Aikey clinches seventh Deery Series title with win at Davenport
Jeff Aikey – Mike Ruefer Photo
DAVENPORT, Iowa (Sept. 22) – Jeff Aikey will have to make room in his trophy case for two more Deery Brothers Summer Series awards.
Aikey wrapped up his seventh IMCA Late Model series championship with his tour career 58th feature win Saturday at Davenport Speedway.
The win was good for $2,000, the series title another $5,000. Andy Eckrich was runner-up in both the standings, nine points back, and in the 40-lap race.
Brian Harris, Ray Guss Jr. and Denny Eckrich completed Saturday’s top five.
Pole starter Justin Kay led the first two circuits. Aikey took over until lap 12, when Andy Eckrich drove to the front.
The first in a series of cautions negated an Aikey pass on lap 14, but he stayed close and caught Eckrich again on lap 34.
He checked out from that point, winning comfortably ahead of Eckrich.
Aikey was also series champion in 1987, 1988, 1996, 1999, 2006 and 2009.
Guss won the $250 Sunoco Race Fuels feature qualifier drawing. Recipients of $99 Ideal Ready Mix Ironman Challenge cash bonuses were feature qualifiers Mike Murphy Jr., Kay, Jay Johnson, Guss, Andy Eckrich, Darrel DeFrance, Joel Callahan and Aikey.
DeFrance finished 10th in maintaining his perfect series attendance through 26 seasons and 404 events.
Feature results – 1. Jeff Aikey, Waterloo; 2. Andy Eckrich, Oxford; 3. Brian Harris, Davenport; 4. Ray Guss Jr., Milan, Ill.; 5. Denny Eckrich, Tiffin; 6. Justin Kay, Wheatland; 7. Mike Garland, Morrison, Ill.; 8. Andy Nezworski, Buffalo; 9. Joe Zrostlik, Long Grove; 10. Darrel DeFrance, Marshalltown; 11. Jay Johnson, West Burlington; 12. Jeff Mitrisin, Oskaloosa; 13. Tom Goble, Burlington; 14. Jonathan Brauns, Muscatine; 15. Mike Zemo Jr., Davenport; 16. Fred Remley, Davenport; 17. Joel Callahan, Dubuque; 18. Mike Murphy Jr., Colona, Ill.; 19. Tyler Bruening, Decorah; 20. Jason Utter, Columbus Junction; 21. Nate Beuseling, Silvis, Ill.; 22. Matt Ryan, Davenport; 23. Stephan Kammerer, Blue Grass; 24. Spencer Diercks, Davenport.
1st heat (top three qualify) – 1. Kay; 2. Johnson; 3. Nezworski; 4.Tommy Elston, Keokuk; 5. Ryan; 6. DeFrance; 7. Zrostlik; 8. Remley.
2nd heat – 1. Denny Eckrich; 2. Callahan; 3. Andy Eckrich; 4. Garland; 5. Goble; 6. Marty Diercks, Bettendorf; 7. Mitrisin; 8. Brauns.
3rd heat – 1. Kammerer; 2. Harris; 3. Bruening; 4. Zemo; 5. Brunson Behning, Calamus; 6. LeRoy Brenner, Aledo, Ill.; 7. Mike Klinkkammer, West Branch; 8. Joe Ross, Thompson, Ill.
4th heat – 1. Guss; 2. Aikey; 3. Murphy; 4. Beuseling; 5. Utter; 6. Spencer Diercks; 7. Jeremiah Hurst, Dubuque.
1st “B” feature (top four qualify) – 1. Garland; 2. Ryan; 3. Goble; 4. Remley; 5. DeFrance; 6. Zrostlik; 7. Marty Diercks; 8. Brauns; 9. Elston; 10. Mitrisin.
2nd “B” feature – 1. Beuseling; 2. Zemo; 3. Utter; 4. Spencer Diercks; 5. Behning; 6. Klinkkammer; 7. Brenner; 8. Hurst; 9. Ross.
Hard charger provisional – Brauns. Point provisionals – Zrostlik, DeFrance and Mitrisin.
Category: Davenport Speedway, Deery Brothers Summer Series, Iowa, News, Series
