Donnellson, IA (Thursday, July 12, 2018) - Iowa's oldest running county fair, the Lee County Fair in Donnellson, Iowa, kicked off on Wednesday, with the stock car races being the grandstand attraction on Thursday night. When the final checkered flag waved about 9:40 PM three driver's extended there winning streaks, another claimed his second win of the season, and another won for the first time this season at the Pepsi Lee County Speedway.
The first feature to take to the track was the 14 lap Armstrong Tractor IMCA Sport Compacts, with Mike Hornung Jr. and Brandon Reu drawing the front row. But on the drop of the green the yellow light would come on, as Hornung Jr. got sideways in turn 1 and collected Kenny Smith to bring out the yellow. This would move Mike Reu to the pole position for the restart, and he would take advantage of this move to grab the lead on lap 1 over Josh Barnes, who started 7th, and Brandon Reu. Mike Reu then held the top spot until lap 3, when Barnes slipped by for the lead. While Barnes set the pace out front, Barry Taft, who started 8th, worked himself into the runner up spot on lap 8 and then went to work in cutting into Barnes' lead. Just when it looked like Barnes would hold Taft off to pick up the win, Barnes would slow in turn 4, which handed the lead over to Taft. Taft then held off Kimberly Abbott, who started 5th, to claim his third win in a row and seventh of the season at the track. Abbott was 2nd, Mike Reu was 3rd, Jake Dietrich was 4th, with Brandon Reu rounding out the top 5.
Up next was the 18 lap Discount Tire & Service IMCA SportMod feature, with Bob Cowman and Brandon Dale drawing the front row for the event. Dale used his starting spot to his advantage, as he jumped out into the lead on lap 1 over Brandon Lennox and Austen Becerra. Then just after lap 1 was scored complete the caution would come out for Daniel Campbell, who stopped in turn 2. On the restart Dale moved back out front, with Lennox and Becerra close behind. The action up front was slowed for the second and final time of the race on lap 3. Campbell once again stopped in turn 2 to bring out the yellow. Dale jumped back out front on the restart, with Lennox and Becerra following. Lennox would try the low side of the speedway and the top of the track to get the lead away from Dale over the final laps. But Dale was able to hold him off to pick up his second win of the season at the track. Lennox was 2nd, Adam Birck was 3rd, Blaine Webster started 9th and finished 4th, with Daniel Fellows coming from 10th to finish in 5th.
Jeremy Pundt and John Oliver Jr. drew the front row for the 20 lap Donnellson Tire & Service IMCA Stock Car feature, with Oliver Jr. grabbing the lead on lap 1 over Abe Huls and Pundt. While Oliver Jr. worked the bottom of the track, Huls would work the top side, as the two raced side-by-side around the 3/8th mile. Oliver Jr. would hold the lead at the line each lap, that was until lap 4, when Huls edged him out to take over the top spot. Huls then started to pull away, as Oliver Jr. tried to hold off Pundt for the runner up spot. Pundt would slip under Oliver Jr. on lap 13 and then went to work on chasing down Huls for the lead. But without a caution there was no catching Huls, who went on to win his second in a row and fourth overall at the Pepsi Lee County Speedway. Pundt was, 2nd, Oliver Jr. was 3rd, Jason Cook was 4th, with Chad Krogmeier finishing 5th after starting in 8th.
Up next was the 20 lap Budweiser IMCA Modified feature, with Mitch Boles and Colby Springsteen leading the field to green. Springsteen would take advantage of his starting spot to grab the lead on lap 1 over Boles and Dakota Simmons. Disaster would strike Boles on lap 3, as the motor locked up on his car and caused him to spin down the front stretch to bring out the yellow. On the restart Springsteen jumped back out front, with Simmons and Bill Roberts Jr. following close behind. Springsteen then started to put some distance between himself and the battle behind him. David Brown, who started 6th, slipped into the runner up spot on lap 10, with Jeff Waterman, who started 9th, following him into third. Those two driver's then went to work on cutting into Springsteen's lead. Coming to the white flag, Brown, who was working the bottom, and Waterman, who was working the top, had cut the lead down to a car lengths. But Springsteen was able to hold on to claim his first win of the season at the track. Brown was 2nd, Waterman was 3rd, Simmons was 4th, with Bruce Hanford coming from 10th to finish 5th.
The final feature to take to the track on the night was the 20 lap Steffes Late Model, with Ron Boyse and Dayton Lynch drawing the front row. Boyse would use his starting to his advantage, as he grabbed the lead on lap 1 over Rob Toland and Tommy Elston. While Boyse worked the bottom of the track, Elston would work the top to try and get the lead away from Boyse. Boyse was able to hold him off each lap, that was until lap 8 when Elston used the momentum off the top of turn 4 to edge out Boyse at the line for the top spot. Elston then pulled away over the final laps to score his third win in a row and fourth overall at the track. Boyse was 2nd, Toland was 3rd, Sam Halstead started 7th and finished 4th, with Todd Frank holding on to finish a close 5th.
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