Just eight days prior to his induction into the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame, Terry McCarl again proved why he will join that elite class with both his helmet on, and his helmet off at the Lee County Speedway in Donnellson Friday night. Not only did he use a late race pass to complete a clean sweep for the evening, but in both of his victory lane interviews after the Dash and feature wins he showed his appreciation to the fans who make the sport of Sprint Car racing possible.
Another stout field of twenty-seven Shottenkirk.com Sprint Invaders signed in on what turned out to be a beautiful evening for racing after skies had threatened earlier in the day. Qualifying events set the field of twenty for the twenty-five lap main event with Jamie Ball getting the jump on pole-sitter Nate Van Haaften to take the lead. Chris Martin would settle in to second while McCarl, who had started sixth, quickly moved to third.
The only caution of the race would be needed on lap eight when Donnie Steward apparently clipped an infield tire and spun in turn two with a broken front end. On the restart the lead trio of Ball, Martin and McCarl again left the field in their wake and when lapped traffic started to mix in things got very interesting. After warding off a big slider from McCarl in turn two, Martin found some new speed and reeled in the leader passing Ball going down the back stretch on lap seventeen. However, when the defending series champion jumped the cushion entering turn three, Ball would drive right back by Martin to retain his lead in the score book.
Martin's bobble would also allow McCarl to drive by him a lap later into second and he was soon right on the rear push bar of the leader with just five laps to go. Ball was strong though and would ward off the challenge for the next two laps, but when he slipped a bit too high exiting turn four with three to go the soon to be Hall of Famer took advantage and would lead the closing laps to take the win. In victory lane McCarl was quick to thank promoter Mike Van Genderen for a perfectly prepared race track and, just as he had done earlier in the night when he also ran into the stands to present his Dash winner's trophy to a young fan, McCarl thanked the fans for coming out to the track. Ball would hold off Chris Martin for second, Randy Martin survived a first lap skirmish with his son Evan to finish in fourth while two-time Sprint Invader champion Jon Agan filled out the top five.
For a full race story and results visit OpenWheel101.
Those threatening skies earlier in the day did more than just threaten in Columbus Junction, Davenport and Farley so there were extra cars in four out of five of Lee County's weekly divisions and with the Vintage Sprint Cars on hand as well the pit area swelled with 128 cars.
Twenty-one IMCA Modifieds would take the green for twenty laps with Michael Long coming from the inside of row three to nip Steve Stewart at the line on the opening lap. A caution for a three car tangle in turn one would then put Long in front for the restart and Hunter Marriott who had started eighth would take up the chase. Long was strong and while Marriott would try just about every line he could think of he could not get closer than five car lengths from the leader as Long cruised to victory. Marriott was second, Colby Springsteen took third, Brandon Banks came from tenth to fourth and Jarrett Brown finished fifth after starting in the seventh row.
The IMCA Stock Cars had another classic with this one featuring John Oliver Jr. and Jason Cook doing battle up front after they were able to work around early leader Jim Redman. Cook would take the lead on lap seven with Oliver in tow and those two would then race side-by-side for the lead for the next seven laps before Oliver edged ahead with three laps to go. Cook would stay close over those final laps and would make one last bid coming to the checkers as Oliver won by just less than a car length at the line. Shane Paris finished in the third position, Jeremy Pundt was fourth and Redman completed the top five.
Tommy Elston dominated the UMP Pro Late Model feature after drawing the pole position. The race to watch was for second as Jeff Guengerich fought off Sam Halstead while Denny Woodworth and Todd Frank were next in line. Popular driver Matt Strassheim returned to racing in a second car owned by Lynn and Karen Richard and he finished sixth in his Crate Late Model debut.
Oliver made it a two win night as he went flag-to-flag to win the Sport Mod feature. Up until tonight the Cossel racing #15 had been fighting gremlins all season so with the average point invert Oliver started from the outside of row one. Tony Dunker raced his way into second after starting ninth with Brandon Lennox running third. Logan Anderson finished fourth, Jim Gillenwater returned from his hard crash at the Farley Super Modified weekend with a fifth-place finish while Jake Morris made the long trip down from McCausland to run sixth.
The Sport Compacts were the first feature of the night and when Daniel Fellows quickly moved to the lead from his third starting spot it looked like this one would be a race for second. Brandon Lambert had other ideas though as he tracked down Fellows and passed him for the win, Mike Reu finished in third after a spirited battle with his son Brandon while Kimberly Abbott filled out the top five.
The Shottenkirk.com Sprint Invaders will close out a three race week tomorrow night (Sunday) at 34 Raceway in Burlington.
The Lee County Speedway will host the Lucas Oil MLRA Late Models next Friday night, the second of a three night swing after the regional Late Model series runs on Thursday night June 1st at the Scotland County Speedway in Memphis.
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