Brothers Brian and Nick claim Ironmen at Byron Summit Pro-Am Event          
By Mike Perry | IHRA Communications            

Brian and Nick Folk, brothers from Durand, Illinois, are making a habit of celebrating together. Three weeks ago the duo won Ironmen at the Summit Racing Equipment Pro-Am Tour event at Tulsa Raceway Park. They followed it up by claiming championships at their home track, Byron Dragway, at the Division 5 opener.

Nick Folk drove his Folk Race Cars ’02 Camaro to the Ironman by stopping Chris Knudsen, from Grimes, Iowa, in the Stock Eliminator final round. He then scurried to the staging lanes to watch his older brother, Brian, defeat Appleton, Wisc. resident Lisa Marg in the Super Rod final.

“We have seven cars, so you kind of have to win if you want to pay the bills,” Nick said. “But Brian and I have been doing really good so far, but it’s hard to keep it rolling. The car was unbelievable, it was going about a .62 every time down the track. It really helps when you have a good car.”

Folk defeated Knudsen by running a 10.684 at 122.81 mph with a solid .014 reaction time. Knudsen posted a 10.807/112.81 pass with a .020 reaction time.

“Chris beat me out for the division last year,” Nick Folk said. “He had to win the last race at the last event at Byron last year, so this was kind of sweet revenge for me. But everything went great and Brian and I got the job done.”

Brian Folk won his second consecutive Super Rod Ironman

Brian Folk was able to knock off Marg, and her “Dodge Diva” ’69 Dart, in a double breakout battle. He ran a 9.896 on the 9.90 index while Marg posted a 9.885.

“It’s been a good year so far,” Brian Folk said. “Nick and I have been driving well.”

Leonard Davenport, from Roscoe, Ill., has been a local bracket racer for two decades. He decided to try his hand at index class racing this season, building a Camaro to drive in the Hot Rod class. He likes the results so far. Davenport knocked off Anthony Layne in the Hot Rod final round to claim his first-ever Ironman. Layne handed the victory to Davenport when he lit the red-light by a mere -.001.

Leonard Davenport knocked off Anthony Layne in the final round to win the Hot Rod Ironman

“It’s a lot different because there is more anticipating the finish line,” Davenport said. “But I wanted to try this. I knew everyone would be running about the same and it all comes down to driving the other end and leaving the line. I wanted to try it and I’m glad I did.”

Crystal Lake, Ill. resident Mike LoCascio knew why he was able to claim his first-career Ironman.

“I was just killing the tree,” he said after his win over Freeport, Ill. resident Chris LaBudde in the Quick Rod final. “My worst light all day was an .011, so that really helps. But I was on the tree all day long and that was a big reason why I won.”

Mike LoCascio defeated Chris LaBudde in the Quick Rod final

LoCascio knocked off LaBuddie by running a 8.940 at 165.23 mph with a .006 reaction time in the final. LaBuddie lit the red-light by -.002.

“When you keep hot-lapping like we were and you don’t have to get out of the car it definitely keeps you in the zone,” LoCascio said. “It’s like clockwork. There is no thinking, just reaction. And I was driving the stripe pretty good. For the first race of the year I was definitely happy with how I drove.”

Ed Kurth, from Princeton, Ill., knows he dodged a bullet in claiming the Top Sportsman Ironman. Kurth missed the tree by a wide margin, leaving in .638, but his opponent, “Motor City” Mike lit the red-light to give the Ironman away.

Top Sportsman champion Ed Kurth

“We were extremely lucky today,” Kurth said. “We had some good rounds but actually backed into the win. We’ll take it, but we were really lucky. I just went brain-dead in the final and, fortunately, the other guy turned on the red-light. This makes up for one a couple of weeks ago.”

Jim Prevo, from Mundelin, Ill., took a year off last season. His comeback was very effective as he knocked off Mike Jensen to claim the Top Dragster Ironman. Prevo posted a 7.705 at 171.40 mph to get to the stripe before Jensen’s 7.786/167.97 package.

Jim Prevo defeated Mike Jensen in the Top Dragster final

“This is a brand new car and this is our first time out with it,” Prevo said. “How can you complain? The car was brutally consistent, it only varied by three thousandths the whole day. I did my job and the car did its job.”

Prevo overcame some early trouble on the tree.

“I had two red-lights in the first two rounds, but I didn’t let it bother me,” he said. “I had .00 lights both times and ran the number. They red-lit against me but I still hit the tree and ran the number. It was just my day and I have been on the other side of it before. Drag racing is a sport where you can run really good and lose or run really bad and win.”

Dean Mesenbring, from Rochester, Minn., claimed the Super Stock Ironman with a final-round victory over Fred Barton. The victory meant a lot to Mesenbring because he was racing with his wife on his mind.

“I dedicate this win to my wife Vickie,” he said. “She is battling cancer and this one was for her. She means so much to me.”

Mesenbring drove his ’92 Camaro to a 10.713 at 123.78 mph with a .010 reaction time to knock off a red-lighting Barton.

Dean Mesenbring dedicated his Super Stock victory to his wife Vickie

“The car ran well and I was able to get the win,” Mesenbring said. “It was consistent and that’s the name of the game in this sport.”

Racing will continue at "The Playground of Power," Byron Dragway Sunday for the second race of the Division 5 season-opening weekend.