Late Models Return to Quincy Raceways

 The UMP Pro Crate late models made their first appearance of 2018 at Quincy Raceways on Sunday night, heading up a six division program.
  The hot, muggy evening began with qualifying for the UMP modifieds, with Dave Weitholder pacing the nine car field with a lap of 15.07 seconds. Following ten heat races and some extra track prep, it was feature time.
  The nine car IMCA stock car field lined up for 18 laps around the .29 mile oval. Things got off to a rocky start on the opening lap when contact in turn four caused Jerry Jansen to roll his #06 Ford. Jerry then refired his ride and ran a handful of laps before retiring for the night. That would be the only caution of the race. Jesse Weggs and Jake Powers lined up on row one, and they crossed the line to score lap one in a virtual dead heat before Powers gained control the next trip around. The following circuit saw eighth starting John Oliver Jr. power to third while trying to hold off a challenge from Dean Kratzer. The pair of Iowa drivers swapped the spot over the next three laps before Oliver secured the position. On lap eight, he took second from Weggs, and one lap later pushed his #05 around Powers for the lead. It was now Powers and Kratzer stalking Oliver as they all tried to avoid a hole in turn four. As Oliver gradually built his margin, Kratzer bobbled slightly on lap 15. Oliver, who had changed directions after a rainout at the Vinton, Iowa Speedway, took the win. Powers finished second, with Kratzer in third. Michael Larsen took the fourth spot from Weggs on the final lap.
  IMCA sport mods had the biggest turnout with 16 cars, and they were next up for 18 laps. Again the caution waved on the opening circuit, and when racing got underway, Adan Birck came from row two to the front. By lap three, sixth starting Austen Becerra charged to the runner up slot, and one lap later, Brandon Lennox came from a row three start to third. Becerra was now locked in on Birck, taking the top spot on the fifth circuit. Just as Becerra encountered slower traffic on lap seven, the caution waved. Lennox took advantage of the Delaware restart to power to second, and visiting Brandon Setzer, who started in row four, took the fourth position. The Davenport, Iowa driver took third one lap later, as Austin Howes entered the top five. Howes had started in row seven after looping his car in his heat race. Lap eleven saw Howes grab fourth. Again Becerra caught slower traffic on lap 14, but a caution one lap later wiped out his big lead. Racing resumed and the leaders were heading to the checkers through turn three when the car of Brandon Niekamp stalled directly under the flag stand. The yellow flag waved, and set up a one lap shoot out. There were no position changes on that final lap, as Becerra held on to secure the win. Lennox ran second, followed by Setzer, Howes, and Birck. The next two spots were also held by a pair of Quad City drivers, Chance Huston and Mitch Strayer. An early cancellation at the Quad City Speedway afforded these two and Setzer a chance to head south, and all three turned in good performances.
  It was now late model time, with ten cars taking the green flag. Heat race winners Gunner Frank and Trevor Gundaker sat on row one. Gunner jumped to the early lead, taking along third starting Brandon Savage, with Gundaker settling in third. A four car side by side, nose to tail battle developed behind the leaders, with Tommy Elston eventually separating himself from Vance Wilson, Denny Woodworth and Todd Frank. As Savage tried to work under the younger Frank, Elston took third at the ten lap mark of the 25 lapper. By lap 17 of the non stop event, Savage was now being pressured by Elston, who was running a low line while Savage ran the faster high groove. Woodworth was now fourth, but had ground to make up on the leaders. With three laps to go, Savage and Elston had closed the gap on Gunner, but Frank hit his marks lap after lap, and the real battle was for second. Elston eased into the runner up spot on the final circuit. at the checkers it was Frank, Elston, Savage, Woodworth, and Gundaker, the rookie making his first appearance at QR. Todd Frank ran sixth after his blown engine Friday at Lee County Speedway, Wilson was seventh followed by Charles Vanzandt. Although announced as a different driver, it was late arriving Cliff Powell, no numbers (6?) on his red car, credited with ninth after dropping out mid race. Tenth place went to Melvin Linder, who made his debut piloting the Woodworth back up machine.
  All but one of the nine UMP mods took the green flag, including Ben Huff in the backup Weitholder ride. Going for the sweep, Dave Weitholder jumped from the pole position to the lead, and from then on the race was for second. Josh Newman held the spot with pressure from Steve Grotz and Dugan Thye. Grotz got a little too high on the track on lap six, turning third over to Thye. Dugan grabbed the second spot on lap nine, but by now Weitholder was working in another time zone. The only caution of the race came on lap 19, as Shaun Deering, piloting the Spencer Havermale #733 and Joey Gower got together. The engine on Thyes' #11 had been backfiring and spewing flames for several laps, and he now headed to the trailer, giving up his solid second place run. Racing resumed, and again Weitholder checked out to pick up the win. Gower charged back to the runner up finish, Newman, Deering and Grotz completing the top five.
   Only five IMCA sport compacts checked in for the night. Darin Weisinger Jr. put his #11 out front at the start, and there he would stay. Barry Taft came from row two to second, pushing Weisinger the entire 15 laps. As laps eight and nine were scored, Taft put his #57 under Darin at the flagstand, but could not complete the pass. Kimberly Abbott worked around David Primm for third on lap ten. Taft made a last lap dive in turns one and two, but Weisinger held his line, picking up the win. Taft, Abbott, Primm, and Burlington, Iowa driver Robert Sturms crossed the finish line in that order.
  Quincy Raceways committed to a potential revival of the two person cruiser class for 2018, but the results have been less than encouraging, with a count between one and four thus far. Sunday night only two cars signed in, with former bomber/hobby stock five time track champion Steve Carlin and wife Lisa sweeping the heat and feature.