Kay Kontinues Krusade

The Davenport Speedway wrapped up their 2014 racing season Saturday night with the annual running of the All-Star Classic on the historic ½ mile. On the card were the Deery Brothers Summer Series IMCA Late Models, Modifieds, Street Stocks, Sport Mods, and 4 Stocks.

A little over a week ago Wheatland, Iowa’s, Justin Kay received the news that he was the IMCA Late Model Champion for the second year in a row and tonight he continued his crusade to do what only a very few drivers have done that’s win the National Championship and Deery Brothers Championship in the same season.

After winning his heat race, Kay started the 35 lap feature tenth. Early on it seemed like Andy Eckrich was going to walk away with the win but four cautions throughout the feature kept things interesting. Kay took full advantage on a late race restart when Mike Murphy Jr. and Denny Eckrich got tangled up to rocket his 15K machine to second place. Kay and A. Eckrich battled for several laps, side by side, with Kay initially trying the low side and then going up against the wall coming out of turn four to take control of the lead. Kay would go on to win with Andy Eckrich second, Brian Harris (who started 19^th) third, Brunson Behning, and D. Eckrich.

The Deery Brother Summer Series IMCA Late Models wrap up their 2014 season  on October 3^rd and 4^th at the West Liberty Raceway.

In the Modified feature “The Dominator” Bob Dominacki absolutely dominated. The Bettendorf, Iowa, driver led every lap with Jason Schueller, Brandon Durbin, Jake Bowman, and Steve Johnson rounding out the top five.

“The Vanilla Gorilla” Jeremy Gustaf led the first six laps in the Street Stock feature until “Pepe” Perry Gellerstedt navigated his #39 around Gustaf. Gellerstedt would lead the final 6 circuits and held off a late charge by “The Pitbull” Keith Blum (who started deep in the field) to pick up the win.

Cedar Rapids, Iowa, driver Tony Olson parked his #T23 in victory lane after leading every lap in the Sport Mod feature.

Joe Zrostlik used his outside front row starting spot to jump out to the lead and go on to lead the 4 Stock feature wire to wire.

Well this was my last race of the 2014 season. My wife and I will be welcoming our second son to the world this Tuesday. Thank you to the Quad City Speedway and Davenport Speedway for their hospitality and allowing me to cover racing at their facilities this season. I have some ideas for some blogs during the off season so be on the look out for that.

“The Pit Bull” Keith Blum Bags Biggest Payday at the Marks Memorial

Well the circus was in town Sunday night so I was ditched once again by Kyle so he could go with his Grandma to said circus. Anyways I’m not bitter so on to my write-up.

This past Sunday night at the Quad City Speedway it was the 2^nd Annual Ron Marks Memorial featuring the Street Stock division. A stacked field of 35 Street Stocks checked in to the pits to compete for the $1,701.01 top prize. Four heat races were ran with the top three from each heat transferring to the 50 lap main event. The heat race winners were Keith Blum, Jeremy Gustaf, Steven Jackson, and Tim Current. Two consolation races with ran as well with the top four from each moving on to the feature. Consolation winners were Cary Brown and Randy Cusack.

With the field set and after the pace car, Ron Marks Jr.’s last car he raced, pulled off the green flag waved. Bernard, Iowa’s, Timmy Current bolted out to the lead from his fourth starting spot. If the race would have gone caution free there’s no doubt Current would have parked his 12T in victory lane but there were cautions. After contact with a lapped car and a couple yellow flags Bettendorf, Iowa’s, Keith Blum was right on Current’s bumped. Blum, who racked up some feature wins earlier in the season QCS, ran Current hard lap after lap. Blum would get by Current but wasn’t able to pull away. Current stayed right on Blum and as they approached a lapped car, the moment everyone was talking about happened. From my vantage point it looked like Blum got by the lapped and as Current attempted to he made contact with the lapped car which caused him to make contact with Blum and that sent Blum sliding through the infield down the backstretch and around turn three and four in the infield and then back onto the track on the front stretch maintaining his lead. All the contact Current suffered ended his night. “The Pit Bull” Blum went on to hold off all comers and put his #21 machine in the winners circle for the biggest payday of his racing career. Steven Jackson came from tenth to finish second followed by Chad Coyne, Jeremy Gustaf, and Dwayne Smith Jr., who started 15^th.

Also racing were the IMRA Midget Lites, Mod Lites, IMCA Modifieds, and 4-Cylinders.

In the IMRA Midget Lite feature, once again, the slide job was the name of the game. The 2014 IMRA Midget Lite Track Champion, Mitchell Davis, and Brimfield, Illinois’, Austin Archdale battled side by side and nose to tail for nearly the whole race. The race was decided on the last lap in the turn two with a slide job by Davis on Archdale. Brian Rick would take third followed by Chad Ziegler, and Shane Morgan.

It was like a flashback to not so long ago as Shon Sanders and Bryan Brinker once squared off in the Mod Lite feature. They each gave the other one all they could handle and when the checkered flag waved it was Sanders taking home the number one spot and Brinker second. Mike Pershing would finish third with Brad Lucy and Brian Schnell completing the top five.

Another strong field of 19 IMCA Modifieds took the green for their 20 lap feature. Milo Veloz Jr. would hold off a late race push by Brandon Durbin to win the feature, leading it flag to flag. Doug Curless crossed the line third with Rob Henry and Matt Werner rounding out the top five.

“The Beard” Steven Spiker ran hard in the 4-Cylinder division week in and week out at QCS but couldn’t find victory lane. Sunday night was finally the night for “The Beard”. Spiker would hold off Brandon Setser and capture his very first career feature win. Setser took second followed by Drew Wise, Eric Stogdell, and Shawn Pappas.

Sunday night wrapped up the 2014 racing season at the Quad City Speedway so it looks like my next race will be Saturday, September 20^th, at the Davenport Speedway for the All-Star Classic with racing on the historic half-mile. Hopefully there’s not another circus in town so Kyle will tag along.