Lee County Speedway in Donnellson, Iowa hosted a rare Saturday night special on August 1. There was extra prize money on the line, including a $1,000 top prize for the late models, modifieds, sport mods, and stock cars, and $400 for the sport compacts, along with a return visit by the IMRA midget racers vying for $500, and it was qualifier number four of five for the IMCA late models Drive For Five special in September. An excellent field of ninety nine cars signed in on a beautiful evening in front of a good sized gathering. Mother Nature cooperated, as the temps were very pleasant, even with the earlier Saturday night start time of hot laps at 6:00.
Thirteen heat races clicked off in quick fashion, and after about a ten minute break, the IMCA sport compacts rolled out for their feature event. Surprisingly, the compacts had the lowest car count at eleven, but they never the less set the tone with an exciting feature run. Hometown favorite Brandon Reu shot to the early lead from the pole position on this draw, redraw night, with fourth starting Jason Ash following in his tracks. The front pair quickly separated themselves from the pack as several cars battled for third on back. With no caution flags to bunch the field, Ash was able to take a couple of runs at the leader, but could not make the pass. Reu held on for the win, with Ash coming home second. Kimberly Abbott worked her way to third, outgunning Adam Christy and Jared Huele.
Next up was the midget finale, with seventeen cars scheduled to go fifteen laps. Again, it quickly became a two car scrum, with last weeks winner Bryan Stanfill blasting off from the pole, taking third starting Brent Burrows along. By lap six, Burrows was out front and stretching his lead ahead of a lap eleven caution. The midgets restarted single file, completing just one more lap before the second and final yellow during which third running Andy Baugh slowed, retiring to the pits. Burrows, from Lewistown, Illinois home, remained in command, grabbing the win while Stanfill, who calls California home, took second. Three more Land of Lincoln drivers followed, Mark McMahill, Tyler Roth, and Chris Adrien.
The twenty five lap IMCA late model feature was moved to third on the lineup this week, and previous winners Nick Marolf and Andy Eckrich led the sixteen car field to the green flag. Marolf put his #33 out front, with third starting Mark Burgtorf in pursuit. Following a pattern, those two began putting distance on the rest of the pack. As lap five was scored, Burgtorf was in front by inches, and he was able to line up out front after the caution came out on lap six for Matt Strassheim. Things got bottled up on the restart, with last weeks' winner Dustin Griffin taking advantage to move into third place. The leaders soon settled into the low groove around the 3/8 mile oval as Burgtorf opened a commanding lead. With no more yellows, Mark caught the back of the field about lap twenty, and with everyone running low, he was reluctant to give up his line to put the slower cars a lap down. Marolf was able to take advantage and close the gap, and with three laps to go, he had found the rear bumper of the #15R. However he could get no closer to the top spot, and Burgtorf , from Quincy, Illinois held on for his second Drive For Five $1,000 payday. Marolf took runner up honors, with Griffin in third. C J Horn, in only his second visit to the track posted a solid fourth, with Eckrich completing the top five. Tommy Elston lost a top five run on the restart mixup, coming home in sixth. He was followed by Sam Halstead, Andy Nezworski, Ron Boyse, and Denny Woodworth.
IMCA sport mods led the way with twenty seven entrants, and all but two lined up for eighteen laps of action. Brandon Dale drew the outside pole, and he paced the early laps as visitors Dylan Van Wyk and Tim Plummer battled for second. Meanwhile Logan Anderson started tenth and moved to up to challenge those two by lap four. Coming through turn four, Dale lost the handle on the slick surface, going for a spin collecting Plummer and Austen Becerra, ripping the right side off the Becerra ride. Following another caution on the restart, Van Wyk was on top, with Anderson charging to second ahead of a lap seven yellow. Once more the caution came at lap eleven, but Van Wyk was unfazed, and the youngster from Oskaloosa, Iowa held on for his first Lee County win. " Travelers " dominated on this night, as Anderson took second in front of Brayton Carter, Plummer, and Carter Vandenberg.
A strong group of sixteen IMCA stock cars signed in, with visitors Damon Murty and Shawn Ritter filling row one of the eighteen lap feature. But it was third starting Abe Huls out front as lap one was scored, running side by side with the two front row starters. David Brandies joined the leaders on lap two as they raced four wide. The first caution came on lap five for Dallon Murty. On the restart, tenth starting John Oliver Jr. was up to fifth. Three wide racing continued, with Huls nosing ahead of Brandies. Just past halfway, Murty, Ritter, and Oliver ran three wide for third. The race was stopped three more times for cautions and on the final lap sixteen restart Brandies bobbled, falling out of contention. Huls was then able to open a lead, with the Carthage, Illinois driver scoring the win. Ritter was second, followed by Damon Murty, Oliver Jr., and Jeremy Pundt.
A dozen IMCA modifieds came to the track for the twenty lap finale. Fowler, Illinois hot shoe Michael Long drew the front row, powering to the lead as the green flag waved. Doing double duty, Burgtorf slipped past Daniel Fellows for second on lap two. The only stoppage of the race came at lap five, and Derrick Stewart moved to second on the Delaware restart. Dennis Laveine fired off from row four, and entered the top three at lap eight. From that point the laps clicked off to the checkers, with Long cruising to his second win in two weeks. Stewart, Laveine, Burgtorf, and Jeff Waterman rounded out the top five.
The early start combined with an efficient show had us on the road home before 10:00 PM! Thanks to Brian, Marcie, and the staff for a fun Saturday Night Thunder in the Heartland!
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