Eckrich outruns Deery pack for Marshalltown checkers
MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa (June 5) – After he kept the pack behind him, Andy Eckrich picked up the top check from Marshalltown Speedway’s Steve Priske Miller Lite 50 Deery Brothers Summer Series show.
Eckrich led the last 48 of 50 laps in earning the $2,000 victory Tuesday night and pocketed another $400 in bonus money from Rumours Bar and Grill for winning his heat and the main event.
“We got going pretty early but I figured the pack of wolves would be coming,” said Eckrich, who set sail after the final caution came out on the 14th circuit. “I got into traffic around lap 30 and with six to go caught up with four lapped cars that were racing hard. It took a while to get by them.”
Point leader Justin Kay started 12th and chased Eckrich across the stripe, but didn’t get close enough to challenge. Todd Cooney, Jeff Aikey and Eckrich’s brother Denny completed the top five.
The checkers were his Deery career eighth and first since opening night of the 2014 tour. Eckrich also won at Marshalltown in 2011.
“There were feelings of relief and redemption. We’ve been busy with work and family and haven’t had time to focus on our hobby,” he said. “It’s the first time in a while that we’ve been able to do that.”
Cooney was the $250 Sunoco Race Fuels feature qualifier drawing winner. Also scoring $200 Rumours bonuses for their heat race wins were Aikey, Curt Martin and Matt Ryan.
Cayden Carter did double duty, finishing eighth in the Deery feature after topping the $2,000 to win IMCA Modified main. That event was delayed for about 15 minutes after the speedway lights went out mid-race.
The sixth installment of the 2018 series takes Deery drivers and fans to Benton County Speedway in Vinton for a $2,000 to win show on Thursday, June 28.
Feature results – 1. Andy Eckrich, Oxford; 2. Justin Kay, Wheatland; 3. Todd Cooney, Pleasant Hill; 4. Jeff Aikey, Cedar Falls; 5. Denny Eckrich, Tiffin; 6. Joe Zrostlik, Long Grove; 7. Darrel DeFrance, Marshalltown; 8. Cayden Carter, Oskaloosa; 9. Nick Marolf, Moscow; 10. Chad Holladay, Muscatine; 11. Rob Moss, Iowa City; 12. Ryan Dolan, Lisbon; 13. Charlie McKenna, Ames; 14. Curt Martin, Independence; 15. Tim Simpson, Iowa City; 16. Curt Schroeder, Newton; 17. Eric Sanders, Sherrard, Ill.; 18. Terry Neal, Ely; 19. Kyle Krampe, Baxter; 20. Kyle Hinrichs, Swisher; 21. Jeremiah Hurst, Dubuque; 22. Chad Coyne, Orion, Ill.; 23. Matt Ryan, Davenport; 24. Greg Kastli, Waterloo.
Category: Iowa
