Sunday, August 14, 2022

Elston, Taylor, Birck, and Delonjay Take Quincy Checkers

    It was Back to School Night at the Adams County, Illinois Speedway on Sunday with giveaways for both the kids and adults. Only four classes would be on the card, with "A" mods having the night off.

   Fifty three cars checked in to do battle. Nine heat races clicked of in about forty five minutes and after an intermission of equal length, it was feature time. 

   IMCA sport mods lined up first, eighteen strong for eighteen laps, although John Renier, out for the first time this season went to the infield on the parade lap. Michael Goodwin put his #63G out front ahead of a lap three caution as contact sent Logan Cumby for a spin. Reed Wolfmeyer continued to dog the leader as racing resumed, grabbing the lead on lap seven only to have the yellow flag wave before the lap was scored. Row six starter Adam Birck, the track points leader was now in the top five. On the restart, Wolfmeyer put a slider on Goodwin, contact ensued with Tanner Klingele also in the mix. Klingele emerged with the lead briefly before Wolfmeyer gained control, and Birck sneaked into the runner up spot. For the next couple of laps, Birck and Wolfmeyer battled side by side, with  Birck grabbing the lead with eight to go despite spoiler and front end damage incurred along the way. Two more caution periods came in the final five laps, but Birck was not to be denied in picking up the win. Wolfmeyer was strong in second, while Dakota Girard won a battle with Klingele for fourth. A last lap pass by A.J. Tournear netted him a top five finish.

   Eleven late models lined up for twenty trips around the .29 mile oval. Heat race winners Mark Burgtorf in the Lynn Richard #15R and Darin Weisinger Jr. sat on row one. Burgtorf used the inside line to grab the lead, with sixth starting Tommy Elston clearing Weisinger for second on lap two. Burgtorf stayed glued to the bottom on the slick track as Elston searched for a way around the sixteen time track champion. Following a caution with five in the books for a Darren Cawthon spin, it became a two car battle up front. Another caution bunched the field with seven laps to go, but again Burgtorf stayed in control. As the leaders drove out of turn four completing lap seventeen, Elston had a nose ahead of Burgtorf. The caution then waved once more, and officials scored the lap complete, restarting Elston out front. He quickly dove to the bottom groove and pulled away in the closing laps for his second consecutive and third overall win at the track. Burgtorf had to fight to hold off Braden Bilger over the final pair of laps for second, while Denny Woodworth switched cars with teammate Jason Oenning and came home fourth ahead of Cody Maguire. Sam Halstead ran sixth in front of Weisinger Jr., Jeremy Pundt, Oenning, and newcomer Bill Berghaus. 

   The 4 cylinders showed fifteen cars on the night, and fifteen laps would be their feature distance. Jeffery Delonjay and Jimmy Dutlinger lined up in row one and crossed the line that way ahead of a debris caution with two laps down. On the restart, Jaden Delonjay took up the chase of his brother as he climbed to second. Seventh starting Kimberly Abbott found a bite in the high line and charged to fourth. With Dutlinger retaking the runner up spot, Jaden and Kimberly became locked in a duel for third. They crossed the line in a near dead heat with two laps left, Abbott ahead by a whisker. Meanwhile Jeffery cruised to the win, with Dutlinger coming home second. Abbott held off Jaden, while Austin Harris trailed a ways behind in fifth.

   Street stocks would round out the night with only nine cars on hand for fifteen circuits. Beau Taylor and points leader Rudy Zaragoza would occupy row one, and Taylor quickly jumped out front. With three laps scored, Zaragoza was skating around the high side of the track and spun, triggering a multi car pile up. When the lineup reset, four cars had been forced to the pit area. Back under green, Taylor had his #13 machine working in the low groove and he steadily stretched his lead on the very slick surface. He was racing to the white flag when the caution waved again for Zaragoza. This set up a one lap dash to the checkers. Taylor claimed victory, holding  off a last ditch attempt by Jake Powers. Steve Grotz raced home third, with Pete Stodgel and Zaragoza rounding out the top five. 

   The final checkers waved just after 8:30. 

   The 360 cubic inch Sprint Invader series will roll into town next Sunday night, UMP modifieds will return and street stocks will have the night off. Be sure and check the track website for details as I am not sure of the full lineup of classes. Thanks to Jim, Tammy, Blake, and the staff for an entertaining night of racing!

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