Friday night it was back to Lee County Speedway in Donnellson, Iowa for the first of four consecutive weeks of "Drive for 5" and "Drive for 3" racing. This is, I believe, year three for the late model series, year two for the modifieds, and the inaugural round for the sport mods. For the IMCA late models and IMCA modifieds, there are seven special events paying $1,000 to win the feature, and drivers participating in at least five of those races are eligible for a $5,000 payday at the mini series finale. Racers who do not attend at least five nights can still enter the final night and take home $2,000 for a win, as late model driver Justin Kay has each of the past two seasons. For the IMCA sport mods, it is four nights out of six with a payout of $600 and a final night feature paying $3,000.
The prospect for racing looked dim amid an overcast morning with showers around, but by late afternoon, the sun was out and the all too familiar breeze was keeping conditions on the cool side. Promoter Brian Gaylord was determined that racing would go on, and had the track ready to go shortly after the advertised hot lap time of 7:00. Additionally, last minute sponsors stepped up to make the winners' share also $1,000 for the sport mods and IMCA stock cars, and $500 for the IMCA sport compacts.
Seventy four cars signed in, led by nineteen sport mods, producing three heat races, and each of the other divisions had enough cars for two heats. With all the rain, the track was hammer down fast, smooth and narrow, even though extra packing laps were run before each race in an attempt to widen the racing lanes. But those conditions made everyone fast, and also cut down on the cautions. In fact, the first yellow flag of the night came in the third feature, and there had been a total of two before the wheels came off in the sport mod finale.
With eleven heats taking about an hour, the track crew spent about twenty minutes farming the surface, then the compacts lined up for fifteen laps. Chandler Fullenkamp paced lap one from the front row before Josh Barnes came from the third row to lead lap two. Brandon Reu started seventh and moved to second one lap later, then set sail after Barnes. Although he was able to cut into the big lead of the 13B, he could never get closer than about three car lengths as Barnes cruised to the non stop victory. Barry Taft started third and finished there, while Fullenkamp edged out Chevy Barnes in a slam bang battle for fourth. All but one of the fourteen cars took the green flag.
All eleven stock cars came to the track for eighteen laps. Chris Wibbell was the early leader from the outside pole before sixth starting David Brandies made a turn four pass for the top spot on lap four. Two laps later, Wibbell jumped the cushion in turn four, raring up on two wheels, loosing several positions. At the mid point, Brandies had a sizable advantage, but fifth row starter Todd Reitzler, likely a refugee from a rain out in Marshalltown, had powered to second and was closing the gap on the leader. Mesnwhile, Abe Huls, Jeremy Pundt, and Chad Krogmeier were side by side and nose to tail for third. With three circuits remaining, Brandies hit slower traffic, allowing Reitzler to close to a couple car lengths. But Brandies was able to negotiate the traffic, and he drove off for the win. Reitzler, Huls, Pundt, and Krogmeier followed in anothe non stop race.
The modified twenty two lapper had two starts called back, as visitor Garett Wilson was a bit overanxious, resulting in a one row penalty. As the green flag waved on the fifteen car field, outside row one starter Chris Zogg jumped to the lead. Wilson moved to second on lap two, and sixth starting Mark Burgtorf to third one lap later, as the first caution of the night came for debris. Wilson chose the outside line on the Delaware restart, and Burgtorf slipped into second. As Zogg began to run away from the pack, Burgtorf, Wilson, and seventh starting Ethan Braaksma began a tussle for the ruuner up spot. By the time Wilson won that battle, with about eight laps to go, Zogg had opened a nearly straightaway lead. With no more stops, he cruised to victory. Wilson and Braaksma followed, while Denny Eckrich cleared Burgtorf late for fourth.
The late model twenty five lapper was the race of the night. All fifteen cars started, with pole sitter Denny Woodworth grabbing the lead on lap one. As Woodworth and his row one mate C.J. Horn pulled away from the field, seventh starting Tommy Elston began picking off cars, moving to fourth behind Sam Halstead on lap four. One lap later, the only caution came for a slowing Spencer Coats. Following the restart, Elston charged to third. Behind the top three, cars were using multiple lanes and swapping positions with a little door banging thrown in! As Elston drove around Horn with eight laps to go, Matt Ryan, who had pulled the number ten chip in the redraw, had worked his way to fourth. Two more trips around, Elston was on Woodworths' bumper and Ryan was closing in third. Two more laps and Elston took the lead and Nick Marolf joined the hunt to the front. With a pair of circuits left, Ryan and Marolf were side by side for second, and Nick grabbed the spot on the final lap as Elston walked home for the win. Ryan held third as Woodworth fell to fourth. Jeff Guengerich made a late charge to take fifth. Horn slipped to sixth in front of Halstead, Chuck Hanna, Dustin Schram, and Jeremy Pundt.
Sport mods wrapped up the night, and proved once again why that is the best plan. Eighteen cars were set for twenty laps. Before lap one was in the books, John Oliver Jr. in the Goble #557 and Adam Birck got together, bringing out a yellow and sending both to the tail for the restart. Pole sitter Logan Anderson grabbed the lead as racing resumed ahead of Brandon Lambert, while Brayton Carter powered from row five to third. One more lap found Carter in second and the yellow out again. Jim Gillenwater, out in a plain white #10 car challenged Carter for second as Anderson pulled well ahead of the pack. The top three became strung out, and with eight laps down, Anderson was about to catch the back of the pack when the caution came again. During the yellow, Gillenwater retired to the infield, and on this restart, Oliver was back to sixth and Birck to eighth. Birck charged to fifth in one lap, and again it was yellow time. Now the lineup went single file. But another quick yellow sent Lambert and Austin Schrage to the tail, moving Birck to third and Oliver to fourth. A sixth and final caution came with seven laps left, but Anderson remained in control, driving to a convincing win. Carter held second over Birck and Oliver, while Schrage rebounded to nose out Nicholas Profeta on the final lap for fifth.
All in all, it was a plus night of action in front of a decent sized gathering considering that many folks may not have even realized the track was racing. Thanks as always to Brian and Marcie G, Brian N., and the gang for their hospitality. If things go as planned, my next race may come the middle of next week at what will be a new track for me, so stay tuned!
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