DAVENPORT, Iowa – Track championships were on the line Friday night at Davenport Speedway.
To help make the point battles more interesting, a front row challenge was offered to the top-two in each class, with a chance to earn extra money or a shot at the track championship.
In the Petersen Plumbing & Heating IMCA Late Model feature, Justin Kay and Matt Ryan both turned down the extra money for a shot at the track championship. Ryan would get the jump at the green flag and lead lap one.
After that it was all Kay. He drove to his fifth points win of the season and more importantly, his third track championship at Davenport. Ryan finished second in the race and the point standings. Chuck Hanna finished third, followed by Andy Nezworski and Jacob Waterman.
Kay’s other two championships came in 2013 and ’14. At night’s end, the difference between first and second was a mere four points.
Spencer Diercks picked off his third Eriksen Chevrolet IMCA Modified feature win of the season. Diercks took the lead from Ryan Duhme on lap five and never looked back. Duhme would finish second in the modified feature, but that would be enough to capture his first Davenport track title. Third in the feature would go to Jeff Larson. Timmy Current and Chris Zogg rounded out out the top-five.
The IMCA SportMod title and feature went down to the last lap. Jarrett Franzen came in leading by a single point over Gage Neal. Franzen’s car was sporting the sheet metal of the late Keith Blum. Both Franzen and Neal turned down the front row challenge and the race started with Franzen taking the early lead.
After a lap four restart, Neal would grab the top spot. With the laps winding down, it looked as if Neal was headed to the Hoker Trucking victory lane. Coming to the white flag, Neal received damage to the front end and slowed dramatically.
Franzen didn’t let the opportunity go to waste. Jarrett won his first feature of the season and locked up the track championship. Ben Chapman also passed Neal and finished second. Neal took third ahead of Ryan Walker and Tyler Soppe.
In Koehler Electric Street Stock action, Nick Hixson won the battle, but Jeff Struck Jr. won the war. Struck led the first four laps of the feature, but Hixson took over after a lap five restart. Hixson led the remainder of the main for his fourth win of the season. Struck finished second, clinching his second street stock title at Davenport. Donnie Louck and Jesse Owen finished third and fourth respectively. Frank Waters made a late race charge to finish fifth.
The two point leaders in the QCjeeps.com Sport Compact class were the only drivers to accept the front row challenge. Shawn McDermott and Ashley Reuman both opted to start at the rear. This gave other racers a chance to lead. Jack Fitzgibbon led lap one with Brandon Dahl leading laps two through seven.
On lap eight, Joe Lafrenz took control. Lafrenz collected his fifth feature victory of the year. Brandon Dahl held on finish second. Zach Dahl took third. McDermott rallied to take fourth and secured the track title.