Macon Speedway Returns with Fury
By Brett Zerfowski
(Macon, IL) After missing a week due to Mother Nature and rain, Macon Speedway opened its gates once again in September to host the 4-cylinder Pro and Amateur Hornets World Championship races, presented by Hickory River Smokehouse.
31 Pro Hornets and 19 Amateur Hornets were signed in with the hopes of riding away with the trophies and the big-money first-place prize. 20 cars started the Pro Hornet feature and new-comer Bob Zbinden, a heat winner, started front-row-outside, opposite to two-time Hornet track champion Bruce Dulgar.
Zbinden, a native of Alhambra, IL., grabbed the lead and started to run away. Points leader Joe Reed was running in second and tried to find and catch Zbinden but was unable. A caution flag on lap 6 gave Reed and all other drivers the chance to find the leader and stay close but was unable and for the remaining nine laps, Zbinden was untouchable. The visit by Zbinden was his first, although it appeared as though he had been racing here all season and for many years with his quick driving and ability to cut through the turns without error. Reed managed second place and saluted the championship race winner with a thumbs up as he drove towards the exit gate.
The Amateur Hornet feature had two repeat winners in the front row. Brett Embry had won two features and Sam McCoy had taken three features, including the last Hornets feature in late August. The eight-lap event was mainly between Embry and McCoy and as they came to the final turn of the final lap, McCoy tried to bypass Embry on the high side of the track but was unsuccessful. Both are good friends and help one another in the pits with each other’s cars. “If I was to lose to somebody, I’d rather it be (Embry),” said McCoy after the race and during the trophy presentation.
The Touchstone Energy Sportsman feature had the two top drivers in the front row racing it out for the points championship in Scott Landers and Rick Roedel. Roedel took off early and had advantage of the race throughout the 15 laps. Defending track champion Jeff Graham was closing in on Roedel but didn’t have enough laps to make it happen as he took second to the fifth feature of Roedel’s season and an extension of the points lead over Landers.
Other close points races have been in the Modified and Street Stocks divisions. Dave Crawley has been leading over Joe Strawkus for a majority of the summer but has had his hard times which allowed Strawkus to enjoy the points lead for a few weeks, but Crawley got his car back in line and has started finishing races and finishing ahead of Strawkus. Feature win number seven came to Crawley Saturday night as Strawkus took second. On lap 6, Aaron Burcham was leading the race with Crawley in second but a caution flag caused by Burcham sent him to the back and Crawley inherited the lead and held on the for the final 14 laps. Jim Leka made his return to Macon Speedway, racing in the Jeremy Nichols 01 Modified; Leka finished third.
In the Street Stocks, it was another special evening as the Central Illinois Street Stock Series came to town for the fourth time in 2009. Excellent racing has occurred when the CILSSS has come to Macon as the drivers race for 25 laps and $500-to-win. Larry Russell, Jr. started and finished in the number one position as he led from wire-to-wire for the third feature of 2009. A rough night for Steve Ewing resulted in him switching to his back-up car after his red 95 blew up taking practice laps earlier in the night.
Ewing made the main event out of the semi-feature and the ten-time Macon Speedway feature winner started 18th of 20 cars. Ewing’s night would end up in smoke as the engine just poured out white, suffocating smoke into Ewing’s cockpit and after getting caught up with Springfield’s Tom Reich on the 22nd lap, Ewing took to the infield to watch the remaining laps of the race.
“Bub” Russell was able to stop the oncoming Wendell Zulauf, Jr., Blake Shelley and Terry Reed and grabbed the feature. Tom Reich, who came out of the semi-feature and started the 25-lap feature in the 17th spot, finished fifth.
16-year-old Nic Harris of Atlanta, IL., grabbed his first POWRi Micro Sprint feature of the year as he took the lead from 12-year-old Steven Russell. For the eighth time in as many nights, there have been eight different winners in the POWRi Micro Sprints at Macon Speedway this season.
A full show is in store for the Macon Speedway audience next week as the season begins to close. The night will showcase the rain-out make-up of the Illinois State Street Stock Championship race, which was scheduled to run September 5, but was cancelled due to rain. The season finale will come in two weeks time as the O’Reilly’s POWRi Midgets come to Macon Speedway for the fourth time in 2009. Along with them will be the POWRi Micros and a scheduled full show of stock car races. The points races are nearly over but there is still time for drivers to make the big move in the season’s coming weeks.
UMP Modified - Feature
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Finish Start Car Driver Hometown Race Points
1 3 37 David Crawley Jr. Decatur , Il 50
2 2 28 Joe Strawkas Buffalo , Il 48
3 7 01 Jim Leka Illiopolis , Il 46
4 5 31 Steve Ewing Decatur , Il 44
5 4 64 Donny Koehler Jr. Macon , Il 42
6 9 35 Clark Robertson Shelbyville , Il 40
7 10 36 Andrew Barnes - 38
8 17 18 Randy Myers Springfield , Il 36
9 8 T2 Mark Tullis Taylorville , Il 34
10 1 44 Aaron Burcham Decatur , Il 32
11 13 96 Greg Nelson Decatur , Il 30
12 14 42 Katie Lord Chatham , Il 28
13 15 19H James Hankins Taylorville , Il 26
14 16 4T Phil Taylor Decatur , Il 24
15 11 25 Jeffrey Wallace - 22
16 18 38L Ryan Little - 20
17 6 17Z Wendell Zulauf Jr Springfield , Il 18
18 12 16H Eric Hamilton Macon , Il 16
More Results
UMP Sportsman - Feature
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Finish Start Car Driver Hometown Race Points
1 2 11 Rick Roedel Shelbyville , Il 50
2 3 71 Jeff Graham - 48
3 8 C25 David Crawley Jr. Decatur , Il 46
4 4 22J Dennis Vandermeersch Springfield , Il 44
5 1 41 Scott Landers Taylorville , Il 42
6 6 11K Terry Reed Decatur , Il 40
7 14 9 Mike Pickering Decatur , Il 38
8 12 72 Tom Graham Stonington , Il 36
9 11 4 Travis Martin Ramsey , Il 34
10 10 22 Timmy Dick Monticello , Il 32
11 15 54R Frank Reed Jr Blue , Il 30
12 17 60 Kenny Hayes Macon , Il 28
13 9 07 Phil Moreland - 26
14 7 8K Ken Fustin Springfield , Il 24
15 19 B88 Jim Bedinger Taylorville , Il 22
16 20 49S Terry Stephens - 20
17 18 B99 Tim Bedinger Taylorville , Il 18
18 13 44 Rod Rusher - 16
19 5 14C Alan Crowder Elwin , Il 14
20 16 22S David Slade Seymour , Il 12
More Results
UMP Street Stock - Feature
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Finish Start Car Driver Hometown Race Points
1 1 X7 Larry Russell Jr. Harristown , Il 50
2 5 67 Wendell Zulauf Jr Springfield , Il 48
3 10 30 Blake Shelley Oakley , Il 46
4 9 11 Terry Reed Decatur , Il 44
5 17 57R Thomas Riech Springfield , Il 42
6 12 35 Gene Reed Shelbyville , Il 40
7 14 37 Rick Rush Brownstown , Il 38
8 20 12 Terry Myers Buffalo , Il 36
9 18 95 Steve Ewing Decatur , Il 34
10 2 23T Rick Thomas - 32
11 15 Z Jesse Simmons - 30
12 3 99 Mike Pickering Decatur , Il 28
13 11 K14 Ryan Blair Edinburg , Il 26
14 4 88 Albert Crawley Sr. Decatur , Il 24
15 13 36 Nick Justice Harristown , Il 22
16 6 08 Brian Dasenbrock Decatur , Il 20
17 7 88X Jeff Ray - 18
18 19 301/2 Jeffery Reed Jr. Blue Mound, Il 16
19 16 71 Darrel Lehigh - 14
20 8 15C Kevin Crowder Argenta , Il 0
More Results
UMP Amateur Hornet - Feature
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Finish Start Car Driver Hometown Race Points
1 1 210 Brett Embry Decatur , Il 50
2 2 7 Sam Mccoy Decatur , Il 48
3 3 34X Karyl Slack - 46
4 7 83 Steven Dulgar Decatur , Il 44
5 5 62 Kevin Brown Pana , Il 42
6 19 4SQ Mike Eskew - 40
7 9 88 Brian Offer Springfield , Il 38
8 18 52 Jonathan Drake Decatur , Il 36
9 12 1 Jason Mackling - 34
10 11 3 Marty Sullivan Mt. Zion, Il 32
11 13 X07 Daniel Walker - 30
12 15 4U Chad Mckittrick - 28
13 17 88F Jordan Foraker - 26
14 10 21R Larry Reed - 24
15 4 54R Gage Reed - 22
16 8 B52 Ben Medaris Decatur , Il 0
17 14 1Z Brady Reed - 0
18 16 1X Joe Mcchristy Mt Zion, Il 0
19 6 4SQ1 Matt Tangman - 0
20 20 4 Ashlee Gatons Blue Mound, Il 0
More Results
UMP Hornet - Feature
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Finish Start Car Driver Hometown Race Points
1 2 99 Bob Zbinden - 50
2 5 7 Joe Reed Decatur , Il 48
3 6 21Z Zach Dodd Riverton , Il 46
4 3 69D Oscar Tapsword - 44
5 10 19 James Hankins Taylorville , Il 42
6 7 34X Cook Crawford - 40
7 11 O Fred Reed Jr. Decatur , Il 38
8 8 46 Eric Wilson Downs , Il 36
9 1 83 Bruce Dulgar Decatur , Il 34
10 4 34 Billy Justice Harristown , Il 32
11 16 71 Todd Rush Pawnee , Il 30
12 15 54R Frank Reed Sr. Decatur , Il 28
13 17 4G John Goveia - 26
14 19 X07 Andy Jackson - 24
15 12 6Z Greg Zellers - 22
16 20 47 Jim Wilson Towawda , Il 20
17 9 4SQ Stephanie Eskew Springfield , Il 18
18 14 3 Mike Mcchristy Mt. Zion, Il 16
19 13 46X Jeff Eller Decatur , Il 14
20 18 3V Kristopher Vincent - 12
More Results
USAC Midget - Feature
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Finish Start Car Driver Hometown Race Points
1 4 11 Nic Harris Atlanta , Il 0
2 3 38 Evan Weyant Sherman , Il 0
3 1 67 Steven Russell Springfield , Il 0
4 5 8H Bryce Hicks Lincoln , Il 0
5 7 5J Jordan Campbell - 0
6 6 111 Zack Bunning - 0
7 8 6B Andy Baugh - 0
8 2 29X Colin Voiles - 0
By Brett Zerfowski
(Macon, IL) After missing a week due to Mother Nature and rain, Macon Speedway opened its gates once again in September to host the 4-cylinder Pro and Amateur Hornets World Championship races, presented by Hickory River Smokehouse.
31 Pro Hornets and 19 Amateur Hornets were signed in with the hopes of riding away with the trophies and the big-money first-place prize. 20 cars started the Pro Hornet feature and new-comer Bob Zbinden, a heat winner, started front-row-outside, opposite to two-time Hornet track champion Bruce Dulgar.
Zbinden, a native of Alhambra, IL., grabbed the lead and started to run away. Points leader Joe Reed was running in second and tried to find and catch Zbinden but was unable. A caution flag on lap 6 gave Reed and all other drivers the chance to find the leader and stay close but was unable and for the remaining nine laps, Zbinden was untouchable. The visit by Zbinden was his first, although it appeared as though he had been racing here all season and for many years with his quick driving and ability to cut through the turns without error. Reed managed second place and saluted the championship race winner with a thumbs up as he drove towards the exit gate.
The Amateur Hornet feature had two repeat winners in the front row. Brett Embry had won two features and Sam McCoy had taken three features, including the last Hornets feature in late August. The eight-lap event was mainly between Embry and McCoy and as they came to the final turn of the final lap, McCoy tried to bypass Embry on the high side of the track but was unsuccessful. Both are good friends and help one another in the pits with each other’s cars. “If I was to lose to somebody, I’d rather it be (Embry),” said McCoy after the race and during the trophy presentation.
The Touchstone Energy Sportsman feature had the two top drivers in the front row racing it out for the points championship in Scott Landers and Rick Roedel. Roedel took off early and had advantage of the race throughout the 15 laps. Defending track champion Jeff Graham was closing in on Roedel but didn’t have enough laps to make it happen as he took second to the fifth feature of Roedel’s season and an extension of the points lead over Landers.
Other close points races have been in the Modified and Street Stocks divisions. Dave Crawley has been leading over Joe Strawkus for a majority of the summer but has had his hard times which allowed Strawkus to enjoy the points lead for a few weeks, but Crawley got his car back in line and has started finishing races and finishing ahead of Strawkus. Feature win number seven came to Crawley Saturday night as Strawkus took second. On lap 6, Aaron Burcham was leading the race with Crawley in second but a caution flag caused by Burcham sent him to the back and Crawley inherited the lead and held on the for the final 14 laps. Jim Leka made his return to Macon Speedway, racing in the Jeremy Nichols 01 Modified; Leka finished third.
In the Street Stocks, it was another special evening as the Central Illinois Street Stock Series came to town for the fourth time in 2009. Excellent racing has occurred when the CILSSS has come to Macon as the drivers race for 25 laps and $500-to-win. Larry Russell, Jr. started and finished in the number one position as he led from wire-to-wire for the third feature of 2009. A rough night for Steve Ewing resulted in him switching to his back-up car after his red 95 blew up taking practice laps earlier in the night.
Ewing made the main event out of the semi-feature and the ten-time Macon Speedway feature winner started 18th of 20 cars. Ewing’s night would end up in smoke as the engine just poured out white, suffocating smoke into Ewing’s cockpit and after getting caught up with Springfield’s Tom Reich on the 22nd lap, Ewing took to the infield to watch the remaining laps of the race.
“Bub” Russell was able to stop the oncoming Wendell Zulauf, Jr., Blake Shelley and Terry Reed and grabbed the feature. Tom Reich, who came out of the semi-feature and started the 25-lap feature in the 17th spot, finished fifth.
16-year-old Nic Harris of Atlanta, IL., grabbed his first POWRi Micro Sprint feature of the year as he took the lead from 12-year-old Steven Russell. For the eighth time in as many nights, there have been eight different winners in the POWRi Micro Sprints at Macon Speedway this season.
A full show is in store for the Macon Speedway audience next week as the season begins to close. The night will showcase the rain-out make-up of the Illinois State Street Stock Championship race, which was scheduled to run September 5, but was cancelled due to rain. The season finale will come in two weeks time as the O’Reilly’s POWRi Midgets come to Macon Speedway for the fourth time in 2009. Along with them will be the POWRi Micros and a scheduled full show of stock car races. The points races are nearly over but there is still time for drivers to make the big move in the season’s coming weeks.
UMP Modified - Feature
________________________________________
Finish Start Car Driver Hometown Race Points
1 3 37 David Crawley Jr. Decatur , Il 50
2 2 28 Joe Strawkas Buffalo , Il 48
3 7 01 Jim Leka Illiopolis , Il 46
4 5 31 Steve Ewing Decatur , Il 44
5 4 64 Donny Koehler Jr. Macon , Il 42
6 9 35 Clark Robertson Shelbyville , Il 40
7 10 36 Andrew Barnes - 38
8 17 18 Randy Myers Springfield , Il 36
9 8 T2 Mark Tullis Taylorville , Il 34
10 1 44 Aaron Burcham Decatur , Il 32
11 13 96 Greg Nelson Decatur , Il 30
12 14 42 Katie Lord Chatham , Il 28
13 15 19H James Hankins Taylorville , Il 26
14 16 4T Phil Taylor Decatur , Il 24
15 11 25 Jeffrey Wallace - 22
16 18 38L Ryan Little - 20
17 6 17Z Wendell Zulauf Jr Springfield , Il 18
18 12 16H Eric Hamilton Macon , Il 16
More Results
UMP Sportsman - Feature
________________________________________
Finish Start Car Driver Hometown Race Points
1 2 11 Rick Roedel Shelbyville , Il 50
2 3 71 Jeff Graham - 48
3 8 C25 David Crawley Jr. Decatur , Il 46
4 4 22J Dennis Vandermeersch Springfield , Il 44
5 1 41 Scott Landers Taylorville , Il 42
6 6 11K Terry Reed Decatur , Il 40
7 14 9 Mike Pickering Decatur , Il 38
8 12 72 Tom Graham Stonington , Il 36
9 11 4 Travis Martin Ramsey , Il 34
10 10 22 Timmy Dick Monticello , Il 32
11 15 54R Frank Reed Jr Blue , Il 30
12 17 60 Kenny Hayes Macon , Il 28
13 9 07 Phil Moreland - 26
14 7 8K Ken Fustin Springfield , Il 24
15 19 B88 Jim Bedinger Taylorville , Il 22
16 20 49S Terry Stephens - 20
17 18 B99 Tim Bedinger Taylorville , Il 18
18 13 44 Rod Rusher - 16
19 5 14C Alan Crowder Elwin , Il 14
20 16 22S David Slade Seymour , Il 12
More Results
UMP Street Stock - Feature
________________________________________
Finish Start Car Driver Hometown Race Points
1 1 X7 Larry Russell Jr. Harristown , Il 50
2 5 67 Wendell Zulauf Jr Springfield , Il 48
3 10 30 Blake Shelley Oakley , Il 46
4 9 11 Terry Reed Decatur , Il 44
5 17 57R Thomas Riech Springfield , Il 42
6 12 35 Gene Reed Shelbyville , Il 40
7 14 37 Rick Rush Brownstown , Il 38
8 20 12 Terry Myers Buffalo , Il 36
9 18 95 Steve Ewing Decatur , Il 34
10 2 23T Rick Thomas - 32
11 15 Z Jesse Simmons - 30
12 3 99 Mike Pickering Decatur , Il 28
13 11 K14 Ryan Blair Edinburg , Il 26
14 4 88 Albert Crawley Sr. Decatur , Il 24
15 13 36 Nick Justice Harristown , Il 22
16 6 08 Brian Dasenbrock Decatur , Il 20
17 7 88X Jeff Ray - 18
18 19 301/2 Jeffery Reed Jr. Blue Mound, Il 16
19 16 71 Darrel Lehigh - 14
20 8 15C Kevin Crowder Argenta , Il 0
More Results
UMP Amateur Hornet - Feature
________________________________________
Finish Start Car Driver Hometown Race Points
1 1 210 Brett Embry Decatur , Il 50
2 2 7 Sam Mccoy Decatur , Il 48
3 3 34X Karyl Slack - 46
4 7 83 Steven Dulgar Decatur , Il 44
5 5 62 Kevin Brown Pana , Il 42
6 19 4SQ Mike Eskew - 40
7 9 88 Brian Offer Springfield , Il 38
8 18 52 Jonathan Drake Decatur , Il 36
9 12 1 Jason Mackling - 34
10 11 3 Marty Sullivan Mt. Zion, Il 32
11 13 X07 Daniel Walker - 30
12 15 4U Chad Mckittrick - 28
13 17 88F Jordan Foraker - 26
14 10 21R Larry Reed - 24
15 4 54R Gage Reed - 22
16 8 B52 Ben Medaris Decatur , Il 0
17 14 1Z Brady Reed - 0
18 16 1X Joe Mcchristy Mt Zion, Il 0
19 6 4SQ1 Matt Tangman - 0
20 20 4 Ashlee Gatons Blue Mound, Il 0
More Results
UMP Hornet - Feature
________________________________________
Finish Start Car Driver Hometown Race Points
1 2 99 Bob Zbinden - 50
2 5 7 Joe Reed Decatur , Il 48
3 6 21Z Zach Dodd Riverton , Il 46
4 3 69D Oscar Tapsword - 44
5 10 19 James Hankins Taylorville , Il 42
6 7 34X Cook Crawford - 40
7 11 O Fred Reed Jr. Decatur , Il 38
8 8 46 Eric Wilson Downs , Il 36
9 1 83 Bruce Dulgar Decatur , Il 34
10 4 34 Billy Justice Harristown , Il 32
11 16 71 Todd Rush Pawnee , Il 30
12 15 54R Frank Reed Sr. Decatur , Il 28
13 17 4G John Goveia - 26
14 19 X07 Andy Jackson - 24
15 12 6Z Greg Zellers - 22
16 20 47 Jim Wilson Towawda , Il 20
17 9 4SQ Stephanie Eskew Springfield , Il 18
18 14 3 Mike Mcchristy Mt. Zion, Il 16
19 13 46X Jeff Eller Decatur , Il 14
20 18 3V Kristopher Vincent - 12
More Results
USAC Midget - Feature
________________________________________
Finish Start Car Driver Hometown Race Points
1 4 11 Nic Harris Atlanta , Il 0
2 3 38 Evan Weyant Sherman , Il 0
3 1 67 Steven Russell Springfield , Il 0
4 5 8H Bryce Hicks Lincoln , Il 0
5 7 5J Jordan Campbell - 0
6 6 111 Zack Bunning - 0
7 8 6B Andy Baugh - 0
8 2 29X Colin Voiles - 0
