From Adam Mackey
This Friday, July 15, the Neal Tire MOWA Winged Sprint cars will make their return to Lincoln IL Speedway. It’s the only appearance this season for the series, which is based out of Illinois and feature some of the top drivers in the state and beyond. Adding to the excitement will be the Midwest Big Ten Pro Late Models, the UMP Modifieds, and the POWRi/Illini DII Midgets Presented By Nutech Seed.
Seven events have been run so far on the 2016 tour with Sikeston, MO driver, Jerrod Hull leading the standings. Hull has claimed four wins but had his recent win streak broken by Parker Price-Miller, a Kokomo, IN driver who is second in points. For Miller, it was his second win of the year. AJ Bruns, from right in Lincoln, IL, is third in points, while Jake Blackhurst and Jim Moughan from nearby Springfield are fourth and fifth. While Hull and Price-Miller have claimed six out of seven events, Morton, IL driver Ryan Bunton has the other win on the tour.
At this point on the tour, 96 different drivers have made starts with the series and a field in upwards of 30 is expected for this Friday night. The winged sprints are the fastest type of cars that visit the Logan County Fairgrounds during the course of the season and this will be the second and final visit for them this year. The first came on May 20, when Tony Stewart’s All Star Circuit Of Champions were in town. This Friday’s visit should also be a thriller.
Joining in on this Friday’s action will be the Midwest Big Ten Series UMP Pro Late Models. The tour, which has had solid fields over their last few races, should put on a good race, going for important points at the midpoint of their 2016 schedule. So far, two Big Ten Pro Late Model events have been held at Lincoln, with local favorites, Nick Bauman and Brian Lynn claiming the victories. Leading the overall standings is a pair of drivers currently tied, Matt Taylor and Roben Huffman. Bauman, Jake Little, and Cody Maguire complete the top five.
In the Midwest Technical Institute UMP Modified class, Mason City, IL driver Brian Lynn leads the standing and now has picked up two feature wins on the year. Allen Weisser, coming off of his first win of the season, is second in the standings, while Ray Bollinger has three wins and is third. Bollinger actually won the first three races of the season but is winless since. Curt Rhodes and Shawn Vaughn are fourth and fifth.
Rounding out the classes for this Friday is the POWRi/Illini DII Midgets Presented By Nutech Seed. When it comes to the local track points, Tyler Vantoll is currently on top by just six over Adam Taylor. Neither have picked up a feature win at the track but consistency has them at the top. Andy Baugh has two wins as does Patrick Bruns. Those drivers sit in third and fourth. Mitchell Davis rounds out the current track points. When it comes to the national points for POWRi, Bruns leads the way by 280, with Vantoll, Taylor, Davis, and Hunter Lane completing the top five. Bruns has seven wins, to easily lead all drivers.
Pits will open at 4:00, grandstands at 5:00, local pill draw ends at 6:00, hotlaps begin at 6:20, and racing will take the green at 7:00 this Friday night. Grandstand admission is $18 for adults and free for kids 11 and under.
For more information on the track, follow Lincoln Speedway online at www.lincolnspeedwayil.com, on Facebook (www.facebook.com/LincolnILSpeedway), and Twitter (@LincolnILSpdwy). Updates are also available by calling the Track Enterprises office at 217-764-3200.
Lincoln Speedway is located at the Logan County Fairgrounds, in Lincoln, IL. The physical address is 1408 Short 11th St., Lincoln, IL 62656. Lincoln Speedway races a number of UMP classes as well as specials on a near bi-weekly schedule of Friday and Sunday evenings.