By Adam Mackey
(Macon, IL) Open wheel racing fans in Central Illinois are excited for Macon Speedway’s event this coming Saturday, June 5, as the Non-Wing Sprint Cars appear for the first time in many years. The event, presented by J Smith and T Robertson, will also have five other divisions racing at the Macon, IL track.
The Non-Wing Sprint Cars will be the headline division, competing for the $1,500 top prize. The track typically hosts MOWA Winged Sprint Cars at least once a year but has not hosted a Non-Wing race in nearly two decades.
The Decatur Building Trades Pro Late Models are back this Saturday, for their first race since May 22. New Berlin, IL driver, Jose Parga, is atop the standings after a dominant start at the track, winning all four races. Colby Sheppard is second in points, scoring four top fives in as many starts. Donny Koehler, Ryan Miller, and Derek Smith complete the current top five.
The BillingsleyRewards.com Modified have a familiar face at the top of their standings again this season, as defending champion Tommy Sheppard, Jr. leads with three feature wins in five races. Springfield, IL veteran, Guy Taylor, is second in points with one win, while Alan Crowder, Kyle Helmick, and Billy Knebel round out the top five. Zach Rhodes has also claimed a victory this season.
Watching the DIRTcar Pro Mods this season has been like watching a different division from one season ago. This year, the racing is highly entertaining and relatively caution free. Kevin Crowder, of Argenta, IL, leads the points by just ten over Kyle Helmick. The division has shown a lot of parity as five different drivers have found victory lane in five races including Crowder, Helmick, Jake Montgomery, Ryan Hamilton, and B.J. Deal.
Maroa, IL driver, Jaret Duff, leads the point standings in the Archers Alley Street Stock class over one of the toughest fields of drivers the track has to offer. Duff has not claimed a feature win quite yet but has some solid finishes to give him a six-point lead over veteran, Guy Taylor. Bobby Beiler, Nick Macklin, and Terry Reed complete the top five. The Street Stocks have a regular show this week to prepare for a $750 to win 30-lap Big Ten Series feature next Saturday, sponsored by Jayne Excavating & Welding.
Rounding out this Saturday’s action will be the DIRTcar Hornet division, which has been growing in numbers over the last couple of races. In fact, this past Saturday’s event saw the biggest turnout and the best race of the year. Allan Harris leads the points by 16 over Shelby Beiler, after claiming two wins so far. Following the duo are Billy Mason, Justin Coffey, and Zach Miller. The Ed Cain Trucking Hornet Challenge, which was originally scheduled for this weekend will be held on Saturday, July 24 at Macon and Sunday, July 25 at Lincoln Speedway.
Pit gates open Saturday at 4:00, grandstands at 5:00, hotlaps begin at 6:00, and racing will take the green at 7:00 PM. Grandstand admission is $15, while kids 11 and under are free.
For more information, visit www.maconracing.com.