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Burgtorf banks $5,000 Drive for Five Deery Series payday at
Lee County
DONNELLSON, Iowa (Sept. 5) Perfect attendance throughout the regular point
season and a little luck added up to $5,000 for Mark Burgtorf.
The IMCA Late Model track champion at Lee County Speedway during the
recently completed point season, Burgtorf was one of 11 drivers eligible for
the big Drive For Five payday when the Deery Brothers Summer Series came
to Donnellson on Saturday night.
His charge through the field, all the way from the 19th starting spot, was
aided by mechanical problems that sidelined leader Ray Guss Jr. with seven
laps left. Burgtorf held off Rob Toland the rest of the way for his third
series victory of the season and Deery career 22nd.
Toland, point leader Jeff Aikey, Tom Goble and Tommy Elston rounded out the
top five. Early exits by Guss and Jason Frankel, his closest rivals in the
standings, helped Aikey edge closer to a sixth career tour championship.
Guss drew the pole for the second straight show but it was outside front row
starter Boone McLaughlin setting the fastest pace for the first nine
circuits. Guss made his move past McLaughlin the next time around and was
just starting to put some distance on the defending series champion when the
third running Frankel broke on lap 12, bringing out what proved to be the
only caution of the contest.
Burgtorf, who had qualified for the main event by running second in his B
feature, continued his steady advance toward the front, where Guss remained
in charge.
Chasing his fifth series victory of the season, Guss was catching up with
the back of the pack before slowing on lap 28 and driving off the track.
Burgtorf took over from that point, collecting the checkers a couple car
lengths ahead of Toland.
The 11 drivers in the running for the $5,000 prize had perfect attendance or
missed no more than one sanctioned Late Model event at Donnellson during the
2009 point season.
Now a six-time Deery winner at Lee County, Burgtorf is tied with Gary Webb
for third place on the all-time series wins list. Aikey is first with 52
victories and Curt Martin is second with 25.
The second of three events over the Labor Day Weekend is Sunday, Sept
6 at Quincy, Ill., Raceway. Pit gates open at 3 p.m. and the grandstand
opens at 5 p.m. Hot laps are at 5:45 p.m. and racing starts at 6 p.m.
Boone Speedway hosts the last installment of the tripleheader on Monday,
Sept. 7, during opening night of the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals.
34 Raceway at West Burlington will roll out the red carpet for the $10,000
to win Pepsi USA Nationals series finale on Friday and Saturday, Sept.
18-19.
Feature results
1. Mark Burgtorf, Quincy, Ill.;
2. Rob Toland, Davenport;
3. Jeff Aikey, Waterloo;
4. Tom Goble, Burlington;
5. Tommy Elston, Keokuk;
6. Boone McLaughlin, Mediapolis;
7. Denny Woodworth, Mendon, Ill.;
8. Tom Darbyshire, Morning Sun;
9. Justin Reed, Quincy, Ill.;
10. Fred Remley, Blue Grass;
11. Darrel DeFrance, Marshalltown;
12. Colby Springsteen, Morning Sun;
13. Jay Johnson, West Burlington;
14. Matt Strassheim, Burlington;
15. Bill Genenbacher, Camp Point, Ill.;
16. Brett Diercks, Bettendorf;
17. Sam Halstead, New London;
18. Matt Ryan, Davenport;
19. Charlie McKenna, Clear Lake;
20. Ray Guss Jr., Milan, Ill.;
21. Gary Russell, Biggsville, Ill.;
22. Tony Fraise, Montrose;
23. Curt Martin, Independence;
24. Jason Frankel, Quincy, Ill.
1st heat (top three) 1. Aikey; 2. Guss; 3. Darbyshire.
2nd heat 1. Springsteen; 2. McLaughlin; 3. Genenbacher.
3rd heat 1. Toland; 2. Diercks; 3. DeFrance.
4th heat 1. Goble; 2. Remley; 3. Elston.
5th heat 1. Reed; 2. Frankel; 3. Martin.
1st B feature (top three) 1. Woodworth; 2. Fraise; 3. Ryan.
2nd B feature 1. Johnson; 2. Burgtorf; 3. Russell.
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