Donnellson, IA (Saturday, July 27, 2019) - After having to take a week off because of excessive heat warnings, the Pepsi Lee County Speedway return to action with a rare Saturday night program. J.J. Nichting and Chem GRO AG Center, along with many other contributing sponsors, helped to present the Inaugural Mid-Summer Shootout on Saturday, July 27th. One Hundred and twenty-one race teams jammed the pit area in hopes of taking home the big prize money that was up for grabs.
After seventeen qualifying races were completed to help set the feature starting line-ups, the 15 lap Discount Tire & Service IMCA Sport Compact feature took to the track first. Cody Bowman and Brandon Reu would draw the front row for the event. Just as the green flag waved the caution would come out, as contact between Josh Barnes and Brandon Allison sent Allison spinning in turn 3. On the original restart William Michel spun into the guardrail in turn 3 to bring the yellow light back on. A third attempt of a start saw Reu grab the lead on lap 1 over Jason Ash and Bowman. The action up front was slowed for the final time on lap 3, as Ryan Havel spun in turn 4 to bring out the yellow. Reu jumped back out front on the restart, with Chuck Fullenkamp, who started 9th, and Ash following close behind. While Reu worked to hold off Fullenkamp and Ash, Barnes was working his way back to the front, as on lap 8 he joined the battle for the top spot. Reu, Fullenkamp, Ash and Barnes raced two and even three wide for the lead on laps 9 thru 11. On lap 12 Barnes emerged from the battle to take over the top spot, in which he held until the checkered flag. Fullenkamp made a last lap pass of Reu to finish 2nd, Reu was 3rd, Jacob Houston, who 10th in Barry Taft's #57 machine, finished 4th, with Ash rounding out the top 5.
Up next was the 20 lap Engler USAC IMRA Midget Series feature, with Andy Baugh and Devin Fegger leading the field to the drop of the green flag. Baugh took advantage of his starting spot to jump out into the lead on lap 1 over Fegger and Mark McMahill. Fegger would try to look under Baugh over the next several laps, before the first caution appeared on lap 12 to slow the action. Tori Smith, who was running 9th, spun in turn 1 to bring out the yellow. On the restart Baugh moved back out front, with McMahill and Jacob Sollenberger following. Two laps, lap 15, later another caution waved, as Tracy Hull, who was running 6th, spun in turn 2 to bring out the yellow. Baugh once again grabbed the lead on the restart, with Fegger and Sollenberger still close behind. The final caution of the race appeared on lap 17, as Jace Sparks spun in turn 4 to bring out the yellow. Once again Baugh jumped back out front on the restart, with Fegger and Sollenberger following. Fegger would try to get under Baugh over the final laps. But coming off turn 4 to get the checkered flag he went to the top to try and get the win. But Baugh would hold him off at the line to claim the win. Fegger settled for a close 2nd, Tyler Roth came from 7th to finish 3rd, Sollenberger was 4th, with Kevin Battefeld coming home in 5th.
Barry Dugan and Logan Anderson drew the front row for the 22 lap Roberts Tire Center IMCA SportMod feature, with Anderson grabbing the lead on lap 1 over Sean Wyett and Carter VanDenBerg. Just as Anderson started to pull away from the battles behind them, the first and only caution of the event appeared on lap 5. Dan Brockert slowed in turn 2 with troubles to bring out the yellow. On the restart Anderson moved back out front, with VanDenBerg over taking Wyett for the runner up spot. VanDenBerg would follow in Anderson's tire tracks over the next 3 laps, when Austin Becerra joined the battle on lap 9. The top three cars would pull away from the rest of the side-by-side battles behind them. VanDenBerg and Becerra weren't able to mount a challenge on Anderson over the final laps. As Anderson held on for the win and the $1,500 top prize to go with it. VanDenBerg was 2nd, Becerra was 3rd, Blaine Webster was 4th, with Brayton Carter coming from 12th to finish in 5th.
The 22 lap Donnellson Tire & Service IMCA Stock Car feature was up next, and it would go green to checkered without a single caution. Les Blakley and Dallon Murty led the field to green, with Blakley grabbing the lead on lap 1 over Jason Cook and Dallon Murty. Cook would grab the lead from Blakley on lap 2, as Abe Huls, who was working the top of the track, slipped into the runner up spot. On lap 4 Huls used the momentum off the top of the track to take over the top spot. While Cook worked the bottom to try and get the lead back from Huls, who was working the top, Damon Murty would use the middle of the track to make it a three car battle for the lead on lap 8. These three driver's raced three wide around the 3/8th's mile track over the final half of the race, with Huls being scored the leader at the line each lap. Coming off turn 4 to get the checkered flag, Damon Murty made one last attempt to clear Huls. But Huls would use the momentum off the top to edge him out at the line to claim the win and the $1,500 check to go with it. Damon Murty was 2nd, Cook was 3rd, Shawn Ritter was 4th, with Cayden Carter rounding out the top 5.
Mike Smith and Jeff Guengerich drew the front row for the 20 lap I-Smile Silver IMCA Late Model feature, and just like the Stock Car feature the Late Model feature went green to checkered without a single caution. Guengerich would use his draw to his advantage to jump out into the lead on lap 1 over Smith and Tommy Elston. Elston would slip under Smith on lap 4 to take over the runner up spot, and then went to work on Guengerich for the top spot. Over the next 10 laps Elston followed in Guengerich's tire tracks, waiting for him to make a mistake to then grab the lead. But Guengerich stayed smooth, until he entered lapped traffic on lap 14. Elston used the lapped cars to his advantage, as he got by Guengerich in turn 2 to grab the lead. Elston then held on over the final laps to score the win and the $1,000 top prize to go with it. Andy Eckrich got past Guengerich on the final lap to get 2nd, Guengerich held on for 3rd, Matt Ryan started 9th and finished 4th, with Chuck Hanna coming home in 5th.
The final feature to take to the track on the night was the 25 lap Budweiser IMCA Modifieds, with Kelly Shryock and Mitch Boles leading the field to green. Shryock took advantage of is starting spot to jump out into the lead on lap 1 over Cayden Carter and Boles. On lap 4 Shryock slipped up the track in turn 4, which allowed Carter to slip past him for the top spot. The pace was slowed for the first time on lap 10, when Chris Zogg stopped down the backstretch to bring out the yellow. On the restart Carter moved back out front, with Shryock and David Brown following. Debris on lap 12 would slow the action for the second time of the race. Carter once again grabbed the lead on the restart, with Kyle Brown over taking David Brown for third. Then just after the lap was scored complete, Dean McGee, Derrick Stewart, Mike Guldenpfenning, and Levi Smith collided under the flag stand to bring out the caution. On the restart Carter jumped back out front, with Shryock and Kyle Brown close behind. Two laps, lap 16, later DJ Shannon, who was running 4th, slowed in turn 2 to bring out the yellow. Once again Carter moved back out front on the restart, with Shryock and Kyle Brown following. Carter would then go on to lead the final laps to claim the win and the $1,500 check to go with it. Shryock was 2nd, Kyle Brown was 3rd, David Brown was 4th, with Boles finishing a strong 5th.
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