Martin tops first Deery Series feature at Highway 3 Raceway

ALLISON, Ia (May 24) ­ Don't be surprised if the first suggestion to make Highway 3 Raceway a regular stop on the Deery Brothers Summer Series schedule comes from Curt Martin.

The two time IMCA Sunoco Late Model tour champion won Wednesday's first ever series feature at Allison, beating fellow heavy hitters Rob Toland and Jeff Aikey to the finish line and pocketing $2,000 for his efforts.

Darrel DeFrance posted his best finish of the season in fourth and Tom Darbyshire rounded out the top five. The 40 lap contest was slowed by just one caution, on lap 25.

Defending Deery champion Terry Neal started on the pole and was pulling away from the field early before beginning to slow with mechanical problems and losing the lead to Toland on the 12th circuit.

Martin and DeFrance both made up ground as the front running trio of Toland, Neal and Aikey got into lapped traffic. Martin charged to the front on lap 21 and held Toland at bay to take the checkers by a car length.

The fifth different winner in as many tour events this season, Martin's victory was his Deery career 25th and first since July 3, 2003 at his hometown Independence Motor Speedway.

Forty-four cars were on hand for the mid-week show. The sixth of 18 dates on the 2006 series schedule is the Monday, May 29 Super Nationals Warm-up special at Boone Speedway.

Aikey has a two point edge over Toland in the standings heading to Boone.

Feature Results ­
1. Curt Martin, Independence;
2. Rob Toland, Bettendorf;
3. Jeff Aikey, Waterloo;
4. Darrel DeFrance, Marshalltown;
5. Tom Darbyshire, Morning Sun;
6. Jay Johnson, West Burlington;
7. Jeremiah Hurst, Dubuque;
8. Mike Smith, Jewell;
9. Tony Moro, Polk City;
10. Darin Duffy, Hazleton;
11. Dean Wagner II, Waterloo;
12. Sam Halstead, New London;
13. Greg Kastli, Waterloo;
14. Boone McLaughlin, Mediapolis;
15. Matt Ryan, Davenport;
16. Ron Gustaf, Moline, Ill.;
17. Eric Gustaf, Moline, Ill.;
18. Terry Neal, Ely;
19. Mark Preston, Port Byron, Ill.;
20. Justin Reed, Quincy, Ill.;
21. Ryan Griffith, Webster City;
22. Mike Murphy Jr., Colona, Ill.;
23. Bobby Hansen, Center Point;
24. Ray Guss Jr., Milan, Ill.
1st heat (top three) ­ 1. Eric Gustaf; 2. Hurst; 3. Murphy. 2nd heat ­ 1. Aikey; 2. DeFrance; 3. Darbyshire. 3rd heat ­ 1. Martin; 2. Neal; 3. Moro. 4th heat ­ 1. Kastli; 2. Guss; 3. Wagner. 5th heat ­ 1. Johnson; 2. Toland; 3. Halstead. 1st ³B² feature (top three) ­ 1. Duffy; 2. Reed; 3. Hansen. 2nd ³B² feature ­ 1. Smith; 2. Griffith; 3. Preston.

Deery Brothers Top 20 Point Standings
1. Jeff Aikey, Waterloo, Iowa 243
2. Rob Toland, Bettendorf, Iowa 241
3. Terry Neal, Ely, Iowa 215
Jay Johnson, West Burlington, Iowa 215
5. Boone McLaughlin, Mediapolis, Iowa 213
6. Greg Kastli, Waterloo, Iowa 207
7. Tom Darbyshire, Morning Sun, Iowa 201
Mark Preston, Port Byron, Ill. 201
9. Justin Reed, Quincy, Ill. 189
10. Darrel DeFrance, Marshalltown, Iowa 186
11. Sam Halstead, New London, Iowa 178
12. Eric Gustaf, Moline, Ill. 175
13. Matt Ryan, Davenport, Iowa 173
14. Lonnie Bailey, Quincy, Ill. 170
15. Mike Smith, Jewell, Iowa 155
16. Darin Duffy, Hazleton, Iowa 152
17. Ron Gustaf, Moline, Ill. 141
18. Andy Nezworski, Buffalo, Iowa 126
19. Mike Murphy Jr., Colona, Ill. 122
20. Kevin Tomlinson, New London, Mo. 117