Breaking News: Our next racing Event will be Saturday Night August 18th, Meet the Drivers Night
Morgan and Anderson First Feature Wins of 2018
Another beautiful night for dirt track racing took place Saturday night at Spoon River Speedway. At intermission Spoon held its first Kids Card Board Box races. Kids could build their own race cars of their favorite driver or make a design up of their own and compete on the front stretch. The fans got a kick out of these possible future drivers as they ran around two cones set up in front of the grandstands. Jake Montgomery and Kyle Girard had replicas made of their cars for two of their young fans to compete in. Promoter Brad Denney gave all the kids that participated, checkered flags with the Spoon logo on them.
After intermission the Pro Late Models would hit the track for their feature event. Only five cars were in attendance so the officials and driver’s decided to only run a ten lap feature. Casey Helm lead them to green and lead all ten laps for the victory. In second was Sean Dray followed by Jacob Denney and Melissa Hansmeyer. National point leader Austin May was a no start do to a wreck in the heat race which was won by Helm.
Next out were the popular USAC/IMRA SpeeD2 Midgets with 15 cars ready to do action. Sitting on the pole was Dave Baugh with Bret Tripplett to his outside. Baugh would jump out to the early lead and lead the first three laps when he would be passed by fifth place starter Shane Morgon who would lead the last seventeen laps to pick up his first feature win of the season at Spoon. Kurt Mueller would end up second followed by thirteenth place starter Brent Burrows. Baugh would end up fourth followed by Broc Hunnell. Heat race winners were Hunnell and Tripplett.
With eighteen cars in attendance the Dirtcar Modifieds would roll out next for their twenty lap feature event. Zane Oedewaldt would lead the Modifieds around to green with Casey Lappin to his outside. Oedewaldt would lead the first lap but fourth place starter Mark Anderson would fly by Oedewaldt on the outside to lead lap two. Ray Bollinger, Josh Allen, Brandon Roberts and Lappin would battle it out for second after Oedewaldt would slide high and all four would pass him on lap four. Bollinger would succumb to a flat tire late in the race. Allen and Roberts would keep showing Anderson their noses lap after lap as they would sometimes be three abreast, but Anderson wouldn’t be denied victory as he held off their challenges to pick up his first feature win of the year at Spoon. Track point leader Roberts would end up second followed by Allen then Lappin and ninth place starter Kelly Kovski would round out the top five. Bollinger, Allen and Lappin were the heat race winners.
Leading the twenty car E-Mod field to green was Dawson Cook. Evan Fink would get a run down the back stretch to take the lead and never looked back to pick up his fifth feature win out of the last six races. Cook, E-Mod track point leader Jake Montgomery, Kevin Morrow and Steve David would battle it out for fifteen laps in some close racing action for the top five positions. When the checkered flag flew they would finish in the that order. Fink, Montgomery and Morrow would win their heat races.
Last out were the Dirtcar Hornets with Blake Harn jumping out to the lead and oicking up the ten lap feature win. Coming home in second was Josh Nimrick followed by Ronald Robinson, Kyle Walker and Tucker Clark in fifth. Heat wins went to Robinson and Harn.
Next Saturday night August 18th Spoon will have Meet the Driver’s night sponsored by the Fulton County Farm Bureau and the Girl Scouts will also be on hand to do 50/50. All the race cars will be lined up on the front stretch and the fans will be invited to come down and meet the drivers from five forty five till six thirty. Drivers will have hero cards and other items to give to the fans. For more info go to Spoons Face Book page or their website.
St Jude Night this Saturday Night
Racing Action returns this Saturday Night August 4th to Spoon River Speedway with 5 classes of racing for St Jude Night.
Last year we raised $2200 on race night for St Jude. We are donating all our half of the 50/50 money collected so far this year and Saturday night. Any donations will be appreciated Saturday night to help us reach or surpass our goal of $5000 this year.
The Zane's Automotive Service Dirtcar Modifieds will be running for $1000 to win. Also on hand will be th...e Fulton Farm Service USAC/IMRA SpeeD2 Midgets, the Perkins Seed House Dirtcar Pro Late Models, the Farmington Locker E-Mods and the Bartonville Express Lube Dirtcar Hornets.
Pits open at 4.
Grandstands at 5.
End of Draw 5:30
Hot Laps at 6 followed by Time Trials
Racing to begin around 7
General Admission Only $10
Kids 4 thru 10 are $3
Coolers 10x14x12Tall NO Exceptions $5 everytime thru gate
NO Food, NO Glass, NO Large Purses, NO Large Bags, NO Back Packs will be Allowed.
NO DOGS Allowed in Grandstand area.
Adult Pit Pass $30
Kids Pit Pass 10 and Under $20
Hope to see everyone back this Saturday Night for St Jude Night at the Spoon.
July 21st Kids Back Pack Night
Its Race Day!!
Tonight is Kids Back Pack Night and we will also run the King of the High Banks after the races.
At intermission kids 14 and under will have a chance to receive a Back Pack with school supplies given to them by one of the driver’s or the track. Sign up will be at the souvenir stand. Then when the races have been completed a random 16 cars selected between the E-Mods, Pro L/M and Modifieds will compete one on one in a single elimination tournament to decide who will be crowned the 2018 King of the High Banks and pocket $500.
On hand tonight will be the Zane’s Automotive Service Dirtcar Modifieds, the Fulton Farm Service USAC/IMRA SpeeD2 Midgets, the Perkins Seed House Dirtcar Pro L/M’s, the Farmington Locker E-Mods and the Bartonville Express Lube Dirtcar Hornets.
Pits open at 4.
Grandstands open at 5.
End of Draw 5:30
Hot Laps at 6 followed by Time Trials
Racing to begin around 7
General Admission ONLY $10
Kids 4-10 are $3
Coolers 10x14x12TALL NO Exceptions will be $5 everytime thru gate.
NO Food, NO Glass, NO Large Purses, NO Large Bags, NO Back Packs will be allowed to be carried in.
NO Dogs allowed in Grandstand Area
Adult Pit Pass is $30
Kids Pit Pass 10 and Under is $20
Hope to see you, your family and friends tonight for Kids Back Pack night at the Spoon!!
June 30th Start Times Changed
We will start everything 30 minutes later tomorrow night June 30th to try and help with the heat. Hope to see everyone Saturday night for the E-Mod Summer Nationals and Fireworks after the show. All 5 divisions will be on hand. Check our Face Book page for more information.
Babb Wins Thriller At Spoon
The Summer Nationals Hell Tour invaded the Spoon River Speedway Monday night after the race had been rained out last Thursday. Twenty three cars would battle it out for the $5000 grand prize at the end of the 40 lap main event. After three heats were completed, won by Brian Shirley, Tyler Erb and Shannon Babb the feature event hit the lightning fast track. Shirley and Babb would lead the field to green but Timothy Culp would exploded a left rear tire going into turn three bring out a caution before any laps were completed. A complete restart would occur with Culp going to the rear. Shirley would jump out to the early lead running the high side. Babb would put pressure on Shirley running the bottom pulling up next to him several time. Tyler Erb and Frank Heckenast Jr would be battling for third right behind them. On lap four Babb would go from the top to the bottom getting a run on Shirley out of turn two with both driver’s rubbing down the backstretch, Babb would take the lead on lap five. Shirley would try to regain the lead but Babb would get the better bite off the corner and beat Shirley back to the line. A caution would fly again on lap thirty five giving Shirley another shot at Babb. As the green flew Shirley and Babb would run side by side for the final five laps with Babb edging Shirley by 4 tenths at the line. Erb would finish third followed by Heckenast Jr, Chase Junghans and Bobby Pierce finishing in sixth. Babb was excited in the Fulton Farm Serve victory lane after picking up his fourth victory so far in the tour. “Man this track was fast tonight. The fans should have enjoyed that one”.
Summer Nationals Moved to Monday Night June 25th
With heavy rain yesterday, today and forecast for tomorrow we don’t feel it is possible to get the track in great racing condition, if we could race, so Spoon River Speedway and Dirtcar officials have decided to cancel Thursday race and move it to Monday Night June 25th. We are sorry for any inconvenience. Dirtcar driver’s love the high banked oval and with only running the Supers a couple times a year we want to give them the best track we can provide for them to put on a terrific show for you the fans. Spoon always has one of the biggest car counts of this series so come on out and enjoy the action.
So the UMP Summer Nationals Hell Tour will be Monday Night June 25th featuring some of the best dirt car driver’s around. The Dirtcar Super Late Models will battle for $5000 to win while the Dirtcar Summit Modifieds will run for $1500 to win. Also running will be the E-Mods for $500 to win.
Pit gate will open at 3.
Grandstands at 4.
Hot Laps are scheduled for 6 then Late Model TT followed by racing at 7.
General Admission $25
Kids 10 and under are $5
All Pit Passes $40
Coolers 10x14x12Tall NO Exceptions are $5 everytime through gate.
NO FOOD, NO GLASS, NO LARGE PURSES, NO LARGE BAGS, NO BACKPACKS will be allowed
Hope to see everyone Monday Night June 25th for an exciting night of racing at the Spoon!!
Ross Brings Home Nationals Victory
Saturday night saw some of the best racing so far at Spoon River Speedway in 2018. Twenty five USAC SpeeD2 Midgets would attempt to tame the high banked oval at the USAC SpeeD2 Midget National event. Twenty three cars would compete in the Dirtcar Modified division for one thousand to win.
After heat races the first feature out was the Dirtcar Pro Late Model division. Father 9 Scott Scooter May)and son (Austin May)would lead the ten car field to the green. Austin would get the jump on his dad and jump out to a early lead. Scott May and Samuel Halstead would battle it out for second with Sean dray right behind them in fourth. A caution field race would see some of the front runners set to the rear. On one of the last restarts Austin May would have his left rear tire go down ending his night. Dray would inherit the lead with Scott May and Halstead working their way back up to second and third after being sent to the rear on different occasions. Dray would hold off attempts from May and Halstead for the last five laps to bring home his first feature win of his career. Halstead would get past May for second with track points leader Jacob Denney with a strong run finishing fourth. Heat wins went to Austin May and Halstead.
The National USAC SpeeD2 Midget event was next to hit the track. Twenty five midgets would compete to make the twenty car feature field for five hundred to win. Gedd Ross would lead the field to the green with Andy Baugh to his outside. Ross would jump out to the early lead running the low line with Baugh running high and Shane Morgan to Baughs inside battling for second. Morgan would move around Baugh for second and put pressure on Ross for the lead. The men on the move were eleventh place starter Adam Taylor and Robby McQuinn. These two men were burning up the high side in dramatic fashion trying to run down Ross and Morgan. Baugh after jumping the cushion would fall back to eighth when the red flag would fly for Sean Murphy roll over on the front stretch. Murphy would climb back in his midget and race it to a eighth place finish. On the lap sixteen restart Baugh would go high to get around Mark Billings and would catch his tire sending Baugh flipping down the front stretch ending up at the top of turn one. Luckily Baugh came away unscaved but that couldn’t be said for his 6B midget. When the green flew once again Ross would fall back and McQuinn would jump into the lead. Ross, McQuinn and Taylor would swop the lead back and forth for the next six laps until McQuinn would jump the cushion and Ross and Taylor would shoot past him. Taylor would ride Ross bumper until the last lap and last turn were he would shoot to the bottom to pass Ross but Ross was to strong and came across the line to pick up the feature win. Taylor would settle for second followed by a strong run by Blake Buchholz and Adam Leffel, John Heydenreich would finish in fifth. Heat race wins went to Ross, McQuinn and Baugh.
Josh Allen would set fast time in the Dirtcar modified division Saturday night and win the first of three heat races. Other heat wins went to Dave Wietholder and Brandon Roberts. As the twenty three car came to the green Roberts would jump out to the lead running the bottom of the track. Pole sitter Zac Oedewaldt would jump to the high side and challenge Roberts for the lead. With these two running side by side the charging Mark Anderson would try and stick his nose in between the two but the door would slam on him before he could complete the past. Oedewaldt would final get by Roberts on the high side on lap nine out of twenty five. Derrick Carlson, starting eleventh, would charge his modified to the front and be battling for second place with Roberts and Anderson. Oedewaldt would jump the cushion allowing Roberts, Carlson and Anderson to get past. Anderson would move around Carlson with five to go and set his sights on Roberts. Running on the edge of the berm Anderson would go for the lead coming to the checkered flag following just two hundredths short of the win. Roberts would bring home his second feature win at Spoon this year. Following Roberts and Anderson was a strong run by Carlson, Oedewaldt and Josh Allen in fifth.
Jake Montgomery is on a hot streak and it continued for the young hot shot Saturday night in the E-Mod feature event. Josh Allen driving for Ray Rivers would jump out to the lead followed closely by Billy Puckett (Driving for Steve Jones) and Montgomery. Montgomery would get past Smith on lap five and never look back. Butch Weisser and Mason Duncan would battle it out for second with Weisser holding Duncan off at the line. Smith would finish the night in fourth with twelfth place starter Kyle Girard finishing in fifth. Heat wins went to Duncan who set fast time and Weisser .
Last out were the Dirtcar Hornets which saw pole sitter Brett Pratt jump out front and cruise home for the feature win. Iowa driver Erik VanApeldoorn would finish in second followed by April Holt and David DeFrance. Heat wins went to VanApeldoorn and Pratt.
Racing will resume next Saturday night June 16th for the Bill Anderson Memorial when the Dirtcar Modifieds will compete for fifteen hundred to win. Spoon will also have the makeup for the Kids Candy Dash at intermission. Check their Face Book page and website for more information.
New Track Records Set At Spoon
On a hot and steamy night, Spoon River Speedway saw three track records tied or broken at the Gary Cook Jr Memorial race Sunday night. One hundred and two cars showed up to attack the lightning fast oval. Steven Brooks would tie the Modified track record, Ray Bollinger, with a lap of 14.301 seconds averaging over 96mph. The Super Late Model record held by Dennis Erb Jr (13.196) was broke by Ryan Unzicker with a lap of 13.118 averaging over 100 mph. The final track record was broke in the Hornet division by Adam Webb with a lap of 18.487 seconds breaking Steve Jones 18.567 lap.
Sunday May 27th the Gary Cook Jr Memorial
Pits open at 3. Grandstands at 5. Hot Laps 5:45 followed by Modifieds and Super L/M TT. Racing to begin around 7
Roberts, Eskew Pick Up First Wins At Spoon
A gorgeous night for racing once again took place at the high banked oval of Spoon River Speedway for Autism Awareness Night. The track and fans once again showed its generosity donating over $600 to help draw awareness to autism and having a nice crowd dress in blue to watch another action packed night of racing.
Starting off the feature events was the Farmington Locker E-Mods with Matt Dobey and Kyle Girard leading the field to the green. Girard would jump out to a early lead followed by Dawson Cook and Evan Fink, but the man on the move was sixth place starter Allen Weisser threading his way through cars to take the lead on lap three and never looking back. Fink. Girard and Cook would battle it out for second with Fink finally holding them off. Girard would finish third followed by Cook and Steve Jones. Heat race winners were Girard and Weisser.
