Donnellson, IA (Friday, June 1, 2018) - It was a hot and sticky Friday night at the Pepsi Lee County Speedway in Donnellson, Iowa, as J.J. Nichting and 101.7 The Bull helped to bring the action. But despite the heat that didn't stop the driver's from putting on some great racing action for the fans. At the end of the night five driver's returned to victory lane, with the Discount Tire and Service IMCA SportMods steeling the show that produced a new winner for 2018.
In 2018 the Pepsi Lee County Speedway added the Hobby Stocks back onto the card to give the Bloomfield, Eldon, and Oskaloosa, Iowa driver's a place to race on Friday nights. But so far this season the numbers have been very low, with that being the case again Friday night. Aaron Martin jumped out into the lead on lap 1 and then pulled away to claim his third win in a row at the track. Ricky Miller Jr. was 3rd, with Hank Billings making his debut and finishing in 3rd.
Up next was the 14 lap Armstrong Tractor IMCA Sport Compact feature, with Kenny Smith and Jake Dietrich leading the field to the green. Smith would take advantage of his starting spot to grab the lead on lap 1 over Dietrich and Kimberly Abbott, who started 8th. While Smith paced the field out front the action behind him went two, three and even four wide at times, as driver's tried to work themselves to the front. The action was slowed for the first time on lap 4, as debris in turn 3 brought out the yellow. On the restart debris in turn 3 again brought the yellow light back on. The following restart saw Abbott grab the top spot, with Mike Reu, who started 6th, and Barry Taft, who started 9th, close behind. Over the next 7 laps Taft tried to work around Reu for the runner up spot. But Reu was able to hold him off, that was until lap 13 when Taft finally made the move. Taft then worked to chase down Abbott over the final 2 laps, but she was able to hold on to pick up her second win in a row at the track. Taft settled for 2nd, Reu was 3rd, Dietrich was 4th, with Brandon Reu completing the top 5.
Adam Niekamp and Ron Kibbe made up the front row for the 20 lap Discount Tire & Service IMCA SportMod feature, with Niekamp edging out Kibbe at the line by inches to lead lap 1. The lead for Niekamp lasted for 2 laps, as Daniel Fellows slipped under him to take over the top spot on lap 3. One lap later, lap 4, Brandon Lennox, who started 8th, slipped under Fellows for the lead. Then after the lap was scored complete the first caution slowed the action. Kyle Hamelton spun in turn 1 to bring out the yellow. On the restart Lennox moved back out front, with Fellows and Austen Becerra close behind. Hamelton would spin in turn 2 on lap 7 to bring out his second caution to end his night. Lennox once again grabbed the lead on the restart, with Adam Birck, who started 7th, over taking Fellows for the runner up spot. Becerra, who was running third, had his run up front come to an end on lap 13 when he slowed to a stop in turn 2 to bring out the yellow. On the restart Lennox jumped back out front, with Austin Howes, who started 9th, and Brandon Dale, who started 15th, now following Lennox. The action up front was slowed on lap 15, when Jeffrey DeLonjay and Kibbe got together in turn 2 to bring out the yellow. Lennox moved back out front on the restart, with Dale getting past Howes for second. But just after lap 16 was scored complete, the final caution of the race appeared to set up a two lap shoot out to the finish. This time Tony Johnson spun in turn 2 to bring out the yellow. On the restart Dale would use the momentum off the top of the track in turn 4 to take the top spot away from Lennox. Dale then held on to claim his first win of the season at the track. Lennox was 2nd, Howes was 3rd, Fellows was 4th, with Brett Lowry coming from 10th to round out the top 5.
Next up to take to the track was the 20 lap Donnellson Tire & Service IMCA Stock Car feature, with Jason See and Chad Krogmeier leading the field to green. But it was third place starter Jeremy Pundt who edged out the lead on lap 1 over See and Abe Huls, who started 5th. Huls would work under Pundt to take over the top spot on lap 3. Three laps later, lap 6, the action was slowed when Randy Samberg spun in turn 2 to bring out the yellow. On the restart Huls moved back out front, with Pundt, John Oliver Jr., and See battling for positions behind him. Huls then started to pull away from the battles going on behind him, when the final caution of the race appeared on lap 13. See, who was running 3rd, appeared to have lost an engine down the front stretch and slowed to a stop to bring out the yellow. Once again Huls grabbed the lead on the restart, with Pundt and Oliver Jr. close behind. While Pundt worked to hold off Oliver Jr. for the runner up spot, this allowed Huls to pull away to claim his second win of the the season at the track and became the first driver with a repeat win in the class in seven weeks of racing at the Pepsi Lee County Speedway. Pundt held on for 2nd, Oliver Jr. was 3rd, Jason Cook finished 4th, with Krogmeier rounding out the top 5.
Mitch Boles and Jeff Waterman brought the field to green in the 20 lap Budweiser IMCA Modified feature, with Waterman moving out front to lead lap 1 over Bill Roberts Jr. and Larry Herring. Waterman then set a fast pace out front, with Roberts Jr. and Herring trying to keep pace. But without a caution there was no stopping Waterman on this night, as he went on to win his third of the season at the track. Roberts Jr. was 2nd, Herring was 3rd, Boles was 4th, with Levi Smith coming home in 5th.
The final feature to take to the track on the night was the 20 lap Steffes Late Models, with Gunner Frank and Jeff Guengerich on the front row. Frank used his starting spot to jump out into the lead on lap 1 over Guengerich and Ron Boyse. While Frank worked to hold off Guengerich for the top spot. Tommy Elston was using the middle to top groove to work himself into third on lap 4. Despite Guengerich trying to work under Frank over the final laps, Frank was able to hold on to pick up his second win of the season at the track and became the first repeat winner in the class at the Pepsi Lee County Speedway in six weeks of racing. Guengerich settled for 2nd, Elston was 3rd, Boyse was 4th, with Sam Halstead finishing in 5th.
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