July 8

July 8, 1999

Macon Illinois

by Darin Stewart

Drake Stops Moyer's Win Streak.

Billy Drake of Bloomington Illinois, decided that Billy Moyer had won enough. Drake, came into Thursday night with several top-5 finishes, but no victories yet. After a somewhat controversial win a few years back in the Herald &Review 100, Drake also knew that he wanted a true victory to clear any doubts about the other one. Following Thursday night, he had solved his problems.

Kevin Weaver jumped to the lead from his pole starting position, taking the Terra International/Elrod Grain Mastersbilt to the point, and held off charges from outside front row starter, Billy Moyer Jr.. Weaver then began to slightly pull away, as Moyer was fighting off Shannon Babb, Joe Ross Jr, and a fast charging Billy Drake. Moyer lost the battle as eventually all of them would get around him, and battle amongst themselves. As Weaver began to pull out to a nice margin, Billy Drake started working his way past Joe Ross Jr, and Shannon Babb. Within a few laps Drake had gotten clear of them, and ran down Weaver. As the two entered turn three, Drake took the Mark Stedinger Constrution/Wells Family/Ultimate Detail Shop/Larry Shaw #9 to the inside of Weaver, and edged ahead of him on lap 33. After getting around Weaver, Drake then pulled away. Joe Ross Jr., worked his way around Weaver, to take 2nd place in the Starship Billiards/R&R Delivery/Tom Finch Automotive/Rayburn #25, but never got within strking distance. Weaver held the hometown hero Babb, in the 10-10-220/GVS Racing/ Hoosier Racing Tire/Rayburn off, to finish third. Babb, who earlier in the night set fast time, was just a little off in the feature, which went green to checkers with no cautions. Bob Pierce rounded out the top 5, and also was the last car on the lead lap in the Murphy Trucking/Da Bar/ Mastersbilt. The rest of the top ten consisted of Billy Moyer, Rick Aukland, Matt Taylor, Dick Taylor, and Kris Patterson.

26 Late Models

Fast Time: Shannon Babb 10.916

Dash: Weaver, Moyer, Babb, Aukland, Drake, Patterson

Heat Winners: Matt Taylor, Joe Ross Jr, Mark Faust.

Semi Feature: Mark Gannsman, TJ Dolhun, Robbie Starnes

Official Finish

9-Billy Drake

25-Joe Ross Jr

B12-Kevin Weaver

18-Shannon Babb

32-Bob Pierce

21-Billy Moyer Jr.

99c-Rick Aukland

F15-Matt Taylor

24-Dick Taylor

0-Kris Patterson

51-Mark Faust

50-Ed Dixon

20-Mark Gannsman

5-Steve Shepard

3-Marvin Burton

4-Tom Rehg

441-Jeff Leka

01-TJ Dolhun

99-Ed Bauman

14-Brian Ater

Notes: This was only the second time that a Herald &Review 100 had gone green to checker without a caution, and it lasted approximately 20 minutes for the entire feature. The crowd was definitely happy to see late models back at this 1/5 mile track, which dropped late models from their weekly program this year. The crowd also got a special treat as Larry Jewett, the new Editor at Stock Car Racing Magazine, shared the announcing duties, and kept the fans informed, and entertained during the breaks..

Starkville MS driver Robbie Starnes made his first ever appearance at the Illinois facility, but had bad luck in the heat, breaking the right front strut rod, causing the GRT to do some wild bouncing around. When asked about the place, he said he liked it. When I followed that question up with, Would you come back, the mood changed, and he dodged that question like a Senator in trouble...Washington Mo, driver Ed Dixon arrived with what he called his Macon Quarterpanel on....Which consisted of about 1/2 of the the Right Rear quarterpanel chopped off.....The crowd also cheered wildly when Drake lapped Billy Moyer's Petroff Towing/Watters Autoland/Karl Chevrolet/GRT, proving that Macon truly is unique, as Moyer has been unbeatable all week.