Saturday night the regular season wrapped up at Lee County Speedway in Donnellson with the running of the UMP Dirtcar Pro Crate Late Model "Drive for Five" finale. Drivers had the opportunity to chase a $5,000 payday in the fifty lap feature by attending a predetermined number of the $1,000 to win qualifying events throughout the season. Competitors in action on this night not eligible for the top prize could still take home $2,000 with a win. Nine names appeared on the list of those vying for the five grand. All six regular weekly classes were on the card for this final night of action ahead of the fall specials in October. Rains earlier in the week caused extra track prep, but everything was good to go by race time.
Due to a number of factors, car counts were down across the board, with many track regulars at or headed for the IMCA Super Nationals at Boone.
It took a bit of track packing by the competitors, but action still kicked off about 7:10, with heat race action clicking off quickly aided by zero yellow flags, leading us into feature racing.
Hobby Stocks were up first for fifteen laps, and Dustin Griffiths kept his unbeaten streak in tact. The veteran driver jumped from row two on the opening lap, then cruised to yet another main event win in the non stop race. Darin DeZwarte took runner up honors while Jason Schutterle nosed out James Pilkington in a tight battle for third. Visiting Paul Markhardt, Barneveld, Wisconsin completed the top five.
Sport Compacts came next with fifteen laps again the distance. Barry Taft powered to the early lead followed by Kimberly Abbott. The first caution of the night came two laps in for debris. Back under green, Taft methodically opened a commanding lead until a second yellow flag with just one lap to go when Harrison Horn stopped near the turn four guardrail. This set up a green, white, checkers finish and Abbott mounted a strong challenge, racing side by side with Taft. As starter Kevin Eggleston waved the double checkers, it was Taft with a half car length advantage over Abbott in the closest finish of the night. Blaine Lambert grabbed third followed by Robert Harding Jr.
Cole Gillenwater paced the opening circuit of fifteen for the Sport Mods, with Tom Bowling Jr. driving by to the front on lap two. The veteran Burlington driver then held serve throughout another non stop event. Gillenwater recorded his best finish in second, besting Cole Vanderwal, visitor Jackson Carey, Nashua, Iowa, and Jason Van Zomeren.
The twenty lap Stock Car feature saw outside front row starter Beau Taylor rocket to the front as the green flag waved with fourth starting Dustin Griffiths in pursuit. As Taylor stretched his lead, pole sitter Kelly Buckallew continued to hound Griffiths in the battle for second. With no yellow flags to slow the event, Taylor continued to hit his marks, opening more than a full straightaway lead as he collected his first ever Lee County feature win. Griffiths closed out another strong night with his runner up effort followed by Buckallew, visiting Dalton Markhardt and Jeff Hollenbeck.
Austen Becerra suffered the loss of his father, Tony, a former top notch racer himself, during the week. Austen had his Modified adorned with a #2 in the shape of a snake, a tribute to the design on Dads' Hobby Stock. Driving with even more of a purpose, he quickly shot to the lead in the twenty lap event. Donnellson driver Levi Smith gave chase on lap one before Jarrett Brown took up the pursuit one lap later. Again the race remained caution free, and as the laps wound down Austen had opened a full straightaway advantage. When the checkers flew, it was Becerra with an emotional victory. Brown crossed the line in second chased by Smith, Dakota Simmons and Matt Diaz.
The headline event of the night, the fifty lap Drive for Five finale would cap off the evening. As the cars came to the track, the #33 of top contender Nick Marolf would not fire and he was pushed to the pits unable to take advantage of his row two starting spot. Denny Woodworth and rookie Jackson Frankel filled out the front row. Denny would pace the opening lap before Jackson took command on lap two. Austen Becerra had lined up in third and on lap three he drove around Woodworth for second. Along with Frankel, the top two pulled well ahead of the pack running nose to tail and side by side before Becerra used an inside move to grab the lead on lap twelve. As Becerra built his lead, Frankel stopped in turn three on lap sixteen with a flat tire. For this special event, crews were allowed to come to the infield to make repairs under yellow, and Frankel quickly rejoined the tail of the field. On the restart, third running Darin Weisinger Jr. got shuffled back in the pack, although I could not tell if there was contact involved. One lap was scored then as contact sent Jeremy Pundt spinning in turn three. Back to close quarters racing, Spencer Havermale spun into the infield off turn two with the race staying green. Again Becerra checked out from the field ahead of the scheduled "competition caution" at lap twenty five. This was a fifteen minute break in which teams were allowed to make adjustments on their cars on the front straightaway. Most anything could be done, but if a driver changed tires, he would have to restart in the rear of the field, so everyone elected to stay with the tires they had. Only eight cars were around for the restart, and once more Becerra proved to be the class of the field on this night. No more did the caution wave in the final twenty five laps, and with five to go he was enjoying a half lap lead! Austen would drive home to his second win of the night, collecting $2,000 as he was not eligible for the big money. C.J. Horn muscled his way from row four to the runner up position trailed by Woodworth, track champion Tommy Elston and Weisinger Jr. Pundt, Frankel, and rookie Jayden Johnson in his first night racing Lee County rounded out the finishing cars.
The rains during the week had made for a "heavy" speed dominate track, putting passing at a premium all night long. Still it was a fun night of racing, and a big thanks to Neal, Patrick and the crew for doing the extra work to make racing possible. Although the fairgrounds will be busy in September, it will be October before circle track racing returns. Friday and Saturday, October 4 and 5 will feature all classes in two separate shows dubbed the "Harvest Hustle," and October 26 will be something like year twenty six for the event known now as "Shiverfest."
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