Moyer Tops MLRA at West Liberty

 After a day away from the track to recover, Sunday afternoon we rejoined the MLRA mini tour at the West Liberty, Iowa Raceway for some high speed half mile action.
  The early evening season opener at the 1/2 mile fairgrounds facility drew a solid field of eighty cars in four classes and a whole bunch of enthusiastic race fans eager for some dirt track action.
   The MLRA late models were the featured class, as they completed their season opening three night swing following events at Moberly, Mo. and Maquoketa, Ia. Evidence of the fact that racers are just as eager to be at the track as the fans showed as there was almost no drop in car counts as the weekend wore on - thirty seven at Moberly, thirty six at Maquoketa, and thirty five for the $5,000 to win finale.
    The series has moved away from passing points in 2020, going to a time trial format, with the field split into two groups. The track was fast at the beginning of qualifying, as Chad Holladay paced the opening group with what proved to be the overall quick lap of 18.463 seconds, while local legend Brian Birkhofer was fastest in group " B."
    Four ten lap heat races saw the top four in each transfer to the thirty lap feature. Fifth starting Dirt Hall of Famer Billy Moyer charged to the front of heat one, outgunning Holladay, Californian Tony Toste, and Jeremiah Hurst. Tyler Bruening led the distance in heat two, besting row three starter Jonathon Brauns, Chris Simpson, and Spencer Diercks. Birkhofer paced heat three ahead of Tony Jackson Jr., Mike Spatola, and Chad Simpson. Polesitter Bobby Pierce captured the final ten lapper in front of Ryan Gustin, Mitch McGrath, and Jason Papich.
    A pair of B mains also sent three drivers each to the main event, Peyton Looney topped Matt Furman, and Oregonian Justin Duty in the first, while defending series champ Will Vaught out dueled Garrett Alberson and Andy Eckrich in the second. Jeremy Grady and Jeremy Conaway were added as provisional starters. The competition was extreme to the point that national standout Dennis Erb Jr. was forced to sit out the feature race.
   First on the feature docket was a ten lap event for the American Iron Racing Series ( A.I.R.S. ) cars, a collection of original and fabricated bodies from the 1950s, 60s and 70s. As you might expect from someone in my age group, I could watch these cars race all day and night! Robin Atkins drove away from the field to the win in a 1972 Ford Torino, while Bart Miller made a late charge to second in his 1961 Ford. Bruce Yoerger followed in a 1957 Ford, then came Scott Fridley in a  1966 Chevy Impala. Dan Kessler completed the top five in what looked to be a 70s vintage Camaro.
   The program, which began with hot laps at 4:30 PM was moving at lightning speed, and now the track crew took a few moments to try and widen the racing surface, as the preferred line was now along the bottom groove.
    Soon, twenty four high powered late models came to the track for thirty laps and a $5,000 prize. Moyer and Birkhofer sat on row one, with Bruening and Pierce right behind. Moyer shot to the lead, taking Bruening along in second ahead of a caution on lap three for Alberson. A single file restart was used, and soon the leaders were again all hugging the inside line. Moyer began to open a sizable lead as the cars freight trained around the low line. At lap eighteen, the leader caught the back of the pack, and as he sized up the cars in front, Bruening began to close the gap. But just as things got interesting, the yellow waved as Grady slowed with a flat tire. On the restart, the fourth running Pierce suddenly slowed on the backstretch, his right rear tire down. He quickly changed it in the infield work area during the brief caution period, but then headed to the trailer, his night over. Back under green and with a clear track in front, Moyer stretched his lead over Bruening, who also built a wide margin over Birkhofer. Lap twenty one saw both Birky and fourth running Holladay head to the pits under yellow. The green waved again, but was followed by an immediate yellow, when a flat tire ended Spatolas' top ten effort. The laps clicked off when with only two to go, heartbreak hit Brauns, as his third place run came to an end with yet another flat tire. In victory lane, the veteran Moyer said he knew tire wear would be an issue in the feature, but he was able to get all thirty laps out of his, as he added to a victory total that has now surpassed 840. Bruening ran a smooth race in second, while Jackson Jr. was also on the podium. Toste started ninth and finished fourth, while McGrath came from twelfth to fifth. Chris Simpson led the second five ahead of Gustin, Papich, Diercks, and Looney.
    The sport mod feature was next, and it was Tim Plummer taking the win. Brayton Carter grabbed runner up honors, followed by Ryan Walker, Colton Livezey, and James Roose.
    Racing wrapped up before dark as Cayden Carter used a lap eight pass of Terry Renfro to take the win in the IMCA modified division. Renfro bested Kurt Kile, Denny Eckrich, and Jarrett Brown with top five runs.
    A special thanks to Drt Trak Racing, Robert and Carrie for their hospitality, I look forward as always to my next trip to the legendary facility.
   Next weekend I hope to pay a visit to C J Speedway on Friday and then finally head to 34 Raceway on Saturday, with both tracks hosting the Hoker Trucking SLMR eastern series. It looks like Iowa is joining Missouri in throwing the green flag and some Illinois tracks are testing the waters, so get to a track near you soon!