Friday night was race night number two for the Lee County Speedway in Donnellson and the first installment of the "Drive For Five" for IMCA late models and IMCA modifieds. The two featured classes were both vying for a $1,000 top prize in this first of seven preliminary events. Drivers competing in at least five of the seven special races will be racing for a $5,000 winners' share in the championship event. Those entering less than five times will still be able to eligible to collect a $2,000 top prize in the finales. The three other regular IMCA classes, stock cars, sport mods, and sport compacts filled out the card on a beautiful spring evening.
A stacked field of nineteen late models and sixteen modifieds was topped only by twenty five sport mods, as the pits swelled to eighty three entrants.
The track was once again in excellent condition, and the eleven qualifying heats ran off in timely fashion, setting the lineups for the main events. A longer than usual intermission saw the top point gatherers from 2020 honored on the main stage. The presentations were originally set for last Friday, but were pushed back one week I assume due to last weeks chilly temps. There were no such concerns on this night, however, as it was a beautiful evening and a large and very enthusiastic crowd turned out to enjoy the festivities.
With the awards handed out, all but one of the fifteen sport compacts lined up for fifteen laps of feature racing. Pole sitter Chevy Barnes shot to the lap one lead, while fifth starting Luke Fraise took over on lap two. Meanwhile, defending class champion Brandon Reu advanced from row four to the second spot in those same two circuits. It took only one more trip around the 3/8 mile for Reu to assume the lead and quickly put distance on the field. As a gaggle of cars battled for second through ninth, tenth starting Chuck Fullenkamp powered to second about lap seven. The leader caught the back of the pack with three laps to go, but encountered no problems, scoring his second win in two tries at the fairgrounds facility. After a false start, the race ran non stop. Fullenkamp came home second, while Kimberly Abbott made a late move around Fraise for third. Dyllan Bonk completed the top five.
Eighteen late models lined up for twenty five laps. Ray Raker was a scratch, as the steering appeared to break on his #07 in his heat race and he smacked the turn two guardrail ending his night. Second heat winner Joel Callahan from Dubuque and Ben Seeman from Waterloo were surprise visitors to the track, and they redrew the front row for the feature. At the green flag, they took off in that order. As they began to pull away, row two starters Matt Strassheim and heat one victor Logan Duffy waged an intense back and forth battle for third. Callahan caught slower traffic just before the halfway mark, and although Seeman kept the leader in sight, he was not able to get close enough to mount a serious challenge. Duffy, the youngster from Independence, was able to clear Strassheim in traffic even as Tommy Elston joined the battle for third through fifth. Again it was a non stop event, with Callahan cruising to the win. Seeman ran all twenty five laps in second, crossing the line ahead of Duffy, Elston, and Strassheim. Dustin Griffin moved up four spots to finish sixth in front of Nick Marolf, heat three winner Dave Eckrich, Mark Burgtorf, and week one winner Denny Woodworth.
The string of consecutive green flag laps came to an end on lap one of the twenty two car eighteen lap sport mod feature. Third starting Brandon Lambert took the early lead, as row five starter Austen Becerra charged through the field. His gains were negated by the caution, and he was shuffled back a bit as racing resumed. Again he powered towards the front, but a lap four caution slowed his momentum. Back under green, it was Nicholas Profeta taking the high line to the lead, with Becerra now in fourth. Two laps later, Becerra moved to third, then to second in another pair of circuits. With seven laps remaining on the scoreboard, he executed a slide job off turn two for the lead. A quick yellow came as Lambert spun out of the third position, rejoining the back of the pack. Tom Bowling Jr. grabbed the runner up slot as Becerra began to stretch his advantage. The final stoppage of the race was brutal, as a multi car pile up on the front straightaway resulted in John Renier braking for a slowing car and being hit hard while flipping his #113 machine. Renier walked away from the grinding crash, but his car suffered heavy damage. As the field realigned, Becerra had a right front wheel pointing at an odd angle, and it looked doubtful that his steering would survive the remaining six laps. Although he had obvious issues, particularly in turns three and four, the #22 held together for his second win in two weeks at LCS. Bowling Jr. got close, but settled for second while A J Tournear was strong in third. Josh Holtman held off Jim Gillenwater to round out the first five.
It would be sixteen laps for the stock cars, but it only took two for John Oliver Jr. to grab the lead from Jeremy Pundt. The week one runner up traded places with week one winner Jason Cook. Oliver opened a nice sized lead, pounding the cushion in turns three and four while hugging the low line at the other end of the track. Cook changed lines searching for more speed, but settled for second in another non stop event. Birthday boy Beau Taylor also cat fished around the bottom of the track in third while Chris Wibbell operated one lane higher. Wibbell was able to take the spot on the final lap, while Pundt came home in fifth.
All sixteen modifieds lined up for twenty two laps to complete the program. The "Gas Man" Cayden Carter redrew the pole position, led lap one and never relinquished the spot. Ethan Braaksma slipped around outside pole sitter Jeff Waterman for second ahead of the first of two yellow flags. Michael Long fell out of his heat race, putting him eleventh on the grid, but he charged to fourth on the restart, then to third on lap three. A lap five caution negated his move to second, but he put a slider on the leader in turn two before being crossed back over by Carter. The race was then red flagged for a medical emergency in the pits. On the restart, Long was shuffled back several spots. Meanwhile Carter was leading the pack on the high line around the D shaped oval. As Carter caught slower traffic, a three car battle developed for second. With six laps to go, third running Dennis Laveine slid high, with Long grabbing the spot on the slick track. Braaksma tried to close as the laps wound down, but Carter remained in command. for the win. Chris Zogg completed the top five.
Lee County will be back in action next Friday, with the next installment of the Drive For Five on May 14.
Thanks to Brian, Marcie, and the staff for a fun Friday night. I apologize for this report being later than usual, but we are having provider issues with out internet service this weekend.
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