Season championship night took center stage before another large crowd at Adams County,Illinois Speedway on Sunday. It was a beautiful night for racing, and the track responded by taking rubber during the feature events, creating a smooth surface. However with a persistent breeze from the south, the drivers searching for something extra on the cushion continued to keep those of us in the bleachers well dusted, as my shower can attest! With driver introductions before each feature race, it turned into a very long evening of racing.
Sixty nine race teams came to race in the five championship divisions. Kenny Wallace topped twenty UMP modified qualifiers with a lap of 14.158 seconds, then a dozen heat races set the fields for the main events.
UMP Pro Crate late models would kick things off. The season title was already decided, with Denny Woodworth collecting another trophy. The " Racing Attorney" would line up in row two of the ten car finale alongside Tommy Elston. Mark Burgtorf would wheel the Lynn Richard #15R out to the early lead, but Elston would take over by lap three. Burgtorf refused to give in, racing side by side with Elston for several circuits. The caution came on lap nine, one lap before the halfway mark as rookie James Dickerson looped his #72. As the cars realigned, Burgtorf drove to the pits, his run finished. Darin Weisinger Jr. then took up the chase ahead of a second caution with eight to go for another late model rookie, Darren Cawthon. Now Weisinger and Woodworth locked in a tight battle for second while Sam Halstead and Cody Maguire ran side by side behind them. A final yellow came with three to go, and this final restart saw Woodworth take command of the runner up position behind the cruising Elston. Halstead powered his way to third, followed by Weisinger and Maguire. Jeff Dotzert ran sixth in front of Jason Oenning and Cawthon, as eight cars took the checkers. It was the fourth win of the season at ACS for Elston.
Ten street stocks raced next for fifteen laps. Again, the points race was already locked up, with Jacksonville, Il. driver Rudy Zaragoza taking the title. Rudy also started in row one alongside Troy Grotz, and he jumped to the lead before a lap two caution for Robert Thompson. On the restart, Grotz ducked to the infield, and with the cars scrambling behind him, the yellow waved again. Back to action, Beau Taylor drove his IMCA car to the second position. A final caution came with five in the books, with the final ten laps staying green. Taylor hounded Zaragoza the whole way, sticking his nose inside the #67R on several occasions. Rudy would not give up the inside line, as he went the distance for the victory. Taylor came home in second, chased by Jake Powers, Derek Wiss piloting the #24D, and Pete Stodgel.
Wallace and Dave Weitholder paced the modified twenty lapper, as lap one was scored. Following cautions on laps two and three, points champion Austen Becerra (not Bercerra!) moved in to challenge Weitholder for second. The leaders caught slower traffic about lap eight, and Wallace became trapped behind a lapped car, turning the top spot over to Weitholder and second to Becerra and the yellow flag waved as that lap was completed. With a clear track ahead, Weitholder stretched his lead. One more stoppage came with fifteen in the books, and on this final restart, Mike Vanderiet Jr. moved into second. However he could not hold off Becerra, who followed Weitholder to the checkers. Vanderiet was third, Mark Burgtorf drove home fourth in the IMCA Bill Baker #03B, and Wallace rounded out the top five.
This marked the final night of the Slam Dunk IMCA Sport Mod championship series, and sponsor Tony Dunker hosted much of the festivities for this event. Again, the title chase was already decided, with veteran Adam Birck well out front. Justin Bartz and Quinton Shelton led the seventeen cars to green, racing for eighteen laps. Shelton was being chased by Brandon Savage when the caution waved at lap four. Birck, as well as top contender Tanner Klingele showed damage to their rides at this point, with the right front suspension on Bircks' #112 leaving the front wheel severely towed out. Back under green, Savage charged to the lead while Austin Poage, Shelton, and Logan Cumby battled behind him. The yellow flag waved again with eight laps scored, and Cumby grabbed the lead as racing resumed. He then survived one more caution, finally cruising to the win. Klingele came on late to overtake Josh Holtman for third, while Shelton grabbed fourth in front of Dakota Girard.
With many in the crowd heading for the exits, even the ambulance attendants must have thought racing was done, as the "Boo Boo Bus" headed for the gate, only to make a quick turnaround. Ironically, they would be needed for one of the few times this season.
With some penalties imposed after last weeks' drama, Jeffery Delonjay and Jimmy Dutlinger would begin the final feature tied for the points lead, with Kimberly Abbott in third, four points behind. Jeffery and brother Jaden would sit on row one, and even though Dutlinger charged quickly from row three to third, Jeffery was already building a cushion out front, with Jaden in second. Six laps into the fifteen lap affair, Robert Thompson Jr. went into a series of barrel rolls on the backstretch. Complaining of back and neck pain, the ambulance crew was preparing to transport him to the hospital, but after several minutes, he decided to forego the trip, and the remaining eleven starters lined up for the final nine laps. Although Dutlinger was able to clear Jaden for second, it was all Jeffery Delonjay, as he cruised to both the feature win and the track title. Jaden rolled home third, followed by Bobby Douglas and Abbott.
Although the points races are over at ACS, there are still several events on the schedule, including a Topless night next Sunday, the two day extravaganza on Friday and Saturday, September 16 and 17., and Sprint Invaders season championship on the 25th. Check the track website for more details.
Thanks as always to Jim, Tammy, Blake, and the crew for their hospitality. Next up for us will be the rescheduled SLMR late model event this Friday on the big half mile at West Liberty, Iowa. Thanks for reading!
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