The Event Begins Great Racing Weekend In Central Illinois
(Lincoln, IL) This coming weekend is arguably the biggest every year when it comes to racing in Central Illinois. There are four great events in three days at three different facilities. It all begins on Friday, August 18 at Lincoln Speedway in Lincoln, IL, with four different types of racecars, led by the POWRi/WAR East 410 Non-Wing Sprint Cars. UMP Pro Late Models, UMP Modifieds, and POWRi Lucas Oil DII Midgets presented by Nutech Seed are also on the card.
Last Sunday, the 410 non-wing sprints were in action for the first time in two years at the track. It was part of the Springfield Speedway Reunion, which is put on in part by Terry Young from Hoosier Tire Midwest. It was a great day at the track, with 25 sprint cars in the pits and a feature event that went flag-to-flag. Add the fact that local driver, Brett Triplett, from Lincoln, IL claimed the impressive victory, it was a highly entertaining day for the locals. Well, fans don’t have to wait long to see the sprints again, as they headline Friday’s show with a $2,000 to win special.
The POWRi Lucas Oil WAR East Sprints are led in points by Springfield, IL driver, Korey Weyant, while Decatur, IL driving veteran, Terry Babb is second in the standings. Slater Helt, Steve Thomas, and Mario Clouser round out the top five. Chris Windom, from Canton, IL, leads the series with three wins, while Landon Simon and Weyant each have two. Many of the same stars will be back from last Sunday’s show along with a few additions that compete with the series.
The UMP Pro Late Models are back on tap after not being part of last Sunday’s show. In addition to the normal pay, bonus money will be available to drivers in the class who compete Friday at Lincoln and Saturday at Macon Speedway. The money will be paid to the top three average finishes between the two nights of racing, ($200-$100-$50).
Coming into the night, Springfield, IL driver, Jake Little, leads the current standings by 34 over last year’s champion, Midland City, IL’s Roben Huffman. Little has claimed three feature wins at the track this season, while Huffman is looking for his first. Cody Maguire, Myles Moos, and Dustin Ingram round out the top five. Little is the only driver to win more than feature this year with three, while Moos, Matt Taylor, Guy Taylor, and Allen Weisser have each won one.
The UMP Modifieds will be back in action this Friday after having the closest finish in Lincoln Speedway history last Sunday. Ray Bollinger led Kenny Wallace until the final lap when Wallace got a run on the bottom of the track and passed him on the exit of four. Bollinger fought back on the outside, resulting in a photo finish and a win for Wallace by mere inches, at most.
This week’s Modified event will see Ashland, IL’s Brandon Roberts come into the night 80 points ahead of Austin Lynn. Roberts has taken three of the nine features this season, while fourth place point man, Ray Bollinger has also won four. Brian Lynn is third in points, while Mike Brooks rounds out the top five. Allen Weisser, Kenny Wallace, and Rodney Standerfer complete the list of drivers winning features in the class this season.
Rounding out Friday’s divisions will be the POWRi DII Midgets By Nutech. Waterman, IL’s Jack Routson leads the track standings by 54 over Tyler Vantoll. Mitchell Davis, Andy Baugh, and Austin Archdale complete the top five. The win leader is Vantoll with four, Gedd Ross with two, and Routson and Robby McQuinn with one each. McQuinn won his on Sunday.
A Lincoln area quarter midget group will be on hand to take some laps during intermission of the night’s event, putting some young racing talent in front of the fans in the stands.
Pits open Friday at 3:00, grandstands at 4:00, local pill draw will end at 6:00 when hotlaps begin, and racing will take the green at 7:00. Grandstand admission is $15, while kids 11 and under are free.
It’s all part of three great days of racing in Central Illinois. On Saturday afternoon, fans will flock to the Illinois State Fair for the Bettenhausen 100 before heading to Macon Speedway Saturday night for the POWRi National Midget League. Rounding out the weekend will be the Herr’s Potato Chips Chase The Taste 100 on Sunday afternoon at 1:30.
About Lincoln Speedway:
For more information on the track, follow Lincoln Speedway online at www.lincolnspeedwayil.com, on Facebook (www.facebook.com/LincolnILSpeedway), and Twitter (@LincolnILSpdwy). Updates are also available by calling the Track Enterprises office at 217-764-3200.
Lincoln Speedway is located at the Logan County Fairgrounds, in Lincoln, IL. The physical address is 1408 Short 11th St., Lincoln, IL 62656. Lincoln Speedway races a number of UMP classes as well as specials on a near bi-weekly schedule of Friday and Sunday evenings. Lincoln Speedway is a proud member of the Contingency Connection’s $100,000 Racer Rewards Program.
CURRENT STANDINGS (TOP 10’S)
POWRi/WAR East Lucas Oil Sprint Cars
Pos Car # First Name Last Name City State Points Gap
1 99 Korey Weyant Springfield IL 932 0
2 8D Terry Babb Decatur IL 866 66
3 22S Slater Helt Harrisonville MO 807 125
4 20 Steve Thomas Rantoul IL 751 181
5 6 Mario Clouser Auburn IL 739 193
6 56 Mitchell Davis Auburn IL 658 274
7 31L Buddy Lowther Cincinnati OH 618 314
8 95 Tommy Rockwell Towanda IL 546 386
9 11 James Lyerla Hillsboro IL 446 486
10 31 Austin Sears Macomb IL 379 553
UMP Pro Late Models
Pos Car # First Name Last Name City State Points Gap
1 38J Jake Little Springfield IL 392 0
2 33H Roben Huffman Midland City IL 358 34
3 32M Cody Maguire Carlinville IL 318 74
4 84 Myles Moos Lincoln IL 300 92
5 20 Dustin Ingram Lincoln IL 288 104
6 11E Brandon Eskew Ashland IL 284 108
7 1M Andy Minett New Berlin IL 220 172
8 38L Ryan Little Springfield IL 218 174
9 2K Kyle Van Dorn New Berlin IL 188 204
10 67R Rudy Zaragoza Jacksonville IL 182 210
UMP Modifieds
Pos Car # First Name Last Name City State Points Gap
1 35 Brandon Roberts Ashland IL 498 0
2 72A Austin Lynn Mason City IL 418 80
3 14 Brian Lynn Mason City IL 410 88
4 77 Ray Bollinger Kewanee IL 338 160
5 3 Mike Brooks Peoria IL 258 240
6 10 Curt Rhodes Taylorville IL 240 258
7 98C Cole Hussong Mattoon IL 228 270
8 25W Allen Weisser Peoria IL 178 320
9 36 Kenny Wallace St. Louis MO 172 326
10 32 Donovan Lodge Andover IL 132 366
POWRi Lucas Oil DII Midgets By Nutech
Pos Car # First Name Last Name City State Points Gap
1 10R Jack Routson Waterman IL 404 0
2 30T Tyler Vantoll Belleville IL 350 54
3 56 Mitchell Davis Auburn IL 314 90
4 6B Andy Baugh Mason City IL 224 180
5 2 Austin Archdale Brimfield IL 212 192
6 51R Gedd Ross Havana IL 210 194
7 7B Dave Baugh Bloomington IL 204 200
8 5 Wyatt Teare Rankin IL 186 218
9 54 Eric Reibenstein Joliet IL 176 228
10 09 Robby McQuinn Springfield IL 168 236