By Brett Zerfowski

(Macon, IL) It was the best of both worlds. Central Illinois is split with its favorite types of racing, stock cars and open wheel sprint cars. On the final Saturday of July, Macon Speedway showcased both in a rare doubleheader.

Along with the sights and sounds of the MOWA (Midwest Open Wheel Association) and the UMP Super Late Models, the Billingsley Towing Modifieds, Street Stocks and Pro & Amateur Hornets appeared on the slate.

Jason Hazlet made his way to victory lane for the first time in his career. A former track employee with a few years under his belt in different cars, Hazlet has found himself getting comfy racing in the front and he might start finding himself getting comfy in victory lane. Starting on the pole position, Hazlet led early but lost the lead to three-time feature winner Nick Macklin before coming back to take the lead on the white-flag lap. Lapped traffic helped put Hazlet back in front as Macklin slowed to avoid the cars at the tail. Hazlet, nicknamed “Jughead,” is a feature winner. Macklin took second ahead of Terry Reed, Jonathan Drake and Bobby Beiler.

Another new face to find victory lane was Maroa’s Randy Huffman. Huffman has finished runner-up to Guy Taylor a few times during 2012 but finally got things working his way and stayed ahead of the line to get the 20-lap win. All it took was keeping Taylor away from the lead spot. Huffman started along the front row with Joe Strawkas, who raced for second with Taylor, and kept the separation to avoid having the race get close. Brock Bauman finished ahead of Brian Diveley and Danny Smith in the Billingsley Towing Modified feature event.

There was a familiar face to hit the winner’s circle Saturday in the UMP Super Late Models as now three-time feature winner Steve Sheppard, Jr. came from second place to win the event. More lapped traffic caused trouble with the leader as Brian Diveley ended up losing the top spot to Sheppard and took second place. Greg Kimmons got third place and inched closer to leading the division points. Matt Taylor finished fourth and Guy Taylor was fifth, and also the highest finishing Pro Crate Late Model and received an additional cash bonus.

On the fourth and final night of the Illinois Sprint Week, the MOWA Sprint Cars put on a tremendous show and featured a 25-lap feature that had zero caution flags and a lot of passing. Danny Smith, starting second row outside, took the lead from Robbie Standridge and held off his challenge for the win. Smith, of Chillocothe, OH., won his first race of the weekly event. Standridge of Springfield was second with Bloomington, IN., resident Kody Kinser finishing third. Jerrod Hull, winner of this event in 2011 at Macon Speedway, started in 17th position and finished 6th.

In the Hornets division, Adam Webb crossed the finish line first in the Pro Hornet class for the second time this season but was disqualified and second place car Billy Justice was awarded first place and Dalton Brooks was a first-time winner in the Amateur Hornets.

A week off from stock car racing at Macon Speedway (but not racing entirely as the Hartung Powerwash Go-Kart Nationals will run next Saturday) will bring everybody back on August 11th with a full stock car racing show.

MOWA Sprint – Feature
Finish Start Car Driver Hometown
1 8 4    Danny Smith    Chillecothe , Oh
2 3 23    Robby Standridge     –
3 4 4K    Kody Kinser     –
4 6 47    Brett Samonds    Springfield , Il
5 9 44X    Aj Bruns    Lincoln , Il
6 22 12    Jerrod Hull    Sikeston , Mo
7 7 1M    Jim Moughan     –
8 1 77U    Chris Urish    Elkhart , Il
9 5 65    Jordan Goldesberry    Springfield , Il
10 12 99W    Korey Weyant     –
11 11 17M    Joey Moryhan     –
12 10 52F    Logan Faucon    Elkhart , In
13 2 84    Ben Wagoner    Emden , Il
14 15 96    Charron Nathan     –
15 21 83    Korey Weyant    Springfield , Il
16 18 2    Alex Pettas     –
17 14 9    Paul Nienhiser     –
18 17 51    Mike Hess    Springfield , Il

UMP Late Model – Feature
Finish Start Car Driver Hometown
1 2 5S    Steve Sheppard    New Berlin, Il
2 1 11D    Brian Diveley    Springfield , Il
3 7 27    Greg Kimmons     , Il
4 6 24    Matt Taylor    Springfield , Il
5 10 4T    Guy Taylor     –
6 5 28B    John Beck    Springfield , Il
7 8 82    Roger Brickler    Springfield , Il
8 4 22    Chris Dick    Deland , Il
9 3 91    Jeremy Nichols     , Il
10 12 B8    John Barnard     –
11 9 44G    Shane Garrisson    Dawson , Il
12 13 33H    Roben Huffman    Clinton , Il
13 11 27    Jeff Beyers    Pana , Il
14 14 7H    Joseph Hughes    Springfield , Il DNF

UMP Modified – Feature
Finish Start Car Driver Hometown
1 2 5H    Randy Huffman    Maroa , Il
2 1 28    Joe Strawkas    Buffalo , Il
3 4 15    Guy Taylor     –
4 8 6    Brock Bauman    Eureka , Il
5 3 29W    Brian Diveley    Springfield , Il
6 7 9    Danny Smith    Chillecothe , Oh
7 6 4    Cody Bauman     –
8 5 35    Clark Robertson    Shelbyville , Il
9 11 66T    Tommy Sheppard    Berlin , Il
10 14 T2    Chris Bolyard    Girard , Il
11 9 96    Cory Daugherty    Blue Mound, Il
12 18 X    Jeremy Nichols     , Il
13 13 22    Scott Jones    Macon , Il
14 16 71    Jeff Graham    Stonington , Il
15 19 63    Steve Keenen    Philo , Il
16 15 7S    Ethan Schnapp    Springfield , Il DNF
17 17 21D    Darcey Wey    Heyworth , Il DNF
18 12 54R    Frank Reed Jr    Blue , Il DNF
19 10 6B    Dave Baldwin     – DNF
20 20 17B    Cale Chandler    Decatur , Il DNF

UMP Street Stock – Feature
Finish Start Car Driver Hometown
1 1 23    Jason Hazlet    Moweaqua , Il
2 2 38    Nick Macklin     –
3 4 11    Terry Reed    Decatur , Il
4 3 52    Jonathan Drake    Decatur , Il
5 5 29    Bobby Beiler    Decatur , Il
6 10 30    Blake Shelly    Oakley , Il
7 6 61    Gene Reed    Shelbyville , Il
8 7 X7    Larry Russell Jr.    Harristown , Il
9 11 3    Nick Justice    Harristown , Il
10 15 58    Thomas Riech    Springfield , Il
11 13 3    Michael Bolyard     –
12 16 OO    Roy Magee Ii    Springfield , Il
13 9 11G    Shawn Garrison     –
14 12 26    Kyle Waters     –
15 14 11R    Billy Justice    Niantic , Il
16 19 25    Greg Osman    Macon , Il
17 18 12    Terry Myers     , Il
18 20 52R    Jeffery Reed Jr.    Blue Mound, Il DNF
19 23 7    Nick Sutton     – DNF
20 21 1    Josh Robb    Blue Mound, Il DNF
21 17 57R    Jamie Riech     – DNF
22 8 918    Michael Pundt Jr.    Decatur , Il DNF
23 22 45    Luke Force     – DNF

UMP Amateur Hornet – Feature
Finish Start Car Driver Hometown
1 6 6    Dalton Brooks     –
2 8 G4    Robert Goveia     –
3 4 88    Brian Svoboda     –
4 7 11J    Dillon Justice    Harristown , Il
5 12 R6    Jestin Ingram     –
6 2 56Z    Zach Perryman    Decatur , Il
7 10 21    Austin Harbin    Argenta , Il
8 11 39    Marty Sullivan    Mt. Zion, Il
9 9 121    Jerrod Hemingway     –
10 14 12    Dean Holt    Decatur , Il
11 13 21T    Bryan Kuntzman     –
12 1 111    Chevy Justice     – DNF
13 3 13    John Bright Jr    Decatur , Il DNF
14 5 199    Jordan Foraker    Taylorville , Il DQ

UMP Hornet – Feature
Finish Start Car Driver Hometown
1 1 11    Billy Justice    Niantic , Il
2 4 33    Jeremy Reed    Decatur , Il
3 6 4G    John Goveia    Springfield , Il
4 5 R6    Jerad Matherly    Decatur , Il
5 3 98    Kenneth Reed    Decatur , Il
6 8 51    Brian Rush    Taylorville , Il
7 14 33MF    Brady Reed     –
8 7 71    Todd Rush    Pawnee , Il
9 12 4    Matthew Reed    Blue Mound, Il
10 16 21    Joseph Mcchristy    Mt Zion, Il DNF
11 9 88    Brian Offer    Springfield , Il DNF
12 13 50    Mike Mcchristy    Mt. Zion, Il DNF
13 10 81    John Garner    Taylorville , Il DNF
14 11 13    Garrett Lewis    Decatur , Il DNF
15 17 64CK    Cook Crawford     – DNS
16 15 C89    Vernon Carlow    Springfield , Il DNS
17 2 40    Adam Webb    Decatur , Il