Weekly Late Models Return to 34

  Early Saturday evening I was bemoaning the fact that just about every track within 200 miles had cancelled except 34 Raceway when my wife said I should just go. Well that doesn't happen very often, so I jumped in the SUV and headed north, arriving during hot laps, which if you know me, I consider extremely late. Besides the fact that I was hoping to see some " out of towners " wander in, the return of IMCA late models on a ( mostly ) weekly basis after an absence of about ten years also made the night special.
 The raceway is operating a rotating schedule of classes, and Saturday featured four IMCA groups, late models, modifieds, sport mods, and sport compacts. Non sanctioned 305 sprint cars rounded out the lineup.
 A medical emergency in the grandstands interrupted heat race action, when a fan was apparently struck by debris, and we had a delay as an ambulance came to the track for transport. Upon completion of the heats, we moved straight to feature racing, with the sport mods up first, eighteen laps, with a couple scratches from the eleven car field. The lack of an official intermission proved a wise decision as the evening progressed.
  Austen Becerra had failed to finish the main event the night before in Donnellson with what appeared to be engine woes, so he had his " old " car out on Saturday. He took off from the outside pole, quickly opening a big lead over James Roose and Sean Wyatt, who battled back and forth for second. Austen had a straightaway lead when the yellow flag flew at lap seven. Back under green, he again stretched his lead while Wyatt used the Delaware restart to take command of the runner up spot. Ron Kibbe had bobbled early, falling to the back of the pack, but he was now on the move, charging to third on lap eight. With no more caution periods, Becerra cruised to the win. Wyatt held on to second, followed by Kibbe, Roose, and Tom Bowling Jr. behind the wheel of a #18 machine.
  Nine modifieds were up next for twenty laps. Justin Kay was one of the travelers to 34 , bringing both his modified and his late model, and he lined up on the outside pole for the modified event. He was able to slide up in front of pole sitter John Oliver Jr. in turns three and four to lead the opening circuit. Oliver remained in hot pursuit until lap six, when he suddenly darted to the pits, ending his strong run. Chris Zogg inherited the second position even as a caution for debris wiped out Kays' big advantage. One lap following the restart, Zogg drifted high coming off turn two, and Dugan Thye was there to drive around him. As Kay again built a straightaway lead, Thye worked to hold off Zogg for second. At the checkers, it was Kay, Thye, Zogg, Bill Roberts,Jr., and Mitch Strayer.
  The 305 sprint class turned out the most cars, with seventeen entries, and all but two took the green flag for twenty laps of racing. When outside row one starter Noah Samuel elected to start at the tail, Devin Rouse inherited the outside row one start and drove away from the field, with Jarrod Schneiderman, Nick Guernsey, and Tanner Gebhardt in tow. Gebhardt was now on the move, advancing to third on lap five. Rouse quickly found himself in traffic, and he was moving through the slower cars with ease when he suddenly did a 360 degree spin in turn two on lap fifteen, staying in the gas, but dropping to third behind Schneiderman and Gebhardt. With just a pair of laps remaining, Gebhardt completed his charge to the front, racing past Schneiderman in turn two. When the checkers waved on the non stop event, it was Gebhardt with the win, followed by Schneiderman, Rouse, eighth starting Wyatt Wilkerson, and Guernsey.
  For whatever reason the running order was changed between the heats and features, with the sport compacts now moved ahead of the late models. But surely fourteen cars and twelve laps wouldn't alter the program much, would it? Jeremy Nichols took off from the pole, with Jacob Houston and Barry Taft hot on his heels. Houston gained the lead on lap two, just ahead of a lap three caution. Taft powered to second on the restart, with Chuck Fullenkamp moving to third. A second caution came at lap eight, and when the green flag waved again, things took a turn for the worse. Matt Milligan found himself headed into turn one high on the berm, and rolled his car in the corner. With all eyes on him, suddenly Alyssa Steele, who was running a middle line, began to barrel roll her #55S between the turns, going over three or more times. While Milligan walked away from his ride, Steele was shaken up, and safety personnel spent considerable time checking her over. Finally, they gave her a ride to her pit area, and while they continued to watch over her, there was a fall in the grandstands which also required EMT assistance. After a considerable amount of time, the injured party was helped from the facility and we were back to racing. As the white flag was displayed, and with Houston and Taft running door to door, Nichols rolled his pink #15 off turn two, again bringing a halt to the action. Amazingly, he refired the car and drove to the pits. We were left with a one lap shootout, with Houston hanging on for the marathon win over Taft and Fullenkamp.
  Finally, the dozen late models lined up for twenty laps in front of the hearty few who stayed around on yet another chilly night.
  Tommy Elston is not only good on the track, he is also a master at the redraw - point inverts will start after I believe the first two nights of racing, - and he pulled the #1 pea for the pole position. His outside row one mate, Brandon Queen was out front when lap one was scored, but the next trip past the flag stand saw Elston in front. Returning veteran Tom Darbyshire, who started fourth, and Davenport, Iowa hot shoe, Matt Ryan, who started eighth, quickly move up to challenge Elston. The only caution of the twenty lapper came at the third go around. Jake Dietrich and first time visitor Scotty Welsh, from Cedar Rapids, both headed to the pits, but Welsh was unable to clear the track, as he needed assistance from a push truck. Ryan powered to second on the Delaware restart, and he kept Elston in his cross hairs the rest of the way. Elston was able to pull away coming off turn two, while Ryan would close on his bumper in turns three and four. Meanwhile, Darbyshire and Kay were engaged in a similar battle, with Darb dominate in turn two and Justin strong off turn four. At the checkers, Elston had his second win of the weekend, while Ryan took runner up honors. Darbyshire outlasted Kay for third, and Queen turned in a solid run in fifth. Mike Smith wheeled the Barton Racing #7 home in sixth, as Matt Strassheim made his return to the track just ahead of Jay Johnson. Chris Richard was credited with ninth in his season debut in the family owned #15R, and Ray Raker rounded out the top ten from the pits after contacting the backstretch wall, resulting in front end damage.
  Thanks go out to Brad and Jessi for their hospitality, and it now looks as though my next racing adventure will also be at their fine facility. Quincy Raceways has pulled the plug on Mothers Day racing, as showers continue in the area. So it will be Thursday night, May 16 as the Lucas Oil late models invade 34 Raceway for a 50 lap, $10,000 to win spectacular presented by TruAcre Technology and J J Nichting. Stock cars and mini Haulers will also race in support of the high powered touring late models. Hope to see you there!