Iowa State Fair Speedway
McLaughlin stretches points lead at Des Moines
From series reports
DES MOINES, Iowa (Aug. 11) — Making the most of a rare pole start, Boone McLaughlin of Mediapolis, Iowa, led all 35 laps for a Deery Brothers Summer Series victory at the Iowa State Fairgrounds Speedway. As a result, McLaughlin is $2,000 richer and saw his lead in standings on the tour grow to 27 points, with 14 of 17 scheduled events in the record book. McLaughlin leads all drivers with six heat race wins this season, but hadn’t drawn the inside row one start before the State Fair show. Rookie T.J. Criss started outside McLaughlin and matched his series career best finish with a second-place showing, while Jeff Aikey took third. Jay Johnson returned to series action and ran fourth. Ryan Griffith rounded out the top five.
Cautions slowed the 35-lapper, but McLaughlin stayed in control on each of the ensuing restarts and pulled away to straightaway leads several times before the next yellow. He was challenged early on by fourth-starting Brian Harris, who broke, then by fifth-starting Ray Guss Jr., who followed Harris into the pit area with mechanical problems of his own. Criss stayed game to the checkers but the night clearly belonged to McLaughlin, who won on the series for the third time this year and seventh of his career.
Notes: McLaughlin's Rocket Chassis is sponsored by McClure Masonry and McLaughlin Freight Services ... Darrel DeFrance's seventh-place finish moved him into second place in the series standings. ... Up next are Labor Day weekend events at Quincy, Ill., on Aug. 31 and Boone, Iowa, on Sept. 1. ... The tour concludes with the $10,000-to-win Pepsi USA Nationals Sept. 12-13 at 34 Raceway in West Burlington, Iowa.
Deery Brothers @ Iowa State Fairgrounds: (1) Boone McLaughlin, (2) T.J. Criss, (3) Jeff Aikey, (4) Jay Johnson, (5) Ryan Griffith, (6) Adam Larson, (7) Darrel DeFrance, (8) Craig Roberts, (9) Todd Cooney, (10) Craig Jacobs, (11) Stephan Kammerer, (12) Tom Darbyshire, (13) Matt Strassheim, (14) Kelly Tapper, (15) Joe Zrostlik, (16) Ben Nading, (17) Andy Nezworski, (18) Ray Guss Jr., (19) Kyle Wahlert, (20) Charlie McKenna, (21) Bryan Klein, (22) Jill George, (23) Brian Harris, (24) Rob Toland. Heat race winners: Guss, Griffith, McLaughlin, Cooney. Consolation winner: George.
