Opening Night at West Liberty

My 2015 racing season final got rolling Saturday night with the Deery Brothers Summer Series IMCA late model show at the West Liberty, Iowa Raceway. Darryl, Fred, and I made our way north for the three class program which also opened the season at the storied Muscatine County Fairgrounds 1/2 mile oval. We were more than pleasantly surprised to see 43 late models show up - thanks Kevin Yoder for the assist on some unfamiliar cars - for a show that drew 31 entrants one year ago! In addition, 21 IMCA sport mods and 18 IMCA stock cars checked in under sunny skies and warm April temps. West Liberty is known for starting at the advertised time and opening night was no exception, with hot laps rolling at 6:31 on my time piece. A collision at the end of late model hot laps between Nick Marolf and Richie Gustin took a bit to clean up, but the first stock car heat still rolled off at 7:05. Great job as always to the Simmons Promotions group. The first caution flag of the night came in the seventh race, heat race number five for the late models. It was for veteran Jay Chenoweth, who arrived at the track with no number or decals yet on his red and black machine. Third generation teenage driver Tyler Droste was running second at the time, but got shuffled out of a top three feature qualifying spot on the restart. Teammates Scott Fitzpatrick and defending series champion Justin Kay took the first two heat wins, with 2014 race winner Colby Springsteen nabbing the third ten lapper. Track regulars Jonathon Brauns and Ron Boyse were winners in the final two heats. After three sport mod qualifiers, the program moved straight into the Caseys Pizza box redraw, with Andy Nezworski and Boyse capturing front row starting slots for the 40 lap $3,000 to win headliner. Two late model B- mains ran next, with local favorite Denny Eckrich edging second generation hot shoe Ryan Dolan in the first 12 lapper. Brian Harris made a dandy two car pass around Kyle Hinrichs and Rob Moss for the fourth and final qualifying spot at the halfway mark in the second consy and the winner of the series opener last week, Nebraska third generation driver Corey Zeitner took the checkers. With Harris now in third, Hinrichs came back to slip past Joe Zrostlik for the fourth spot on the final circuit.  Ray Guss Jr filled the 24th spot on the starting grid with a hard charger provisional.
 The stock cars started the feature action, running 20 laps. Track champion David Brandies started up front and quickly took command. Johnny Spaw started deep in the field but picked his way to second by the first caution period. Following another stoppage on lap 13, Greg Gill used the Delaware restart to take second , and he and Spaw slugged it out for the next couple of laps. By lap 16, Spaw was again in the runner up spot, catching Brandies with two laps to go. Brandies was able to keep his car wide enough to hold off the # 00, and at the stripe, it was Brandies, Spaw, and Gill.
  The sport mods were up next for 20 circuits. Young Brayton Carter and Brett Lowrie sat up front. The first heat had been won by part time Quincy Raceway driver Brandon Dale, from Memphis, Missouri. It was the second generation drivers first ever trip to the big 1/2 mile, and he easily covered the field in his heat, but drew an eight to start in row four of the feature. Lowrie led the first half of the race, with Carter take over following a lap ten caution. Dale powered his way to third, but could not overtake the lead duo. The race ended under caution with a spin after the white flag waved. It was Carter, Lowrie, and Dale taking the podium spots. Track champion Aric Becker started in row five, and a mid race spin took him out of contention.
 As is tradition at West Liberty, the late models rounded out the card. Boyse and Nezworski completed lap one side by side, with Andy taking control on the following circuit. He opened a sizable lead over Fitzpatrick, who also had distance over the rest of the pack. Kay started tenth, and by lap seven he  had advanced to fifth. Two more laps and he was fourth, and on lap 11, he took third. As he began to reel in Fitzpatrick, the only yellow of the race came out for a slowing Nate Beuseling on lap 16. On the restart, Kay passed the front two, and began to pull away. Meanwhile, Harris had come all the way from row 11 to about ninth when the caution waved, and he now charged to the number five spot following  the restart. Fourth running Jeff Aikey pulled out on lap 18, as Kay built a huge lead, eventually picking his way past a half dozen or so of the remaining cars. With the race staying green, the 15K went unchallenged to the checkers. He was followed by Fitzpatrick, Harris, Nezworski and Andy Eckrich. The second five had Kevin Kile in sixth, followed by Springsteen, Holladay, Brauns, and Zeitner.
Curt Martin was the nights hard luck driver, breaking in hot laps.
 The Deery Series moves on the Farley and Webster City next weekend, while I will be at 34 Raceway in West Burlington for the MARS/CBC/ALMS $ 10,555  to win late model Slocum 50. Before that, grandson Keagan and I hope to be at Quincy Raceways for the season opener tonight. As I look out the window this Sunday morning, the clouds are moving in, so be sure and call ahead if you are planning to joins us at QR. Race season is here, so we will see you Racin, Down the Road!