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DeFrance earns second IMCA Late Model title

Vinton, IA - August 30, 2006
By: IMCA

www.imca.com

 

Two track championships paved the way for Darrel DeFrance’s second national IMCA Sunoco Late Model championship.

Titles, and the bonus points that went with them, at the Iowa State Fairgrounds Speedway in Des Moines and Hamilton County Speedway at Webster City gave DeFrance the edge over Todd Cooney and Kevin Blum in the race for the national crown.

He earns a $5,500 share of the $21,300 point fund to be paid out to the top 20 drivers. With both Sunday night tracks rained out, final points races of the season for Late Models were held Aug. 26; promoters have until noon Monday, Sept. 25 to notify IMCA of any corrections before standings become official.

DeFrance won six features and was consistent throughout the season in adding a bookend trophy to his hardware from 1993. His latest title came by an unofficial 36 point margin over Cooney, the champ at Shelby County Speedway in Harlan, and Blum, the top driver in point standings at Davenport Speedway.

The edge for second went to Cooney, national champion in 1997 and 2002, by virtue of his division leading 16 feature wins.

Rounding out the top five were Terry Neal, track champion at Jackson County Speedway, and two time and defending king Rob Toland of Bettendorf.

Fred Remley’s first career track title, earned at Quad City Speedway in East Moline, Ill., vaulted him into the sixth spot.

Also winning local track championships were Mark Burgtorf at Quincy, Ill., Raceway, Gary Russell at 34 Raceway in West Burlington and Curt Martin at Independence Motor Speedway.

Robert J. See was 11th nationally to earn rookie of the year honors. Burgtorf bagged the Illinois state crown for the fourth time while Cooney scored his third Iowa state title.

DeFrance is the first national IMCA champion crowned under the new system that rewards track champions with bonus points rather than replacing a lower finish with a 40 point win.

The same system will be employed to determine champions in the Modified, Sprint Car, Northern and Southern Sportmod, Stock Car and Hobby Stock divisions after the point season for those classes ends on Sept. 24.

Unofficial 2006 IMCA Sunoco Late Model Top 20 Point Standings
1. Darrel DeFrance, Marshalltown, Iowa 875
2. Todd Cooney, Des Moines, Iowa 839
3. Kevin Blum, Colona, Ill. 839
4. Terry Neal, Ely, Iowa 814
5. Rob Toland, Bettendorf, Iowa 788
6. Fred Remley, Blue Grass, Iowa 779
7. Tom Darbyshire, Morning Sun, Iowa 764
8. Ray Guss Jr., Milan, Ill. 741
9. Boone McLaughlin, Mediapolis, Iowa 733
10. Mark Preston, Port Byron, Ill. 733
11. Robert J. See, Altoona, Iowa 732
12. Ryan Griffith, Webster City, Iowa 729
13. Jeremy Grady, Story City, Iowa 724
14. Lonnie Bailey, Quincy, Ill. 723
15. Hershel Roberts, East Moline, Ill. 722
16. Mike Smith, Jewell, Iowa 718
17. Craig Jacobs, Des Moines, Iowa 711
18. Mark Burgtorf, Quincy, Ill. 701
19. Eric Gustaf, Moline, Ill. 700
20. Andy Nezworski, Buffalo, Iowa 691