With the Brockway Mechanical and Roofing Sprint Invaders washed out for the second night in a row, this time in Burlington, a check of the radar showed drier conditions to the north so I headed for the West Liberty Raceway Saturday night. With twin features on tap for the IMCA Late Models, and with some extra cars on hand in the support divisions from both Burlington and Bloomfield (the Invaders' rainout victim from Friday night) the car counts were solid and there was a good crowd on hand despite the cloudy conditions and the threatening forecast.
A pair of Sport Mod heats were first on the program followed by the IMCA Late Model feature that was rained out back on June 28th with twenty-three cars set to go for twenty-five laps on a track that, by West Liberty Raceway standards, was still a bit narrow. With the cloud cover and high humidity the track was heavy, but drivers were still able to find three grooves to run as Jeremy Grady raced out to the early lead. Andy Eckrich and Colby Springsteen were on the move coming from their mid-pack starting spots into the top five after a lap four caution and after another break in the action on lap eight it was Nate Beuseling who would now go to work on Grady for the lead. With Grady running the heavy cushion and Beuseling working down low the two drivers ran nearly side-by-side for three straight laps before Beuseling seized control on lap thirteen. Eckrich moved to second a lap later and started to pressure the new leader when on lap seventeen Beuseling slowed suddenly entering turn one. Andy took evasive action to miss the now disabled car by inches and on the restart he and Springsteen would battle for a couple of laps before Eckrich pulled away for the win. Springsteen would take second, Chad Holladay came from fourteenth to third and Jonathan Brauns edged out Tommy Elston by half a car length for fourth. Bran Harris made a big run through the field as he started twenty-third and finished sixth.
With the make-up race now in the books the remainder of the heat races were completed and following a brief intermission the IMCA Sport Mods were the first of five main events to take to the track. Cody Harris and Charley Weber would bring the field to green for twelve laps around the fast half-mile with Weber taking control. Brayton Carter who won his first career feature here back in May and who has been a regular visitor to victory lane here ever since took up the chase in second and with just two laps remaining Carter swept past Weber on the outside exiting turn two. Weber fought back though and regained the lead exiting turn four coming to the white flag and he then ran side-by-side with the lapped car of Austin Paul for the final lap, effectively using him as a pick to hold Carter at bay and score his own first-ever feature win. Harris drove a solid race in third, Austin Kaplan finished in the fourth spot while Tony Olson took fifth in the non-stop affair.
The ten car field of Sport Compacts were up next with Jason Klerk de Reus leading the way for the first three laps before Bill Whalen Jr. cruised past. A late caution brought the field back to Whalen and Jordan Walker took full advantage racing side-by-side with the veteran driver over the final two laps. When Whalen drifted a bit too high in turn four on the final lap it allowed Walker to hold the lead to the checkers for his second straight win. The track points battle is tight between these two drivers as well with Whalen now holding a one point lead with just two weeks remaining. Bobby Lake finished third, Klerk de Reus was fourth and Steven Struck completed the top five. Two 34 Raceway regulars, Rachel Reger and Ron Kibbe both made their half-mile debut and finished just outside of the top five.
David Brandies has pretty much owned the IMCA Stock Car division here in 2014, but you had a sense that he would have to work extra hard tonight to best the fifteen-car roster that included a couple of drivers from other Saturday night tracks. Nathan Wood would pace the first two laps before Cayden Cater put the Roger Kelderman owned car #10cc out front. Brandies had started seventh and on lap six he moved to the second position still with a lot of ground to make up on the leader. That changed two laps later though when Harold O'Brien spun in turn four collecting Tad Payne and Carter's lead was erased for the restart. Once back to green Brandies took a look only to have Carter again put a few car-lengths on him, but when Cole Simmons slowed in turn four Brandies would again restart on the rear bumper of Carter for the final two laps.
When the green flag waved Brandies drove deep into turn one and then slid up in front of the leader only to have Carter drive back under him exiting turn two. After the white flag waved Brandies again gave it his best shot, but he could not intimidate the double-duty driver as Carter won for the ninth time in fifteen starts this season aboard Kelderman's Stock Car. Brandies would have to settle for second on this night, pole-starter Johnny Spaw finished third, Wood took fourth and Brandon Jay completed the top five.
Another stellar field of twenty-five IMCA Modifieds signed in for action and they were all chasing Scott Dickey from the drop of the green for the twenty-lap main event. Perhaps "chasing" isn't the proper description though as Dickey was simply leaving everybody in his wake building a full straightaway advantage by lap three while the racing well behind him was very entertaining. Cautions on lap nine and lap fourteen brought the field back to Dickey with first Kurt Kile and then Bruce Hanford taking a shot at the leader. When the white flag waved Hanford tried the bottom line entering turn one and not only did Dickey fight off that last challenge, Kurt Kile also took advantage to ride the cushion past Hanford to finish second at the checkers. Cayden Carter topped off a successful evening coming from eleventh to fourth with Jerry Luloff filling out the top five. Dickey pounded the roof of his car in celebration and after thanking his sponsors he mentioned that his father, longtime racer Dan Dickey, was away on vacation in Wisconsin. "I guess we can do it without him" said the happy winner, tongue in cheek.
Another 25-lap IMCA Late Model feature would close out the night with front row starters Sam Halstead and Jay Chenoweth swapping the lead the first two laps. When Nick Marolf slowed during lap three it produced the only caution of the race and on the restart National Dirt Late Model Hall of Famer Ray Guss Jr. would take over the point. Just like earlier in the night both Andy Ecrich and Colby Springsteen were picking their way to the front and soon it was Eckrich who was trying to make up ground on Guss in second. With a much better starting spot in this race, inside of row six, Brian Harris was also on the move riding the cushion around his competition into the top five, but even with lapped traffic coming into play late there would be no catching Ray Guss Jr. on this night. In victory lane Guss told announcer Jerry Mackey that they are getting the car dialed in at the right time of the year and that he is really looking forward to the special events coming up in September. "Not only is it the month of money, but I also get to celebrate my 55th birthday!" Look out you young lions, the Robert Racing Team is back in business.
And speaking of the National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame, the #56 car that won the first feature and finished second in the second feature is owned by two of the Hall's newest inductees Larry & Penny Eckrich.
It was another perfectly presented program by the Simmons Promotions crew and even with the extra feature race to be run the final checkered flag waved at just ten minutes past the hour of ten o'clock, My enjoyment of the racing was enhanced by being able to sit with super fan, and good friend Bob Litton who is usually surrounded by other friends by the time that I arrive on most race nights. On this night though he was stuck with me :)
There are still a couple of weeks left in the regular season, but I cannot help but look ahead to the Yankee Dirt Track Classic September 10th, 11th, 12th and 13th at the Farley Speedway. I will be there on Thursday night the 11th to work with my partner Bill Wright for the Brockway Mechanical and Roofing Sprint Invaders and then on Friday and Saturday night it will be my honor to help out one of the best announcers in the business, Jerry Mackey. I have heard about how much fun there is to be had outside of the racing action at the Yankee and I am looking forward to that experience!
I received the news that I expected this morning when the Sprint Invaders versus the ASCS Warrior Region showdown at the Quincy Raceways was cancelled for tonight (Sunday) due to wet grounds making it a complete washout for the weekend. Don't forget that the XSAN Hawkeye Dirt Tour for IMCA Modifieds will be at the Benton County Speedway on Monday night and then on Tuesday night the Dirt Tour pairs up with the Deery Brothers Summer Series for IMCA Late Models at the Cedar County Raceway. Hope to see you in Tipton!
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