Midseasson Championships - Already? - At Quincy

Sunday night was midseason championship night at Quincy Raceways, even though it seems a s if the season has barely begun. More high heat and a stiff southerly breeze made for less than ideal conditions and no doubt helped hold down the car count, although a nice crowd was on hand. With the addition of the UMP Pro Crate late models, all six regular classes were on the card. Dave Weitholder paced qualifying for the 15 UMP modifieds with a lap if 15.238 seconds. Unfortunately, hot laps wiped out three of the entrants, including Kevin Blackburn, Steve Grotz, and Mike Parsons, none of whom made it to time trials. With only five UMP super late models signed in, they did a pill draw for starting positions rather than time trial. The first seven heat races were mostly uneventful, but the first lap of the IMCA sport compact six lapper saw David Primm roll his #01 on the front stretch. While Primm returned to start the feature, Brandon Lambert suffered enough damage to end his evening. The track was reworked at intermission, and the surface was indeed better for the six features. IMCA stock cars rolled off first for 18 laps. Back from vacation, Abe Huls shot to the lap one lead from row two. By the third circuit, Brian Hoener had pulled alongside Huls, moving to the lead as the front pair pulled away from the field. Michael Larsen totaled his ride a few weeks back, but purchased a car from fellow competitor Dean Kratzer, and made his return on Sunday. Larsen watched Huls try to work under Hoener before Brian opened a lead, then Michael eased in to challenge Abe for second. With three laps to go, Larsen slowed and exited the track with a broken trailing arm. Hoener cruised to the win, with Huls in second. Beau Taylor was closing on the leaders in third as the checkered flag waved. Jerry Jansen and Kratzer completed the top five. The Pro Crates were up next for 18 laps of action. Denny Woodworth Charged to the opening lap ,lead from from two before visiting Kyle VanDorn spun in turns one and two on lap two. Back under green, Fourth starting Tommy Elston drove around Brandon Savage for second, and one lap later, Elston took over the top spot. Elston and Woodworth have led every feature lap in the class in 2017, and tonight was more of the same, as the front duo pulled away. By lap six, Woodworth had moved to the high line of the track and was challenging for the lead when Derek Sammons spun his ride. On the restart, Elston held the low line in turns three and four, moving to the middle line in turns one and two. Woodworth stayed loyal to the high side, with another yellow ending the night for VanDorn on lap eleven. Clint Kirkham was out for the first time this year in his # 28 after rolling the car early in the season at Jacksonville, and following his heat race win, he battled with Savage for third. With Elston taking the white flag, Laine Vanzandt brought out a final caution, setting up a green, white, checkers finish. There were no position changes in those two laps, with Elston collecting his fourth feature of 2017 at QR. Woodworth held second, Savage crossed in third, with Kirkham and Charles Vanzandt rounding out the top five. The dozen UMP modifieds still in action were up next for their main event. Weitholder and Shaun Deering shared the front row, with Deering leading after one lap. Weitholder took over the following trip around, and the first caution came on lap four for Darin Weisinger Jr, making his modified debut. Weitholder held serve on the restart, and he had opened a sizable advantage by the time he encountered slower traffic on lap 14. With no more stoppages, Weitholder cruised to the win. Deering ran second ahead of Donovan Lodge, Spencer Havermale, and Russ Coultas. All twelve cars were still running at the finish. The super lates were up next. Heat winner Jason Perry powered to the early lead for row two. Jamie Wilson looped his ride on lap six to bring out a yellow flag. Under green, Woodworth charged around Rickey Frankel in to second. Again using the high groove, Denny was poised to take the lead when Matt Shannon spun, bringing out the yellow. When racing resumed, Woodworth could not regain his momentum, falling behind Frankel, and also Wilson. As those three battled, Perry opened a half straightaway advantage. With a pair of laps remaining, Frankel retired to the pits. Perry picked up his first feature win of the season, followed by Wilson, Woodworth, and Shannon. All but one of the 14 IMCA sport mods started their 18 lap main event. Dalton McKinney led the opening round, with Brandon Lennox coming from row three to challenge before a lap three caution period. Lennox powered to the lead on the restart, and on lap four, seventh starting Tanner Klingele moved to third. Following a lap six yellow, Klingele took second. The lead pack now all hugged the low line, so fifth running Tony Dunker tried the top line. Another pair of cautions followed, and then just before a caution with five to go, fifth starting Vance Wilson took over the runner up spot, taking along Dunker to third. Klingele came roaring back before McKinney spun, ending his strong run. With three laps remaining, the field was lined up single file. Klingele now tried the high line, but Dunker took the inside groove to third. Lennox captured the win, Wilson was runnerup. Dunker, Klingele, and Mike Goodwin rounded out the top five. The IMCA sport compacts finished off the card, eight cars for 15 laps. Jeffrey Delonjay paced lap one, with Craig Bangert moving to second one lap later. The fifth trip past saw Bangert turn up the heat, taking over the top slot just before the half way mark. With no stoppages, Bangert cruised to the win. Delonjay held second, with Barry Taft, Weisinger Jr and Kimberly Abbott turning in top five runs. Up next will be a Tuesday stop at West Liberty Raceway for the IMCA Deery Brothers Summer Series and Hawkeye Dirt Tour modifieds, the back to QR next Sunday for the UMP Big Ten late models battling it out for a $2,000 top prize.