8/13/2023
Macon Speedway
Taylor Finishes Exciting Night with Checkered Flag
By BZ
(Macon, IL) With two weeks off—one scheduled and one rainout—Macon Speedway returned with seven divisions of exciting racing and perfect weather conditions.
The track was said to be tacky by Guy Taylor, the night’s Pro Modified feature winner. “When the track is tacky like this, it makes everybody go fast.” Taylor started front row outside with Maxx Emerson, who was gunning for the division sweep. Emerson took fast qualifying honors and won his heat race; he only needed the feature to complete the night.
Taylor got ahead and took off and nobody could catch up to him. The racing behind him was filled with excitement as Matt Milner, Emerson, Dalton Ewing and Zach Taylor all raced their hardest to improve their top five positions.
Bobby Beiler was the top racer in the Street Stock class. Without front row outside starter Brad Peters, Beiler moved up to the front row and stayed just ahead of Rudy Zaragoza for the finish. A scary moment took place midway through the race when a racecar was pulling into the infield ahead of the pack and led to Hammond, Illinois driver Carson Reed rolling over onto his side. The car would be rolled back onto its tires but the night would be over before the final lap.
Braden Johnson took care of his car to claim the Decatur Building Trades Pro Late Model 20-lap feature. With Johnson working with the lead, Rockett Bennett started to come to life behind him as he overtook Ryan Miller for the second place spot and finished there. Johnson said he was tinkering with the car and got some things figured out ahead of their next race at Macon Speedway, the August 26th make-up of the Diane Bennett Memorial with big-time bonus money up for grabs.
Saturday night featured a special appearance by three divisions, the Kid Modz, the High School Racing Association and the Midwest Throwback Sprint Car Series. The Midwest Throwback Sprint Car Series made its first appearance at the track and had racers from Illinois and Indiana racing vintage-style non-winged sprints. Hutsonville, Illinois driver Scott Plew led all eight laps of his heat race and then all 20 laps of the feature. He was more excited over the fact that it was his son’s first time to watch him race and he did it in style by winning and leading the entire night.
The Kid Modz was back for the first time since May 20th and saw a new winner in Hudson Dick. The youngster from Monticello is the son of Timmy Dick, who is a former Sportsman Nationals Champion and also winner in the Street Stock class from years back. His family has many ties to racing and adds to that legacy.
The third visit by the High School Racing Association saw a new high in attendance with four drivers and the victory lane visit was by the newest Macon Speedway participant. Zach Ziegler from Sycamore outlasted Jackson Martindale, Garet Martz and Austin Adams to claim the 12-lap win.
The HART Winged Micro Sprint Series presented by Bailey Chassis saw a full field of 20 cars compete in the 20-lap feature. From the drop of the green flag, the race was pretty much over as Sullivan’s Jeremy Camp beat out Chad Elliott of Cottage Hills to lead past the group. Chad Baldwin of Lincoln had a unique roll for the night as he appeared to flip the winged Micro Sprint around but his wing never rolled on the ground. His car landed right back on all four tires. His night was finished, however, but made for a fascinating moment.
A full racing weekend is coming this weekend with Friday night action at Lincoln Speedway. MOWA Sprint Cars plus Big Ten Series races for the Pro Late Models and Modifieds will compete along with MARA Midgets and Hornets. The USAC Silver Crown cars race once again on the Springfield Mile on Saturday afternoon along with Sportsman heat races. Macon Speedway will host the NOS Energy Drink USAC National Midgets plus Red’s Place Modifieds and Hornet racing. The weekend concludes Sunday at Springfield with the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menard’s as well as the Sportsman Nationals Race.
Feature Rundowns (Top Tens)
Midwest Throwback Sprint Cars
- 11-Scott Plew[Hutsonville, IL]; 2. 31-Dan Ingram[Indianapolis, IN]; 3. 2-Steve Thomas[Ludlow, IL]; 4. 5-Gary Cummins[Lebanon, IN]; 5. 3-Bill Schemonia[Murphrysboro, IL]; 6. 76-Jimmy Coogan[Indianapolis, IN]; 7. 72-Patrick Budde[Bartelso, IL]; 8. 7-Bobby Logan[Rantoul, IL]
Driven Midwest HART Winged Micros By Bailey Chassis
- 23-Jeremy Camp[Jeremy Camp]; 2. 65E-Chad Elliott[Cottage Hills, IL]; 3. 55S-Daryn Stark[Springfield, IL]; 4. 11-Alex Midkiff[Belleville, IL]; 5. 10-Jacob Tipton[Decatur, IL]; 6. 94-Craig Ronk[Warsaw, IN]; 7. 14H-Harley Hollan[Tulsa, OK]; 8. 14B-Brody Bridgeman[Farmington, MO]; 9. 55H-Hayden Harvey[Warrensburg, IL]; 10. B8-John Barnard[Sherman, IL]
Decatur Building Trades Pro Late Models
- 14J-Braden Johnson[Taylorville, IL]; 2. 55-Rockett Bennett[Argenta, IL]; 3. 11-Ryan Miller[Lincoln, IL]; 4. 12-Curtis Eller[Taylorville, IL]; 5. 11E-Randy Eller[Taylorville, IL]; 6. (DNF) 27E-Kyle Mixon[Alton, IL]
DIRTcar Pro Mods
- 4T-Guy Taylor[2]; 2. 24M-Matt Milner[4]; 3. 78-Maxx Emerson[1]; 4. Z24-Zach Taylor[9]; 5. 27-Dalton Ewing[7]; 6. 15C-Kevin Crowder[14]; 7. 01-Chris Erwin[3]; 8. 7B-Brian Burns[10]; 9. 10-Adam Rhoades[5]; 10. 22-Timmy Dick[15]
DIRTcar Street Stocks
- 17-Bobby Beiler[Blue Mound, IL]; 2. 67-Rudy Zaragoza[Jacksonville, IL]; 3. 21-Jaret Duff[Maroa, IL]; 4. 4-Zach Clark[Illiopolis, IN]; 5. 11-Terry Reed[Cerro Gordo, IL]; 6. 187-Korey Bailey[Stonington, IL]; 7. 08-Brian R Dasenbrock[Decatur, IL]; 8. 15W-Wyatt Lappe[Illiopolis, IL]; 9. (DNF) 16JR-Carson Reed[Hammond, IL]; 10. (DNF) 21E-Eric Boomer[Bethany, IL]
KidModz
- 22H-Hudson Dick[Monticello, IL]; 2. 3X-Keatin Lyons[Centralia, IL]; 3. 4-Brenden Heizer[Okawville, IL]; 4. (DNS) 22-Braxton Davis
High School Racing Association
- 48-Zach Ziegler[Sycamore, IL]; 2. 13-Jackson Martindale[Stillman Valley, IL]; 3. 52IL-Garet Martz[Westervelt, IL]; 4. (DNF) 74-Austin Adams[Shelbyville, IL]
Submitted By: Adam Mackey
