A long run at the front Wednesday night at the Southern Iowa Speedway led to the third Deery Brothers Summer Series win of the season for Ray Guss Jr., and his second in three years at Osky.

Guss led the last 25 times around the big half-mile Mahaska County Monster in the 35-lapper, pulling away from persistent Andy Eckrich following a late restart to earn the $2,000 top prize and add to his lead in points standings for the IMCA Late Model tour.

Jay Johnson, Terry Neal and Jeremiah Hurst rounded out the top five in the midweek show, during the annual Southern Iowa Fair presented by KBOE Radio.

Charlie McKenna enjoyed one of the fastest rides not on the midway, leading the first 10 circuits from his outside front row starting spot. Two of the six cautions that slowed the contest came during McKenna’s turn at the point, but he stayed in control both times the green flag came back out.

The sixth starting Guss gradually reeled McKenna in, making an inside move in turn four to take the lead away and running at the head of the pack the rest of the way.

Eckrich and McKenna traded the second spot much of that distance, but their entertaining battle came to an end on lap 32 when McKenna’s right rear wheel broke, sending him hard into the turn three wall and bringing out the red flag.

McKenna was not injured, though his ride sustained considerable damage. Eckrich tried an inside approach of his own and pulled alongside Guss after the restart, but was rebuffed and wound up second, some six car lengths behind the winner.

Engine problems knocked Mark Burgtorf out of his heat and he did not attempt to run a “B” feature.

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OFFICIAL RESULTS
Deer Brothers Summer Series for IMCA Late Models
Southern Iowa Fair presented by KBOE Radio
Southern Iowa Speedway, Oskaloosa, Iowa
Wednesday, July 21, 2010

“A” Feature: 1. Ray Guss Jr., Milan, Ill.; 2. Andy Eckrich, Iowa City; 3. Jay Johnson, West Burlington; 4. Terry Neal, Ely; 5. Jeremiah Hurst, Dubuque; 6. Tom Darbyshire, Morning Sun; 7. Jeff Guengerich, Washington; 8. T.J. Criss, Oskaloosa; 9. Jeff Aikey, Waterloo; 10. Darrel DeFrance, Marshalltown; 11. Tom Goble, Burlington; 12. Kevin Blum, Colona, Ill.; 13. Mark Preston, Port Byron, Ill.; 14. Ryan Giles, West Des Moines; 15. Robby Warner, Quincy, Ill.; 16. Charlie McKenna, Clear Lake; 17. Rob Toland, Davenport; 18. Jason Rauen, Farley; 19. Tyler Bruening, Decorah; 20. Josh Most, Red Oak; 21. Tommy Elston, Keokuk; 22. Boone McLaughlin, Mediapolis; 23. Todd Malmstrom, Silvis, Ill.; 24. Joel Callahan, Dubuque.

Heat #1: 1. McLaughlin; 2. Guss; 3. Preston.

Heat #2: 1. Giles; 2. Neal; 3. McKenna.

Heat #3: 1. Darbyshire; 2. Elston; 3. Guengerich.

Heat #4: 1. Johnson; 2. Eckrich; 3. Bruening.

“B” Feature #1 (top 4 advance): 1. Goble; 2. Toland; 3. DeFrance; 4. Most.

“B” Feature #2 (top 4 advance): 1. Hurst; 2. Rauen; 3. Blum; 4. Aikey.