     MACON – One week after missing the setup on his UMP street stock, Gene Reed of Blue Mound stuck his car down low to grab the Midwest Big Ten Series street stock opener at Macon Speedway Saturday night.
Reed started fifth among 19 cars in the 20-lap street stock feature, and he kept his car in the low groove. It  allowed him to march to the front and take the $500 first-place prize.
“I’ll take it however I can get it,’’ said Reed, the defending Macon Speedway street stock champ. “I knew it was going to stack up in the front. They went to the top, and I stuck on the bottom.’’
In the season opener the previous weekend, Reed’s setup was off, and it sent his left front tire to jump in the air coming off the corner. He eventually finished third.
“I feel like I gave one away last week,’’ Reed said.
The Big Ten Series is a 10-race tour to four tracks. They will race five times overall at Macon Speedway and return stock car racing to the Christian County Fair in Taylorville after a long absence. Big Ten street stocks also battle at Jacksonville Speedway and Lincoln Speedway.
In other feature events, John Beck scored his first feature win at Macon Speedway in a UMP late model. Â David Crawley Jr. of Decatur won in UMP Billingsley Towing modifieds. Â Jeremy Nichols of Shelbyville captured the sportsman race, and Garth Luka of Blue Mound took the stock hornets victory.
Billy Brickley won the Illinois Lightning Sprint Series feature. Brian Deavers of Bloomington of captured the UMP outlaw feature.
It was a great night of racing under the lights. Fans enjoyed Driver-Sponsor Appreciation Night, when they are allowed on the track to check out the cars up close and personal. It’s almost like a free pit pass.
More than 60 kids made their way to the CEFCU Kid’s Club, and 3-year-old CEFCU Kid’s Club member Corbin Henderson joined the folks on the flagstand.
On Saturday, April 26, the wildly popular POWERi midgets and micros make their first of five appearances at Macon Speedway this season. They are joined by Billingsley Towing UMP modifieds, UMP street stocks, UMP outlaw hornets and stock hornets.
Gates open at 5 p.m. and racing begins at 7.
Macon Speedway results
Saturday, April 19
UMP Midwest Big Ten Series street stocks – 1. Gene Reed (Blue Mound), 2. Jeremy Nichols (Shelbyville), 3. Bobby Beiler (Blue Mound), 4. Terry Reed (Decatur), 5. Jeremiah Hadley, 6. Brandon Eskew, 7. Kyle Waters (Oreana), 8. Greg Osman (Macon), 9. Thomas Riech (Springfield), 10. Lance Johnson (Kenney), 11. Roy MaGee II (Springfield), 12. Brian Dasenbrock (Decatur), 13. Luke Force (Argenta), 14. Jeff Reed Sr. (Blue Mound), 15. Ronnie Burns (Cerro Gordo), 16. Zach Perryman (Decatur), 17. Jeffery Reed Jr. (Blue Mound), 18. Shane Ewing (Decatur), 19. Brandon Dick (Decatur).
UMP late models – 1. John Beck (Springfield), 2. Joseph Hughes (Springfield), 3. Greg Kimmons (Pleasant Plains), 4. Jeff Beyers (Pana), 5. Kyle VanDorn (New Berlin), 6. Andrew Barnes, 7. Jake Little (Springfield), 8. Matt Taylor (Springfield), 9. Ryan Little (Springfield).
UMP modifieds – 1. David Crawley Jr. (Decatur). 2.Cory Daugherty (Blue Mound), 3. Guy Taylor (Springfield), 4. Alan Crowder (Elwin), 5. Nick O’Dell (Kannapolis, N.C.), 6. Zach Bunning (Decatur), 7. Danny Smith (Argenta), 8. Troy Dodson (Cerro Gordo), 9. Rick Hamilton (Decatur), 10. John Bernard, 11. Clark Robertson (Shelbyville), 12. Joe Strawkas (Buffalo), 13. Matt Goulden (Springfield), 14. Steve Ewing (Decatur), 15. Jeff Ray, 16. Ethan Schnapp (Springfield), 17. Jeff Graham (Stonington).
Sportsman – 1. Jeremy Nichols (Shelbyville), 2. Nick Macklin (Argenta), 3. Doug Nevill (Dawson), 4. Zach Rhodes (Taylorville), 5. Tim Bedinger (Taylorville), 6. Bob Sidener (Springfield), 7. Michael Maestas (Lincoln), 8. Tom Graham (Stonington), 9. James Farley III (Springfield).
UMP outlaw hornets – 1. Brian Deavers (Bloomington), 2. John Bright Jr. (Decatur), 3. Michael Gossett (Decatur), 4. Tharen Reno (Springfield), 5. Dillon Justice (Harristown), 6. Steven Stine (Stonington), 7. Victor Overlin. 8. Jerad Matherly (Decatur), 9. Mike Eskew (Williamsville), 10. Thad Gee (Bloomington), 11. Vernon Carlow (Springfield), 12. Terry Myers.
Stock hornets – 1. Garth Luka (Blue Mound), 2. Benjamin McChristy (Mount Zion), 3. Joseph McChristy (Mount Zion), 4. William Deavers (Bloomington), 5. Brian Offer (Springfield), 6. Derek Peters (Pana), 7. Mike McChristy (Mount Zion), 8. Dean Holt (Mount Zion), 9. Marty Sullivan (Decatur), 10. Victor Overlin Jr., 11. Garrett Lewis (Decatur), 12. Josh Bright (Decatur), 13. Billy Justice Jr., 14. Pat Arthur, 15. Paul Peters, 16. Quintin Tippitt.
Illinois Lighting Sprints – 1. Billy Brickley, 2. Austin Archdale (Brimfield), 3. Jud Ross (Havana), 4. Jacob Sollemberger (Canton), 5. Andrew Funk (Morton).