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Double Features gave fans alot of racing Saturday night at I-44

In the opening feature, Kevin Donahue grabbed the lead over 2014 Sportsman Champion Paul Jepsen and JC Newell. Donahue opened a narrow 3 car advantage as Newell was keeping the leader in his sight. Behind the lead trio, 1999 track champion Ken Dickinson was involved in a torrid battle with defending champion Kaleb Allison, Terry Limberopolous and Jake Griffin as side by side action was all over the track. Following a caution on lap 2 for Steve Holt's single car spin, Newell took advantage on the restart to grab the lead. While Newell was setting a quick-pace, Donahue and Jepsen along with Allison fought for second place as Jake Griffin moved up the leader board. A scary moment on lap 9 brought out the red flag as the Lucas car saw flames coming out from the hood while in a tight pack ending his race but not his night as an oil line had come loose and sprayed fluid on the motor. On the restart, Newell still had Kevin Donahue's car glued to his bumper while Jepsen, Allison and Griffin were swapping spots. On lap 13, Griffin began his drive to the lead as he took the 08 into 3rd spot, then into the runner-up spot on lap 18 as Newell had built an 11car length lead. On lap 22, Griffin had cut the gap to 5 cars and was coming quickly to the lead. With the final lap, Newell was able to hold off Griffin's surge to capture the opening win of 2015 while Griffin, after driving the Mittler Brothers NASCAR Camping World Truck Series entry at Martinsville just weeks ago finished close behind with Allison, Donahue and Dickinson completing the top 5.

In Pro Late Model feature number 2, hard work and a never say die attitude would find Payton Lucas leading all 25 laps in claiming his 1st ever Pro Late Model feature in his second season of Pro Late Model Racing. Lucas took the opening spot from Ronnie Hartford and quickly opened up the lead while a dog-fight for second place kept the pack tight. As Lucas was sailing on the "High-Banks", Kenny Dickinson and Brennon Willard were in a side by side battle along with Hartford, Kevin Donahue, Kyle Donahue and Kaleb Allison. With Lucas taking advantage of the battle in the pack behind, he opened up a quarter of a straight away lead while everyone was watching the Newell, Griffin battle was Newell started 11th and Griffin 13th in feature 2. On lap 7, Newell had moved into the top 5 with Griffin on his bumper, but a quick caution on lap 9 slowed-up the pace as Griffin got loose and spun coming out of turn 4. On the restart, Lucas again wasted no time in opening the lead as Dickinson, Willard and Newell were fighting for second place. With all 16 starters on the lead lap and tight racing for spots, it wasn't until lap 15 when Newell got around Willard and then Dickinson to move into 2nd place and started his charge to the lead. With the laps quickly ticking off, Lucas started to see his lead shrink as Newell got to within 5 cars by lap 22. With a clear track ahead of the lead duo, Newell shot to the inside on lap 23 of Lucas, but Lucas carried the speed off the middle of turn 4. On the final lap, Newell tried a tight inside move going into turn 3 as Lucas stayed right in the middle lane and withstood the late race challenge to record his 1st ever Pro Late Model win with Newell, Dickinson, Kevin Donahue and Kyle Donahue following with all 16 starters were on the lead lap. Heat race winners for the night were Jake Griffin, Paul Jepsen and Newell.

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