We ventured a bit out of our usual territory, to take in the IMCA Deery Brothers Late Model and Hawkeye Dirt Tour races in West Liberty last evening. We were glad we did, as we saw history made.
There were just the two classes competing last evening, and the first up for their featured 30-lap main event, were the HDT Modifieds. There was a draw among the top twelve qualifiers from the heat, and after it all washed out after a bit of passing or keeping their pick, it found Todd Shute the lucky recipient of the #1 starting spot, and Justin Kay would be starting along side him on the front row.
Kay immediately shot to the lead. Richie Gustin, the fourth place starter, quickly tucked into second place, as Shute ran in third. A caution flew at lap nine, and again at lap ten. When the race went green again after the lap ten yellow, Kay was still in command, Gustin still in second, and Cayden Carter had worked his way from eighth starting spot, to run in third. Carter quickly took to the topside of the race track, and moved to the runner up spot.....on the hunt for more. The two drivers then put on quite the show for the fans. Carter briefly took the lead at lap nineteen, only to have Kay come right back, and resume the number one spot. Two more yellows would come at laps 25 and 26, Kay still in command, Carter in second. Eyes had now also been on Joel Rust, who had been making great progress from his eleventh starting spot, and was sitting in third place. When racing got back under way after the lap 26 yellow, Kay continued to hold off Carter, while Rust dug hard on the bottom of the track. The final laps were close for the three, but at the checkers, they remained in the same order; Kay taking the win, while Carter and Rust were a close second and third. Twelfth place starter Kurt Kile finished fourth, and veteran racer, and birthday boy, Kelly Shryock completed the top five.
It appears that Kelly Shryock is now leading HDT points, Joel Rust is second, and Kyle Brown (who finished seventh) is in third place. The next race for the HDT will be Tuesday, June 27 at the the Hancock County Speedway in Britt. It is the Salute to Veterans nights at the speedway, and the Modified victor will receive $3,000.
The Late Model drivers had their own draw for starting spot, among the top twelve from their heats...the usual Casey's pizza box that held 1-12 "pieces" of pizza. The good natured keeping/taking game ensued, with Kyle Hinrichs and point leader, Jesse Sobbing getting the front row starting spots.
Sobbing quickly took the lead for the 40-lap main event. He was looking quite comfortable out in front, through the halfway mark of the race, but the 15K of Justin Kay had steadily been reeling him in. The crowd enjoyed a bit of swapping for the lead laps twenty-three through twenty-seven, but Kay eventually established the point spot for good. He would then slice and dice his way skillfully through the lap traffic, and at the end of the forty laps, took the comfortable win. Sobbing finished in second place, extending his point lead, Denny Eckrich was third, followed by Matt Ryan in fourth and pole sitter Kyle Hinrichs in fifth. Kay had a record setting night...the first time ever that the same driver has won both an HDT and Deery race on the same show.
The Deery Brothers Summer Series for IMCA Late Models now take a long summer break. Their next show is scheduled for September 1 at the Farley Speedway, followed by their Super Nationals appearance at the Boone Speedway on Thursday, September 7.
Be sure and check out fellow Positively Racing bloggers Jeff Broeg and Danny Rosencrans, for their take of the show, and some of Barry Johnson's photos as well.
We are planning for our usual Wednesday night of racing at the Southern Iowa Speedway. Hope to see you there! Come and support the sport we all love.
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