MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa (May 17) – Andy Eckrich didn’t have much choice when he drew last for his starting position in Tuesday’s Deery Brothers Summer Series Miller Lite 50 feature at Mar­shalltown Speedway.

Unfortunately for his IMCA Late Model tour foes, the pill they’d left Eckrich was good for the pole and he took advantage of the spot, leading all 50 circuits enroute to a $2,000 payday.

Last season’s series and national rookie of the year pulled away from the field after a pair of early re­starts and again following a lap 22 caution. Tom Darbyshire got the better of Tyler Bruening in the battle for second but still crossed the finish line half a straightaway off the pace.

Defending champion Ray Guss Jr., Matt Strassheim and hard charger Todd Cooney completed the top six. Cooney passed a dozen cars on the night.

Eckrich was catching up with the back of the pack by lap 19 and again after the long green flag session that followed the lap 22 yellow. Darbyshire got by Bruening before midway and also raced through lapped traffic, but didn’t have time to track down the leader.

The victory was Eckrich’s series career second. The Marshalltown event was just the fourth of the season and the first since April 10, after April 15-17 rainouts at Davenport Speedway, Jackson County Speedway and Quad City Speedway.

Charlie McKenna won the $250 Sunoco Race Fuels feature qualifier drawing.

Darbyshire and Bruening will share the point lead heading into the Memorial Day show at Boone Speedway on Monday, May 30. Terry Neal ran ninth at Marshalltown and is now one point out of first.

Feature results –

1. Andy Eckrich, Iowa City;

2. Tom Darbyshire, Morning Sun;

3. Tyler Bruening, Decorah;

4. Ray Guss Jr., Milan, Ill.;

5. Matt Strassheim, Burlington;

6. Todd Cooney, Des Moines;

7. Darrel DeFrance, Marshalltown;

8. Mike Murphy Jr., Colona, Ill.;

9. Terry Neal, Ely;

10. Kevin Sather, Urbandale;

11. Justin Reed, Quincy, Ill.;

12. Boone McLaughlin, Mediapolis;

13. Nate Beuseling, Silvis, Ill.;

14. Rob Toland, Davenport;

15. Billy Tuckwell, Spring Bay, Ill.;

16. Jeff Aikey, Cedar Falls;

17. Al Johnson, Story City;

18. Tommy Elston, Keokuk;

19. Charlie McKenna, Clear Lake;

20. Sam Halstead, New London;

21. Mike Garland, Morrison, Ill.;

22. Todd Malmstrom, Silvis, Ill.;

23. Colby Springsteen, Morning Sun;

24. Joel Callahan, Dubuque.

1^st heat (top three quaify) – 1. Strassheim; 2. Darbyshire; 3. McLaughlin; 4. Elston; 5. Toland; 6. McKenna; 7. Malmstrom; 8. Jay Johnson, West Burlington; 9. Joe Zrostlik, Long Grove; 10. Jill George, Cedar Falls.

2^nd heat – 1. Reed; 2. DeFrance; 3. Bruening; 4. Springsteen; 5. Bryan Klein, Cedar Rapids; 6. T.J. Criss, Oskaloosa; 7. Halstead; 8. Jason Hahne, Webster City; 9. Greg Kastli, Waterloo; 10. Bobby Hansen, Center Point.

3^rd heat – 1. Guss; 2. Aikey; 3. Garland; 4. Murphy; 5. Cooney; 6. Dale Hackwell Jr., Washburn; 7. Luke Pestka, Robins; 8. Chad Simpson, Mount Vernon; 9. Ryan Giles, West Des Moines; 10. Tuckwell.

4^th heat – 1. Neal; 2. Sather; 3. Eckrich; 4. Craig Jacobs, Urbandale; 5. Al Johnson; 6. Beuseling; 7. Eric Gustaf, Moline, Ill.; 8. Travis Smock, Independence; 9. Callahan; 10. Eric Sanders, Coal Valley, Ill.

1^st “B” feature (top four qualify) – 1. Elston; 2. Toland; 3. Springsteen; 4. McKenna; 5. Criss; 6. Klein; 7. Kastli; 8. Malmstrom; 9. Halstead; 10. Jay Johnson; 11. Hahne; 12. Hansen; 13. Zrostlik; 14. George.

2^nd “B” feature – 1. Murphy; 2. Beuseling; 3. Cooney; 4. Al Johnson; 5. Hackwell; 6. Gustaf; 7. Callahan; 8. Simpson; 9. Tuckwell; 10. Giles; 11. Smock; 12. Jacobs; 13. Pestka; 14. Sanders.

Hard charger start – Callahan. Provisional starters – Halstead, Malmstrom and Tuckwell.