Lets Try This Again

For anyone who takes the time to read my musings, I want to assure you that I have not yet lost my mind. I am not quite sure what happened last night, but a full 3/4 of my ramblings disappeared in to cyberspace. Of course, it could have been something I did. My computer is a lot like my wife. I don't understand either, but I sure would be lost without them! As the race program i was reporting on is now 48 hours past and was well covered by
Jeff, I will just offer some highlights and random thoughts.
With Jeep Van Wormer arriving after hot laps, he once again proved that these warm up sessions are over rated. The Michigan pilot had not been on the Quincy Raceways oval in more than a year, the track had again been somewhat reworked since, yet he set the third fastest lap behind Jason Feger, for whom the track should be perfect, and Mark Burgtorf, who has run more laps around the oval than the water truck! Despite a stellar group of drivers, including surprise visitor Doug Drown from Ohio, who brought along Australian ace Craig Vosbergen, the field of actual UMP cars was a bit short. However, ten of the IMCA late models drivers decided to pull double duty with the same car, and Justin Reed entered his # 1st IMCA car in that division, and Tony Dunkers # 4 IMCA ride in the UMP class. Denny Woodworth unloaded both his IMCA and his " outlaw " car, while Burgtorf has parked the chassis he was using for the " big motor " shows, and is now switching power plants in what was his IMCA ride. As a result, Mark ran only the UMP portion of the show. Those three QR drivers and Dustin Griffin were the only locals to make the $5,000 to win finale, while Quincian Rickey Frankel, and Russ Schoonover, originally from the Macomb area, but now residing in England were the only " travelers " to not make the field. " Schoony " comes back every summer or two, and always plans a trip to QR for an open show, his smoking # 59 in tow! Although a lot of folks dod not like the straight up starts the tour uses, i have mixed feelings about that. My main gripe is the 21 car starting field, which features three provisional spots. As with QR, the usual result, is a B-main that advances only two cars, a daunting task in a 16 car starting field. I have noticed that a few of the bigger tracks added three more cars, but of course that is an extra payout of nearly $1,500, minus what those three would have been paid for their B-main start.
Van Wormer was a rocket around the top of the QR .29 mile oval, and after avoiding an early race crash with a slowing Brian Shirley, who was leading at the time, he was not going to be denied. Shirley was once again piloting a team 48 car out of the Tim Lance trailer. Tim himself picked up a top ten run. Feger came in as the points leader, and his runner up finish kept him on top, as he tries to unseat defending champion Dennis Erb Jr. who finished seventh. Shannon Babb, who started 12th may have had something for the top two, but a collision with a lapped car as he was chasing third place Ryan Unzicker sent him to the back, and he could only come back to sixth, behind Drown and Burgtorf. Jack Sullivan, who has run the entire tour to date in the GRT house car, was smoking badly, but made a quick trip to the hot pit area under caution, came back and finished eighth ahead of Woodworth and T. Lance.
The IMCA late model feature looked like Dustin Neese might get his first win of the season, but row five starters Woodworth and Reed moved quickly through the field. Woodworh was then involved in a mishap and was sent to the back, clearing the way for Reed to take the win. Joey Gower also cleared Neese for second, while Woodworth charged back to fourth ahead of " Superman " Sam Halstead. The finish left Woodworth and Reed tied atop the points sheet.
While the late models loaded up, Reed was not done, as he was also racing in the UMP modified class. Three classes on a hot Sunday night, isn't youth a wonderful thing!?! Justin had one his modified heat, but a puff of smoke at the checkers signaled the end of the night for his Tony dunker owned # 4st. So a call went out, and soon the # 16j normally driven by Jason Daggs came down pit road. Reed had to start at the tail of the 17 car field, and he quickly retired. Points leader Dave Weitholder put his # 05 out front and looked to be cruising. However, second generation driver Steven delonjay patiently worked his way to second, and tried Weitholder every lap. As the two exited turn four on the final lap of a long night, Weitholder left the top groove open, and Delonjay made his move. the electronic scoring had Delonjay in front at the line by .01 of a second!
Veteran Hannibal, Mo. driver Jim Brown came out of retirement this season, and struggled for a few weeks, but put his # 83 in victory lane in the hobby stock class. The IMCA stock cars had the night off.
This weekends plans involve a visit to the Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Mo. for the Lucas Oil/MLRA Diamond Nationals - weather permitting, of course, and a quick trip home for more Sunday night racing at Quincy Raceways. See you at the track.