Hahne is Governers Cup Winner

     With twenty seven late model teams in the pits, the Friday event for the SLMR triple header was rained out at West Liberty Raceway. We caught back up with the mini tour at the Davenport Speedway on Saturday. This would be the annual Governors Cup race, with the late model headliner offering up a $5,000 check to the winner. Modifieds, sport mods, street stocks, 4 stocks and the A.I.R.S. cars would fill out the card, with an early start time helping things along.

    Somewhere close to 125 race teams signed in, with twenty eight late models leading the way. With hot laps complete, the late models split in to Group A and Group B for time trials. Omaha, Nebraska driver Jake Neal paced the first group, while World of Outlaw regular Tyler Bruening took overall honors with a lap of 14.230 seconds around the fairgrounds quarter mile oval. Michael Haines did not take qualifying laps, while Fred Remley had issues on his first trip around, and was done for the night.

   With a six car invert for the eight lap late model heat races, there was plenty of action. Neal came from row three to win heat one over fifth starting Andy Eckrich and row two starters Nick Marolf and Jay Johnson. Joel Callahan lined up in row one, outgunning Justin Kay,  Luke Goedert, and Joel Callahan in the second qualifier. Heat three went to sixth starting Bruening in front of David Webster, Dave Eckrich, and Jeff Tharp. Matt Ryan advanced from row two to grab the final heat, besting Charlie McKenna, Logan Duffy, and Jason Hahne. Because of the passing points format used to transfer to the main event, several drivers with top four finishes in the heats were forced to try their luck in the ten lap B main. Curt Schroeder led flag to flag to pick up that win, followed by Darrel Defrance, Brian Harris, and Gary Webb. Provisional starting spots went to Kirby Schultz and Ron Klein, giving us a twenty two car feature lineup.

   After a short intermission, the A.I.R.S. cars lined up, twenty out of  the twenty three signed in, for a dozen laps. Surprisingly, they were plagued with caution flags, a total of four in the first eight laps. Dennis Etten and his Mopar machine was scored the leader for all twelve laps to take the win. He was hounded in the closing circuits by Jake Hayes in his 1950s Packard #11. Robin Atkins, Steve Johnson, and R.J. Lank and his Edsel completed the top five. The low groove seemed to be the fast way around for the older style cars, but that would not necessarily be the case later on. A pair of sport mod B mains ran next ahead of the modified main. 

    All twenty three mods came to the track for twenty laps, with a $1,000 check awaiting the victor. Jordon Hicks charged from the outside pole to the lead, holding on until he spun coming through turn four on lap five. Travis Denning assumed the point for the restart, working the inside line. Meanwhile, sixth starting Chris Zogg was pounding the cushion, moving to the top spot on lap seven. Denning moved to the high line in turns one and two while working down low at the other end. Slower traffic became a factor by lap twelve and Denning began to eat into Zogg's advantage. Soon though Travis found himself caught behind a pair of lapped cars running side by side. Zogg then cruised to the win. Denning held off Eric Barnes for second, followed by Mark Schulte and Derrick Stewart.

   It was now late model time, with forty laps the scheduled distance. Hahne and McKenna sat on row one, with "Chargin' Charlie" taking the early lead over Neal, Hahne, and the Eckrich brothers, Dave and Andy. As the leaders worked the high side, Hahne cleared Neal for second on lap three. Meanwhile, Andy Eckrich and seventh starting series points leader Justin Kay searched the low line. Soon Kay changed to the high side, entering the top five on lap nine. One more trip past the flag stand and he jumped to fourth, third on lap twelve, and the runner up spot on lap fourteen. At the halfway mark, it was McKenna out front as he ran the cushion while Hahne in the middle line and Kay on the bottom gave chase. Slower traffic became heavy and about lap twenty four McKenna found himself shuffled back to fifth. Two laps later Kay took the lead from Hahne who now had to deal with the fast closing cars of Bruening and Neal. With twenty eight laps in the books, Bruening powered to second, but Hahne was also back on the move, clearing Kay for the lead one lap later. Hahne then began to stretch his margin as Bruening and Kay battled for second. Hahne, from Webster City, Ia. grabbed his first SLMR east division checkers and the $5,000 prize in the caution free race. Kay upped his points lead with a second place finish, while the Thursday night winner, Bruening, took third. Neal and McKenna rounded out the top five. Dave Eckrich outgunned brother Andy for sixth, with eighth through tenth going to Marolf, Ryan, and Duffy.

    With a trio of features yet to go, we headed for the parking lot while the street stocks took the green flag. Congratulations to Joe Bonney on his win in that division. Morning reports indicate that Aaron Hitt picked up a pair of wins in the 4 stock and sport mod classes.

   Thanks to Bob, Carrie, and the Drt Trak Racing,Inc. group for their hospitality at the several venues where they hosted events in 2021. The racing surface at Davenport proved to be top notch once again, with the late model feature a real "barn burner."

   Next up will be another of our favorite events, night one of the Fall Bash at the Cedar County Raceway in Tipton, Iowa. Among the six divisions,  IMCA type late models and modifieds will run for a $1,000 prize at the Darkside Promotions three day extravaganza. Grab a jacket and join us there!