by Brian Neal
Donnellson, IA (Friday, August 31, 2018) – Mother nature not only tried once, but twice, but three times to put a damper on Friday nights action at the Pepsi Lee County Speedway in Donnellson, Iowa. But with persistence and patience by everyone they were able to get the racing action, presented by Floyd’s E-Z Way Container Services, completed. On the card for the night was the rescheduled Lucas Oil MLRA Late Model event that was rained out back on Thursday, May 3rd. Also joining the action was the 305 Sprint Cars, Discount Tire & Service SportMods and Armstrong Tractor Sport Compacts.
The first feature to take to the track on the night was the the 16 lap Armstrong Tractor Sport Compacts, with Barry Taft and Josh Barnes scheduled to start on the front row. But when Barnes had problems after his heat race he would run home to bring another car, as a result he would have to go to the rear of the field. This would move David Prim to the outside of the front row for the drop of the green flag. Taft would take advantage of his starting spot to grab the lead on lap 1 over Jake Dietrich, who started 6th, and Prim. While Taft worked to hold off the challenges of Dietrich, Barnes was quickly working his way towards the front. By lap 4 Barnes worked his way into third, and then went to work on Taft and Dietrich. The top three drivers would race around the 3/8th mile three wide for the top spot several times over laps 5 thru 9, with Taft able to hold the lead at the line each lap. Then on lap 10 Barnes was able to edge out front to take over the lead. Barnes then pulled away over the final laps, of a caution free race, to score the $500 top prize. Taft held off Dietrich to claim 2nd, Dietrich was 3rd, Alyssa Steele started 10th and finished 4th, with Brandon Reu completing the top 5.
Up next was the 40 lap Lucas Oil MLRA Late Model feature, with Tony Jackson Jr. and Matt Furman leading the field to green. Jackson Jr. jumped out into the lead on lap 1 over Furman and Justin Zeitner. Then just after the lap was scored complete the caution light came on, as Jeff Roth slowed in turn 4 to bring out the yellow. On the restart Jackson Jr. moved back out front, with Furman and Will Vaught, who shot from fifth into third, glued to his back bumper. Just as Jackson Jr. started to put some distance on the second place runner, the caution came out on lap 6 to slow his pace. This time Jay Johnson slowed in turn 2 to bring out the yellow. Jackson Jr. once again grabbed the lead on the restart, with Furman and Vaught continuing to follow him closely. Again Jackson Jr. would start to pull away from the battle for second, when Dave Eckrich, who was running 5th, slowed to a stop in turn 4 to bring out the yellow on lap 14. On the restart Vaught put a thrilling move going into turn 3 to come out of turn 4 with the lead over Jackson Jr. and Furman. Then after the lap was scored complete Jackson Jr.’s run up front came to an end, as he slowed in turn 3 with a left rear flat.
Vaught jumped out front on the restart, with Furman working to hold back Payton Looney, who started 9th, in the battle for the runner up spot. Three more laps were scored complete when another caution waved on lap 19 for J.C. Wyman, who slowed in turn 4. Once again Vaught jumped back out front on the restart, with Looney over taking Furman for second. On lap 21 Jackson Jr. would explode a driveshaft down the front stretch to bring out another yellow. On the restart Jeremy Grady did a complete 360 spin off turn 4 to bring the yellow light back on. The following restart saw Vaught grab the lead, with Looney and now Chad Simpson, who started 11th, following close behind. Looney and Simpson would try to keep pace with Vaught over the next 4 laps, when the final caution of the race appeared on lap 26. Mark Burgtorf slowed off turn 2 to bring out the yellow. Vaught jumped back out front on the restart, with Looney working on him for the lead, and at the same time trying to hold back Simpson for second. Both Looney and Simpson would stay close to Vaught over the final laps, but neither could mount a challenge for the top spot. As Vaught held on to pick up the win and the $3,000 check to go with it. Looney was 2nd, Simpson was 3rd, Furman was 4th, with Zeitner coming home in 5th.
Jarrod Schneiderman and Dan Keltner drew the front row for the 20 lap 305 Sprint Car feature, with Keltner grabbing the lead on lap 1 over Schneiderman and Brayden Gaylord, who started 6th. The lead for Keltner only lasted for 1 lap, as Schneiderman used the bottom of the track to grab the top spot away on lap 2. The action up front was slowed for the first and only time on lap 3, as Joe Simbro spun in turn 2 to bring out the yellow. On the restart Schneiderman jumped back out front, with Keltner and Gaylord close behind. Keltner, who was working the top of the track, was able to pull up beside Schneiderman, who was running the bottom, on lap 5. Then coming off turn four to complete lap 6, Keltner used the momentum off the topside to edge out the lead. Schneiderman would stay close to Keltner over the final laps. Despite Keltner entering lapped traffic on lap 12, he was able to hold off Schneiderman to claim the win and the $600 top prize. Schneiderman was 2nd, Tanner Gebhardt was 3rd, Gaylord was 4th, with Harold Pohren completing the top 5.
The final feature to take to the track was the 20 lap Discount Tire & Service SportMods, with Daniel Fellows and Tim Plummer leading the field to the drop of the green flag. Fellows jumped out into the lead on lap 1 over Plummer and Nathan Bringer. While Fellows paced the field out front, Bringer, Plummer, Austen Becerra, and Adam Birck raced two and three wide at times for the runner up spot. Becerra would emerge from that battle to take second on lap 3, and then went to work on Fellows for the lead. Becerra, who was working the top of the track, would use the momentum off the topside to get up beside Fellows, who was running the bottom, on lap 6. Then coming off turn 4 to complete lap 8 Becerra shot from the top of turn 3 to slip under Fellows to grab the top spot. Becerra then started to pull away from the field, when on about lap 14 he lost power steering. This would allow Fellows to close in on him coming to the white flag. Fellows try one last lap pass, but Becerra would hold him off in a caution free race to pick up the $1,000 win. Fellows was 2nd, Brayton Carter finished 3rd after starting in 8th, Bringer was 4th, with Birck rounding out the top 5.
For more information about up coming events at the Pepsi Lee County Speedway you can visit their website at www.leecountyspeedway.com, like them on Facebook, or call Brian Gaylord at 319-371-6744.
OFFICIAL RESULTS
Pepsi Lee County Speedway, Donnellson, Iowa
Friday, August 31, 2018 – Floyd’s E-Z Way Container Services Night
Lucas Oil MLRA Late Models
A-Feature: 1. Will Vaught, Crane, MO; 2. Payton Looney, Republic, MO; 3. Chad Simpson, Mt. Vernon, IA; 4. Matt Furman, Iowa City, IA; 5. Justin Zeitner, Omaha, NE; 6. Logan Martin, West Plains, MO; 7. Mason Oberkramer, Broseley, MO; 8. J.C. Wyman, Griswold, IA; 9. Jeremy Grady, Story City, IA; 10. Jake Neal, Omaha, NE; 11. Mark Burgtorf, Quincy, IL; 12. Tony Jackson Jr., Lebanon, MO; 13. Dave Eckrich, Cosgrove, IA; 14. Skip Frey, Ely, IA; 15. Jay Johnson, West Burlington, IA; 16. Jeff Roth, Bentonville, AR; 17. Brian Harris, Davenport, IA; 18. Spencer Diercks, Davenport, IA (DNS); 19. Jonathan Brauns, Muscatine, IA (DNS); 20. Joe Godsey, Bedford, IN (DNS)
Heat 1: 1. Tony Jackson Jr.; 2. Justin Zeitner; 3. Jay Johnson; 4. JC Wyman; 5. Spencer Diercks
Heat 2: 1. Dave Eckrich; 2. Mason Oberkramer; 3. Logan Martin; 4. Chad Simpson; 5. Mark Burgtorf; 6. Jake Neal; 7. Skip Frey
Heat 3: 1. Matt Furman; 2. Will Vaught; 3. Payton Looney; 4. Jeremy Grady; 5. Jeff Roth; 6. Brian Harris
305 Sprints
A-Feature: 1. Dan Keltner, Grandview, IA; 2. Jarrod Schneiderman, West Burlington, IA; 3. Tanner Gebhardt, Burlington, IA; 4. Brayden Gaylord, Wever, IA; 5. Harold Pohren, New London, IA; 6. Mike Mayberry, Fremont, IA; 7. Mike Johnston, Des Moines, IA; 8. Mason Campbell, New Berlin, IL; 9. Dugan Thye, Burlington, IA; 10. Daniel Bergquist, Burlington, IA; 11. Joe Simbro, Solon, IA; 12. Kyle Petterson, Gladstone, IL; 13. Joel Thorpe, Urbandale, IA; 14. Kelly Graham, Hedrick, IA; 15. Nick Eastin, Burlington, IA; 16. Justin Parrish, Oquawka, IL
Heat 1: 1. Tanner Gebhardt; 2. Harold Pohren; 3. Dan Keltner; 4. Dugan Thye; 5. Nick Eastin; 6. Justin Parrish; 7. Joel Thorpe; 8. Mike Johnston
Heat 2: 1. Brayden Gaylord; 2. Jarrod Schneiderman; 3. Mike Mayberry; 4. Daniel Bergquist; 5. Joe Simbro; 6. Mason Campbell; 7. Kyle Petterson; 8. Kelly Graham
Discount Tire & Service SportMods
A-Feature: 1. Austen Becerra, Bowen, IL; 2. Daniel Fellows, Keokuk, IA; 3. Brayton Carter, Oskaloosa, IA; 4. Nathan Bringer, Lewistown, MO; 5. Adam Birck, Canton, MO; 6. Tim Plummer, Norway, IA; 7. Brandon Dale, Arbela, MO; 8. Brandyn Ryan, Coatsburg, IL; 9. Levi Smith, Donnellson, IA; 10. Bob Cowman, Quincy, IL; 11. Jeff Frana, Ottumwa, IA; 12. Jim Powell, Hannibal, MO; 13. Austin Howes, Memphis, MO; 14. Tyler Burton, Quincy, IL
Heat 1: 1. Nathan Bringer; 2. Adam Birck; 3. Daniel Fellows; 4. Brandon Dale; 5. Bob Cowman; 6. Jim Powell; 7. Tyler Burton
Heat 2: 1. Tim Plummer; 2. Austen Becerra; 3. Austin Howes; 4. Brayton Carter; 5. Brandyn Ryan; 6. Levi Smith; 7. Jeff Frana
Armstrong Tractor Sport Compacts
A-Feature: 1. Josh Barnes, Keokuk, IA; 2. Barry Taft, Argyle, IA; 3. Jake Dietrich, Keokuk, IA; 4. Alyssa Steele, Keokuk, IA; 5. Brandon Reu, Donnellson, IA; 6. Darin Weisinger Jr., Mendon, IL; 7. Chris Steele, Keokuk, IA; 8. David Prim, Hamelton, IL; 9. Jacob Houston, Burlington, IA; 10. Robert Sturms, Burlington, IA; 11. Kevin Garrett, Bloomfield, IA; 12. Kegan Birck, Canton, MO
Heat 1: 1. Darin Weisinger Jr.; 2. Josh Barnes; 3. David Prim; 4. Chris Steele; 5. Kevin Garrett; 6. Jacob Houston
Heat 2: 1. Jake Dietrich; 2. Brandon Reu; 3. Barry Taft; 4. Robert Sturms; 5. Alyssa Steele; 6. Kegan Birck