Notebook: Ryan enjoying early-season success

EAST MOLINE, Ill. - How a driver is received in the pit area is often abundantly clear when he or she is having success.

Forced congratulations, begrudged acknowledgment of superiority on a given day or week or dismissal of an accomplishment altogether can be pretty common when racers don't care for another who has consistently good runs. The other end of the spectrum is genuine admiration and recognition of a man or woman who everyone seems to enjoy being around.

The latter is the case for Davenport driver Matt Ryan these days. The unassuming Late Model racer has always been the crack up of the group, quick to self-deprecation and appreciation for those who have helped him along the way. But so far in 2015, his results on track have matched how well he's received in the pits and far exceeded his own expectations.

'It's just a surreal-type deal for me right now,” Ryan said after driving from 13th starting spot to finish third in the IMCA Deery Brothers Summer Series for Late Models main event at Quad City Speedway in East Moline, Ill., on Sunday. 'I got this car over the winter and have to thank Justin Kay and Tyson Gheer for their help with it so far; it's a super deal. That's pretty much been it. We got that car and it does what I want it to do.”

That much has been evident all season, but more specifically in the last week. A week ago Sunday, he won the main event at Quad City Speedway's season-opener, then followed that with a win at Davenport Speedway on Friday and another win at Jackson County Speedway in Maquoketa on Saturday.

Add to that a second-place run in his season-opener at the Rebel 5K in Davenport to Kay - who has been the benchmark for IMCA Late Models for two years now - and the third-place finish Sunday, and he's catching the attention of his peers on-track.

His confidence as it an all-time high right now, and that's as much a reason for the success as anything else.

'A lot of it has to do with confidence,” Ryan said. 'That first night out we ran second to Justin and I was like, ‘Man, we haven't been able to do that in I don't know how many years.' From that point on I know the car is capable, I've just got to man up and do it.”

Ryan is unique among his fellow racers most notably because of his vocation. Most of those in the pit area work on a farm or in an automotive-related industry. Ryan, though, is an art teacher at John F. Kennedy Catholic School in Davenport.

He shares his racing with his students - though that wasn't always the case - and they enjoy his success right along with his fans and friends. Many even come to the races to support their teacher.

'When I first started there, I didn't tell too many; the ones who knew already knew beforehand and I didn't want to make too big a deal about it,” Ryan said. 'I've been there for a few years now and they all know now. They come down (to the pits) after the races and say ‘Good job Mr. Ryan,' so I definitely have to watch my P's and Q's a little bit. It keeps me in check.”

His recent success and frustrating times in the past on the racetrack have helped him with his teaching, Ryan said.

Being able to handle a bad run and conversely truly appreciate the good ones has translated to how he communicates with kids who are struggling themselves.

'Especially when I have a kid that has something that happens and he's upset about something that happens at school, I bring up a story where I was upset at the racetrack and how I would persevere through it,” Ryan said. 'I just try to give them a little confidence boost. Racing is something cool to relate to with them other than, ‘Well, I'm just the art teacher.' They think it's crazy I drive a racecar, too.”

KAY ENJOYING FATHERHOOD

For the last several years, there haven't been too many Friday nights (when it wasn't raining, that is) where Wheatland's Justin Kay hasn't been racing his IMCA Late Model at Davenport Speedway.

This Friday, though, Kay's No. 15K was nowhere to be found in the pits in Davenport. He was busy at the hospital with his wife Megan, who was delivering their daughter, Kayleigh. Kay wore an extra-large smile Sunday at Quad City Speedway, and said he's enjoyed the first days of being a new dad - while also still having a fast racecar.

He's a man of few words anyway, and the topic of his daughter left him with a wide smile and searching for the right words.

'It's pretty nice,” a beaming Kay said after finishing second to Jeff Aikey in the IMCA Deery Brothers Summer Series main event Sunday. 'I'm really enjoying it. She sleeps a lot, so that helps.

'For right now, at least.”

NEZWORSKI ATOP DEERY BROTHERS POINTS

Year to year, the list racers chasing the IMCA Deery Brothers Summer Series for Late Models championship usually takes shape after the first four events.

Typically, those in contention at this point in the season are realistically the ones with a serious chance at a title. Sunday's race at Quad City Speedway was the fourth Summer Series race this season, with four different winners. The championship chase has broken into a two-man race so far, with three more not far behind.

Buffalo driver Andy Nezworski leads the standings at 188 points with finishes of third, fourth, fourth and fifth at Crawford County Speedway, West Liberty Raceway, Farley Speedway and Quad City Speedway respectively. Defending champ Justin Kay, who won at West Liberty, trails Nezworski by eight points - a DNF in Denison the difference.

Behind those two sits Bellevue, Neb.'s Corey Zeitner, who won the season-opener in Denison, at 19 points back. Farley winner Joel Callahan is fourth in points, 21 behind Nezworski and Wheatland's Scott Fitzpatrick is fifth, 23 points behind.

The Summer Series is next in action at Boone Speedway on Memorial Day, May 25.

IMCA Deery Brothers Summer Series Points Standings (through four races):

1. 7 Andy Nezworski, Buffalo 188

2. 15K Justin Kay, Wheatland 180

3. 26JR Corey Zeitner*®, Bellevue, Neb. 169

4. 40 Joel Callahan, Dubuque 167

5. 24 Scott Fitzpatrick, Wheatland 165

6. 16 Tyler Bruening*, Decorah 152

7. 77 Jeff Aikey, Cedar Falls 145

8. Z50 Joe Zrostlik, Long Grove 141

9. 87 John Emerson ®, Waterloo 138

10. 75M Todd Malmstrom, Silvis, Ill. 137

11. 22 Charlie McKenna, Clear Lake 134

12. 56 Andy Eckrich, Oxford 128

13. 43 Jeremy Grady, Story City 120

14. 15R Brian Harris*, Davenport 118

15. O7 Matt Ryan, Davenport 113

16. 99D Darrel DeFrance, Marshalltown 107

17. 51 Ryan Dolan, Lisbon 101

18. 45 Curt Martin, Independence 91

19. 37B Brunson Behning ®, Davenport 88

20. 98 Jason Rauen, Farley 86

® Rookie

*Provisionals taken

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