Davenport Speedway
Aikey wins Deery Series finale, Harris claims title
Jeff Aikey celebrates his 61st Deery Series victory. (mikerueferphotos.photoreflect.com)
DAVENPORT, Iowa (Sept. 21) — Jeff Aikey of Cedar Falls, Iowa, raced to his tour-career leading 61st feature win while hometown driver Brian Harris clinched his career first Deery Brothers Summer Series championship Saturday evening at Davenport Speedway.
Aikey passed Justin Kay of Wheatland, Iowa, with eight laps remaining in the 40-lapper, then ran away from the rest of the field on the way to a $3,000 victory in the series finale for the IMCA Late Model tour. | Slideshow
Aikey, the seven-time series champion, also went home with the $250 Sunoco Race Fuels feature qualifier drawing prize and another $99 check from Ideal Ready Mix for perfect series attendance.
Kay was runner-up in both the race and to Harris in the point standings by 25 markers. Harris redrew 12th and fell back in the pack before advancing to third at the finish. He’ll be rewarded for his season-long efforts with a $5,000 share of the series point fund during the IMCA national awards banquet in November.
Andy Eckrich of Oxford, Iowa, and Jason Rauen of Farley, Iowa, completed the top five at Davenport.
Dan Shelliam of Hazel Green, Wis., took charge from outside the front row and led the first nine times around the half-mile oval. Pole-starter Kay was in front when the 10th circuit was scored and quickly caught lapped traffic with Rob Toland, Kay and Eckrich following.
The only caution of the contest came out on lap 17. Not long after the race went back to green, seventh-starting Aikey found himself in second while Rauen, winner of the second consolation race, cracked the top five.
Kay had Aikey on his tail when the two caught up with the back of the field again on lap 30. When Kay got caught behind the slower line, Aikey went to the high side of the track and into the lead.
Aikey stretched his advantage while Kay continued to run well ahead of Harris, who’d worked back up 15 spots to third and then outran Eckrich and Rauen.
Hard charger Tommy Elston advanced 12 positions on the night to finish ninth. Harris and Rauen both advanced nine spots.
Harris led all drivers with five feature wins, including a record-tying four in a row, in 16 events this season. Aikey topped three of the last five features and now owns six career victories at Davenport.
Kay was also a three-time series winner this year. Darrel DeFrance extended his perfect attendance streak through the 27th annual series, finishing 17th in his 420th tour consecutive event.
Notes: Aikey’s No. 77 is sponsored by Larry Fleck & Son Trucking, Steinfeldt Interior & Exterior Painting and BSB Mfg. ... Aikey claimed his third series victory of the season; all three have come since Aug.12 with the other triumphs occurring at Iowa State Fairgrounds Speedway and Boone Speedway. ... The event was scheduled as the second leg of a doubleheader weekend for the series, but Friday’s event at Independence (Iowa) Motor Speedway was rained out; it will not be made up.
Deery Brothers @ Davenport: (1) Jeff Aikey, (2) Justin Kay, (3) Brian Harris, (4) Andy Eckrich, (5) Jason Rauen, (6) Joel Callahan, (7) Denny Eckrich, (8) Rob Toland, (9) Tommy Elston, (10) Nick Marolf, (11) Jay Johnson, (12) Brunson Behning, (13) Ray Guss Jr., (14) Rob Moss, (15) Ryan Dolan, (16) Ron Boyse, (17) Darrel DeFrance, (18) Dan Shelliam, (19) Kyle Hinrichs, (20) Jon Poll, (21) Chad Simpson, (22) Nate Beuseling, (23) Spencer Diercks, (24) Matt Ryan. Heat race winners (among 35 cars): Kay, Schelliam, Callahan, Guss. Consolation winners: Chad Simpson, Rauen.
