Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series set for Saturday night event in Macon
MACON (Heartland Newsfeed) — The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series is hitting the road again this weekend, making a return stop to Macon Speedway this Saturday night for a $12,000 top prize that the nation’s top drivers, as well as local and regional standouts, to challenge to earn a podium spot.
Racing on Macon Speedway’s 1/5 mile bullring dirt track has been known for some of the most thrilling door-to-door racing action all season long, but even moreso when the Series comes into town. Saturday’s event features the Miller Welders Time Trials, heat races and B-mains competitive action, main evented by the Series 100-lap race.
Defending national champion Jonathan Davenport is continuing to set the pace in the championship chase toward a second consecutive title, currently ahead of four-time national champion Earl Pearson Jr. Tyler Erb, Devin Moran and Josh Richards round out the top five in the championship standings.
The event marks the sixth time the Series has come to Macon Speedway, where Bobby Pierce has won three times (2014, 2016 and 2018) and Jimmy Owens (2015) and Josh Richards (2017) tallying up wins of their own.
Lucas Oil Championship Standings
| POS | CAR # | DRIVER NAME | HOMETOWN | POINTS | DIFFERENCE |
| 1 | 49 | Jonathan Davenport | Blairsville, GA | 2110 | |
| 2 | 1 | Earl Pearson Jr. | Jacksonville, FL | 1875 | -235 |
| 3 | 1T | Tyler Erb | New Waverly, TX | 1850 | -260 |
| 4 | 1M | Devin Moran | Dresden, OH | 1730 | -380 |
| 5 | 14 | Josh Richards | Shinnston, WV | 1670 | -440 |
| 6 | 39 | Tim McCreadie | Watertown, NY | 1650 | -460 |
| 7 | 20 | Jimmy Owens | Newport, TN | 1620 | -490 |
| 8 | 5 | Don O’Neal | Martinsville, IN | 1525 | -585 |
| 9 | 71 | Hudson O’Neal | Martinsville, IN | 1510 | -600 |
| 10 | 40B | Kyle Bronson | Brandon, FL | 1450 | -660 |
BillingsleyRewards.com DIRTcar Modifieds
The Billingsley DIRTcar Modified Series will be in action Saturday night, following two nights of racing action, leaving the top position in a two-way tie between Rodney Standerfer of Summerfield and Tommy Sheppard Jr. of New Berlin.
Standerfer, a two-time series champion, was the opening night winner following setting a new standing track record, winning the heat race but was unable to secure the win the following night in the feature for a clean sweep, finishing second behind Sheppard.
Both racers are currently tied at 118 points apiece, while defending Pro Late Model champion Guy Taylor, Jared Thomas and Tim Hancock round out the top five in the series standings.
There will be a $1,000 top prize in this race with a starting payout of $100.
BillingsleyRewards.com DIRTcar Modifieds Standings
| POS | CAR # | DRIVER NAME | HOMETOWN | POINTS | DIFFERENCE |
| 1 | T6 | Tommy Sheppard Jr. | New Berlin | 118 | |
| 2 | 28 | Rodney Standerfer | Summerfield | 118 | |
| 3 | 77 | Guy Taylor | Springfield | 110 | -8 |
| 4 | 43 | Jared Thomas | Edinburg | 104 | -14 |
| 5 | 0 | Tim Hancock | Mt. Olive | 100 | -18 |
| 6 | 10 | Curt Rhodes | Taylorville | 92 | -26 |
| 7 | 14C | Alan Crowder | Elwin | 90 | -28 |
| 8 | 43T | Josh Thomas | Edinburg | 84 | -34 |
| 9 | 11 | Zach Rhodes | Taylorville | 78 | -40 |
| 10 | 19 | Carter Sinkhorn | Taylorville | 74 | -44 |
Neal Tire & Auto Pro Modifieds
It has been all about former national class champion Tim Hancock in two weeks of racing action, winning both features despite close competition that has kept his honest so far this season.
Decatur driver Nick Justice is eight points behind, finishing close behind Hancock in both races. Chad Evans, Tim Riech and Brady Lynch round out the top five in the series standings.
Neal Tire & Auto Pro Modifieds Standings
| POS | CAR # | DRIVER NAME | HOMETOWN | POINTS | DIFFERENCE |
| 1 | 0 | Tim Hancock | Mt. Olive | 120 | |
| 2 | 5 | Nick Justice | Decatur | 112 | -8 |
| 3 | 1X | Chad Evans | Mattoon | 96 | -24 |
| 4 | 55 | Tim Riech | Petersburg | 94 | -26 |
| 5 | 14B | Brady Lynch | Hillsboro | 94 | -26 |
| 6 | 14N | Nathan Lynch | Hillsboro | 90 | -30 |
| 7 | B21 | Billy Nail | Decatur | 86 | -34 |
| 8 | 66 | Roy Magee | Springfield | 84 | -36 |
| 9 | 116 | Kevin Rench | Hillsboro | 80 | -40 |
| 10 | 40 | Adam Webb | Decatur | 78 | -42 |
Pit gates open this Saturday night at 3:00 with grandstand gates swinging open at 4:00. Hot laps will begin at 6:00 with racing taking the green at 7:00 PM. Grandstand admission is $30 for adults and $5 for kids 11 and under.
Jake Leonard, a broadcast media and journalism veteran, is the editor-in-chief of Heartland Newsfeed. Leonard is also GM and program director of Heartland Newsfeed Radio Network, wrestling editor and contributing writer for Ambush Sports, a contributing writer for My Sports Vote and Midwest Sports Network, and a former contributor to Bleacher Report and Overtime Heroics. He resides at home in Nokomis, Ill. with his dog Buster.
