by Brian Neal
Donnellson, IA (Friday, August 25, 2017) – It’s hard to believe it’s that time of the year, as the Pepsi Lee County Speedway in Donnellson, Iowa held it’s final points night of the 2017 season on Friday night. At the end of the nights action five track champions would be crowned on Shottenkirk Parts Express Season Championship Night, along with four drivers winning for the multiple times at the track and another scoring his first career win. Also joining the action on the night would be the 305 Sprints brought to you by Mohrfeld Electric, and the Vintage Cars.
The first feature to take to the track on this night would be the 15 lap Armstrong Tractor IMCA Sport Compacts, with David Prim and Darin Weisinger Jr. leading the field to the drop of the green flag. Prim would take advantage of his starting spot to edge out Weisinger Jr. and Josh Barnes at the line to lead lap 1. His lead though would only last for 1 lap, as Weisinger Jr. slid past to take over the top spot on lap 2. While Weisinger Jr. set the pace out front, Brandon Reu, who started 8th, was working his way towards the front. On lap 8 Reu was able to take over the second spot, and then went to work on Weisinger Jr. for the lead. Coming off turn 4 to take the checkered flag Reu was able to work under Weisinger Jr., as the two raced side-by-side to the finish line. Weisinger Jr. would edge out Reu by a bumper to score his first career win in the Sport Compacts. Reu settled for a close 2nd which was good enough to clinch the track championship, Brandon Lambert was 3rd, Barry Taft was 4th after starting in 7th, with Mike Reu rounding out the top 5.
Up next was the 20 lap Mohrfeld Electric 305 Sprint feature, with Devon Rouse and Daniel Bergquist drawing the front row. Bergquist used his front row starting spot to jump out into the lead on lap 1 over Jarrod Schneiderman and Rouse. Schneiderman then followed in Bergquist’s tire tracks over the next 8 laps, waiting for a chance to grab the lead away. That chance came on lap 9, as Bergquist slowed with mechanical troubles coming off turn 4 to hand the lead over to Schneiderman. One lap later, lap 10, the first and only caution of the race appeared. Gary Bonar would slow in turn 1 to bring out the yellow. On the restart Schneiderman moved back out front, while Harold Pohren and Ben Wagoner raced for the runner up spot. With the battle going on behind him Schneiderman was able to pull away over the final 10 laps to claim his first win of the season at the track. Wagoner won the battle for 2nd, Pohren was 3rd, Brayden Gaylord started 7th and finished 4th, with Ryan Jamison coming home in 5th after starting in 8th.
Chad Krogmeier and Corey Strothman led the field to green in the 18 lap Donnellson Tire & Service IMCA Stock Car feature, with Strothman grabbing the lead on lap 1 over Jason Cook and Abe Huls. While Strothman paced the field out front, the battle for second went three wide between Huls, Cook and Jason See, who started 6th. Huls and Cook swapped the runner up spot over laps 4, 5 and 6, as Strothman continued to hold the lead. Then coming off turn 4 to complete lap 10 Strothman drifted high, which allowed Huls to slip under him to take over the top spot. This would leave Strothman, Cook, and See battling two and three wide for the second spot. The close action up front was slowed for the first and only time on lap 14, as Krogmeier spun in turn 2 to bring out the yellow. On the restart Huls moved back out front, with Cook and See over taking Strothman for second and third. Cook would follow in Huls’ tire tracks over the next 3 laps, then coming off turn 4 for the final time Cook would look under Huls to try and grab the win. But Huls was able to hold him off at the line to claim his third win of the season at the Pepsi Lee County Speedway. Cook was 2nd, See was 3rd, John Oliver Jr. came from 7th to finish 4th and also earned the track championship, with Strothman finishing in 5th.
The 20 lap Budweiser IMCA Modified feature was up next, with James Raleigh and Craig Spegal leading the field to green. But it was third place starter Dakota Simmons who grabbed the lead on lap 1 over Spegal and Bill Roberts Jr. Then just after the completion of lap 1 the first caution came out, as Colton Prevo spun in turn 4 to bring out the yellow. On the restart Simmons moved back out front, with Roberts Jr. and Dennis LaVeine, who started 6th, close behind. The second and final caution of the race appeared on lap 3, as Prevo spun in turn 4 to bring out his second solo caution to end his night. Simmons once again grabbed the lead on the restart, with Roberts Jr. and Jeff Waterman, who started 7th, following. The lead for Simmons, who was running the top of the track, lasted until lap 9, when Waterman worked under him to take over the top spot. Waterman then pulled away over the final 11 laps to cruise to his second win in a row and seventh overall at the track. LaVeine finished 2nd and secured the track championship, Roberts Jr. was 3rd, Dean McGee was 4th, with Simmons rounding out the top 5.
Brandyn and Jason Riegel led the field to the drop of the green flag in the 18 lap Shottenkirk Parts Express IMCA SportMod feature, with Ryan grabbing the lead on lap 1 over Blaine Webster and John Oliver Jr. Ryan then held the lead until lap 2, when Brandon Dale, who started 6th, slipped by him for the top spot. Then just after the lap was scored complete the first caution of the race came out, as Michael Benjamin spun in turn 2 to bring out the yellow. On the restart Dale moved back out front, with Webster and Ryan close behind. While Dale started to pull away from the field, Austen Becerra, who started 7th, was working his way towards the front. Becerra was able to work himself into the runner up spot on lap 7, and then went to work on chasing down Dale for the lead. The help that Becerra was looking for came on lap 8, when the second and final caution of the race brought Dale back to his front bumper. Bob Cowman would spin in turn 2 to bring out the yellow. Dale jumped back out front on the restart, with Becerra and Webster following. Coming off turn 4 to complete lap 10 Dale drifted high, which allowed Becerra to slip under him for the top spot. Becerra then pulled away over the final 8 laps to pick up his sixth win of the season at the Pepsi Lee County Speedway. Dale settled for 2nd, Jim Gillenwater, who drove Kevin Tomlinson’s #49 car, started 8th and finished 3rd, Austin Howes passed 10 cars from his 14th place starting spot to come home in 4th, with 2017 track champion Tony Dunker coming from 10th to finish in 5th.
The final feature to take to the track was the 30 lap Steffes UMP Pro Late Model feature, with Jeff Guengerich and Tommy Elston drawing the front row. Guengerich would use his starting spot to edge out Elston at the line by inches to lead lap 1. Then just after the completion of the lap the first caution came out, as Chase Frank spun in turn 1 to bring out the yellow. On the restart Guengerich jumped back out front, with Elston and Denny Woodworth close behind. Coming off turn 4 to complete lap 3 Elston would slid up in front of Guengerich to take over the top spot. One lap later, lap 4, Chase Frank spun in turn 4 to bring out the second and final caution of the race, which was also his second solo caution to end his night. Elston grabbed the lead on the restart, with Woodworth over taking Guengerich for second. On this night there was no catching Elston, as he cruised to his sixth win of the season at the track. Which was worth $750 thanks to Sam’s Body Shop. Woodworth would finish 2nd and claimed the track championship, Guengerich was 3rd, Todd Frank gave up his third place starting spot to take the back row challenge, and then raced his way up to finish in 4th, with Derek Liles coming from 8th to finish in 5th.
The Pepsi Lee County Speedway will sit idol until Friday, October 6th and Saturday, October 7th, as Casey’s General Stores, Donnellson Tire & Service, and Midwest Performance & Power helps bring the 6th Annual Fall Extravaganza. More information will be released in the coming weeks, so stay tuned to the website and the Facebook page for that information.
For more information about the Pepsi Lee County Speedway you can visit their website page at www.leecountyspeedway.com, like them on Facebook, or call Mike Van Genderen at 641-521-0330.
OFFICIAL RESULTS
Pepsi Lee County Speedway, Donnellson, Iowa
Friday, August 25, 2017 – Shottenkirk Parts Express Season Championships
Mohrfeld Electric 305 Sprints
A-Feature: 1. Jarrod Schneiderman, West Burlington, IA; 2. Ben Wagoner, Emden, IL; 3. Harold Pohren, New London, IA; 4. Brayden Gaylord, Wever, IA; 5. Ryan Jamison, Mediapolis, IA; 6. Dave Getchell, Sperry, IA; 7. Devon Rouse, Burlington, IA; 8. Nick Guernsey, Burlington, IA; 9. Colton Fisher, Mediapolis, IA; 10. Frank Rodgers, Lucas, IA; 11. Gary Bonar, Burlington, IA; 12. Daniel Bergquist, Burlington, IA
Heat 1: 1. Brayden Gaylord; 2. Ben Wagoner; 3. Daniel Bergquist; 4. Dave Getchell; 5. Nick Guernsey; 6. Frank Rodgers
Heat 2: 1. Jarrod Schneiderman; 2. Devon Rouse; 3. Ryan Jamison; 4. Harold Pohren; 5. Colton Fisher; 6. Gary Bonar
Steffes UMP Pro Late Models
A-Feature: 1. Tommy Elston, Keokuk, IA; 2. Denny Woodworth, Mendon, IL; 3. Jeff Guengerich, Washington, IA; 4. Todd Frank, Montrose, IA; 5. Derek Liles, Eldon, IA; 6. Sam Halstead, New London, IA; 7. Gunner Frank, Montrose, IA; 8. Chris Richard, Mt. Pleasant, IA; 9. Eric Knapp, Albia, IA; 10. Joey Gower, Quincy, IL; 11. Chase Frank, Montrose, IA
Heat 1: 1. Denny Woodworth; 2. Chris Richard; 3. Jeff Guengerich; 4. Chase Frank; 5. Eric Knapp; 6. Gunner Frank
Heat 2: 1. Tommy Elston; 2. Todd Frank; 3. Sam Halstead; 4. Derek Liles; 5. Joey Gower
Budweiser IMCA Modifieds
A-Feature: 1. Jeff Waterman, Quincy, IL; 2. Dennis LaVeine, West Burlington, IA; 3. Bill Roberts Jr., Burlington, IA; 4. Dean McGee, Galesburg, IL; 5. Dakota Simmons, Douds, IA; 6. Joey Gower, Quincy, IL; 7. Craig Spegal, New London, MO; 8. James Raleigh, Colchester, IL; 9. Paul Nelson, Colchester, IL; 10. Colton Prevo, Bloomfield, IA; 11. Dugan Thye, Burlington, IA (DNS)
Heat 1: 1. Dennis LaVeine; 2. Paul Nelson; 3. James Raleigh; 4. Colton Prevo; 5. Bill Roberts Jr.; 6. Dugan Thye
Heat 2: 1. Jeff Waterman; 2. Craig Spegal; 3. Dean McGee; 4. Dakota Simmons; 5. Joey Gower
Donnellson Tire & Service IMCA Stock Cars
A-Feature: 1. Abe Huls, Carthage, IL; 2. Jason Cook, Mt. Pleasant, IA; 3. Jason See, Albia, IA; 4. John Oliver Jr., Danville, IA; 5. Corey Strothman, Mt. Union, IA; 6. Jeremy Pundt, Donnellson, IA; 7. Chad Krogmeier, Burlington, IA; 8. Les Blakley, Fairfield, IA; 9. Derek Kirkland, Centerville, IA; 10. Chase Exlline, Centerville, IA
Heat: 1. Jason Cook; 2. Abe Huls; 3. Chad Krogmeier; 4. Corey Strothman; 5. Jeremy Pundt; 6. Jason See; 7. John Oliver Jr.; 8. Les Blakley; 9. Chase Exlline; 10. Derek Kirkland
Shottenkirk Parts Express IMCA SportMods
A-Feature: 1. Austen Becerra, Bowen, IL; 2. Brandon Dale, Arbela, MO; 3. Jim Gillenwater, Keokuk, IA; 4. Austin Howes, Memphis, MO; 5. Tony Dunker, Quincy, IL; 6. Brandon Lennox, New London, MO; 7. Blaine Webster, Ottumwa, IA; 8. John Oliver Jr., Danville, IA; 9. Jason Riegel, Eldon, IA; 10. Daniel Fellows, Keokuk, IA; 11. Sean Wyett, Danville, IA; 12. Rick Barlow Jr., Montrose, IA; 13. Adam Birck, Canton, MO; 14. Brandyn Ryan, Coatsburg, IL; 15. Bob Cowman, Quincy, IL; 16. Michael Benjamin, Montrose, IA; 17. Will Forester, Cedar Rapids, IA; 18. Kyle Hamelton, Keokuk, IA; 19. Dave Kraus, Keokuk, IA (DNS)
Heat 1: 1. Austen Becerra; 2. Tony Dunker; 3. Jason Riegel; 4. Daniel Fellows; 5. Michael Benjamin; 6. Will Forester; 7. Dave Kraus (DNS)
Heat 2: 1. Jim Gillenwater; 2. Sean Wyett; 3. John Oliver Jr.; 4. Brandyn Ryan; 5. Austin Howes; 6. Bob Cowman
Heat 3: 1. Brandon Dale; 2. Brandon Lennox; 3. Blaine Webster; 4. Rick Barlow Jr.; 5. Adam Birck; 6. Kyle Hamelton
Armstrong Tractor IMCA Sport Compacts
A-Feature: 1. Darin Weisinger Jr., Mendon, IL; 2. Brandon Reu, Donnellson, IA; 3. Brandon Lambert, Carthage, IL; 4. Barry Taft, Argyle, IA; 5. Mike Reu, Donnellson, IA; 6. David Prim, Hamelton, IL; 7. Kimberly Abbott, Camp Point, IL; 8. Renny McCarty, Farmington, IA; 9. Jeremy Wheeler Sr., Vinton, IA; 10. Josh Barnes, Keokuk, IA; 11. Chuck Fullenkamp, West Point, IA; 12. Mike Hornung Jr., Keokuk, IA
Heat 1: 1. Mike Reu; 2. Darin Weisinger Jr.; 3. Brandon Reu; 4. Chuck Fullenkamp; 5. Brandon Lambert; 6. Mike Hornung Jr.
Heat 2: 1. Josh Barnes; 2. David Prim; 3. Barry Taft; 4. Kimberly Abbott; 5. Renny McCarty; 6. Jeremy Wheeler Sr.