Boone Speedway
Aikey earns $3,630 with Super Nationals victory
By Bill Martin
IMCA Late Models
Jeff Aikey (77) held off the late charge of Ray Guss Jr. (58). (Barry Johnson)
BOONE, Iowa (Sept. 2) — He’s been there and he’s done that, but it never stops being special. Jeff Aikey of Cedar Falls, iowa, raced to his career third IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s championship, and his 60th Deery Brothers Summer Series feature win Monday night at Boone Speedway. | Slideshow
The IMCA Late Model victory paid $3,630, including a $630 IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing bonus.
After working his way up from ninth starting to second, Aikey passed Jason Rauen of Farley, Iowa, following a lap-29 restart. He led to the finish of the 50-lapper, holding off challenges from Justin Kay of Wheatland, Iowa, and then Ray Guss Jr. of Milan, Ill.
Guss looked to steal the lead away using the lower line with five laps left but Aikey made the higher groove work to perfection. He pulled away to win by six lengths.
“This was a good race to win. It means a lot to me,” said Aikey, a 16-time Super Nationals qualifier and also champion in 1995 and 2004. “I knew Ray and Justin were back there but I had a lot of car tonight. It was awesome.”
Guss, Kay, hard charger Todd Cooney and Joel Callahan completed the top five. Guss and Cooney are both two-time Super Nationals champions; Cooney ended in fourth after starting 18th.
Rauen started outside Callahan on the front row and led the first 28 times around the track. Point leader Brian Harris was heading the pursuit of Aikey before going pitside after a frontstretch collision. He returned, restarted 21st and raced back to eighth.
“Kay and Harris have been on fire this year,” said Aikey, also the Aug. 12 winner at Des Moines. “Any time you can pass them, you’re thumping.”
IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals: (1) Jeff Aikey, (2) Ray Guss Jr., (3) Justin Kay, (4) Todd Cooney, (5) Joel Callahan, (6) Andy Eckrich, (7) Jason Rauen, (8) Brian Harris, (9) Rob Moss, (10) Terry Neal, (11) Dan Shelliam, (12) Ryan Griffith, (13) Darrel DeFrance, (14) Bobby Hansen, (15) Joe Zrostlik, (16) Dean Wagner, (17) Jon Passick, (18) Curtis Schroeder, (19) Josh Mosh, (20) Luke Pestka, (21) Rick Dralle, (22) Nate Beuseling, (23) Scott Fitzpatrick, (24) Kevin Sather. Heat race winners (among 35 cars): Kay, Neal, Rauen, Eckrich, Pestka. Consolation winners: Moss, Most. Provisional starters: DeFrance, Schroeder, Passick.
