MACON, Ill. – Tommy Sheppard Jr. led all but one lap en route to victory in the BillingsleyRewards.com Modified division during a special Memorial Day event at Macon Speedway that featured twin 50-lap features for the modifieds and super late models.
Only Jeremy Nichols would keep Sheppard from leading all 50 laps during the modified feature, but it wasn’t enough to keep Sheppard out of victory lane. There were three caution flags within the first nine laps of the race, but the race picked up with solid green flag laps until another yellow was waved on lap 34. During that time, Sheppard’s lead grew by car lengths over Guy Taylor, Nichols, Kenny Wallace and Ray Bollinger. In a surprise, Kyle Helmick, a Pro Modified driver, raced solid and strong on the bottom and took third place, but unfortunately pulled into the infield with nearly 10 laps remaining.
Sheppard spent much of his race up on the top side of the track and against the cushion. With Sheppard racing fast and hard, he was breathing heavy in the post race interview.
“I need a Bud Light and a nap. Being elbows up for that long takes a lot out of you,” Sheppard said.
The super late model feature ran without a caution flag and was finished in 11 minutes. Greg Kimmons led half of the laps from the bottom of the track, but started to lose the lead when Jake Little picked up momentum on the top. Little had trouble during the heat race and finished in the back. A repair and a fix had him start 10th in the feature and he made up ground quickly, which put him in position to take control of the race on lap 29. Myles Moos did all he could to close the gap on the leader but ran out of laps.
In other action, Jake Montgomery scored his first pro modified victory after starting from the pole. Nick Macklin outlasted Darrell Dick, Jeremy Nichols and Terry Reed to win in the Archer’s Alley Street Stocks. Molly Day won the micro sprint feature, with Tommy Duncan earning his second Weddle Performance Engines Sportsman feature of the year. Joe Reed closed the evening by winning the hornet feature.
Monday’s racing was broadcast by SPEED SPORT TV affiliate www.maconracing.tv.