After yet another rain out, Saturday was season championship night at Lee County Speedway. Although the points chase is wrapping up early, there are still several more races scheduled, culminating with the highly popular Shiverfest near the end of October. All six regular regular divisions were in action on this very warm summer evening. The Late Model championship was rolled into the Drive for Five 50 lap finale. In a somewhat complicated scenario, the points season wrapped up as the checkered flag signaled the end of the first twenty five lap segment of the feature.Then another twenty five laps would determine the Drive for Five champion. Got it?
Just five drivers had enough nights to qualify for the top prize of $5,000 for the Late Model headliner, Darin Weisinger Jr., Jason Oenning, Tommy Elston, Jackson Frankel and Spencer Havermale. If none of those five took the checkers, the payoff would still be a tidy $2,000.
For the championship, Weisinger Jr. had already claimed his first Late Model track title come feature time.
Although the Late Model headliner ran last, we will talk about it first. Thirteen cars signed in, unfortunately Havermale was a no show after breaking in his heat race. Elston and Weisinger lined up in row one, with Tommy jumping quickly to the lead. The only caution of the race came with one lap in the books as Kruze Miles looped his ride and kicked a ute tire onto the surface. Back to racing Elston opened a bit of a lead while Denny Woodworth and Weisinger Jr. also ran unchallenged in pursuit. Austen Becerra worked through the field, clearing Weisinger on lap sixteen. The high temperatures were likely the cause of the heavy attrition, and as the stoppage came at lap twenty five only seven cars remained on the track. Following a fifteen minute break for minor adjustments Rickey Frankel III retired, leaving just six drivers for the final segment. Back under green Elston hugged the inside line while Woodworth challenged briefly working a higher line, but #54 was the class of the field on this night. With ten circuits remaining Becerra moved to the rear bumper of Woodworth, taking the runner up position two laps later. With just a pair of laps to go Becerra was ready to make a move for the lead, but Elston held on to claim the $5,000 prize. Becerra finished second ahead of Woodworth. Jason Oenning won a spirited second half battle with Weisinger for fourth and Frankie Wellman rounded out the pack in sixth. Frankel III, Tanner Klingele in his Late Model debut, Benet Duesterhaus, and Kruze Miles completed the top ten.
The first feature of the night was fifteen Sport Mods for fifteen laps. Tyler Heckart paced the first two laps with Kyler Girard pulling even as lap three was scored. Moving to the lead, third starting Girard pulled away ahead of a lap five caution. Back under green, Brandon Dale used the Delaware Style restart to power to second followed by Logan Cumby and Dakota Girard as Heckart faded to fifth. Cumby was able to use a low side move to second on lap ten, then began to narrow the gap to the leader. The yellow flag waved again with four to go, and Cumby resumed working hard to try and overtake Girard. Just as the white flag was displayed, the yellow light came on for a final time, setting up a green, white, checkers shootout. Kyler got a solid restart and cruised to the win, while Dale was able to clear Cumby on the closing lap for second. Dakota Girard started and finished fourth, while Cole Gillenwater gained three positions in fifth. Cumby was the points champion.
All sixteen Stock Cars made the call for twenty laps. Derrick Agee took off from outside row one followed closely by David McCalla. Three laps in McCalla lost the handle in turn two, stacking up several cars and eliminating Austin O'Donnell. Agee paced the restart while Matt Picray and Jason See battled for second before See suddenly ducked to the infield. Johnny Spaw then took up the chase in second, although by this time Agee had opened a huge advantage. Kirk Kinsley had lined up in row four, and he jumped to third on lap seven. With no further cautions, Agee cruised to the win, with Johnny Spaw and Kinsley next in line. Picray topped a tight battle for fourth over Bronson Spaw, a rebounding McCalla and Jathan Fuller. Kevin Koontz finished eighth, good enough for the track title.
Sport Compacts were the lightest of the eighty three entries, with only nine cars on hand. Their fifteen laps went non stop, with Brandon Reu leading the distance. While Reu drove away, Kimberly Abbott, Michael Grossman and David Prim waged an entertaining battle for positions two through four. Grossman took control of the runner up spot at the half way mark, but Abbott fought back to claim second at the checkers. Prim rolled home fourth with Brandon Koch nosing out Katelynn Watts for fifth. Reu won yet another track championship.
The Hobby Stock Title was on the line, with Jeremy Dooley leading Austin Stalder by a single point come race time. But it was outside row one starter Tucker Richardson in control after an early three wide tussle with Harley Hill and Tom Killen Jr. Eventually it was Richardson and Killen driving away in a two car contest. Again the fifteen laps went non stop with Richardson claiming a narrow victory over Killen Jr. Stalder outran Dooley for third and Kyler Burmeister completed the top five. By virtue of their finish, Stalder and Dolley were declared co champions.
The outcome of the Modified title seemed in little doubt, although a late race event might have altered the order. Again sixteen cars lined up for twenty laps. Kurt Kile charged ahead from the pole, with Jared Eckrich in pursuit. By the third trip past the flag stand fifth starting Austen Becerra had powered to second, and two more laps were scored when he crossed the line side by side with Kile for the lead. Lap six saw the double duty Becerra in command. As he increased his advantage over Kile, a tight three car battle developed behind them between Jared and Jace Eckrich and Jaden Fuller. With just four laps remaining, the presumptive track champion, Jace Eckrich got crossed up exiting turn two and was briefly pointed towards the infield. Fortunately the rookie diver was able to "right the ship," only losing two spots as opposed to a potentially disastrous trip to the tail of the field. Owing to the tremendously good condition of the three eighths mile oval, this was yet another non stop feature. Becerra cruised to the win followed by Kile, Jared and Jace and Fuller. As mentioned Jace Eckrich drove the Flyin' 50 to the track title.
The final checkers waved about 10:30 with a twenty minute fireworks show following. Lee County will be in action next Friday night with the rained out Lee County Fair Sprint Invader contest on tap followed by a Night of Mayhem on Saturday. Check the track website for details.
Quincy Raceways will be in action tonight, Sunday August 17, however hot laps have been pushed back to 7:00 P.M. in an effort to counteract the heat. Hope to see you there!
No comments:
Post a Comment