Davenport Speedway
Blum's Davenport victory boosts IMCA title hopes
DAVENPORT, Iowa (Aug. 28) — With the IMCA weekly championship on the line, Kevin Blum of Colona, Ill., fired the weekend's first shot with a Friday night victory at Davenport Speedway.
Blum, Ray Guss Jr. of Milan, Ill., and Terry Neal of Ely, Iowa, are among the top contenders for the J&J Steel-sponsored championship worth $5,000 that wraps up with Sunday's action.
Blum notched his IMCA-leading 15th victory of the season to distance himself from Neal, who started 17th at Davenport but dropped out after advancing to 10th.
Guss, too, is in the mix for the IMCA title, and he locked up the critical Davenport championship with his second-place finish, getting key bonus points in the IMCA chase.
Several inches of rain during the week made the quarter-mile oval soft and tacky for the season finale and Guss started on the pole. But the third-starting Blum quickly went to work, slipping under Guss on the fifth lap to take command. He led the rest of the way for his fifth victory of the season at Davenport. Guss was second followed by Matt Ryan, Nate Buesling and Todd Malmstrom.
Neal needs a victory Saturday at Jackson County Speedway in Maquoketa, Iowa, to keep pace with Blum, while Blum and Guss will likely face off again Sunday at Quad City Raceway in East Moline, Ill., where Blum is assured of the track championship.
Davenport Speedway: (1) Kevin Blum, (2) Ray Guss Jr., (3) Matt Ryan, (4) Nate Buesling, (5) Todd Malmstrom, (6) Joe Zrostlik, (7) Stephan Kammerer, (8) Eric Sanders, (9) Bret Diercks, (10) D.J. Burke, (11) Duane Christisen, (12) Adam Oppendike, (13) Mike Guldenpfennig, (14) Kevin Dickey, (15) Marty Diercks, (16) Mike Murphy Jr), (17) Terry Neal, (18) Leroy Brenner.
