Ryan, Morris, and Hitt Among Winners at the Davenport Speedway

Davenport, IA (Friday, August 9, 2019) - After taking two weeks off for the Mississippi Valley Fair, the Davenport Speedway in Davenport, Iowa returned to weekly action on Friday, August 9th. And since the weekly track I work at on Friday nights took a scheduled night off, and the other track that runs a part time schedule cancelled their events on Friday, I decided to make the trip north to catch the action at Davenport. This would be my first visit of the 2019 season, and I wasn't at the least disappointed.

Ricky Kay and his crew put on a fast pace program, with the final checkered flag waving at 9:45 PM. Which is quit well considering they start hot laps at 6:30 PM, and racing begins around 7 PM. So the five division program was ran thru in about 2 hours and 45 minutes. The track was smooth, and slick, with the exception of one bad spot in the middle of the track coming off turn 4. But you could still race two and even three wide around the quarter mile track. After talking with Ricky, he contributed the smooth slick track to Al Dlouhy. Most call him "Dr. Dirt", as he prepares a smooth slick track at the Cedar County Raceway in Tipton, Iowa.

The first feature to take to the track was the 12 lap 4-Cylinders, with Shawn McDermott and Brad McDermott leading the field to the green flag. Shawn McDermott took advantage of his starting spot to grab the lead on lap 1 over Nick Proehl, who started 5th, and Joe Zrostlik, who started 10th. The lead for Shawn McDermott only lasted for 1 lap, as Proehl got under him coming off turn 2 to take over the top spot on lap 2. Two laps later, lap 4, Zrostlik slipped past Shawn McDermott for the runner up spot, and then went to work on trying to chase down Proehl. But the race would go caution free, which allowed Proehl to go on to claim the win. Zrostlik was 2nd, Shawn McDermott was 3rd, Tim Sibley started 9th and finished 4th, with Todd Sibley coming from 8th to round out the top 5.

Up next was the 15 lap Street Stock feature, with Shad Murphy and Austin Riggs making up the front row. Coming across the line to complete lap one Rick Schriner, Riggs, and Jeffrey Peterson were three wide at the line. And it was to close for me to make a call on who led lap 1. Riggs would emerge from the pack to lead lap 2. But Joe Bonney, who started 6th, used the middle of the track coming off turn 4 to edge out into the lead on lap 3. Riggs, who was working the bottom, and Booney, who was working the middle and top of the track, would cross the line even on lap 4, with Bonney credited with leading the lap. The action was slowed on the completion of lap 4, as Murphy spun in turn 4 to bring out the yellow. On the restart Bonney jumped back out front, with Riggs and Tony VonDresky, who started 9th, close behind. Another lap was scored complete, when the second caution of the race appeared on lap 6. This time Cary Brown spun in turn 1 to bring out the yellow. Bonney once again grabbed the lead on the restart, with VonDresky and Jesse Owens, who started 8th, following.

With lap 7 scored complete the third caution came out, as Jeff Struck Jr. spun off turn 1 to bring out the yellow. On the restart Bonney moved back out front, with VonDresky and Owens glued to his back bumper. While Bonney worked the top of the track, VonDresky worked the bottom to try and get the top spot away from Bonney. But Bonney was able to edge out the lead at the strip over laps 8 and 9. Then on lap 10 Bonney decided to change his line by going to the bottom. This would force VonDresky to go to the top to try and get the lead, but Bonney was able to hold him off at the line on laps 10 and 11. But VonDresky used the momentum off the top of turn 4 to take over the top spot on lap 12. Then just after the lap was scored complete the fourth caution appeared to slow the action. This time Schriner spun off the top of the track in turn 3 to bring out the yellow. VonDresky would jump back out front on the restart, with Owens over taking Bonney for the runner up spot. Just when it looked like VonDresky would hold on for the win, the final caution of the race appeared on lap 14. Randy LaMar would spin in turn 3 to bring out the yellow. In the past at Davenport once the field took the white flag the yellow and checkered flags would wave to put an end to the race. But with a new promoter, they now run a green-white-checkered overtime finish. On that restart VonDresky jumped back out front, with Owens and VonDresky racing side-by-side for second. The two wide battle for second allowed VonDresky to hold on for the win. Owens won the battle for 2nd, Bonney was 3rd, Nick Hixson came from 10th to finish 4th, with Jeremy Marquette starting in 12th and finishing 5th.

Joe Ross and Chuck Hanna drew the front row for the 25 lap Late Model feature. But just as the green flag waved the caution light would come on, as contact from Chad Holladay sent Ross spinning in turn 4 to bring out the yellow. With both drivers going to the back for the restart, this put Hanna and Todd Van Tassel on the front row for the original restart. Hanna took advantage of his draw to grab the lead on lap 1 over Andy Nezworski, who started 5th, and Shaune Lewis, who started 6th. While Hanna worked to hold off Nezworski and Matt Ryan, who started 7th, Justin Kay was working his way towards the front. Kay had troubles in his heat race that forced him to start 11th. By lap 4 he worked himself into the top 5, and then 4 laps later, lap 8, he was up to 4th. Meanwhile Nezworski got under Hanna coming off turn 2 to come around to complete lap 15. As he, Hanna, and Ryan raced down the backstretch three wide, with Nezworski emerging off turn 4 with the lead. One lap later, lap 16, Ryan used the middle of the track coming off turn 4 to take over the top spot from Nezworski. Ryan then held off a last lap challenge from Nezworski to claim the win. Nezworski settled for a close 2nd, Hanna held on for 3rd, Kay was 4th, with Lewis coming home in 5th.

Up next was the 15 lap IMCA SportMod feature, with Ryan Reed and Doug Burkhead leading the field to green. Just as the green waved the caution light came on, as Matt Irwin spun in turn 3 to bring out the yellow. On the original restart Reed jumped out front to lead lap 1 over Aaron Hitt and Burkhead. The action was slowed on lap 3, as Rance Powell, who was running 3rd, spun in turn 4 to bring out the yellow. Reed moved back out front on the restart, with Burkhead and Hitt battling for the runner up spot. Hit, who was working the top of the track, used the momentum off turn 4 on lap 8 to grab the top spot away from Reed. Two laps later, lap 10, another caution appeared to slow the action. This time Scott Blake spun in turn 4 to bring out the yellow. On the restart Hitt jumped back out front, with Reed working to hold off Ryan Walker, who started 7th. for the runner up spot. Just as the lap was scored complete the final caution of the race came out, as Dakota Cole spun in turn 4 to bring out the yellow. Once again Hitt grabbed the lead on the restart, with Reed and Walker continuing to battle for second. Coming off turn 4 to get the white flag Walker was able to get to the outside of Hitt, as the two raced into turn 1. Walker's bid for a win would end in turn 1, as he slipped over the top of the track. And before he could get back onto the track in turn 2 he fell back to 11th. This would allow Hitt to go onto to pick up the win. Jerry Miles came from 9th to finish 2nd, Ben Chapman came from 10th to finish 3rd, Reed held on for 4th, with Matt Fulton coming from 8th to finish 5th.

The final feature to take to the track was the 20 lap IMCA Modifieds, with Jason Pershy and Joe Beal making up the front row. Just as the green flag was waved the caution light would come on, as debris in turn 2 would bring out the yellow. On the original restart Pershy grabbed the lead on lap 1 over Mitch Morris and Beal. The lead for Pershy last until lap 4, when Morris got under him coming off turn 2 to come around to take the top spot. Then just after the lap was scored complete the caution appeared, as Todd Dykema spun in turn 2 to bring out the yellow. Morris moved back out front on the restart, with Eric Barnes, who started 8th, and Bruce Hanford close behind. While Morris worked the bottom of the track, Barnes went to the top. Barnes would use the momentum off the top to grab the top spot away from Morris on lap 9. Just as Barnes started to put some distance on the field, the caution came out on lap 13. Nick Hillyer would spin in turn 4 to bring out the yellow. On the restart Barnes moved back out front, with Hanford and Morris battling for the runner up spot. Again Barnes started to pull away, when the final caution of the race appeared on lap 17. This time Timmy Current, who was running 9th, and Greg Durbin, who started 23rd and was up to 10th, collided in turn 2 to bring out the yellow. Once again Barnes jumped back out front on the restart, with Morris and Hanford following close behind. Coming off turn 4 to the white flag, Morris used the momentum off the top to grab the lead away from Barnes. Morris then held on to score the win. Chris Zogg started 10th and finished 2nd, Barnes held on for 3rd, John Oliver Jr., who is chasing the IMCA National Rookie Title, started 12th and finished 4th, with Hanford holding on for 5th.

Notes from Davenport: Jason Rhoads started the 4-Cylinder feature in 11th and would come up to finish 7th....Thomas Adams had troubles in his heat that forced him to scratch from the feature......Gene Ehlers started the Street Stock feature in 16th and then passed 10 cars to come home in 6th....Jeff Struck Jr. recovered from his spin on lap 7 to come back up to finish 7th....Randy LaMar came back from his spin on lap 14 to come back up to finish 8th....Erick Turner came from 15th to finish in 9th......Dave Stichter started the Late Model feature in 9th and finished 6th......Brandon Jewell came from 11th in the SportMod feature to finish in 6th....Mike Haines finished 8th after starting in 16th....Joe Nemitz started 15th and finished 9th....Matt Irwin, who started 13th, recovered from his spin on the start to come back up to finish 10th......Craig Crawford started the Modified feature in 17th and finished 8th....Tony VonDresky started 16th and finished 10th....Mike Goben came from 19th to finish 13th....Matt Stein finished 15th after starting in 18th....Richard Nelson came from 24th to finish 19th.

I would like to THANK Ricky Kay and his crew for the great hospitality. If you haven't been to the Davenport Speedway, I would encourage to take in one of their final two regular nights in August. They have a great payout and run a fast pace night of racing!