Yankee Dire Track Classic - Friday Show

Yankee Dirt track Classic – Friday night HDT Modifieds and Deery Brothers Late Models.

An impressive field of the “Best in the Midwest” HDT Modifieds and Deery Brothers Late Models were on hand tonight for the Friday night version on the 35^th Annual Yankee Dirt Track Classic.  56, yes 56 Late Models were on hand along with 48 HDT Modifieds featuring a who’s who of Midwest IMCA Late Model and Modified racing.

It would take 6 heats and 3 “B” Features to set the field for both classes.  Hot laps were scheduled for 6:30pm, but the first heat didn’t take to the track until 8:00pm as track crews were preparing the racing surface.  The track was very wide and allowed for great racing throughout the event.

The first feature was the 25 lap HDT Modifieds.  Co-points leader Jimmy Gustin had problems in the heat and did not start the “B’ main.  The other points leader, Jay Noteboom also had problems and was borrowing a car to start at the tail of the “A” main.  Noteboom would retire early in a borrowed car, which after all was said and done we have a new points leader.  More about that later.Darren Duffy took the early lead  from the outside pole position.  By lap 8,  there was a three car breakaway with Duffy, Troy Cordes, and Mark Elliott.   Around lap 10 Elliott worked around Cordes and Duffy.  Elliott and Cordes swapped the lead numerous times. 

The caution flew for debris on lap 19 which spelled doom for Cordes.  The top five at that time was Cordes, Elliott, Duffy, Jake Waterman, and Ron Barker.  On the ensuing restart, Cordes didn’t get up to speed and forced the field behind him to scramble.  Fortunately for Cordes the caution flew on the same lap as Ray Cox, Jr tagged the turn 2 wall.  This put Cordes back in front of Elliott, but once again on the ensuing restart Cordes could not get up to speed handing the lead to Elliott.  Elliott would take the win followed by Waterman, Barker, Duffy, and Ryan Dolan.  Heat races were won by Mark Schulte, Dolan, Barker, new HDT points leader Jeremy Mills, Ryan Deshaw, and Waterman.  The “B” Mains were won by Kevin Pittman, Vern Jackson, and Jason Schueller.

To rRace Director, Bucky Doren, you have a great organization with the HDT and I wish continued success with the Hawkeye Dirt Tour.

Next up was the 50 lap IMCA Deery Brothers Summer Series.  As mentioned before we had a elite cast of driver tonight on hand to do battle on the ½-mile.  Young, Justin Kay took the early lead from the outside pole.  Both Kay and Mike Murphy, Jr checked out on the field.  Tyler Breuning started reeling in the front runners to make it a 3-car race.

Murphy made his way around Kay for the lead around lap 14, but it was short lived as only 9 laps later Murphy would pull his car into the pits with motor problems.   This handed the lead back to Kay with Breuning, Nick Marolf, Andy Eckrich, and Mark Burgtorf the top 5.  Marolf seemed to be getting stronger as the race progressed as he made his way around Breuning for 2^nd around lap 40 and set his sights on race leader Kay,  Lap 46 was the magic lap for Marolf as he passed Kay for the lead and the race win.  Kay followed Marolf across the stripe with Breuning, Andy Eckrich, and Burgtorf the unofficial top 5.  The final checkers flew just past midnight.  Heat races were won by: Burgtorf, Jeff Mitrisin, Kay, Murphy Jr,,  Breuning, and Andy Eckrich.  “B” Mians were won by Jason Rauen, Denny Eckrich, and Jeff Aikey.

A very impressive field of cars and I can’t wait for the Saturday show.  Bring your coats as this is probably going to be a late night tonight, but as I’ve seen so far this year:, an excellent track, great fields of drivers, and in my mind, the 35^th Anniversary of the Yankee Dirt Track Classic is definitely a ‘Can’t miss’ show.

Yankee Dirt Track Classic - Thursday night report

Welcome to another episode of Views from the Driver’s Seat.  I am here at Farley for the Thursday night edition of the Yankee Dirt Track Classic.  Before I get started, I just wanted to say a few words about the track and announcers,  I like the strobe light system that they have in place around the track for cautions,  I believe this system makes it a lot easier for the driver’s to see while racing.  On an announcing note it was easy to see why Jerry Mackey is one of the best at what he does as there were two announcers in the booth.  The other announcer had an annoying habit of announcing when the cars were coming down the front stretch as well as giving the final results while cars were still racing in front of the crowd.  This made it extremely difficult for me to hear some of the names of the drivers which is why somw of this report may be spotty for a few of the classes.  Anyway, onto the show. 

The first feature to take to the track was the IMCA Sport Compacts.  13 cars were on hand tonight  fro the 15 lap feature.  Bill Whalen, Jr took the early lead, but a bobble with two laps to go allowed Merv Chandler to take over the top spot and the checkers.  Whalen, Jr finished second with Ricky Kay, Kyle Vohringer, and Jacob Ellithorpe the unofficial top 5.  Heat races were won by Ellithorpe and Pat Penney.

Next up was the IMCA Sport Mods.  19 cars were here tonight for their 20 lap feature.  Eric Pollard took the early lead from the outside pole.  By lap 5, Austin Moyer took the lead from Pollard and would go on to take the checkers.  During the course of the race, Jeff Schmidt rolled in turn 3.  Flagman Doug Haack was quick to throw the red.  Pollard finished second and Lee Kinsella rounded out the top 3.  Car numbers 71 and 98 finished 4^th and 5^th.  I apologize as I did not get the names of those two drivers.  Heat races were won by Kinsella, Pollard, and Moyer.

The IMCA Stock Cars were next for their 12 lap feature.  6 of the 7 cars that showed up started the feature with Phil Holtz not starting the feature.  Sean Johnson would take the early lead and go on to win the feature event followed by Damon Murty, Tim Helle, Tommy Thompson, and 85.  Helle won the heat race.

Next up was the 20 lap Legend feature with 15 cars checked in to lay claim as Yankee Champion.  Hal Russell was the early leader and held the point through most of the feature.  On the last lap, Tyler Kelly passed Russell and went on the score the feature win.  From what I understand, Kelly gets an invite to a major Legends race in Charlotte due to his feature win.  Heat race winners were Warren Ropp and Russell.

The main event feature for tonight was the SPI Modifieds.  Bruce Hanford took the early lead from the outside pole.  Around lap 5, Kelly Shryock passed Hanford for the lead and would go on the take the checkers.  Hanford finished second with Bret Diercks, Wednesday nights’ winner, Dan Bohr and Mike Burbridge the unofficial top 5.  Heat races were won by Burbridge, Hanford, and Kurt Kile.  The 3^rd heat race must have been a scorers nightmare with 3 number 3 cars in that heat.

The final event for the night was tgeh king of the hill challenge which featured 12 of the best IMCA Late Model drivers in the local area racing head-to-head for 2 laps with the winner advancing.  Four of the drivers received first round byes.  Included in the byes were Andy Echrich, Jeff Aikey, Justin kay, and Ray Guss Jr.

First round matches were Nick Marolf vs Jon Merfeld, Luke Goedert vs. Jeremiah Hurst, Tyler Breuning vs. Travis Smock, and Joel Callahan vs. Spencer Diercks.  First round winners were:  Merfeld, Goedert, Breuning, and Callahan.   Second round matches were Merfeld vs. Aikey, Breuning vs. Kay, Goedert vs. Eckrich, and Callahan vs. Guss Jr.  Winners of this round were Merfeld, Breuning, Eckrich, and Callahan. 

The semi-final round pitted Merfeld vs. Breuning and Eckrch vs. Callahan.  Breuning and Eckrich both won setting the scene for the final round match to decide King of the Hill.  Eckrich beat Breuning becoming the King of the Hill.  That’s all for now and hopefully sometime tomorrow I will have views posted from tonight’s action.

Thanks ior reading.