MACON - Perhaps it was an omen. Almost every marquee night at Macon Speedway in recent memory has been lost to rain. But overcast skies in the morning gave way to bright sun and unseasonably cool weather for Thursday's 29th annual Herald & Review 100 at Macon Speedway.

The clear, cool night was a harbinger of good things to come for hometown favorite Shannon Babb as well.

Babb, from Moweaqua, started the night with the fastest qualifying lap, 10.406 seconds, just 0.1 off of the track record. That momentum continued in the 100-lap late model feature, when Babb took the lead on Lap 19 and never looked back, cruising to his second H&R 100 title.

Babb's fans along the front stretch roared when the "Moweaqua Missle" emerged for the victory celebration. "Hell yeah it's special," Babb said with a grin. "It's only my second win of the year."

Babb started in sixth, and continually rode the high line around the 1/5-mile oval, even bumping the wall a time or two. But when he made his move, nobody else in the 21-car field had an answer.

"It seemed to me, I was making faster laps with the momentum, and it got slicker toward the bottom, so I'd just go up on the hill and roll down the hill," Babb said. "It seemed to be easier that way."

The race ran under a green flag for some 56 laps, and by that time, Babb picking through the slower cars in the field. The last chance at drama was a caution and a restart on Lap 82. But eventual second-place finisher Brian Shirley knew that the only person who was going to slow down Babb was Babb.

"He was just a little better early than I was. When I had a little bit, it was too little, too late," Shirley said. "He had a little different tire combination than we did. I don't know if that allowed him to get up there a little faster or what, but it is what it is. He's a good race car driver, and it's not bad to finish second."

Rodney Melvin, Dennis Erb and UMP DirtCar Summernationals points leader Randy Korte rounded out the top five. Brandon Sheppard, 16, was believed to be the youngest pole-sitter in the 29-year history of the race. He wound up finishing 15th.

But the night belonged to Babb, who will head to Quincy today with a much-needed shot of confidence - not to mention the $6,000 he pocketed for taking the checkered flag.

Notes

- Tim Hancock won the 20-lap modified feature, and he did it from starting in 14th. Hancock worked himself into the mix in the first half of the race, and a caution on Lap 10 gave him the chance to get to the front.

- Steve Ewing was victorious in the street stock feature. It was his sixth feature win at Macon Speedway this year.

tengle@herald-review.com|421-7970