Eastern Iowa Driver Rankings: May 28

Welcome to the Inside Track's Eastern Iowa Driver Rankings. Each week of the racing season, the Gazette's Jeremiah Davis will rank the area's top 10 drivers across all divisions.

Think the list should be different? Tweet him at @jeremiahdavis10, or comment in the comments section.

New this week: Scott Hogan

Dropped out: Richie Gustin

RANK

+/-

NAME

CLASS

THOUGHTS

1

--

Justin Kay

Late Model

Made a remark to him a week ago at Tipton about getting a win somewhere every weekend this year. He smiled, shrugged a shoulder and said, "That's why we're out here." Well, he got another win this past weekend, at Dubuque on Sunday, by inches ahead of Jeff Aikey. Also finished second at Davenport on Friday.

2

+1

Andy Eckrich

Late Model

Gave him a hard time for going a weekend with a win anywhere, and will totally (not really) take credit for him taking the $1,000 check at Cedar County Raceway a week ago, then getting the win at West Liberty Raceway on Saturday. He also drove from deep in the field to a fourth-place finish at the Deery Brothers show at Boone on Monday.

3

-1

Benji Irvine

Hobby Stock

Didn't get a win at his usual haunts this weekend, but came as close as he could. The Stanley driver finished second at Independence Motor Speedway on Saturday and again at Benton County Speedway in Vinton on Sunday. Not too shabby if he couldn't finish off the victories.

4

+1

Bill Whalen

Sport Compact

This guy churns out top-fives like I churn out witty one-liners. OK, so maybe he churns out (many) more top-fives. The Riverside native finished second at Southern Iowa Speedway last Wednesday, ran third at West Liberty Raceway on Saturday, then got the win at Benton County Speedway on Sunday.

5

+2

Jenae Gustin

Sport Mod

Speaking of top-fives, the Marshalltown native got three top-five finishes of her own this weekend, and continues her rise up the Inside Track rankings because of it. She finished third at her hometown track of Marshalltown Speedway on Friday, got a win at Independence Motor Speedway on Saturday, then finished fourth in Vinton on Sunday.

6

-2

Ronn Lauritzen

Modified

Many of us enjoyed a long Memorial Day weekend, and I bet few were as busy him. He raced four days in a row, with three top-10s and two top-fives. He took third at Marshalltown on Friday, fifth at Independence on Saturday, ninth at Vinton on Sunday and 11th in the Hawkeye Dirt Tour race at I-35 Speedway in Mason City on Monday.

7

+1

Jeff Aikey

Late Model

Came within inches of getting that 2014 win monkey off his back, but was nipped at the line in Dubuque by Justin Kay. Still, he had a solid run there, and backed that up with a top-10 run at Boone Speedway with a seventh place finish in the Deery Brothers Summer Series Memorial Day special on Monday.

8

+2

Austin Moyer

Sport Mod

Just about had himself a great weekend, but a bizarre final lap got it started off on the wrong foot. He tangled with a lapped car on the final lap while leading, relegating him to 11th. He rebounded Saturday, though, finishing third at Jackson County Speedway in Maquoketa, then got a win at his hometown track in Dubuque on Sunday.

9

-3

Tony Olson

Sport Mod

As a racer, it's got to be very frustrating to be in position to win and consistently fall just short. He's finished second seemingly every week at West Liberty this season, with a different winner almost every time -- and again on Saturday, this time to Curt VanderWaal. Still, he's consistently fast, and the wins will come.

10

N/R

Scott Hogan

Modified

The Vinton native makes his first appearance in the rankings, and for great reason. He picked up two wins this weekend, first in the 50-lap Mod Madness at Davenport Speedway on Friday, then again on Saturday night at Independence Motor Speedway. Finished off the weekend with a third at his home track on Sunday.

l Comments: (319) 368-8884; jeremiah.davis@sourcemedia.net