Quincy Raceways Dodges the Rain

 Friday night, a deluge of over two inches of rain caused the creek bordering Quincy Raceways to flood, putting Sunday racing in doubt. But while more showers were in the area Sunday, they missed the race track, and with a lot of hard work, the track and pit area were ready to go.
  A total of 64 race teams signed in, including 16 UMP late models and 17 UMP modifieds.
  Jason Perry paced late model qualifying at 13.609 seconds, while Michael Long led the mods with a fast lap of 14.832 ticks of the clock. Jim Moon was late arriving at the track, missing late model qualifying, while Mark Burgtorf never did get to the track, although  his # 7B was there ready to go.
  The IMCA stock car feature ran first, with nine of the eleven cars taking the green flag. Jerry Jansen paced the first two laps before Dean Kratzer and Jake Powers got hooked together in turn four, ending the night for Kratzer.  Back under green, a blanket would have covered the top four cars, but on lap four first time visitor Travis Johnson, from Springfield,Il. grabbed the lead. Three circuits later, point leader Abe Huls advanced to second, but with no more yellow flags, he could not close the gap to the leader. The best battle on the track was for third, with Brandon Savage and Michael Larsen crossing the line in that order, and Jansen took fifth.
   Clint Kirkham had come from row two to blast past Perry to win the first late model heat on the final lap, but he then needed a push to the pit area and was done for the night. Heat two winner Chuck Mitchell then rolled a four for the 25 lap feature invert, putting visiting Rusty Schlenk from Jackson, Michigan on the pole alongside Perry. Schlenk shot to the lead at the green, Perry got too high on the cushion in turn three, and Mitchell crossed the line in second behind Schlenk. On lap two, Perry cleared Mitchell, and set sail for Schlenk. Slower traffic became a factor on lap seven, with Perry closing on the leader. The first caution came on lap 14 for another first time visitor, Mark Rose, from Dorchester,Wisconsin. On the Delaware restart Mitchell moved back to the runner up spot, but three laps later, it was again Perry in second. Five laps from the checkers disaster struck for Schlenks # 91, as he slowed on the track with possible suspension damage. Dewayne Kiefer and Moon were running in the top six, but contact on the restart brought out the yellow and both cars were sent to the tail. With Perry now out front, one more yellow waved on lap 22, and point leader Denny Woodworth cleared Mitchell for second on the restart. At the checkers it was Perry with his third win of the season followed by Woodworth, Mitchell, Terry Wilson, and Rose. Moon rebounded to sixth ahead of Kiefer, Alan Westling, Trace Westling, and yet another first timer, Bill Kettering Jr. from Pekin,Il.
  The IMCA sort mod feature began with a false start, but they then ran until lap 12 without a caution. Austin Howes jumped to the lead at the green, followed by Tanner Klingele and Mike Goodwin. On lap two, rookie Justin Ebbing grabbed third, with Brandon Lennox moving to fourth. Howes opened a commanding lead over Klingele, who also had a wide margin over Ebbing. Howes entered slower traffic on lap ten before the lap twelve caution. On the restart, Lennox powered to second, with Ebbing shuffled back to sixth. Another caution waved on lap 15, and for the final three circuits, Lennox was on the rear bumper of the leader. But when the checkers flew, it was Howes picking up his second win in a row, followed by Lennox, Joey Gower, Klingele, and Kevin Tomlinson.
  The IMCA sport compact class was short on cars but the action was intense. Second half sensation Craig Bangert, with a new wrap on his # 99B, jumped to the front at the green. Darin Weisinger Jr. set sail in second, but on lap four point leader Kimberly Abbott grabbed the second spot. She then ran down Bangert, and by lap nine they were side by side. Abbott was scored the leader on lap 13, but it was Bangert leading at the white flag. He then held on for the victory, with Abbott, and Weisinger trailing.
  The final race of the night was the UMP modified 20 lapper. Long had pulled a straight up start, setting on the pole with last weeks winner Kevin Blackburn along side. Michael was already building a commanding lead when Spencer Havermale rolled to a stop out of turn two. Back to racing, Blackburn and Dave Weitholder battled for the second spot as Longpulled away. Weitholder claimed the spot on lap five, but the caution waved one lap later. At the half way mark, Long was on cruise control, and he began lapping cars on the eleventh trip around. Blackburn began to fade, as Long picked up the checkers. Weitholder ran second, followed by Shaun Deering, visiting veteran Brian Wolfmeier, and Blackburn. For Long, it was his fourth consecutive night of racing, and he totaled a third and three wins. The victory was his 32nd of the season, 28 counting as full wins, and four coming with a reduced car count, as he continues his march toward a possible national championship.
 Next Sunday the late models will have the night off as the Sprint Invaders will headline the program. Check the track website for support classes.