Donnellson, IA (Friday, June 7, 2019) – Finally mother nature provided the Pepsi Lee County Speedway in Donnellson, Iowa with some beautiful weather for a night of racing on Friday, June 7th. As the Morrow Brothers Ford Midwest Open Wheel Association (MOWA) 410 Sprint Cars made a return trip to the track for the first time since 2012, with Midwest Performance & Power helping to bring the action.
The 18 lap Roberts Tire Center IMCA SportMod feature took to the track first, with Jim Powell and Bobby Six leading the field to green. Six would take advantage of his starting spot to jump out into the lead on lap 1 over Adam Birck and Ron Kibbe. While Six paced the field out front, Kibbe, Austen Becerra, who started 6th, Birck, Blaine Webster, who started 8th, and Brandon Dale, who started 7th, raced two and three wide for the runner up spot. On lap 5 Becerra emerged from that battle to claim the second spot, and then went to work on Six for the lead. Coming off turn 4 to complete lap 9, Becerra got under Six to take over the top spot. Just as Becerra started to pull away, the first and only caution of the race appeared on lap 13. As a cone was clipped onto the track in turn 4 to bring out the yellow. On the restart Becerra moved back out front, with Six, Birck, Daniel Fellows, who started 18th, Webster and Dale battling for second. Becerra would go on to lead the final 5 laps to pick up his second win of the season at the track, and breaking Fellows four race wining streak. Six was 2nd, Birck was 3rd, Webster was 4th, with Fellows rounding out the top 5.
Up next was the 25 lap MOWA 410 Sprint Car feature, with Paul Nienhiser and Bill Balog drawing the front row for the event. Balog used his starting spot to his advantage by grabbing the lead on lap 1 over Nienhiser and Lynton Jeffrey. The action was slowed on laps 2, 3 and 4 when a cone was clipped onto the track to bring out the yellow on laps 2 and 3, with George Crawford spinning in turn 1 on lap 4 to bring out the yellow. On the restart of lap 5 Nienhiser got under Balog to lead the lap. But Balog would get back by him on lap 6 to take the top spot back. Mason Daniel slipped under Balog on lap 10 to grab the lead, but Balog used the top side of the track coming out of turn 4 on lap 14 through lapped traffic to take the top spot back. Then just as the lap was scored complete Harold Pohren spun in turn 1 to bring out the yellow. Balog jumped back out front on the restart, with Daniel and Ninehiser close behind. On lap 17 Nienhiser used the momentum off the middle of the track in turn 4 to grab the lead away from Balog. Then just after the lap was scored complete Crawford spun in turn 2 to bring out another yellow. Ninehiser moved back out front on the restart, with Daniel and Balog close behind. Without another caution to slow the pace, Ninehiser would go on to pick up the win and the $3,000 top prize to go with it. Daniel was 2nd, Jeffrey was 3rd, Balog was 4th, with Jamie Ball finishing in 5th.
Levi Smith and Mitch Boles led the field to the drop of the green flag in the 18 lap Budweiser IMCA Modified feature, with Boles grabbing the lead on lap 1 over Smith and Jeff Waterman, who started 6th. Boles would hold the top spot until lap 3 when Waterman got under him to take over the lead. The action was slowed on lap 8, when Chad Giberson spun in turn 4 to bring out the yellow. On the restart Smith would spin in turn 1 to bring the yellow light back on. The following restart saw Waterman jump back out front, with John Oliver Jr., who started 8th, and Brandon Lennox, who started 9th, close behind. Oliver Jr. would follow in Waterman’s tire tracks over the next seven laps, waiting for an opportunity to get the lead away from him. Then coming off turn 4 to complete lap 16 Waterman slid up the track, which allowed Oliver Jr. to shoot under him for the lead. Oliver Jr. then held Waterman off over the final laps to claim his second win in a row at the track. Waterman was 2nd, Dennis LaVeine started 7th and finished 3rd, Lennox was 4th, with Bill Roberts Jr. coming home in 5th.
The final feature to take to the track was the 15 lap Discount Tire & Service IMCA Sport Compacts, with Ricky Miller Jr. and Larry Miller on the front row. Just as the green flag waved the yellow light would come on, as Wesley Talley spun down the backstretch and collected Brandon Reu to bring out the yellow. On the original restart Larry Miller moved out front to lead lap 1 over Dylan Schantz and Trent Orwig, who started 6th. Larry Miller held the top spot until lap 2, when Reu, who recovered from his involvement in the caution on the start, slipped under him to take over the top spot. Then after the lap was scored complete, the caution appeared for debris in turn 4. Reu would jump back out front on the restart, with Larry Miller and Kimberly Abbott, who started 7th, following. One more lap completed, lap 4, and another caution appeared for debris down the front stretch. Once again Reu grabbed the lead on the restart, with Larry Miller and Orwig close behind. The action was slowed for the final time on lap 7, when Mike Hornung Jr. lost a right front tire down the backstretch to bring out the yellow. Reu moved back out front on the restart, with Orwig and Larry Miller following. While Reu worked the bottom of the track, Orwig tried the middle to get the lead away from him over the next 3 laps. But Reu was able to hold him off, that was until lap 12 when Orwig edged him out at the line to take over the top spot. Orwig then held off Reu over the final laps to claim his first win of the season at the Pepsi Lee County Speedway. Reu was 2nd, Barry Taft finished 3rd after starting in 8th, Larry Miller was 4th, with Abbott completing the top 5.
The Pepsi Lee County Speedway will be off on Friday, June 14th. But will return to action on Friday, June 21st, as it will be the 2nd Annual 305 Sprint Car Nationals being presented by Mohrfeld Electric. Also racing for track points will be the I-Smile Silver IMCA Late Models, Donnellson Tire & Service IMCA Stock Cars, Roberts Tire Center IMCA SportMods, and Discount Tire & Service IMCA Sport Compacts.
For more information about the Pepsi Lee County Speedway you can visit their website at www.leecountyspeedway.com, like them on Facebook, or call Brian Gaylord at 319-371-6744.
OFFICIAL RESULTS
Pepsi Lee County Speedway, Donnellson, Iowa
Friday, June 7, 2019 – Midwest Performance & Power Night
Morrow Brothers Ford MOWA 410 Sprint Cars
A-Feature: 1. Paul Nienhiser, Chapin, IL; 2. Mason Daniel, Carrollton, MO; 3. Lynton Jeffrey, Sydney, NSW, Aust.; 4. Bill Balog, North Pole, AK; 5. Jamie Ball, Knoxville, IA; 6. Austin McCarl, Altoona, IA; 7. Jordan Goldesberry, Springfield, IL; 8. Cory Bruns, Lincoln, IL; 9. Kyle Schuett, Philo, IL; 10. Brinton Marvel, Pittsboro, IN; 11. Jacob Patton, Bethalto, IL; 12. Dustin Adams, St. Louis, MO; 13. Brayden Gaylord, Wever, IA; 14. Jeremy Standridge, Springfield, IL; 15. Colton Fisher, Mediapolis, IA; 16. Brayton Lynch, Springfield, IL; 17. George Crawford, Springfield, IL; 18. Harold Pohren, New London, IA; 19. Josh Schneiderman, West Burlington, IA; 20. Dustin Barks, Farmington, MO (DNS)
Heat 1: 1. Mason Daniel; 2. Josh Schneiderman; 3. Brayton Lynch; 4. Dustin Adams; 5. Kyle Schuett; 6. George Crawford; 7. Dustin Barks
Heat 2: 1. Austin McCarl; 2. Paul Nienhiser; 3. Bill Balog; 4. Jordan Goldesberry; 5. Jacob Patton; 6. Jeremy Standridge; 7. Brayden Gaylord
Heat 3: 1. Lynton Jeffrey; 2. Jamie Ball; 3. Cory Bruns; 4. Colton Fisher; 5. Brinton Marvel; 6. Harold Pohren
Budweiser IMCA Modifieds
A-Feature: 1. John Oliver Jr., Danville, IA; 2. Jeff Waterman, Quincy, IL; 3. Dennis LaVeine, West Burlington, IA; 4. Brandon Lennox, New London, MO; 5. Bill Roberts Jr., Burlington, IA; 6. Craig Spegal, New London, MO; 7. Chad Giberson, Richland, IA; 8. Mitch Boles, New London, IA; 9. Levi Smith, Donnellson, IA; 10. Dugan Thye, Burlington, IA
Heat 1: 1. Jeff Waterman; 2. Dennis LaVeine; 3. Craig Spegal; 4. Chad Giberson; 5. Levi Smith
Heat 2: 1. John Oliver Jr.; 2. Mitch Boles; 3. Bill Roberts Jr.; 4. Dugan Thye (DNS); 5. Brandon Lennox (DNS)
Roberts Tire Center IMCA SportMods
A-Feature: 1. Austen Becerra, Bowen, IL; 2. Bobby Six, Warsaw, IA; 3. Adam Birck, Canton, MO; 4. Blaine Webster, Ottumwa, IA; 5. Daniel Fellows, Keokuk, IA; 6. Brandon Dale, Arbela, MO; 7. Jeff Frana, Ottumwa, IA; 8. Ron Kibbe, Danville, IA; 9. Patrick Profeta, Keokuk, IA; 10. Steven Berry, Ottumwa, IA; 11. Tyler Burton, Quincy, IL; 12. Michael Benjamin, Montrose, IA; 13. Brian Bergheger, Keokuk, IA; 14. Brandon Lambert, Carthage, IL; 15. Jim Powell, Hannibal, MO; 16. Kyle Hamelton, Keokuk, IA; 17. Josh Holtman, Quincy, IL (DNS); 18. Derek Goble, Burlington, IA (DNS)
Heat 1: 1. Ron Kibbe; 2. Austen Becerra; 3. Blaine Webster; 4. Michael Benjamin; 5. Kyle Hamelton; 6. Derek Goble
Heat 2: 1. Bobby Six; 2. Adam Birck; 3. Patrick Profeta; 4. Brandon Dale; 5. Brian Bergheger; 6. Tyler Burton
Heat 3: 1. Steven Berry; 2. Jeff Frana; 3. Brandon Lambert; 4. Jim Powell; 5. Josh Holtman; 6. Daniel Fellows
Discount Tire & Service IMCA Sport Compacts
A-Feature: 1. Trent Orwig, Ottumwa, IA; 2. Brandon Reu, Donnellson, IA; 3. Barry Taft, Argyle, IA; 4. Larry Miller, Burlington, IA; 5. Kimberly Abbott, Camp Point, IL; 6. Wesley Talley, Monmouth, IL; 7. Mike Hornung Jr., Keokuk, IA; 8. Dylan Schantz, Luray, MO; 9. Ricky Miller Jr., Gorin, MO; 10. Cody Bowman, Mt. Pleasant, IA; 11. Josh Barnes, Keokuk, IA (DNS)
Heat 1: 1. Barry Taft; 2. Dylan Schantz; 3. Kimberly Abbott; 4. Ricky Miller Jr.; 5. Wesley Talley
Heat 2: 1. Brandon Reu; 2. Trent Orwig; 3. Larry Miller; 4. Mike Hornung Jr.; 5. Cody Bowman (DNS); 6. Josh Barnes (DNS)