Breaking News: Rail Splitter Nationals This Saturday Night Sept 23rd
Kovski Triumphs In Test Memorial Thriller
Kelly Kovski, Ray Bollinger and Allen Weisser certainly didn’t get together before the race and make plans to put on a show, but they sure did once the green flag flew on the Zane’s Auto Service UMP Modified Feature Race Saturday night at Spoon River Speedway.
Racing for $1,000 to win the 5th Annual Randy Test Memorial Modified Feature, named for the longtime Spoon River Speedway modified car builder and owner, the three Modified Hot Shoes used every inch of the high banked super smooth oval to thrill the nice crowd in attendance under a full moon on a picture-perfect spring evening.
Bollinger held the lead throughout the first 17 laps, maybe not so much in dominating style, but certainly in a way that everyone involved knew would be hard to top. A caution came out as the leaders were working through lapped traffic, allowing Kovski and Weisser to draw back on the tail of Bollinger with a clean track ahead of them for the restart.
Weisser flew around the outside of Bollinger coming out of turn two shortly after that restart, and the talented youngster took his turn in the lead spot. After using the high side to pass, Weisser quickly dropped his racing line in the next couple of laps to protect the lead and undoubtedly to check the capability of the bottom groove, but he quickly moved back up.
Rain Delay, Showers Go Away, Leading to Wins by Biswell, Bollinger, Mallonee and May
Mother Nature’s version of putting water on the track caused a short delay in the Saturday night program at Spoon River Speedway, but after the shower passed and the racing resumed, driver’s were left with a perfect track for feature racing.
The delay came in the Pro Late Model heat, with just one more heat to follow before intermission. Promoter and track prep guru Brad Denney had closely monitored the weather radar all day, and knew what he wanted to do should the shower hit the speedway. When it did, midway through that heat race, Denney sent the Pro Late Models off the track and immediately jumped in his tractor to start “wprking” the track as the shower subsided.
After a few minutes of track prep, Denney announced over the crew radios to have the Pro Late Models return to the track and finish their heat, and the rest of the night went off as planned with the usual smooth, multi-groove racing surface for driver’s to battle on.
Bollinger, Baugh Dominate In Feature Wins
Ray Bollinger of Kewanee, IL missed Opening Night at Spoon River Speedway two Saturdays ago, but made up for it this past weekend with a dominating win in the Zane’s Auto Service UMP Modified Division feature at The Spoon.
“I love this place,” an exuberant Bollinger said in Perkins Seed House Victory Lane, “we like to travel around a bit and can’t always make it, but I do love this track.” Bollinger picked up cool $1,000 for his victory Saturday, and said the track was a “driver’s track”.
“You had a choice of grooves here as usual tonight, and always smooth,” he said. “We changed gears about three times after the heat trying to decide if we wanted to run the top or the bottom. Thanks to my crew, they worked hard and they made the right call!”
To earn the win, Bollinger had to get around one of the early leaders and pole sitter Brandon Roberts, who, hugging the bottom, was the early man to beat and who finished second. Bollinger was forced to the high side after running low early to make the pass for the lead, and it stuck. Kelly Kovski led the races initial laps, but a mechanical issue forced him out of the lead and eventually out of contention. Josh Allen, in his second week running with the Open Mods full time, started 8th and drove to 3rd with an impressive run, followed by Allen Weisser and Rodney Bowman.
UMP Modifieds and USAC/IMRA Speed 2 Midgets Run For Added Purse Money This Saturday Night
Racing action returns to the Spoon this Saturday Night April 23rd. Once again the USAC/IMRA Speed 2 Midgets sponsored by NuTech Seed will be on hand running for $400 to Win and added purse on down. Check out the IMRA page for details. The Zane Automotive Service UMP Modifieds will once again be running for $1000 to Win Thanks to a sponsor who wishes to remain unnamed. The Perkin Seed House UMP Pro Late Models will be on hand along with the Farmington Locker UMP E-Mods, the Fu...lton Farm Service UMP Hornets and the Spoon 6-Shooters. More give aways at intermission and the Kids Bus makes its first appearance of 2016.
Pit Gate Opens at 4:30, Grandstands Open at 5
General Admission $15, Kids 10 and Under are FREE
ALL Pit Passes $30
Modifieds and Midgets will be on transponders.
$10 to rent plus Driver's license or $250 to buy Transponder, Charger and Pouch.
Pouches are $15
Hope to see you, your family and friends this Saturday night at the Spoon.
Huge Crowd for 33rd Season Opener
The 33rd season of racing at the legendary Spoon River Speedway kicked off in fine fashion this past Saturday night, with a big crowd enjoying perfect spring weather, great racing on a smooth surface already in mid-season form, and giveways of all kinds.
Spoon River Speedway welcomed a new regular race division, the NuTech Seed USAC/IMRA D2 Midgets, to the track for their first race of many in 2016, and the nice field of 18 did not disappoint, featuring fast, close, exciting racing throughout the night.
The D2 Midgets joined the Zane’s Auto Service UMP Modifieds, Perkins Seed House UMP Pro Late Models, Farmington Locker E-Mods and Fulton FS Hornets and 6-shooters for a full card on opening night.
Season Opener Set for Saturday Night April 16th
This Saturday Night April 16th will be the 33rd time Spoon River Speedway has opened it's doors for some of the best stock car racing in Central Illinois. The High Banked 3/8 mile D shaped oval will be introducing one of the most growing divisions in motorsports, the USAC/IMRA Speed 2 Midgets sponsored by NuTech Seed which will be running for $500 to win this Saturday night. Back once again will be the Zane's Automotive Service UMP Modifieds paying this Saturday nights feature winner $1000, the Perkins Seed House UMP Pro Late Models, the Farmington Locker E-Mods, the Fulton Farm Service UMP Hornets and the Spoon 6-Shooters.
Transponders Come to Spoon In 2016
Now that I have everyone fired up we have talked it over and decided to change our transponder policy. A long with this change there will also be no point fund for 2016. We have talked to our Division Sponsors and they have agreed with this decision. We will split their sponsorship money up on some specials throughout the year. So all pit passes will be $30 except for specials which will be TBA.
You can either buy a transponder for $250 (Transponder, Charger, Pouch) that you can use at other tracks (that use the Westhold yellow system) or rent one for $10 a night Plus Driver's License. If you have a Westhold yellow transponder it will work with our system is what they told me and that will work also. Just show us the serial number. If you want to purchase one it takes roughly one week to get it. Most tracks are going in this direction and Spoon would like to keep up with all the changes in racing.
Gerald Denney Co-Owner SRS Passes Away
Gerald Denney
Canton – Gerald C. Denney, 85, of Canton died at 6:03 p.m. on Sunday, November 22, 2015, at Graham Hospital in Canton.
He was born November 26, 1929, in Buckheart Township to Esta “Dollie” and Harriett (Wilcoxen) Denney. He married Dorothy Canevit on August 9, 1954, in Banner Township. She preceded him in death on May 31, 1989.
He is survived by two children, Scott (Tina) Denney of St. David and Leslie Denney of Canton; one brother, Morey (Marilyn) Denney of Canton; three grandchildren, Anthony (Danielle) Denney, Jason Denney, and Lauren Denney; and seven great-grandchildren, with the eighth due in March, 2016.
2015 Awards Banquet Set For November 14th
2015 Awards
I would like to invite you to our 2015 racing awards this year. We will once again be serving Roast Beef and Fried Chicken Buffet before the awards with a DJ afterwards. We will once again be at the VFW located the South End of Canton on Route 78 Canton, IL. 61520
Sept 26th Rail Splitter Nationals Purse
The 2015 Rail Splitter Nationals Purse Structure is posted below. To view, click Read more. Join us on September 26th at the Spoon!
