Deery Brothers Late Models return to Boone Speedway
I spent the last few weeks seeing races at Boone and Knoxville.
On Memorial Day at the Boone Speedway, the IMCA Deery Brothers Late Models were on tap. We don’t see Late Models much in central Iowa so when the IMCA touring series comes close, you have to see them.
Thirty-six Late Models were in the pit area on an overcast evening. The 40-lap A-Main saw Jason Hahne take the point followed closely by Craig Roberts. A yellow on lap 20 bunched the field back together, and on the restart, Josh Most used the top to go from third to first in two laps and pulled away for the win. Todd Cooney of Des Moines started 19th and battled back for a fourth-place finish. The Deery Brothers series will be in action at Knoxville’s Harris Clash on July 8 and Oskaloosa on July 22.
Two weeks ago was the Knoxville Masters Classic for drivers 50 years of age and older, the USAC Midget Nationals, and the regular 410 show. This year’s field for the Masters Classic was stacked as full-time racers Gary Wright and Sammy Swindell entered.
It was a duel through lapped traffic that saw Sammy leading early, but Wright was able to use the lapped cars to his advantage and grab the lead. But Wright had mechanical problems and dropped out midway, and Swindell went on to win.
Sammy’s son, Kevin Swindell, won the Midget Nationals race with a thrilling late pass of Jerry Coons Jr. with two laps to go.
The USAC Midgets will return to Iowa on Friday, June 19, to race at Iowa Speedway to kick off Indy Car weekend.
In the Knoxville regular classes this week, Brian Brown won his 13th career 410 feature and Brett Mather captured his fifth career 360 win.
Both men led every lap of their respective features on a fast and tacky track as both features were completed safely with no cautions. Mather is driving his own car this year and is on a shoestring budget as he is racing on year old hand-me-down tires from a fellow competitor and was laid off from his job just as the racing season began. The win was gratifying for sure.
The win for Brian Brown, the 2007 Knoxville track champion, ended a 25 regular point race winless streak at Knoxville Raceway.
Congratulations to Kellogg’s Kyle Brown on winning his first Sport Mod feature of 2009 last Friday night at Marshalltown Speedway.
Kyle has been close on several occasions this season but finally got a win. Several area drivers are in the top 10 of the Sport Mod point standings at Marshalltown. Newton’s 14-year-old Jake Strayer is third, Zach Rawlins of Kellogg is sixth, Grinnell’s Brad Iverson is eighth, with Brown in ninth.
In Stock Car, Newton’s Michael Jaenette is third in points with Tracy Gienger in sixth. Josh Saunders is currently eighth in Hobby Stock points.
We’re nearing the halfway point of the season already so get out there and support your local dirt racers and tracks before the season is gone. See you in the stands.
