Deery Brothers Summer Series
34 Raceway
April 6, 2013
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Denny Eckrich races to Slocum 50 Deery Series win at 34 Raceway



by Bill Martin
WEST BURLINGTON, Iowa (April 6) – The first crown jewel in the 2013 Deery Brothers Summer Series belongs to Denny Eckrich. 

Eckrich battled with brother Andy much of the way before winning Saturday’s Brenton Slocum Memorial 50 at 34 Raceway. The IMCA Late Model tour victory paid $5,555 and came ahead of defending champion Jeff Aikey and hard charger Brian Harris. 

Andy Eckrich and Jason Utter completed the top five. Forty-six cars were on hand for the 27th annual series opener. 

Andy Eckrich started on the pole with Denny lined up right behind him for the initial green. With Andy running on top and Denny on the bottom, both caught up with the back of the field by lap 11 and continued their side-by-side, bumper-to-bumper tussle.

Denny was briefly in front on lap 19 and took over that position for good four lead changes later. Aikey, also in pursuit of his eighth career series title, moved into second on lap 39 and began to reel in the leader. 

The 50-lapper came to an end before he could complete that quest, however, and Aikey finished two car lengths off the pace. Both the top two finishers had their cylinder heads removed during post-race tech inspection and passed with flying colors. 



Tom Darbyshire had raced from 20th to third before getting into the backstretch wall on lap 33. 

The win was the series career third for Eckrich, last year’s Deery rookie of the year. He also took home the $538 Honus Bonus for leading lap 38. 

Aikey won the $250 Sunoco Race Fuels drawing while Harris earned a $555 hard charger cash prize by racing from 21st starting to third. 

A pair of $3,000 to win shows are next on the docket for the Deery Series, on Saturday, April 13 at West Liberty Raceway and Sunday, April 14 at Dubuque Speedway. 

A-Main
1 3 50 Denny Eckrich
2 12 77 Jeff Aikey
3 21 15R Brian Harris
4 1 56 Andy Eckrich
5 10 31 Jason Utter
6 11 38 Colby Springsteen
7 15 2 Jeremiah Hurst
8 24 15K Justin Kay
9 2 69 Tom Goble
10 17 40 Joel Callahan
11 5 46 Nate Beuseling
12 18 99D Darrel Defrance
13 8 29 Steve Diercks
14 4 5J Jeff Mitrisin
15 23 41 Matt Strassheim
16 20 42 Tom Darbyshire
17 7 16S Dan Shelliam
18 16 14M Mike Murphy, Jr
19 6 12 Ron Klein
20 14 60 Dean Wagner
21 13 75M Todd Malmstrom
22 22 44 Luke Goedert
23 19 98 Travis Smock
24 9 81 Jon Merfeld



B-Main #1
1 14M Mike Murphy, Jr
2 99D Darrel Defrance
3 42 Tom Darbyshire
4 44 Luke Goedert
5 65 Chuck Hanna
6 93 Jay Johnson
7 45 Curt Martin
8 6 Jay Chenoweth
9 R19 Joe Ross
10 70 Shawn Mulvany
11 84 Sam Halstead
12 56D Travis Denning
13 48Z Jon Poll
14 78 Rick Wendling
15 390 Rob Toland
16 98H Larry Harris

B-Main #2
1 40 Joel Callahan
2 98 Travis Smock
3 15R Brian Harris
4 41 Matt Strassheim
5 16 Tyler Bruening
6 15K Justin Kay
7 58 Ray Guss, Jr
8 1M Rob Moss
9 74 Ron Boyse
10 15C Schroeder Motorsports
11 19 Kelly Pestka
12 12X Brandon Queen
13 G1 Mike Garland
14 7 Matt Ryan
15 72 Doug Yates

Heat #1
1 29 Steve Diercks
2 56 Andy Eckrich
3 38 Colby Springsteen
4 99D Darrel Defrance
5 40 Joel Callahan
6 45 Curt Martin
7 1M Rob Moss
8 R19 Joe Ross
9 12X Brandon Queen
10 78 Rick Wendling



Heat #2
1 31 Jason Utter
2 46 Nate Beuseling
3 77 Jeff Aikey
4 98 Travis Smock
5 65 Chuck Hanna
6 16 Tyler Bruening
7 98H Larry Harris
8 15C Schroeder Motorsports
9 48Z Jon Poll

Heat #3
1 50 Denny Eckrich
2 12 Ron Klein
3 75M Todd Malmstrom
4 14M Mike Murphy, Jr
5 7 Matt Ryan
6 93 Jay Johnson
7 58 Ray Guss, Jr
8 56D Travis Denning
9 72 Doug Yates

Heat #4
1 16S Dan Shelliam
2 69 Tom Goble
3 60 Dean Wagner
4 41 Matt Strassheim
5 6 Jay Chenoweth
6 G1 Mike Garland
7 84 Sam Halstead
8 74 Ron Boyse
9 390 Rob Toland

Heat #5
1 5J Jeff Mitrisin
2 81 Jon Merfeld
3 2 Jeremiah Hurst
4 44 Luke Goedert
5 15R Brian Harris
6 42 Tom Darbyshire
7 15K Justin Kay
8 70 Shawn Mulvany
9 19 Kelly Pestka

Event Photos courtesy of John Vass