Repeat Winners at Quincy

With pretty much the entire Midwest rained out this weekend, Quincy Raceways worked diligently to get racing action in on Sunday night. All six classes were on the card, but the counts were lower than might have been expected. Those who came to watch were not short changed, however, as the heavy weekend rains left us with a hammer down track with breathtaking speeds. Qualifying began with Michael Long topping the 14 UMP modifieds with a lap of 14.270 seconds. Dustin Griffin made his season debut in the UMP late model division and paced the ten cars with a lap of 12.802 seconds. Heat race action was interesting in that the inside groove proved to be the quick way around the .29 mile oval, a marked departure from the norm. Feature racing began with the IMCA sport compacts. Brandon Lambert took off in the lead, soon challenged by Barry Taft, and the two ran the inside lane. Meanwhile Daniel Fellows came from row four using the middle line and powered to the lead about lap five. He began to stretch his advantage before the only caution waved on lap eight for debris. Back under green Fellows held the lead while Taft cleared Lambert for second. The order stayed the same to the checkers, as the rookie Fellows picked up his second QR win of the young season. The UMP mods were up next, with all but visiting Todd Bates coming to the track. But on the parade lap, Kevin Blackburn could not keep his # B4 running, so it was a dozen cars under green. Michael Long came from row two to pace the opening lap before Dave Weitholder got sideways in turn one, collecting Frankie Wellman bringing out the yellow. Visitor Brian Wolfmeier was running second when he looped his #37 on lap three, stacking up three more cars. Weitholder was back to fourth when racing resumed, and Wellman was also on the move. The caution flew one more time, but nothing would hold Long back on this night, as he picked up his second straight win at QR. Peoria Speedway regular Allen Weisser made the trip down with his mod and his Pro crate late model, and he turned in a runner up finish to Long. Weitholder powered back to third, with Wellman and Wolfmeier completing the top five. The UMP super late models were up next with heat winners Griffin and McKay Wenger on the front row. Lap one saw those two go three wide with row two starter Gordy Gundaker. By now a hole had developed in turn one and two, and Denny Woodworth and Rickey Frankel got together ending Frankels run. Racing again, Gundaker grabbed second as the top three broke from the pack. A debris yellow flew on lap six, and under green, Wenger and Gundaker swapped the runner up spot. The caution came out again about lap ten as Alan Westling had a tire go down. Back under green, Griffin exited the track with a broken rearend about lap twelve. Gundaker was now in charge, and fourth starting Jason Perry, who had fallen back early, jumped from fifth to second. Lap 16 saw Rusty Griffaw break a wheel, and he was late coming back from the hot pit, coming out well behind the leaders. Meanwhile Wenger retook second as we stayed green for the final nine laps. Wenger challenged Gundaker, and the two made contact off turn two, slowing there momentum, letting Perry back in the fray. At the checkers it was Gundaker also making it two wins in a row. Wenger came home second, followed by Perry, Derek Fetter, Griffaw, and visiting Bill Kettering Jr. The largest field of cars was in the sport mod class, and 15 of the 17 on hand came trackside for the 18 lap feature. Originally the sport mods were scheduled off this week, but they were added late, so it was a non points race with the rules opened up to allow USRA b mods to compete. Austen Becerra jumped out front from the pole position. By lap three, Justin Ebbing was out front with Brandon Lennox hot on his heels. With Lennox moving to the lead, the caution waved on lap five, putting Ebbing back out front. Becerra took over on the restart, but another yellow negated the move. Another try saw Lennox in charge, with Becerra staying close before he bobbled in turn four. After another pair of yellows, the field was set single file for the final four laps. Lennox picked up his first QR win of 2017. Western Illinois University graduate Tanner Klingele charged to the second spot followed by Ebbing, Vance Wilson, and Joey Gower. The UMP Pro Crate late models had a disappointing season low seven cars sign in. Weisser had captured the heat win, and he sat on row one for the feature with Tommy Elston. Elston jumped to the early lead and began to open a comfortable margin over the field. Meanwhile seventh starting Woodworth, who had suffered a flat tire in the heat moved to third on lap five, and cleared Weisser on the eighth circuit. As Elson encountered slower traffic in the non stop race he was forced to slow his pace, and Woodworth began to eat into his lead. Although Denny got close, Tommy was never really threatened as he picked up his second QR win of the year. Woodworth settled for second, flowed by Weisser, Brandon Savage, the Vanzandts, Charles and Laine, and Trent Grotz. Brian Hoener also went back to back in the IMCA stock car finale after getting around Dean Kratzer just past the half way mark. This coming Sunday, the MOWA 410 sprints will be racing for a $2,000 top prize at Quincy. The schedule also includes the UMP super late models, IMCA stock cars, sport mods and sport compacts. The late models may be racing for extra money, check the Quincy Raceways website later this week for details. Also, the 360 Sprint Invaders will join the regular classes this Friday at the Lee County Speedway in Donnellson. Hopefully I can catch both of these shows. I would like to offer condolences to the family of one of my favorite "old timers," Mike Niffeneger. RIP, Mike.