Burgtorf dominates Pepsi USA Nationals,
Aikey scores fifth Deery Series championship

WEST BURLINGTON, Ia (Sept. 16) – First place made Mark Burgtorf $10,000 richer when the checkered flag flew in Saturday’s 100 lap
Pepsi USA Nationals Deery Brothers Summer Series event at 34 Raceway.

Fifth place, meanwhile, made Jeff Aikey champion of the IMCA Sunoco Late Model tour for the fifth time, concluding the closest points
battle in the series’ 20 year, 300 race history. Aikey was four spots ahead of Rob Toland at the finish to erase a slim three point deficit
going into the night and earn his latest title by a single marker. Defending champ Terry Neal was third in the final standings.

The 2006 series finale saw a record 71 entries. Burgtorf moved from his 10th starting spot to take the lead on the 28th circuit and was
dominant to the finish, lapping up to the sixth place car and taking the victory by a straightaway. The only caution of the contest came
on lap four, and 24 of the 26 cars that took the initial green were still on the track when the race was over.

Kevin Blum, Lonnie Bailey and Boone McLaughlin preceded Aikey across the line. He’ll add the newest trophy to a collection of hardware
that includes the 1987, 1988, 1996 and 1999 titles.

Pole starter Fred Remley led the opening five circuits before giving way to Ray Guss Jr., who made his move to the front on the high side.

Bailey took his turn at the point on lap 16, setting the pace until Burgtorf charged by.

With Burgtorf stretching his advantage, the focus turned to the championship tussle between Aikey and Toland. Aikey had started 14th
after running third in his Friday night heat at West Burlington; Toland passed 17 cars in his Saturday “B” feature but missed
transferring by two spots, took a provisional and started 23rd.

He’d driven all the way from last in winning the opening night J&J Steel Ironman Challenge, but came up one place short of earning the
title in the main event through the tie breaking system based on best finishes throughout the season.

Also the Pepsi winner in 2000, Burgtorf took home the lion’s share of $2,000 in lap money as well as a set of Brodix cylinder heads in the
drawing for drivers making the main event. Adam Helmick won the Brodix drawing for non qualifiers.

Toland pocketed $750 for his win in the Ironman Challenge, which featured the 14 drivers with perfect attendance through the first 15
series events of the year. Jeff Morris was clocked at 16.548 in setting fast time Friday, earning $300 for his efforts.

A three time series champ, Burgtorf now owns 17 career Deery wins. He’d also topped the Sept. 3 show at his hometown Quincy Raceway.
Darrel DeFrance competed at his 300th series event but did not make the feature.

The previous Deery Series single event mark of 66 was set in 1999 and matched in 2002. Both those counts came at Pepsi races. The 2006
series saw an average of 41.81 entries for each race, the second highest average in tour history. The record of 42.33 was set in 2000.

Feature Results –
1. Mark Burgtorf, Quincy, Ill.;
2. Kevin Blum, Colona, Ill.;
3. Lonnie Bailey, Quincy, Ill.;
4. Boone McLaughlin, Mediapolis;
5. Jeff Aikey, Waterloo;
6. Jay Johnson, West Burlington;
7. Darren Ackerman, Readlyn;
8. Mike Smith, Jewell;
9. Rob Toland, Bettendorf;
10. Bobby Toland, Milan, Ill.;
11. Fred Remley, Blue Grass;
12. Jeremy Grady, Story City;
13. Tom Darbyshire, Morning Sun;
14. Jeff Morris, Long Grove, Ill.;
15. Greg Kastli, Waterloo;
16. Johnny Johnson, West Burlington;
17. Joey Gower, Quincy, Ill.;
18. Gary Russell, Biggsville, Ill.;
19. Terry Neal, Ely;
20. Todd Cooney, Des Moines;
21. Sam Halstead, New London;
22. Jason Hahne, Webster City;
23. Jeff Laue, Burlington;
24. Tom Bowling Jr., Danville;
25. Stephan Kammerer, Blue Grass;
26. Ray Guss Jr., Milan, Ill.
1st heat (top three) – 1. Remley; 2. Johnny Johnson; 3. Gower. 2nd
heat – 1. Guss; 2. Grady; 3. Jay Johnson. 3rd heat – 1. Bailey; 2.
Russell; 3. Kammerer. 4th heat – 1. Smith; 2. Blum; 3. Aikey. 5th
heat – 1. McLaughlin; 2. Burgtorf; 3. Neal. 1st “B” (top three) – 1.
Cooney; 2. Hahne; 3. Ackerman. 2nd “B” – 1. Darbyshire; 2. Bobby
Toland; 3. Morris.
J&J Steel Ironman Challenge Results – 1. Rob Toland; 2. Eric Gustaf,
Moline, Ill.; 3. Robby Warner, Quincy, Ill.; 4. Neal; 5. Matt Ryan,
Davenport; 6. Darrel DeFrance, Marshalltown; 7. McLaughlin; 8.
Kastli; 9. Ben Nading, Ankeny; 10. Ron Gustaf, Moline, Ill.; 11.
Halstead; 12. Jerry Dedrick, Vinton; 13. Joe Zrostlik, Eldridge; 14.
Aikey.

Deery Brothers Summer Series Top 10 Point Standings
1. Jeff Aikey, Waterloo, Iowa 752
2. Rob Toland, Bettendorf, Iowa 751
3. Terry Neal, Ely, Iowa 702
4. Boone McLaughlin, Mediapolis, Iowa 659
5. Greg Kastli, Waterloo, Iowa 653
6. Darrel DeFrance, Marshalltown, Iowa 617
7. Eric Gustaf, Moline, Ill. 578
8. Mike Smith, Jewell, Iowa 554
9. Sam Halstead, New London, Iowa 543
10. Ron Gustaf, Moline, Ill. 513