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Vandermeersch Shocks All by Winning Street Stock Championship on Skeff Distributing Night MACON, IL (Sept. 6) - 29 Street Stocks were vying for the first-place finish and the $1,000 prize associated with winning the 4th annual Street Stock Championship at Macon Speedway Saturday night. One driver in particular looked to be a shoe-in because of his dominance over the last two months. Steve Ewing of Decatur had won eight features in the Street Stock division in 2008 and seven of those wins had come consecutively. He also has the distinct honor of winning the 2007 Street Stock Championship event as well as being the Macon Speedway track champion. The heats were fast and the cars were quick. Fast qualifier Mike Pickering of Decatur (13.021) had the win in heat one with Larry Russell, Jr., finishing in second. Terry Miller and Brian Cassell were one/two in the second heat; Bobby Eskew and Mike Thrasher had the top spots in the third heat and in the fourth heat, the checkered flag went to Springfield Sportsman’s Nationals winner Dennis Vandermeersch and Steve Ewing finished in second. The top two of each heat set up an eight-car dash with the winner getting a plaque, courtesy of the Osman Family and select companies pitched in to give the winner $100. In the eight-car, six-lap dash, Mike Pickering led from wire-to-wire for the $100 and the plaque. Vandermeersch finished second. During the intermission, Rick Bean from Skeff Distributing got the opportunity to take a ride in the Macon Speedway two-seater Late Model with Modified driver Marty Hiser. Also, during the intermission, sixty people got the chance of a lifetime to win a 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe, compliments of Macon Speedway co-owner Tony Stewart. All contestants met on the track and received a key. If they’re key opened the box which contained the keys to the vehicle, they were the winner. More than half way through the sixty participants, Ron Cochran from Pana stepped up and turned the key. The lock snapped open and he was the winner of Tony Stewart’s Tahoe! The BARBECK Modified feature came out first and after some sloppy racing to begin the race, Aaron Burcham and Jim Leka battled for the lead and from the backstretch into the final two turns on lap 14, Leka snagged the lead from Burcham and held on for his fourth feature win of 2008. Leka didn’t know he was going to race because of the passing of his father earlier in the week. “This one was certainly for him,” said Leka after receiving his victory licorice and photograph. The honor of the Best Fan in the Stands driver went to the fourth place finisher. Racing with Roger Drake was Ryan Blakeman who couldn’t get past Drake and ended up with fourth place. He wasn’t sure why he was ushered out of the car but when he found out he was going to receive $100, he was a little happier. “We don’t have much luck down here but tonight, we had a good car.” Without thinking twice, he picked Adam Mefford as his best fan and he received $100. In the Hogan Grain & Equipment Sportsman feature, Brian Diulio and Joel Funk battled for the lead throughout the 15-lap A-Main but in the end, Diulio outlasted Funk who fell behind and did not finish because he broke. Diulio won his first feature in five years and jumped on top of the car in celebration. Greg Kimmons, a former Sportsman track champion, made his first visit to the track this season and came from fifth to finish second after running the inside line throughout the feature. Mike Pickering had a fairy tale night heading into the 30-lap, $1,000-to-win feature. He was fast qualifier; he won his heat and the trophy dash, and he was starting on the pole for the feature. His main problem was who was running outside front row with him, Dennis Vandermeersch. For the first time since July 5th, somebody other than Steve Ewing won a Street Stock feature. Ewing wasn’t going down without a fight. Starting third row inside, Ewing battled with Larry Russell, Jr., who started second row inside, for the majority of the race. With a caution on lap 19 and Vandermeersch well in front of the field, the yellow flag ended up bringing Vandermeersch back to even with Ewing and Russell, Jr. When the green flag was waving again, Vandermeersch put the petal to the medal and started to pull away again but Ewing wasn’t falling behind. Ewing ran the same line as Vandermeersch and tried to use the high line but it wasn’t there so he just kept running with the first place car but wasn’t able to make the pass and on the final lap of the final turn, Vandermeersch held on and Ewing finished in second. Ray Goodall picked up his first Pro Hornet feature win and Beau Hankins claimed his second Amateur Hornet feature of 2008. Street Stocks: 1. Dennis Vandermeersch 2. Steve Ewing 3. Larry Russell Jr 4. Kevin Crowder 5. Troy Dodson Modifieds: 1. Jim Leka 2. Aaron Burcham 3. Roger Drake 4. Ryan Blakeman 5. Scott Jones Sportsman: 1. Bryan Diulio 2. D.K. Kimmons 3. Rick Thomas 4. Jeff Graham 5. Scott Landers Hornets: 1. Ray Goodall 2. Todd Rush 3. Brian Dasenbrock 4. Jon Grubb 5. Bruce Dulgar Amateur Hornets: 1. Beau Hankins 2. Colene Reckmo 3. Heidi Hanes 4. Cody Fleming 5. Kenneth Reed |