Before we begin, we want to offer condolences to the family, friends, fellow workers and on track competitors of the gentlemen injured in the tragic accident at Jacksonville, Illinois Speedway on Friday. Unfortunately there was one fatality involved while another man is hospitalized. This is a stark reminder that the sport we all love is a dangerous one and we must all stay vigilant.
After a fourth birthday celebration for great grandson Chester, I arrived at Lee County Speedway just in time for hot laps. American Iron Racing Series cars joined the usual six classes, with a total of eighty eight cars signed in.
For whatever reasons, many of the participants chose not to hot lap, and as racing began, the track seemed a bit greasy. When a blown engine in an early heat race resulted in an oil spill nearly half way around the three eighths mile D shaped oval, the surface became even less forgiving. As a result there were far more yellow flag stoppages than normal and an abundance of laps spent circling the track trying to get the oil worked in. The result was a rather tedious set of qualifying heats.
Then something awesome happened! The sun began to set off turns three and four, a cool (chilly?) breeze picked up, and the moisture buried in the black dirt began to come to the surface, giving us a feature track that produced some good battles.
Sport Compacts were a late addition to the program this week, and as a result only five competitors signed in. Brandon Reu grabbed the early lead with Luke Fraise and Barry Taft close behind. Taft moved to second on lap two, doing business in the low groove while Fraise searched higher on the track. Five circuits into the fifteen lapper, the searching paid off, as Fraise powered to the front coming off turn four. On the following lap, Taft was able to slip around Reu for second. With the laps winding down in the non stop event, Taft was trying to set up the leader for a final challenge still running the inside line. Taking one more shot as they entered the final turns, Taft possibly made contact with the tractor tire barrier, spinning and coming to a stop before the finish line. Fraise would drive home the winner, followed by Reu, Ethan Prim, and Harrison Horn.
The A.I.R.S. fifteen lap feature ran next. Bart Miller jumped ahead early and cruised to the win in his 1962 Ford Galaxie. This would be another non stop event.
Drawing Hobby Stocks to the track continues to be a tough sell, with only nine entered on this night. David McCalla led the opening lap after starting on the pole, but it was fourth starting Dustin Griffiths charging to the lead the next trip around. The first yellow flag in feature racing came with eight laps scored, and while Griffiths held his lead on the restart, a three wide battle developed for the runner up position. Finally Peyton Stephens took command of the spot in his #623 machine. Griffith cruised to victory followed by Stephens, McCalla, Luke Phillips, and James Pilkington.
Sport Mods led the way with twenty signed in, and all but one lined up for fifteen laps. Brandon Dale would rocket to the front from row two and lead all fifteen laps. Jim Gillenwater was on the chase early even as Dale opened a sizable lead flying around the top of the track. The caution flag came with four laps scored and even though not a part of the incident, third running Nicholas Profeta rolled to a stop on the backstretch, his run ended with a power issue. Dakota Girard would try to pressure Dale as racing resumed, with the duo pulling away from the pack as the laps clicked off. With the wave of the green flag signaling two laps to go, Dale found himself encountering slower traffic. This gave Girard one last chance, but Dale was not to be denied as the excited second generation driver secured the win and celebrated with a front stretch donut! Kyler Girard finished behind brother Dakota in third with Brayton Carter in the Carter Vandenberg #7V in fourth. Colton Livezey advanced five spots to come home fifth.
Now it was Modified time, ten cars for twenty laps. Dustin Kroening and Denny Eckrich filled out the front row, with Eckrich powering to the lead. Blaine Webster would take up the chase of Eckrich on lap two and they would drive off from the field. Meanwhile Kurt Kile found himself in a battle for third, finally taking command of the spot and setting sail for the leaders, leaving Kroening and Daniel Fellows fighting side by side for fourth. Webster made several attempts to dive below Eckrich, but could not find the necessary momentum to complete the pass. As the lap counter went to five to go, Kile had caught the front pair, and one lap later he sailed past Webster for second. Again slower traffic became an issue with two laps remaining, but Eckrich showed his moxie in negotiating those cars at just the right time, picking up the win in another non stop event. Kile would settle for runner up honors, topping Webster, Fellows, and Kroening.
The Stock Car class has been a bright spot at LCS in 2024, evidenced once again by a field of nineteen on Saturday. David Brandies sat outside row one and charged to the lead ahead of his row one mate, Abe Huls. As the pack exited turn four to complete the first lap, a mix up brought out the yellow flag. Back under green, Brandies drove away from a tight five car scrum behind him involving Huls, Johnny Spaw, Keegan Wells, Dustin Griffiths, and Beau Taylor. By the time Spaw cleared this group at the halfway mark of the twenty lapper, Brandies had a full straightaway advantage. As the field was set to complete lap sixteen, the yellow flag came as Griffiths made contact with Huls as they battled for third. Griffiths was penalized for the contact and he headed to the trailer with Huls retaining his position. There were still five circuits to race and Brandies' big lead had disappeared. On the Delaware Style restart, Huls shot ahead of Spaw, but had nothing for the leader. The checkers waved for Brandies, Huls, Spaw, Wells, and Taylor.
Late Models would wrap up the evening, a short field of eleven racing for twenty five laps. Tommy Elston has been on fire at his home track, and when he lined up outside row one, the "writing was on the wall." Pole sitter Denny Woodworth would stay close early, but soon Elston drove off into the Lee County night. This would be another non stop race, and soon the field was lined up around the low groove, with everyone waiting for the driver in front to make a mistake. Spencer Havermale would be the big mover of the event, gaining for positions to finish fourth. As starter Kevin Eggleston waved the double checkers for the final time, it was Elston with the "easy" win. Woodworth ran second chased by C.J. Horn, Havermale, and up and coming second generation pilot Clay Simpson (#25JR). Jeremy Pundt paced the second group ahead of Nick Marolf, Jason Oenning, Jackson Frankel, Darin Weisinger Jr. and Ron Boyse.
Thanks once again to Neal, Patrick and crew for their hospitality, especially the always friendly faces at the pit gate!
Tonight we will head to Adams County, Il. Speedway for weekly racing, then we will be back there again on Wednesday for the make up UMP Modified extravaganza Chad McCoy Memorial paying $4,545 to win as part of the boosted purse six division program. Hope to see you there!
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