DeFrance denies Neal to repeat Deery Series win at Buena Vista

ALTA, Iowa (June 14) ­ In all his 19-plus seasons following the Deery Brothers Summer Series, Darrel DeFrance probably never experienced a last lap like the one he did Wednesday night at Alta.

Competing in his 291st consecutive IMCA Sunoco Late Model tour event, DeFrance took the lead from Eric Gustaf with seven circuits to go during Buena Vista Raceway¹s mid-season championship show, then had to hold off defending series champion Terry Neal following a pair of cautions on the final lap.
Neal, who had taken the initial green from the 13th spot, rode a higher line in his bid to catch DeFrance but came up short following the white-yellow-white-yellow-white-checkered display.

The victory, DeFrance¹s career ninth, paid $2,000. Rob Toland ended the night in third, points leader Jeff Aikey was fourth and Gustaf fifth.

Cautions slowed the main event early before pole starter Gustaf pulled away from the rest of the 24 car field. De-France had to deal with Jeremiah Hurst for second before setting his sights on the leader and gradually made up the distance.

The front pair navigated through lapped traffic before DeFrance, using the low groove, passed Gustaf on lap 28. Neal, Toland and Aikey also made their way by as the race wound down.

Wayward cars battling for position in the pack brought out both late yellows before DeFrance and Neal repeated their 1-2 finish from the first Deery race held at BVR last summer.

With seven of 18 events in the record book, doubleheader action is next for the 2006 series with dates Tuesday, June 20 at I-35 Speedway in Mason City and Wednesday, June 21 at Webster City¹s Hamilton County Speedway.

Pit gates open at 3 p.m. with hot laps at 6:30 p.m. and racing to follow at I-35. The gates open at 5 p.m., with 7 p.m. hot laps and racing up next at Hamilton County.

Winners of IMCA mid-season features at Buena Vista were Joel Ziegmann in the Modifieds, David Smith in the Stock Cars and Donavon Smith in the Hobby Stocks.

Deery Series Feature Results ­
1. Darrel DeFrance, Marshalltown;
2. Terry Neal, Ely;
3. Rob Toland, Bettendorf;
4. Jeff Aikey, Waterloo;
5. Eric Gustaf, Moline, Ill.;
6. Tom Darbyshire, Morning Sun;
7. Jeremiah Hurst, Dubuque;
8. Darin Duffy, Hazleton;
9. Ryan Griffith, Webster City;
10. Matt Ryan, Davenport;
11. Ron Gustaf, Moline, Ill.;
12. Mike Smith, Jewell;
13. Greg Kastli, Waterloo;
14. Boone McLaughlin, Mediapolis;
15. Sam Halstead, New London;
16. Justin Reed, Quincy, Ill.;
17. Andy Nezworski, Buffalo;
18. Jerry Dedrick, Vinton;
19. Kevin Tomlinson, New London, Mo.;
20. Robby Warner, Quincy, Ill.;
21. Jason Hahne, Webster City;
22. Kelly Tapper, Boone;
23. Mark Preston, Port Byron, Ill.;
24. Jeremy Grady, Story City.
1st heat (top four) ­ 1. DeFrance; 2. Hurst; 3. Griffith; 4. Neal. 2nd heat ­ 1. Halstead; 2. Smith; 3. Duffy; 4. McLaughlin. 3rd heat ­ 1. Eric Gustaf; 2. Toland; 3. Tapper; 4. Darbyshire. 4th heat ­ 1. Aikey; 2. Reed; 3. Kastli; 4. Ryan. ³B² feature (top six) ­ 1. Grady; 2. Nezworski; 3. Hahne; 4. Tomlinson; 5. Ron Gustaf; 6. Dedrick.

Deery Brothers Top 20 Point Standings
1. Jeff Aikey, Waterloo, Iowa 339
2. Rob Toland, Bettendorf, Iowa 337
3. Terry Neal, Ely, Iowa 314
4. Tom Darbyshire, Morning Sun, Iowa 288
Greg Kastli, Waterloo, Iowa 288
6. Darrel DeFrance, Marshalltown, Iowa 280
7. Boone McLaughlin, Mediapolis, Iowa 278
8. Mark Preston, Port Byron, Ill. 261
9. Justin Reed, Quincy, Ill. 257
10. Sam Halstead, New London, Iowa 253
11. Eric Gustaf, Moline, Ill. 251
12. Matt Ryan, Davenport, Iowa 243
13. Darin Duffy, Hazleton, Iowa 240
Mike Smith, Jewell, Iowa 240
15. Jay Johnson, West Burlington, Iowa 215
16. Ron Gustaf, Moline, Ill. 208
17. Kevin Tomlinson, New London, Mo. 196
18. Andy Nezworski, Buffalo, Iowa 194
19. Lonnie Bailey, Quincy, Ill. 170
20. Colby Springsteen, Morning Sun, Iowa 168