DES MOINES, Iowa (Aug. 13) – Tough Deery campaign at Des Moines ends with Andy Eckrich in victory lane

Tough Deery campaign at Des Moines ends with Andy Eckrich in victory lane 

DES MOINES, Iowa (Aug. 13) – Andy Eckrich and Barack Obama were both the center of attention Monday at the Iowa State Fair. 

Eckrich held off brother Denny for the $2,000 Deery Brothers Summer Series victory on the night the president brought his re-election campaign to the state fair. 

The IMCA Late Model tour win was the second of the season and career sixth for Eckrich. He is now second in the series standings, 11 points behind fifth-finishing Jeff Aikey.

Ryan Griffith was third and Colby Springsteen fourth. 

Andy Eckrich drew the outside row one start for the 35-lapper and was more than a straightaway ahead before the yellow flew for an ailing Jason Utter, who slowed on the frontstretch. 

After restarting fourth, Denny Eckrich passed Griffith and Jason Hahne for the second spot on lap 19. The front pair ran side by side on laps 23 and 24, Andy on the bottom of the Fairgrounds’ ½-mile dirt oval, Denny on the top. 

Andy Eckrich finally edged ahead and took a four car length advantage into lapped traffic with four circuits left. Denny Eckrich closed the gap but couldn’t get close enough to challenge before Andy took the checkers.

Two-time defending series champion Ray Guss Jr. took a provisional, started 23^rd and finished 14^th. Mike Murphy Jr. won the $250 Sunoco Race Fuels feature qualifier drawing.

Highlights from both the Deery Series and IMCA Sunoco Stock Car features will be part of State Fair broadcasts on Iowa Public Television Wednesday and Thursday nights at 9 p.m.

More than 130 cars were in the pits for the traditional State Fair show, which played out before a good crowd. 

The 400^th event in Deery Series history is next on the schedule when 34 Raceway at West Burlington hosts the $5,000 to win Pepsi USA Nationals on Saturday, Sept. 1.

Pit gates open at 3:30 p.m. and the grandstand opens at 5 p.m. Hot laps are at 6:30 p.m. with racing to follow. 

Feature results – 1. Andy Eckrich, Oxford; 2. Denny Eckrich, Tiffin; 3. Ryan Griffith, Webster City; 4. Colby Springsteen, Wapello; 5. Jeff Aikey, Waterloo; 6. Tyler Bruening, Decorah; 7. Jason Hahne, Webster City; 8. Todd Cooney, Des Moines; 9. Jay Johnson, West Burlington; 10. Darrel DeFrance, Marshalltown; 11. Tom Darbyshire, Morning Sun; 12. Ryan Giles, West Des Moines; 13. Nick Marolf, Moscow; 14. Ray Guss Jr., Milan, Ill.; 15. Mike Murphy Jr., Colona, Ill.; 16. Justin Kay, Wheatland; 17. Craig Jacobs, Urbandale; 18. Tom Goble, Burlington; 19. Sam Halstead, New London; 20. Chad Cooney, Des Moines; 21. Paul Glendenning, Mount Ayr; 22. Joel Callahan, Dubuque; 23. Tommy Elston, Keokuk; 24. Jason Utter, Columbus Junction.

1^st heat (top three qualify) – 1. Jacobs; 2. Callahan; 3. Aikey; 4. Halstead; 5. Glendenning; 6. Carey Umbarger, Garner; 7. Kyle Hinrichs, Swisher; 8. Riley Larson, Boone; 9. Josh Most, Red Oak; 10. Kurt Kile, Nichols.

2^nd heat – 1. Giles; 2. Denny Eckrich; 3. Andy Eckrich; 4. Goble; 5. Doug Yates, Monticello; 6. Darbyshire; 7. Jay Stewart, Blair, Neb.; 8. Chad Cooney; 9. Murphy; 10. Sterling Perkins, Lamoni.

3^rd heat – 1. Bruening; 2. Griffith; 3. Jay Johnson; 4. DeFrance; 5. Guss; 6. Kay; 7. Utter; 8. Scott Fitzpatrick, Urbandale; 9. Jeff Mitrisin, Oskaloosa; 10. Ben Nading, Ankeny. 

4^th heat – 1. Elston; 2. Hahne; 3. Springsteen; 4. Marolf; 5. Todd Cooney; 6. Al Johnson, Story City; 7. Kevin Kile, West Liberty; 8. Curt Schroeder, Ames; 9. Kelly Tapper, Boone.

1^st “B” feature (top four qualify) – 1. Darbyshire; 2. Goble; 3. Halstead; 4. Glendenning; 5. Chad Cooney; 6. Stewart; 7. Larson; 8. Kurt Kile; 9. Yates; 10. Umbarger; 11. Most; 12. Perkins; 13. Hinrichs; 14. Murphy. 

2^nd “B” feature – 1. Marolf; 2. Todd Cooney; 3. DeFrance; 4. Utter; 5. Guss; 6. Kay; 7. Al Johnson; 8. Kevin Kile; 9. Schroeder; 10. Fitzpatrick; 11. Mitrisin; 12. Tapper; 13. Nading. 

Hard charger provisional – Chad Cooney. Point provisionals – Murphy, Guss and Kay.

Category: Deery Brothers Summer Series, Iowa, News, Series