Tardy or not, DeFrance keeps Deery streak alive

Last Saturday, as the IMCA Deery Brothers Late Model Summer Series drivers assembled for the driver's meeting, a race car drove up to the area to complete its inspection – just in time.

Marshalltown's Darrel DeFrance hasn't always been right on time, but he's made it to every race the series has run in its 27-year history. And last Saturday at West Liberty was par for the course for the often-times-tardy veteran.

'Oh look, there's Darrel,' Summer Series director Kevin Yoder joked to the group of drivers waiting for the meeting to start. 'This might be the first driver's meeting he's made.'

DeFrance came close to breaking the streak in the Summer Series opener at Davenport Speedway last Friday, but pulled his hauler into the pits right as track workers were closing the gates.

The veteran racer had just put the finishing touches on his racecar after working night and day to get it completed. Frantic preparations or not, he wasn't about to let the races get started without him there.

'We sold the car we were going to run (three) weeks ago, and this (car) was a bare frame then,' DeFrance said in the pits at West Liberty. 'We've been burning the midnight oil, got it lettered (decals on), final things late (Saturday) afternoon. We were a little late getting there, but we made it.

'Seems like that's our style.'

DeFrance will attempt his 423rd straight Summer Series race when the tour goes to Jackson County Speedway in Maquoketa on Saturday.

He said the competition among Summer Series racers is what keeps him coming back race after race. And while some nights are better than others – a fact of life if you race cars – DeFrance wouldn't trade his nights with the tour for anything.

'I've been doing it so long, I don't know any better now,' DeFrance said. 'This just kind of fits our program. When they first came out that you could run the same car in a traveling series that you could weekly … that became attractive to us. We just started off doing it, and been chasing it ever since. We're still trying to conquer it.

'We still haven't won (the championship), so I guess that's what keeps me coming back.'

TWO NIGHTS, TWO WINS

Austin Moyer got his racing season started off like every racer wants last Friday and Saturday.

The Dubuque driver won both of his first two main events on back to back nights at Davenport Speedway and West Liberty Raceway in the Sport Mod division – Saturday's after starting dead last due to weighing in light after his heat race.

'That's a hell of a way to start off the year,' Moyer said after winning at West Liberty. 'You've got to tell yourself to be smooth the whole race, stay out of trouble and try to pick your way through traffic as fast and quickly as you can (when starting in the back). Thankfully it worked out.'

Moyer said he's no stranger to getting two wins in two nights, but that doesn't mean he'll take it for granted.

As his season rolls on, he doesn't want the winning to stop.

'It doesn't ever get old, definitely not,' Moyer said through a grin. 'I'd like to make it 10 nights in a row if I could.'

Davenport Speedway races tonight, featuring the Cornbelt and MARS Open late models, with hot laps at 6:30, racing at 7 p.m. West Liberty Raceway is back in action Saturday, with regular weekly racing starting at 6:30 p.m.

FARLEY SUMMER SERIES RACE POSTPONED

With heavy rain early this week, track workers at Farley Speedway didn't have enough time to properly prepare the race track for Friday's scheduled races.

Additionally, the forecast for Friday night was set for a high of 52 and a low of 34 degrees, only further cementing the decision. As a result, the Deery Brothers Summer Series race originally slated for tonight was postponed and will be rescheduled on a date to be announced.

The series continues on Saturday night at Jackson County Speedway in Maquoketa, with hot laps at 6 and racing at 6:30 p.m.

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