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Rhodes Takes First Feature at Macon Speedway

(Macon, IL) With his dad and defending Billingsley Elite Wash Modified track champion watching from the infield, Zach Rhodes made his father proud by capturing the checkered flag in the 20-lap feature race. Curt Rhodes has been out of action due to an eye injury but will return in an attempt to not just watch his son race but to race against him. As Rhodes made the last move out of the final turn to the checkered flag and into the weigh scales, the person to give the checkered flag to his Zach was his dad. The two embraced in a hug and after the victory lap, once again, the Rhodes' combined for a hug. The win was not easy for Rhodes as he withstood the challenge from Dave Crawley, Jr. all race long. Rhodes held a strong lead until a caution with five laps to go brought the action to a standstill and the cars bumper to bumper coming to the restart. With Rhodes using every ounce of the bottom of the track, Crawley, Jr. stayed along with him until two laps remained and tried his hand at the top and slipped up in the second turn to open the lead for Rhodes.

Dakota Ewing has continued to grow as a driver and likely champion in years ahead. He has won many races in 2018 and notched another tally mark Saturday night in the 20-lap feature during the Decatur Building Trades Pro Late Model main event. Guy Taylor gave it all he had to catch Ewing but was not successful in that regard. Taylor battled Cody Maguire for the runner-up position for the majority of the race.

Nick Justice took the Street Stock trophy Saturday night with much joy as he ended a lengthy streak of not winning a race. Justice was unable to claim the checkered flag in 2017 and felt a sigh of relief when the race came to a close. His victory was one of the tougher wins on the night as Timmy Dick was side-by-side with him for the duration. Justice stayed low, Dick tried to push him higher to open the bottom line, but Justice would not budge.

Tim Hancock missed last week's racing because he decided he was going to race a part-time schedule. "I"m going to race one week and go camping the next." After not cashing in on the checkered flag on Opening Night and missing the second race of the season, Hancock regained his 2016 & 2017 form and cruised to the win.

Dennis Vandermeersch looked solid and made it 2-for-2 in the Sportsman division. Tim Bedinger raced alongside Vandermeersch but wasn't able to catch up enough. "That's my motor, I know it's a fast car," said Vandermeersch about Bedinger's car.

Jeremy Reed is another driver to make it 2-for-2 on the racing season as he took the Hornet race. An anonymous donor gave up additional money for the winner and the race became a $350-to-win match. Jeremy Reed and Adam Webb, longtime friends and racing buddies, went toe-to-toe with one another until Webb had to pull in to the infield nine laps into the 15-lap race with a flat tire. Reed was out to the lead until Jay Orr, driver from Wisconsin, made his move to close in but ran out of laps.

Macon Speedway also featured the KidModz division and 15-year-old Dominick Mertzke claimed the victory. This division is set up get young drivers prepared for the move to the higher levels of racing. One of the most popular names to come from the KidModz was Bobby Pierce and just about everybody knows who he is and knows who he has become.

At intermission, Macon Speedway hosted a kids bike race with age groups getting to pedal their way from one end of the track to another for a trophy.

Macon Speedway hosts the first POWRi Midgets & Micro Sprints program next week. The Pro Late Models take to the track in a Big Ten Series race, Street Stocks along with the Hornets make up the full program next Saturday.

Billingsley Elite Wash Modifieds--1. Zach Rhodes (Taylorville), 2. Dave Crawley, Jr. (Decatur), 3. Tommy Sheppard, Jr. (New Berlin), 4. Austin Lynn (Mason City), 5. Michael Rauch (Decatur), 6. Tim Hancock (Mt. Olive), 7. Tim Hancock, Jr. (Mt. Olive), 8. Danny Smith (Argenta), 9. Cody Stillwell (Godfrey), 10. Jared Thomas (Edinburg)

Decatur Building Trades Pro Late Models--1. Dakota Ewing (Warrensburg), 2. Guy Taylor (Springfield), 3. Cody Maguire (Carlinville), 4. Braden Johnson (Taylorville), 5. Kyle McMahon (Mt. Vernon), 6. Kyle VanDorn (New Berlin), 7. Colby Eller (Taylorville), 8. Anthony Harter (Sherman), 9. Jarod Shasteen (Macon), 10. Jake Little (Springfield)

Street Stocks--1. Nick Justice (Decatur), 2. Timmy Dick (Monticello), 3. Billy Nail (Decatur), 4. Brian Dasenbrock (Decatur), 5. Justin Crowell (Lincoln), 6. Shawn Ziemer (Boody), 7. Jerit Murphy (Lodge), 8. Kevin Lewis (Decatur), 9. Roy Beal (Springfield), 10. Dalton Quinlan (Decatur)

B-Modifieds--1. Tim Hancock (Mt. Olive), 2. Cody Stillwell (Godrey), 3. Kevin Crowder (Argenta), 4. Ricky Smith (Alton), 5. Tom Riech (Springfield), 6. Brett Page (Centralia), 7. Tim Riech (Petersburg), 8. Jerry Thompson (Troy), 9. Jarod Shasteen (Macon), 10. Dante Brown (Morrisonville)

Sportsman--1. Dennis Vandermeersch (Arlington), 2. Tim Bedinger (Taylorville), 3. Scott Williams (Leroy), 4. Terry Myers (Buffalo), 5. Ty Nation (Taylorville), 6. Mitch Ranger (Taylorville), 7. Scott Landers (Taylorville), 8. Stefan Bedinger (Taylorville), 9. Brad Bedinger (Taylorville), 10. Ethan Schnapp (Springfield)

Hornets--1. Jeremy Reed (Decatur), 2. Jay Orr (South Milwaukee, WI), 3. Owen Cosman (Martinsville, IN), 4. Jerad Matherly (Decatur), 5. Mike Eskew (Springfield), 6. John Lewis (Cerro Gordo), 7. Matt Reed (Decatur), 8. Steve Stine (Stonington), 9. Marty Sullivan (Decatur), 10. Ken Reed (Decatur)

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