QCS Honors Hershel Roberts

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Its hard to believe it has been four years since the Hall of Famer, Hershel Roberts, passed away after an illustrious racing career and a courageous battle with cancer. Hershel was an amazing person and the epitome of what a race car driver should be on and off the track.

 

Sunday night the Quad City Speedway and the area racing community honored Hershel with the fifth annual Hershel Roberts Memorial featuring the IMCA Late Model Deery Brothers Summer Series. Also on the card were the IMCA Modifieds, Street Stocks, and Mod Lites.

 

I showed Kyle the Hall of Famer banner with Hershel on it by the concession stand at QCS and explained who Hershel was and the night was about him. They had a lot of Hershel memorabilia on display which Kyle thought was cool.

 



 

The first feature of the night was Street Stock 15 lap feature. Street Stock racing at the Davenport Speedway and Quad City Speedway this season has been top notch and Sunday night was more of the same. East Moline, IL's, Mike Anderson took the early lead and appeared to have the car to beat but after leading several laps his five year old motor let go ending his night. Perry Gellerstedt took over the lead from there, even with his right front suspension heavily damaged. Jarett Franzen would give Gellerstedt everything he could handle including running side by side with him for the final three laps. Gellerstedt would collect the "W", which I predicted on Facebook, with Franzen second followed by Chance Huston, Kevin Dickey, and Randy Lamar.

 

The Mod Lites were up next and it was the same old song and dance. Shon Sanders in his #4 machine led all 12 laps, winning in convincing fashion. Brad Lucy finished second followed by Mike Pershing, and Bob Miller. Dan Guss was the hard charger of the race coming from the 13th starting spot to finish fifth.

 

Once again the IMCA Modifieds had the fans on the edge of their seats for the finish of their 20 lap feature. Colona, IL's, Milo Veloz Jr. drew outside front row for the feature and he used that starting spot to take control of the lead at the grab of the green. Veloz held off an early challenge by Matt Werner while Doug Crampton and Greg Durbin were making their way to the front. The field was bunched up after the yellow flag waved with six laps to go. This was the opportunity Durbin had been waiting for all race. Durbin continued to run his normal line, as close to the tires as possible, and coming to the white flag Durbin got by Veloz and went on to win his third race in a row at QCS. Veloz took second followed by Crampton, Brandon Durbin, and Werner.

 



 

Then it was main event time, 58 laps of Deery Brothers Summer Series action, the Hershel Roberts Memorial. The large crowd new this was going to be ten times better then Mayweather-Pacquiao fight with a field full of heavyweights and horsepower. Ray Guss Jr., in Hershel's historic #58, drew the pole with the reigning and defending IMCA National Champion, Justin Kay to his outside. Kay would get by Guss on the first lap and like most Deery races in recent memory appeared to be the man to beat. Cedar Falls, IA's, Jeff Aikey kept up with Kay and as they got into heavy lapped traffic, Aikey was able to get under Kay and take over the lead. The multi-time Deery Brothers Summer Series and IMCA National Champion went on to lead the final 45 laps, piloting his #77 machine like a maestro through lapped traffic, and win the fifth annual Hershel Roberts Memorial. Seeing Aikey win at QCS took me back to a season he ran there every Sunday in the black car with the whiteish color #77. There was one night Aikey and Junior Shickel battled the entire feature for the lead, trading first place several times. Aikey ended up winning and Shickel brought his white car with the blue #S-10 over and they took photos together in victory lane. Aikey has always been a favorite of mine since that night and its nice to see one Iowa's greatest drivers add this race win to his already impressive resume.

 

Any who, Kay would finish second followed Matt Ryan, who came all the way from the 13th starting spot, Guss, and Andy Nezworski. Matt Ryan has been on an absolute tear as of late. He won last Sunday at QCS, Friday at Davenport, and Saturday at the Jackson County Speedway in Maquoketa, Iowa.

 

Racing continues next Sunday at QCS with racing in all six divisions. Visit www.qcspeedwayracing.com for more details.

 

Kyle and I will more then likely be taking next weekend off. Work will prevent me from heading to Davenport Friday and with Sunday being Mother's Day I doubt we'll be able to make it.