Zeitner defends turf against Eastern Iowa racers in Deery opener

DENISON - When it comes to IMCA Late Model racing, Eastern Iowa drivers usually have the market cornered - especially in the Deery Brothers Summer Series.

So when tour director Kevin Yoder was putting together the 2015 race schedule for the series, starting the season in Western Iowa at Crawford County Speedway in Denison had a few purposes. Chief among them was giving the racers who compete in Western Iowa regularly a chance at the home cooking Eastern Iowa racers get for the majority of the season.

On Saturday night in Denison, one of those Western Iowa regulars delivered, in the form of Bellevue, Neb. racer Corey Zeitner, who cruised to the season-opening victory.

'I knew we stood a good chance because we run so good here in the weekly stuff and the other big races they have here. I figured we'd run decent. Didn't know we'd win,” Zeitner said in Victory Lane. 'To come out and beat them, it just shows we're good enough to run with them. I think sometimes people don't think we are, but this definitely helps out.”

Zeitner getting the win, which will prompt him and his team to head to West Liberty Raceway next weekend as the series points leader, backs up Yoder's decision to start the season in Denison from a competition standpoint.

And though there were only 25 cars entered - many Eastern Iowa racers didn't make the trip because of the three-plus hour haul - IMCA saw the night as a success because of what it will do going forward. Guys will come east who haven't in a while because of running well in Denison.

'It's great to see a guy get his first win, and that's what we hope for - we get a guy to start off our season completely different than we saw last year. And it's exciting to get him to come to West Liberty next week as our points leader,” Yoder said. 'It just sets the table for the rest of the season.

'They don't get as many opportunities as the guys in Eastern Iowa get. We want to give our guys in the western part of the state and Nebraska an opportunity to run and be a part of the series. We didn't have the biggest car count, but we had a really strong field of cars. For Corey to beat this field tonight really says a lot about where he's at.”

Even with Zeitner's win, it wasn't as if the Eastern Iowa guys weren't well-represented. Second through fifth place all went to racers who live and race weekly in Eastern Iowa. Andy Nezworski of Buffalo was third, Joe Zrostlik of Long Grove was fourth and John Emerson of Waterloo was fifth.

But in the closing laps, it was Decorah driver Tyler Bruening who had the best chance at Zeitner. He ran out of laps while catching the eventual winner in lapped traffic to finish second. His four and a half-hour drive was made well worth it. He knew well the pride Zeitner took in getting the win in his territory, because Bruening has experienced the same thing.

'We definitely wanted to make it worthwhile,” Bruening said. 'I think when the Deery Brothers series shows up anywhere, it's the local guys' time to shine. I was the same way when the Deery Brothers came to Independence. They were great tonight. They deserved it.”

The finish order was an unusual one by historical standards, as the usual front-runners all suffered some bad luck Saturday night. Seven-time champ Jeff Aikey had ignition troubles that ended his race, Andy Eckrich was involved in a spin on a restart, but made it to eighth at the finish, and 2013 champion Brian Harris struggled throughout the evening.

Defending champion Justin Kay looked like he was going to start the season how he finished 2014 and spoil Zeitner and the other Western Iowa guys' nights, but racing luck he seemed to have all throughout the tour last year failed to carry over to the opener.

He had taken the lead, past both Zeitner and Nezworski at 15 laps in, and was a half straightaway ahead before a caution slowed the field. While under caution, mud that had packed in his radiator spiked the temperature of the engine and ended his race.

With the tour headed back east to West Liberty Raceway, and Kay knowing he still has the speed, the Eastern Iowa racers will have plenty of reason to remind Zeitner and the others how tough it is on their turf.

'It was a fast, fun racetrack. It just got hot and wasn't worth losing the motor,” Kay said. 'This is definitely the worst finish we've had in a couple years, but we're still here. We'll dig through it and keep going.

'With switching chassis brands and a lot of other stuff, the car is great. We're still where we were last year. Still, we've got to have a little luck go our way.”

RESULTS

1. Corey Zeitner, Bellevue, Neb.; 2. Tyler Bruening, Decorah; 3. Andy Nezworski, Buffalo; 4. Joe Zrostlik, Long Grove; 5. John Emerson, Waterloo; 6. Jeremy Grady, Story City; 7. Jason Hahne, Webster City; 8. Andy Eckrich, Oxford; 9. Charlie McKenna, Clear Lake; 10. Brunson Behning, Davenport; 11. Joel Callahan, Dubuque; 12. Curt Martin, Independence; 13. Kyle Segebart, Carroll; 14. Todd Cooney, Des Moines; 15. Todd Malmstrom, Silvis, Ill. 16. Brian Harris, Davenport; 17. Darrel DeFrance, Marshalltown; 18. Justin Kay; Wheatland; 19. Scott Fitzpatrick; Wheatland; 20. Jeff Aikey, Cedar Falls; 21. Ron Klein, Sherrill; 22. Leon Zeitner, La Vista, Neb.; 23. Allen Zeitner, Bellevue, Neb.; 24. Jason Rauen, Farley; 25. Jay Stewart, Blair, Neb.

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