (18) Mike Murphy Jr., (19) Tyler Bruening, (20) Jason Utter, (21) Nate Beuseling, (22) Matt Ryan, (23) Stephan Kammerer, (24) Spencer Diercks. Heat race winners (among 31 cars): Kay, Denny Eckrich, Kammerer, Guss. Consolation winners: Garland, Beuseling. Provisional starters: Brauns, Zrostlik, DeFrance, Mitrisin.
Correction: Fixes Aikey's chassis brand.
