By BZ

(Macon, IL) The second week of the 2021 Macon Speedway racing season saw familiar winners grace the winner’s circle on a night which saw seven divisions compete at the 76-year-old dirt oval. Over 100 racecars filled the pit area and a full grandstand continued to bring along plenty of excitement on the first Saturday of May.

Among the familiar winners to find victory lane was Jeremy Nichols in the Weddle Performance Engines Sportsman division. Nichols took the checkered flag in the season opener two weeks ago and looked dominate again in the 15-lap main event. Tailed by former division champions Dennis Vandermeersch and Scott Landers, Nichols pursued the top groove and ran it flawlessly to extend his lead over the pack. Vandermeersch moved on the top side, as well, but ran into the wall and up the fence in turn one on the final lap and was towed off the track. That allowed Landers to become the second place car and stayed close on the restart but Nichols was too much for Landers and the rest of the field.

Nichols looked ready for his second 2-for-2 of the season as he led in the Archer’s Alley Street Stocks feature. Running at the top with Bobby Beiler, Nichols was again moving fast along the top of the track. As Nichols was moving fast, he came up on a car about to become a lap down and Nichols tagged into the back of it and caused the car to spin out. Nichols would be penalized for the spinout that led to the yellow flag and be put to the back of the field. With five laps remaining, Beiler took his role as the leader and would go on to the feature win.

Kyle Helmick led wire-to-wire in the Pro Modified 15-lap feature event and outdueled Kevin Crowder, Billy Knebel and Nick Justice for the win. Knebel looked poised for a top spot takeaway with a fast run on the top but lapped traffic running on the top slowed him down and allowed Helmick, a bottom groove racer, to hold on to the lead and the win.

Helmick got the pole position assignment in the BillingsleyRewards.com Modifieds 20-lap feature and led for the first three laps continuing to run on the bottom. However, he was not able to fend off Guy Taylor who was smooth running up top. Taylor’s lead would grow and be comfortable although defending champion and Opening Night feature winner Tommy Sheppard, Jr. closed in.

Aiden Purdue took the top honors out of 25 drivers in the Micro Sprints Presented by Bailey Chassis. Purdue, native of Clinton, started from the pole position and made short work of the group. Decatur’s Jacob Tipton started seventh and ran all the way up to second place for the finish. The Micro Sprints got a taste of the Macon Speedway track before the POWRi Midgets and Micro Sprints national touring series arrives next Saturday.

Jose Parga and Jake Little took off in the Decatur Building Trades Pro Late Model feature. Parga opened up the advantage and led the small group around for the 20-lap feature race win.

The seven division night of racing ended with the 4-cylinder Hornets and a wild one ensued with Michael McKay of Springfield getting the win with a fast car from the top lane. Shelby Beiler led the early laps from the pole position and fended off Billy Mason, Kyle Keller and Brandon Miller but when McKay got running up top, he made the pass and took off. McKay rolled his car a few weeks earlier at Lincoln Speedway and has been working to get it back on the track. The work paid off as he crossed the finish line first ahead of the 14-car field.

Despite nearly 120 racecars and seven divisions, the night of racing was quick and fast and over shortly after 10pm. Micro Sprint driver and 10-year-old Aarin Squires of Springfield as well as Scooter’s Auto Sales LLC in Springfield donated two bicycles to be given away at intermission as part of the night’s CEFCU Kid’s Club. Mother’s Day weekend at Macon Speedway welcomes the POWRi Midgets and Micro Sprints to the 1/5th mile dirt track. The Macon Speedway Pro Late Models, Modifieds and Hornets will also be on hand to compete. Gates will open up at 5pm for specators, hot laps at 6pm and racing by 7pm.

FEATURE RUNDOWNS (Top 10’s)

Decatur Building Trades Pro Late Models

1. 6P-Jose Parga[New Berlin, IL]; 2. 38J-Jake Little[Springfield, IL]; 3. 27-Colby Sheppard[Williamsville, IL]; 4. 64-Donny Koehler[Macon, IL]; 5. (DNF) X-Tommy Sheppard Jr[New Berlin, IL]; 6. (DNF) 7Z-Michael Maestas[Lincoln, IL]; 7. (DNF) 11-Ryan Miller[Lincoln, IL]; 8. (DNS) 14-Derek Smith [Decatur, IL]

BillingsleyRewards.com Modifieds

1. 77-Guy Taylor[Springfield, IL]; 2. T6-Tommy Sheppard Jr[New Berlin, IL]; 3. 52-Billy Knebel[Pocahontas, IL]; 4. 27X-Kyle Helmick[Smithton, IL]; 5. 12L-Bryan Leach[Harvel, IL]; 6. 27-Dalton Ewing[Decatur, IL]; 7. 32B-TD Burger[Saunemin, IL]; 8. 67-Larry Bunning[Decatur, IL]; 9. 87C-Alan Crowder[Elwin, IL]; 10. 517-Rick Hamilton[Decatur, IL]

DIRTcar Pro Mods

1. 27X-Kyle Helmick[Smithton, IL]; 2. 15C-Kevin Crowder[Argenta, IL]; 3. 36-Nick Justice[Decatur, IL]; 4. 52-Billy Knebel[Pocahontas, IL]; 5. 215-Jake Montgomery[East Peoria, IL]; 6. 14N-Nathan Lynch[Hillsboro, IL]; 7. 24-Guy Taylor[Springfield, IL]; 8. 3X-Justin Reynolds[Hillsboro, IL]; 9. 33-Josh Robb[Mt. Zion, IL]; 10. 10-Adam Rhoades[Clinton, IL]

Weddle Performance Engines Sportsman

1. 01-Jeremy Nichols[Lovington, IL]; 2. 41-Scott Landers[Taylorville, IL]; 3. 84L-Jim Farley III[Springfield, IL]; 4. 11-Rick Roedel[Shelbyville, IL]; 5. 69-George Ewing[Decatur, IL]; 6. 11M-Roy Magee[Springfield, IL]; 7. 28-Ryan Blankenship[Harristown, IL]; 8. 4-Matt Reed[Decatur, IL]; 9. (DNF) 25-Dennis Vander Meersch[Springfield, IL]; 10. (DNF) 12M-Terry Myers[Buffalo, IL]

Archers Alley Street Stocks

1. 29-Bobby Beiler[Blue Mound, IL]; 2. 16-Nick Macklin[Argenta, IL]; 3. 21-Jaret Duff[Maroa, IL]; 4. 53R-Jeff Reed Jr[Blue Mound, IL]; 5. 11-Terry Reed[Cerro Gordo, IL]; 6. Z24-Zach Taylor[Springfield, IL]; 7. X7-Guy Taylor[Springfield, IL]; 8. 69-George Ewing[Decatur, IL]; 9. 08-Brian Dasenbrock[Decatur, IL]; 10. 01-Jeremy Nichols[Lovington, IL]

DIRTcar Hornets

1. 26A-Michael McKay[Springfield, IL]; 2. 9B-Brandon Miller[Broadwell, IL]; 3. 3H-Allan Harris[Chatham, IL]; 4. 324-Shelby Beiler[Macon, IL]; 5. 357-Billy Mason[Brownstown, IL]; 6. 9Z-Zac Miller[Lincoln, IL]; 7. J13-Justin Coffey[Stonington, IL]; 8. 31-Jacob Shanks[Decatur, IL]; 9. X-Jessica Lowe[Springfield, IL]; 10. 64CK-Cook Crawford[Lincoln, IL]

Micros By Bailey Chassis

1. 37-Aiden Purdue[Clinton, IL]; 2. 10-Jacob Tipton[Decatur, IL]; 3. 11-Alex Midkiff[Belleville, IL]; 4. 8B-John Barnard[Sherman, IL]; 5. 55-Hayden Harvey[Warrensburg, IL]; 6. 17-Molly Day[Allerton, IL]; 7. 18-Michael Brummitt[Mount Zion, IL]; 8. 101-Toby Midkiff[Belleville, IL]; 9. 68-Devin Feger[East Peoria, IL]; 10. 2-Cody Swisher[Atwood, IL]