1/26/2018
RacinBoys
2018 Deery Brothers Summer Series schedule marked by milestones
By Bill Martin (Vinton, IA) -- A schedule packed with milestone events sees the Deery Brothers Summer Series make its 50th visit to one race track and its first-ever to another speedplant this season.
Thirteen race dates are on the calendar for the 32nd annual IMCA Late Model tour, which opens April 13 with the $5,000 to win Rebel 5K on the quarter mile oval at Davenport Speedway. Davenport also hosts the series finale, on the-half mile track on Sept. 21.
“There are a lot of milestones this year,” acknowledged Tour Director Kevin Yoder. “Bookending events on different sized tracks at Davenport is unique and it’s been several years since we’ve had two shows in Illinois.”
“It’s a really different looking schedule, which is great,” he added. “There are a lot of places where series drivers don’t have a lot of laps.”
Deery drivers are at Cedar County Raceway in Tipton on April 21, at Maquoketa Speedway on May 5 and at Quad City Speedway in East Moline, Ill., on May 6 before the May 28 Memorial Day special at Boone Speedway.
Marshalltown Speedway’s Miller Lite 50 event is June 5. The series is at Benton County Speedway in Vinton on June 28 and 34 Raceway rolls out the red carpet on July 3 for the tour’s 50th visit to West Burlington. No other track has hosted as many Deery events as 34.
Midweek shows at CJ Speedway in Columbus Junction July 18 and Fayette County Speedway in West Union July 25 end long series absences from both venues. The Deery Series then ventures to LaSalle Speedway in Illinois for the first time on Aug. 4.
A top check of as much as $3,500 goes to the winner of the Sept. 3 feature, on opening night of the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s at Boone. The Sept. 21 show at Davenport brings the curtain down on the longest-running Late Model tour in the Midwest.
Deery events were held last year at 34, Boone, Marshalltown and East Moline. The series last traveled to Columbus Junction in 1996, Vinton in 2005, West Union in 2009, Davenport in 2014 and Maquoketa and Tipton, both in 2016.
“LaSalle has hosted IMCA Late Model specials the last couple seasons,” said Yoder, referencing One Night Stand specials. “It’s been a while since the series has been to some of the other tracks on the schedule this year and we’re glad to be going back.”
Darrel DeFrance of Marshalltown has competed in all 479 events in series history. His first of what is now 14 career Deery wins came at Vinton in 1988.
Series features pay a minimum of $2,000 to win and $300 to start this season. The Deery Brothers Automotive Group continues its generous title sponsorship role for a 27th consecutive season, furnishing a portion of the $18,000-plus tour point fund.
Feature qualifiers with perfect series attendance are eligible for $250 cash drawings from Sunoco Race Fuels. Casey’s General Store returns as sponsor of the nightly redraw, giving $50 gift cards to the pole starter at each event and $100 gift cards to drivers with perfect attendance at the end of the season.
Points earned at Deery events apply toward IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National and Allstar Performance State standings. Tracks that sanction the Late Model division weekly also have the option to count Deery points toward their local standings.
2018 Deery Brothers Summer Series Schedule
Friday, April 13 – Davenport Speedway; Saturday, April 21 – Cedar County Raceway, Tipton.
Saturday, May 5 – Maquoketa Speedway; Sunday, May 6 – Quad City Speedway, East Moline, Ill.; Monday, May 28 – Boone Speedway.
Tuesday, June 5 – Marshalltown Speedway; Thursday, June 28 – Benton County Speedway, Vinton.
Tuesday, July 3 – 34 Raceway, West Burlington; Wednesday, July 18 – CJ Speedway, Columbus Junction; Wednesday, July 25 – Fayette County Speedway, West Union.
Saturday, Aug. 4 – LaSalle, Ill., Speedway.
Monday, Sept. 3 – Boone Speedway; Friday, Sept. 21 – Davenport Speedway.
Submitted By: Kirk Elliott