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