Kay Doubles Up, Diercks, Olson, Forbes Top Fall Bash Action

    Thursday night it was back to the Cedar County Raceway in Tipton for night one of the annual Fall Bash. The car count from the Gary Reinhart Memorial the night prior grew by twenty three to one hundred and seventy four, with only the Late Model count dropping, from twenty seven to twenty one. With the way the counts were distributed, it became necessary to add B mains in the IMCA Stock Cars (which replaced the Outlaw Stocks), and the 4 Stocks. With the added heat races, there would be a whopping thirty two races scheduled. But with much better on track behavior from the drivers, it took only four hours from the onset of hot laps to the final checkers, with the action nearly non stop!

  As every other class required a pair of B mains to set their twenty four car starting grids, Late Models would be first in the feature order. This race would go twenty eight laps in honor of long time car owner/driver Brad Coin, whose Late Models sported that number during his colorful career. As the field ran their pace laps, Brandon Loos needed a push around the banked quarter mile. Unfortunately his #57 would not fire off, and he would be the only driver unable to take the green flag. Ryan Claeys and Dustin Schram redrew the front row, but the start was waved off when Joel Callahan spun in turn two. Schram jumped to the lead on the restart with third starting Jesse Bodin in tow. As lap two went in the books, fourth starting Evan Miller cleared Jesse for second. Following a lap five caution for a Thomas Stevens spin, Matt Ryan charged from the second double file row to the runner up position, while Miller was shuffled outside the top five. Ryan was racing around the top of the track while Schram, Bodin, and oncoming Justin Kay did business around the inside tire barriers. As Ryan and Bodin swapped positions, these four cars broke well ahead of the pack. On about lap eighteen Kay was able to advance to second, quickly closing on the bumper of the leader. With nine of the twenty eight laps showing on the scoreboard and the leaders in traffic, Justin eased ahead out of turn two. He quickly put distance on the pack, and needed only to survive another pair of cautions in the final laps to pick up his second Late Model win in two nights of hard fought action. Ryan collected his second top five of the week in second followed by Schram, Bodin, and ninth starting Bobby Hansen. Callahan worked his way back through the field to record a sixth, trailed by Joe Beal, Ron Klein, Miller, and veteran Steve Johnson. 

   Stock Cars would be up next for twenty laps. Kay, who was once again racing in three classes, sat outside Jacob Ellithorpe on row one. With a good idea of track conditions, Justin shot to the lead and held on through three quick caution flags just past the half way mark to record another win. Dustin Vis had come from row two to second on lap two and was cruising when Stan O'Brien jumped over the cushion in turn three, came back on the track on the front straightaway and made contact with Vis who then looped his #20V bringing out the yellow flag and sending him to the tail. Two more stoppages followed in the next scored lap, and then we were treated to an entertaining three wide battle for second between Gage Neal, Cole Czarneski, and Ellithorpe. Neal eventually broke away from that group, but could not run down Kay, settling for runner up honors. Czarneski, Ellithorpe, and twenty first starting Charlie Sancinati from West Allis, Wisconsin completed the first five. 

   Two dozen Sport Mods came to the track for twenty trips around the oval. A pair of Iowa hot shoes, Jarett Franzen and Kyle Olson brought the field to green. Franzen was the early leader with Olson on his heels. By this point cars were able to move freely around the blackened surface with the growing cushion while the fast line seemed to change back and forth within just a few laps. Happily, only one yellow flag slowed the action, that coming with three laps in the books. The low riding Franzen held the top spot until lap nine when Olson used a top side charge to grab the lead. Running high on the treacherous cushion, Kyle slowly pulled away from the field. With no more cautions, he cruised to the win. Franzen was solid in second while Cole Fenske advanced four positions to claim third. Austin Stamm ran fourth and Brayton Carter was able to drive from row five to  fill out the top five. 

   Four Stocks would battle for a dozen laps with only two yellow flags in the first half of the event slowing the action. Wednesday winner Jake Benischek led in the early going before fourth starting Dustin Forbes used a restart with three laps scored to power to the front. After the final caution five laps in, Joe Zrostlik, Josh Starr, and Benischeck raced three wide for second while Michael Snyder stayed hot on their tail looking for a way around the trio. As the laps wound down, Forbes remained in command, the first time I have written down #815 as a race winner!  Hometown driver Starr took second with Zrostlik, Snyder, and Benischek next in line. 

   The finale of the evening was the featured Modified division, and what a finale it was! Twenty four cars, twenty five laps, and not a yellow flag in sight! A pair of Late Model standouts, Spencer Diercks and Chris Simpson came away from the front stretch redraw with front row starts. And as it turns out, pulling the Hoker Trucking beer can with the number one on the bottom from the Yeti cooler that will go to the overall three night point champion proved to be the winning move for Diercks. Spencer would charge ahead as starter Doug Haack waved the green flag and lead all twenty five trips around the oval. Sixth starting Dylan Thornton, the Californian who summers in Iowa, would find his way around Simpson with eight laps to go and was able to close the margin to the front as the leaders worked in slower traffic. But Diercks was up to the challenge, going flag to flag in the non stop event. Thornton and Simpson came next followed by a pair of #12s, Ethan Braaksma and Jeff "Bone" Larson. 

   As mentioned, the final checkers waved just after 10 PM, and the party was already underway as we headed out for the long drive back to Missouri (and Illinois for my companions.) Many thanks to Ryan , Timmy, and the Darkside crew for their hospitality and for a superb night of racing. Kudos to "Dr. Al" for a another perfectly prepared racing surface. And last but not least, thanks to announcer Jerry Mackey not only for the kind words for yours truly and Positively Racing, but also for another fine job behind the mic keeping us both informed and entertained throughout the evening.  Racing will continue for two more nights as the Fall Bash kicks into high gear. Check the website for details.

   We will take tonight (Friday) off even as we make plans for another couple of nights of "post season" racing on this gorgeous weekend. There are lots of good choices, don't let 'em pass you by!

Four Nights of Action Kicks Off in Tipton

    Wednesday we made a last minute decision to head to Cedar County Raceway in Tipton, Iowa for the first of four consecutive nights of racing there, this night being the rescheduled 30th annual Gary Reinhart Memorial. A stellar field of one hundred and fifty one cars in five divisions opened the marathon weekend.

    For this night we had set a 10:30 curfew, and with hot laps starting on time as advertised at 6:30, we were hoping to see the complete show. With warm ups complete, heat racing kicked off at 7:00, and with the one spin rule in effect, seventeen heats and four B mains - two for each of the modified classes were completed by about 8:45. A quick intermission came next for some track prep to knock down a bit of the cushion on the immaculately prepared tacky and fast quarter mile, and it was time for feature racing. 

   First up would be the Outlaw Stock Cars, who offered up an interesting mix of the so named cars with a generous helping of IMCA Stock Cars added in. All but one of the twenty four drivers on hand made the call for fifteen laps of action. Unfortunately this is when the wheels began to come off. Five caution periods marred the action, including three on consecutive laps mid race. Outlaw racer Jeff Struck lined up on the pole position alongside Justin Kay - who was competing in three different classes! - and patiently paced the field throughout the marathon event. Following the third of those rapid fire yellows, tenth starting Joel Rust raced side by side with second running Kay before taking sole possession of the runner up spot. As that battle raged on Struck opened a commanding lead, but with the final two cautions coming with three, then two laps to go, Rust was able to put pressure on the leader although he could not get close enough to challenge for the top spot. This race would belong to Struck, followed by Rust and eighth starting Joe Bonney, who also came on strong in the late stages. Zach Zuberbier and Jake Lund completed the first five. 

   My companion stated the next running 4 Stocks would probably go non stop in their twelve lapper, but with all but one of the twenty eight signed in, that would prove to be wishful thinking! Indeed, in this race the wheels - well one, actually, literally did come off, as top contender Cyle Hawkins "threw a shoe" with three laps scored. Heat two winner Trent LeBarge was the early leader with hometowner Josh Starr in tow. Following this first restart, Starr and Jake Benischek charged from the first double file row to overtake the leader, with LeBarge shuffled back to fifth. Two more quick yellows came and on this final restart Benischek powered to the front. The final six circuits clicked off non stop and Jake was able to hold off the advances of Starr to grab the win. Travis Hawkins claimed third in front of Joe Zrostlik and LeBarge. 

   The clock was ticking as the Late Models lined up. Only Teagan Evans, who left the track on the hook after a heat race pile up was missing from the twenty five lap affair. Unfortunately the twenty six drivers who took the green flag were unable to string laps together early on. After a certain number of yellow flags, which eventually numbered seven, track officials began to deduct laps from the scheduled twenty five. Ron Klein had come from row three to capture the first heat, then redrew the number two pill to start alongside Jaden Fryer in the front row. Klein grabbed the lead followed by Fryer until a restart with four in the books when sixth starting Evan Miller took over the second position. Justin Kay had lined up outside row five, advanced to seventh, then began a charge through the field, moving to the runner up spot about lap nine. Also coming to the front after starting in row six it was Joel Callahan and Matt Ryan. But with the race staying green for the final ten laps, it was a battle between the rim riding Klein and the tire hugging Kay, side by side, lap after lap. With just a pair of circuits remaining, Kay took command, charging to the hard fought win. Klein collected a hard fought second, followed by Callahan, Ryan, and Miller. Fred Remley gained eleven spots to finish sixth ahead of Dustin Schram and Late Model rookie Jesse Bodin. Bobby Hansen also gained eleven positions to claim ninth while Joe Beal started twenty fourth and turned in a top ten. 

   It was now pushing our 10:30 cutoff, so we regretfully headed to the parking lot as the Sport Mods headed for the green flag. Reports this morning show Logan Veloz topping the Sport Mods over Jarett Franzen and Tony Olson, while Brandon Schmitt bested Chris Simpson and Ethan Braaksma in the Modified finale. 

   Tonight we will hope for a bit better luck as we again make the two and a half hour trip for the opening night of the Fall Bash. The lineup is basically the same, with IMCA rules Stock Cars replacing the Outlaw variety on the card. Perhaps with a night under their belt, everyone will be more comfortable on the track and the yellow fever will be a thing of the past. Hope to see you there!

   And a bit of housekeeping, the scheduled two night Chad McCoy Memorial at Adams County, Il. Speedway near Quincy has been switched to a Sunday only show with Micros dropped from the card. There will still be five divisions in action racing for big dollars, hot laps starting about 5:30. Hope to see you there, as well.

Quincy Crowns Season Champs

    An ominous forecast early in the weekend gave way to a beautiful Sunday afternoon and evening and Adams County, Il. Speedway was able to stage their 2023 season championship races. Sixty cars turned out in the five regular divisions, all in double digits led by fifteen Pro Crate Late Models. Regular line up procedures were in effect for all classes, with both the Late Models and UMP Modifieds using time trials to determine heat race starting slots. Last week Jamie Wilson was charged with "no time" after a transponder issue, but this Sunday he paced the division with a lap of 13.657 seconds. Jacob Rexing topped the Mods at 13.968 ticks of the clock. 

   Street Stocks kicked off feature action, eleven cars for fifteen laps. Robert Cottom and Rudy Zaragoza sat on row one with Cottom leading the way. Two yellow flags came in the first two circuits. Now it was Zaragoza and Rexing in a battle for second, but as Rudy fell a bit off the pace Jake Powers charged to second, creating a three car scrum with Cottom and Rexing. A final caution came with ten in the books, and back to racing Cottom and Rexing went side by side with just two laps remaining. At the checkers it was Cottom scored the leader for all fifteen laps as Rexing settled for second. Zaragoza rebounded to run third followed by Powers and Sage Martin. Powers would claim the points title. 

   Dirtcar 4 Cylinders came next with nine of the ten signed in taking the green. Jaden Delonjay powered to the lead from his pole start taking along his fourth starting brother Jeffery in second. Jeffery took over the top spot on lap three, and walked away from the field in the non stop fifteen lapper. Jaden remained in second while Spencer Coats ran the distance in third ahead of Kimberly Abbott. The only "racing" was the on going battle for fifth, as Landon Neisen edged Kyle Weisenberger for the position. Jeffery Delonjay was the runaway points champion. 

   Ten of the eleven UMP Mods came track side for eighteen laps of action. A pair of St. Louis area "Ricks," Conoyer and Stevenson, filled out the front row. With two laps scored, a three car wreck eliminated Frankie Wellman, and when the yellow waved again on the restart two class runner Rexing needed a push to the infield, his night over. With Conoyer leading the way, Becerra cleared Stevenson for second. Conoyer opened a sizable lead until a caution came with a dozen laps scored. Following the restart Conoyer again pulled away and with four laps to go Mark Burgtorf charged around Becerra for second. A final yellow came after the white flag was shown, but Conoyer was up to the challenge, holding off Burgtorf for a flag to flag win. Becerra, who ran on the ragged edge of the growing cushion, came home third ahead of Stevenson, while Shawn Deering edged David Weitholder for fifth. Weitholder was wheeling his back up #4 machine on the night and suffered heavy right side damage as he raced mid pack. Becerra was the track point champion.

   A heat race accident eliminated Braden Bilger and Christian Miles from competition, leaving a bakers' dozen for the Crate Late twenty lapper. The six car redraw found Vance Wilson and Darin Weisinger Jr. pacing the field. Vance and third starting Denny Woodworth topped the opening pair of laps ahead of a caution for a rare Jamie Wilson spin. Back under green fifth starting Tommy Elston, who led Woodworth by just five scant points, joined the battle up front.Vance and Tommy worked the top line while Denny did business down low. The two points leaders were racing side by side behind Wilson when the caution came for Austin Poage with seven laps scored. Following the Delaware restart Elston powered around Wilson for the lead, and when another caution came two laps later for Darren Cawthon, visiting Chase Osterhoff, four hours from his home in Kankakee, charged to the runner up spot. Running the inside line on the slickened surface, Elston was in control as the white flag waved. But as Yogi said "it aint over 'till it's over!" Tommy, then Chase drove under the checkers of flagman Allen Motley as a mix up in turn four triggered the yellow light. As Elston headed for victory lane, the remaining cars continued to circle the oval. According to track officials, the transponder scoring only recorded the top two finishers before the caution, and in what seemed at best a bizarre ruling, there would be one more lap run to determine the feature and season points outcome. As Elston told me later, he had removed his earpiece, so there was a moment of confusion on his part, but soon everyone was back in line for a one lap shootout. I hate to think what could have happened under such questionable circumstances, but fortunately the twenty first lap was just a formality as Elston held on for the win. Osterhoff followed in second in his only Adams County visit in 2023. Jason Perry seemed behind the eight ball early, but found speed to advance five positions to third in front of Vance Wilson and Woodworth. Jason Oenning wheeled the Hollenstine #21 to sixth, topping Cody Maguire, Weisinger Jr., Jamie Wilson, and Cawthon. Elson told interviewer Skipp Dunker there was a "wheelbarrow full of reasons" he wanted his first Quincy points title. 

   There was still one feature to go, as all thirteen IMCA Sport Mods took to the track for eighteen laps. Quinton Shelton and Pete Stodgel led the field to green. A major pile up in turn four of the opening lap forced number two points man Reed Wolfmeyer to the trailer, after he apparently exited his car on the track to check for damage? As racing resumed, Shelton and Michael Goodwin battled for the lead before sixth starting visitor Nicholas Profeta squeezed through to grab the top spot. Following a second and final yellow just after the halfway mark, points leader Logan Cumby raced to second after lining up in row four. Profeta continued to hold the lead running around the tire barriers while Cumby operated one lane higher. With five circuits remaining, Cumby was able to clear Profeta for the top spot, but out of nowhere came eighth starting A. J. Tournear. Blasting around the cushion, he charged to second on lap fifteen, quickly closing on the leader. With the white flag displayed, Tournear drove around Cumby out of turn two, to I believe his first feature win of the season. Cumby took second in the feature and first in the points chase, while last weeks' winner Patrick Phillips cleared Profeta late for third. Tanner Klingele advance five positions to complete the top five. 

   Adams County, Il. Speedway will next host the two day Chad McCoy Memorial next Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 30 - Oct. 1, with big money on  the line for multiple divisions, check the track website for details. The final event of 2023 at the track will be Thursday, October 12 as the MLRA Late Models begin their championship weekend. Thanks as always to Jim, Tammy, and the gang at Adams County for their continuing hospitality, and we hope to see you next weekend!

   Next up we are planning to make the drive to the Cedar County Raceway in Tipton, Iowa Thursday for the opening night of the Darkside Fall Bash. The fairgrounds quarter mile track in Tipton will actually be hosting four straight nights of racing beginning Wednesday with the rescheduled Gary Reinhart Memorial. And there will be two nights of racing beginning Friday at the Scotland County Speedway in Memphis, Mo. for the Jim Oliver Memorial.

   So grab a jacket, turn off the Pay per View, and head to the track, as nothing beats fall racing!

Elston Sweeps Up at Quincy

   Sunday night found us high above turn one at Adams County, Il. Speedway for the King of the Crates Finale paying $1,000 to win to the Late Model feature. In addition, a special twelve lap event was ran for the eight drivers qualified through the King of the Crates season long series. All five regular divisions would be in action with the Sport Mods once again IMCA sanctioned after two weeks of "open" competition. 

   The night started with time trial qualifying for Late Models and UMP Mods. Tommy Elston rolled out late in the order and topped the Crates at 13.726 seconds and Kenny Wallace paced the Mods at 14.056.

   Following ten heat races - two per class - for the sixty six cars signed in, and intermission, the Late Model special event rolled to the track. Elston and Jason Oenning, still wheeling the Derek Hollenstine #21, sat on row one. Elston shot to the lead and held on for the win to go with his heat race victory. Third starting Braden Bilger ran second, but could not get close enough to attempt a pass. Jamie Wilson, Jason Perry, and Oenning completed the first five followed by Darin Weisinger Jr., Denny Woodworth, and Sam Halstead who exited the track early. Woodworth is now piloting the car driven most of the year by Oenning after Denny was involved in a grinding crash at Lee County Speedway. 

   Street Stocks kicked off feature action. The growing class had fifteen cars come to the track for fifteen laps. Heat winners Jacob Rexing and Robert Cottom paced the field and those two pulled away from the pack racing side by side ahead of a lap four caution. Four more yellow flags slowed the action, and after the final one with three laps to go the field went single file. Cottom gained control and raced to the win. Points leader Jake Powers recovered from a 360 degree spin to avoid an out of shape Rudy Zaragoza six laps in. When it was determined that neither driver actually stopped on the track, both were given their spots back and Powers eventually cleared Rexing for runner up honors. Zaragoza and Steve Grotz completed the first five. 

   The IMCA Northern Sport Mod class was unusually light, with just ten cars going for fifteen circuits. Patrick Phillips lined up in row two, charged to the lap one lead and cruised to a flag to flag win in the non stop race. It was the first main event win of the season for Phillips, who fell victim to a last lap pass a couple of weeks ago. Tanner Klingele was able to win a tight battle with Reed Wolfmeyer for second, but could not run down the leader. Logan Cumby edged A. J. Tournear for fourth. Cumby and Wolfmeyer picked up heat race wins.

   Eleven Dirtcar 4 Cylinders took to the .29 mile oval for fifteen laps and also went non stop to the checkers. First heat winner Jeffery Delonjay and Kimberly Abbott sat on row one, but it was heat two winner Jimmy Dutlinger challenging Delonjay early on. Jeffery pounded the tall cushion while Jimmy worked around the tire barrier on the low line. By the mid point Delonjay had opened a commanding lead and he took the checkers about a half lap in front of the soon to be crowned national champion Dutlinger. Spencer Coats was strong in third trailed by Jaden Delonjay. Dyllan Bonk lost his number five spot when he slowed on the backstretch on the final lap, turning the spot over to Landon Neisen. 

   It was now Late Model time, with Elston and Weisinger Jr. leading the sixteen car field. The race was slow getting started as first timer Marty Hull Jr. rolled to a stop in turn four ahead of the green flag. A lap one yellow set up an original restart, but the twenty lapper stayed green the rest of the way. Heat two winner Vance Wilson was shuffled back from his row two spot as the field mixed it up out of turn two on lap one. But it was Elston again leading the charge, making it forty two laps led for the night! Woodworth and Perry battled for the runner up spot with Perry finally taking control. Bilger stayed close in fourth while Jamie Wilson completed the top five. With transponder issues in qualifying, Jamie started the night behind the eight ball, coming from the back to fourth in his heat, then gaining three positions in the feature. Weisinger Jr. led the second five ahead of Oenning, first time visitor Braden Johnson, Vance Wilson, and Christian Miles. 

   UMP Modifieds would round out the action, fifteen cars for eighteen laps. Heat winners Austen Becerra and Trevor Neville brought the field to green, with Kenny Wallace tucking in behind Becerra for second. Neville then rebounded to grab the lead on lap three. The only yellow flags came with seven laps scored and a strong slide job by Becerra followed by a slick crossover by Neville was called back due to a crash on the backstretch. Back to racing Neville twice jumped the cushion in turns three and four allowing Becerra to sail past. Along with Wallace, those three checked out over the closing laps. With just two laps remaining they raced nearly three wide into turn one. When the checkers flew, it was Becerra with the win followed closely by Wallace and Neville. Kevin Blackburn recovered from an early stumble to outgun Mark Burgtorf to round out the top five. 

   The action wrapped up just minutes after 9:00 P.M.

   Thanks as always to Jim, Tammy, and the crew for a fun Sunday night of racing.

    I am scheduled for a few days off to have a minor medical procedure and hopefully spend some time with the great grandsons, hopefully returning to Adams County, Il. Speedway for season championship night next Sunday. In any event these fall races are quickly becoming my favorite, so I shan't be away for long. In the meantime, watch the specials calendar at Positively Racing, there is lots of good stuff still coming!

   

 

Thornton Jr. Claims Night Number One at Knoxville

    As has been our practice for the last couple of seasons, night number one of the Knoxville Lucas Oil Late Model Nationals has been on the calendar. The Saturday night finale of the three day spectacle was on my "can't miss" list from year one until the covid interrupted season of 2020, but with the advent of a mid race fuel stop and the reduced number of laps for the main event, this first preliminary night has become more of an attraction. This would not have been the case with the field split into two qualifying nights, but with the current manageable car counts a full night of racing with all the participants taking a shot at the $7,000 top prize has become a satisfying event leaving the weekend open for other activities. 

   And although the car count for this Thursday show may have been the lowest yet at forty, I would have to say it was easily the best start to finish night of racing I have witnessed not only in 2023 but likely for many seasons! Each of the four heat races, two B mains, and twenty five lap feature were filled with twists and turns, unexpected outcomes, and to top it off the final checkers flew at 9:15!

   Former Nationals winner Mike Marlar started the night off with quick overall time, turning the big half mile at a blistering 17.109 seconds. 

   With the six car invert utilized in the heat races, Marlar lined up outside row three, and with four laps down he suddenly rolled to a stop, bringing out the first and only heat race yellow flag. Without so much as a drive through the work area, he rejoined the field at the back of the ten car field. Meanwhile, third starting Max Blair found his way to the front and held on to pick up the win ahead of fifth starting Devin Moran and Brian Shirley, still sporting the #8S he featured at the World 100. With five cars transferring to the main event, Marlar came back to take the last spot from Chris Simpson just four laps after restarting at the tail. Not content with fifth, he also drove past Tyler Erb to come home in fourth.

   The second twelve lap event found pole sitter Chase Junghans setting the pace early while row two starters, Brandon Overton in his #4 World 100 car, and Kyle Bronson battled for second. Soon sixth starting Chris Ferguson, racing Knoxville for the first time, joined the back and forth barn burner for second. As the laps wound down, the leaders came upon the slower car of Al Humphrey, and Ferguson made his move all the way to the lead. Once in front he checked out, topping Junghans, Bronson, Overton, and Daulton Wilson. 

   Heat three was another down to the wire scrum. Daniel Hilsabeck led the opening circuit before the future Longhorn chassis house car pilot Brandon Sheppard charged to the top spot. As the laps clicked off, fifth starting Jonathon Davenport was closing ever so slightly on the leader. As the front duo exited turn four the final time, J.D. powered around Sheppard by the slimmest of margins to take the win. Group B fast qualifier Ricky Thornton Jr., Earl Pearson Jr., and Hilsabeck finished in transfer positions. 

   The final heat had Tyler Bruening leading the charge from his pole start with Chad Simpson, Spencer Hughes, and Ryan Gustin all challenging. With just two more trips around remaining, Simpson cleared Bruening to claim the win. On the final lap, Bruening fell all the way to forth behind Hughes and Gustin in the Iowa dominated heat. Hudson Oneal scored the final transfer spot. 

  With barely enough time to catch our breaths, the first of two fifteen lap B mains came to the track. Only Richie Bell was absent from the ten car field that would see just the top two move on to the money round. Chris Simpson and Garrett Alberson lined up in row one and they were quickly joined by the National Dirt Late Model Hall of Famer Billy Moyer Sr. in a tightly contested event.While Simpson managed to hold the lead for all fifteen laps, Alberson and Moyer played hot potato with the runner up spot. With the white flag flying, Moyer conjured up one last charge, clearing Alberson for the opportunity to move on.

   B main number two was no less dramatic, at least in the race for second. Tim McCreadie rebounded from a poor showing in both time trials and his heat race to drive off to a nearly half lap victory. Meanwhile four cars battled side by side and nose to tail for the final bite of the apple. Louden Tennessee pilot Cory Hedgecock was behind the wheel of a Jason Rauen #98, and he maintained a slight advantage over Tim Lance, Justin Zeitner, and Todd Cooney. But as the laps wound down, Cory began to fade back in the pack, leaving Lance and Zeitner to do battle with Cooney looking for an opening. When the checkers waved, it was the former Chicago Bear Lance edging Cooney for the twenty fourth feature starting spot. 

   A break of no more than fifteen busy minutes preceded the cars hitting the track for the main event. Wilson and Pearson Jr. sat on row one and paced the field as lap one was scored. On the third trip around, Davenport cleared EPJ for second, even as Wilson was building a sizable lead. Behind the front pair, a frantic four car battle was going on. As the leaders caught the back of the pack with ten laps down, Davenport began to cut in to the lead. Racing on lap sixteen, Wilson found cars racing three wide in front of him, and with a birds eye view in second, Davenport moved to the front. The outside move proved costly, however, as Jonathon tagged the front stretch guardrail, and as he powered towards turn one, his car would not turn and he found himself facing the wrong way at the end of the straightaway. As his #49 was towed to the pits, there appeared to be extensive damage to his ride. The young North Carolina driver Wilson was back in front for the restart, with eleventh starting Overton and seventh starting Marlar breathing down his neck and seventeen laps scored. Three circuits later, Overton used a high side move to grab the lead while eighth starting Thornton Jr. followed him in second. With just three laps left, Oneal made a rare mistake, spinning between turns one and two, bringing out only the third caution of the entire night! This final restart would be single file, and Wilson moved back into the runner up position one lap later even as Marlar and Moran remained a threat close behind. Heading down the backstretch with two to go, Wilson was quickly closing on Overton, but both drivers missed their mark in turn three, and Thornton took advantage to clear Wilson for second as the white flag waved. With plenty of momentum, Thornton would then drive to the bottom of turn one then slide up the track in front of Overton as they raced down the back chute. Ricky would then close the deal exiting turn four, adding another "W" and seven grand to his already phenomenal 2023 season! Wilson was perhaps disappointed but looked good in taking the runner up spot ahead of Overton, Moran, and Marlar. Ferguson rolled home sixth, topping row nine starters Erb and Gustin, while Sheppard and Pearson completed the top ten.

   The decent sized Thursday night crowd was buzzing as they headed for either the pit gate, the exit, or perhaps for some bench racing at the Dingus Lounge. Walking in the door at home at 12:05 was an unexpected treat, and I am a bit jealous of those who will be back at the historic half mile tonight and Saturday!

Stewart, McCarl, and Masters Take Clay County Fair Hardware

    After a night of close, competitive racing in 2022 as well as some of the best fair food around, we decided to once again make the long trek to the Clay County Fair in Spencer, Iowa, billed as "The World's Greatest County Fair." The Tri State Late Models were replaced this year with the Malvern Bank West Series SLMR Late Models, while there would be a return visit by the ASCS Sprint Cars and IMCA Stock Cars. The Stock Cars would be chasing a $1,000 top prize, the Late Models $3,000 while the Sprint Car winners check was a cool $5,000.  

 While the Sprint Car count increased by five to thirty one and the Stock Cars stayed even at twenty six, the change in Late Model sanctions did not fare as well, with a drop of nine to eighteen competitors, as only a couple of last years' entrants came back to raise with the different governing body. 

   Both the Sprints and Late Models used time trials to set their line ups. Blake Hahn paced the ASCS drivers with the fastest of his three laps showing 14.283 seconds, while the quickest of the SLMR stars was eastern division regular Derrick Stewart at 17.089 seconds around the three eighths mile oval. Both of those classes then employed a form of invert to line up their heat races while the IMCA Stock Cars drew for their starting spots. 

   Drivers in all classes seemed to struggle a bit with getting a grip on the racing surface, particularly in turns one and two, showing considerably less speed than at the other end of the track. Still they did a good job of holding caution flags to a minimum in the preliminary events. Although there was a bit of dust throughout the evening, it fortunately was drifting above the massive covered grandstands, and the track crew continued to add water often during the program. 

   Only the Sprints needed a consy as  the top sixteen cars transferred from the four heats, with a fifteen car B main sending six more to the twenty five lap feature. One provisional starter then grew the starting line up to twenty three.

   IMCA Stock Cars would be first on the feature card with all twenty six coming to the track for what was scheduled to be twenty laps. Unfortunately the drivers were never able to string together enough laps to show their stuff. Seven times the caution flag flew until mercifully the white flag was shown with fourteen laps scored. Outside pole sitter Mike Albertsen took the early lead over his row one mate Brock Badger. Two yellow flags and four laps later, eleventh starting Jake Masters charged to the runner up position. After two more cautions, one scored lap and a single file restart, Masters drove to the lead. From that point on he would drive away from the field only to have his advantaged erased by three more yellow flags. The final five laps went caution free with Masters cruising to the win. Albertsen held second followed by eighth starting David Smith, his fellow row four starter Jim Horjsi, and fifteenth starting Cody Nielsen. 

   The sprinters had far less trouble during their twenty five laps, at least until the checkered flag was displayed. Veteran Terry McCarl lined up outside of Hahn in row one and quickly jumped to the lead with fourth starting Matt Covington on his tail. Along with Hahn the top three gained separation from the pack as they flew around the top side of the speedway. By about lap nine - gosh this place could use a scoreboard! - McCarl found himself in slower traffic. As he moved from his preferred line to attempt to put those cars a lap down it looked as though Covington would have an opportunity to challenge for the lead. But not only did #24 maintain his margin, he evened increased it as he weaved in and out of traffic. His biggest challenge came with the #23 of Lance Moss, who was racing for position in the same preferred line of the leader. Eventually McCarl was able to make that pass, and from that point he checked out. As McCarl took the checkers and the pack headed out of turn four, Moss stopped in turn four with fire coming from the engine compartment of his ride. It was a tense time waiting for the driver to exit the car, aided by not only track personnel, but other drivers, as well. Finally he was out of the car, and was soon being checked out by the ambulance crew. With McCarl having taken the checkers, the race was considered complete. Covington was scored second ahead of the hard charger,  twelfth starting Zane DeVault, Hahn, and Brandon Anderson. Interestingly, three of the top five, Covington, Hahn, and Anderson all call the state of Oklahoma home. DeVault is from Indiana, and of course McCarl is a Hawkeye state legend. 

   The SLMR Late Models would round out the action. Involved in a heat race accident, veteran racers Chris Spieker and Rusty Patterson could not make the call, leaving us with a field of sixteen. Still this twenty five lapper would be the race of the night. Mostly due to points accrued during time trials, Andrew Kosiski and Derrick Stewart sat on row one. Stewart paced the opening circuit before Andrew took over on the next trip by the flag stand. With most of the front runners driving low in the corners, Stewart did business a lane higher, trying to find a sweet spot for his #43. The only stoppage of the event came with sixteen laps in the books, as Darrel Defrance and Jeff Segebart saw their night end early on the backstretch. Following the Delaware style restart, Tad Pospisil joined  Kosiski and Stewart as the trio pulled away in a tight three car battle. Again Stewart was working a higher line, and on lap twenty he was able to drive around Kosiski exiting turn two. Over the final five laps he slowly increased his lead, picking up his first west series win to match his east division checkers earlier at one of his "home" tracks in Columbus Junction. Pospisil outgunned Kosiski for second, while Bill Leighton started and finished in fourth. The Zeitner cousins, Corey and Justin picked up the two heat wins, then ran nose to tail in fifth and sixth. Blair Nothdurft was the mover of the race, advancing eight spots to seventh, trailed by Josh Leonard, Gary Brown Jr., and " Chargin' " Charlie McKenna. 

   It was a long  (2)day(s) and night of traveling and racing, but a special one none the less at a quality venue. With a quick turnaround, our next racing adventure will hopefully be night one of the Knoxville Late Model Nationals on Thursday, as the Lucas Oil Late Model Series comes calling for the first of two $7,000 to win qualifying nights ahead of the Saturday night finale. If I cross your path at Knoxville, be sure and say "Hi!"

Woodworth, Delonjay and Three New Winners at Adams County,Il. Speedway

    While many tracks around the mid west have hung up the "Closed" sign for 2023 or perhaps have a couple of specials remaining, Adams County, Il. Speedway soldiers on with their weekly racing program. The Sunday night show had four of the five regular classes on the card, however a group of sponsors stepped up with support to add the 4 Cylinders to the lineup. With several track regulars in the IMCA Sport Mod division having spent the week at the IMCA Super Nationals, it was decided that Sundays races would be opened up to include UMP and USRA B Mods along with the IMCA cars in a non sanctioned event. 

   A solid field of sixty nine cars signed in on a pleasant evening in front of a decent sized September crowd. The effects of a long season soon became evident, as there was a lot of bumpin' and door bangin' going on, some scores being settled or perhaps just normal late season frustration. From our perch near turn one it made for lots of interest and conversation, and I assume there was also plenty of chatter both over the Racecievers and in the pit area!

   The car count was nicely divided to provide a pair of heat races in each class, and despite some of the aforementioned activities, they clicked of quickly. During intermission, promoter Jim Lieurence addressed the crowd, letting us know that despite any rumors to the contrary, he has reached an agreement to operate the track again in 2024. He indicated there will be some adjustments to the schedule, yet everything will remain essentially the same. So that is good news for Tri State area racers and fans! Also during the break, popular veteran Kenny Wallace made an appeal for help for his well known race companion "Jughead", who is raising funds for a trip to Mayo Clinics for a serious stomach condition. A helmet pass plus the track 50/50 donation netted $2,000 for the cause!

   The feature lineups had the Crate Late Models rolling out first, with all fifteen cars making the call for twenty laps. Things got off to a rocky start when pole sitter Vance Wilson, out for only the second time in his #212, appeared to lose power between turns three and four on the opening lap. The result was a five car pile up and a red flag. Although it took quite a bit of time to clean up the mess, only Christian Miles was unable to continue racing. With Wilson now restarting on the tail, heat two winner Tommy Elston moved up alongside Denny Woodworth in row one for the restart. With Tommy jumping to the early lead, the yellow waved again with two laps scored when Cody Maguire spun in turn two, collecting National Dirt Hall of Famer Gary Webb. Both cars needed wreckers for their early exits. Back to racing, Woodworth moved to the front on lap four and began to slowly open a lead. Heat one winner Ray Raker was in pursuit of Elston for second when he pushed too high in turns one and two on lap nine, allowing Sam Halstead to take over third. A final caution came with just three laps to go when contact between Vance Wilson and Braden Bilger sent Wilson for a spin. . During the caution Jason Oenning, subbing in the Derek Hollenstine #21 exited the track, later displaying a bandaged and swollen arm. The final restart was single file, and Woodworth remained in control to take the win and a narrow points lead over second finishing Elston. Raker regained third over Halstead and Jason Perry. Jamie Wilson was the quick qualifier on the night, but a heat race stumble left him starting the feature in row four. He was able to advance to sixth at the checkers ahead of Vance Wilson, Darin Weisinger Jr., Darren Cawthon and James Dickerson.

   UMP Modifieds would go next, with all but Chris Spalding making the call from the dozen cars signed in.  Dave Weitholder, who along with Spalding and Jacob Rexing was doing double duty, had an issue with both his Mod and B Mod in his heats, but brought the B Mod to the track for both features, having to tag the tail in this eighteen lapper. Trevor Neville made the two and a half hour tow from Mackinaw, Illinois, captured the opening heat and fired off from the pole in the feature. Track points leader and heat two winner  Austen Becerra lined up outside row one, and dropped in behind Neville while seventh starting Mark Burgtorf found an opening and charged to third on the first lap. On the third trip around the .29 mile oval, Neville and Becerra made contact, with the leader spinning at the entrance of turn three. Although Austen pled his case that he could not avoid the #777, he was sent to the tail while Neville retained his position. Back under green, Neville and Burgtorf separated themselves from the field, racing nose to tail all the way to the checkers. Fast qualifier Kenny Wallace outran Jacob Rexing for third, while Frankie Wellman had a strong run in fifth. 

   All fourteen Street Stocks lined up for fifteen laps. Heat one winner Rexing, in only his second start in his Street Stock, shot ahead from row one with points leader Jake Powers in second. By the mid point Rexing had nearly a straightaway lead. As the race stayed green, a gaggle of five cars wrestled for positions two through six. Five laps were left on the board when Robert Cottom cleared that pack, but he could do little to close on the #59R. With no yellow flags to slow the action, Rexing cruised to the win. Cottom led the group of Powers, Rudy Zaragoza, Sage Martin, and heat two winner Beau Taylor across the line. 

   If you are a follower of Adams County Speedway action, hold on to your seats for what I am about to tell you. Fourteen of the fifteen B Mods checked in ran eighteen laps caution free! (Spalding also scratched from this feature.) Visiting driver Joe Rudy, Kirkwood, Mo. sat on the pole with Patrick Phillips to his right. That duo paced the field until lap three when fourth starting former NASCAR great Kenny Schrader powered to second. Three laps later, Schrader made the move to the front, and from that point he was gone. A heat race tangle had resulted in Weitholder facing the wrong way on the track where he was hit by Tanner Klingle. With both cars having to start deep in the feature field, they came forward together waging an entertaining battle. But with no breaks in the action, their progress was limited. Although he had to contend with lapped traffic, Schrader breezed to the win, matching his heat two checkers.  Rudy held second followed by Phillips and heat one winner Dakota Girard. On the final lap, Weitholder and Kligele cleared another visitor, veteran John Hobson for fifth through seventh.

   An indication of the quick and entertaining pace of the features saw most of the crowd stick around for the 4 Cylinder finale. Heat one winner and track points leader Jeffery Delonjay shared row one with Spencer Coats. They paced the field ahead of a lap four yellow for Ethan Prim who was collected by Blaine Lambert. Back to racing, the bumpin' and bangin' had everyones' attention. On lap nine, heat two winner Joey Laws, up from Hillsboro, Mo. drove to second, but one lap later Coats and Dyllan Bonk both slipped around Laws. With all the action behind him, Delonjay cruised to another feature win. Coats held second chased by Bonk, Laws, and Kimberly Abbott. 

   Although I imagine there are some less than pleased drivers, the night had lots of what I would call "throw back" racing! Adams County will be in action the next two Sundays, capped by a two day show at the end of the month, check the website for details. 

  We have plans for a couple of week night shows starting tomorrow( Tuesday,) so be sure and check in throughout the week. And just maybe we will see you as we go Racin' Down the Road!

  

Clean Sweeps for Pierce and Jackson at Moberly

    Sunday night was the third running of the Weiner Nationals at Moberly Motorsports Park in Moberly, Missouri. The first of this special series came in July of 2021 and was the brainchild of businessman and Late Model racer Reid Millard. The non sanctioned event paid $10,000 to win the Late Model feature and drew twenty three cars with national touring standout Mike Marlar sweeping the program of time trials, his heat race, and the thirty lap feature. In 2022 the show was postponed by weather, and rescheduled over Labor Day weekend. With MLRA sanctioning, thirty seven Late Models turned out and Missouri driver Tony Jackson Jr. took home the $10,000 top prize. Staying with what works, Millard, now the owner of the super fast high banked track alternately referred to as a four tenths or half mile facility, partnered with MLRA for the holiday weekend. Since the beginning, this race has served as a fundraiser for special causes, and the 2023 recipient is Lizzy's Walk of Faith Foundation addressing childhood cancer. In addition to the $10,000 payoff for Late Models, the winner of the B Modified main event would take home $2,500. Proving himself to be the showman even with his Trophy Tuesday summer series, Millard included plenty of live music and special guests during the evening. And once again there was a hot dog eating contest paying $1,000 to the winner to go along with any indigestion, a pick up truck "burnout" contest, Tina Turner impersonator,  fireworks, on track meetings between drivers and youngsters, all interspersed with music by a D.J. And we can't forget special guest Scott Bloomquist. The renamed Oscar Mayer Frankmobile was again on hand and served as the pace vehicle for the two division program. Oh, yeah, and every so often a race would take place!

   But this blog is about the racing and racing is what we went there for, so let's get to it!

   Twenty seven Late Models and twenty nine B Modifieds of the USRA, Power I, IMCA variety signed in for the evening. With very warm temps and a steady breeze, getting enough water on the wide racing surface proved a daunting task and required quite a bit of extra packing, mostly by the Late Models, pushing us past the advertised start time. Even with the extra water, dust was a bit of a problem, particularly during the features, as that steady breeze helped to cool things down, but unfortunately blew from turn four towards the packed grandstands. Never the less the racing surface was smooth and fast. 

   B Mods used the hot lap/time trial combo format, with standout racer Kris Jackson the fastest by nearly a half second with a lap of 19.944 seconds. To no ones surprise, Jackson also captured one of the four B Mod heats, then drove off following each yellow flag to dominate the feature event. Twenty six cars would start the twenty lap money race which was plagued by yellow flags. It took three tries to complete lap one, as first Jackson from row two, then outside pole sitter Kelly Smith fired off too soon. The next caution came with three laps down, and on the restart a fire erupted from the Glen Saville #53B, bringing first the yellow, then the red flag. Following the lengthy delay, Chris Spalding used the Delaware restart to slip past Smith for second behind Jackson, and Brandon Dale entered the top five after starting eighth. With two more caution periods by the end of lap eight, the field lined up single file. On  the restart Dale moved to fourth and was making a strong move for third on lap twelve when he smacked the wall between turns three and four, dropping back, then bringing out another yellow with a flat tire. The caution came again on the next two attempts to restart, with now third running Cody Agee spinning in turn two on the second try. It was then decided to go green, white, checkers, giving us in essence a fourteen lap feature. It only delayed the inevitable, as once again Jackson drove away from the field to pick up his almost unbelievable forty first feature win of 2023! Spalding came home second followed by Smith, and the somewhat confusing duo of Preston Dawson and Dawson David. All five are at least part time competitors in the Tuesday night regular season program. While it is understandable that the race would be shortened with the excessive amount of cautions, by the same token in a night of so much off track activities, the drivers and some fans may have felt a bit shortchanged. 

   While Jackson was busy sweeping B Mod action, World of Outlaw hot shoe Bobby Pierce was also making short work of the Late Model program. His 16.975 lap would top the field of twenty five that tripped the clock. Kaeden Cornell failed to make a lap, pulling in with smoke coming from his #50, and Derek Fetter also exited the track early with a miss in his engine. While Derek was able to come back in his heat and feature, Cornell was done for the night. Series points leader and Saturday night feature winner at Lucas Oil Speedway Chad Simpson was second quick, but was docked four spots in his heat race lineup for a chain limiter violation. Pierce captured the opening heat race from the pole, while Jeff Herzog did the same in heat two. Mason Oberkramer started inside row two and grabbed the win in the third and final heat. 

   With the B Mod feature complete, the fireworks and meet and great over, it was finally time for the headline event. All but Cornell lined straight up for thirty laps and a shot at the $10,000 or at least the $750 start money. Oberkramer got behind the eight ball early when he spun in front of nearly the entire field in turn two on the opening lap, avoiding contact but restarting at the rear of the pack. Back under green, Pierce opened a sizable lead. He caught slower traffic on lap six, and as he thread the needle, second running Dillon McCowan was able to cut into his lead a bit. However Pierce was soon driving off in clean air ahead of a caution with thirteen laps scored for a Chad Walter spin. One more lap was complete when Matt Becker slowed out of turn four, driving slowly around to the backstretch exit, drawing another caution. Again one lap went in the books before the yellow waved when young Kayden Clatt smacked the turn two concrete. A final stop came with nineteen down for Jimmy Powell. Following this Delaware restart, Chris Simpson charged into second while Jeff Herzog rebounded to fourth after dropping back early. Pierce again caught the back of the pack about lap twenty five, but with his substitute stick man ( Dad went home to start World 100 prep) indicating his big lead, he cruised to the flag to flag win. Chris Simpson took the runner up spot trailed by rookie of the year leader McCowan, Chad Simpson, and eleventh starting Justin Duty. Herzog ran sixth, topping state of Louisiana youngster Clayton Stuckey, Aaron Marrant, Trevor Gundaker, and Daniel Hilsabeck. 

   The final checkers came a ways past the 11:00 hour, capping an interesting and varied evening of entertainment. 

   Millard and his team, including general manager Galen Hassler and former Quincy Raceways operator Jason Goble are working hard to put Moberly Motorsports Park on the racing map, and I expect to see more "big time" shows in the future, as there is lots of seating and the track is situated several miles out of town, making noise less of a concern. One thing they could use is a scoreboard. As race fans we are surely spoiled by them and a bit handicapped without!

Horn is Drive for Five Champion at Lee County

   With Lee County Speedway wisely postponing their Drive for Five finale and season championship event from last Friday, the temperature was much improved on Thursday as August bowed out. Although several drivers were unfortunately unable to attend, the promoters considered this night as their best option. The highlight of the night would be the Late Model feature. The winner would collect at least $2,000, however drivers with the minimum number of appearances in the seven qualifying events were eligible for a $5,000 payday. Thirteen drivers were eligible for the bonus, with all but one - Jeff Guengerich - in attendance. The race would go fifty laps with a ten minute break with drivers allowed to add fuel and make adjustments other than changing tires. If a racer did need to or chose to swap rubber they would be sent to the back of the pack for the restart. Season point champions would be determined in all five regular classes, as well. 

   Seventy six race teams signed in, led by twenty two IMCA Late Models and twenty one IMCA Modifieds. The Late Models contested two sets of ten lap heat races with the second set lining up in the reverse order of the first set. Then points gained in those heats determined the feature line up. 

   The IMCA Northern Sport Mod feature would roll off first, thirteen cars for eighteen laps. Josh Holtman and Tom Bowling Jr. would lead the field to green, with Bowling setting the pace early. Charging through the pack from row four, Brandon Dale would split a pair of front runners, moving to second on lap seven. Dale was slowly closing the big gap between himself and Bowling when the only yellow flag of the event came with six laps to go. Ironically, the caution was for debris, which appeared to come from the Dale #12D machine. One lap after the restart Brandon cleared the leader and began to pull away from Bowling while Sean Wyett, John Oliver Jr., and Holtman battled in tight formation for third. Those five cars crossed the line in that order as the checkers flew. Besides his feature win, Dale was also crowned the Sport Mod points champion. 

   As the large crowd looked on, the Late Models lined up, all but rookie Dallon Murty on the starting grid. It would be a pair of non bonus eligible drivers in row one, Mark Burgtorf subbing for Guengerich in the Richard Racing #15R, and Silvis, Illinois visitor Evan Miller, #88. The first twenty five lap segment ran caution free. Burgtorf paced lap one before Miller shot to the front the next time around. Along with row two starters C.J. Horn and Nick Marolf, those four put distance on the field. Horn powered to second with five laps scored. With Miller rolling through the middle of turns one and two, then pounding the narrowing cushion at the other end, Horn was moving around searching for his best line. Slower traffic came into play on lap ten, and Horn took the lead on lap fifteen. Marolf worked his way to the runner up spot one lap later. At the break it was Horn, Marolf, Miller, Burgtorf, and eighth starting Tommy Elston in the top five. Following the break, Austen Becerra, behind the wheel of the Derek Hollenstine #21 charged from seventh to third, then to second with three laps scored, while Jeremy Pundt climbed from ninth to fifth. Three more trips past the flag stand and Becerra took over the top spot. Andy Nezworski was also on the move, advancing to fourth on lap eight. The leader caught the back of the pack on lap eleven but two laps later the caution flag waved. Back to racing, all heck broke loose! Becerra was tagged from behind and when the yellow again was displayed he had suffered a flat left rear tire. He took time to show his displeasure before exiting the track, his strong run over. With the leader gone, Horn and Burgtorf lined up side by side for the restart, but a jumbled up restart triggered a massive five car melee. Marolf made hard contact with the turn one guardrail, and with at least five cars involved, it was Nick and Denny Woodworth who came out the worst. In fact it appeared that both were left with "junked" race cars. After a lengthy clean up, Horn grabbed the lead ahead of Nezworski and Burgtorf. One final stoppage came with eleven laps remaining, and back to green it was Pundt the man on the move. He hot footed his #52J into second and set his sights on the leader. However he could never get close enough to make a move as Horn held on the collect the $5,000 prize as well as the track championship. Following the two leaders, it was Burgtorf, Nezworski, and Sam Halstead. Elston settled in sixth, chased by Darin Weisinger Jr., Jason Oenning, Christian Miles, and Ray Raker. Pundt took the hard charger bonus, advancing eleven positions.

   Perhaps not surprisingly on a work and school night, many in the crowd headed for the exits with three features still to go. Sport Compacts were way short on cars, with only seven signed in, but they lined up for fifteen laps of racing. Brandon Reu took the early lead over Josh Barnes. Following a lap five caution, Barry Taft joined the party, driving to the lead with six laps to go. Reu regained the lead one lap later just ahead of a final caution. Now it was Reu and Taft locked in a side by side battle. Taft took the white flag in front by inches, but Reu rebounded to cross the finish line ahead by less than a car length. Josh Barnes, Chevy Barnes, and Blaine Lambert filled out the top five, with Chevy the season points champ. 

   Twenty IMCA Mods took the green flag for eighteen laps. After an original restart, the race went caution free! Kyle Madden and Dustin Kroening paced lap one before Chris Zogg split the front duo to snatch the lead away on lap two. From that point there would be no catching the #9Z. As the pack sliced and diced behind in entertaining fashion, Chris drove away. Finally with seven circuits left, Jarrett Brown emerged from the pack in second and attempted to run down the leader. Although he was closing fast at the end, the laps ran out, and Zogg picked up the win. Dakota Simmons was steady in third, while Brandon Banks seemed to come out of nowhere, starting in row six and finishing strong in fourth. Bill Roberts Jr. completed the top five. A seventh place run was still enough to net the track title for Austen Becerra. 

   IMCA Stock Cars would put a cap on the action, with all thirteen cars doing battle for eighteen laps. Leremy Jackson paced lap one, with Jason Cook blasting through to top the next circuit, taking along Derrick Agee. As Cook built a lead, a pair of double duty drivers, Pundt and Oliver Jr. cleared Agee in a dog fight for second. Eight laps in, Neal Kohlmorgan, who had been riding the rim in turns three and four suddenly was out of shape, and flipped his #07 over the barrier, rolling a couple more times before landing on pit road. Again it was a bit of a red flag delay as Neal apparently checked out okay, his race car perhaps not so much. One more yellow came with eleven in the books, then Cook drove on to the checkers. Oliver Jr. topped Agee for second, and it looks as though those two may have finished tied for the points lead, so I am not sure about a tie breaker. Pundt ran fourth while visiting Jason McDaniel came on strong in the closing laps to finish fifth. 

   The track was hammer down fast early, smooth as glass all night, serving up outstanding side by side racing. The lights will now be off until Friday night September 22, when Sprint Invaders will top the card. As of now, there are two race nights scheduled in October, the 7th, and the always popular Shiverfest on the 28th. Keep an eye on the Lee County Speedway website for details. 

   Thanks as always to Brian and Marcie for their season long hospitality. We had a fun time visiting with friends, old and new, and it was great to see long time track scorer Roy Ross in the house! 

Edit: It was Derrick Agee topping the Stock Car points.