Harris Going Out in Style

Davenport speedway was our Saturday night destination for night number two of the reborn Iowa Governers Cup. 75 cars in five divisions signed in to race on the intimidating fairgrounds 1/2 mile after the opening night program was conducted on the inside 1/4 mile. Drivers were scored on their average finish to become the overall champion, although each night offered a complete show and purse.
 Eleven heat races were run on off quickly, with only one yellow flag slowing the action
 Street stocks were up first in feature action, with 14 cars racing for 12 laps. It was a flag to flag win for Perry Gellerstedt, although Rob Henry pushed him hard for the second half of the event, which was lowed twice by caution flags. Joe Bonney and Rob Nylin also turned in top four runs, with Gellerstedt also the overall champion.
Next came the 4 stock class, short on cars, but not action. Six of the eight on hand took the green for ten laps of feature racing. Again, it was a flag to flag win, this time for Sean Fersch, who polished off a clean sweep of the heat and feature. The race went caution free, with Brandon Setser grabbing the runner up spot and the overall Cup title.
 All but one of the 21 IMCA modifieds came to the track for 15 laps of racing. Dakota Hayden was scored the leader after lap one, with front row starter Brad Dubil exiting the track. Hayden held the lead as row four starter Justin Kay began a march to the front. By lap four, the two class standout was second, and he grabbed the top spot one lap later. Meanwhile, row six starters Bruce Hanford and Brad Dierks moved to fourth and fifth respectively. Clearing the veteran Hanford on lap eight, Dierks moved to third as lap nine was scored, and around Hayden on the tenth circuit before the first yellow flag wiped out the pass. However he used the Delaware restart to not only clear Hayden, but Kay as well to take the lead. At the same time, Hanford moved up two spots to third. As the checkers waved, it was Dierks sweeping the weekend to become Cup champion. Kay held on to the second spot, with Hanford alongside in third and Hayden fourth.
 IMCA sport mods were next for 12 laps featuring 11 cars. Zach Maurer led the early laps, with Jacob Waterman trying everything to take the lead. Meanwhile, Ross Neal was closing fast. As the top two raced side by side, Waterman finally made the winning pass on lap nine. With less than two circuits remaining, Neal powered to second, and the top three crossed the line in that order in the caution free race. Cameron Goben rounded out the first four, with Neal the overall champion.
 The final event on the card was the 40 lap $5,000 to win feature for the 20 Corn Belt Clash late models
 The redraw found multi time series champion Chad Simpson setting on the fadter outside row one line alongside Nationak Dirt Hall of Famer Ray Guss Jr. Certainly nothing against Chad, but this was shaping up to be one of those races where the fans left early, based on his victory on Friday night.
However Guss got the jump, leading lap one. Just as quickly, the veteran slowed and pulled to the infield as lap two began, handing Simpson the lead. He began to open a sizable advantage as row two starters Jason Rauen and Brian Harris, along with fifth starting Jason Utter jockeyed for second in that order. Harris slipped past Rauen on lap five, and Utter did the same four laps later, though he and Rauen raced side by side. Slower traffic came in to play at this time, but Simpson was having little trouble disposing of the cars in front of him. But on lap 16, his night came to an ends, as he slowed and pulled to the infield. It was now a duel for the top spot between Harris and Utter, with Rauen and Justin Kay now closing on the leaders. Kay advanced to third on lap 22, and with slower traffic again in play by the lap 24, he pulled alongside Utter for second. Kay took the spot two laps later and began to reel in Harris. But with ten to go, the # 15K slowed out of turn four, bringing out the caution. As the wrecker hooked to Kays machine, Utter pulled through the turn three gate to the pits, ending his run as well.
 From there, Harris mission was one of surviving one more caution period for sixth running Rob Moss three laps later, and he did so without a stiff challenge. It was only his second night out in his new ride, a Diercks Racing machine boasting his longtime # 21H on the side. In his post race interview, the red head, who announced his impending retirement from racing recently, said that he was contacted ten days prior with an offer of the open engine ride to finish out the 2015 season. This comes after a couple of successful seasons wheeling the Lynn and Karen Richard # 15R IMCA late model.
 If he will indeed call it a career after the season, he goes out on a high note as the 2015 Iowa Governers Cup champion, having collected a third place run on Friday.
 Rauen took second on Saturday, followed by the # 10 car out of the Parker Racing stables in Wisconsin. Son Paul was given as the driver in the feature, but dad Pete in the heat race, so....?
Nick Anvelink had a solid run in fourth, with young Spencer Diercks, Harris' teammate in fifth. The second five was led by veteran Dave Eckrich, as brother Denny dropped out with two to go. Mike Fryer was seventh, ahead of Skip Frey, Mark Rose, and Matt Furman. Chuck Hanna and Jay Chenoweth rounded out the cars running at the checkers.
 After posting this, it will be off to Quincy Raceways for five classes of racing tonight, as the season rapidly winds down. Grab a jacket and head for the races while you still can!