A Weekend Full of Racing

By now, I am sure everyone who cares has read one of the many reports,recaps,testimonials about the Saturday night finale of the 11th edition of the Lucas Oil Late Model Nationals at Knoxville Raceway. So I will start out with just some random observations. As I always try to do, I was taking notes throughout the night, but when Brian Birkhofer charged around the suddenly slowing car of  Scott Bloomquist coming to the checkers at the end of the 100 lap feature, I knew I might as well toss the notebook, because the only story that mattered happened on that final lap. I have attended the Saturday night portion of the three day affair all 11 seasons, missing the feature only the year wet conditions wiped things out after hot laps and the race was run on Sunday. In all those years, I only remember one race that was something of a yawner. There have also been a couple with as much or more excitement than Saturday night, complete with last lap drama. But those shows did not include such unlikely drama from Iowa dirt racings favorite son. Couple that with his earlier announcement that he was backing away from racing for at least the foreseeable future, and his final turn pass to collect his second nationals win and the $40,000 winners purse, well if that were a movie script, I would call it hokey and not buy a ticket! Add in the bent over salute from Bloomer during driver introductions and Birkys slightly off color response, well if you weren't there, you missed an amazing turn of events!
 During all of this, I was wondering who, if anyone could replace Brian as the new darling of the dirt tracks for the Hawkeye state crowd. Certainly one driver who had a big following at Knoxville was former modified standout and up and coming LM star Ryan Gustin. After a lackluster first two nights, Ryan led flag to flag to win the D-main on Saturday. He then charged into the seventh and final transfer spot in the 15 lap C main, but with seven laps to go, his # 19R suddenly slowed, and he exited the track, ending his run. Another young gun with an Iowa connection through Dad and Grandpa, Billy Moyer Jr led the distance to win the "C."
 The 20 lap B main featured an outstanding 24 car field that I would happily pay to see start a feature event any time, any where. A trio of # 1 cars, Wendell Wallace, Rick Eckert, and Will Vaught staged a high powered duel at the front of the pack. Vaught eventually saw his run come to an end, leaving the other two veterans to slug it out. While Wallace held the edge most of the way, Eckert pulled ahead with three laps to go. However Jason Feger brought out a caution as his # 25 went up in smoke, and Wallace regained the lead on the restart, pulling away for the win. Another home state favorite, Denny Eckrich used a last lap pass of Jason Papich to grab the sixth and final transfer spot to the A main.
The top two in Lucas Oil points, Don Oneal and Jimmy Owens were both forced to run the B, however they used the race as a hot lap session, as both would have points provisional starting spots in the feature. The two leaders in series rookie points, Jason Hughes and Papich both took emergency provisionals, giving us a 34 car starting field. That was still less than half of the original Thursday night gathering of 79 drivers, and just over half of the 67 who took to the big 1/2 mile on Saturday.
 Birkhofer and 2013 winner Darrell Lanigan sat on the front row of the 100 lapper, and they staged a tight battle lap after lap, with Bloomquist eventually joining the fray from his third row spot. Birkhofer never dropped below third, and Lanigan had fallen to sixth when his run ended as he set backwards in turn for with 14 laps to go, setting up the unlikely finish. Bloomquist seemed to be in control, holding about a four car length lead at the white flag. Apparently he knew there was a problem in the drive train of his # 0, and he tried to nurse it home. But Birkhofer was up on the wheel, and he powered to the very top of the track in turns three and four, winning the drag race to the checkers in front of several thousand standing and screaming faithful fans. As often happens at Knoxville, there were some memorable runs. Mike Marlar truly may have had the fastest car in the closing laps, and he came from row 12 to cross the line in third. Jimmy Mars picked up 18 spots to take fourth, while Oneal came from 31st to fifth.
 Knoxville is more than a race, it is a total event, and has become a magnet for fans and racer from literally all across the US and Canada, as well. Whether you go for three nights or one, this race should be a destination for late model fans in 2015 and beyond!
  I had though my Sunday night racing was done for the season, but when Quincy Raceways promoter Ken Dobson added an eight car, 20 lap Pick Your Poison late model invitational to Fan Appreciation night, I knew one more visit to the Bullring was in order. Dobson started at the top of the track point sheet, calling drivers until he had eight commitments from the top 11 on the sheet. Clint Kirkham later cancelled, but Check Mitchell stepped up to fill the field. The late models would time trial, then pick their starting spot, fast qualifier picking first, and so on. the catch was, if the winner came from row one, he would collect $500. Row two was worth $1,000, row three $1,500, and row for, $2,000. Second place on back would take home $200. Jason Perry set quick time and chose inside rown four - runnerup Mark Burgtorf took the outside spot of the same row. Justin Reed picked the outside of row three, while Denny Woodworth took inside row two. Jim Moon wound up on the pole, and he grabbed the early lead, but Perry and Jamie Wilson got together, bringing out the caution. Back to racing, Wilson headed to the trailer, and with Woodworth out fron on lap two, Perry again slowed, and he also headed pitside. Reed slipped around Moon for second on lap four ahead of a debris caution, and we then lost Moon and Trace Westling. Finally we were able to string together some laps, With Reed and Burgtorf applying pressure to the leader. There was a competition yellow at lap ten, but no one took advantage to make adjustments. Mitchell retired, leaving us with three fast hot rods. Woodworth was not to be denied on the hammer down surface, and though Burgtorf and Reed stayed close, the late model lawyer took the win and a cool $1,000.
 The modified feature saw the top two points men, Steven Delonjay and Michael Long start side by side in row one. Michael quickly went to the cushion, where he is at his best, and grabbed the lead, while Steven found himself working to hold off Jared Schlipman for the second spot. By the time Delonjay was able top put some distance between himself and Schlipman, Long had built a sizable lead. Long held on to pick up his third win of the weekend following Friday and Saturday victories at the Scotland County Speedway in Memphis,Mo. Delonjay, Schlipman, and Frankie Wellman filled out the top four.
With the points season over, the rules were opened up in the other three classes, drawing a few new cars to the program. First timer Jace Gay took the early lead in the caution plagued Sport mod/B mod 18 lapper, but Joey Gower grabbed the lead as things began to shake out of lap three. Two laps later Tanner Klingele moved to second and set sail after the veteran Gower. Joey, however, built a nearly half track lead that was wiped out by a yellow on the white flag lap. Gower was up to the challenge, taking the win over track regulars Klingele, Holtmeyer, and rookie Nathan Bringer.
 Eight stock cars checked in, including three UMP type street stock cars. One of those newcomers Josh Smith, led all 18 laps, as the UMP cars seemed to hold a speed advantage over the IMCA regulars. Another visitor, Todd Cummings was able to slip around track champion Abe Huls, the chased Smith to the checkers. Terry Houston completed the top four.
 Kimberly Abbott loaned her " backup " car to her " significant other," track champ Austen Becerra for the 4 cylinder action. Starting on the pole Becerra withstood challenges from Abbott in the non stop 15 lap finale to take the last 2014 checkers at Quincy. Visiting Ricky Carriker stayed close in third, with Thomas Angelo fourth.
 In the drivers meeting, it was announced that the same five classes would be on the card for 2015, with possibly a tweaking of the sport mod rules, ending a certain amount of speculation surrounding the popular facility.
 There are several choices for excellent racing this weekend, the weather looks pretty good for early October, so maybe I will see you out there somewhere!