Steward, VanDenBerg, Huls, Anderson, Potts, and Fullenkamp Score Lee County Fair Race Wins

 

by Brian Neal

Donnellson, IA (Friday, July 10, 2015) – After taking two weeks off, the Lee County Speedway in Donnellson, Iowa returned to action on Friday, July 10th. This week was the running of Iowa’s oldest county fair, with Friday nights events featuring weekly racing and the addition of the 305 Sprint Cars. The night would come to an end with three new winners and three repeat winners standing in victory lane.

The first feature to take to the track was the 15 lap Armstrong Tractor IMCA Sport Compacts, with Kenny Smith and Brandon Lambert leading the field to the green flag. But it was fifth place starter Mike Reu who quickly moved to the front to grab the lead on lap 1 over Lambert and Josh Barnes, who started 7th. Barnes would slip past Lambert for the runner up spot on lap 3 and then went to work on Reu for the top spot. Reu was able to hold off Barnes until lap 7, when Barnes went to the top of the track off turn 4 to grab the lead away. This would leave Reu now having to defend off Travis DeMint, who started 9th, for the runner up spot. DeMint was able to slip under Reu for second on lap 10, and then worked on chasing down Barnes for the lead. DeMint was able to pull up beside Barnes for the lead on lap 12, only to have his run ended on lap 13 as he slowed in turn 3 with troubles to bring out the only caution of the race. On the restart Barnes moved back out front, with Chuck Fullenkamp, who started 10th, over taking Reu for the second spot. Coming off turn 4 to take the white flag, Barnes car started showing heavy sparks from under the rear of the car. This would allow Fullenkamp to go by to pick up his second win of the season at the track. Reu was 2nd, Kimberly Abbott started 8th and finished 3rd, Eric Stogdell made his first visit of the season at the track and finished 4th after starting in 12th, with William Michel ounding out the top 5.

 

Up next was the 14 lap Coors Light IMCA Hobby Stock feature, with Kevin Koontz and Brandon Potts making up the front row. Potts would take advantage of his front row starting spot to jump out into the lead on lap 1 over Koontz and Brandon Symmonds. While Potts set the pace out front, Koontz and Symmonds raced side-by-side for the runner up spot. Symmonds was able to clear Koontz for second on lap 4, but by then Potts had built up a half a straight away lead. Without a caution there was no catching Potts. But unfortunately that wouldn’t happen, as Sierra Wilsey spun in turn 4 on lap 11 to bring out the caution and brought the field back to Potts’ back bumper. On the restart Potts moved back out front, with Symmonds looking under him for the lead. But Potts would hold off Symmonds over the final 3 laps to claim his first win of the season at the track. Symmonds settled for 2nd, Clayton Webster made his first visit to the track pay off with a 3rd place finish, Koontz was 4th, with Wilsey coming home in 5th.

Brett Lowry and Logan Anderson led the field to green in the 20 lap Shottenkirk of Ft. Madison IMCA SportMod feature. But just as the green flag was waved the caution light would come on, as Austin Howes spun in turn 1 from contact from John Oliver Jr. and collected Kyle Hill to bring out the yellow. On the restart Anderson grabbed the lead on lap 1 over Lowry and Adam Birck, who started 9th. After the completion of lap 1 another caution appeared, as Joey Gower spun in turn 1 and collected Oliver Jr. and Trenton Brink to bring out the yellow. Anderson jumped back out front on the restart, with Birck over taking Lowry for the second spot. Just as Anderson started to put some distance on the battle behind him, another caution appeared on lap 4. This time debris in turn 4 would bring out the yellow. On the restart Austin Becerra, who started 6th, used the top of the track coming off turn 2 to grab the top spot away from Anderson, with Brandon Dale, who started 8th, moving into third. Becerra, who was working the top, and Anderson, who was on the bottom, raced side-by-side for the lead until lap 9, when another caution slowed the action up front. A tire was clipped in turn 2 and pushed onto the racing surface to bring out the yellow. On the restart Becerra moved back out front, with Anderson and Dale close behind. The top three raced two and even three wide until lap 12, when Dale pulled off with rear suspension troubles to end his night. One lap later, lap 13, Colton Bowman spun in turn 2 to bring out the caution. On the restart Anderson would use the bottom of the track to edge Becerra at the line to take over the top spot. Becerra, wouldn’t give up, as he used the top of the track to pull even with Anderson over the next 4 laps. While the two raced side-by-side out front, Gower, who started 18th and spun in turn 1 on lap 1, had worked his way up to third to join the battle for the lead. The action up front was slowed for the final time on lap 18, as debris in turn 2 brought out the yellow. On the restart Anderson jumped back out front, with Gower and Brandon Lennox, who started 12th, both over taking Becerra for the second and third spots. Gower would attempt to get under Anderson over the final two laps, but Anderson was able to hold him off to pick up his first win of the season at the track. Gower settled for 2nd, Becerra got back by Lennox on the final lap to finish in 3rd, Lennox was 4th, with Birck holding on for 5th.

Up next was the 20 lap Budweiser IMCA Modified feature, with Blake Woodruff and Dean McGee scheduled to lead the field to green. But when McGee pulled into the pits on the parade lap with troubles, this would move Jeff Waterman to the outside of the front row for the start. Woodruff would take advantage of his starting spot to grab the lead on lap 1 over Waterman and Carter VanDenBerg, who started 6th. VanDenBerg used the bottom of the track coming off turn 2 to clear Woodruff for the top spot on lap 3. The action up front was slowed for the first time on lap 7, when Andrew Schroeder spun in turn 1 to bring out the yellow. On the restart VanDenBerg jumped back out front, with Jerad Fuller over taking Waterman for the runner up spot. Fuller would look under VanDenBerg for the lead over the next 5 laps, when the final caution appeared on lap 14 to slow the action down. This time Larry McConnell spun in turn 1 to bring out the yellow. VanDenBerg once again grabbed the lead on the restart, with Fuller and Waterman close behind. Despite a few challenges from Fuller, VanDenBerg would hold on over the final 6 laps to claim his second win of the season at the track and third overall in his rookie year in the IMCA Modifieds. Waterman would slip past Fuller late in the race to finish in 2nd, Fuller was 3rd, Scott Hogan started 8th and finished 4th, with Schroeder recovering from his spin on lap 7 to come back up to finish in 5th.

Les Blakley and Andrew Hustead made up the front row for the 20 lap Donnellson Tire and Service IMCA Stock Car feature, with Hustead grabbing the lead on lap 1 over Jeremy Pundt and John Oliver Jr., who started 6th. Hustead then had to work to hold off Pundt, who was working the bottom, and Oliver Jr., who was up top, over the next 3 laps. Coming off turn 4 on lap 4, the top three went three wide for the top spot, with Pundt emerging as the leader on lap 5. While Pundt set the pace out front, Abe Huls, who started 7th and was working the bottom of the track, and Oliver Jr., who was up top, raced side-by-side for second, with Jason Cook looking for racing room behind them. Going down the backstretch on lap 15 Pundt would encounter a lapped car and went to the top to get around that lapped car. That moved proved to be costly for Pundt, as the lapped car also chose the top to enter turn 3. This would allow Huls to slip under him coming off turn 4 to take over the top spot on lap 16. Two laps later, lap 18, the action up front was slowed for the first and only time, as Trever Harris spun in turn 4 to bring out the yellow. On the restart Huls moved back out front and then held on over the final two laps to claim his fifth win of the season at the track. Corey Strothman crossed the line in 2nd, Pundt was 3rd, Oliver Jr. was 4th, with Cook rounding out the top 5.

The final feature to take to the track on the night was the 25 lap 305 Sprint Cars, with Nick Guernsey and Dillan Roth drawing the front row. But just as the green flag was waved the red light would come on, as Dustin Clark got upside down in turn 1 to bring out the red. He would climb from his car okay. On the restart Guernsey would grab the lead on lap 1 over Roth and Jayson Ditsworth. While Guernsey, who was running the bottom of the track, set the pace out front, Donnie Steward would work the top of the track to try and get by for the lead. Coming off turn 4 on lap 9, Steward was able to clear Guernsey for the top spot. Steward then started to pull away from the field, in what looked to be a caution free race. That was until a tire was clipped and pushed onto the racing surface in turn 2 on lap 24 to bring out the yellow, and set up a green-white-checkered overtime finish. On the restart Steward moved back out front, with Ditsworth and Andy Krieger, who started 10th, close behind. Going into turn 3 on the final lap Steward went to the bottom, which allowed Ditsworth to go to the top of the track. The two came off turn 4 side-by-side, with Steward edging out Ditsworth at the line by inches to claim his first win of the season at the track. Ditsworth settled for 2nd, Krieger was 3rd, Guernsey was 4th, with Brandyn Martin coming from 8th to finish in 5th.

The Lee County Speedway in Donnellson, Iowa will take next Friday, July 17th off and will return to action on Friday, July 24th. July 24th will be Conn Communication night, with all U.S. Cellular customers getting into the grandstands for FREE! All you have to do is show your U.S. Cellular phone at the ticket window to get into the grandstands for FREE! Otherwise grandstand admission will be adults $10, seniors (60+) $9, students (11-17) $5, and kids 10 & under FREE! Pit passes will be $25, ages 7-13 $15, and ages 6 & under $10. Gates will open at 5:30 pm, with hot laps at 7 pm, and racing at 7:30 pm.

For more information at the Lee County Speedway you can call Mike Van Genderen at 641-521-0330 or visit the tracks website at www.leecountyspeedway.com.

 

OFFICIAL RESULTS

Lee County Speedway, Donnellson, IA

Friday, July 10, 2015 – Lee County Fair

 

305 Sprints

 

A-Main: 1. Donnie Steward (West Burlington, IA), 2. Jayson Ditsworth (Gladstone, IL), 3. Andy Krieger (Burlington, IA), 4. Nick Guernsey (Burlington, IA), 5. Brandyn Martin (Eldon, IA), 6. Shane Quam (Gladstone, IL), 7. Dillan Roth (Burlington, IA), 8. Kevin Hetrick (Gladstone, IL), 9. Heath Bundy (Oquawka, IL), 10. Dustin Clark (Agency, IA),
Heat 1: 1. Dustin Clark (Agency, IA), 2. Nick Guernsey (Burlington, IA), 3. Dillan Roth (Burlington, IA), 4. Shane Quam (Gladstone, IL), 5. Heath Bundy (Oquawka, IL)
Heat 2: 1. Kevin Hetrick (Gladstone, IL), 2. Donnie Steward (West Burlington, IA), 3. Jayson Ditsworth (Gladstone, IL), 4. Brandyn Martin (Eldon, IA), 5. Andy Krieger (Burlington, IA)

 

Budweiser IMCA Modifieds

 

A-Main: 1. Carter VanDenBerg (Oskaloosa, IA), 2. Jeff Waterman (Quincy, IL), 3. Jerad Fuller (Memphis, MO), 4. Scott Hogan (Vinton, IA), 5. Andrew Schroeder (Keswick, IA), 6. Tyler Groenendyk (Oskaloosa, IA), 7. Blake Woodruff (Galesburg, IL), 8. Kelly Buckallew (Memphis, MO), 9. Larry McConnell (Danville, IA), 10. Bill Roberts Jr. (Burlington, IA), 11. Dean McGee (Galesburg, IL)
Heat 1: 1. Andrew Schroeder (Keswick, IA), 2. Dean McGee (Galesburg, IL), 3. Carter VanDenBerg (Oskaloosa, IA), 4. Jeff Waterman (Quincy, IL), 5. Scott Hogan (Vinton, IA), 6. Kelly Buckallew (Memphis, MO)
Heat 2: 1. Bill Roberts Jr. (Burlington, IA), 2. Tyler Groenendyk (Oskaloosa, IA), 3. Blake Woodruff (Galesburg, IL), 4. Larry McConnell (Danville, IA), 5. Jerad Fuller (Memphis, MO)

 

Donnellson Tire and Service IMCA Stock Cars

 

A-Main: 1. Abe Huls (Carthage, IL), 2. Corey Strothman (Mt. Union, IA), 3. Jeremy Pundt (Donnellson, IA), 4. John Oliver Jr. (Danville, IA), 5. Jason Cook (Mt. Pleasant, IA), 6. Jeff Mueller (New London, IA), 7. Les Blakley (Fairfield, IA), 8. Andrew Hustead (Rutledge, MO), 9. Chad Krogmeier (Burlington, IA), 10. Trever Harris (Memphis, MO), 11. Ray Raker (Danville, IA)
Heat 1: 1. Corey Strothman (Mt. Union, IA), 2. Abe Huls (Carthage, IL), 3. Jason Cook (Mt. Pleasant, IA), 4. Les Blakley (Fairfield, IA), 5. Ray Raker (Danville, IA), 6. Chad Krogmeier (Burlington, IA)
Heat 2: 1. John Oliver Jr. (Danville, IA), 2. Jeremy Pundt (Donnellson, IA), 3. Andrew Hustead (Rutledge, MO), 4. Jeff Mueller (New London, IA), 5. Trever Harris (Memphis, MO)

 

Shottenkirk of Ft. Madison IMCA Sport Mods

 

A-Main: 1. Logan Anderson (Oskaloosa, IA), 2. Joey Gower (Quincy, IL), 3. Austen Becerra (Camp Point, IL), 4. Brandon Lennox (New London, MO), 5. Adam Birck (Canton, MO), 6. Bobby Six (Warsaw, IA), 7. Patrick Phillips (Macomb, IL), 8. Brett Lowry (Montezuma, IA), 9. Tom Lathrop (Ottumwa, IA), 10. Bob Cowman (Quincy, IL), 11. Dakota Anderson (Clayton, IL), 12. Robert Gould (Hillsboro, IA), 13. Colton Bowman (Burlington, IA), 14. Brandon Dale (Memphis, MO), 15. Austin Howes (Memphis, MO), 16. Trenton Brink (Bussey, IA), 17. John Oliver Jr. (Danville, IA), 18. Kyle Hill (New London , IA)
Heat 1: 1. John Oliver Jr. (Danville, IA), 2. Kyle Hill (New London , IA), 3. Adam Birck (Canton, MO), 4. Brett Lowry (Montezuma, IA), 5. Austin Howes (Memphis, MO), 6. Bob Cowman (Quincy, IL), 7. Patrick Phillips (Macomb, IL), 8. Colton Bowman (Burlington, IA), 9. Joey Gower (Quincy, IL)
Heat 2: 1. Logan Anderson (Oskaloosa, IA), 2. Brandon Dale (Memphis, MO), 3. Austen Becerra (Camp Point, IL), 4. Bobby Six (Warsaw, IA), 5. Tom Lathrop (Ottumwa, IA), 6. Brandon Lennox (New London, MO), 7. Trenton Brink (Bussey, IA), 8. Robert Gould (Hillsboro, IA), 9. Dakota Anderson (Clayton, IL)

 

Coors Light IMCA Hobby Stocks

 

A-Main: 1. Brandon Potts (Eldon, IA), 2. Brandon Symmonds (Keokuk, IA), 3. Clayton Webster (Ottumwa, IA), 4. Kevin Koontz (Memphis, MO), 5. Sierra Wilsey (Keokuk, IA)
Heat: 1. Brandon Symmonds (Keokuk, IA), 2. Brandon Potts (Eldon, IA), 3. Kevin Koontz (Memphis, MO), 4. Clayton Webster (Ottumwa, IA), 5. Sierra Wilsey (Keokuk, IA)

 

Armstrong Tractor IMCA Sport Compacts

 

A-Main: 1. Chuck Fullenkamp (West Pont, IA), 2. Mike Reu (Donnellson, IA), 3. Kimberly Abbott (Camp Point, IL), 4. Eric Stogdell (Colona, IL), 5. William Michel (Muscatine, IA), 6. Brandon Lambert (Carthage, IL), 7. Brandon Reu (Donnellson, IA), 8. Josh Barnes (Keokuk, IA), 9. Kenny Smith (Donnellson, IA), 10. Travis DeMint (Warsaw, IL), 11. Darin Weisinger Jr. (Mendon, IL), 12. Larry Starks (Hamilton, IL)
Heat 1: 1. Travis DeMint (Warsaw, IL), 2. Mike Reu (Donnellson, IA), 3. Josh Barnes (Keokuk, IA), 4. Kenny Smith (Donnellson, IA), 5. Darin Weisinger Jr. (Mendon, IL), 6. Larry Starks (Hamilton, IL)
Heat 2: 1. Chuck Fullenkamp (West Pont, IA), 2. William Michel (Muscatine, IA), 3. Kimberly Abbott (Camp Point, IL), 4. Brandon Reu (Donnellson, IA), 5. Brandon Lambert (Carthage, IL), 6. Eric Stogdell (Colona, IL)

Category: Iowa, Lee County Speedway