96 Cars Filled Pits In Three Divisions Of Racing
By Robert Holman & Adam Mackey
DirtonDirt.com Weekend Editor
MACON, Ill. — Bobby Pierce of Oakwood, Ill., retook the lead from Ryan Unzicker of El Paso, Ill., on lap 73 and ran away over the final 27 laps to win his second straight Herald & Review 100 at Macon Speedway. Pierce collected $5,000 for his third victory of the season on the UMP DIRTcar Summernationals tour, in front of a packed Macon Speedway grandstand.
The race winner held a 1.2-second advantage when the third and final caution waved on lap 76. With clear track in front of him on the restart, Pierce, 20, pulled away, leaving Unzicker to battle Gordy Gundaker of St. Charles Mo., and Brandon Sheppard of New Berlin, Ill., for the runner-up spot.
Gundaker, who started on the outside front row, slipped to sixth early in the race, but rallied back to grab the second spot from Unzicker in the waning laps. Sheppard, who was gunning for his sixth straight UMP DIRTcar Summernationals victory, followed Gundaker by Unzicker as well and finished third.
Unzicker slipped to fourth at the finish despite his lengthy lead-swapping battle with Shannon Babb through the first 25 lap and then with Pierce through the middle stages of the race. Billy Moyer Jr. of Batesville, Ark., ran a steady race to finish fifth.
Babb, the polesitter from Moweaqua, Ill., led a handful of laps early, but slid all the way back to eighth by race’s end.
A jam-packed pits included 38, that’s right, 38 Billingsley Elite Wash UMP Modifieds to run with the Summit Modified Nationals. Mooresville, NC driver and current Nationals point leader, Nick Hoffman, took the lead from the get-go in the 30-lap main event. The man on the move, not to anyone’s surprise, was Highland, IL driver Mike Harrison. The veteran and many time winner and champion, started deep in the field and was 12th after two laps. That’s when he started making his approach, running the top of the track, passing car after car. His biggest moves came from lap 14 on. He rocketed into the second spot with eight laps to go and it was on moments later for the lead. Harrison drove up beside Hoffman and into the lead, never looking back. Following Harrison to the impressive victory were Hoffman, Kenny Wallace, Steven Brooks, and Mike McKinney.
An outstanding field of 21 UMP B-Mods were on hand for the 20-lap feature event. Tim Hancock, Jr., who picked up a feature win earlier in the year, jumped out front early, looking for his second. Despite the large field, the race ran with only a couple caution flags, as Hancock had to hold off the toughest challenger, and his father, Tim Hancock. As the laps wore down, the younger of the Hancock clan never slipped up and claimed the feature victory in front of a packed house. The Hancock family was followed by Brett Korves, Cody Stillwell, and Kevin Crowder.
Macon Speedway drivers will be back at it this coming Saturday, July 8, when fans are treated to a buy one, get one ticket night. Pro Late Models, Billingsley Elite Wash Modifieds, B-Mods, Street Stocks, Hornets, and Beach House Micros. Kids Box car races will also be held for CEFCU Kid’s Club.
Pits will open Saturday at 4:00, grandstands at 5:00, pill draw will end when the drivers meeting begins at 5:50, hotlaps start at 6:00, and racing will begin at 7:00. Grandstand admission is $12 but if you buy one and bring an extra guest, you get one free. Kids 11 and under are free.
About Macon Speedway:
For more information, follow Macon Speedway online at www.maconracing.com, on Facebook (www.facebook.com/maconracing) and Twitter (@maconspeedway). It’s easy to join the Macon Speedway text service. Fans can text MSFANS to 74574 to receive fan information. Drivers text MSDRIVERS to 74574 to receive driver information. Message and date rates apply. Updates are also available by calling Macon Speedway at 217-764-3000.
Macon Speedway is located nine miles south of Decatur on U.S. 51, then 0.6 miles west on Andrews Street and south to 205 N. Wiles. Macon Speedway hosts racing every Saturday night, plus many weeknight specials. Macon Speedway is a proud member of the Contingency Connection’s $100,000 Racer Rewards Program.
Feature:
1. Bobby Pierce
2. Gordy Gundaker
3. Brandon Sheppard
4. Ryan Unzicker
5. Billy Moyer, Jr.
6. Brian Shirley
7. Kevin Weaver
8. Shannon Babb
9. Brent Larson
10. Rusty Schlenk
11. Jason Feger
12. Bob Gardner
13. Austin Theiss
14. Paul Stubber
15. Dustin Nobbe
16. Jeff Herzog
17. Timothy Culp
18. Rusty Griffaw
19. Eric Cooley
20. Jordan Bauer
21. Daryn Klein
22. Michael Kloos