Kay collects first Deery Series checkers at Independence Motor Speedway

admin | July 3, 2013

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ALL Photos are by Mike Ruefer

INDEPENDENCE, Iowa (July 2) – It’s a safe bet that most people had their money on the #15 making its way to victory lane Tuesday night at Independence Motor Speedway.

Brian Harris, the winner of the last four events in the Deery Brothers Summer Series for IMCA Late Models, was looking to become the first driver in tour history to win five straight in his #15R. When Harris drew the pole for the 50-lap feature, things appeared to be in his favor.

Justin Kay had other thoughts and made it known that his #15K was the car to beat.

Harris led at the drop of the green with Rick Dralle and Jeff Aikey in pursuit. The top three ran in that order until Aikey raced the low side past Dralle on lap eight. By the time Aikey made his way into the runner-up spot, Harris built a sizable lead despite losing his power steering just a few laps into the race.

Aikey worked the low groove in both sets of turns as he chipped away at the deficit. He pulled even with Harris and nosed ahead for the lead on the 21st lap before Harris regained the top spot a lap later.

While the leaders battled, Kay made his way past Dralle and Tyler Bruening for third. He reeled in Aikey just past the midway point, making the pass for second on lap 27. Kay then chased down Harris and pulled even with the leader on the 29th circuit before powering ahead one lap later.

Kay quickly pulled away from the pack and built a straightaway lead while he made his way through lapped traffic. He ran unchallenged the rest of the way to score his first tour win by nearly a straightaway head of Harris. Aikey, Bruening and Callahan completed the top five.

In other action, IMCA sanctioned Northern SportMods and Hobby Stocks competed for increased purse money in a draw/redraw format for national, state and regional points. No track points were awarded.

First-year driver Leah Wroten made history in the 15-lap Hobby Stock main. From her pole position start, Wroten pulled ahead of fellow front row starter and weekly points leader Benji Irvine to assume command.

Wroten ran the top side while Irvine tried numerous times to challenge down low. Wroten led the event in its entirety and held off Irvine for the win, the first of her career in the division. With the win, Wroten became the first female driver since 1971 to win a feature in Independence.

In the 20-lap Northern SportMod feature, outside front row starter Ben Chapman took the lead at the drop of the green. He was joined by Ryan Maitland, Kip Siems, Brennen Chipp and weekly points leader Alex Zwanziger in a five-car breakaway at the front of the pack.

Chapman led the way while Maitland pursued until Zwanziger snuck by for second just prior to the first caution on lap eight. On the restart, Chapman slowed to the top of turn four with a broken tie rod, forcing another stoppage.

Following another yellow, Zwanziger took command and pulled away to score his first Independence win ahead of Siems.

Pries Enterprises sponsors the next event at the speedway, the Saturday, July 6 weekly program. During that event, the Stock Car division will take part in its 300th weekly program in track history and will be competing for a $1,000 winner’s share.

For more information, visit the track’s web site, www.independencemotorspeedway.com.

RESULTS DEERY SERIES IMCA LATE MODEL Feature – 1. 15K Justin Kay (Wheatland); 2. 15R Brian Harris (Davenport); 3. 77 Jeff Aikey (Cedar Falls); 4. 16 Tyler Bruening (Decorah); 5. 40 Joel Callahan (Dubuque); 6. 1 Rick Dralle (Waterloo); 7. 31 Jason Utter (Columbus Junction); 8. 45 Curt Martin (Independence); 9. 69 Tom Goble (Burlington); 10. 50 Denny Eckrich (Tiffin); 11. 2 Jeremiah Hurst (Dubuque); 12. 56 Andy Eckrich (Oxford); 13. Z50 Joe Zrostlik (Long Grove); 14. 99D Darrel DeFrance (Marshalltown); 15. 58 Ray Guss Jr. (Milan, Ill.); 16. 32C Chad Holladay (Muscatine); 17. 33 Nick Marolf (Moscow); 18. 53 Darren Ackerman (Readlyn); 19. 21M Luke Merfeld (Dubuque); 20. 1M Rob Moss (Iowa City); 21. 46 Nate Beuseling (Silvis, Ill.); 22. 29 Spencer Diercks (Davenport); 23. 16S Dan Shelliam (Hazel Green, Wis.); 24. 38 Colby Springsteen (Wapello). First heat – 1. Callahan; 2. Aikey; 3. Harris; 4. Merfeld; 5. Guss; 6. 98 Travis Smock (Independence); 7. DeFrance; 8. Marolf; 9. 145 Dale Hackwell Jr. (Washburn). Second heat – 1. Ackerman; 2. Bruening; 3. Kay; 4. Shelliam; 5. Diercks; 6. A. Eckrich; 7. 2P Jon Passick (Waterloo); 8. 38S Dain Sires (Cedar Falls). Third heat – 1. Martin; 2. Dralle; 3. Holladay; 4. Utter; 5. Moss; 6. 93 Jay Johnson (West Burlington); 7. 74 Ron Boyse (Kalona); 8. Beuseling; 9. 25 John Emerson (Waterloo). Fourth heat – 1. Springsteen; 2. Zrostlik; 3. Goble; 4. Hurst; 5. D. Eckrich; 6. 07 Matt Ryan (Davenport); 7. 60 Dean Wagner (Evansdale); 8. 98X Jason Rauen (Farley). First B feature (top 4 transfer) – 1. Shelliam; 2. Diercks; 3. Merfeld; 4. A. Eckrich; 5. DeFrance; 6. Sires; 7. Marolf; 8. Hackwell; 9. Guss; 10. Passick; 11. Smock. Second B feature – 1. Hurst; 2. Utter; 3. D. Eckrich; 4. Moss; 5. Ryan; 6. Johnson; 7. Rauen; 8. Boyse; 9. Beuseling; 10. Emerson; 11. Wagner. Hard Charger: DeFrance. Point Provisionals: Guss, Beuseling, Marolf.

IMCA NORTHERN SPORTMOD Feature – 1. 32Z Alex Zwanziger (Nashua); 2. S16 Kip Siems (Cedar Falls); 3. 14 Shane Ebaugh (Evansdale); 4. 22H Curt Hilmer (Dysart); 5. 4 Ryan Maitland (Waterloo); 6. 25 Austin Moyer (Dubuque); 7. 3T Tyler Soppe (Sherrill); 8. 39 Brian Hilbert (Independence); 9. 00 Jim Buhlman (Cedar Falls); 10. 21J Joe Harken (Waterloo); 11. 96 Lucas Lundry (Maynard); 12. 86U Rod McDonald (Manchester); 13. 23 Synjun Bauer (Prairie du Chien, Wis.); 14. 21 Brennen Chipp (Waterloo); 15. 1JR Ben Chapman (Clarence); 16. 7D Dakoda Sellers (Vinton); 17. J2 Dave Schulze (Keystone); 18. 72 Mike Hogencamp (Waterloo); 19. 114 Mike Nielsen (Evansdale); 20/DNS 63 Matt McCahen (Waterloo). First heat – 1. Siems; 2. Zwanziger; 3. Ebaugh; 4. Bauer; 5. Harken; 6. Nielsen; 7. McCahen. Second heat – 1. Maitland; 2. Sellers; 3. Schulze; 4. Chipp; 5. Hilbert; 6. Moyer; 7. Buhlman. Third heat – 1. Hilmer; 2. Chapman; 3. Lundry; 4. Soppe; 5. McDonald; 6. Hogencamp; 7. Soppe.

IMCA HOBBY STOCK Feature – 1. 14C Leah Wroten (Independence); 2. 79 Benji Irvine (Cedar Falls); 3. 67 Justin Stander (Vinton); 4. 7B Jim Ball (Independence); 5. 73 Quinton Miller (Independence); 6. 46 Brian Happel (Vinton); 7. 35B Shawn Kuennen (Hazleton); 8. 45 Justin Wacha (Vinton); 9. 95 Matt Lundry (Oelwein); 10. 18 Chris Luloff (Independence). First heat – 1. Happel; 2. Luloff; 3. Wroten; 4. Wroten; DNS Miller. Second heat – 1. Ball; 2. Stander; 3. Irvine; 4. Kuennen; 5. Lundry.

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