DAVENPORT, Iowa (April 20) – Mike Murphy Jr.’s second Deery Brothers Summer Series win of the season looked a lot like his first.
Murphy led all 40 laps of Friday’s IMCA Late Model tour main event at Davenport Speedway, pulling away from the field much the same way he did two weeks ago in winning the Deery feature at West Burlington.
The outside row one starter rocketed into the lead at the drop of the initial green and again on the restart that followed the only caution of the night, on lap three.
Murphy was checked out by midway, when Justin Kay caught Andy Eckrich for second. Lapped traffic came into play as Kay was able to reel in the leader and was trying to get his nose inside Murphy with 10 circuits left.
Murphy shut the door instead, getting a lapped car ahead of Kay before wheeling away to win by a comfortable margin. The victory, his Deery career third, paid $2,000.
Kay’s runner-up finish was his series career best showing. Denny Eckrich, Dan Shelliam and Andy Eckrich completed the top five.
“B” feature winner Mark Burgtorf was sixth. Hard charger Mike Garland passed a dozen cars to finish 12th.
Colby Springsteen won the $250 Sunoco Race Fuels feature qualifier drawing.
Two-time defending series champion Ray Guss Jr. broke in hot laps and ended a string a 55 consecutive feature appearances dating back to Sept. 28 of 2008.
Murphy will have sole possession of the point lead when night two of the weekend tripleheader takes the Deery Series to West Liberty Raceway for a Saturday, April 21 show. Pit gates open at 4 p.m. and the grandstand opens at 4:30 p.m. Hot laps are at 6:30 p.m. with racing to follow.
Dubuque Fairgrounds Speedway hosts the Sunday, April 22 event.
Feature results – 1. Mike Murphy Jr., Colona, Ill.; 2. Justin Kay, Wheatland; 3. Denny Eckrich, Tiffin; 4. Dan Shelliam, Hazel Green, Wis.; 5. Andy Eckrich, Oxford; 6. Mark Burgtorf, Quincy, Ill.; 7. Nate Beuseling, Silvis, Ill.; 8. Jay Johnson, West Burlington; 9. Jeff Aikey, Cedar Falls; 10. Darrel DeFrance, Marshalltown; 11. Colby Springsteen, Wapello; 12. Mike Garland, Morrison, Ill.; 13. Joel Callahan, Dubuque; 14. Tyler Bruening, Decorah; 15. Mike Zemo Jr., Davenport; 16. Matt Strassheim, Morning Sun; 17. Chad Patch, Davenport; 18. Bryan Klein, Cedar Rapids; 19. Tommy Elston, Keokuk; 20. Gary Webb, Blue Grass; 21. Tom Darbyshire, Morning Sun; 22. Luke Goedert, Guttenberg; 23. Joe Zrostlik, Long Grove; 24. Charlie McKenna, Clear Lake.
1st heat (top three qualify) – 1. Darbyshire; 2. Beuseling; 3. Shelliam; 4. Patch; 5. Webb; 6. Garland; 7. Tim Simpson, Iowa City; 8. Kyle Hinrichs, Swisher; 9. Doug Yates, Monticello; 10. Ray Guss Jr., Milan, Ill.
2nd heat – 1. McKenna; 2. Denny Eckrich; 3. Zemo; 4. Callahan; 5. Klein; 6. Kelly Pestka, Preston; 7. Drake Ostrom, Moline, Ill.; 8. Spencer Diercks, Bettendorf; 9. Goedert; 10. Dean Wagner, Evansdale.
3rd heat – 1. Murphy; 2. Zrostlik; 3. Johnson; 4. Burgtorf; 5. Tom Goble, Burlington; 6. Joe Ross, Thomson, Ill.; 7. Aikey; 8. Dave Stichter, Morrison, Ill.; 9. Elston; 10. Eric Sanders, Coal Valley, Ill.
4th heat – 1. Kay; 2. Andy Eckrich; 3. DeFrance; 4. Strassheim; 5. Bruening; 6. Springsteen; 7. Matt Ryan, Davenport; 8. Travis Denning, Sterling, Ill.; 9. Jeff Mitrisin, Oskaloosa; 10. Clint Kirkham, Camden, Ill.
1st “B” feature (top four qualify) – 1. Klein; 2. Callahan; 3. Patch; 4. Webb; 5. Garland; 6. Diercks; 7. Ostrom; 8. Goedert; 9. Pestka; 10. Yates; 11. Hinrichs; 12. Simpson; 13. Guss; 14. Wagner.
2nd “B” feature – 1. Burgtorf; 2. Aikey; 3. Strassheim; 4. Springsteen; 5. Bruening; 6. Elston; 7. Ross; 8. Denning; 9. Stichter; 10. Goble; 11. Ryan; 12. Kirkham; 13. Sanders; 14. Mitrisin.
Hard charger provisional – Elston. Point provisionals – Garland, Bruening and Goedert.