Donnellson, IA (July 24, 2009) - What started out as a beautiful night for racing turned into a race to beat mother nature, on Friday Night at the Lee County Speedway. But all six features were put into the books before the rains started to fall, with Tony Fraise (IMCA Late Models), Rich Smith (IMCA Modifieds), Jeff Mueller (IMCA Stock Cras), Jacob Smith (IMCA Sport Mods), Derek St. Clair (Hobby Stocks) and Gabe Harrison (Wild Things) taking home victories.
The first feature of the night was the 15 lap IMCA Sport Mods, with Derrick Higdon and Jim Kuhlmeier leading the field to the drop of the green. But it was third place starter Jacob Smith grabbing the lead on lap 1, with Thad Gaylord close behind. While Smith worked to hold off Gaylord, Rodger Dresden who started 9th was working his way to the front. Dresden would move in on Smith on lap 15 to set up a great battle to the checkered. Smith, who was running the bottom of the speedway, and Dresden, who was in the middle, raced the to last two laps side-by-side. Coming off of turn four for the checkered the two drivers would cross the finish line almost in a dead heat, but Smith was ahead by inches to pick up the win in a caution free race. Gaylord would finish third, Rod Staats was fourth, with Rick Barlow Jr. coming home in fifth.
Up next was the 30 lap IMCA Late Model feature, with Sam Halstead and Jay Chenoweth on the front row. Halstead would take advantage of his front row start to grab the lead on lap 1, with Tony Fraise close behind in second. Halstead only held the lead for one lap, as Fraise would slip by on lap 2 to take over the top spot. The first and only caution of the event would come out on lap 3, when a tire was clipped and moved out into the racing groove. Fraise would move out front on the restart and pulled away over the final 22 laps to claim his first career Late Model feature win. Tom Goble came from sixth to finish in second, Mark Burgtorf started ninth and finished third, Halstead held on for fourth, with Jeff Aikey rounding out the top five.
Brad Ford and Jeff Gerhardt led the field to the green in the 20 lap IMCA Modified feature, but a yellow on the start for a spin on the backstretch would bunch the field back up. On the restart, Ford would grab the lead on lap 1, with Rob Kirchner close behind in second. Kirchner would slip under Ford on lap 3 to grab the top spot and then held it until lap 7, when Josh Foster who started 12th jumped to his outside to grab the lead. A caution on lap 12 would bring the field back to Foster's back bumber. On the restart, Foster now had to work to hold off Rich Smith, who started 10th. Smith, who was working the bottom, slipped under Foster, who was up top, on lap 16 to take over the top spot. A caution on the completion of the lap set up a green-white-checkered finish, as the time limit was up. Smith would hold off all challenges by Foster to pick up his first win of 2009 at Lee County. Kirchner held on for third, Ford was fourth, with Andy Krieger coming home fifth.
The 15 lap Hobby Stock feature was next, with Chuck Fullenkamp and Brandon Symmonds on the front row. Symmonds would grab the lead on lap 1, with a yellow coming out on the completion of the lap for a spin by Dan Wenig in turn two. On the restart, Symmonds would jump back into the lead and now had to work to hold off Jake Wenig and Dean Kratzer, who started 8th. But the man on the move, was 16 year old Derek St. Clair, as he started 12th. On lap 7 St. Clair would work under Symmonds for the lead and then pulled away over the final 8 laps to pick up another win. Jake Wenig was second, Dan Wenig recovered from an early spin to finish in third, Kratzer was fourth, with Brent Hartley rounding out the top five.
Corey Strothman and Dennis Harwood made up the front row for the 15 lap IMCA Stock Car feature, with Strothman grabbing the lead on the drop of the green flag. While Strothman was out front, Jeff Mueller who started 1oth was working his way to the front. Mueller would work the bottom of the speedway to grab the lead away from Strothman on lap 9 and then pulled away over the final 6 laps to claim the win. Strothman held on for second, Aaron Brocksick was third, Jason Cook came from 9th to finish in fourth, with Paul Lawson coming home fifth.
The final feature of the night was the 12 lap Wild Things, with Andrew Davis and Seith Woodruff leading the field to the green. But a yellow on the start for a spin by Derek Randall, Chuck Fullenkamp and Andrew Davis, would put Nick Wilkerson and Woodruff on the front row. Woodruff would take advantage of his start to grab the lead on lap 1, with the yellow coming out at the completion of the lap for a spin by Chantel Bergheger in turn four. Woodruff jumped out front on the restart and then held the lead until lap 4, when Gabe Harrison slipped by. Harrison looked to be pulling away, when a late caution on lap 9 for a second solo spin by Bergheger would bring the field back to his bumper. Harrison now had to work to hold off Kimberly Abbott, who started 17th, and Dakota Fenton, who started 20th. Harrison would hold them off over the final 3 laps to claim his first win of 2009 at the speedway. Abbott was second, Fenton third, Jacob Darbyshire was fourth after starting 11th, with Chris Loring Jr. rounding out the top five.
LCS Notes: Boone McLaughlin would take home the hard charger award in the Late Model feature, as he started 14th and passed 8 cars to finish in 6th......Wyatt Lantz, who was running sixth after lap 1 of the Modified feature, pitted for a flat tire and came back out in 19th. Lantz then moved up nicely thru the field to take home a 8th place finish....Bill Roberts started 14th and passed 8 cars to finish in 6th....Michael Browning started 19th and passed 9 cars to take home a 10th place finish....Hunter Marriott of Brookfiled, MO made the pull to Lee County Speedway and started the Modified feature in last, 23rd. He would then pass 12 cars on his way to a 11th place finish......Dane Fenton started the Hobby Stock feature in 20th and passed 13 cars to take home a 7th place finish......Kimberly Abbott was leading her heat race, with Dakota Fenton close behind her in second. Coming off of four for the checkered the two made contact and Abbott would spin. Both drivers were credited for last place finishes, putting both in the back of the feature. But both did a nice job of recovering from that to take home nice finishes in the feature. Abbott would come on strong to finish a close second, with Fenton close behind her in third.
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