The Discount Tire and Service IMCA Modified “Smackdown” kicked off the 2010 season at the Lee County Speedway in Donnellson Saturday night with Michael Long in the Discount Tire and Service #18 taking home the big money.
Track announcer Dewain Hulett had me handle most of the booth duties on the night while he picked up some interviews during caution and talked with the winners in victory lane. So, with just over one hundred cars in action and with the show moving right along at good clip like it always does at Donnellson, I did not have any time to take detailed notes on the night so what follows are some general observations as I review the results.
A solid field of thirty-seven IMCA Modifieds were on hand for what I hope will become an annual event with $2,000 plus lap money going to the winner. Sean Jerovetz of Sobieski, Wisconsin, made the longest pull in for the event and he finished thirteenth in the main event. Other long distance travelers included Nate Caruth from Ames, Mark Elliott from Webster City, Troy Cordes from Raymond, Mark Schulte from Delhi, Scott Hogan from Vinton, Jeff Morris from Long Grove and Max Corporan from Marion.
As the final event of the night, the Modified feature looked like it might be a parade around the bottom line as a nice strip of moisture down there made it the preferred groove. But when Michael Long, Josh Foster and several more drivers stepped out of line early the track widened out nicely and Long eventually made his pass of leader Rich Smith using that higher line around the speedway. Smith, who picked up quite a bit of lap money himself, held off Foster to finish second while Scott Hogan and Mark Elliott rounded out the top five.
Track announcer Dewain Hulett had me handle most of the booth duties on the night while he picked up some interviews during caution and talked with the winners in victory lane. So, with just over one hundred cars in action and with the show moving right along at good clip like it always does at Donnellson, I did not have any time to take detailed notes on the night so what follows are some general observations as I review the results.
A solid field of thirty-seven IMCA Modifieds were on hand for what I hope will become an annual event with $2,000 plus lap money going to the winner. Sean Jerovetz of Sobieski, Wisconsin, made the longest pull in for the event and he finished thirteenth in the main event. Other long distance travelers included Nate Caruth from Ames, Mark Elliott from Webster City, Troy Cordes from Raymond, Mark Schulte from Delhi, Scott Hogan from Vinton, Jeff Morris from Long Grove and Max Corporan from Marion.
As the final event of the night, the Modified feature looked like it might be a parade around the bottom line as a nice strip of moisture down there made it the preferred groove. But when Michael Long, Josh Foster and several more drivers stepped out of line early the track widened out nicely and Long eventually made his pass of leader Rich Smith using that higher line around the speedway. Smith, who picked up quite a bit of lap money himself, held off Foster to finish second while Scott Hogan and Mark Elliott rounded out the top five.
Michael Long makes the winning move around Rich Smith - Barry Johnson photoCorey Dripps was leading the first heat of the night before smoke billowed out of his #31 car. He then stepped into the #25T of teammate Duane Peterson and finished third in the B-Main after starting fifteenth. Dripps then came from 22nd to finish 11th in the feature.
Jacob Waterman of Milan, Illinois, made his first trip to Donnellson after winning the IMCA Modified feature the night before in Davenport. As a testament to the highs and lows of this sport, Waterman broke in his heat race and was finished for the night.
Twenty-eight SportMods were on hand and while they struggled a bit with cautions come feature time, the racing action that they provided was pretty good. Phillip Cossel picked up the victory holding off a late charge from Jim Gillenwater, however Gillenwater would later be disqualified during post-race tech. Michael Bliven, Kurt Hogan, Cayden Carter and Thad Gaylord would complete the official top five. The car count was bolstered by several drivers who will be racing every Wednesday night at Oskaloosa and you may see them at Donnellson on the Friday nights when Bloomfield is not racing as that track is running a limited schedule in 2010.
Three-wide action at Donnellson with eventual winner Phillip Cossel working the inside against Michael Bliven (20) and Bob Lynch (41) - Barry Johnson photoDerek Kirkland of Centerville topped the field of twenty-one Hobby Stocks proving that a 9:1 compression motor can win here. Kirkland had the father and son duo of Dan and Jake Wenig working on him late in the feature race only to have both of them falter at the same time with two laps remaining. Jim Lynch would bring his sharp looking #66 in for second followed by Andy Coleman, Dale Porter and Jake Wenig. I’m pretty sure that Coleman and Porter, plus the sixth and seventh place finishers of Donovan Nunnikhoven and T.J. Henderson were also running 9:1 motors.
Derek Kirkland (2K) races with early challenger Jeremy Pundt - Barry Johnson photoFifteen of the four cylinder “Wild Things” were also in action and it was James Oliver III who walked away from the field in his #10 car that is currently sporting a “For Sale” sign. Jerry Ostby and John Helenthal finished second and third while Kimberly Abbott was fourth. The Wild Things were a late addition to the schedule thanks to some purse sponsorship by Abbott’s 71 Racing Team and others. This division has a definite “family” feel to it as Ostby’s daughter Dani Kimball and her uncle Bill Michel were also in competition.
What better way to market a car than to put it in victory lane like James Oliver III did at Donnellson - Barry Johnson photoThe Lee County Speedway returns to “Friday Night Thunder in the Heartland” on April 23rd with the first night for track points featuring the Ideal Ready Mix and Trump Trucks “Drive for Five” for the IMCA Late Models with $1,000 going to the feature winner. Details can be found at www.leecountyspeedway.com
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