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Josh Putnam Competes in Illinois Speedweek

Josh Putnam trekked north to compete in the inaugural FloRacing Illinois Speedweek, which featured four nights of racing at four different tracks. Each event marked Josh's first time at the respective tracks.

Action kicked off on Wednesday night at Spoon River Speedway (Banner, Ill.), where a staggering 56 entries filled the pits for the $22,022-to-win Castrol FloRacing Night in America event.

Qualifying positioned Josh starting sixth in his heat race, and that's where he'd finish, which relegated him to a B-Main in the ninth-starting spot. He passed two cars in the B-Main, but with only the Top-2 finishers moving on, his night came to an early end in his debut at the 3/8-mile oval.

On Thursday evening the team entered another Castrol FloRacing Night in America event as the tour rolled into Lincoln (Ill.) Speedway. Fifty-two drivers entered the program, and Josh hit the ground running with the fourth-fastest time in his group. He started second in his heat race but was collected in an early race melee, which relegated him to a sixth-place finish. Starting the B-Main in seventh he advanced two positions to finish fifth as his night again came to an early end.

Friday night at Farmer City (Ill.) Raceway Josh qualified second fastest in his group for the Mid America Racing Series (MARS) program. He backed it up with a runner-up finish in his heat race to lock into the ninth-starting spot for the feature.

The team had high hopes for the main event but mechanical issues would sideline Putnam to a 17th-place finish.

The busy stretch of racing drew to a close on Saturday night at Fairbury (Ill.) Speedway, where a $30,000 top prize was on the line for the MARS-sanctioned FALS Spring Shootout. Against a star-studded field of 50 entries Josh again qualified second fastest in his group. Starting on the pole for his heat race, Putnam battled for the lead for much of the race before contact with the backstretch wall relegated him to a fifth-place finish.

In the B-Main he started fifth, but mechanical woes would bite again as he retired early from the event.

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