Track Schedules

Last turn dramatics give edge to Harris in West Liberty Deery feature

WEST LIBERTY, Iowa (July 7) – Brian Harris proved fastest coming out of the final turn, passing race-long leader Andy Eckrich to win Thursday’s Deery Brothers Summer Series feature at West Liberty Raceway.

Eckrich had drawn the outside front row start and checked out early in the IMCA Late Model tour 35-lapper. Ray Guss Jr. gave chase before giving way to Harris, who slowly reeled in the home track favorite following a caution with 12 laps to go.

The white flag was out when Harris finally drew even. The frontrunners traded some paint before Harris made his turn four pass on the high line. Eckrich finished a very close second in the sprint to the stripe.

The win paid $2,000 and was the career fifth for Harris. Guss, Tyler Bruening and Kevin Kile completed the top five.

Kile’s run came in his first Deery Series main event appearance. He and sixth place finisher Terry Neal both came out of “B” features, advancing 12 and 10 positions, respectively.

Eckrich, the top driver in series point standings, was catching up with the back of the field just 10 laps into the contest when the first caution came out. Defending Deery champion Guss did his best to keep the pressure on, then saw Harris speed by to contend. 

Harris’ second tour win of the season couldn’t have been much more different than his first: He’d led 47 of 50 circuits in topping the silver anniversary series opener at Dubuque Fairgrounds Speedway on April 2.

Winner of the $250 Sunoco Race Fuels feature qualifier drawing was Guss.

The 10^th of 18 dates on the 2011 series schedule is Wednesday, July 20 at Quad City Speedway in East Moline, Ill. That race had been rained out and rescheduled from April 17.

Feature results –

1. Brian Harris, Davenport;
2. Andy Eckrich, Iowa City;
3. Ray Guss Jr., Milan, Ill.;
4. Tyler Bruening, Decorah;
5. Kevin Kile, West Liberty;
6. Terry Neal, Ely;
7. Tom Darbyshire, Morning Sun;
8. Tom Goble, Burlington;
9. Joel Callahan, Dubuque;
10. Mike Klinkhammer, West Branch;
11. Tommy Elston, Keokuk;
12. Stephan Kammerer, Blue Grass;
13. Colby Springsteen, Morning Sun;
14. Matt Ryan, Davenport;
15. Nate Beuseling, Silvis, Ill.;
16. Mike Murphy Jr., Colona, Ill.;  
17. Dale Stolte, Springville;
18. Nick Marolf, Moscow;
19. Darrel DeFrance, Marshalltown;
20. Charlie McKenna, Clear Lake;  
21. Jay Johnson, West Burlington;
22. Mike Garland, Morrison, Ill.;
23. Jeff Guengerich, Washington;
24. Justin Reed, Quincy, Ill.

1^st heat (top three qualify) – 1. Callahan; 2. Guss; 3. Elston; 4. Kammerer; 5. Garland; 6. Matt Strassheim, Morning Sun; 7. Marty Diercks, Bettendorf; 8. Doug Yates, Monticello; 9. McKenna; 10. Richie Gustin, Gilman.

2^nd heat – 1. Bruening; 2. Darbyshire; 3. Klinkhammer; 4. Stolte; 5. Kile; 6. Murphy; 7. Marolf; 8. DeFrance; 9. Chad Patch, Davenport.

3^rd heat – 1. Goble; 2. Reed; 3. Eckrich; 4. Neal; 5. Sam Halstead, New London; 6. T.J. Criss, Oskaloosa; 7. Jeff Aikey, Cedar Falls; 8. Justin Kay, Wheatland; 9. Travis Smock, Independence; 10. Eric Sanders, Moline, Ill. 

4^th heat – 1. Johnson; 2. Ryan; 3. Harris; 4. Beuseling; 5. Guengerich; 6. Springsteen; 7. Dave Jorgensen, Omaha, Neb.; 8. Spencer Diercks, Bettendorf; 9. Todd Alexander, Milledgeville, Ill.

1^st “B” feature (top four qualify) – 1. Kammerer; 2. Stolte; 3. Kile; 4. Garland; 5. Marolf; 6. Murphy; 7. Marty Diercks; 8. McKenna; 9. Yates; 10. Strassheim; 11. Patch; 12. DeFrance; 13. Gustin.

2^nd “B” feature – 1. Beuseling; 2. Neal; 3. Guengerich; 4. Springsteen; 5. Criss; 6. Aikey; 7. Halstead; 8. Jorgensen; 9. Spencer Diercks; 10. Sanders; 11. Alexander; 12. Smock; 13. Kay.

Hard charger start – Marolf. Provisional starters – Murphy, DeFrance and McKenna.