Davenport Speedway
Kay goes back-to-back with Davenport victory
Justin Kay heads to his second straight Deery Brothers victory. (mikerueferphotos.photoreflect.com)
DAVENPORT, Iowa (July 5) — A rare Friday night show during the regular weekly point season for IMCA Late Models resulted in a not-so-rare occurrence: Another repeat winner in the Deery Brothers Summer Series.
Justin Kay of Wheatland, Iowa, topped another 50-lap feature that ran green to checkered at Davenport Speedway. The 24-year-old Kay had raced to his tour career first win in Tuesday’s caution-free event Independence, then backed that performance up with another $3,000 victory at his home track. | Slideshow
Hometown driver Brian Harris, winner of four consecutive Deery events going into the Indee show, took runner-up honors behind Kay for a second straight night. Andy Eckrich of Iowa City, hard charger Stephan Kammerer of Blue Grass, Iowa, and Todd Malmstrom of Silvis, Ill., rounded out the top five.
Eckrich started on the pole and led the first two circuits before Kay, who had started third, zoomed by on the quarter-mile. The battle was clearly for second as Kay pulled away in lapped traffic.
Eckrich, the 12th-starting Kammerer and seventh-starting Harris swapped second before Eckrich settled in just before midway. Harris finally caught up and swiped the spot back on the last lap.
Only one driver — Denny Eckrich — has won on the tour this season without scoring a second straight victor. Former series champ Ray Guss Jr. of Milan, Ill., won back-to-back series features before Harris started his streak.
Notes: Kay’s MasterSbilt Race Car is powered by a Grove Automotive engine and sponsored by Peterson Insurance, Kay & Sons Trucking and Wheatland Ag Center. ... Kay’s father Ricky took home a trophy of his own after winning the Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMod feature. ... Brian Harris was the $250 Sunoco Race Fuels feature qualifier drawing winner. ... Tom Pestka’s night ended after he flipped in his heat race; no injuries were reported. ... Among others failing to make the feature lineup: Dave Stichter, Mike Cothron, Jay Chenoweth, Mike Guldenpfennig, Jay Johnson, Matt Winslow, Jeremiah Hurst and Joe Ross. ... The 10th of 17 Deery Brothers Summer Series events is July 9 at West Liberty (Iowa) Raceway. Pit gates open at 4:30 p.m. and the grandstand opens at 5 p.m. Hot laps are at 6:30 p.m. with racing to follow. The main event pays $3,000-to-win.
Deery Brothers @ Davenport: (1) Justin Kay, (2) Brian Harris, (3) Andy Eckrich, (4) Stephan Kammerer, (5) Todd Malmstrom, (6) Denny Eckrich. (7) Joe Zrostlik, (8) Jeff Aikey, (9) Ray Guss Jr., (10) Nate Beuseling, (11) Dan Shelliam, (12) Colby Springsteen, (13) Mike Zemo Jr., (14) Tom Goble, (15) Darrel DeFrance, (16) Matt Ryan, (17) Joel Callahan, (18) Spencer Diercks, (19) Tommy Elston, (20) Shawn Mulvany, (21) Travis Denning, (22) Gary Webb, (23) Ron Boyse, (24) Rob Toland. Heat race winners (among 35 cars): Harris, Springsteen, Kay. Aikey. Consolation winners: Denny Eckrich, Guss. Provisional starters: Ryan, Boyse, Denning.
