MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa — The Dale DeFrance Memorial/Bill Davis Memorial race was held Thursday night at Marshalltown Speedway during the Central Iowa Fair and Jeff Aikey made his trip from Cedar Rapids very profitable.
After winning the IMCA modified main from the outside front row, Aikey stated in the post-race interview he had to start last in the IMCA late model 44 lapper. He also claimed he was going to win it.
He was wrong on his starting spot as he gridded 19th in the 21-car field, but accurately called his victory in a dramatic finish to the evening.
The 44 laps matched the number Dale DeFrance ran on his car and it took nearly all of them for Aikey to take the lead. Darrell DeFrance, Dale’s son, led the first 5 laps from his pole start with fifth-starting Richie Gustin putting on the pressure.
But it was Brian Harris who used the high line out of turn two on lap six to take over, but only for a pair of times around the high-banked quarter mile. R. Gustin used a slider in turn four on lap eight to take the lead and soon established a multiple car length gap.
A 35-lap stretch of all green saw R. Gustin stretch his lead while a tremendous battle for 2nd carried on between Harris, Aikey, and Cory Dumpert. After multiple passes, sliders, and side by side racing, it was Aikey who emerged with second place.
He quickly closed on R. Gustin and raced the top line out of turn four to end lap 39 with the lead. A late race yellow allowed R. Gustin another shot at the lead, but Aikey held on for the $1,500 win.
Besides Aikey winning from 19th, Dumpert finished second from his 14th starting spot while DeFrance took third.
In other IMCA divisions, Todd Reitzer won the stock car finale, Brayton Carter took the Northern Sport Mod main, and Eric Satton won his 12th hobby stock trophy of the season. The mod lite main was taken by first-time visitor Dillon Raffurty.
A 126-car field appeared for the Thursday night special.