34 Raceway
Strassheim is seventh new winner in 34 finale
From series reports
Strassheim visits victory lane. (mikerueferphotos.photoreflect.com)
WEST BURLINGTON, Iowa (Sept. 28) – The last event in the 2008 Deery Brothers Summer Series produced two winners. Hometown driver Matt Strassheim led the last 36 laps in Sunday’s rain-postponed event at 34 Raceway to earn his first career victory on the tour and a top prize of $5,000. Boone McLaughlin of Mediapolis, Iowa, meanwhile, ran fourth behind Strassheim, Rob Toland and Ray Guss Jr. in clinching the series championship. | Slideshow
McLaughlin, a series fixture since 1992, wrapped up his career first tour title by taking the green flag for the 50-lapper. He’d won three of the 17 series events held this season, finishing in the top five on six nights and running in the top 10 on another five.
After starting outside Gary Russell on the front row, McLaughlin shot ahead, but the race was red-flagged before the first lap could be scored after Tom Goble ended up on his roof in the second set of turns Resuming the lead on the restart and staying in front after what proved to be the last caution of the contest on lap three, McLaughlin set the fast pace through lap 14, when Strassheim found his way by on the bottom groove.
The front pair didn’t get into lapped traffic until after midway. The 13th-starting Toland caught McLaughlin for second and closed the gap behind Strassheim to four lengths but couldn’t wrestle away the lead. Guss started 12th and passed McLaughlin for third late in the race.
Notes: Strassheim's No. 15 is sponsored by Ideal Ready Mix, Shottenkirk and Richard Realty & Auction. ... Strassheim collected lap money in addition to his purse winnings. ... Strassheim became the seventh first-time winner on the series in 2008. ... Mark Burgtorf of Quincy, Ill., winner of the Pepsi Nationals the past two years, broke in a heat race and scratched for the night. ... T.J. Criss didn't make the feature lineup but locked up series Rookie of the Year honors. ... Tom Darbyshire of Morning Sun, Iowa, rallied from his 14th starting spot to win the 17-car Ironman Challenge, a preliminary race among drivers with perfect attendance on the series. Darbyshire overtook Mike Garland on the white-flag lap for the $750 victory. ... The series finale drew a season-high 55 entries, putting the average car count at 39.2 for the year. That’s the fifth-highest season total in series history and more than three cars above the 2007 average. ... The event was rained out Sept. 12-13.
Deery Brothers @ 34: (1) Matt Strassheim, (2) Rob Toland, (3) Ray Guss Jr., (4) Boone McLaughlin, (5) Jay Johnson, (6) Gary Russell, (7) Terry Neal, (8) Lonnie Bailey, (9) Colby Springsteen, (10) Todd Cooney, (11) Fred Remley, (12) Matt Ryan, (13) Shawn Mulvany, (14) Luke Goedert, (15) Tom Darbyshire, (16) Jerry Weisenberger, (17) Keith Pratt, (18) Josh Most, (19) Stephan Kammerer, (20) Kevin Tomlinson, (21) Justin Reed, (22) Tom Bowling Jr., (23) Andy Nezworski, (24) Matt Bailey, (25) Tom Goble. Heat race winners (among 55 cars): Kammerer, Cooney, Bailey, Ryan, Springsteen. Consolation winners: Goedert, Bowling. Ironman Challenge winner: Darbyshire.
