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Slocum 50 checkers fly for first-time Deery winner Matt
Ryan
WEST BURLINGTON, Iowa (April 9) A veteran of the Deery Brothers Summer
Series got his first feature winner trophy, and a big check, Saturday at
34 Raceway.
Matt Ryan led the last 10 laps in winning the Slocum 50 IMCA Late Model
tour feature at West Burlington. He inherited the front spot after Denny
Woodworth was forced to pit with a flat tire, then held off a late
charge by Boone McLaughlin to take the $3,000 checkers by a margin
measured in inches.
Defending race winner Mark Burgtorf earned the hard charger starting
spot by passing the most cars in his heat and B feature, then moved up
19 positions to finish third in the main event.
Terry Neal was fourth and provisional starter Tom Darbyshire advanced 18
spots to complete the top five.
Woodworth started on the pole and led early in the caution-slowed
contest, giving way to the fifth starting Rob Toland before regaining
the point and staying there through a myriad of restarts.
Ryan and McLaughlin, meanwhile, swapped second several times. Ryan held
the position when Woodworth cut his right rear tire and left the track.
McLaughlin challenged the last three circuits, making his bid coming out
of the final turn but coming up just short.
A non-qualifier in the series opener last weekend at Dubuque, Ryans
previous best finish in 45 career tour outings was a runner-up showing
on the asphalt at Hawkeye Downs in 2008. He ran third at Jackson County
Speedway in 2009.
The grandstand was at near capacity for the third annual event, held in
memory of late local driver Brent Slocum. One dollar from each adult
ticket sold for the stands was donated to a scholarship fund benefitting
area high school seniors.
Mike Murphy Jr. won the $250 Sunoco Race Fuels feature qualifier
drawing.
The second half of the weekend Deery doubleheader takes the IMCA Late
Model tour to Quincy, Ill., Raceway for a Sunday, April 10 show. The
grandstand opens at 4:30 p.m., hot laps are at 5:45 p.m. and racing
starts at 6:30 p.m.
Quincy is the third of 19 races on the schedule for the 25th anniversary
series.
Feature Results 1. Matt Ryan, Davenport; 2. Boone McLaughlin,
Mediapolis; 3. Mark Burgtorf, Quincy, Ill.; 4. Terry Neal, Ely; 5. Tom
Darbyshire, Morning Sun; 6. Matt Strassheim, Burlington; 7. Colby
Springsteen, Morning Sun; 8. Tyler Bruening, Decorah; 9. Justin Reed,
Quincy, Ill.; 10. Jason Cook, Mt. Pleasant; 11. Denny Woodworth, Mendon,
Ill.; 12. Todd Malmstrom, Silvis, Ill.; 13. Brian Harris, Davenport; 14.
Andy Eckrich, Iowa City; 15. Rob Toland, Davenport; 16. Ray Guss Jr.,
Milan, Ill.; 17. Matt Bailey, Quincy, Ill.; 18. Nate Beuseling, Silvis,
Ill.; 19. Sam Halstead, New London; 20. Dan Shelliam, Hazel Green, Wis.;
21. Tom Goble, Burlington; 22. Keith Pratt, Mendon, Ill.; 23. Billy
Tuckwell, Spring Bay, Ill.; 24. Mike Murphy Jr., Colona, Ill.
1st heat (top three) 1. Ryan; 2. Beuseling; 3. Harris. 2nd heat 1.
Halstead; 2. McLaughlin; 3. Goble. 3rd heat 1. Malmstrom; 2. Eckrich;
3. Reed. 4th heat 1. Toland; 2. Woodworth; 3. Neal. 5th heat 1. Guss;
2. Tuckwell; 3. Cook.
1st B feature (top three) 1. Springsteen; 2. Pratt; 3. Bailey. 2nd
B feature 1. Murphy; 2. Shelliam; 3. Strassheim.
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