MACON – Larry Russell, Jr. had been thinking a long time about making a return to Street Stock racing at Macon Speedway. He not only made his comeback but also did it in style by winning a furious battle.
The former Macon Speedway track champion kept Terry Reed, Bobby Beiler and Nick Justice is his rearview mirror and took the checkered flag  Saturday night during the Skeff Distributing Christmas in July Toy Drive.  Russell, of Harristown, kept his car glued to the bottom groove to score the victory on the fifth-mile high banked dirt oval.
Meanwhile, Cory Daugherty overcame a collision with a lapped car that nearly doomed his night. The driver from Blue Mound grabbed the Billingsley Towing Modifieds victory even though his left rear quarter panel was bent over the rear deck lid.
Nick Macklin made a late pass with a daring move to win in Sportsman. Unable to make the pass low, the Argenta racer charged around the high side for the victory, making it two straight weekends with a win.
Paul Day, of Atwood, was the fastest of 16 Beach House Mini-Sprints as the class made its second appearance at Macon Speedway this season. Day finished third here earlier this season in the other Mini-Sprint feature.
Thad Gee took the win in the Outlaw Hornets for the second consecutive week, and Benjamin McChristy grabbed the lead from Luke Wright midway through the Stock Hornet feature to take the victory.
The stage is set for one of the biggest races on the Macon Speedway schedule. The 34th running of the Herald-Review 100 is Thursday. Gates open at 4 p.m. with racing at 7 in the only 100-lapper on the UMP Summer Nationals Tour. It pays $5,000 to win. UMP Summit National Modifieds will also race for $1,000.
MACON SPEEDWAY RESULTS
Sportsman – 1. Nick Macklin (Argenta), 2. Timmy Dick (Monticello), 3. Doug Nevill (Dawson), 4. Tim Bedinger (Taylorville), 5. Curt Rhodes (Langleyville), 6. Tom Graham (Stonington), 7. Zach Rhodes, 8. Jeremy Nichols (Shelbyville), 9. Scott Landers (Taylorville), 10. Terry Reed (Decatur), 11. Ethan Schnapp (Springfield), 12. James Bedinger (Taylorville)
Street Stocks –1. Larry Russell, Jr. (Harristown), 2. Terry Reed (Decatur), 3. Justin Layne, 4. Nick Justice (Harristown), 5. Bobby Beiler (Blue Mound), 6. Gene Reed (Blue Mound), 7. Kyle Waters (Oreana), 8. James Farley III (Springfield), 9. Tom Reich (Springfield), 10. Roy MaGee II (Springfield), 11. Charles Biesenthal (Athens), 12. Zach Perryman (Decatur), 13. Brian Gaines, 14. Luke Force (Argenta), 15. Dustin Reed (Decatur), 16. Brian Dasenbrock (Decatur0, 17. Jake Weatherford, 18. Ronnie Burns (Cerro Gordo), 19. Brandon Dick (Decatur), 20. Jason Schrimpsher, 21. Billy Justice, Jr. 22. Ben Medaris (Decatur)
Outlaw Hornets – 1. Thad Gee (Bloomington), 2. Joseph McChristy (Mt. Zion), 3. John Bright, Jr. (Decatur), 4. Garrett Lewis (Decatur), 5. Michael Gossett (Decatur), 6. Dillon Justice (Harristown), 7. Jared Matherly (Decatur), 8. Steven Stine (Stonington), 9. Victor Overlin, 10. Nick Matherly (Decatur), 11. Tharen Reno (Springfield), 12. Cook Crawford (Lincoln)
Billingsley Towing Modifieds – 1. Cory Daughtery (Blue Mound), 2. Curt Rhodes (Langleyville), 3. Guy Taylor (Springfield), 4. Ethan Schnapp (Springfield), 5. Zack Bunning (Decatur), 6. Jeff Graham (Stonington), 7. Danny Smith (Argenta), 8. Jeff Ray (Springfield), 9. Clark Robertson (Shelbyville), 10. Nick Macklin (Argenta), 11. Randy Spaugh (Decatur), 12. Dave Crawley, Jr. (Decatur), 13. Mike Ward (Pawnee), 14. Rick Lowe (Springfield), 15. Joe Strawkas (Buffalo)
Beach House Mini-Sprints – 1. Paul Day (Atwood), 2. Evan Weyant (Sherman), 3. Austin Stewart (Jacksonville), 4. Shelby Bosie (Sherman), 5. Jeff Beasley (Urbana), 6. Tyler Day (Atwood), 7. Jason Harms (Riverton), 8. Greg Northrop (Jacksonville), 9. Brian Nance (Oklahoma City, OK), 10. Jimmy Neal (Addington), 11. Bailey Goldesberry, 12. Jeff Matta, 13. Devin Feger (Marquette Heights), 14. Jimmy Miller, 15. Eric Shelton (Decatur), 16. Dan Henning (Columbia, IA)
Stock Hornets – 1. Benjamin McChristy (Mt. Zion), 2. Luke Wright (Lincoln) 3. Mike McChristy (Mt. Zion), 4. Josh Smith (Clinton), 5. Alan Salmons, 6. Marty Sullivan (Decatur), 7. William Deavers (Bloomington), 8. Dean Holt (Mt. Zion), 9. Roger Reed (Decatur), 10. John Paceley (Decatur), 11. Josh Bright (Decatur)
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John Supinie
Track Enterprises, Inc.