Donnellson, Iowa (Friday, May 22, 2009) - After a week of being rained out, the Lee County Speedway was back in action on a beautiful night for racing. It was Casey's General Stores Fan Appreciation Night at the speedway, with the IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Stock Cars, IMCA Sport Mods, Hobby Stocks and 4 Cylinder Wild things in action. A nice even 100 cars signed in to due battle in the five classes, with Josh Foster (IMCA Modifieds), Jeff Mueller (IMCA Stock Cars), Rodger Dresden (IMCA Sport Mods), Dan Wenig (Hobby Stocks) and James Oliver III (Wild Things) taking home feature wins.
The first feature of the night, and for the second week in a row the best feature of the night, was the 15 lap IMCA Sport Mods. Rod Staats and Jim Kuhlmeier led the field of 17 to the drop of the green flag, but it was third place starter and last weeks feature winner Rodger Dresden grabbing the top spot on lap 1. Dresden continued to lead, with Jason Cook and Phillip Cossel following close behind. Dresden, who was running the middle of the speedway, and Cook, who was on the bottom, put on a great side-by-side battle over the final five laps to keep the fans on the edge of there seats. Cook would grab the lead on lap 12 of the event, only to have Dresden come back to take the top spot back on lap 13. The two drivers enter turns three and four side-by-side with Dresden edging out Cook by a bumper to grab his second win in a row. Cossel held on to finish third, Staats was fourth, with Thad Gaylord rounding out the top 5.
Up next was the 12 lap 4 Cylinder Wild Things feature, with Gabe Harrison and Chris Loring Jr. on the front row of the 17 car field. Loring Jr. would take advantage of his front row starting spot to jump out into the early lead. While Loring Jr. was out front, James Oliver III, who started 10th, and Dakota Fenton, who started 15th, were quickly working there way towards the front. Oliver III would grab the lead away from Loring Jr., after several attempts, on lap 9 and then hled him off at the line to claim the win. Fenton charged up to finish third, Chuck Fullenkamp came from 8th to finish in fourth, with Bryan Rodefer came home in fifth.
Chris Larson and Damon Aplara led the field of 17 IMCA Stock Cars to the green in the 15 lap feature, with Larson grabbing the lead on lap 1. Larson looked to being pulling away from the field, until a mid race caution brought the field back to his bumper. On the restart, Jeff Mueller, who started 8th, slipped under Larson to grab the lead on lap 8. Mueller then held on over the final 7 laps to claim his first win of 2009 at Lee County Speedway. Larson held on for second, Doug Huls had a great third place finish, Jim Redman was fourth, with John Oliver Jr. coming from 9th to round out the top 5.
Twenty-four Hobbys Stocks took the the track next for there 15 lap feature, with Tanner Thomann and Dean Kratzer making up the front row. Kratzer would take advantage of his front row start to grab the lead on the drop of the green. Derek St. Clair, who started 9th, made a quick run to the front, as he was up to second and challenging Kratzer for the lead by lap 3. Kratzer, St. Clair and Dan Wenig, who started 10th, battled for the top spot when they came up on a lap car on lap 13. Kratzer would go high to get around the lap car, Wenig would try to go low and clipped a tire trying to avoid the lapped car and fell back to sixth, but a caution before the lap could be completed put Weing back to second. On the restart, Wenig would make the most of his gift by grabbing the lead away from Kratzer. Wenig then held on to claim his first win of 2009 at the Lee County Speedway. Kratzer was second, St. Clair came home third, Jim Lynch, fresh off his first win of 2009 last week at 34 Raceway, was fourth, with Matt Tucker coming home in fifth.
The final feature of the night was the 20 lap IMCA Modifieds, with Mike Weikert Jr. and Lonnie Heap leading the field of 25 cars to the drop of the green. Weikert Jr. would jump out front on lap 1, with Wyatt Lantz following close behind in second. Lantz would slip by Weikert Jr. on lap 4 to take over the top spot, with Brandon Rothzen, who started 7th, following Lantz to move into second. While Lantz worked to hold off Rothzen, the man on the move was 11th place starter Josh Foster. Foster, who was working the top of the speedway, made his way to the front and took over the top spot from Lantz on lap 12. Foster then held off Rothzen over the final laps to claim his first win of 2009 at Lee County and his fourth of the young season. Rich Smith came from 9th to finish in third, Michael Long, who started 12th, was fourth, with Lantz holding on to finish in fifth.
Next week will be McLaughlin Freight Services Night, plus Gregory Design & Manufacturing Emplyee Night at the Lee County Speedway. The Pilot Grove Savings Bank / Ideal Ready Mix IMCA Late Model "Drive For Five" returns, along with the IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Stock Cars, IMCA Sport Mods, Hobby Stocks and 4 Cylinder Wild Things.
Notes from LCS: It was nice to see James Maxey and his family make the long pull from Holliday, MO to compete in the IMCA Sport Mods. But bad luck would end his night early in the feature. Maxey would start 9th in his heat and moved up nicely to a fifth place finish. Maxey would have to start 10th in the feature due to having no point average. A wreck on lap 3 that Maxey couldn't avoid ending his night. Lets hope they can fix the car and return to the Lee County Speedway soon.........Danny Riekena made the long pull from Mapleton, IL to race in the 4 Cylinder Wild Things. Riekena would have to start 17 in the feature after being disqualified in the heat for the wrong size tires. He would make a great run to finish 6th in the feature. Also missing from the Wild Things was last weeks feature winner and current points leader Jacob Darbyshire........The IMCA Stock Cars missed there $25 per spot bonus by one. Thanks to Budweiser and Lawson Racing Engines anytime the Stock Cars have 18 or more cars on a weekly Friday Night event, $25 will be added to every position. So I encourage any Stock Car to give Lee County Speedway a try.
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