WEST BURLINGTON, Iowa (April 1) – The Deery Brothers Automotive Group reaches a sponsorship milestone of its own during the 25th annual tour for IMCA Late Models.
The largest retailer of new and pre-driven cars, trucks and vans in Iowa, Deery Brothers marks its 20th season as title sponsor of the series this season, paying a portion of the $20,400 in point fund money guaranteed to top 15 drivers in final tour point standings.
Nineteen race dates are on the schedule, at 15 different tracks in Iowa and Illinois. Opening night is Saturday, April 2 at Dubuque Fairgrounds Speedway.
“Our 25th anniversary season is really shaping up to be outstanding and we have been in contact with Deery Brothers about a variety of new promotional ideas for this year,” said Kevin Yoder, head of marketing and the series director for IMCA. “Twenty years as the title sponsor is really an achievement and has created a brand that is unparalleled in the Late Model touring world.”
Top paying events of the season are 34 Raceway’s $10,000 to win Pepsi USA Nationals Sept. 2-3 and Farley Speedway’s $7,500 to win Yankee Dirt Track Classic on Sept. 16-17.
The inaugural Red Dralle Memorial at Independence Motor Speedway on June 29 and the Sept. 24-25 series finale at Quad City Speedway both pay $5,000 to win. Top prize at the April 9 Slocum 50 at West Burlington is $3,000.
“I think the success of this series over the past couple years has really helped convince promoters to increase purses or bring the series back to tracks it hasn’t been to for a while,” said Yoder. “This is really an excellent schedule for drivers and fans alike to follow.”
Events paying $2,000 to win and a minimum of $250 to start include the opener at Dubuque and races April 10 at Quincy Raceway, April 15 at Davenport Speedway, April 16 at Jackson County Speedway, April 17 at Quad City, May 17 at Marshalltown Speedway, May 30 at Boone Speedway, June 7 at Farley, July 3 at Quincy, July 12 at West Liberty Raceway, July 26 at Knoxville Raceway, Aug. 2 at Cedar County Raceway, Aug. 15 at the Iowa State Fairgrounds Speedway and Sept. 5 at Boone, during the first night of the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals.
“We have designed a special 25th anniversary logo that will be distributed in decal form to all drivers participating this year,” Yoder said, “and our past champions will also have that logo incorporated in special roof designs made by New Vision Graphics.”
Ray Guss Jr. is the defending series champion. Jeff Aikey leads all series drivers with career six tour titles and 54 feature wins. Darrel DeFrance has competed at every event in series history, winning a dozen times.
Three hundred and sixty seven events were held over the course of the tour’s first 24 years, the last 296 of those races under the Deery banner.
Deery Brothers has more than 3,000 new and pre-driven vehicles at outlet and service centers in Burlington, Cedar Falls, Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, Maquoketa, Pella, Pleasant Hill, Waterloo and West Burlington.