It hardly seems possible that it was time for the Deery Brothers annual Memorial Day visit at the Boone Speedway. Where has the time gone in this race season? The early start time and sun still high in the sky, plus the stiff wind out of the west and warm temperatures, tried playing a little havoc with the racing surface. Several of the famous Boone farming sessions, helped the situation. "The boys of summer", the IMCA Deery Brothers Late Models were the headliners for the program, but with four support classes also in action, all in all, it made for a great day/night of racing.
All of the support classes, the Mod Lites, IMCA SportMods, Stock Cars, and Hobby Stocks ran extra laps for their feature events for the holiday special show. The Mod Lites kicked off the mains by running 18-laps. Drawing the pole starting spot, Josh May was gone at the drop of the green flag. He had little challenge in taking the win, which went flag-to-flag. Ed Zehm, who chased May through the entire event, finished a distant second. Third went to Joel Keenan, fourth was Randy Bryan, and fifth was Jason Whitehead.
The Deery Brothers ran their 40-lap race next after the Mod Lites had smoothed the track a bit after a farming session. The drivers had participated in a card draw for the top 12 starting spots earlier. The fans enjoyed having those drivers brought in front of the main grandstand for the "game". When all of the giving and taking of face down cards was completed, it would be Tyler Bruening getting the ace, and point leader, Michael Murphy, Jr, getting the deuce, to make up the front row.
Murphy shot to the lead, and for the next 38 caution-free laps, circled the 1/4 track flawlessly through lap traffic, Bruening trailing him. Then came lap 38. A spin out in turn four caused the yellow to fly, putting to an end what was appearing to be a caution-free race. This set up a green-white-checkered finish--which wasn't to be on the first attempt! Another yellow flag flew when cars piled up, and another green-white-checkered situation. I'm sure this was not what Murphy was wanting to see, opening the door for Bruening and veterans Jeff Aikey and Ray Guss, Jr. right behind. Murphy pulled it off though, with no trouble, taking the win, his third in the Deery Series this year, and extending his point lead in the series.
Bruening, Aikey and Guss finished second through fourth in that order; Luke Goedert taking fifth.
After another track grooming session, the IMCA Hobby Stocks were called to the track for a 15-lap feature. John Watson, a driver who nearly "owns" the track after many wins accumulated in the past two years, drew the pole position. However, it was the inside front row, Andy Mahlstedt that took the lead at the drop of the green. The slick track made for some traction issues for a bit, but by lap five, Watson had made the pass into the lead. The feature would go flag-to-flag in this one, Watson taking the win, followed by Mahlstedt in second. Tyler Pickett was scored in third, fourth went to Dustin Filloon, and Robert Smith completed the top five.
The IMCA Northern SportMods went 20-laps in their A main. Darren Huntley led this one past halfway, Scott Davis tucked in behind him. Daniel Tasler was putting the pressure on Davis though, and on lap thirteen, made the pass into second. That's when a yellow flew, bunching up the field for the restart. That restart worked to Tasler's advantage as he took the highroad around Huntley and into the lead. The final lap would see Huntley suddenly exit off the track and into the infield, putting Davis to finish in the runner up spot behind Tasler, the winner. Eric Elliott finished in third, fourth was Lacona, Iowa driver Casey Greubel, and fifth went to recent high school graduate, Joel Rust.
A 20-lap IMCA Stock Car main capped off the program. Michael Murphy--the local Michael Murphy from Jefferson, started fifth, but was leading by the fifth lap. Murphy would keep that lead to the checkers flying. This would score him his first IMCA Stock Car feature win at the Boone Speedway. He has been a very successful Hobby Stock driver, taking many wins at Boone, and just this year, moved up to the stock car class. Michael Jaennette came from the fourth row, to take the runner up spot. He fought past Jamesport, Missouri racer, Dean Wray, whom we have always seen piloting an IMCA Modified previously, taking third, Fourth place went to Lake City, Iowa's Dave Smith, and fifth was veteran driver Robert Stofer.
So ended our Memorial Holiday of racing, the action getting done about 9:13. We will take Tuesday off for a little resting up, and then head down to the Southern Iowa Speedway on Wednesday night. Sounds like we are in for a change in the weather, so will we will no doubt be using the layers and coats we keep at hand all during our race season. After all, it is Iowa and we have froze in July!
Get out and support a track somewhere, helping to keep this great sport we all love, alive and healthy.
Happy racing!
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