By Brian Neal
Donnellson, IA (Friday, June 2, 2017) – A picture perfect night of weather meant another Friday night of racing at the Pepsi Lee County Speedway in Donnellson, Iowa, as the Lucas Oil MLRA Late Models made their second and final stop at the track for this season. The huge crowd on hand got to witness two drivers pick up their first wins of the season at the tack, along with four others earning multiple wins on the season.
Fourteen Armstrong Tractor IMCA Sport Compacts lined up for the first feature on the night. The 15 lap event had David Prim and Darin Weisinger Jr. on the front row, with Prim grabbing the lead on lap 1 over Mike Reu and Travis DeMint, who started 9th. The first and only caution of the race slowed the action on lap 3, as a tire was clipped out onto the track in turn 2 to bring out the caution. On the restart Prim jumped back out front, with Barry Taft, who started 7th, and DeMint close behind. Coming out of turn 4 on lap 6 the lead trio went three wide for the lead, as DeMint, who was on the bottom, edged out Taft, who was up top, and Prim, who was in the middle, to take over the top spot. Taft tried to get around DeMint over the final laps, but DeMint was able to hold him off to pick up his second win of the season at the track. Taft was 2nd, Brandon Reu started 8th and finished 3rd, Daniel Fellows was 4th, with Mike Reu rounding out the top 5.
Up next was the 18 lap Donnellson Tire and Service IMCA Stock Car feature, with Corey Strothman and Dean Kratzer leading the field to green. Strothman took advantage of his starting spot to grab the lead on lap 1 over Kratzer and Jason Cook. While Strothman paced the field out front, David Brandies, who started 7th, and Michael Jaenette, who started 9th, were working their way towards the battle up front. Strothman, who was working the bottom, would hold the top spot until lap 6, when Brandies used the middle groove coming off turn 4 to get the lead. Three laps later, lap 9, Jaenette used the bottom to work himself into end. Jaenette then tried to work under Brandies over the final laps, but Brandies was able to hold him off in a caution free race to claim his first win of the season at the Pepsi Lee County Speedway. Jaenette was 2nd, Strothman was 3rd, Cook was 4th, with Jason See coming home in 5th.
Chris Simpson and Jordan Yaggy made up the front row for the 40 lap Lucas Oil MLRA Late Model feature, with Chris Simpson jumping out front to lead lap 1 over Yaggy and Chad Simpson. Chad Simpson worked past Yaggy on lap 2 to take over the second spot, and then went to work on chasing down brother Chris for the lead. But Chris was setting such a torrid pace, that he started to enter lapped traffic by lap 9. Despite being held up on lap 30 by some heavy lapped traffic, that allowed Chad Simpson to cut into his half a track lead, Chris was able to hold on in a caution free race to pick up his second MLRA win on the weekend and at the track this season. Chad Simpson was 2nd, Yaggy was 3rd, Brent Larson was 4th, with Jesse Stovall rounding out the top 5.
The 16 lap Shottenkirk Parts Express IMCA SportMod feature was up next, with John Oliver Jr. and Austen Becerra on the front row. Coming off turn 4 to complete lap 1 Brandon Lennox, who was on the bottom, Becerra, who was in the middle, and Oliver Jr., who was up top, raced three wide, with Lennox edging out Becerra and Oliver Jr. to lead lap 1. The action up front was slowed for the first time on lap 3, as rookie driver Jeffrey DeLonjay, who came out of the Sport Compact class, spun in turn 4 to bring out the yellow. On the restart Lennox moved back out front, with Becerra and Dan Keltner following. Just as Lennox started to put some distance on the battle behind him, the second and final caution waved on lap 12. Again DeLonjay spun in turn 4 to bring out his second solo caution of the race to end his night. Austin Howes worked under Lennox on the restart to take over the top spot, and then held him off to pick up his first win of the season at the Pepsi Lee County Speedway. But Howes was found to have an illegal crate engine in post race tech and was disqualified. This would hand the win over to Lennox, which was his second of the season at the track. Tony Dunker, who started 7th, was moved to 2nd, Becerra was moved to 3rd, Keltner was moved to 4th, with Kyle Hill, who started 10th, being moved up to finish in 5th.
Denny Woodworth and Sam Halstead drew the front row for the 20 lap Steffes UMP Pro Late Model feature, with Woodworth moving out front to lead lap 1 over Halstead and Derek Liles. The action was slowed for the first time on lap 4, when Derek Sammons spun in turn 2 to bring out the yellow. On the restart Woodworth moved back out front, with Halstead and Liles still close behind. Halstead tried to keep pace with Woodworth, when they came up on the lapped car of Sammons on lap 15. Sammons would slow down the backstretch with troubles and Halstead clipped him to bring out the caution. Woodworth once again grabbed the lead on the restart, with Halstead, who had some right front nose damage, and Liles following. Just as Woodworth looked to be heading for another win, a tire was clipped onto the track in turn 2 to bring out the final caution of the race. On the restart Woodworth moved back out front, and then led the final 3 laps to score his second win of the season at the track. Halstead was 2nd, Todd Frank came from 9th to finish 3rd, Jeff Guengerich was 4th, with Liles coming home in 5th.
The final feature to take to the track was the 20 lap Budweiser IMCA Modifieds, with Dugan Thye and Dennis LaVeine leading the field to the drop of the green. Thye used his front row starting spot to grab the lead on lap 1 over LaVeine and Bill Roberts Jr. Michael Long, who started 6th and was going for 3rd, got pinched down into a tire in turn 4 and spun to bring out the yellow on lap 2. On the restart Thye moved back out front, with Roberts Jr. and Blake Woodruff over taking LaVeine for second and third. One lap later, lap 3, Larry McConnell spun in turn 2 to bring out the second yellow of the race. Once again Thye grabbed the lead on the restart, with Woodruff over taking Roberts Jr. for second. While the battle out front was going on, Cayden Carter, who started 8th, and Chris Zogg, who started 9th, were working their way towards the front. Carter was able to slip into second on lap 8, and then went to work on Thye for the lead. Going into turn 1 on lap 9 Thye got a little high, which allowed Carter to slip by for the lead on lap 10. Thye’s run up front came to an end on the completion of lap 10, when he clipped a tire in turn 4 and spun to bring out the caution. On the restart Carter moved back out front, with Zogg and Roberts Jr. close behind. Zogg tried to keep pace with Carter, but Carter was to strong on this night. He would go onto to score his first win of the season at the Pepsi Lee County Speedway. Zogg was 2nd, Hanford, who started 10th, was 3rd, Roberts Jr. was 4th, with Woodruff finishing in 5th.
Coming up next Friday, June 9, 2017 at the Pepsi Lee County Speedway in Donnellson, Iowa will be another weekly racing night, being presented by B&B Propane and Q92 Classic Rock. In action on the night will be the Steffes UMP Pro Late Models, Budweiser IMCA Modifieds, Donnellson Tire & Service IMCA Stock Cars, Shottenkirk Parts Express IMCA SportMods, and the Armstrong Tractor IMCA Sport Compacts.
Gates will open at 5:30 PM, hot laps at 7 PM, and racing at 7:30 PM. Grandstand admission will be adults $10, seniors (60+) $9, students (11-17) $5, and kids 10 & under FREE!! Pit passes are $25, age 7-13 $15, ages 4-6 $10, and ages 3 & under $3.
For more information about the 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
Lee County Speedway, Donnellson, Iowa
Friday, June 2, 2017 – Floyd’s E-Z Way Container Services and Fleck Sales Night
A-Feature: 1. Chris Simpson, Oxford, IA; 2. Chad Simpson, Mt. Vernon, IA; 3. Jordan Yaggy, Rochester, MN; 4. Brent Larson, Lake Elmo, MN; 5. Jesse Stovall, Galena, MO; 6. Bobby Pierce, Oakwood, IL; 7. Tony Jackson Jr., Lebanon, MO; 8. Rodney Sanders, Happy, TX; 9. Dave Eckrich, Oxford, IA; 10. Randy Timms, Wheatland, OK; 11. Jason Feger, Bloomington, IL; 12. Brantlee Gotschall, Nevada, MO; 13. Terry Phillips, Springfield, MO; 14. Rickey Frankel, Quincy, IL; 15. Justin Duty, Happy Valley, OR; 16. JC Wyman, Griswold, IA; 17. Spencer Diercks, Davenport, IA; 18. Raymond Merrill, Sallisaw, OK; 19. Matt Furman, Portland, OR; 20. Jeremy Grady, Story City, IA; 21. Kolby Vandenbergh, Ashland, IL; 22. Joseph Gorby, Bartlesville, OK; 23. James Wilson, Quincy, IL; 24. Todd Frank, Montrose, IA; 25. Richard Weber, Kirksville, MO (DNS)
Heat 1: 1. Chris Simpson; 2. Bobby Pierce; 3. Rodney Sanders; 4. Spencer Diercks; 5. Brantlee Gotschall; 6. Jeremy Grady; 7. Terry Phillips; 8. JC Wyman; 9. Kolby Vandenbergh
Heat 2: 1. Chad Simpson; 2. Tony Jackson Jr.; 3. Randy Timms; 4. Dave Eckrich; 5. Justin Duty; 6. Raymond Merrill; 7. James Wilson; 8. Richard Weber
Heat 3: 1. Jordan Yaggy; 2. Brent Larson; 3. Jesse Stovall; 4. Matt Furman; 5. Jason Feger; 6. Rickey Frankel; 7. Joseph Gorby; 8. Todd Frank
A-Feature: 1. Denny Woodworth, Mendon, IL; 2. Sam Halstead, New London, IA; 3. Todd Frank, Montrose, IA; 4. Jeff Guengerich, Washington, IA; 5. Derek Liles, Eldon, IA; 6. Brandon Ruffcorn, Donnellson, IA; 7. Matt Strassheim, Yarmouth, IA; 8. Gunner Frank, Montrose, IA; 9. Brandon Savage, Canton, MO; 10. Chase Frank, Montrose, IA; 11. Derek Sammons, Luray, MO; 12. Tommy Elston, Keokuk, IA;
Heat 1: 1. Denny Woodworth; 2. Sam Halstead; 3. Derek Liles; 4. Brandon Savage; 5. Todd Frank; 6. Chase Frank
Heat 2: 1. Tommy Elston; 2. Jeff Guengerich; 3. Brandon Ruffcorn; 4. Gunner Frank; 5. Matt Strassheim; 6. Derek Sammons
A-Feature: 1. Cayden Carter, Oskaloosa, IA; 2. Chris Zogg, New Liberty, IA; 3. Bruce Hanford, Davenport, IA; 4. Bill Roberts Jr., Burlington, IA; 5. Blake Woodruff, Galesburg, IL; 6. Dennis LaVeine, West Burlington, IA; 7. Jeff Waterman, Quincy, IL; 8. Dean McGee, Galesburg, IL; 9. Dugan Thye, Burlington, IA; 10. Larry McConnell, Burlington, IA; 11. Dakota Simmons, Douds, IA; 12. Michael Long, Fowler, IL
Heat 1: 1. Cayden Carter; 2. Dennis LaVeine; 3. Dean McGee; 4. Jeff Waterman; 5. Dugan Thye; 6. Dakota Simmons
Heat 2: 1. Chris Zogg; 2. Michael Long; 3. Bill Roberts Jr.; 4. Bruce Hanford; 5. Blake Woodruff; 6. Larry McConnell
Donnellson Tire & Service IMCA Stock Cars
A-Feature: 1. David Brandies, Wilton, IA; 2. Michael Jaenette, Kellogg, IA; 3. Corey Strothman, Mt. Union, IA; 4. Jason Cook, Mt. Pleasant, IA; 5. Jason See, Albia, IA; 6. Brian Hoener, Golden, IL; 7. Dean Kratzer, Ft. Madison, IA; 8. Jeremy Pundt, Donnellson, IA; 9. Chase Exlline, Centerville, IA; 10. Jerry Jansen, Plainville, IL; 11. John Oliver Jr.,Danville, IA
Heat 1: 1. David Brandies; 2. Dean Kratzer; 3. John Oliver Jr.; 4. Jason See; 5. Michael Jaenette; 6. Chase Exlline
Heat 2: 1. Jason Cook; 2. Jeremy Pundt; 3. Corey Strothman; 4. Brian Hoener; 5. Jerry Jansen
Shottenkirk Parts Express IMCA SportMods
A-Feature: 1. Brandon Lennox, New London, MO; 2. Tony Dunker, Quincy, IL; 3. Austen Becerra, Bowen, IL; 4. Dan Keltner, Grandview, IA; 5. Kyle Hill, Mt. Pleasant, IA; 6. John Oliver Jr., Danville, IA; 7. Brandyn Ryan, Coatsburg, IL; 8. Brandon Dale, Arbela, MO; 9. Jeffrey DeLonjay, Quincy, IL; 10. Austin Howes, Memphis, MO (DQ)
Heat: 1. John Oliver Jr.; 2. Brandon Lennox; 3. Austin Howes; 4. Austen Becerra; 5. Dan Keltner; 6. Brandon Dale; 7. Tony Dunker; 8. Brandyn Ryan; 9. Jeffrey Delonjay; 10. Kyle Hill
Armstrong Tractor IMCA Sport Compacts
A-Feature: 1. Travis DeMint, Warsaw, IL; 2. Barry Taft, Argyle, IA; 3. Brandon Reu, Donnellson, IA; 4. Daniel Fellows, Keokuk, IA; 5. Mike Reu, Donnellson, IA; 6. David Prim, Hamelton, IL; 7. Darin Weisinger Jr., Mendon, IL; 8. Brandon Lambert, Carthage, IL; 9. Kimberly Abbott, Camp Point, IL; 10. Josh Barnes, Keokuk, IA; 11. Casey Lambert, Carthage, IL; 12. Mike Hornung Jr., Keokuk, IA; 13. Kenny Smith, Donnellson, IA; 14. Ron Kibbe, Mt. Pleasant, IA
Heat 1: 1. Daniel Fellows; 2. Travis DeMint; 3. Barry Taft; 4. Mike Reu; 5. Ron Kibbe; 6. Kenny Smith; 7. Mike Hornung Jr.
Heat 2: 1. Josh Barnes; 2. Brandon Reu; 3. Brandon Lambert; 4. Darin Weisinger Jr.; 5. David Prim; 6. Casey Lambert; 7. Kimberly Abbott