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August 12, 2003

by David Wilkinson

(Des Moines, Iowa) (August 12, 2003) The large crowd in the grandstands were treated to a great night of racing Tuesday at the Iowa State Fair Speedway as 150 cars and trucks crowded into the infield. The folks attending the Iowa State Fair saw Jeff Aikey win the Deery Brothers Summer Series event for IMCA late models, Mark Noble capture the modified feature, Steve Jackson the stock car main, and Brett Moyer win the dirt truck race.

Ray Guss Jr. made the most of his front row starting position in the IMCA late model feature as vaulted into the lead ahead of Boone McLaughlin at the drop of the green. He opened up a comfortable lead until the 13^th lap. At that time, Joe Kosiski and McLaughlin had closed the distance and Kosiski was on the bumper of Guss. They approached lapped traffic on lap 21 and both Kosiski and Jeff Aikey passed Guss. Three laps later, Aikey took the lead from Kosiski and weaved through the back markers for the win. Kosiski finished second with Guss third and McLaughlin fourth. The 35-lap race was run without a caution and provided Aikey, the all-time win leader in the Summer Series, with his 43^rd series win.

Lon Schluler moved into the lead at the start of the 20-lap modified feature. As the leaders passed the judges stand on the third lap, Schluler and Kevin Stoa were running side-by-side with Stoa gaining the lead on the following lap. On Stoa’s tail was Mark Noble. Stoa widened his lead and Noble started searching for a faster groove. On the restart after a caution on lap 15, Noble passed Stoa low in turn one, Stoa regained the lead on the backstretch, and Noble went high in turns three and four to recoup first place. Noble lasted to take the checkers first followed by Stoa, Pat Graham, and Joe McBirnie.

The front runners after the first lap of the stock car main were the brothers Damon and David Murty followed by Steve Jackson and Rick Brown. On the second lap, Jackson passed David Murty for second and one lap latter Brown passed Murty for third. Jackson began stalking Damon Murty and passed him using the high groove in turns three and four on lap seven. Murty charged back and was within one-half of a car length three laps later and then passed for the lead. On the next lap, it was Jackson’s turn to pass Murty and he did. Jackson held on for the win with Damon Murty second, Don Killen third, and Rick Brown fourth. In this same race during the Fair in 2001, Jackson also had the lead in the stock car feature, lost it, and then regained it for the win.

The first ten dirt trucks on the starting grid was determined in an unusual way. Each of the drivers, who qualified for the invert, came on the infield stage and one-by-one they picked out a frisbee. Each frisbee had a number between one and ten that represented a starting position. Once they selected one, they had to give that number to another driver. Al Thayer made the most of his number two starting spot as he jumped into the lead. He had created 10 car lengths between his truck and that of Brett Moyer. A caution flag during the tenth lap tightened the field. On another restart two laps later, Moyer moved inside of Thayer in turn one and was able to move to the front. The race finished with Moyer in first, Thayer second, Sean Allen third, and Pat Fagen fourth.

Season championships will be held Friday, August 29 featuring IMCA modifieds, stock cars, and hobby stocks as well as Karl Chevrolet dirt trucks. Hot laps are scheduled around 6:00 PM with racing following around 7:00 PM.

Heat Winners

1. Greg Kastli, Waterloo

2. Darrell DeFrance, Marshalltown

3. Ray Guss Jr., Milan IL

4. Chris Smyser, Lancaster MO

5. Joe Kosiski, Omaha NE

1^st B-Feature

1. Mike Smith, Jewell

2. Nick Houseman, Earlham

3. Randy Faux, Earlham

2^nd B-Feature

1. Mark Burgtorf, Quincy IL

2. Lonnie Bailey, Quincy IL

3. Gary Russell, Biggsville IL

Feature

Heat Winners

1. David Brown, Kellogg

2. Kevin Stoa, Polk City

3. Chris Spieker, Messina

4. Mark Noble, Blooming Prairie MN

5. Doug Davis, DM

6. Red Munson, Harlan

1^st B-Feature

1. Tim Murty, Tama

2. Denny Stoneburner, Boone

3. John Logue, Boone

2^nd B-Feature

1. Tony Hardisty, Corning

2. Mike Bennett, DM

3. Josh Pruitt, Stuart

Feature

Heat Winners

1. Kent Knopf, Granger

2. Mike Todd, DM

3. Steve Jackson, DM

4. John Hunnell, DM

B-Feature

1. Steve Campbell, DM

2. Travis DeWitt, Indianola

3. Dennis Kimmel

Feature

Heat Winners

1. Sean Allen, DM

2. Ben Nading, Ankeny

Feature