Justin Kay takes Hawkeye Dirt Tour win in Dubuque

DUBUQUE — When the IMCA Hawkeye Dirt Tour Modified main event was finished on Tuesday night at Dubuque Speedway, Modified legend Kelly Shryock — who finished second and is leading the HDT points — called Justin Kay 'the king of Dubuque.'

The Wheatland driver — who scored his first of so many IMCA Late Model wins at the 1/4-mile — came from eighth starting position to eventually win by almost a straightaway on Tuesday to go back-to-back in HDT races at Dubuque.

There's just something about him and that racetrack. Insert your good-pair analogy here, and it fits.

'That's pretty cool for him to say,' Kay said. 'A couple years ago we won every race but one or two (in Late Model here). I just love this place. It can be so different night to night. I passed a lot of cars through the middle (Tuesday). This place isn't usually that way.

'This is pretty special.'

Kay took home the $1,200 winner's check ahead of Shryock, Tyler Droste, Darin Duffy and pole sitter Kenny Kostenbader.

The IMCA national and Deery Brothers Summer Series champion had to work past all the top five finishers, save for Shryock, as well as Joel Rust — who sits second in HDT points after Tuesday — to get the win. He had to battle Kostenbader for nearly 10 laps for the lead, searching high, low and in the middle.

His passionate defense of Dubuque as a racing facility was backed up by the race he and the others put on Tuesday night — even if he did set sail once he cleared Kostenbader.

'Every track has nights where they don't produce good racing, but I think this is one track that produces good racing more often than others,' Kay said. 'I mean, how long did Kenny and I run together there? I was trying everything. He finally slipped up and I got by.

'That's what's cool about this place.'

Shryock came the same distance through the field as Kay, starting ninth and finishing second. The legendary Modified racer said before the night started that while he's in the championship hunt, he wants to win the title by winning races, not just with top-fives.

While he laughed in backing that up after the race, he gave his kudos to Kay while he puffed on his trademark cigarette, but didn't dismiss his run.

With two races left on the HDT schedule both in his old stamping grounds of northwest Iowa, including Buena Vista Raceway in Alta — where his family has a long, successful history — he has a chance to get the win Kay denied him Tuesday.

'We're really happy with second; that's a really good run for us starting ninth,' Shryock said. 'We'll take second and move on to the next race. Passing the cars we passed, we're pretty happy with this thing.

'We want to win one of these races. We've maybe got a good chance back up home there.'

Kay has been the top IMCA Late Model driver for nearly five years, winning multiple championships at the national and local level, as well as many more races than his competitors.

While the Late Model might be where his heart is, the Modified has worked its way up in terms of meaning. Winning big races means something no matter what car you're in, and Kay pointed that out Tuesday night.

As much as anything, it's beating the guys he did — like Shryock, for instance — and doing it at one of his favorite tracks that puts the icing on it.

'One like this, in front of a big crowd for a fair race, those are the kinds of races that feel good,' Kay said. 'Anything on the Hawkeye Dirt Tour is special. Look at the quality of cars here.

'These Modifieds are so even. We're all running the same motors; the same tires. It's how you set the cars up that seems to be making the difference right now.'

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