By Brett Zerfowski

(Macon, IL)A special event at Macon Speedway is not hard to find on the 2011 schedule and the first Saturday of July was no exception with the 95Q Firecracker 40s. 40-lap features for the UMP Chevrolet Late Models and the UMP Billingsley Towing Modifieds thrilled the crowd with exciting racing action as did the colorful fireworks that lit up the sky following the show.

Brian Bielong of Summerfield, IL., made a terrific showing with his second Billingsley Towing Modified feature at Macon. He led all 40 laps and used the high groove for the entire race. He fought off tough competition throughout the show including the Lite Beer Twin 50s feature winner Shane Tomlin. After Tomlin went to the back of the field following a caution on the tenth lap, Michael Rauch of Sullivan became the new second-place car. Running the bottom side of the track, Rauch caught up to the leader at the end of the race but didn’t have enough time as the bottom groove finally started to come in a few laps too late for Rauch’s liking. Decatur’s Aaron Burcham tailed Rauch throughout the second half of the 40 laps but finished third. Argenta’s Danny Smith finished fourth and Clark Robertson, who started in 17^th place, took home a top-five finish. Amid seven yellow flags, the race was completed in 21 minutes.

Kyle Logue of Cisco, IL., must have paid attention to the Billingsley Towing Modified feature because he found out how well the bottom groove was working. That was his area for the whole 40 laps. Brian Diveley of Springfield started out with the lead but by the 11^th lap, Logue had taken over. Diveley chose the high groove but it didn’t last for him and neither did the lead. Rodney Standerfer followed Logue but was unable to really gather up any momentum and chased the leader for the majority of the race, eventually passing Diveley. Rick Standridge started smoking in the latter stages of the race and was able to avoid blowing up and took home fourth. Greg Kimmons, who was wrecked in the heat race, was able to finish fifth. The Chevrolet Late Model 40-lapper lasted 19 minutes with six caution flags.

It was the same old story in the Touchstone Energy Sportsman feature as Nick Macklin of Argenta had another impressive showing, leading and winning from the pole to take his third feature in-a-row and sixth overall. It was not without competition, however, as Mike Pickering made a strong showing for a second-place finish, Alan Crowder, winner of a heat race, was third, and Scott Landers and Rick Roedel rounding out the fourth and fifth places in the race.

Pickering was able to win in the Street Stock feature and receive his first Russell Trucking Trophy of 2011. Running a limited schedule this year, Pickering had not tasted victory lane in feature racing all season in feature racing. He had fierce competition with Blake Shelley, Nick Justice and Roy Magee barreling down on them. Mike Pundt, Jr. was able to finish fifth.

The Pro Hornet feature would go to Heidi Hames, her second, of the year. She passed Jeremy Reed with only two laps to go. Reed would place second and Jonathan Drake third. Michael Webb and Adam Webb fourth and fifth as the checkered flag flew. In the Amateur Hornet feature, Brady Reed was a winner for the second time this season. Kenneth Reed, Jerad Matherly, Zach Perryman and Michael Gossett rounded out the top five in the Amateur Hornet feature.

The next show at Macon Speedway comes Thursday, July 7^th, with the 31^st Annual Herald & Review 100, which is part of the UMP DIRTcar Summer Nationals schedule. The UMP Late Models will run for $5,000-to-win and UMP DIRTcar Summer Nationals points while the UMP Modifieds will also be apart of the show. Next Saturday night will feature an innovated new race as the Touchstone Energy Sportsman will compete in a 40-lap feature of their own in the Firemen’s Firestone Topless 40. In this race, the drivers will race without their roof for 40 laps.

Macon Speedway wishes to thank 95.1 FM, 95Q, for their sponsorship of the evening as well as the crew who put together a terrific fireworks display after the racing.

UMP Late Model – Feature
Finish Start Car Driver Hometown Points
1 3 21 Kyle Logue Cisco , Il 50.00
2 2 28 Rodney Standerfer Germantown , Il 48.00
3 1 11D Brian Diveley Springfield , Il 46.00
4 9 12 Rick Standridge Collinsville , Il 44.00
5 6 27 Greg Kimmons Pleasant Plains, Il 42.00
6 8 16H Mike Hammerle St Charles, Mo 40.00
7 7 28B John Beck Springfield , Il 38.00
8 10 7 Joseph Hughes Springfield , Il 36.00
9 11 24S Steve Phillips Neoga , Il 34.00
10 5 82 Roger Brickler Springfield , Il 32.00
11 12 38J Jake Little Springfield , Il 30.00
12 16 N59 Chad Evans Mattoon , Il 28.00
13 13 11K Terry Reed Decatur , Il 26.00
14 15 B1 Randy Bingham Greenville , Il 24.00
15 14 7MX Kevin Moffett Moweaqua , Il 22.00
16 4 38L Ryan Little Springfield , Il 20.00

UMP Modified – Feature
Finish Start Car Driver Hometown Points
1 3 70 Brian Bielong – 50.00
2 2 11M Michael Rauch Sullivan , Il 48.00
3 5 44 Aaron Burcham Decatur , Il 46.00
4 10 9 Danny Smith Argenta , Il 44.00
5 17 35 Clark Robertson Shelbyville , Il 42.00
6 11 37 Albert Crawley Sr. Decatur , Il 40.00
7 6 71 Jeff Graham Stonington , Il 38.00
8 7 42L Steve Lach – 36.00
9 13 25 Jeffrey Wallace Decatur , Il 34.00
10 15 19 James Hankins Taylorville , Il 32.00
11 4 T2 Mark Tullis Macon , Il 30.00
12 1 18 Shane Tomlin , Il 28.00
13 9 28 Joe Strawkas Buffalo , Il 26.00
14 20 89EK Norm Wood Sullivan , Il 24.00
15 16 Z Bruce Malone , Il 22.00
16 19 55C Kevin Cook – 20.00
17 12 X7 Larry Russell Jr. Harristown , Il 18.00
18 8 22 Scott Jones Macon , Il 16.00
19 18 1 Josh Robb Blue Mound, Il 14.00
20 14 23 Andrew Barnes – 12.00 DNS

UMP Sportsman – Feature
Finish Start Car Driver Hometown Points
1 1 16 Nick Macklin – 50.00
2 2 9 Mike Pickering Decatur , Il 48.00
3 3 14C Alan Crowder Elwin , Il 46.00
4 5 41 Scott Landers Taylorville , Il 44.00
5 13 11 Rick Roedel Shelbyville , Il 42.00
6 6 52 Bob Sidener Springfield , Il 40.00
7 11 35 Dave Eckel Lovington , Il 38.00
8 7 B99 Tim Bedinger Taylorville , Il 36.00
9 10 53R Jeff Reed, Sr Blue Mound, Il 34.00
10 18 22J Tony Clinton Dawson , Il 32.00
11 14 33 Bill Berghaus Crapin , Il 30.00
12 12 93 Ty Nation Taylorville , Il 28.00
13 8 72 Tom Graham Stonington , Il 26.00
14 16 7JR Josh Bourland – 24.00
15 9 07 Phil Moreland Assumption , Il 22.00
16 4 23 Dennis Vandermeersch Springfield , Il 20.00
17 17 D98 Danny Smith Argenta , Il 18.00
18 21 11K Jeff Brown Oreana , Il 16.00
19 20 7 Troy Nation – 14.00
20 19 8J Lance Johnson Kenney , Il 12.00
21 15 57 Thomas Riech Springfield , Il 10.00 DNS

UMP Street Stock – Feature
Finish Start Car Driver Hometown Points
1 3 99 Mike Pickering Decatur , Il 50.00
2 2 30 Blake Shelly Oakley , Il 48.00
3 4 36 Nick Justice Harristown , Il 46.00
4 1 OO Roy Magee Ii Springfield , Il 44.00
5 5 918 Michael Pundt Jr. Decatur , Il 42.00
6 6 33 Justin Hill Lovington , Il 40.00
7 13 29 Bobby Beiler Decatur , Il 38.00
8 9 23 Jason Hazlet Moweaqua , Il 36.00
9 12 18 Jeff Watts – 34.00
10 14 G98 George Wilderman Decatur , Il 32.00
11 11 65D Todd Dasenbrock – 30.00
12 7 F45 Jeramie Fowler Decatur , Il 28.00
13 8 52R Jeffery Reed Jr. Blue Mound, Il 26.00
14 10 X7 Rick Scott – 24.00 DNS
15 15 61 Gene Reed Shelbyville , Il 22.00 DNS
16 16 7 Steven Dearing – 20.00 DNS

UMP Amateur Hornet – Feature
Finish Start Car Driver Hometown Points
1 1 33K Brady Reed – 50.00
2 4 98 Kenneth Reed Decatur , Il 48.00
3 6 J4 Jerad Matherly Decatur , Il 46.00
4 9 56Z Zach Perryman Decatur , Il 44.00
5 13 210 Michael Gossett – 42.00
6 7 58 Matt Roberts , Il 40.00
7 8 96 Derek Peters Pana , Il 38.00
8 5 53 Jenny Clinton Dawson , Il 36.00
9 12 50 Benjamin Mcchristy Mt.zion , Il 34.00
10 11 39 Marty Sullivan Mt. Zion, Il 32.00
11 10 11D Bradley Dasenbrock Decatur , Il 30.00
12 3 21 Austin Harbin Argenta , Il 28.00
13 2 38R Kyle Maxwell Pana , Il 26.00 DQ

UMP Hornet – Feature
Finish Start Car Driver Hometown Points
1 4 15 Heidi Hames Decatur , Il 50.00
2 1 33K Jeremy Reed Decatur , Il 48.00
3 2 52 Jonathan Drake Decatur , Il 46.00
4 7 63 Michael Webb Decatur , Il 44.00
5 6 40 Adam Webb Decatur , Il 42.00
6 3 0 Fred Reed Jr. Decatur , Il 40.00
7 8 7REED Tony Reed Decatur , Il 38.00
8 5 210 Brett Embry Decatur , Il 36.00
9 9 34 Justunn Hilton Lovington , Il 34.00
10 11 83 Bruce Dulgar Decatur , Il 32.00
11 14 58 Cameron Finney – 30.00
12 12 88 Brian Offer Springfield , Il 28.00
13 13 43K Richard Reed – 26.00
14 10 14X Steven Stine , Il 24.00
15 15 11D Nate Scribner Decatur , Il 22.00
16 16 50 Joseph Mcchristy Mt Zion, Il 20.00