Finally, Some Racing!

After a total washout weekend last week, this weekend did not hold the promise of a lot of racing. Friday was a late day at work, and just happened to be my 40th wedding anniversary, so no racing was planned, and as the storms rolled through, I was happy to be home. Saturday was the Racers Reunion in Keokuk, Iowa. Armed with a scrapbook full of memories from days gone by, my wife and I arrived about 9:30 and stayed until after the podium interviews concluded after 3:00. It was a great chance to visit with current and past racers, and take a close look at race cars past and present. Although the main focus was on the national stars who put my hometown on the racing map, there was also lots of memorabilia devoted to the local dirt track and the neighboring drag strip, as well as the Lee County Fairgrounds track in nearby Donnellson. I was fortunate enough to get a checkered flag autographed by yesterdays stars Don White, Ernie Derr, Ramo Stott, Lem and Gordon Blankenship, Russ Derr and others. Also in attendance was Davenport, Iowa standout Terry Ryan, who shared the front row of the 1976 Daytona 500 with Stott. The most popular attraction other than the drivers was Ramos' # 7 Plymouth Superbird that he drove to that pole position. This was the third edition of the Reunion, and, and a fourth is already in the planning stages, probably in three years or so. Thanks to former local racer Joe Shuman who works tirelessly to put this special event together.
Saturday night Mary and I enjoyed an anniversary dinner, and as we headed back south, we met my racing companions headed north towards 34 Raceway.
Sunday looked like it would be good for racing at Quincy Raceways, but about noon I got the e-mail that racing was on hold, as the pits looked like a quagmire. A final decision was to come at 2:00, and the extra couple hours of wind and sun gave promoter Tony Rhineberger the encouragement he needed to keep going. When I arrived at the track at 4:00, I wasn't sure we could get even 30 cars in the pits, but continued work by track crews made both the track and the pits accessible to the cars. A total of 60 cars in the fours classes signed in on a hot, muggy late Sunday afternoon, led by 17 IMCA late models and 21 UMP modifieds. In the late models, " Superman " Sam Halstead made his first weekly visit of 2010, while Missouri mod standout Rusty Griffaw made the 2 1/2 hour tow from Fenton to compete.
The late model part of the program got off to a bad start, as the first heat took the green, a mixup at the front of the pack resulted in Nick Ingalls getting his # 5 upside down, then rightside up just past the flag stand. Although uninjured, it took several minutes before Nick could exit his machine, and the news took a bad turn in the pit area, when Nick and crew determined that the car was probably not fixable. Hopefully things will change, but the initial decision was that Ingalls is done for 2010. Less serious damage was done to the # 20 of Dustin Griffin and the # 33 of Keith Pratt, although both took the feature green minus the right side sheet metal of there cars, and both retired after a couple of laps. Meanwhile, Denny Woodworth came from a seventh row starting spot, moved quickly into the top five, then ran down Dustin Neese, who led the first half of the 30 lapper. Denny took the lead for good on lap 17 and built a nice lead before the yellow flew with five laps to go. By then, twelfth starting Mark Burgtorf had moved to the runner up slot, but Woodworth was not to be denied, racing to his second win of 2010. Burgtorf held the runner up spot, followed by Bill Genenbacher, points leader Jason Perry, Saturday night winner at 34 Justin Reed, and Neese.
The UMP modified format has the top two from the three heats running a six lap dash to determine the first three rows of the 25 lap finale. The outcome of the preliminaries has Michael Long on the pole, with Griffaw outside. Rusty took the early lead, but a couple caution perods kept the field bunched. On a lap five restart, the front of the pack piled up, and although Griffaw was able to continue, he suffered heavy body damage. When the green waved again, Long took the lead, holding on through a couple more yellows. With time expired, the word came that the next yellow would bring out the checkers, but the cars ticked off the final 12 laps caution free. While Long held on for his fourth feature win of 2010 at the track, Griffaw, Steven Delonjay, Jared Schlipman, James Keffew, and point leader Dave Weitholder swapped positions in entertaining fashion, crossing the stripe in that order.
Only nine IMCA stock cars made the show, but Kevin Tomlinson and Abe Huls swapped the lead back and forth before Kevin took the checkers.
The final feature of the night was the 13 car hobby stock 20 lapper, with Bobby Anders and point leader Steve Carlin coming from deep in the pack to finish in the top two spots.
Next week the IMCA stock cars will compete for $1,000 to win and $175 to start in the annual shootout which last year drew more than 30 cars. The other 3 classes will be on the card as well. Before that, I hope to make my first visit to Shepps Speedway in Alexandria,Il. on Thursday for a UMP Summernationals late model show. It was a tough choice between this show and the MLRA late model event at 24 Raceway in Moberly,Mo. With a vacation day on Friday, I have an eye on the IMCA late model show at Donnellson. And Saturday is the USAC sprint and midget show at 34 Raceway in West Burlington. Something may have to go, although the way this year has been, Mother Nature may make that decision!