An ominous forecast early in the weekend gave way to a beautiful Sunday afternoon and evening and Adams County, Il. Speedway was able to stage their 2023 season championship races. Sixty cars turned out in the five regular divisions, all in double digits led by fifteen Pro Crate Late Models. Regular line up procedures were in effect for all classes, with both the Late Models and UMP Modifieds using time trials to determine heat race starting slots. Last week Jamie Wilson was charged with "no time" after a transponder issue, but this Sunday he paced the division with a lap of 13.657 seconds. Jacob Rexing topped the Mods at 13.968 ticks of the clock.
Street Stocks kicked off feature action, eleven cars for fifteen laps. Robert Cottom and Rudy Zaragoza sat on row one with Cottom leading the way. Two yellow flags came in the first two circuits. Now it was Zaragoza and Rexing in a battle for second, but as Rudy fell a bit off the pace Jake Powers charged to second, creating a three car scrum with Cottom and Rexing. A final caution came with ten in the books, and back to racing Cottom and Rexing went side by side with just two laps remaining. At the checkers it was Cottom scored the leader for all fifteen laps as Rexing settled for second. Zaragoza rebounded to run third followed by Powers and Sage Martin. Powers would claim the points title.
Dirtcar 4 Cylinders came next with nine of the ten signed in taking the green. Jaden Delonjay powered to the lead from his pole start taking along his fourth starting brother Jeffery in second. Jeffery took over the top spot on lap three, and walked away from the field in the non stop fifteen lapper. Jaden remained in second while Spencer Coats ran the distance in third ahead of Kimberly Abbott. The only "racing" was the on going battle for fifth, as Landon Neisen edged Kyle Weisenberger for the position. Jeffery Delonjay was the runaway points champion.
Ten of the eleven UMP Mods came track side for eighteen laps of action. A pair of St. Louis area "Ricks," Conoyer and Stevenson, filled out the front row. With two laps scored, a three car wreck eliminated Frankie Wellman, and when the yellow waved again on the restart two class runner Rexing needed a push to the infield, his night over. With Conoyer leading the way, Becerra cleared Stevenson for second. Conoyer opened a sizable lead until a caution came with a dozen laps scored. Following the restart Conoyer again pulled away and with four laps to go Mark Burgtorf charged around Becerra for second. A final yellow came after the white flag was shown, but Conoyer was up to the challenge, holding off Burgtorf for a flag to flag win. Becerra, who ran on the ragged edge of the growing cushion, came home third ahead of Stevenson, while Shawn Deering edged David Weitholder for fifth. Weitholder was wheeling his back up #4 machine on the night and suffered heavy right side damage as he raced mid pack. Becerra was the track point champion.
A heat race accident eliminated Braden Bilger and Christian Miles from competition, leaving a bakers' dozen for the Crate Late twenty lapper. The six car redraw found Vance Wilson and Darin Weisinger Jr. pacing the field. Vance and third starting Denny Woodworth topped the opening pair of laps ahead of a caution for a rare Jamie Wilson spin. Back under green fifth starting Tommy Elston, who led Woodworth by just five scant points, joined the battle up front.Vance and Tommy worked the top line while Denny did business down low. The two points leaders were racing side by side behind Wilson when the caution came for Austin Poage with seven laps scored. Following the Delaware restart Elston powered around Wilson for the lead, and when another caution came two laps later for Darren Cawthon, visiting Chase Osterhoff, four hours from his home in Kankakee, charged to the runner up spot. Running the inside line on the slickened surface, Elston was in control as the white flag waved. But as Yogi said "it aint over 'till it's over!" Tommy, then Chase drove under the checkers of flagman Allen Motley as a mix up in turn four triggered the yellow light. As Elston headed for victory lane, the remaining cars continued to circle the oval. According to track officials, the transponder scoring only recorded the top two finishers before the caution, and in what seemed at best a bizarre ruling, there would be one more lap run to determine the feature and season points outcome. As Elston told me later, he had removed his earpiece, so there was a moment of confusion on his part, but soon everyone was back in line for a one lap shootout. I hate to think what could have happened under such questionable circumstances, but fortunately the twenty first lap was just a formality as Elston held on for the win. Osterhoff followed in second in his only Adams County visit in 2023. Jason Perry seemed behind the eight ball early, but found speed to advance five positions to third in front of Vance Wilson and Woodworth. Jason Oenning wheeled the Hollenstine #21 to sixth, topping Cody Maguire, Weisinger Jr., Jamie Wilson, and Cawthon. Elson told interviewer Skipp Dunker there was a "wheelbarrow full of reasons" he wanted his first Quincy points title.
There was still one feature to go, as all thirteen IMCA Sport Mods took to the track for eighteen laps. Quinton Shelton and Pete Stodgel led the field to green. A major pile up in turn four of the opening lap forced number two points man Reed Wolfmeyer to the trailer, after he apparently exited his car on the track to check for damage? As racing resumed, Shelton and Michael Goodwin battled for the lead before sixth starting visitor Nicholas Profeta squeezed through to grab the top spot. Following a second and final yellow just after the halfway mark, points leader Logan Cumby raced to second after lining up in row four. Profeta continued to hold the lead running around the tire barriers while Cumby operated one lane higher. With five circuits remaining, Cumby was able to clear Profeta for the top spot, but out of nowhere came eighth starting A. J. Tournear. Blasting around the cushion, he charged to second on lap fifteen, quickly closing on the leader. With the white flag displayed, Tournear drove around Cumby out of turn two, to I believe his first feature win of the season. Cumby took second in the feature and first in the points chase, while last weeks' winner Patrick Phillips cleared Profeta late for third. Tanner Klingele advance five positions to complete the top five.
Adams County, Il. Speedway will next host the two day Chad McCoy Memorial next Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 30 - Oct. 1, with big money on the line for multiple divisions, check the track website for details. The final event of 2023 at the track will be Thursday, October 12 as the MLRA Late Models begin their championship weekend. Thanks as always to Jim, Tammy, and the gang at Adams County for their continuing hospitality, and we hope to see you next weekend!
Next up we are planning to make the drive to the Cedar County Raceway in Tipton, Iowa Thursday for the opening night of the Darkside Fall Bash. The fairgrounds quarter mile track in Tipton will actually be hosting four straight nights of racing beginning Wednesday with the rescheduled Gary Reinhart Memorial. And there will be two nights of racing beginning Friday at the Scotland County Speedway in Memphis, Mo. for the Jim Oliver Memorial.
So grab a jacket, turn off the Pay per View, and head to the track, as nothing beats fall racing!
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