By Jerry Mackey
WEST LIBERTY, Iowa (June 10) – Close finishes highlighted Saturday action on Miller Lite Night at West Liberty Raceway.
The headliner of the night was the Performance Concepts IMCA Modified feature which saw a stellar field of drivers take the green flag for the 20-lap main event.
Veteran Davenport driver Bruce Hanford established himself early as the man to beat. Hanford led the main event for 19 and ¾-laps only to have Kurt Kile shoot into the lead as the frontrunners worked lapped traffic. Hanford chased Kile across the finish line in second ahead of ninth starting Chris Zogg.
Jonathan Brauns drove a perfect race in scoring the win in the Out-Pace Racing Products IMCA Late Models. Brauns led every lap despite a daring slide job by Chad Holladay. Brauns was not rattled by Holladay’s charge and went on to record his first win of the 2017 season at his home track. Holladay and Andy Eckrich completed the top three.
Tim Plummer scored the win in the Weikert Iron & Metal IMCA Northern SportMods. Plummer used several grooves in the track to overcome race leader Cody Harris late in the main event to capture the win. Harris ran a very close second ahead of Cory VanZante.
Johnny Spaw scored his second consecutive feature win in the Kile Motorsports IMCA Stock Car Class. Spaw broke out of the pack early and used every inch of the track to out race David Brandies to the win. Greg Gill raced under the checkered flag in third.
Jason Klerk de Reus turned around some early-season electrical woes to score the feature win in the US 6 Bodyworks IMCA Sport Compacts. Klerk de Reus was the third different driver to hold the lead in the 10-lap main event. Bradley O’Brien took second ahead of Brad Havel.
West Liberty Raceway will hold a special Tuesday edition of racing as the Deery Brothers Summer Series for IMCA Late Models and Arnold Motor Supply Hawkeye Dirt Tour for IMCA Modifieds come to town on June 13. Hot laps get underway at 6:30 p.m. with racing to follow.