leecountyspeedway Archives

Kay just in time to take Drive For Five checkers

By Brian Neal DONNELLSON, Iowa (May 14) – Justin Kay was just in time to the checkers to win Friday’s second installment of Drive For Five for IMCA Sunoco Late Models at Lee County Speedway. Dennis Woodworth and Justin Kay drew the front row for the 25-lap feature, with Woodworth grabbing the early lead over Kay and Matt Ryan. The action was slowed for the first time of the race on lap three, as Sam Halstead spun to bring out the yellow. On the restart, Kay slipped past Woodworth to take over the top spot. While Kay set the pace out front, Woodworth, Ryan and Mark Burgtorf battled for the runner-up spot. Anthony Haines spun in on lap 15 to bring the action to a slow pace. Kay jumped back out front on the restart, with Tommy Elston, who started 11th, overtaking Ryan for second. Three laps later, a brief rain shower slowed the action, and after a few laps to pack the racing surface back in the green was waved for the final six laps. Kay [Read More]

Becerra remains perfect at Lee County Speedway

By Brian Neal DONNELLSON, Iowa (May 7) – Austen Becerra raced to his third Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod feature wins in as many Friday night starts this season at Lee County Speedway. Ryan Moore and Brandon Lambert led the field to the drop of the green flag. Lambert paced lap one over Logan Cumby, who started sixth, and Jim Gillenwater, who started eighth. Gillenwater slid past on lap three to take over the top spot. Sean Wyett slipped by Gillenwater to take the lead on lap five only to have Gillenwater get him back on lap seven. On a restart, Becerra charged around the top of Gillenwater to grab the lead and started to pull away. The field was brought back to Becerra’s back bumper on lap 15 for the final restart of the race. The side-by-side battle for the runner-up spot allowed Becerra to go on to claim his third win of the season at the track in three weeks of racing. Gillenwater won the battle for second and Wyett was third. Mark Burgtorf topped [Read More]

Callahan, Carter collect Drive For Five qualifier wins at Lee County

By Brian Neal DONNELLSON, Iowa (April 30) – Joel Callahan and Cayden Carter took home $1,000 checks from Lee County Speedway’s first Drive For Five qualifier of the season Friday night. Callahan and Ben Seemann drew front row starts for the IMCA Sunoco Late Model 25-lapper and it was Callahan jumping into the lead on lap one over Seemann and Matt Strassheim. While Seemann tried to stay in Callahan’s tire tracks, the rest of the field was racing all over for positions behind them. Callahan’s fast pace put him into lapped traffic on lap 14 and this allowed Seemann to close in. Callahan was able to maneuver the lapped traffic without any problems however and pulled away over the later part of the caution-free race to score the top prize. Seemann finished second, Logan Duffy was third and Tommy Elston was fourth, with Strassheim fifth. Already on the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot, Carter and Jeff Waterman drew the front row for the IMCA Modified main with Carter leading Ethan Braaksma and Waterman early on. A [Read More]

Lee County Speedway hosts Drive For 5 opener this Friday

By Brian Neal DONNELLSON, Iowa – Coming up this Friday, April 30 at Lee County Speedway will be the first of seven Iowa Corn Growers Association and Hinkle Auto Sales Drive For 5 qualifying nights for IMCA Sunoco Late Models. Both the IMCA Sunoco Late Models and IMCA Modifieds will be racing for $1,000 to win, with draw/redraw being used to determine the lineups. The winner of Friday’s Modified feature will have their name added to the All-Star Invitational ballot. Drive For 5 is presented by Ideal Ready Mix, Floyd’s Waste Systems, J.J. Nichting Company Case IH, Triple Seven Trucking, Woodworth Attorney at Law, Triple R Performance Engines, Old Barn Taxidermy, Mike Campbell’s Body Shop & Towing, Donnellson Tire & Service, KQ92 and Big Country 103.1. Also on the card are the IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods and Mach-1 Sport Compacts. Gates open at 5:30 p.m. with hot laps at 7 p.m. and racing to follow. Grandstand admission will be adults $10, seniors (60-plus) $9, veterans and students (11-17) $5, and kids 10 and under free. Pit [Read More]

Woodworth scores opener at Lee County Speedway

By Brian Neal DONNELLSON, Iowa (April 23) – Dennis Woodworth picked up the IMCA Sunoco Late Model feature win Friday, in a fast-paced and caution-free contest on opening night at Lee County Speedway. Woodworth and Tommy Elston led the field to green. Woodworth used his front row draw to his advantage by grabbing the lead on lap one over Elston and Dustin Griffin. While Woodworth set a torrid pace out front, Elston, Griffin, Mark Burgtorf and Nick Marolf waged a great battle for the runner-up spot. Without a caution to bunch the field up, Woodworth cruised to an easy win. Griffin won the battle for second, Burgtorf was third, Marolf fourth and Elston came home in fifth. The 18-lap IMCA Modified feature saw Levi Smith and Chad Giberson draw the front row. Giberson took advantage of his draw to lead lap one over Michael Long, and Smith. The yellow waved just after the first lap was scored complete and on the restart, Long shot past Giberson to take over the top spot. The fast pace Long set [Read More]

IMCA Late Models, IMCA Modifieds will both Drive For Five, $5,000 paydays at Lee County

DONNELLSON, Iowa – IMCA Sunoco Late Model and IMCA Modified drivers will both Drive For Five at Pepsi Lee County Speedway in 2021. Seven qualifying features are scheduled for each division, with $5,000 to win main events for the Modifieds on Friday, Aug. 20 and for the Late Models on Saturday, Sept. 11. Drivers in both divisions must compete at a minimum of five qualifying features to be eligible for the $5,000 winner’s shares in the respective finales. All seven Late Model qualifiers will pay $1,000 to win; payout for the Modifieds is to be announced. The Aug. 20 finale will be a Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifier. Drive For Five dates are Fridays April 2, April 30, May 14, June 25 and July 2; Saturday, July 31; and Friday, Aug. 6. Rain date for one or both $5,000 to win shows is Saturday, Sept. 18. IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National, KMJ Performance State and track points will be awarded each night; Modifieds also earn Side Biter Chassis North Central Region points at each Drive For Five event. [Read More]

Kay tops Drive For 5 finale at Pepsi Lee County

By Brian Neal DONNELLSON, Iowa (Sept. 19) – Justin Kay made his way to victory lane to claim a $2,000 top prize following the final installment of Pepsi Lee County Speedway’s Shottenkirk Parts Express Drive For 5. After two rounds of heat races, Matt Ryan and Andy Eckrich accumulated the most passing points to lead the feature field to the drop of the green flag. Ryan jumped into the lead over Eckrich and Darin Duffy. While Ryan paced the field out front, Eckrich, Andy Nezworski, Kay and Tommy Elston, who started ninth, swapped positions second through fifth over the next 10 laps. Action was slowed by back-to-back yellows on lap 10. The second restart saw Ryan charge back out front with Kay moving into the runner-up spot over Nezworski. After 25 laps were scored complete, the race was halted and teams could make adjustments on their cars during a 10 minute stop. Once back to green, Elston used the middle to top groove to pass Ryan coming out of turn four to take over the lead. Elston held [Read More]

Pepsi Lee County crowns track champions

By Brian Neal DONNELLSON, Iowa (Aug. 28) – Pepsi Lee County Speedway crowned five kings on Throwback Fan Appreciation Season Championship Night. Darin Weisinger Jr. led Jay Johnson most of the IMCA Sunoco Late Model distance, with Johnson gaining the front spot on lap 15. Sam Halstead took over the next time around, then held off Tommy Elston to the finish. Elston netted the track title with the runner-up finish. Michael Long pull away over the final laps to score the IMCA Modified feature win. Dennis LaVeine was second and track champion Jeff Waterman finished third. Abe Huls claimed the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car win. John Oliver Jr. was second and secured the 2020 track title. Brandon Dale pulled away following a lap 15 restart for his first local Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod win of the season. Adam Birck had troubles and finished 15th, still good enough to secure the track title. Kimberly Abbott used the momentum off the top of turn four to edge out Brandon Reu at the line by inches for her first [Read More]

Final Drive For 5 win goes to Woodworth

By Brian Neal DONNELLSON, Iowa (Aug. 21) – The race stayed green and after the checkers flew Denny Woodworth pocketed $1,000 for winning the fifth and final Shottenkirk Parts Express Drive For 5 qualifier for IMCA Sunoco Late Models at Pepsi Lee County Speedway. Ray Raker and Woodworth drew front row starts for the event, with Woodworth jumping out front to lead early over Sam Halstead and Raker. The fast pace Woodworth set up front allowed him to pull away from the multi-car battles behind him. Woodworth entered lapped traffic starting on lap 13, which allowed Halstead and Tommy Elston to close in. The top three clear lapped cars on lap 21 to set up a four-lap dash to the finish. Woodworth held off Halstead and Elston in a caution-free race to claim the $1,000 top prize. Mark Burgtorf came in fourth with Andy Nezworski rounding out the top five. Feature results – 1. Denny Woodworth; 2. Sam Halstead; 3. Tommy Elston; 4. Mark Burgtorf; 5. Andy Nezworski; 6. Nick Marolf; 7. Dustin Griffin; 8. Ron Boyse; [Read More]

Becerra scores seventh win of season at Pepsi Lee County

By Brian Neal DONNELLSON, Iowa (Aug. 14) – Austen Becerra raced to Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod win number seven of the season at Pepsi Lee County Speedway Friday night. The evening’s finale saw Brandon Dale grab the early lead over Adam Birck and Becerra. The top three battled over the next three laps before Becerra emerged with the lead. Just as Becerra started to enter traffic on lap eight, the second caution of the race appeared. On the restart, Becerra jumped back out front with Dale, Birck, Brayton Carter, Sean Wyett, Dylan Van Wyk and Jim Gillenwater battling two and three-wide for positions behind him. Just when it looked like Becerra would pull away, the final caution slowed him on lap 15 as Carter and Van Wyk got together. Once again, Becerra grabbed the lead on the restart, with Birck and Dale close behind. Becerra held off a last-lap challenge from Birck to score his seventh win in 11 starts this season at the track. Michael Long was the IMCA Modified winner and John Oliver Jr. [Read More]