Donnellson, IA (Friday, June 17, 2011) - After a week off due to rain and despite the rains throughout the week, the Lee County Speedway in Donnellson, IA was able to get a regular night of racing in on Friday. At the end of the night one driver picked up his career first feature win, while another one visited victory lane not once but twice.
The first feature on the night was the 12 lap Wild Things, with Casey Mehaffy and Andrew Davis leading the field to the drop of the green flag. But it was seventh place starter David Helenthal who quickly moved to the front to grab the lead on lap 1. While Helenthal continued to lead, William Michel, who started 11th, and Nick Wilkerson, who started 8th, were working there way to the front. The battle up front was slowed only one time, as Chuck Fullenkamp slowed in turn 4 on lap 9 to bring out the only caution. On the restart Helenthal jumped back out front, with Wilkerson and Michel battling it out for 2nd. Helenthal would hold off all challenges to pick up his third win of the season at the track. Wilkerson won the battle for 2nd, Michel settled for 3rd, Darin Smith came from 9th to finish in 4th, with Davis holding on for a fifth place finish.
Up next was the 15 lap IMCA SportMod feature, with Patrick Profeta and Dean Kratzer on the front row. Profeta would take advantage of his front row start to edge out Kratzer at the line to lead lap 1. Kratzer then tried everything to get by Profeta for the top spot, when he final got the job done on lap 5 to take the lead. The action up front was slowed for the first time on lap 8, when Brandon Ruffcorn spun in turn 2 to bring out the caution. On the restart Krazter jumped back out front, but now had Jeff Mueller, who started 10th, close behind in 2nd. Kratzer would hold back Mueller until the second caution of the event came out on lap 11. This time Adam Shelman spun in turn 4, as a result of contact from Jacob Smith. Mueller would slip past Krazter on the restart to grab the lead on lap 13, with the final caution coming out after the completion of the lap. Ryan Fullenkamp spun his machine in turn 2 to bring the yellow light on. On the restart Mueller grabbed the lead and then held on for the final 3 laps to claim his first win of the season in the SportMods. Jim Gillenwater came from 9th to claim 2nd, Kratzer held on for 3rd, Michael Joe Bliven came from 8th to finish in 4th, with Rod Staats rounding out the top 5.
Jake Wenig and Bob Cowman led the field to the green in the 15 lap Hobby Stock feature, with Wenig jumping out front on lap 1. The first of two cautions would come out on the completion of lap 1, as Jim Lynch, who was running 7th, spun in turn 4 and collected the cars of Michael Wenke and Dale Porter. On the restart Jake Wenig grabbed the lead, with Dan Wenig coming from 7th to challenge him for the top spot. Jake would hold back Dan over the next 10 laps, when the final caution came out on lap 11. This time Matt Tucker, who was running 4th, slowed with a left rear flat tire. Jake Wenig once again grabbed the lead on the restart, with Dan Wenig trying to hold back Dane Fenton for second. Jake would lead the final 4 laps to pick up his third win of the season at the speedway. Dan Wenig held on to the battle for 2nd, Ray Raker came from 6th to over take Fenton for 3rd, Fenton settled for 4th, with Lynch recovering from his lap 1 spin to come back to finish in 5th.
Corey Strothman and Jeremy Pundt made up the front row for the 15 lap IMCA Stock Car feature, with Strothman jumping out front on lap 1. While Strothman worked to hold back John Oliver Jr, Jason Cook, who started 8th and Jeff Mueller, who started 9th, were working there way to the front. Cook would over take Oliver Jr on lap 9 to take 2nd, while Mueller moved into third on lap 10. Then Mueller made his move around Cook on lap 11 to get into second, and went to work on Strothman for the lead. Strothman was able to hold back Mueller until the white flag lap, when Mueller slipped by for the lead. Mueller then held off a last lap charge from Cook to claim his third win of the season at the track and the second win of the night. Strothman settled for 3rd, Oliver Jr was 4th, with Aaron Brocksieck coming home in 5th.
The final feature of the night was the 20 lap IMCA Modifieds, with Jim Lynch and Dustin Crear on the front row. Crear would take advantage of his front row start to grab the lead on the drop of the green flag. But the first caution of the event would appear on the completion of lap 1, as Ryan Cook spun in turn 4. On the restart Crear once again jumped out into the lead, with Rich Smith, who started 7th, close behind in 2nd. Smith would try Crear down low for the next 12 laps, before the action was slowed for the final time on lap 13. Lynch, who was running 4th, had troubles and pulled off on the backstretch in front of Jeff Waterman, who was running 5th, and had to spin to avoid Lynch to bring out the yellow. Crear again moved out into the lead on the restart, with Smith close behind. But Crear was able to hold back Smith over the final 7 laps to claim his first career feature win. Brandon Banks came from 8th to finish in 3rd, Adam Birck was 4th, with Tyler Cale coming from 11th to round out the top 5.
Notes from LCS: Brandon Ruffcorn who started 17th in the SportMod feature and spun in turn 2 on lap 8 to bring out the first yellow, recovered to finish in 9th....Adam Shelman came back for his spin on lap 11 to take home a 10th place finish....Ryan Fullenkamp recovered from his lap 12 spin to take home a 13th place......Tanner Thomann came from 9th in the Hobby Stock feature to take home a 6th place finish....Josh Tripp passed 6 cars from his 13th place starting spot to come home in 7th......Matt Griener started the Stock Car feature in 10th and would pass 4 cars to take home a 6th place finish....The Stock Cars ran 15 laps CAUTION FREE!!!!......Jeff Waterman, who started 10th, had worked his way to 5th by lap 13 when Jim Lynch pulled off the track in front of him. Waterman would spin his machine to avoid contact and brought out the yellow to be sent to the back. He then recovered to take home a 6th place finish....Bill Roberts came from 14th to finish in 8th....Dustan Fenton started 13th and came home in 9th....Bill Seyb came from 15th to finish in 10th....Brandon Savage, who was suppose to start in the 4th spot, was sent to the back for being pushed off before the start of the feature. He would work his way up to 3rd by lap 18, but pulled off on lap 19 with troubles to end his run in 11th....Derek Hamm had a 6th place run going when he pulled off on lap 17 to end his night in 12th....Josh Foster's back luck continued, as he broke a motor in his heat to scratch from the feature. Back on Tuesday Foster suffered motor troubles at the Hawkeye Dirt Tour at Tipton and then suffered the same fate on Friday at Lee County.
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