Bright, sunny skies and warm temperatures greeted drivers, crews and fans as they filtered in to Lee County Speedway in Donnellson on Saturday evening. It was $5.00 adult admission night courtesy of the Iowa Corn Growers Association District 9 as well free entry for military veterans paid by American Ethanol. So one might expect a large gathering and that was indeed the case. A fireworks display scheduled after racing was also icing on the cake!
A solid field of ninety three race teams in the regular six classes signed in to compete led by eighteen UMP Pro Crate Late Models.
With the D shaped three eighths mile oval track in good condition, heat race qualifying action clicked off in good time and following intermission it was time to go feature racing.
All of the main events had extra money on the line, and the 4 Cylinder class kicked things off with ten of the eleven on hand vying for a $600 top prize. Last weeks' winner Luke Fraise led the field early racing nearly side by side with Barry Taft, who grabbed the lead on lap two. As those two battled, Kimberly Abbott and Brandon Reu began to close in. Halfway through the fifteen laps the top four was tightly bunched. Soon it was Reu in the runner up position working on the bottom of the track. As the white flag waved to signal one more lap, Reu pulled even with the leader, and then used a low side power move to lead from the final corner to the checkers. Taft would settle for second ahead of Fraise, Abbott, and Jeremy Williams.
A large group of twenty one Hobby Stocks were on hand, with all but one lining up for fifteen laps and a $1,000 payday. The first caution came before one lap was scored, then Des Moines driver Tom Killen Jr. grabbed the lead ahead of John Richardson. A second caution came with two laps down and on the Delaware Style restart Tucker Richardson charged to the lead. By lap five, one of the hottest Hobby Stockers in southeast Iowa, Dustin Griffiths was out front and together with Tucker Richardson they began to separate from the pack. Three more yellow flags would slow the action, but they proved to be only momentary set backs for Griffiths, who cruised to the win over T. Richardson. David McCalla came on strong late, advancing from a row six start to third, with Killen Jr. and Daniel Waters completing the first five.
All fifteen Sport Mods would come to the track for fifteen laps and a shot at the $1,000 winners check. Oskaloosa racer Dylan VanWyk shot to the lead from outside row one and was never headed. Veteran Keokuk driver Jim Gillenwater stayed close early, but VanWyk was too strong on this night, dominating the field. Three stoppages only delayed the outcome, with VanWyk cruising to the win. Gillenwater ran second throughout while Dakota Girard used the final caution with three laps remaining to charge from six to third. Brandon Dale and Tyler Heckart would round out the top five.
One Late Model was missing from the starting grid for the twenty five lap, $1,250 to win headliner. A pair of Mendon, Il. drivers, Darin Weisinger Jr. and Denny Woodworth filled out row one, with Woodworth leading Weisinger through the first three circuits. Following a restart, Keokuks' Tommy Elston bolted from third to the top spot. Two more caution periods came in the next four laps, with Weisinger Jr. rebounding to second. He again swapped spots with Woodworth on lap nine, but meanwhile Elston was slowly building a commanding lead. Soon Elston found himself catching the back of the pack, but with his big lead he had no trouble weaving his way through the traffic. He crossed the line first for his sixth consecutive victory at LCS! For the second consecutive week Woodworth was the runner up, with Nick Marolf slipping past Weisinger Jr. for third. Visiting Sellersburg, Indiana racer Patrick Shumaker ran fifth. Veteran Ron Boyse led the second five, topping Dakota Simonsen, Spencer Havermale, Colton Leal and Michael Leal.
It was now Stock Car time, fourteen strong for twenty laps and a $1,000 check. Trenton Witt paced the field with fourth starting Johnny Spaw taking over on lap three. Keegan Wells was also on the move, claiming second one lap later. Four yellow flags slowed the action, however the final eight circuits went off under green. In the meantime, there was a great battle behind the leader as Derrick Agee, Wells, David Brandies, and Nicholas Profeta worked side by side and nose to tail for second through fifth. Following a final restart for an oil spill down the front stretch and into turn one, Brandies decided to search the high line around the track, finding speed to charge to second. He then dropped to the low groove, trying to sneak under Spaw, who was effectively using a diamond move in turns three and four with extra speed off the corners to hold the lead. The Cedar Rapids veteran would take Kevin Egglestons' checkers first in front of Brandies, Wells, Agee, and Barton Franks.
Modifieds would put a cap on the action, also going twenty laps with a grand on the line. Thirteen cars made the call, although Keokuk hot shoe Daniel Fellows fell out early with a flat tire. Dakota Simmons grabbed the early lead over Matt Diaz, with sixth starting Kurt Kile racing to second on lap two followed closely by eighth starting Denny Eckrich moving to third one lap later. With five laps scored the yellow flag waved for debris on the track, and back under green Eckrich jumped to the front. There were two more stoppages at laps seven and nine, but Eckrich remained in command. He would take the win, his second in a row, by a comfortable margin. Simmons raced home second, besting Kile, Diaz, and Jesse Belez.
Racing concluded shortly after 10:00 with most folks staying around for the fireworks. Thanks as always to co promoters Neal Kohlmorgan and Patrick Profeta for their hospitality and hard work. Just a reminder, there will be no racing next week with the Lee County Fair taking center stage with other activities. The track will then host a pair of Friday night races to wrap up the month of July before returning to Saturday night action in August.
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