Davenport Speedway
WDRL champ picks up '09 where he left off
By Mike McGuire
Davenport Speedway
Chad Simpson picked up $5,000 at Davenport. (mikerueferphotos.photoreflect.com)
DAVENPORT, Iowa (April 4) — Returning to the track where he locked up last year's series championship, Chad Simpson of Mount Vernon, Iowa, started 2009 off with a bang, leading all 40 laps of the World Dirt Racing League event at Davenport Speedway. | Slideshow
The polesitting Simpson, who earned $5,000, was never seriously threatened in a race slowed by four cautions at the half-mile oval on a windy, chilly Saturday evening.
John Kaanta of Elk Mound, Wis., last year's series runner-up, outdueled Denny Eckrich of Tiffin, Iowa, for the runner-up spot while Iowa City drivers Rob Moss and Andy Eckrich rounded out the top five.
Notes: Simpson's No. 25 is sponsored by Liebe Trucking and GATR Volvo-GMC ... Simpson has six career WDRL victories, the previous one coming Sept. 6 at Freeport (Ill.) Raceway Park. ... Late Model driver Ray Guss Jr. of Milan, Ill., won the modified feature. ... Davenport starts weekly racing with IMCA Late Models on the quarter-mile track April 10. ... WDRL competitors head to Quad-City Raceway in East Moline, Ill., on April 19.
WDRL @ Davenport: (1) Chad Simpson, (2) John Kaanta, (3) Denny Eckrich, (4) Rob Moss, (5) Andy Eckrich, (6) Al Purkey, (7) Tommy Elston, (8) Curt Martin, (9) Tim Isenberg, (10) Dave Eckrich, (11) Brian Harris, (12) Darin Burco, (13) Eric Pember, (14) Chad Mahder, (15) Andrew McKay, (16) Jeremy Grady, (17) Gordie Seegert Jr., (18) Chris Simpson, (19) Jason Utter, (20) Jay Johnson, (21) Mike Murphy Jr., (22) Jason Rauen, (23) Jeff Aikey, (24) Frank Heckenast Jr. Heat race winners: Murphy, Denny Eckrich, Kaanta, Chad Simpson. Dash winner: Chad Simpson.
