MACON, Ill. – Bad luck was the story of the day for many drivers Saturday night at Macon Speedway.
Braden Johnson certainly looked unstoppable in the Decatur Building Trades Pro Late Model class as he dominated the first half of the race. Disaster struck and his pro late model lost power on the front straightaway on lap eight and forced a yellow flag. Johnson would be towed into the infield and back to his pit area. The drive shaft broke under his car due to a choppy and jumpy racing surface.
The second place car, Timmy Dick, would assume the lead and take the advantage earn a trip to the winner’s circle.
Tommy Sheppard Jr. looked like a likely winner in the BillingsleyRewards.com Modifieds class, but he was unable to seal the deal. Sheppard started the night as the fast qualifier and won his heat to put him on the pole for the 20-lap feature. He led the first 14 laps with no issue, but on the 15th lap he got ran down and passed by Billy Knebel. Knebel led the rest of the way to earn his first victory of the season.
Jeremy Nichols appeared in position to win the Archer’s Alley Street Stocks feature, but Nick Macklin and the fourth turn took that chance away. Macklin moved from fifth to the lead with five laps left, but Nichols was never too far behind him. Nichols tried one last pass in turn four on the last lap to get the lead back, but the car lifted off the ground and rolled twice before coming to rest on its tires. Macklin won the race while Nichols failed to finish.
Jeremy Reed was another who looked well on his way to a win only for bad luck to strike. He had the fielded covered in the Hornet division only for his car to lose power, forcing him to the infield. Brandon Miller inherited the lead and went on to win.
Kyle Helmick led wire-to-wire in the pro modified class, avoiding the bad luck that followed many of the other competitors Saturday evening.