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Bill Martin
MAQUOKETA, Iowa (July 30) - A night after he ended Jeff Aikey's Deery Brothers Summer Series winning streak, Ray Guss Jr. raced to a second straight IMCA Late Model tour victory of his own.
Guss dominated Thursday's 50-lap feature at Jackson County Speedway, taking the checkers and $2,000 first place prize handily in front of runner-up Terry Neal. Matt Ryan, Brett Diercks and Joe Zrostlik completed the top five.
After topping Wednesday's main event at Highway 3 Raceway, Guss started outside Zrostlik on the front row at Maquoketa and shot to an immediate lead he'd never relinquish or be seriously challenged for.
Two cautions interrupted the contest, on laps 10 and 22. Guss had just caught up with the back of the field and had to avoid getting caught up with the spinning car that brought out the second yellow.
Quickly back in the fast line following the re-start, Guss was into lapped traffic again by lap 32. Neal was right behind to lap 40 before falling off the pace and having to hold off Ryan for second while Guss took his career 14th Deery win by a straightaway.
Aikey, winner of the second "B" feature, maintained his grasp on the series point lead with an eighth place finish. Nine drivers saw their first main event action of the 2009 tour at Maquoketa.
Guss also collected the July 14 checkers at Fayette County Speedway in West Union. He's the first three-time series winner this year.
The eight events held in July were the most during a calendar month in the series' 22-plus seasons. The previous high of six had been set in September of 1998 and matched in April of 2005.
IMCA Late Models make the move from familiar dirt to asphalt for the annual "Dirt At The Downs" program on Wednesday, Aug. 5 at Hawkeye Downs Speedway in Cedar Rapids.
IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks and Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMods complete the mid-week program, the 14th of 21 dates on the Deery schedule.
Feature results -
1. Ray Guss Jr., Milan, Ill.;
2. Terry Neal, Ely;
3. Matt Ryan, Davenport;
4. Brett Diercks, Bettendorf;
5. Joe Zrostlik, Long Grove;
6. Ryan Duhme, LaMotte;
7. Adam Oppendike, Silvis, Ill.;
8. Jeff Aikey, Waterloo;
9. Jason Frankel, Quincy, Ill.;
10. Jay Johnson, West Burlington;
11. Greg Kastli, Waterloo;
12. Stephan Kammerer, Blue Grass;
13. Ryan Giles, West Des Moines;
14. Kelly Meyer, Big Rock;
15. Darrel DeFrance, Marshalltown;
16. Rob Toland, Davenport;
17. Luke Goedert, Holy Cross;
18. Charlie McKenna, Clear Lake;
19. Bobby Hansen, Center Point;
20. Don Pataska, Miles;
21. Mike Murphy Jr., Colona, Ill.;
22. Dustin Edwards, Wyoming;
23. Marty Diercks, Bettendorf;
24. Gary Webb, Blue Grass.
1st heat (top three) - 1. Meyer; 2. Oppendike; 3. Zrostlik.
2nd heat - 1. Ryan; 2. Webb; 3. Neal.
3rd heat - 1. Guss; 2. Frankel; 3. Brett Diercks.
4th heat - 1. Duhme; 2. Murphy; 3. Marty Diercks.
1st "B" feature (top four) - 1. Johnson; 2. Giles; 3. Edwards; 4.
McKenna.
2nd "B" feature - 1. Aikey; 2. Pataska; 3. Kastli; 4. Kammerer.
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