A Feature DQ and One Class Gone at Quincy

  After a few days of R and R, it was back to the track Sunday night at Quincy Raceways. Six classes of cars were on the schedule, but with again only three entries in the 2 person cruiser class, the decision was apparently made to end the failed revival of a 1990s staple. As nearly as I could tell, the three teams were given the option of making the necessary changes to run with the outlaw stock cars with one driver, and two of them did so, while one went home, leaving us with sixty one teams in the remaining five classes. And that was the beginning of an interesting evening.
  Following hot laps and UMP modified time trials, with Dave Weitholder setting quick time, the program began with the completion of the UMP Pro Crate late model feature from the week before. The race was seven laps in when the rains came. Six of the eight teams were on hand to complete the remaining thirteen laps, with both second running Tommy Elston and Laine Vanzandt not able to return. Point leader Denny Woodworth had been leading when the race was halted, and he proceeded to drive away from the field to score the victory. Sam Halstead, Chuck Mitchell, Melvin Linder, and Cliff Powell completed the top five, with Darin Weisinger Jr. making an early exit.
  The nine heat races were followed by a thirty minute plus intermission, as there seemed to be some disagreement about lineups, then three different classes were announced as the first feature before the UMP sport compacts finally lined up for their main event. All but one of the nine entrants took the green flag, with Kimberly Abbott the early leader. While she hugged the inside line and Jeffrey Delonjay followed in her tire tracks, brother Jaden Delonjay decided to try the long way around. Gaining momentum, Jaden powered from third to first on lap five. Two laps later, Jeffrey was able to slip around Abbott, and the caution free race ended with Jaden picking up his first ever feature win. Jeffrey was second, followed by Abbott, David Prim, and Isaiah Penton.
  Thinks really got interesting then, as the sixteen IMCA sport mods lined up for eighteen laps. The first start was called back when Austen Becerra was a bit quick on the throttle from his row four starting spot. On the second try, third starting Brandon Lambert and Becerra got good jumps, leading the pack as lap one was scored. Becerra took over on lap two, with ninth starting Daniel Fellows now second. His row five mate, Bobby Six charged to third just ahead of a lap four caution. As the lineup was reset, it was announced that Becerra would be docked two positions, officials ruling he had jumped the second start, as well. After stopping to register his displeasure, he took his spot alongside Six and behind the new leader, Fellows. Two more cautions by lap six and the field was reset single file. Fellows and Becerra were now locked in a side by side battle, with Daniel hugging the inside tires while Austen ran a middle line. Fellows was beginning to open his advantage when the yellow flew again as someone lost a spring in turn one at lap twelve. Now it was Fellows and third running Six on the low groove, while Becerra and fourth place Adam Birck pounded the cushion. With the white flag displayed, the caution came out again, setting up a one lap shootout. The green flag waved, the leaders charged into turn one, and contact was made as Becerra tried to nose under the leader, with both cars spinning. More discussion followed resulting in Fellows getting the lead back and Becerra being sent to the tail. Now Fellows stayed out front, taking the checkers, and doing a few celbratory donuts on the front stretch. BUT... following the post race hoopla, there was an apparent misunderstanding, with Fellows bypassing the tech area and heading to his pit area. As a result, he was denied the win, with Bobby Six declared the victor. Point leader Birck was moved to second, Jake Griffin third in Patrick Profettas' #20, while Brandon Symmonds and Michael Goodwin scored top fives, as well.
  The late model twenty lapper was up next. Outside pole sitter Woodworth jumped to the first lap lead, with fifth starting Jose Parga powering to second. The front duo began to pull away, and on lap nine, they found themselves approaching a slower car. Woodworth elected the high line in turn one, but Parga saw an opening down low, and as they headed down the back chute, it was Parga in front. He seemed to have the race in hand, until the first caution came as he attempted to put Linder a lap down with three circuits to go. Back under green, Dakota Ewing grabbed the runner up spot, but it was all Parga from there. Woodworth came home third ahead of Mitchell and Halstead.Andy Minett ran sixth ahead of Weisinger Jr., and Linder. Powell retired early with engine woes. It was the first visit of 2019 for Parga, who had previously raced a super late model at the track, and I think the first ever visit for Ewing. With both drivers in the chase for the crate national crown, they indicated QR would be on there schedule the rest of the year.
  Fourteen UMP modifieds lined up for twenty laps, with heat winners Weitholder and Kevin Blackburn in row one. Quickly it became a side by side, two car battle on the black, slick track with a lap eight caution slowing the action. A spinning Russ Coultas halted the first restart, and Weitholders' #05 was now showing smoke as he led the field back to green. Just past the halfway point, Blackburn used a low side move to grab the lead, but two more trips around and Weitholder drove back out front using the cushion. Frankie Wellman liked the looks of that move, and he cleared Blackburn for second one circuit ahead of a lap sixteen caution. Blackburn reclaimed the runner up spot on the restart, but it was Weitholder with the win. Wellman, Shaun Deering, and Steve Stotler rounded out the top five. Beau Davis stopped by on his way back home to Cheney, Kansas after racing in Fairbury, Ill. He was in contention before jumping the turn three cushion on the final lap.
  Outlaw stock cars raced the finale, thirteen strong for eighteen laps. After a false start, row one starters Beau Taylor and Dakota Girard paced the field before Michael Larsen grabbed second on lap two. With a pair of lap three yellows in the books, Craig Roden advanced to second from a row four starting slot. What followed was a two car freight train around the very top of the track, Taylor hitting his marks while Roden stuck his nose alongside in every corner. After a caution in the closing laps, Larsen tried to nose under Rick Girard for third in turn one, with the contact causing Girard to stop. This time, however, both drivers received a
" mulligan " for the final restart. Taylor held on for a flag to flag win to tighten his grip on the points lead, while Roden drove a " clean " race to bring the #007 car home in second. Jake Powers made his season debut moving up two spots in the final lap to claim third over Larsen and Rick Girard.
  It was a rather long night, and certainly an interesting one at QR, as the social media chatter is in high gear.
  Next up for me will be the IMCA Deery Brothers Summer Series stop at Lee County Speedway in Donnellson this Friday. Then Quincy Raceways will host a rare Saturday night event featuring the Iowa Sprint League non wing machines in a make up event from an early season rainout. QR will then come back with regular Sunday night racing. The announcement came this week of the inagural Kenny Pratt Memorial race coming in October, featuring super late models. I will have more on this event as we go along.