Guss checks out on Deery foes at Dubuque
DUBUQUE, Iowa (May 8) – On a night that saw more than its share of passing, no one could catch up with Ray Guss Jr.
Guss won his second straight Deery Brothers Summer Series feature event Wednesday evening, taking the $3,000 checkers at Dubuque Speedway. He led the last 31 times around the track in the IMCA Late Model 50-lapper.
Runner-up Jeremiah Hurst passed 15 cars while tour point leader Brian Harris raced to his third third-place finish in as many series events thus far.
Andy Eckrich and Jeff Aikey completed the top five.
Eckrich started on the pole and split time at the front with Darrel DeFrance. A handful of cautions slowed the race between laps 10 and 15 but the feature stayed green the last 35 circuits.
Guss, also the May 5 winner at Quad City Speedway, drew the 10th starting spot, found his way into the lead on the quick lower line and checked out on everybody from that point.
He caught up with the back of the field on lap 27, padding his lead in traffic while Eckrich, Harris and Hurst mixed it up over second.
Hurst finally got the best of that battle but crossed the stripe well behind Guss. Both the top two finishers passed cubic inch and engine compression tests in post-race tech.
Aikey and eighth place runner Mike Garland both moved up 16 spots. Denny Eckrich was a plus 10 to sixth and Dean Wagner a plus 13 to ninth.
Rick Wendling was out for the rest of the night following a gentle roll in his heat race.
Tyler Bruening was the $250 Sunoco Race Fuels drawing winner. Ron Barker topped the IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modified feature and the Deery Series main event ended about 15 minutes before the rains came.
Up next for the tour is the Tuesday, May 21 show at Farley Speedway. Pit gates open at 4:30 p.m. and the grandstand opens at 5:30 p.m. Hot laps are at 6:30 p.m. with racing to follow.
Deery Series feature results – 1. Ray Guss Jr., Milan, Ill.; 2. Jeremiah Hurst, DeWitt; 3. Brian Harris, Davenport; 4. Andy Eckrich, Oxford; 5. Jeff Aikey, Cedar Falls; 6. Denny Eckrich, Tiffin; 7. Nate Beuseling, Silvis, Ill.; 8. Mike Garland, Morrison, Ill.; 9. Dean Wagner, Evansdale; 10. Jason Utter, Columbus Junction; 11. Darrel DeFrance, Marshalltown; 12. Justin Kay, Wheatland; 13. Joel Callahan, Dubuque; 14. Tyler Bruening, Decorah; 15. Rob Moss, Iowa City; 16. Luke Goedert, Guttenberg; 17. Colby Springsteen, Wapello; 18. Ron Klein, Sherrill; 19. Curt Martin, Independence; 20. Tom Darbyshire, Morning Sun; 21. Dan Shelliam, Hazel Green, Wis.; 22. Nick Marolf, Moscow; 23. Matt Ryan, Davenport; 24. Jon Merfeld, Peosta.
1st heat (top three) – 1. Springsteen; 2. Goedert; 3. Marolf; 4. Jon Merfeld; 5. Kay; 6. Larry Harris, Muscoda, Wis.; 7. Hurst; 8. Matt Strassheim, Morning Sun; 9. Doug Yates, Monticello; 10. Aikey.
2nd heat – 1. Shelliam; 2. Beuseling; 3. Utter; 4. Spencer Diercks, Bettendorf; 5. Martin; 6. Wagner; 7. Joe Ross, Thomson, Ill.; 8. Travis Denning, Sterling, Ill.; 9. Travis Smock, Independence.
3rd heat – 1. DeFrance; 2. Andy Eckrich; 3. Bruening; 4. Denny Eckrich; 5. Klein; 6. Kyle Hinrichs, Swisher; 7. Garland; 8. Luke Merfeld, Dubuque; 9. Mitch Current, Maquoketa; 10. Dave Stichter, Shannon, Ill.
4th heat – 1. Brian Harris; 2. Guss; 3. Ryan; 4. Callahan; 5. Darbyshire; 6. Scott Riechers, Belmont, Wis.; 7. Moss; 8. Jon Poll, Delmar; 9. Rick Wendling, Hazleton.
1st “B” feature (top four) – 1. Jon Merfeld; 2. Kay; 3. Hurst; 4. Martin; Aikey; 6. Wagner; 7. Diercks; 8. Ross; 9. Yates; 10. Denning; 11. Strassheim; 12. Larry Harris; 13. Smock.
2nd “B” feature – 1. Callahan; 2. Denny Eckrich; 3. Klein; 4. Darbyshire; 5. Hinrichs; 6. Riechers; 7. Garland; 8. Moss; 9. Poll; 10. Luke Merfeld; 11. Current; 12. Wendling; 13. Stichter.
Point provisionals – Wagner, Moss and Garland. Hard charger provisional – Aikey.
Category: Deery Brothers Summer Series, Iowa, Series
