Callahan Grabs Deery Dollars

 Amid sunny skies and sweltering temps, we headed to the Benton County Speedway in Vinton, Iowa Thursday for the Deery Brothers Summer Series late model headliner during the Benton County fair. As we headed north, increasing cloudiness was accompanied by storm warnings east of Vinton. But as the evening wore on, more of the seemingly never ending rain possibilities popped up around the area, dramatically dropping the temperature with a brief shower also creating a brief delay during the late model feature. The upside of the threatening weather was that the always vigilant team of Mick Trier and Mike VanGenderen went from running a quick, efficient program into hyper drive. As soon as the checkered flag waved on one race, the next was rolling to the track and taking the green flag. The announcing duo of Jeff Kropf and Ryan Clark were on their " A " game, as well, managing to get lineups and results out in addition to a running commentary of information and humor.
  Hot laps began at the appointed time of 6:45, with heat race action starting just a couple minutes past 7:00. It took just under an hour to click off fourteen heat races for the six class field of just over 100 cars. A pair of B mains for the twenty seven late model race teams were then scrapped when David Webster and Kyle Krampe scratched before the heat races, leaving twenty five starters, one more than originally scheduled.
  Moving quickly into feature racing, the six micro mods came to the track. Cole McNeal took a hard fought victory, then the late models were  moved up in the running order to try and beat the rain.
  Fourth heat winner Jeff Aikey and heat two winner John Emerson lined up in row one, with Aikey charging to the lead ahead of Emerson and row two starters Brian Harris and Paul Nagle as lap one of forty was scored. Emerson slid high in the somewhat treacherous turns three and four on the third circuit, with Harris moving to second. Aikey had opened a sizable lead, and was about to catch the back of the pack when the caution waved at lap seven for the stopped car of Charlie McKenna. Back to racing, sixth starting Todd Malmstrom powered to fourth and Aikey again pulled away while Harris and Emerson battled side by side for second. Running a high line beside Emerson, Harris ran out of real estate in turn four, falling to seventh. Malmstrom was now on the move, grabbing the second spot, with ninth starting Joel Callahan entering the top five, taking along Matt Ryan in sixth. Caution came again with a dozen laps down for a spinning Joe Zrostlik. Back to green, Emerson regained second over Malmstrom, Callahan took fourth and Ryan moved to fifth. Two laps later, the yellow waved again for Tyler Bruening as the aforementioned sprinkles delayed the action. Fortunately, the cars were able to continue to roll in the 1/4 mile surface, and we were soon back to racing. Again Aikey built a lead, and Callahan found his way to third just ahead of a caution for Harris, who went over the top of turn three. The restart came with twenty three laps remaining,  and Callahan took advantage of the Delaware restart to claim second. For the first time, Aikey now had pressure from behind. Callahan soon pulled alongside the leader as slower traffic became a factor, and he was able to take the lead ahead of a final yellow for a Nagle spin. The last fourteen circuits went caution free. Callahan gained separation in first, while Aikey was also able to pull away from the intense battles behind him. As the checkers waved, it was Callahan taking the win, trailed by Aikey. Emerson outlasted Eric Pollard and Jeremiah Hurst to complete the top five. Bruening recovered from the trip to the back at lap fourteen to lead the second five over Ryan and row eight starter Justin Kay. Malmstrom was shuffled back to ninth in the closing laps, with Andy Eckrich rounding out the top ten.
  An original restart for the eighteen stock cars found front row starter Dallon Murty leading the way over dad Damon and Scott Rice. John Oliver Jr. started in the final row after suffering damage in his heat race, and he was up to sixth as the caution waved on lap five. One lap later, Damon Murty took over the lead, Jay Schmidt advanced to third, and Oliver grabbed fourth. As the elder Murty stretched his lead, Oliver moved to third, while Dan Trimble took second. As Oliver made a high side move for second, he went over the top of turn three, bringing out another caution. Another pair of yellows found Schmidt in second and pushing the leader. However it was Murty holding on for the win, with Schmidt settling for runner up honors.
  The hobby stocks avoided the yellow flag, with Brett Vanous slipping around Kaden Reynolds, then powering to the win.
  Tony Olson took off from row one to pace the sport mods, with Dan Dvorak and Joe Docekal making runs at the top spot. But everything changed following a restart with four laps to go. Suddenly Ben Chapman was the man on the move, powering to the second spot. With the white flag displayed, he pulled alongside Olson down the back chute. He then found a line below the leader coming through the final set of turns, then won the drag race to the line for a stunning victory.
  The final race of the night found fifteen sport compacts lined up for fifteen laps. Andrew Steepleton led the opening lap before Adam Gates took over. With no cautions and lapped traffic in play, Cody Van Dusen snatched the lead with four circuits remaining, hanging on for the win.
  It was a couple minutes past the 9:30 mark when the final checkers waved, once again an absolute clinic on how to run a race program. On top of that, the pork tenderloins at the Pork Producers booth were top notch, while my cohorts gave rave reviews about the fare from the Beef Producers!
  Thanks to Mick, Mike, and everyone at Benton County Speedway for an A plus night of racing!
  Our weekend plans are a bit uncertain, but it's a safe bet that it will involve some dirt track action, so say " Hi " if you see me "Racin' Down the Road."