Someplace New, Then Back " Home "

With the season ending weekend specials fast approaching, I took the opportunity on Saturday to visit a track I had never been to, and it was my 15th different track in 2010. Keagan and I joined buddy Fred as we traveled south and east to the Highland Speedway on the Madison County fairgrounds in Highland, Il. The top draw at this UMP weekly track was a visit from the Northern All Star late models in a 30 lap feature paying $2,000 to win. 30 late models made up the bulk of the 97 car turnout for five classes of racing. The track only offered hot laps to the top two classes, something we do not see closer to home, and qualifying started at 6:30, with only the late models receiving time trials, only one lap per car around the 1/4 mile paperclip shaped track. 13 total heat races and a B-main for the late models saw more than an average share of caution peiods, and combined with a break to do some grading of the track, it was about 9:30 when intermission time arrived. Things looked up for us weary travelers, however, when the call went out to bring the Northern All Star late models to the track. The extra track prep had created a smooth surface, and we anticipated a hard fought main event. Former UMP national champion Rodney Melvin drew the pole position after his second heat win, with heat three winner Ryan Unzicker to his outside. At the drop of the green, the two veterans took off in a side by side duel that had everyone on the edge of their seat. For more than half the race they ran this way, making contact only one time. Adding to the excitement was row two starters Jason Feger and Michael Kloos trying to build a high groove in an attempt to overtake the leaders. Highland is known as a bottom groove track, but Feger is known as the " Highside Hustler " for good reason, and he sent sparks flying off the turn four concrete more than once. Mid race Melvin began to open a lead over Unzicker, and Feger moved in to challenge. Just when he seemed poised to make a move, contact with the wall seemed to mess up his handling just a bit. The race was then for second, as he and Unzicker ran side by side. Coming to the checkers, the steering broke on Fegers # 25, but he stayed in the throttle, putting the ride side tires on the front stretch wall as the cars passed the flagstand. As Jason got out of the gas, the car came down on its top with the remainder of the field bearing down to the checkers. Fortunately, everyone missed the upside down car, and moments later he emerged from his ride to the roar of the big crowd. He had a bent race car and a third place finish behind Melvin and runnerup Unzicker. Kloos held off local driver Frankie Martin to complete the first five. The racing was fast and furious further back and Fred mentioned that he would like to see the race again to be able to watch the mid pack action! Steve Lance Jr. finished sixth, making a scorers nightmare as he was the third # 25 in the top six. Kevin Weaver came from 11th to seventh in the closing laps, followed by Bobby Dauderman, Paul Bailey and Adam Mefford. Kloos captured the first heat, while Mark Faust nabbed the consy. Martin turned the fastest lap at 13.600, well off the track record. Track point leader Chad Zobrist was involved in a heat race accident, was awarded a provisional start in the 21 car field, but retired early. With the clock ticking past 10:00 and a three hour drive home, we took our leave with four features yet to run. Highland is a unique facility, as you enter from high above the track and pit area, which set in a valley. Kudos to the concession workers for some of the best sandwiches and reasonable prices we have seen this season. On our trip south we ran back and forth with Quincy UMP driver Rickey Frankel, who competed at I-55 Raceway in Pevely, Mo., where he brought home a fourth place finish in a 32 car field.
Sunday night was back in the familiar digs of Quincy Raceways for the next to last point night of 2010. 13 IMCA late models checked in, and as hot laps wound down, Thad Trump from Kahoka, Mo. rolled through the pit gate as the 14th entry. Thad was making his season debut, as he has had a lot of " irons in the fire " this summer, deciding at 3:30 to load the # 46 and head south. The .29 mile oval offered up a combination of a little rough, a little tacky, and really fast, and the result was lots of action and some bent sheet metal. Clint Kirkham took off from the outside pole in the late model 30 lap finale, and looked like he might get win number one of the year. As the caution flew on lap 23, Clint suddenly pulled to the infield with something wrong under the hood, ending his fine run. Sixth starting Justin Reed had worked his way to the runnerup spot, and he inherited the lead, grabbing his third QR feature win of 2010. Bill Genenbacher ran a sloid second, with last weeks winner Keith Pratt third. Point leader Denny Woodworth gave up a point to second place Jason Perry in the heats, but climbed to fourth at the checkers, gaining two points back on sixth place Perry, with 34 Raceway point leader Joey Gower in fifth. Darin Weisinger and Trump were the only other two cars running at the end.
Last weeks UMP modified feature winner Steven Delonjay, who came in tied for second in points jumped the turn three cushion as the yellow came out for a spinning car at the start of the 25 lap feature. Delonjays # 35 launched off the berm, flipping wildly. Steven walked away from the crash, but his car was not as lucky,his pole position was wasted and his title hopes gone. Point leader Jared Schlipman jumped to the front, and built a lead, but before lap ten sixth row starter Michael Long had moved into second. The tough young drivers then raced side by side and nose to tail for a dozen laps before Long found an opening on the inside on lap 22, taking the lead down the backstretch. The win gave Michael nine wins and a second in ten starts in 2010. However the runnerup finish left Schlipman needing only a fifth place run next week to earn his first ever track championship.
Terry Houston used a second place finish behind winner Aaron Brocksieck to open a commanding lead over Abe Huls in the IMCA stock car chase, while Steve Carlin turned in a third place run in the hobby stocks behind Jim Brown and Nathan Anders to take control of that battle over Bobby Anders, who failed to finish the 20 lap finale.
Quincy Raceways promoters have announced an ambition schedule addition, with racing continuing every Sunday thru October 10. With some special events on the card, the IMCA rules late models are scheduled each week for a top prize of $1,000 to win in a draw redraw format. I will have more details as the time draws near.
This weekends plans are to stay close to home, beginning with season championship night Friday at Lee County Speedway in Donnellson. Hope to see you there!