Memorial Day weekend kicked off with the third installment of the IMCA Late Model Drive for 5 series at Lee County Speedway in Donnellson. In addition to the $1,000 to win qualifier for the Late Models, the other regular classes were on the card, IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Stock Cars, IMCA Sport Mods, and Sport Compacts. It was a beautiful evening for racing with sunny skies and pleasant temperatures the order of the day.
Twenty three IMCA Late Models set a season high mark, dominating the seventy five car field in the five divisions. Once again the black dirt surface was well prepared and as the show rolled on it was a challenging mixture of fast and slick, particularly in corners one and two. Hot laps clicked off at 7:05, and following a touching tribute to our men and women lost in battle by announcer Tony Paris, taps played eloquently by Larry Loney, and as always a rousing rendition of the Star Spngled Banner by Lee Ann (Weisinger) Lambert, we were racing by about 7:33!
Between twelve and fourteen cars in the divisions other than Late Model gave us a pair of heat races in each to go along with three qualifiers for the premier class, and with a short intermission complete, we were soon feature racing.
Compacts led things off racing for fifteen laps. When a car spun on the opening lap former track champion Kimberly Abbott had nowhere to go, and the contact ended her night, with among other things, a broken axle. Barry Taft and Josh Barnes paced the opening lap battling side by side with the front five cars putting distance on the field. As the front pair drove down the front stretch completing lap five they made slight contact, and Barnes was able to snag the lead. Two laps later Taft retook the point as the top five continued to race in nose to tail fashion. Suddenly Barnes slowed, his night over four laps from the finish. Luke Fraise then closed in on Taft while Chevy Barnes and Brandon Reu fought side by side for third. Taft would hold on for the win over Fraise, Barnes, Reu, and Chandler Fullenkamp.
All thirteen Stock Cars lined up for eighteen laps. Pole sitter Kevin Koontz led lap one as the field raced three wide behind him. After starting in fifth, John Oliver Jr. emerged from that scramble to take the lead as lap two was scored, Jeremy Pundt charged from ninth to second, and tenth starting Derrick Agee followed him in third. The leaders worked around the low side of the track ahead of the only caution flag of the event with nine laps in the books for a Cole Mather spin. Following the restart, Agee jumped out of line, moving up a lane and taking over the runner up spot. Running just outside the top five, Josh Foster also decided on a higher line, picking up a couple of positions. Although Agee put heavy pressure on Oliver, John held on for the win. Pundt came home third followed by Foster and Dakota Simonsen.
Jesse Belez led Dennis Laveine through lap one of the Modified eighteen lapper, but row three starter Drew Janssen was the man on the move. He powered to second on lap two, then won a drag race with Belez to edge ahead on lap three. Austen Becerra lined up in row five, climbed to third on lap three, second on lap six, then charged to the lead one lap later. A spate of three yellow flags slowed the action just past the halfway mark, then the final seven circuits clicked off in quick fashion. Becerra was running on the very top of turns three and four, even contacting the guardrail at one point. That only slowed his run briefly and he cruised to the win. Janssen won a battle with Mark Burgtorf for second, Bill Roberts Jr. gained three spots to fourth and Scott Boles edged Daniel Fellows in his 2023 debut to complete the top five.
The Late Models used a draw, redraw format for the evening and heat two winner Nick Marolf found himself sitting on the pole position alongside Denny Woodworth. Two time feature winner C. J. Horn joined them at the front as lap one went in the books. Working the low line around the three eighths mile oval, Marolf slowly stretched his lead to nearly a full straightaway before catching the back of the pack on lap eleven. The caution flag flew one lap later as Ed Hollenbeck slowed out turn two. Defending champion Tommy Elston roared to life on the Delaware style restart, jumping from fifth to the runner up spot. Mimicking Elston on the high side, Jay Johnson also rode the high line to enter the first five. Again Marolf pulled well ahead, with a final yellow four laps from the finish as veteran Gary Webb and Darin Weisinger Jr. made contact. This night belonged to Marolf, however, as he once again pulled well ahead, picking up his second Lee County win of the year. Elston held off Woodworth for runner up honors, while Johnson topped Horn for fourth. Chuck Hanna made the trip from Port Byron, Il. to race home in sixth in front of thirteenth starting Jeremy Pundt, last weeks' winner Jeff Guengerich, Woodworth teammate Jason Oenning, and "Superman" Sam Halstead.
Sport Mod action would wrap things up with eighteen laps the distance. Rookie Brandt Ames led Brandon Lambert and Adam Birck as lap one was scored. Following a quick yellow, Birck blasted to the front followed closely by tenth starting Brayton Carter. It took only a couple more trips around for Carter, dominate at the speedway this season, to grab the lead. Carter then worked around the inside line while Birck searched multiple grooves looking for more speed. A four car battle developed behind those two, with Brandon Dale finally easing ahead of Jim Gillenwater, John Oliver Jr., and Sean Wyett. A final yellow came three laps from the end as Lambert and Cole Gillenwater made contact. Dale was able to power to second on the restart and he stayed close to the leader, but "Speedy Bray" held on for the victory. With Dale in second, Birck, Wyett, and Oliver Jr. rounded out the top five.
The final checkers waved several minutes ahead of the 10 P.M. hour, another entertaining night of action in the books. Thanks to Brian, Marcie, Brian, and crew for their help and hospitality.
We will spend Saturday away from the track, then plan to land in our usual perch Sunday at Adams County, Il. Speedway. Enjoy your holiday!
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