by Brian Neal

Donnellson, IA (Friday, August 23, 2013) – It’s hard to believe the 2013 regular points season has come to end, as it was PEPSI Season Championship Night at the Lee County Speedway in Donnellson, IA on Friday. Plus presenting sponsor Conn Communications gave all U.S. Cellular customers a FREE entry into the grandstand by presenting there U.S. Cellular phone at the ticket booth. Then to top it all off they gave away some great prizes for all fans in attendance. But on the track the action was all about crowning the 2013 track champions in the Budweiser IMCA Modifieds, Donnellton Tire IMCA Stock Cars, Shottenkirk Parts Express IMCA SportMods, Coor’s Light IMCA Hobby Stocks, and Sunline Auto Parts IMCA Sport Compacts.

The first feature up on the night would be the 15 lap IMRA Midget Lites, with Andrew Genkinger and Kaylnn Leer drawing the front row for the event. Leer would take advantage of her front row start to grab the lead on lap 1 over Jack Sandalls and Genkinger. The action up front was slowed for the first and only time, as Shane Morgan slowed to a stop in turn 2 to bring out the yellow. On the restart Leer jumped back out front, with Sandalls and Aaron Hull battling for the second spot. Hull would slip past Sandalls on lap 5 to take over the second spot, and then went to work on chasing down Leer. But Leer would go on to lead all 15 laps to claim the win. Hull settled for 2nd, Sandalls was 3rd, Genkinger held on for 4th, with Brent Burrows rounding out the top 5.

Up next was the 14 lap Sunline Auto Parts IMCA Sport Compact feature, with Kyle Hamelton and Michael Grossman leading the field to the drop of the green flag. Grossman would grab the lead on lap 1 over Brandon Reu and Josh Barnes, who started 6th, and then held it until lap 4. Grossman who came up on a lapped car going into turn 3 had to make a hard turn down into the infield to avoid colliding with the lapped car. He would then come to a stop on the front stretch to bring out the first caution of the race. On the restart Hamelton and Mike Miller collided in turn 1 to bring the yellow light back on. The following restart saw Reu inherit the top spot, with Barnes and Chuck Fullenkamp, who started 5th, battling it out for second. While the three car battle of front continued, Grossman was working his way back to the front. Barnes, Grossman, and Reu made it three wide coming off turn for for the lead on lap 13, with Barnes edging out front to lead the lap. But it only lasted 1 lap, as Grossman slipped by on lap 9 to make his charge from last back to first after his lap 4 caution. Grossman then went on to lead the final 6 laps to pick up his first win of the season at the track. Barnes held on for 3rd, Reu, who had a 4 point lead going into the night, finished 3rd and was crowned the 2013 track champion, Fullenkamp was 4th, with Kimberly Abbott coming home in 5th.

Ricky Miller Jr. and Erick Knutsen made up the front row for the 15 lap Coor’s Light IMCA Hobby Stock feature, with Knutsen grabbing the lead on lap 1 over Dustin Griffiths and Jason See, who started 8th. Knutsen then worked the next 6 laps to hold off Griffiths, as Griffiths looked under him coming off turn 2 on each lap only to have Knutsen hold him off each lap. But Griffiths decided to try a different line in turns 1 and 2 by going up top to slip past Knutsen for the lead on lap 7. The five car battle up front was slowed for the first and only time on lap 11, as See, who was running 3rd, spun in turn 2 with a right rear flat to bring out the yellow. On the restart Griffiths jumped back out front, with Knutsen working to hold back Dane Blozovich in the battle for second. Griffiths went on to lead the final 4 laps to pick up his third win in a row and sixth overall at the track. Knutsen won the battle for 2nd, Blozovich settled for 3rd, Nick Ulin was 4th, with See coming home 5th and was crowned 2013 track champion in his rookie year.

Corey Strothman and Jeremy Pundt led the field to the drop of the green in the 16 lap Donnellson Tire IMCA Stock Car feature, but it was third place starter Jason Cook who grabbed the lead on lap 1 over John Oliver Jr, who started 4th. Just after the completion of lap 1 the caution would appear for the first time, as Strothman spun in turn 4 and Jeff Mueller got into the guardrail to bring out the yellow. On the restart Cook jumped back out front, with Pundt over taking Oliver Jr. at the line by inches for 2nd. Oliver Jr., who was working the top of the track, with Abe Huls, who started 5th, glued to his back bumper made it a four car battle for the lead, as Cook and Pundt worked the bottom. Oliver Jr. used the momentum up top to grab the lead on lap 5, with Huls close behind in second. But the action up front was slowed for the second time, as Jim Lynch, who started 9th and was running 4th, spun in turn 2 to bring out the yellow. Oliver Jr. once again grabbed the lead on the restart, with Huls and Cook battling for second. But the final caution of the event would slow the action on lap 9, as Strothman slowed to a stop in turn 3 with right front troubles to bring out the yellow. Once again Oliver Jr. moved out front on the restart, with Cook over taking Huls for second. Coming to the wave of the green, 2 laps to go signal, Huls tried the bottom to get around Oliver Jr. for the lead which allowed Brandon Savage, who started 8th, to move up to make it a four car battle for the win. But Oliver Jr. would hold off all challenges over the final 2 laps to claim second win in a row and fourth overall at the track. Huls won the battle for the second spot and was crowned the 2013 track champion, Savage came home a close 3rd, Cook settled for 4th, with Pundt rounding out the top 5.

The closest points battle going into the night was in the Shottenkirk Parts Express IMCA SportMods, with Brett Lowry leading Carter VanDenBerg by 1 point. Which meant whatever driver finished in front of the other would be crowned the champion, with VanDenBerg holding the tie breaker advantage with 3 wins to Lowry’s 1. Bobby Six and Rodger Dresden would lead the field to the green, but just as the green was waved the yellow light would come on. As Tyler Heckart spun in turn 2 to bring out the caution. On the original restart Dresden grabbed the lead on lap 1 over Six and Dakota Simmons. Simmons run up front would come to an end on lap 2, as he spun in turn 1 to bring out the second caution of the event. Dresden once again moved out front on the restart, but now had Bobby Anders, who started 7th, battling him for the top spot. Anders used the bottom of the speedway to grab the lead away from Dresden on lap 4, only to see Dresden come back on the top to grab the lead back on lap 5. While Dresden and Anders battled for the lead, all eyes were on VanDenBerg, who started 8th, and Lowry, who started 9th. VanDenBerg used the bottom and the top of the track to slip into second on lap 10, with Lowry in 4th. With Dresden up top VanDenBerg had no choice but to try the bottom to get around him for the top spot. VanDenBerg made the bottom work on lap 15, as he slipped past Dresden for the lead. VanDenBerg then went on to lead the final 5 laps to claim his 4th win of the season, which then earned him his first ever track championship by 1 point over Lowry. Tony Dunker, who started 10th, edged out Lowry at the line for 2nd, with Lowry settling for 3rd, Anders was 4th, with Dresden coming home in 5th.

The final feature up on the night was the 20 lap Budweiser IMCA Modifieds, with one and two in the IMCA National Points in the house that would take all eyes off Brandon Banks who was leading the track points. Michael Browning and Jeff Mueller made up the front row for the event, with Browning jumping out front on lap 1 over Mueller and Jeff Waterman. Mueller would use the top of the speedway to slip past Browning on lap 3 to take over the top spot, leaving Browning to work to hold back Waterman in the battle for second. While Mueller and Waterman battle for the lead, Jesse Sobbing, who started 9th and is 2nd in IMCA National Points, was working his way towards the front. But the first caution of the event on lap 13 slowed the action up front, as Dugan Thye spun in turn 2 to bring out the yellow. On the restart Sobbing used the bottom of the speedway to over take Mueller for the top spot, with Mueller working to hold back Brandon Banks, who started 7th. The second caution of the event would appear on lap 15, as Thye spun in turn 2 for his second solo caution to end his night. Sobbing moved back out front on the restart, with Banks and Waterman slipping past Mueller for the second and third spots. With all eyes on Sobbing and Banks, Dakota Hayden, who started 15th, had made his way up to third on lap 17 and was going to work on the top two cars. Just after the field took the white flag, the yellow light would come on for Browning and Brandon Ruffcorn’s spins in turn 1. But since the field had taken the white flag the yellow and checkered would wave on the field, giving Sobbing the win in his first ever appearance at the track. Banks settled for 2nd and was awarded his first track championship, Hayden came home an impressive 3rd, Waterman was 4th, with Mueller holding on for 5th.

Coming up next at the Lee County Speedway will be the two day Fall Extravaganza scheduled for Friday, October 11th and Saturday, October 12th. Look for more details to be released in the near future on this event on the tracks website at www.leecountyspeedway.com.

Budweiser IMCA Modifieds – A-Main
Finish	Start	Car	Driver	Hometown	Points
1	9	99	Jesse Sobbing	Glenwood , IA	40
2	7	22	Brandon Banks	Washington , IA	39
3	15	9	Dakota Hayden	Wilton , IA	38
4	5	71W	Jeff Waterman	Quincy , IL	37
5	2	77	Jeff Mueller	New London, IA	36
6	8	17S	Steve Stewart	Burlington , IA	35
7	13	13H	Travis Hatcher	Honey Creek, IA	34
8	3	19J	Levi Smith	Donnellson , IA	33
9	6	5R	Bill Roberts Jr.	Burlington , IA	32
10	11	71	Dennis LaVeine	West Burlington, IA	31
11	1	13	Micheal Browning	Farmington , IA	30
12	12	11R	Brandon Ruffcorn	Donnellson , IA	29
13	14	11T	Dugan Thye	Burlington , IA	28
14	10	60	William Gould	Calera , OK	27
15	4	14	Tyler Cale	Donnellson , IA	26
Budweiser IMCA Modifieds – Heat 2
Finish	Start	Car	Driver	Hometown	Points
1	6	99	Jesse Sobbing	Glenwood , IA	0
2	4	71W	Jeff Waterman	Quincy , IL	0
3	3	19J	Levi Smith	Donnellson , IA	0
4	5	22	Brandon Banks	Washington , IA	0
5	7	60	William Gould	Calera , OK	0
6	2	11R	Brandon Ruffcorn	Donnellson , IA	0
7	1	11T	Dugan Thye	Burlington , IA	0
Budweiser IMCA Modifieds – Heat 1
Finish	Start	Car	Driver	Hometown	Points
1	2	77	Jeff Mueller	New London, IA	0
2	1	13	Micheal Browning	Farmington , IA	0
3	5	5R	Bill Roberts Jr.	Burlington , IA	0
4	6	17S	Steve Stewart	Burlington , IA	0
5	4	14	Tyler Cale	Donnellson , IA	0
6	3	71	Dennis LaVeine	West Burlington, IA	0
7	7	13H	Travis Hatcher	Honey Creek, IA	0
8	8	9	Dakota Hayden	Wilton , IA	0
Donnellson Tire IMCA Stock Cars – A-Main
Finish	Start	Car	Driver	Hometown	Points
1	4	05	John Oliver Jr.	Danville , IA	40
2	5	30C	Abe Huls	Carthage , IL	39
3	8	47S	Brandon Savage	Canton , MO	38
4	3	27J	Jason Cook	Mt. Pleasant, IA	37
5	2	52J	Jeremy Pundt	Donnellson , IA	36
6	6	87	Les Blakley	Fairfield , IA	35
7	7	79	Troy Brierton	Versailles , IL	34
8	1	C4	Corey Strothman	Mt. Union, IA	33
9	9	566	Jim Lynch	Donnellson , IA	32
10	10	3D	Jeff Mueller	New London, IA	31
Donnellson Tire IMCA Stock Cars – Heat
Finish	Start	Car	Driver	Hometown	Points
1	2	C4	Corey Strothman	Mt. Union, IA	0
2	4	52J	Jeremy Pundt	Donnellson , IA	0
3	6	05	John Oliver Jr.	Danville , IA	0
4	7	30C	Abe Huls	Carthage , IL	0
5	5	27J	Jason Cook	Mt. Pleasant, IA	0
6	1	87	Les Blakley	Fairfield , IA	0
7	10	79	Troy Brierton	Versailles , IL	0
8	8	47S	Brandon Savage	Canton , MO	0
9	3	566	Jim Lynch	Donnellson , IA	0
10	9	3D	Jeff Mueller	New London, IA	0
Shottenkirk Parts Express IMCA Sport Mods – A-Main
Finish	Start	Car	Driver	Hometown	Points
1	8	7	Carter VanDenBerg	Oskaloosa , IA	40
2	10	3	Tony Dunker	Quincy , IL	39
3	9	72	Brett Lowry	Montezuma , IA	38
4	7	20BA	Bobby Anders	Quincy , IL	37
5	2	1	Roger Dresden	Keokuk , IA	36
6	5	10	Jim Gillenwater	Keokuk , IA	35
7	4	101	Derek St. Clair	Donnellson , IA	34
8	14	42	Tyler Heckart	Ottumwa , IA	33
9	12	7L	Rob Kirchner	Donnellson , IA	32
10	3	40	Dakota Simmons	Libertyville , IA	31
11	11	6C	Bob Cowman	Quincy , IL	30
12	1	6	Bobby Six	Keokuk , IA	29
13	6	15	Phillip Cossel	Montrose , IA	28
14	13	93	Robert Gould	Hillsboro , IA	27
Shottenkirk Parts Express IMCA Sport Mods – Heat 2
Finish	Start	Car	Driver	Hometown	Points
1	5	20BA	Bobby Anders	Quincy , IL	0
2	2	1	Roger Dresden	Keokuk , IA	0
3	4	10	Jim Gillenwater	Keokuk , IA	0
4	1	6	Bobby Six	Keokuk , IA	0
5	6	72	Brett Lowry	Montezuma , IA	0
6	3	7L	Rob Kirchner	Donnellson , IA	0
7	7	42	Tyler Heckart	Ottumwa , IA	0
Shottenkirk Parts Express IMCA Sport Mods – Heat 1
Finish	Start	Car	Driver	Hometown	Points
1	6	7	Carter VanDenBerg	Oskaloosa , IA	0
2	7	3	Tony Dunker	Quincy , IL	0
3	5	15	Phillip Cossel	Montrose , IA	0
4	4	101	Derek St. Clair	Donnellson , IA	0
5	3	40	Dakota Simmons	Libertyville , IA	0
6	1	6C	Bob Cowman	Quincy , IL	0
7	2	93	Robert Gould	Hillsboro , IA	0
Coor’s Light IMCA Hobby Stocks – A-Main
Finish	Start	Car	Driver	Hometown	Points
1	4	10G	Dustin Griffiths	Ottumwa , IA	38
2	2	99	Erick Knutsen	Cedar Rapids, IA	37
3	5	5B	Dane Blozovich	Exline , IA	36
4	3	21	Nick Ulin	Agency , IA	35
5	8	79S	Jason See	Albia , IA	34
6	1	09	Ricky Miller Jr.	Gorin , MO	33
7	6	11B	Andrew Hustead	Rutledge , MO	32
8	7	11	Danny Miller	Gorin , MO	31
Coor’s Light IMCA Hobby Stocks – Heat
Finish	Start	Car	Driver	Hometown	Points
1	7	10G	Dustin Griffiths	Ottumwa , IA	0
2	6	21	Nick Ulin	Agency , IA	0
3	8	5B	Dane Blozovich	Exline , IA	0
4	4	99	Erick Knutsen	Cedar Rapids, IA	0
5	2	09	Ricky Miller Jr.	Gorin , MO	0
6	3	11B	Andrew Hustead	Rutledge , MO	0
7	1	11	Danny Miller	Gorin , MO	0
8	5	79S	Jason See	Albia , IA	0
Sunline Auto Parts IMCA Sport Compacts – A-Main
Finish	Start	Car	Driver	Hometown	Points
1	2	2	Michael Grossman	Keokuk , IA	40
2	6	13B	Josh Barnes	Keokuk , IA	39
3	4	27	Brandon Reu	Donnellson , IA	38
4	5	48	Chuck Fullenkamp	Ft. Madison, IA	37
5	3	71	Kimberly Abbott	Camp Point, IL	36
6	10	15	Jerrod Nichols	Stronghurst , IL	35
7	9	57	Jake Shannon	Donnellson , IA	34
8	12	55	Mike Hornung Jr.	Keokuk , IA	33
9	11	58R	Derek Randall	Canton , MO	32
10	1	77K	Kyle Hamelton	Keokuk , IA	31
11	7	22	Austen Becerra	Carthage , IL	30
12	8	09	Mike Miller	Gorin , MO	29
Sunline Auto Parts IMCA Sport Compacts – Heat 2
Finish	Start	Car	Driver	Hometown	Points
1	3	48	Chuck Fullenkamp	Ft. Madison, IA	0
2	4	22	Austen Becerra	Carthage , IL	0
3	2	71	Kimberly Abbott	Camp Point, IL	0
4	6	15	Jerrod Nichols	Stronghurst , IL	0
5	5	09	Mike Miller	Gorin , MO	0
6	1	55	Mike Hornung Jr.	Keokuk , IA	0
Sunline Auto Parts IMCA Sport Compacts – Heat 1
Finish	Start	Car	Driver	Hometown	Points
1	2	2	Michael Grossman	Keokuk , IA	0
2	3	27	Brandon Reu	Donnellson , IA	0
3	4	13B	Josh Barnes	Keokuk , IA	0
4	6	57	Jake Shannon	Donnellson , IA	0
5	1	77K	Kyle Hamelton	Keokuk , IA	0
6	5	58R	Derek Randall	Canton , MO	0
IMRA Midget Lites – A-Main
Finish	Start	Car	Driver	Hometown	Points
1	2	2P	Katlynn Leer	Moulton , IA	0
2	3	24	Aaron Hull	Monmouth , IL	0
3	4	47	Jack Sandalls	Pekin , IL	0
4	1	09	Andrew Genkinger	Mt. Pleasant, IA	0
5	5	51	Brent Burrows	Lewistown , IL	0
6	6	28	John Springer	Bushnell , IL	0
7	7	15M	Shane Morgan	Morton , IL	0
8	8	51R	Andy Baugh	Mason City, IL	0	DNS
9	9	0	Johnny Murdock	Dallas , TX	0	DNS
IMRA Midget Lites – Heat
Finish	Start	Car	Driver	Hometown	Points
1	1	51	Brent Burrows	Lewistown , IL	0
2	4	24	Aaron Hull	Monmouth , IL	0
3	9	2P	Katlynn Leer	Moulton , IA	0
4	6	47	Jack Sandalls	Pekin , IL	0
5	7	09	Andrew Genkinger	Mt. Pleasant, IA	0
6	2	28	John Springer	Bushnell , IL	0
7	8	15M	Shane Morgan	Morton , IL	0
8	5	51R	Andy Baugh	Mason City, IL	0
9	3	0	Johnny Murdock	Dallas , TX	0	DNS