New year, same story: Kay emerges to win Rebel 5k

DAVENPORT - As the racing season gets up to full speed, big paydays are getting drivers and fans out to the races in droves.

Last week's IMCA Frostbuster - $1,000 to win each night for the Modifieds - and the Spring Nationals before that in Beatrice, Neb. – $2,500 to win for IMCA Modifieds - led into Friday night's Rebel 5K at Davenport Speedway. These major early races make it clear whose offseason changes or upgrades were most effective.

And with $5,000 on the line, the Rebel 5K brought out some of the best IMCA Late Model drivers in the region. Like so many times in 2014, it was defending national champion Justin Kay who rose to the top. The Wheatland driver, on a new chassis this season, took the lead at halfway and never looked back to take the win.

'Damn I sure like this new car,” said Kay through an ear-to-ear grin. 'The first lap I think I passed seven cars. They left me a lane open. The way this car was, the way (crew chief) Tyson (Gheer) got this car set up, I could move top, middle, bottom; it just didn't seem to matter.

'I'm stoked. This is great.”

Kay's new car is one produced by Gheer, his crew chief and also supplies chassis for several other Late Model racers in the area. Whatever Kay and Gheer stumbled on for the 15k car, it translated to the other Gheer'd Up chassis, as the top four were all Gheer cars. Davenport's Matt Ryan finished second, Waterloo's Tyler Droste was third and fellow Wheatland driver Scott Fitzpatrick was fourth.

'You always do (have worries) when you're changing so much stuff,” Kay said. 'You always have that in the back of your mind. I didn't know how long it would take us to get them going. I knew we would, I just didn't know it would be this fast.”

Many of the Late Model racers at Davenport on Friday were also planning to go 40 miles west to West Liberty Raceway on Saturday for the second IMCA Deery Brothers Summer Series race of the season. Having a night to tune up for the Summer Series, while also having a chance at $5,000 - and so close to home for most of them - is a big boost.

And even if the enjoyment of all the above is there, drivers and officials all said there's not many more risks taken at these events. Davenport Speedway promoter Bob Wagener said all the guys just got finished building or refinishing their racecars over the winter months and don't want to see them torn up. It makes his and his other track workers' lives a bit easier.

Case in point, the first 37 laps of the A-main went through without a caution flag. The lone caution of the 40-lap race was for a single-car spin.

'I don't care what time of year it is, this close to home, this much money is nice to go to,” Kay said. 'These guys that are here, they don't want to tear equipment up either. Most of them use their heads enough to know you're not going to win if you're wrecked.

'I think the track helped a lot, too. This is one of the best nights I've seen this track be. You could move around.”

The presence of so many Summer Series regulars brought with a high level of experience and talent, which is another sense of confidence and relief for all involved.

Drivers knew they could race hard with others they trust and chase the big check, the night is more fun for everyone. Not having a grudge to carry on to the next night in West Liberty is a nice bonus, too.

'We're actually trying a few things (before West Liberty) since we don't run here very often,” said Independence driver Curt Martin. 'I enjoy running with these guys. I've raced with these guys a long time. When you start next to a Ray Guss in a heat race, you know you could run side by side for 50 laps, probably. These guys have a lot of laps and you have a lot more respect for equipment when you have guys who have done it for so long.”

As for the event itself, the inaugural Rebel 5K pays homage to an old special event held several years ago in Freeport, Ill. and was revived for this season in Davenport to get the track's season started off with a bang.

'We just want to have the chance to put a little more money in the pocket of the drivers and give the fans something different,” Wagener said. 'It's absolutely a way to get the drivers and fans out here early. The downside is the weather. You get a day like (Friday) where it's blowing hard all day, it hits you. The spring is a hit or miss deal. It could be a lot worse though.”

l Comments: (319) 368-8884; jeremiah.davis@thegazette.com