Harris overcomes ailing engine, edges Kay for West Liberty Deery Series win
WEST LIBERTY, Iowa (July 7) – Brian Harris overcame an ailing engine and beat Justin Kay to the checkers by less than half a car length to win the Deery Brothers Summer Series feature at West Liberty Raceway.
The last two champions of the IMCA Late Model tour – Harris in 2013, Kay in 2014 – settled the Tuesday show with a drag race to the finish line. Harris had opened the door with a bobble in the final turn, but recovered in time to outrun Kay.
The $3,000 victory was Harris’ tour career 11th and his third at West Liberty. Kay had won the last three, and four of the last five Deery events there. Kay and third place finisher Andy Nezworski are now tied for the lead in the point standings with nine of 18 series races in the book.
Rob Moss and Tyler Droste completed the top five.
Moss led the first three circuits from the pole before giving way to Harris. Three cautions waved before midway of the 40-lapper while Harris stayed in control despite growing engine concerns.
Nezworski and Kay ran 2-3 most of the first half of the race before Kay got by on lap 25 and set his sights on the leader. The front pair negotiated lapped traffic before the last-lap drama played out.
Harris had what proved to be the faster line on the bottom of the oval in outrunning Kay across the stripe.
Winner of the $250 Sunoco Race Fuels feature qualifier drawing was Jeff Aikey.
Deery drivers are back in action Wednesday night, July 8, when they chase another $3,000 top prize during the Buchanan County Fair show at Independence Motor Speedway.
Pit gates and the grandstand open at 5 p.m. Hot laps are at 6:45 p.m. with racing to follow.
Richie Gustin topped the $1,000 to win feature for Xtreme Motor Sports IMCA Modifieds at West Liberty.
Feature results – 1. Brian Harris, Davenport; 2. Justin Kay, Wheatland; 3. Andy Nezworski, Buffalo; 4. Rob Moss, Iowa City; 5. Tyler Droste, Waterloo; 6. Scott Fitzpatrick, Wheatland; 7. Chad Holladay, Muscatine; 8. Denny Eckrich, Tiffin; 9. Andy Eckrich, Oxford; 10. Jeff Aikey, Cedar Falls; 11. Cayden Carter, Oskaloosa; 12. Nate Beuseling, Silvis, Ill.; 13. Ryan Dolan, Lisbon; 14. Todd Malmstrom, Silvis, Ill.; 15. Kyle Hinrichs, Swisher; 16. Tyler Bruening, Decorah; 17. Ron Boyse, Kalona; 18. John Emerson, Waterloo; 19. Joe Zrostlik, Long Grove; 20. Kevin Kile, West Liberty; 21. Jeremy Grady, Story City; 22. Nick Marolf, Moscow; 23. Richie Gustin, Gilman; 24. Ray Guss Jr., Milan, Ill.
1st heat (top three) – 1. Grady; 2. Holladay; 3. Fitzpatrick; 4. Boyse; 5. Jay Chenoweth, Wapello; 6. Bruening; 7. Carter; 8. Jon Poll, Delmar.
2nd heat – 1. Denny Eckrich; 2. Droste; 3. Aikey; 4. Guss; 5. Dolan; 6. Jay Johnson, West Burlington; 7. Zrostlik; 8. Dan Shelliam, Hazel Green, Wis.
3rd heat – 1. Andy Eckrich; 2. Kay; 3. Harris; 4. Gustin; 5. Marolf; 6, Malmstrom; 7. Emerson; 8. Charlie McKenna, Clear Lake.
4th heat – 1. Beuseling; 2. Moss; 3. Nezworski; 4. Hinrichs; 5. Jonathan Brauns, Muscatine; 6. Kile; 7. Robbie Jorgensen, Elkhorn, Neb.; 8. Darrel DeFrance, Marshalltown.
1st “B” feature (top four) – 1. Gustin; 2. Boyse; 3. Malmstrom; 4. Carter; 5. Marolf; 6. Bruening; 7. Emerson; 8. McKenna; 9. Chenoweth; 10. Poll.
2nd “B” feature – 1. Hinrichs; 2. Dolan; 3. Kile; 4. Guss; 5. Brauns; 6. Zrostlik; 7. Johnson; 8. DeFrance; 9. Jorgensen; 10. Shelliam.
Deery Series top 20 point standings – 1. Kay and Nezworski, both 420; 3. Aikey, 378; 4. Fitzpatrick, 368; 5. Bruening, 346; 6. Zrostlik, 342; 7. Malmstrom, 326; 8. Emerson, 311; 9. Dolan, 310; 10. Grady, 306; 11. Droste, 301; 12. McKenna, 284; 13. Joel Callahan, Dubuque, 275; 14. DeFrance, 259; 15. Andy Eckrich, 245; 16. Guss, 225; 17. Jason Rauen, Farley, 207; 18. Harris, 201; 19. Corey Zeitner, Omaha, Neb., 198; 20. Hinrichs, 184.
Category: Deery Brothers Summer Series, Iowa, News, Series
