Thursday night the MLRA late models continued their five race mini tour across the Heartland with stop number three at the historic Davenport Speedway. An outstanding field of forty high powered late models checked in on another brisk evening to do battle on the 1/4 mile oval. The track crew had done their job well, and things kicked off right on time. Series officials have been having apparent transponder issues with regard to multiple car time trial qualifications, so on Thursday they simply timed the forty cars one at a time. While this ate up more than thirty minutes, it did give the nice sized gathering of fans an opportunity to get a good look at each of the colorful machines. And any extra time spent on qualifying would be made up later in the fast paced program.
California driver Jason Papich, who maintains a race shop in Camdenton, Missouri with teammate Tony Toste (pronounced toast) set the overall fast time with a lap of 13.77 seconds. Papich sat on the pole position for heat one, collecting the win to secure the pole position for the forty lap finale. Not surprisingly, the other three ten lap heats were also won from the front row, as Brian Shirley, Billy Moyer Sr., and Toste were also victorious.
A pair of twelve lap B mains transferred three cars each to the money race, with Mitch McGrath and Chris Simpson scoring wins. MLRA officials then added four series provisionals to the field, giving us a whopping twenty six cars to start the main event.
Modifieds and sport mods, boasting boasting fields in the mid twenties, along with about fifteen of the American Iron Racing Series vintage cars filled out the field. Between all four of these divisions, only twice did the yellow flag fly in preliminary action, a tribute to both the drivers and the well prepared racing surface!
With only a brief moments delay, the A.I.R.S. cars lined up for their feature race. R.J. Lank lined up his 1959 Edsel in the front row and paced the field through only one caution period to pick up the win. Probably the only time I have seen an Edsel win a race!
Next up it was sport mod action. Tyler Soppe paced the field for all fifteen circuits, holding off Tony Olson for the win. Shane Paris battled Ben Chapman to grab third while Logan Veloz charged from mid pack to complete the top five. The race went green to checkers, caution free!
It was now late model time with $5,000 on the line for the victor. Papich shot to the early lead as he ran the very bottom of the track. Meanwhile, his row one mate Moyer Sr. elected to take the long way around, as he grabbed moisture from the high side of the oval. Lap after lap they would go, Moyer gaining an advantage off of turn two but Papich perfectly squaring up off turn four to lead at the flag stand. Meanwhile Shirley was peddling in Moyers' tracks looking for a mistake from the leaders. While Moyer finally gained a slight advantage, Papich retook the spot as the leaders caught the back of the pack at lap fifteen. Two circuits later fourth running Bobby Pierce slowed with a flat tire, bringing out the first caution. Pierce changed rubber and rejoined the tail of the field, and I was shocked to count all twenty six cars still on the track as we neared the halfway mark. On the restart it was Moyer scored in front of the Delaware style lineup, but Papich again briefly moved to the point. The second and final caution came at lap twenty three when Jordon Yaggy spun off of turn two. Now in front, Moyer began to stretch his advantage as the low groove appeared to be "going away." In the closing laps Shirley was hot on the heels of Papich, so the #91P finally moved up the track, with he and Shirley appearing to make contact at one point on the backstretch. At the checkers it was the Hall of Famer Moyer scoring a popular win for his many long time fans. Papich took the runner up spot, with Shirley also gaining a podium finish. Georgia racer Ashton Winger started tenth and finished fourth, veteran Terry Phillips was steady in fifth. Tyler Bruening made the trip down from Decorah to claim sixth, and Toste added to the good night for the California boys in seventh. Tony Jackson Jr. drove from row twelve up to eighth followed by Jason Feger and twenty first starting Dennis Erb Jr. to round out the top ten.
Following a bit of pomp and circumstance, mostly for the benefit of those watching from the warmth of their living rooms, the modified feature took to the track for twenty laps. While Spencer Diercks had a forgettable night in his late model, he had his #29 on the front row for the final feature, and he converted that start into a $1,000 payday, leading from start to finish. Tim Ward came from row three to the second spot, but could go no further. Jeff Larson fought through a gaggle of hard runners to slip into third late in the event, while Eric Barnes was hot on his heels in fourth. Brandt Cole had a good run in fifth. Again, a caution free race. By my count that made only five yellow flags all night long and we were in the car ahead of the 10 PM chimes!
A big thanks to Bob, Carrie, and the Drt Trak team for their hospitality and an outstanding night of racing.
A quick tour of the grocery store, and we will get back at it tonight for the Prelude to the Slocum at 34 Raceway in West Burlington, where the party is already under way! MLRA late models again top the card tonight with $5,000 on the line ahead of the Slocum 50 tomorrow in honor of a great racer and good friend. That will conclude the MLRA mini tour with someone collecting the $10,555 check. Bundle up and we will see you there!
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