EAST MOLINE, Ill. – The tail slapping the turn one wall, sparks flying and negotiating the top groove cushion was all for naught for visiting late model star Tyler Erb Sunday evening at East Moline Speedway.
The New Waverly, Texas, ace piloted the Doug Curless-owned No. 99 Eriksen Chevrolet IMCA Late Model first to Joe Carleton’s checkered flag. However, post-race inspection found the rear deck height too tall, handing point leader Andy Nezworski his second 2021 victory.
Nezworski took the lead near the midway point of the 25-lap feature and pulled away, only to have the field restacked after a fifth caution. Erb restarted third and reeled in the Buffalo, Iowa, hotshoe.
Erb, who is currently eighth in the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series points and coming off a runner up finish Friday at Farley, Iowa, was met with loud cheers as he hit the winners circle after the apparent victory.
“Doug just hit me up on Facebook,” Erb said about the ride. “To be honest I just love racing. I don’t care what the car is, where it is. A lot of people have said bad things about this place, but that was fun as hell and I hope everyone enjoyed watching it.”
Jacob Waterman was awarded second followed by Joe Ross, Chuck Hanna and B.J. Jackson.
A pair of incidents involving former winner Matt Ryan and 18-time track champion Gary Webb ended up parking both those cars after the latter wreck while running in the top five.
Jeff Larson borrowed Kenny Kostenbader’s machine for the second straight night and won for the second evening in a row. He dominated the J&J Camper Sales IMCA Modified 20-lap main. With the win and his Saturday performance at Maquoketa Speedway, he picked up a $100 bonus for the second time this year.
Travis Denning, missing a lot of sheet metal, roared from near the back for second. Tim Hamburg, Brandon Durbin and Brandon Hamburg rounded out the top five.
It was a rollercoaster race for Legacy Corporation IMCA SportMod driver Justin Veloz. He started fifth, suffered an early flat tire and then raced the high groove from the rear after a restart to take the 15-lap finale. Jarett Franzen zipped to second, but could not chase down Veloz. Jacob Copley also came from the tail to take third, followed by Logan Veloz and C.J. Durbin.
A couple drivers finally got the “monkeys off their backs”.
Defending track champion Jesse Owen sped to the front and won the County Waste Systems Street Stock 15 lapper for his first 2021 win. Cary Brown, Kyler Hickenbottom, Rick Schriner and Erick Turner were next.
Blake Gonzales’ rough season hit a high note as he wheeled his brother R.J.’s Weekend Performance IMCA Mod Lite to victory, leading all 15 laps. Jon Padilla, Mike Morrow, Anthony Guss and Rob Guss followed.
Daniel Wauters took advantage of a couple tangles between Drew Burk and Randy Lamar to win the Rudy’s Tacos IMCA Hobby Stock 12-lap feature. Burk, Lamar, Adam Parker and Logan Gustaf were next, topping a season high in car count.
Dustin Forbes passed Cody Brewster early and won the 12-lap Riverbend Pizza Place Sport Compacts finale. After Brewster was Cris Courson, Jimmy Dutlinger and Drew Wise.