Somethings Old, Something New

Despite continuing rain in the area, I managed to take in three nights of racing over a long weekend that started on Thursday. Incredibly two special races were scheduled for the final Thursday in June within 1 1/2 hours of my home, albeit in opposite directions. The deciding factor for me came down to a chance to visit a track I had never been to, so I took off work early, picked up my grandson Keagan and buddy Darryl and we headed for Shepps Speedway, just outside Alexander, Il. The event was night number nine of the UMP Summernationals, and my first tour race of 2010. Although the 1/4 mile track has been around for I think three seasons now, their weekly UMP program runs on Sunday nights, the same as my " home " track, Quincy Raceways. I had viewed the track from the interstate, and heard plenty of positive reports, and we were certainly not disappointed. 42 late models made the trip to the track built and owned by veteran driver Steve Sheppard Jr. Three local support classes were also on the card, but as expected for a week night special with increased costs, the car count was a bit light, although there were 17 UMP modifieds checked in. Time trials were split into the group qualifying format with fours groups of cars. The fastest car in group one set the standard for the night, with Michigan ace Jeep Van Wormer tripping the clock at 11.888 seconds. Four heat races, a C main and a B main set the first nine rows for the 40 lap $5,000 to win fianle, with three provisionals filling the 21 car starting grid.
Jason Feger drew the pole position, with Brian Shirley in a car borrowed from Tim Lance to his outside. On the start Feger got out of shape, and although he recovered, he soon went to the infield to change a flat tire, ending his shot at the win. Shannon Babb took over the second spot, and soon raced around Shirley for a lead he would not relinquish. Keagan decided he would pick a dark horse to win, and chose seventh starting Billy Moyer, Jr. As the laps clicked off, he began to look pretty smart, as the third generation driver powered his way to the runner up spot. Van Wormer had been among the early leaders, but faded mid race, nearly falling out of the top ten. After a caution period on lap 25, with the leaders preferring the low groove, Jeep went to the top of the banked oval, and began to go forward. Several times he slapped the turn to concrete wall, rocketing from there down the back chute. He had moved into third and was closing on Moyer Jr. when he suddenly fell in line on the bottom of the track. He way have packed a wheel full of mud, or had a tire going down, but in the last few laps he seemed to be concentrating on holding off Rodney Melvin for third. On the final lap, Tim Lance drove his # 48 around Shirley for fifth. Tim had made an unlikely run from the ninth starting spot to second in heat race number two. Jack sullivan in the GRT house car, defending champion Dennis Erb Jr., hometown favorite Brandon Sheppard, and UMP hot shoe Ryan Unzicker completed the top ten.
Shepps notes: The fourth heat race, with Babb, B. Sheppard, Erb, and local standout Brian Dively taking the transfer spots, was as good a race as I have seen in 2010. Quincian Mark Burgtorf had a seventh and fifteenth place finish at Danville and Highland, Il. on Monday and Tueday. Mark then went home and swapped his " big " motor car for his IMCA ride. The lower horsepower ride worked Wednesday at Belleville, as he made the show, but he was underpowered on the tacky track on Thursday. Part time IMCA hot dog Brian Harris was headed for a transfer in heat two when a broken axle ended his run in the Neltner # 75 ride out of Peoria. Another Peoria driver, Gerry Reeder lost control in turn four and climbed the fence, ending up in a near vertical position. He appeared to suffer heavy damage to his #65. The track is efficiently tucked in a surprisingly small area between the highway and the railroad tracks. The show started about fifteen minutes late, not bad considering the amount of standing water to be dealt with, and even with intermission, still ended before 11:00 PM. I am looking forward to another visit to the track, which is about 15 miles west of Springfield.
Getting home a bit after 1:00 AM on Friday was not a problem, as I had scheduled a vacation day on Friday, and after running a few errands, I was ready to head for the Lee County Speedway in Donnellson for some IMCA racing. Keagan joined me again, along with his younger brother Parker, and racing buddy Fred crossed the river to hitch a ride as well. The incredible rains of last week had left the fairgrounds pretty soggy, but as usual, Terry Hoenig had put in the time to make the track as smooth and fast as possible. Another solid field of 24 IMCA late models headlined the card, which also featured make up main events from the week previous, when rain wiped out the hobby stocks and wild things finales. Dean Kratzer, and Bryan Rodefer picked up the early wins, and then it was time for the regualr show. I have to note here that no track I have visited of late does as good a job as Donnellson with the pace of the show. Hot laps started promptly at 7:00, the first race was lined up ready to go before 7:30, and the intermission could not have been five minutes long! Continuing an early night trend, Fort Madison driver Mitch Higdon picked up the sport mod feature, then the late models cam to the speedway. Hannibal, Mo. veteran Terry Gallaher and Quincy youngster Robby Warner shared the front row, but it was Burlingtons Tom Goble who quickly took the lead. " Spiderman " appeared to have things in hand, as the bottom and middle grooves of the track seemed to be the fast ways around. About mid race, eighth starting Justin Reed seemed to have his # 1st come around, and he jumped to the top side and began to pick off cars. By the time JR had rolled in to third, there were only six laps to go and Goble was a long ways ahead, but the caution was just what Reed wanted to see. On the restart, he dispatched both Warner and Goble, picking up his first win of 2010 at LCS. Justin had been on the march at the last late model event at LCS before driver error slowed his run, so this time he stayed cool and notched the win. Keith Pratt and Tony Fraise completed the top five, while points leader Mark Burgtorf, racing for the fifth consecutive night, started fifteenth and could only advance to tenth. Twenty cars finished the event, which was only slowed by the one caution. Visitor Nathan Wood ran off with the IMCA stock car feature, as Jeff Mueller worked his way to the runner up slot. With a sudden deluge of Mayflies occupying a lot of attention in the grandstands, we nontheless held on for an exciting modified finale. Josh Foster took command early and survived a late race caution with Michael Long and Brandon Rothzen nipping at the back bumper of the # 77. Quincy driver Jeff waterman, fresh off the biggest win of his career, the Hawkeye Dirt Tour event at Cresco, Iowa the night before again held off Rich Smith for the fourth slot. With the regular features for the hobby stocks and Wild Things still to go, we headed for the car before the clock struck 11:00.
LCS notes: It was a different sort of night, with two IMCA modifieds getting upside down during heat race action. Although Dustin Fenton was back by feature time, Quincy youngster James Leffew was not so fortunate. He flipped his # 25 hard several times, and the damage to his car appeared to be severe. Taking a break from farming, Tom Darbyshire made his first visit of the year to the speedway. Quad Cities drivers Rob Toland and Nate Beuseling made to trip south with Nate having a new plain black body on his # 46. Thanks to Jeff Guengerich, Derek St Clair, and Rick Barlow, Jr. for taking time to sign autographs before the races.
Although there were a couple of tempting options for Saturday night, I took the night off, and spent Sunday morning watching the radar ahead of the IMCA stock car shootout at Quincy Raceways. With drivers coming from some distance for the $1,000 to win show, track officials made the call before noon to go racing. As it turned out, the weather continued to be an enemy, as the threatening forecast no doubt contributed to a somewhat disappointing car count of 22. In fact, the count was also below average in the IMCA late models, and UMP mods as well. After getting off to a bit of a late start, a light but steady rain began to fall after the first stock car heat. After waiting out the shower, and reworking the track, we got back to racing nearly 1 1/2 hours later. The heats and dashes ran off in quick time, and the first feature out was the 30 lapper for the stock cars. All 22 cars made the call on a track that was smooth and fast. Unfortunately, the race became a marathon, with caution after caution interrupting the pace of the race. Former track champion Jeff Mueller started in the second row, worked quickly to the point, and won going away. Track regular and point leader Terry Houston put his Ford in the runner up spot, with Iowa drivers Sean Johnson and Jason Cook following. John Heinz made the tow from Green Bay,Wi. to finish fifth. The stock cars will be racing for $1,000 to win five straight nights throughout the area. Second up was the UMP modieds, with 14 cars taking the green. Michael Long moved from his fifth row starting spot to the top three, and wasted little time taking the top spot. Michael held on through several cautions, picking up feature win number five in as many visits to the speedway in 2010. Two time winner Jared Schlipman, and points leader Dave Weitholder followed Long. The 13 car IMCA late model 30 lap finale went to the hottest late model driver currently at the track, Denny Woodworth. Denny started in row five and flew to the second spot, then found his way by Dustin Neese after a lap 13 restart. The late model lawyer picked up his second in a row at QR, with Keith Pratt in second, Bill Genebacher third, and Justin Reed ahead of Neese in fourth. Woodworth assumed the point lead with the win. Bobby Anders picked up another hobby stock win to bring an end to a very long evening.
QR notes: After a full week of racing, and with Summernational and Derry Brothers races coming up, Mark Burgtorf took the night off. Vance Wilson picked up two features wins with his IMCA car in the ULMA series Friday and Saturday, and also took Sunday off. Darin Weisinger was a spectator as he puts the engine back together in his # 11 late model. The UMP Pro crate late models will be an addition to the racing lineup this Sunday.
There is lots of good racing all week long and for the upcoming weekend. The wether looks good, so lets go racing!