Toland bounces back with Deery win at Des Moines

DES MOINES, IA (Aug, 14, 2006) – Rob Toland chased down Jeff Aikey to win Monday’s Deery Brothers Summer Series feature at the Iowa State Fairgrounds Speedway.

With five races left on the schedule, he’s hoping to do the same in the IMCA Sunoco Late Model tour points race.

Toland passed Aikey for the lead just past midway in the 35 lapper at Des Moines and led the four time series champion to the finish of a State Fair show slowed by numerous cautions. The win, worth $2,000, was Toland’s third of the season and career 17th. Bouncing back from a disappointing showing last week at Hawkeye Downs, Toland now trails Aikey by 13 points heading into the Tuesday race at Marshalltown Speedway.

Defending champ Terry Neal was third and Todd Cooney ran fourth. Gary Webb, the owner of three Deery titles, made his 2006 series debut with a fifth place showing.

Darrel DeFrance started outside Kelly Tapper on the front row and led the first five circuits before mechani­cal problems sent him pitside.

That gave the lead to Aikey on the restart. Toland was quick to move through the field from his 11th starting spot but saw his first pass to the front negated by a caution thrown for a wayward car back in the pack.

He made the next pass stick and pulled away from Aikey, taking the checkers by half a dozen car lengths.

Tom Darbyshire was sixth while provisional starter Greg Kastli advanced 16 positions from the initial green to take seventh.
Gates open at 4 p.m. Tuesday at Marshalltown. Hot laps are at 6:45 p.m. and racing gets underway at 7:30 p.m.

The 20th annual series wraps up with dates Sunday, Sept. 3 at Quincy, Ill., Raceway, Monday, Sept. 4 at Boone Speedway, Sunday, Sept. 10 at Quad City Speedway in East Moline, Ill., and the Sept. 15-16 Pepsi USA Nationals at 34 Raceway in West Burlington.

Feature Results –
1. Rob Toland, Bettendorf;
2. Jeff Aikey, Waterloo;
3. Terry Neal, Ely;
4. Todd Cooney, Des Moines;
5. Gary Webb, Blue Grass;
6. Tom Darbyshire, Morning Sun;
7. Greg Kastli, Waterloo;
8. Jeremy Grady, Story City;
9. Andy Nezworski, Buffalo;
10. Tony Moro, Polk City;
11. Colby Springsteen, Morning Sun;
12. Boone McLaughlin, Mediapolis;
13. Kelly Tapper, Boone;
14. Matt Ryan, Davenport;
15. Ron Gustaf, East Moline, Ill.;
16. Mike Smith, Jewell;
17. Eric Gustaf, East Moline, Ill.;
18. John Bagby, Johnston;
19. Ryan Griffith, Webster City;
20. Robby Warner, Quincy, Ill.;
21. Robert See, Altoona;
22. Mike Murphy Jr., Colona, Ill.;
23. Johnny Johnson, West Burlington;
24. Darrel DeFrance, Marshalltown.
1st heat (top four) – 1. DeFrance; 2. Toland; 3. Aikey; 4. Ryan. 2nd heat – 1. Webb; 2. Darbyshire; 3. Tapper; 4. Eric Gustaf. 3rd heat – 1. Cooney; 2. Grady; 3. Springsteen; 4. Moro. 4th heat – 1. Nezworski; 2. Neal; 3. Ron Gustaf; 4. Bagby. 1st “B” feature (top three) – 1. Murphy; 2. Griffith; 3. Warner. 2nd “B” feature – 1. See; 2. McLaughlin. 3. Johnson.