It has been nearly two weeks since I was last on here and, while there was definitely some interesting and exciting news in my life, none of it was racing related and I know that is the reason that you come to visit the Back Stretch. So it was better to just wait for some racing news to share, besides there was no way that I was going to top the massive number of page views that the Cumulative All Iowa Points brought in over a one week period anyway!
Last night IMCA released the 2017 schedule for the Deery Brothers Summer Series for IMCA Late Models and early reviews show some concern. It has already been pointed out that last year's schedule had 18 events while this year's calendar has only 13 events with races at Algona, Webster City, Davenport and Tipton missing from the schedule. Benton County Speedway promoter Mick Trier told me this morning that he would have scheduled a Deery show if he had been able to run it on his regular race night, Sunday. However to do so all other sanctioned tracks would have had to give the Late Models the night off. Some promoters were willing to cooperate, others were not.
What the schedule, and Trier's comments tell me is that the mid-week shows during the regular season have not been successful and, if we all take a moment to think about it, that makes sense. These are not professional race car drivers that run this series, they have full time jobs that they need to be at in order to fund their hobby and asking them to take a Tuesday off four or five times during the summer was not a popular thing resulting in a shrinking number of drivers competing in the full series. I remember ten years ago when the J&J Steel Ironman race would have fourteen or fifteen drivers in it at the end of the year. If I remember properly, last year only seven or eight drivers had perfect attendance.
So in a series that relies nearly 100% on weekly racers, is it a bad thing if the number of races is now thirteen with all but three of them to be contested either before or after the regular season? In my opinion, no, because if the point fund remains the same the drivers now have to compete in 28% fewer events to earn the money.
Just a few years ago the Sprint Invaders dropped from a sixteen event schedule one season to a ten event season the next. The result? The average car count per event increased by 30% because more drivers figured that they could commit to a ten event schedule, one where they wouldn't have to be taking five or six days off during the summer to compete in mid-week events. Don't be surprised if the same thing happens here.
The full press release from IMCA along with the 2017 schedule follows and, oh yeah, that same guy that was the announcer at the first-ever Summer Series race at 34 Raceway will be on the mic once again for this year's opener. Hope to see you there!
WEST BURLINGTON, Iowa – The Deery Brothers Summer Series returns to a very familiar venue for its 31st opening night and ends with a Month of More Money in September.
Touring IMCA Late Models start their 2017 campaign on Saturday, April 1 at 34 Raceway. That event marks the series’ 49th appearance – more than at any other track – at West Burlington and its first there since 2013.
“The first-ever series race was held at 34 Raceway so we’ve got a lot of history there,” noted Tour Director Kevin Yoder. “I know a lot of our drivers as well as fans that follow the Deery Series have been looking forward to returning.”
The Sept. 2 Yankee Dirt Classic main event at Farley Speedway pays $7,500 to win while a bonus of as much as $1,500 awaits the winner of the Sept. 7 show during the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s at Boone Speedway.
Dates April 8 at West Liberty Raceway, April 14 at Farley, April 15 at Independence Motor Speedway and April 23 at Dubuque Speedway precede the start of the track point season.
The series is at Quad City Speedway on May 14 and at Boone Speedway for the traditional Memorial Day show on May 29.
Doubleheaders with the Arnold Motor Supply Hawkeye Dirt Tour for IMCA Modifieds follow June 6 at Marshalltown Speedway and June 13 at West Liberty.
Completing the schedule are Farley’s Sept. 1-2 Yankee, the Super Nationals event at Boone and the Sept. 22-23 Liberty 100 at West Liberty, which wraps up with both points and pay-only features.
All features pay a minimum of $2,000 to win and $300 to start.
“The sponsorship from the Deery Brothers Automotive Group really steers this ship and entering a 26th year working with them is very significant,” Yoder said.
“Casey’s General Store is back as sponsor on the nightly redraw program and Sunoco Race Fuels will give $250 to a random feature qualifier with perfect attendance each night,” he continued. “This schedule is very travel-friendly and I anticipate very competitive races on the track and in the point standings.”
Champion of the 2016 series was Tyler Bruening of Decorah. Darrel DeFrance of Marshalltown has competed at all 467 events in series history.
2017 Deery Brothers Summer Series Schedule – Saturday, April 1 at 34 Raceway, West Burlington; Saturday, April 8 at West Liberty Raceway; Friday, April 14 at Farley Speedway; Saturday, April 15 at Independence Motor Speedway; Sunday, April 23 at Dubuque Speedway; Sunday, May 14 at Quad City Speedway, East Moline, Ill.; Monday, May 29 at Boone Speedway; Tuesday, June 6 at Marshalltown Speedway; Tuesday, June 13 at West Liberty Raceway; Friday and Saturday, Sept. 1 and 2 at Farley Speedway; Thursday, Sept. 7 at Boone Speedway; Friday and Saturday, Sept. 22 and 23 at West Liberty Raceway.
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