When 34 Raceway scheduled the All Star Circuit of Champion Sprint Cars visit on Friday, July 21, Lee County Speedway decided to pivot to Saturday night racing for the weekend. So "Saturday Night Thunder in the Heartland" was temporarily resurrected with a - count 'em - seven class program. Leading the way was round six of the IMCA Late Model $1,000 to win Drive for Five. The other three regular IMCA divisions, Modifieds, Stock Cars and Sport Mods would be in action along with the non sanctioned Sport Compacts, Mini Hauler Trucks plus a visit by the American Iron Racing Series "classic" race cars. With the switch in race nights, only the Mini Haulers would be competing for track points, although state and national points would be on the line for the IMCA classes. It was then decided that with no points offered for Compacts the rules would be opened up to non LCS legal cars for this night only. Start times were moved up and that would hopefully aid in still getting the program over at a reasonable time as the fairgrounds facility rests at the edge of town with the sound of race cars likely heard from border to border and beyond. With no track points on the line, starting line ups would be done in a draw, redraw fashion.
Although some sprinkles fell as cars began to check in, the skies soon cleared and it was a beautiful evening for racing. Despite the early threat of rain, one hundred and two race teams rolled through the pit gate, led by twenty of the always entertaining A.I.R.S. cars. Figuring out makes, models, and years is always a challenge, but it took a close inspection for me to make a guess at the #86 Willys driven by Dan Jordan. No way I would have known it was a 1954!
As expected at Lee County, hot laps began right on time at 6:15, and the fifteen qualifying heat races clicked off in timely fashion ahead of an as advertised ten minute intermission. First time visitor Joey Franklin would watch from the sidelines after losing the engine in his #33 Late Model during hot laps.
A.I.R.S. would kick off feature racing, twenty strong for fifteen laps. Three caution periods would slow the pace, set early by second generation driver Doak Allen, Jr. After an early side by side battle, Bart Miller eased his #501 1962 Ford to the front. His only challenge from that point would be the yellow flags bringing him back to the pack. Owen Hayes eventually worked his Thunderbird into second, again after a duel with Allen. The field avoided a final stoppage with a multi car mix up in turn four coming to the white flag, but the running order was scrambled from third on back, with Jake Hayes in his Packard and Dominac McNabb completing the top five.
All thirteen Stock Cars made the call for eighteen laps. Jason Cook shot to the lead from the outside pole, with fourth starting John Oliver Jr. alongside. Cook set up shop in the inside line while Oliver did business on the increasingly narrow and close to the wall cushion. Along with Jeremy Pundt, those three worked side by side and nose to tail, swapping positions lap after lap in what was easily the race of the night. The second of two cautions came with eight laps to go when fourth place visitor Andrew Schroeder spun in turns three and four. In the closing laps Cook was able to open a slight lead while Oliver rettook second from Pundt on the final circuit. Dakota Simonsen advanced seven spots to finish fourth and Austin Schrage rounded out the top five.
The Modified count was down, but the quality was solid. Columbus Junction regular Jarrett Brown made the trip south pay off with a flag to flag victory. He shot to the front from the pole position, taking his row one mate Chris Zogg along in tow. With no yellow flags to slow the action, Brown opened a near straightaway lead by the halfway mark of the eighteen lapper. Zogg held a comfortable margin over third place Austen Becerra to the end, while Jadin Fuller and Zack Rawlins also turned in top five finishes.
The remaining sixteen Late Models came to the track for twenty five laps, with Jeff Guengerich ducking to the infield on the parade lap. Tommy Elston and Denny Woodworth made up row one, and although Elston got the jump at the green, it was Woodworth out front all the way. Row two starters Jeremy Pundt and Greg Kastli ran third and fourth as those four were some distance from each other but all well ahead of the rest of the field. Woodworth caught the back of the pack around the mid point of the race, and began working patiently through the cars often running side by side for position. As the laps clicked off, he soon tucked in behind tenth running Gary Webb as they navigated the inside groove. Elston was able to close within a few car lengths, but soon ran out of laps in another non stop event. Rookie Christian Miles turned in a solid performance in fifth ahead of last weeks' winner C.J. Horn. In only his second night in a Late Model, Josh Foster moved up six spots to seventh in front of Sam Halstead. Darin Weisinger Jr. came home ninth in his new pink highlighted #11, while Webb wheeled the #6 formerly driven by son Brian to complete the top ten.
A very slick track greeted the seventeen Sport Mods, but they did a nice job, completing eighteen laps with only a pair of yellow flags slowing the race. Jim Gillenwater continued the front row domination, leading from start to finish for the win. Following a lap two caution, Brandon Dale, Shane Paris in a Matt Mayo #13, and Brayton Carter staged a great battle behind the leader. Back to green after a second and final stoppage on lap six, Carter used the Delaware restart to claim the runner up spot. As the front cars fell in line around the inside tire barrier, Gillenwater gradually increased his lead. Carter, Paris, and Dale continued their pursuit, while the Bakersfield, California pilot Mayo charged from outside row six to a top five finish.
All except Cincinnati, Ohio driver Jack Pflum took the green flag as fifteen Compacts battled for fifteen laps. Again, the front row was the place to start, as Spencer Coats jumped to the lead chased by third starting Josh Starr, and Jeff Delonjay. Chuck Fullenkamp entered the fray , grabbing third on lap three. Meanwhile Coats opened a huge lead before a single caution brought him back to the pack just after halfway. Back to racing Delonjay moved to second as Starr dropped a bit off the pace. But it was all Coats, as he cruised to his first ever feature win, celebrating in victory lane. Delonjay held second over Fullenkamp, Starr, and Luke Fraise.
With the Mini Haulers in staging, we headed for the parking lot, but I see the theme of the night continued as Jeff Bockes took the win from the pole position. Tim Wagner, Sheldon Brocket, Jim Ruble, and Roger Brockett collected top fives.
Thanks to the Gaylords and crew for another efficient and well run program.
It looks as though the rain has cleared the area, so tonight, Sunday, we will head to Adams County, Il. Speedway near Quincy where the MARS Modified series will highlight the five division program with a $2,000 to win main event. Hope you can join us there!
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