Lucky Sevens at Quincy

 The decision to move the race program back one hour through the month of July to combat the heat worked out well for one long distance traveler to Quincy Raceways, at least for a while. With rain and storms creating havoc across the I-80 corridor, IMCA sport mod driver Andrew Burk decided to head south. The Quad City Speedway regular made a late afternoon call to Quincy for info and then headed out for the three hour drive to Quincy. For several weeks the sport mods have run fourth on the QR card followed by the IMCA sport compacts, but this week the mods ran first, UMP late models second, the compacts, UMP modifieds and IMCA stock cars went from first to last. But the later start gave Burk plenty of time, although a group of his followers rolled in as his heat race came to the track.
 First though, came qualifying for the UMP classes. Dustin Griffin toured the rebuilt racing surface in 13.694 seconds, while Michael Long went for another sweep with a lap of 15.131 seconds. Although the program started about 20 minutes late, the heat races clicked off in good time. Besides Burk, who advanced to third in his heat from the tail before finishing sixth, former track regular Matt Bailey who now lives in the St Louis metro area made his first visit to the track with his # 52 late model. The long distance award - sort of - though went to Roger Martin from Monticello, Arkansas with his
# 60M modified. Martin races in a B-mod type class at home, but is not sport mod legal, so he joined the UMP mods. He is currently in the area working on the pipeline, and brought his hot rod along for some racing! Martin was obviously underpowered, but hopefully had some fun, anyway!
 Following intermission, it was sport mod feature time. The 17 car field had an awful time getting started with three cautions before one lap was scored. On the third attempt, a multi car pile up in turn one saw Burk get the worst of things, as his # 20KB was on the hook before a lap was completed.
Finally under green with 14 cars left, Austin Howes and Tanner Klingele were now on the front and they stayed that way for a lap or two before Howes pulled away slightly. Brandon Lennox then powered to the front to challenge Klingele for second running the until now ignored high line. With Lennox now in second, the top three gained some separation from the pack as Howes hugged the low line and Lennox worked the top groove. On about lap nine, Lennox grabbed the lead, pulling away in traffic. Howes made contact with a lapped car, falling to third before coming back to challenge Klingele. Amazingly, we stayed green for all 18 laps after the initial troubles. Lennox picked up another win, followed by Klingele and Howes. Kevin Tomlinson climbed in the Glen Wiley # 26 and ran fourth, but failed to report the driver change, resulting in a DQ. Fourth then went to Joey Gower and Justin Ebbing rounded out the top five.
  As the race ended, the lights in corner three went off making  turns three and four too dark for safe racing. After a delay to diagnose the problem, no fix was imminent, so former racer Joe Hooper headed out to retrieve some portable lighting so the show could go on.
  Finally ten UMP late models lined up next for 25 laps. Jason Perry and Denny Woodworth started in row one, with Justin Reed and Griffin lining up behind them. Perry quickly grab the lead and went to the high side with Reed in second. When Reed bobbled slightly, Woodworth climbed to second. Somewhere around lap ten - the scoreboard was also not in use on this night - Woodworth shot to the lead. The first caution came with twelve laps in the books as Vance Wilson, subbing for Cliff Powell, came to stop on the backstretch. Back to racing, Denny took the low line while Perry again went high. On the 16th circuit, Perry reclaimed the point. With three laps remaining, the second and final yellow waved as Clint Kirkham jumped the bank in turns three and four. At the same time, a smoking Bailey exited the track. One more wave of the green saw Reed slip around Woodworth using the high line to take second. Griffin overtook Mark Burgtorf for fourth at the checkers. Trent Grotz made his late model debut doing a nice job in sixth in the car formerly driven by Terry Gallaher.
  IMCA sport compacts were up next, with an added twist. Part time racer and full time track supporter Pat Dunker offered up a $50.00 bill for a back row challenge to any compact driver, and Kimberly Abbott took the challenge. Alyssa Steele led lap one, with Darrin Weisinger Jr scoring the top spot on lap two. Abbott was up to fourth when she was involved in an early caution, again going to the tail of the seven car field. Heat winner Craig Bangert was up to second before exiting the track, and now Abbott had the runner up spot. Just past the halfway mark of the 15 lapper, Kimberly found a line around Weisinger to take the lead which she would not give up. Weisinger crossed the line second followed by Steele and Adam Scott.
 There were still two features to go, but 9:45 was past my self imposed work night curfew, so I reluctantly headed to the car. Michael Long did indeed pick up the sweep, time trials, heat race and feature ahead of Dave Weitholder, and Kevin Blackburn in the Mike Begley # B4. And Abe Huls returned from his Canadian fishing expedition to best Jake Powers and Michael Larsen in the IMCA stock car finale.
 Racing in the Midwest is in high gear, so grab a friend and head to a track this weekend!