Close Finishes, Repeat Winners at LCS

 Although the thermostat again read 57 degrees as we rolled into the Lee County Speedway grounds on Saturday night, cloudy skies and a cool breeze made it seem like we should be prepared for
" Shiverfest " weather for night number two of the Spring Extravaganza.
  Car counts jumped to 91, even as several Friday night competitors did not return. While the late model count increased to one dozen, I was surprised that several area drivers supposedly returning or debuting in the class were absent, and that none of the Quad City area pilots who have visited in the past did not make the trip to challenge for the $900 top prize.
  Once again, the late models were first on the docket. Dustin Bluhm was looking for redemption - although I cannot print his actual words - after the Minnesota hot shoe suffered a solo spin while leading on Friday. The redraw was kind to him all weekend, as he once again drew the pole position for the twenty lap finale. He jumped to the early lead with inside row two starter Jay Johnson in pursuit. Jay had " shaken down " his former ride, now the #7 Blair Barton Racing machine with a runner up finish on Friday, but was now wheeling his familiar #93. The race stayed green, with Bluhm building a nice lead before Peoria,Il. track competitor Chris Morefield smacked the turn four fence. By now, Friday winner Tommy Elston was in third, and he used the Delaware restart to clear Johnson two laps later, setting his sights on the leader. Time and again he would move to the rear bumper of Bluhm, but the leader was fast off turn two, stretching his advantage each time. As the laps wound down, Elston pulled alongside Bluhm as the white flag waved, and the pair played chicken into turn one. Bluhm shut the door on Elston going through turns one and two, then again in the final turns to pick up the win. Johnson held on for third with Denny Woodworth making the trip north to run fourth. Sam Halstead completed the top five. Veteran Mike Smith took a turn in the #7 in sixth ahead of Brandon Queen, Todd Frank, Gunner Frank, and Bryan Berger, Brian Harris, and Morefield.
  The running order was changed just a bit from Friday, with the stock cars up next, nineteen cars for twenty two laps. Todd Reitzler paced lap one before his fellow front row starter Damon Murty took over. With Murty stretching his margin, a five car battle developed behind him featuring Jeremy Pundt, Reitzler, Cayden Carter, Abe Huls, and Derek Green. The first caution came five laps in, but Murty remained in charge as Reitzler, Pundt, and Huls continued to vie for second. As the race hit halfway, Huls split Pundt and Reitzler off turn four to grab the runner up spot, setting sail for the leader. Reitzler retired two laps later, with Murty stretching his advantage as slower traffic came into play on lap seventeen. A caution brought the field to Murty, with Carter now grabbing second, and Green rebounded to third on lap nineteen. As the white flag waved, Carter got crossed up in turn one, collecting Pundt. The thought crossed my mind that maybe the checkers could have waved as the leaders came around, but instead the caution waved, setting up a green, white checkers finish for the now scrambled field. After the white flag waved for the second time, a seven car pile up in turns one and two created a lengthy delay and ended the night for Huls, among others. One more try at green, white checkers saw Murty hold on for the win, surviving a challenge from Green, who claimed second over John Oliver Jr., Jay Schmidt, and Kyle Brown.
  Now it was sport mod time, twenty cars for twenty laps. Brandon Jewell paced the opening circuit before polesitter Brandon Dale took over, opening a sizable lead, as he had on Friday. But it was tenth starting Austen Becerra who was on the move, powering to third on lap three, then clearing Colten Livezy for second one lap later. Following a yellow on the next lap, Austen charged to the lead, pulling away before a Livezy spin on lap eight. It was now Friday winner Tyler Soppe in the runner up spot, even as sprinkles began to fall, and we were plagued with another handful of cautions. Each time, Becerra shot out to a commanding lead. Dale lost a top five run when he spun in turn two but kept going with seven laps to go. At one point, Becerra led by nearly a straightaway, cruising to the victory trailed by Soppe, Brayton Carter, surprise entrant Earl Pryor, and Nathan Bringer.
  Three features, and no repeat winners, but that was about to change. One dozen modifieds lined up for twenty two laps. Front row starters Mike VanGenderen and Austin Howes ran side by side for the first lap with VanGenderen taking command on lap two. Lap four saw fourth starting Micheal Long move to second. VanGenderen continued to run a smooth line, as Long searched for an advantage. As the crossed flags signaled the halfway point, Michael used a low to high side move to grab the top spot. As he began to methodically stretch his lead, a three car scrum developed for third between Howes, Jeremy Mills, and Derrick Stewart. With no caution periods slowing the action, Long cruised to the win, collecting a cool $1,600 on top of his $1,000 on Friday. VanGenderen took runnerup honors followed by Howes, Mills, and Stewart.
 A whopping twenty seven sport compacts signed in, with all but one starting the fourteen lap finale of the weekend. Row two starter Jacob Houston led lap one by a nose over Barry Taft. Looking to go back to back, Houston set a quick pace until the only stoppage of the race came with three laps to go. On the restart, Jason Ash grabbed second from Taft, but it was Houston claiming his second win of the weekend. As he had on Friday, Ash took runner up honors, trailed by Taft, Jeffrey Delonjay, and Chris Vannausdle.
  Action wrapped up just after 9:30, as we celebrated beating the weather with a pair of solid nights of March racing. It was a successful debut for the new promoters and special thanks go out to Brian, Marcie, and crew. LCS will now set silent until their regular season opener on April 12. At this time, we are hoping to be at the season opener for 34 Raceway next Saturday, with Sprint Invaders and late models on the card.
 One change in the early season schedule, due to wet grounds, Quincy Raceways has cancelled practice for tonight, March 24, and Jason Goble and crew will now attempt a practice next Sunday, pushing  their season opener back one week to April 7.
 Thanks for reading!