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WEST LIBERTY, Iowa (July 10) – Eight days ago, Justin Kay was the driver who ended a Deery Brothers Summer Series winning streak.
Now he’s a single IMCA Late Model tour victory away from the record book himself.
Kay won his third straight series feature Wednesday at West Liberty Raceway, leading all but the opening circuit in a 40-lap contest slowed just once by caution. The victory, also his career third, was good for $3,000.
Point leader Brian Harris, who’d won a record-tying four consecutive features before Kay started his roll, finished second for the third straight night. Andy Eckrich made a late drive to third, Tommy Elston was fourth and Jeff Aikey rounded out the top five.
Aikey led the first lap from the pole before the third-starting Kay rocketed past. Harris started eighth and was up to second by lap 14.
That single caution came out just before midway and preceded a side-by-side duel between the front pair. Harris nearly had the edge coming to the flag stand at one point but Kay got a good run the last nine times around the track and won by six car lengths.
Harris had tied the record of four straight Deery wins, set by Gary Webb of Blue Grass in 1994 and equaled by Rob Toland of Colona, Ill., in 2004, at West Liberty on June 18.
Kay won July 2 at Independence and July 5 at Davenport before making an equally successful trip to West Liberty. He’ll look to match the series record himself this Sunday, July 14 at Dubuque Speedway.
Pit gates open at 4 p.m. and the grandstand opens at 5 p.m. for the 11th of 17 Deery events in 2013. Hot laps are at 6 p.m. with racing to follow.
Rob Moss was the $250 Sunoco Race Fuels feature qualifier drawing winner Wednesday night. The event at West Liberty had been postponed from July 9 because of inclement weather.
Feature results – 1. Justin Kay, Wheatland; 2. Brian Harris, Davenport; 3. Andy Eckrich, Oxford; 4. Tommy Elston, Keokuk; 5. Jeff Aikey, Cedar Falls; 6. Kyle Hinrichs, Swisher; 7. Denny Eckrich, Tiffin; 8. Jason Utter, Columbus Junction; 9. Nick Marolf, Moscow; 10. Ray Guss Jr., Milan, Ill.; 11. Joel Callahan, Dubuque; 12. Jay Johnson, West Burlington; 13. Kevin Kile, West Liberty; 14. Nate Beuseling, Silvis, Ill.; 15. Rob Moss, Iowa City; 16. Colby Springsteen, Wapello; 17. Spencer Diercks, Davenport; 18. Darrel DeFrance, Marshalltown; 19. Ron Boyse, Kalona; 20. Dan Shelliam, Hazel Green, Wis.; 21. Jonathan Brauns, Muscatine; 22. Jay Chenoweth, Wapello; 23. Tom Goble, Burlington; 24. Matt Strassheim, Morning Sun; 25. Chad Holladay, Muscatine.
1st heat – 1. Harris; 2. Elston; 3. Guss; 4. Johnson; 5. Springsteen; 6. Boyse; 7. Moss; 8. Chenoweth; 9. Brauns.
2nd heat – 1. Utter; 2. Beuseling; 3. Kile; 4. Aikey; 5. Denny Eckrich; 6. DeFrance; 7. Diercks; 8. Marolf.
3rd heat – 1. Kay; 2. Andy Eckrich; 3. Hinrichs; 4. Shelliam; 5. Callahan; 6. Holladay; 7. Goble; 8. Strassheim.
“B” feature – 1. Denny Eckrich; 2. Callahan; 3. Springsteen; 4. Marolf; 5. Diercks; 6. Moss; 7. Boyse; 8. Goble; 9. DeFrance; 10. Brauns; 11. Chenoweth; 12. Strassheim; 13. Holladay.