Guengerich Gets First win At Donnellson

 It was a beautiful night for racing at the Lee County Speedway in Donnellson, Iowa on Friday night. Thanks to a generous sponsorship from B&B Propane, there was a large crowd on hand and the LCS crew put their best foot forward. 63 race teams in five classes checked in, and the program started right on time, with nine heat races setting the feature lines ups in only 40 minutes. About a ten minutes intermission for a bit of track prep and we were feature racing.
  The IMCA sport compacts ran first, with all nine cars taking the green. In fact, all 63 cars were able to start their feature races. Josh Barnes shot to the lap one lead in the sport compact finale, but he soon had Ron Kibbe challenging for the lead. Lap after lap the two cars ran side by side, Barnes was a bit quicker off turn two, but Kibbe had the edge in three and four. Kibbe hugged the inside groove, while Barnes ran a higher line. Even as the white flag wave, the two drivers were neck and neck, but when the checkers waved it was Kibbe picking up the win. Darin Weisinger Jr. Brandon Reu and Kimberly Abbott completed the top five.
  The 16 car IMCA sport mod main event ran next. Brandon Dale shot to the lead on lap one, and again took the top spot after a first lap caution. By the third circuit, Dale had opened up a big lead, while Tony Dunker had come from row five to third, and one lap later he took over the runnerup spot. Another caution came on lap five when Jim Gillenwater and Bobby Anders in the Wes Mayfield # 21M hooked bumpers. Back under green, Tanner Klingele who had pulled out of his heat race, grabbed the third spot. But this quickly became a two car race between Dale and Dunker. On lap ten, Brandon Lennox charged to the third position, but Dale on the cushion and Dunker in the middle were still well in front. As the laps wound down, Dale opened a small advantage, and it was a good thing, as he got high on the track in turn four coming to the checkers. But he was able to recover to nip Dunker at the line. Lennox held third, Gillenwater recovered to finish fourth, and Kyle Hill ran fifth.
  IMCA modifieds ran 20 laps for the third feature. Bill Roberts Jr looped his ride on the first lap, but to his credit, he kept going, now a 1/2 lap behind. Dean McGee took the early lead, and when the caution waved on lap three, Roberts was back in contention. On the fifth circuit, point leader Jeff Waterman had moved from row five to battle Brandon Rothzen for second. Two laps later, Waterman took over the lead. With five to go, third running Jared Fuller pulled to the infield under green, but the caution came just as the white flag was displayed, setting up a green, white checkers shootout. On the Delaware restart, Rothzen shot from the inside line behind Waterman to the lead, holding on to the checkers, stealing what looked like a sure win for Waterman. Jeef settled for second ahead of McGee, Roberts, and Blake Woodruff.
  Jeremy Pundt led the 14 car IMCA stock car field across the stripe ahead of a multi car scrum in turn one. It seemed a lap should have been scored. but the field was reset to an original restart, minus John Oliver Jr, who suffered heavy damage. Abe Huls, Greg Gill and Ray Raker went to the work area and rejoined the field, but it looked like the previous weeks winner Corey Strothman may have also suffered damage. Back under green, Pundt again built a lead, with Visitor David Brandies moving to second on lap two, trailed by point leader Jeff Mueller in third. It became a three car battle with Mueller taking the lead about lap seven - boy do I miss that scoreboard when it is not working! Brandies moved to second soon after, and for the final five laps he was glued to the back bumper of the # 77M, both drivers on the bottom of the track. On the final trip around, Huls powered around Pundt for third, but it was Mueller in victory lane for the seventh time this season. Brandies, Huls, Pundt, and Gill completed the top five.
  The final race on the card was the Lee County late model feature. All 13 cars lined up to take the green for what was alternately  announced as 25, then 20, then 25 laps - I "think" they ran 20! Polesitter Todd Frank led the first five circuits, with inside row two starter Jeff Guengerich in the Lynn Richard # 15R in tow. By lap six, Guengerich was turning up the heat, and he took over the top spot on the ninth trip past the flag stand. Three laps later, outside row one starter and four time winner Sam Halstead moved to second. The first caution came about lap 14, and another two laps later, but each time Guengerich held on to the lead. On the final restart, Tyler Cale started fourth, but encountered problems, ending his night. Halstead and Frank ran side by side, with Halstead prevailing, and on lap 17 Tommy Elston moved to third. But there was no catching Guengerich, who picked up his first win at LCS this season. Previously he had picked up the win when the LCS late models competed at 34 Raceway in West Burlington Memorial Day weekend. Halstead, Elston, Frank, and Colby Springsteen turned in top five finishes. Derek Liles led the second five over fast improving Laine Vanzandt, his father Charles Vanzandt, Gunner Frank, and Cale. Tegan Evans was credited with eleventh, and the final two spots went to former weekly racer Chris Richard who was " shaking out " Halsteads IMCA car and Colchester,Il first time visitor Russ Schoonover in his # 59.
  The final checkers waved just before 9:45, capping an efficient, well run show.
  Next up for me is weekly Sunday night action at Quincy Raceways, where the track has been torn up and reworked this week. With high heat projected, check the track facebook page or call the hotline to confirm start times.