Mark Burgtorf has won countless features and track championships in both the Late Model and Modified divisions at Donnellson. But what he did Saturday night, however, was worth good mention. Not only did he top a field of 43 drivers to win the Deery Series feature, but he did it after qualifying through a B feature, starting the 35-lapper from the 19th position and with a possible $5,000 on the line for the winner.
It was Ray Guss and Boone McLaughlin on the front row at the start of the 35-lap event. McLaughlin set the early pace with Guss and second row starter Rob Toland in tow. McLaughlin put some early distance on the field before Guss settled in and ran down the race leader. Guss made a pass for the lead just prior to a caution around a dozen laps into the event. By that time Burgtorf, who was powering around the field on the high side of the speedway, settled into seventh before the yellow flag was displayed.
On the restart, Guss pulled away from the field, leaving McLaughlin to hold off the challenges from the rest of the field. Rob Toland, Jeff Aikey, Burgtorf and Tom Goble, among others were doing battle for position.
After the caution, Burgtorf went back to work on the high side and survived some two and three-wide battles before settling into second place with 16 laps remaining, a full straightaway behind Guss. Burgtorf remained committed to the top side of the fast 3/8-mile oval and even clipped the back stretch wall a couple times as he attempted to run down Guss.
With around a handful of laps remaining, Burgtorf started closing in faster on the leader as Guss was working the lapped car of Charlie McKenna. A short time later, Guss unexpectedly exited to the pit area off the back chute with mechanical problems, leaving Burgtorf in command.
By that time, both Toland and Aikey had worked their way back into a challenge with Burgtorf, setting up an exciting battle for the remaining few laps. Running low, Toland powered beneath Burgtorf and pulled even on the back straightaway, but Burgtorf was too fast on the high side as he gained position exiting the corners. Despite lapped traffic, Burgtorf held on by a car-length at the line to score the impressive win, much to the delight of the fans. Toland and Aikey came home second and third.
In victory lane, Burgtorf, who was doing a good job running down Guss, admitted that he didn't know if he had enough to make the pass for the lead, saying, "I didn't want to beat Ray like that. I was trying to run him down and it was sure fun trying." He also laughed when he admitted he almost took out the retaining wall on his charge to the front.
By Ryan Clark
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