Track Schedules

Monster Show at Macon Speedway
By Brett Zerfowski 

MACON, IL (July 30, 2011) - The fourth night of the Illinois Sprint Week for the MOWA Monster Energy Sprint Cars stopped at Macon Speedway Saturday for a terrific show of side-by-side racing. 23 full-sized winged sprints competed for the chance at victory lane. 

18 sprints made the show for the 25-lap A-Main Monster Energy Sprint Car feature show. From the 6-lap dash, which consisted of three heat winners and the top three passing point drivers of the night, Jerrod Hull of Missouri was on the pole position and led the way for the exciting feature event. After a win in Jacksonville Friday, Hull made his run along the top of the oval and was chased by Danny Smith, another winner during the first three nights of Illinois Sprint Week. Smith jumped up from the ninth position to the second place spot but was unable to make the pass the win. He was followed by Chris Urish, Mike Hess and Jordan Goldesberry. 

Uncommon for many race tracks to have both open wheel sprint cars and UMP Super Late Models but that’s what Macon Speedway did Saturday as 24 Chevrolet Late Models came to the track in search of the checkered flag. The race was seemingly over from the get-go, however, as Brandon Sheppard led the whole way and dominated the field, at one point leading by half a lap over the second place car. The real race eunded up being for second as Matt Taylor, Brian Diveley, Franky Martin and Roger Brickler all were contending for the runner-up position. With Martin running second at the time and putting on a smoke screen, it was difficult for anybody to pass until Martin slowed down and nearly stopped on the track with one lap to go. His top five finish would be lost with the white flag in the air. Sheppard won his third feature of the season at Macon. Diveley followed in second with Matt Taylor in third. Roger Brickler finished fourth ahead of Rodney Standerfer. 

Jeremy Nichols took his fourth Billingsley Towning Modified feature of 2011. Running the bottom for the full 20 laps from the front row outside position, Nichols had easy 13 laps. Stretching out his lead over the field, a caution drew everybody bumper-to-bumper and gave Guy Taylor a chance at the lead but couldn’t overcome the speedy Nichols. Taylor, who started 11^th, did place second. Brian Diveley was the third place finisher as Dave Crawley, Jr. took away fourth place in a battle with Mark Tullis, who finished sixth. Randy Huffman would round out the top five. 

Bobby Beiler has led the Street Stocks points for the majority of the summer. His points lead would continue and stretch as he picked up his second feature of the year. Starting on the pole, thanks to a heat victory, Beiler would fend off challenges from Kevin Crowder and Justin Hill, who finished second and third, respectively. Mike Pundt, Jr., a heat winner from earlier in the evening, finished fourth and Jeramie Fowler rounded out the top five. 

Jeremy Reed took the Pro Hornet feature, his second of the year, on the final turn as he took it away from Adam Webb. Webb was searching for his sixth feature of the year but fell to second as Reed won his first since May 21^st. Fred Reed, Jr. took third with Justunn Hilton placing fourth and Brett Embry clinching fifth. 

More than 100 racecars appeared at Macon Speedway Saturday along with a jam-packed bleacher crowd for the special program. Macon Speedway stock car racing will take a scheduled breather next week and prepare to return on August 13^th with a full show including the third attempt for the monster truck Raminator, the second try for the Driver Reunion and the first try for Fan Appreciation Night. Rain plagued the Raminator’s schedule appearances and the Driver Reunion earlier in the season.