Birck Gets His First at Adams County, Elston, Becerra, Cottom, Delonjay Are Repeat Winners

   After a couple nights away from the track, we braved the next heat wave to make the short drive to Adams County, Il. Speedway on Sunday. With the temperature in mind, the JT Promotions team decided to move starting time back one hour. Upon arrival the hard work of the Delonjay team, new owners of the speedway, were apparent. The paint brushes have come out as the enthusiastic new ownership group begins what promises to be many upgrades to the nearly fifty year old facility. 

   With heat and humidity a factor, both cars race teams and fans were slow to file in, but ultimately sixty five cars checked in covering five divisions, with Crown Vics having a scheduled night off. And all things considered, what appeared to be a decent crowd was on hand for the festivities. 

   A leading story line for the evening concerned Jacob Rexing, the two division driver from Brighton, Il. Jacob is a top points contender in both the UMP Dirtcar Modified and Street Stock classes. And while he recorded fast time in the Modifieds, his Street Stock was out of commission, devastating to his championship chase. So local racer Richie Wagy stepped up and loaned his ride to Rexing for the night. While he picked up a runner up finish in the Modified feature, he would score a sixth place run in the #7 Street Stock. 

   It would be that Modified feature that would run first. Only nine cars would be on hand, and it was pole sitter Austen Becerra jumping to the early lead ahead of Rexing, Shawn Deering, and David Weitholder. By the time Weitholder cleared Deering for third at the halfway mark of the twenty lapper, Becerra had a full straightaway lead over Rexing. He would then stretch the margin to a half track before a caution two laps later brought him back to the pack. Weitholder used an inside move following the Delaware Style restart to take the runner up spot, and two more laps were scored before a second caution for debris. Back under green, Becerra again drove off into the night as Weitholder and Rexing battled hard for second. At the checkers it was Becerra, Weitholder, Rexing, Frankie Wellman and Deering. 

   IMCA Northern Sport Mods raced thirteen strong for eighteen laps. Following a Friday victory at Callaway Raceway, outside row one starter Dakota Girard powered to the front ahead of John Reiner. Brother Kyler Girad would come from inside row three to second on the next lap, but it was seventh starting Logan Cumby stealing the runner up spot one lap later. Another trip past the flag stand, and eighth starting Tanner Klingele climbed to third, and those three separated from the pack as the laps continued to click off. On lap eleven, Cumby gained enough momentum to ease into the lead, but one lap later it was Klingele riding high to the front. The first yellow flag came with a dozen laps scored, and back to racing we witnessed a five car breakaway, with Adam Birck and Reed Wolfmeyer joinng the top three. A second caution came with four laps remaining, and being inside five to go the restart would be single file. As Birck moved to third, Cumby mounted a challenge for the lead, and coming through turn three there appeared to be contact between Cumby and Klingele. The result was flat tires for both drivers, and as they ducked to the hot pit, Birck found himself out front. Two more times the yellow flag would fly, but in only his second night of racing in 2024 Birck would find himself visiting victory lane, now behind the wheel of an Austen Becerra ride #122. Dakota Girard would cross the line in second followed by Wolfmeyer, A.J. Tournear, and Lucas Schieferdecker. Klingele and Cumby would work back up to sixth and seventh at the checkers. 

   Dirtcar Pro Crate Late Models would lead the way on this night with seventeen entrants, all lining up for twenty five laps. Jamie Wilson and visiting Jeremy Pundt filled out row one, with Wilson and third starting Jason Perry pacing the field early. With the inside line the preferred one, those two opened an advantage ahead of the first stoppage ten laps in as last weeks' winner Christian Miles slowed with a broken front end. Tommy Elston had lined up in row three, and he powered to third on the restart, then shot all the way to the lead two laps later. Elston began to pull away, with Wilson and Perry battling for second and Denny Woodworth and Jackson Frankel swapping fourth position. With only five laps remaining and Elston negotiating slower traffic, Vance Wilson got turned around on the backstretch creating a narrow miss by the leader. The single file restart was called off when Kruze Miles spun in turn four, and on the next try Jamie Wilson spun at the top of turn two just as Spencer Havermale had issues in turn one. In a rather curious move, both drivers were sent to the back of the restart. Now it was contact that saw Pundt lose a fifth place run on the restart, and once more the yellow would fly. Through it all Elston maintained his cool and his lead, racing to his second Adams County checkers of the season. For the second week in a row Perry was runner up followed by Woodworth, Frankel and Darin Weisinger Jr. Sam Halstead was back to lead the second five, topping Jason Oenning, Braden Bilger, Havermale, and Jeff Dotzert.

   Two Street Stocks were absent as ten cars took the green flag for eighteen laps. Robert Cottom sat on the pole position, and from the outset there was little doubt about the outcome. Rudy Zaragoza followed Cottom from row two to second with three yellow flags slowing the action, including one for an over eager hauler driver trying to escape down pit road during racing!. Behind the leader, Jake Powers battled with Zaragoza, finally grabbing second just two laps from the checkers. Rickey Frankel III would trail in fourth while Brandon Boden held off Rexing for fifth. 

   Dirtcar 4 Cylinders would put a wrap on the action, with all but one of fourteen going at it for fifteen laps. After a first lap yellow, Jaden Delonjay took off from the pole with brother Jeffrey in second. Travis Demint  was a visitor this night, and he came from row two to second on lap two, followed by eighth starting Kimberly Abbott charging to third. As Jaden increased his lead, Abbott eased to the runner up spot just ahead of a lap five caution which saw double duty Jeffrey retire to the pits. Demint reclaimed second on the restart and was now able to keep pressure on the leader. One final time the yellow flag flew with five circuits remaining, but Jaden was not to be headed, winning to increase his points lead. Demint was next, besting Abbott, Kyle Weisenberger and Rick Deford.

   Combined with the planned later start and out of car driver introductions for the Late Models, we were in the 11:00 hour when the final checkers waved. 

   Thanks as always to JT Promotions for their continued hospitality. A reminder that next Sunday night, the traveling MARS Super Late Models and Modifieds will visit the Speedway, doing battle for $5,000 and $2,000 respectively. Street Stocks, 4 Cylinders and Crown Vics will also be on the card. Don't miss this one!