Nichols Soars to Macon Speedway Winner’s Circle

 

(Macon, IL) Jeremy Nichols has a fast car. Everybody knows it. After Saturday night’s Dean Garland Classic at Macon Speedway, everybody knew it again. Nichols’ night started during qualifying for the Midwest Street Stock Championship Series and he broke the track record. After the second qualifier of the night Nick Macklin posted quick time and broke the nine-year-old track record (12.654 by Mike Pickering on September 19, 2009), Nichols topped it with a 12.393 quick lap to establish the new mark. Macklin’s lap time was 12.638. The night didn’t look to be too favorable for Nichols after that.

While leading his heat race, Nichols spanked the concrete wall and broke his car four laps into a 10-lap race. Nichols fixed it as best he could and after a practice lap was slated to start last in the 17-car, 40-lap feature event. He flew through the field and worked his way towards the front. Timmy Dick had taken the lead from Matt Maier five laps into the race and after a caution on the 24th lap, Nichols jumped on the gas during the double file restart and racing on the top side bypassed Dick for the lead as they came to the flagstand two laps later. From then on, it was academic.

Race Notes: The event saw two lead changes from Matt Maier starting with the lead to Timmy Dick to eventual winner Jeremy Nichols. The Dean Garland family was on hand to experience the race and wave the green flag to kickstart the 40-lap race. There were just four cautions in the race and it was completed in 18 minutes, 01 second. Of the 20 signed in drivers, 17 started the race.

Two incredibly close finishes took place in the Billingsley Elite Wash Modifieds and Sportsman division races. Rodney Standerfer looked unstoppable during the Modified race and led for 19 laps. Austin Lynn, who was celebrating his birthday Saturday, closed the gap thanks in part to caution flags narrowed the lead and would cut underneath Standerfer coming to the checkered flag out of the fourth turn. Standerfer stayed with Lynn but wound up on top of Lynn’s machine coming across the finish line. Lynn’s victory was by milliseconds. Standerfer’s car would be smashed after a spinout at the finish line and would walk away to the ovation of the crowd.

Scott Landers looked on his way to the finish line before Tim Bedinger in the Sportsman division but Bedinger stayed strong on the accelerator while Landers eased off and Bedinger crossed the line first and took away the win. Scott Williams looked to capture his first checkered flag as he led the feature midway through the race but ran into troubles and would finish fourth.

Guy Taylor was holding the checkered flag again in the Decatur Building Trades Pro Late Model class as he stayed ahead of a challenging Jake Little.

Kevin Crowder won his first B-Modified feature race. He drew a bad number to start the night and began at the end of his heat race. He launched himself all the way to second by the race’s end and started the feature on the front row. Holding off Tim Hancock and Tom Riech, Crowder made it to the finish and took home the first place prize.

In the Hornets division, Adam Webb outdueled Jeremy Reed for his checkered flag of the season.

Macon Speedway will take a quick rest with a night off next Saturday but only to prepare for the madness and excitement of the Memorial Day showcase of the Mueller Distributing Lite Beer Twin 50s event for the Super Late Models and the B-Modifieds. Macon Speedway returns to action with a special $3,000-to-win Billingsley Elite Wash Modified race along with MOWA Sprint Cars on Thursday, May 31st and finish the week off with a crowd favorite, the Five Buck Night where admission is just $5.

Midwest Street Stock Championship Series–1. Jeremy Nichols (Lovington), 2. Timmy Dick (Monticello), 3. Jerrad Krick (Earl Park, IN), 4. Terry Reed (Decatur), 5. Matt Maier (Rantoul), 6. Rudy Zaragoza (Jacksonville), 7. Darrell Dick (Monticello), 8. Josh Griffith (Charleston), 9. Justin Crowell (Lincoln), 10. Brian Dasenbrock (Decatur)

Billingsley Elite Wash Modifieds–1. Austin Lynn (Mason City), 2. Rodney Standerfer (Summerfield), 3. Tim Hancock (Mt. Olive), 4. Curt Rhodes (Taylorville), 5. Danny Smith (Argenta), 6. Brian Lynn (Mason City), 7. Zeb Moake (Freeburg), 8. Jacob Steinkoenig (Highland), 9. Zach Rhodes (Taylorville), 10. Jimmy Sinkhorn (Taylorville)

Sportsman–1. Tim Bedinger (Taylorville), 2. Scott Landers (Taylorville), 3. Timmy Dick (Monticello), 4. Scott Williams (Leroy), 5. Ethan Schnapp (Springfield), 6. Terry Myers (Buffalo), 7. Ty Nation (Taylorville), 8. Stefan Bedinger (Taylorville), 9. Mitch Ringer (Taylorville)

Decatur Building Trades Pro Late Models–1. Guy Taylor (Springfield), 2. Jake Little (Springfield), 3. Cody Maguire (Carlinville), 4. Kyle Van Dorn (New Berlin), 5. Steve Ewing (Decatur), 6. Donnie Koehler (Macon), 7. Jarod Shasteen (Macon)

B-Modifieds–1. Kevin Crowder (Argenta), 2. Cody Stillwell (Godfrey), 3. Tom Riech (Springfield), 4. Jerry Thompson (Troy), 5. JR Wiltermood (Windsor), 6. Tim Riech (Petersburg), 7. Chris Soutiea (Peveley, MO), 8. Ricky Smith (Alton), 9. Zach Gaither (Alton), 10. Billy Adams (Shelbyville)

Hornets–1. Adam Webb (Decatur), 2. Jeremy Reed (Decatur), 3. Mike Eskew (Springfield), 4. John Lewis (Cerro Gordo), 5. Carter Dart (Springfield), 6. Matt Reed (Decatur), 7. Danny White (Villa Grove), 8. Cook Crawford (Lincoln), 9. Matthew Donaldson (Carlinville), 10. Nate Webb (Clinton)

Category: Illinois