Callahan takes Deery Bros win as Aikey falls flat

FARLEY - Seven-time IMCA Deery Brothers Summer Series for Late Models champion and Cedar Falls native Jeff Aikey looked like he was well on his way to a 64th career Summer Series victory last night at Farley Speedway, holding a straightaway lead through the first half of the race.

But under caution at Lap 25 of 50, something cut his left rear tire and ended his bid for the win.

Second-place driver at the time, Joel Callahan, had seen the tire going down early and was biding his time. Once Aikey was out of the way, it was smooth sailing for the Dubuque driver, who picked up his first Summer Series win of the season.

'His tire was going down the first five laps. I saw it and said, ‘I've got to get in behind him.' You could tell he was starting to lose it,” Callahan said. 'Once you knew you could run your own line, I knew the best part of the track to be on and that's where I went. Then I just hit my marks. It was a good car.”

Saving tires is critical in any race, but especially so in a 50-lap main event like this one.

Callahan's many years of running at Farley Speedway reminded him of that, and when Aikey lost that tire, it was all about finding the right spot on the track for restarts - especially given that passing was at such a premium all night.

'I knew it was a long race and you had to save some tires and you couldn't burn them off that early,” Callahan said. 'I was just patient. I didn't quite know what line to take on the (three) restarts, but once I figured out I could take the high line, the momentum really kept me going.

'Passing was hard because it rubbered up in the middle, and that was the place to be. Turn 3 and 4 was tricky, too, because it was dusty. I knew I was fast enough to stay out front if I didn't make any stupid mistakes.”

Callahan had a rough start to his first two Summer Series races of the season, but a switch to a new car provided much of the boost he needed.

Learning from the old car and the innovations of the new one put $3,000 in his pocket for the win.

'Between the two cars, we found a common ground,” Callahan said. 'One taught us about things we used on the other. I think it was the chemistry of bringing both together. This one just happened to be the one tonight.”

SHRYOCK ALTERS PLAN, WINS MODIFIEDS

Modified veteran Kelly Shryock has been around dirt racing his whole life, so he's gotten pretty good at sniffing out the right place to be at the right time.

He and his race team were headed for Marshalltown Speedway to race IMCA Modifieds on Friday night, but he changed course and headed for Farley Speedway instead. Experience proved intelligent, as the local legend picked up $1,000 for his efforts running in the support class for the IMCA Deery Brothers Summer Series for Late Models.

'We were on our way to Marshalltown and got a call that they were paying $1,000 to win and get to watch the Late Models over here. So we aborted and hammered down to come over here,” Shryock said. 'We didn't have any expectations. We'd really been struggling so far this year, but we made a few adjustments and the car was pretty good.”

Shryock had to battle with Mark Schulte and Mark Gansen to get the victory.

Once again, the Fertile native used those years of running Midwest dirt tracks to make his move and take the lead for good around halfway.

'(Gansen) was pretty good there, and then he went to the bottom and opened the door for me,” Shryock said. 'We were running low in 3 and 4, and my guys (signaled) to move up, and that's what it took to get the job done.”

Shryock, normally a United State Modified Touring Series regular, has taken a step back from running that series to free himself up to go different places - like Farley - and compete without the financial stress that the USMTS travel schedule puts on some racers.

His IMCA Modified, too, carries a little extra special meaning, as it carries a paint scheme used by his father, Bob - another local legend - in the 1970s. Getting a win in that car makes things even more special.

'We just chose to not run the southern (USMTS) stuff to be cost effective,” Shryock said. 'The paint scheme is a pretty cool deal, brings back a lot of memories. We started the year with it.

'It's pretty cool to get a win with it.”

RESULTS

IMCA Late Model

1. Joel Callahan, Dubuque; 2. Tyler Droste, Waterloo; 3. Justin Kay, Wheatland; 4. Andy Nezworski, Buffalo; 5. Tyler Bruening, Decorah; 6. Matt Ryan, Davenport; 7. Kyle Hinrichs, Swisher; 8. Joe Zrostlik, Long Grove; 9. Corey Zeitner, Bellevue, Neb.; 10. Scott Fitzpatrick, Wheatland; 11. Charlie McKenna, Clear Lake; 12. Andy Eckrich, Oxford; 13. John Emerson, Waterloo; 14. Jeff Tharp, Sherrill; 15. Jerry King, Waterloo; 16. Brian Harris, Davenport; 17. Jeff Aikey, Cedar Falls; 18. Scott Reichers, Belmont, Wis.; 19. Curt Martin, Independence; 20. Nick Marolf, Moscow; 21. Travis Smock, Independence; 22. Jon Poll, Delmar; 23. Colby Springsteen, Wapello; 24. Todd Malstrom, Silvis, Ill.

IMCA Modified

1. Kelly Shryock, Fertile; 2. Mark Schulte, Delhi; 3. Jerry Luloff, Independence; 4. Troy Cordes, Dunkerton; 5. Mark Gansen Zwingle; 6. Hunter Marriott, Brookfield, Mo.; 7. Adam Johnson, Independence; 8. Patrick Flanagan, Cedar Rapids; 9. Mitch Morris, McCausland; 10. Jeff Larson, Freeport; 11. Jason Schueller, Dubuque; 12. Tyler Madigan, Dubuque; 13. Kenny Kotenbauer, Freeport; 14. Ryan Maitland, Waterloo; 15. John Campbell, Dubuque; 16. Jason Buss, Freeport, Ill.; 17. Ryan DeShaw, Dyersville; 18. Steve Vannatta, Platteville, Wis.; 19. Jeremiah Hurst, Dubuque; 20. Zack Less, Hopkinton; 21. Vern Jackson, Waterloo; 22. Bryan Wonick, Iowa City; 23. J.D. Auringer, Evansdale; 24. Jordan Hicks, Lost Nation.

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