As the volatile spring weather created havoc with race schedules throughout the region, the newly formed team of Neal Kohlmorgan and Patrick Profeta - KP Promotions - saw their initial attempts at presenting racing at the Lee County Speedway washed out. The two former racers will present mostly Saturday night action, a change from the regular Friday night events of the last several decades. With the Fairgrounds previously reserved for some Saturdays, a handful of weekly shows will take place on Fridays, but the bulk of the schedule will feature Saturday night racing. For this initial season, only the Late Models carry a sanction, competing under the UMP Dirtcar banner, also the Sunday sanctioning body at Adams County, Il. Speedway in Quincy. Other regular classes at the track are unsanctioned Modifieds, Sport Mods, Stock Cars, Hobby Stocks and Sport Compacts.
With the calendar flipping to June, only a pair of race nights had been logged, one night of regular classes, and one Sprint Car special, but already it would be time for the dual points fund season in four of the classes to begin. Modifieds, Sport Mods, Stock Cars, and Hobby Stocks would be able to accrue points at both Lee County and CJ Speedway in Columbus Junction during a ten race at each track summer series with a generous payout at the end. To qualify, competitors would need to race at least eight nights at each facility. It will be interesting to see how many drivers take advantage of the opportunity.
Tonight would also be "Drive for Five" qualifier for the Late Models, the mini series with a $5,000 to win climax at the end of the season.
Overnight and early morning showers once again threatened, but LCS missed the worst of it, allowing racing to proceed. Still there was plenty of mud to go around in the pits when I arrived but when most other tracks within 150 miles were forced to cancel both the grandstands and the pit area saw the hard work of the track crew pay off. With some later arrivals,a final total of ninety five cars rolled through the gates. Hot laps kicked off just a bit after the advertised time of 6:00, but under the skillful direction of flagman Kevin Eggleston we were racing just a few ticks after 6:30.
Fourteen heat races clicked off in fine fashion before considerable time was spent manicuring the racing surface. Considering all the rain that had fallen, the three eighths mile oval was holding up in fine fashion, but the track crew surely wanted the best conditions possible for the six feature races.
Sport Mods would roll off first with all twenty cars contesting fifteen laps. Trevor Tanner would bust out to the early lead ahead of Tyler Heckart, eighth starting Dylan VanWyk and Logan Cumby. That group quickly separated from the pack ahead of the first caution at lap four. At this time Heckart ducked to the hot pit for service, and on the Delaware Style restart, Cumby charged to the lead, taking along VanWyk in second. Jim Gillenwater and Logan Anderson now joined the front pack ahead of a multi car mess in turn two at lap seven. Back under green, Gillenwater brought out a yellow flag as he went spinning with five to go. One more lap was scored before the red flag came out for a five car pile up in turn three. The delay had little effect on Cumby who dominated the final circuits, cruising to the win. VanWyk ran second ahead of twelfth starting Anderson and Brandon Dale. Heckart recovered from his early troubles, powering back to fifth at the checkers.
Fifteen Sport Compacts came to the track for fifteen laps, but Blaine Lambert was forced to give up his row one start when his #18L would not refire. This would move hometown driver Brandon Reu to the outside pole, and he would quickly grab a lead he would never relinquish. An entertaining five way battle behind Reu was interrupted when Barry Taft lost a right rear wheel around the halfway mark of the fifteen lapper. Back to racing, Tim Schnathorst took command of the runner up spot and we now had a tight two car duel up front. But Reu was solid in taking the win over Schnathorst. Dyllan Bonk made the trip from Hannibal, Mo. to capture third ahead of Luke Fraise and Darin Smith.
Twenty three Stock Cars checked in on Saturday, a much larger than normal total for Lee County. Twenty one of them took the green flag for twenty laps. One of the missing was Kase Kohlmorgan, who flipped his sharp looking #17 in turn two during his heat race. David Brandies shot to the lead from outside row one ahead of Derrick Agee and an intense battle for third. Following a caution four laps in, Tanner Allen climbed to second and again a group of four waged war behind the front duo. A big lead for Brandies was wiped out when the yellow flew for a tractor tire kicked onto the surface eight laps in. Back under green for one lap and the red flag was displayed as Dustin Griffiths flipped end over end hard in the apparently tricky second turn. The caution would come out two more times, negating a three wide tussle for second, and finally on the white flag lap as Dave Wada went up in smoke. At the same time, fourth running Johnny Spaw headed to the trailer. Brandies cruised through the green, white, checkers finish, topping Agee over Allen by one tenth of a second. Dustin Vis wheeled #34 from seventeenth to fourth, and Keegan Wells nipped Nicholas Profeta for fifth.
The twelve car twenty lap Modified feature went a bit smoother. Blaine Webster opened a commanding lead early while Dakota Simmons also drove off in second. Austen Becerra lined up in row four before charging to third on lap seven. At the same time, contact between Kurt Kile and Charlie Mohr ended the night for Kile and sent Mohr to the tail for questionable driving. A three wide scrum for the runner up spot on the restart saw Daniel Fellows take the spot coming from fourth. But following a second and final caution about lap nine, Becerra claimed the position. It was now a two car race, and with thirteen in the books, Becerra shot past Webster for the lead. Austen then stretched his advantage, cruising to the win. Webster and Fellows came next, while Mohr rebounded to fourth in front of Simmons.
The Hobby Stock count climbed to eleven, but the show belonged to double duty Dustin Griffiths. Starting on the pole, he powered off with his row one mate Preston McDonald in second. Kudos to Shane Richardson, who looped his ride off turn two while working on McDonald, but kept going. Behind Griffiths there were numerous good battles for second as the fifteen laps clicked off caution free. Daniel Wauters worked his way methodically from row five to the runner up spot on lap eight, but was unable to run down the leader. Tucker Richardson took third over Jason Schutterle. Tom Killen Jr. made the haul from Des Moines, started scratch on the field, and drove to fifth at the checkers. So it was both a good and bad night for Griffiths and his #10G machines!
UMP Pro Crate Late Models would close out the program, fourteen strong racing twenty five laps. Ageless Ron Boyse drew the pole position and rocketed to a big lead over Late Model rookie Spencer Havermale and veteran Sam Halstead. The front duo gained separation ahead of a lap four caution for Jeremy Pundt. Jay Johnson was running with the front pack, but spun on the restart, collecting Terry Wilson and Pundt, both of whom headed to the trailer along with Ray Raker. Back under green, ninth starting Tommy Elston charged to fourth as Boyse and Havermale again pulled away from the pack. Elston soon took over third, then a caution for debris just before the halfway mark brought the front runners back to the field. With just ten laps remaining, Havermale slipped around Boyse for the lead, but drifted too high in turn four, falling to third. It was now a battle between Boyse and Elston, with Tommy taking the top spot on lap sixteen. One final yellow came a lap later as Vance Wilson appeared to lose an engine. With the green flag waving, Elston pulled away to a convincing win. Havermale rebounded to edge Boyse for second, while a late charge from Denny Woodworth saw him gain seven positions to fourth. Josh Foster sneaked past Halstead for fifth in front of Darin Weisinger Jr., Jackson Frankel, Jason Oenning, and Johnson.
The long night of racing concluded about 10:45, with most of the nice sized crowd sticking around until the end. It was my first trip to LCS in 2024, and it was great seeing so many friendly faces! Thanks to Patrick, Neal, and the crew for their hospitality. Amazingly, as I type this Sunday morning, the sun is out and it looks like Adams County, Il. Speedway is a "go" for tonight. If you see me wandering around there, say "Hi!"
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