By Brett Zerfowski

(Macon, IL) The defending NASCAR Champion Tony Stewart is coming to the track he has co-owned since December 2006 this Tuesday, and to get the track ready Macon Speedway put on a great show for the fans on a warm summer evening.

Gary Cook, Jr. of Deer Creek came to Macon Speedway to test the waters Saturday night and found them nice and warm as he whipped his way around the turns and into the winner’s circle. He came with the purpose of checking his car and the track before the NASCAR Night Tuesday, which will also feature Ken Schrader and Kenny Wallace racing in the Billingsley Towing Modified class.

Cook started on the front row outside and raced along the top side but was followed by Cody Bauman, the pole-sitter, for the entire race. Cook was nearly untouchable for the race but late in the event Bauman came charging and caught up to him, and with the help of a few caution flags, Bauman was right back in the thick of the hunt for the lead. But it wasn’t to be as he finished second. Another close race was for third as Shane Tomlin crossed the line before Curt Rhodes and Norm Wood finished fifth.

Dennis Vandermeersch finished in the top spot for the first time this season. After many difficult events with the car breaking or one mishap or another, Vandermeersch got things running the right way. He pulled away early and blew by the field. He was followed by Rick Roedel, Tim Bedinger, Nick Macklin and Scott Landers.

Randy Myers made his visit to Victory Lane a special one in the Street Stocks Saturday. Racing in the same car Steve Ewing has for the season and winning several races, Myers showed he could do the same, and starting in the front row doesn’t hurt anything either. Mike Pundt, Jr. came on late to make it a close finish. Bobby Beiler, the defending champion, took third, Blake Shelly was fourth and Larry Russell, Jr. was good enough for fifth.

The Micro Sprints made a visit to Macon Speedway for the first time without accompanying the POWRi Midgets and they put on a marvelous display of racing, the open wheel way. Slide jobs and close passing paved the way through the heat races setting up Blue Mound’s Jeremy Camp to get into Victory Lane after making the pass on John Parker for the lead seven laps in. Parker would hang on for a top-five but Camp blew everybody away with his speed and maneuvers through the turns. Nic Harris moved into second for the finish. Josh Ponder and Chad Kendall took third and fourth, respectively.

Jeremy Reed’s mission to win as many Pro Hornet features continued with another eight lap victory. He claimed competition is on the way and the rest of the summer won’t be the same as the spring. Zach Perryman grabbed top honors in the Amateur Hornets with his first feature win of 2012. He had a feature win in 2011 and won a High School Hornet race, as well.

Macon Speedway also found out who was the Faster Pastor as three area church leaders strapped on helmets and buckled in for a few laps around the speedy 1/5th mile dirt track. GT Church’s BG Nevitt proved to be faster than Hidden Valley Community Church’s Todd Tuggle and Jerry Doss of Springfield’s Abundant Faith Christian Center.

Tuesday features Tony Stewart and Kyle Petty on hand for autograph signings and racing along with Kenny Wallace and Ken Schrader. That paves the way for Saturday’s annual Lite Beer Twin 50s event, 50-lappers for the Late Models and Billingsley Towing Modifieds along with a full show.