And We're Off!

The holiday weekend got off to an early start Wednesday evening, as Quincy Raceways staged their mid season championship races, rescheduled from Sunday night. With severe storm damage throughout the Quincy area early Monday morning - many area folks still had no electricity - the car and crowd count was somewhat less than average, but the racing was top notch. Although IMCA had granted QR the option of awarding points to the late model and stock car classes on Tuesday night makeup nights, the decision was made to use Wednesday as the make up night when needed. So it was an unusual event with only three of the five classes racing for points on mid season night. To date QR has staged seven shows, but the late models and stock cars have raced for points only twice.
The week night show started several minutes early, with two heat races in the books by the 7:30 advertised time. Even better, there were no caution periods, save a false start or two until the final heat race, UMP modified heat number two, which saw the yellow wave three times, and the heats were complete by about 8:15.
The first feature of the night was the stock cars, with outside pole sitter and heat winner Beau Taylor taking the lead just ahead of Kevin Tomlinson. Kevin ran the bottom groove with Beau in the middle until Aaron Brocksieck moved under Tomlinson for second. He then crossed the line slightly ahead of Taylor on lap six, but the two ran side by side foe several laps before Brocksieck managed to open even a car length advantage. Aaron held on to pick up his fifth win of 2011, with Taylor a season best second and Tomlinson third. And the race went caution free.
The 20 lap hobby stock main event was next, with veteran Wes Mayfield shaking the monkey off his back after a disastrous first half that found him on his third engine. Wes was challenged early by Jake Powers before pulling away to his first win since 2007. And again, the race was caution free. Third on the card was the 30 lapper for late models. Because it was a non points event, veteran Gary Wilson, who brought his ULMA rules car out in hopes of getting some hot laps, was allowed to put IMCA tires on his # 55 and compete in the nights races. Gary moved up to third in his heat, but dropped out of the main event mid way through. Heat two winner Keith Pratt drew the pole position, with Joey Gower to his outside. Pratt won the drag race to turn one at the green, ducked to the now faster bottom groove, and drove a mistake free race. The driver known as " Kool Kat " became the seventh different winner of 2011, besting Gower and point leader Lonnie Bailey. And there were no cautions.
The six car 12 lap Wild Thing feature ran next, with Bill Michel making the long tow from Farmington, Iowa look good as he stretched out a big lead. As the white flag waved, a tire went down on the # 69, as Michel went backwards. Second running Kimberly Abbott slowed behind the leader, and first time visitor Robert Thompson from McComb charged from third to the top spot and the win. Abbott recovered for the runner up slot. Oh yeah, no cautions.
The final race of the night was the 25 lapper for the 14 car UMP modified field. And on lap two, you guessed it, the caution waved. A total of five stoppages marred the race, including a small fire in the Ryan Morrison ride. Through it all, front row starter Steven Delonjay, the second generation hot shoe hugged the lower groove, taking the win. Shawn Deering grabbed his fourth second place finish of the year, while visitor Danny Crane found some traction in the high groove to move to third. Crane is locked in a tight UMP regional points battle with QR regular Dave Weitholder, and made the trip from Columbia, Mo. for some head to head action. Crane got the better of Weitholder on this night, although Dave used a fifth place finish to take the track points lead from Jared Schlipman, who was out of town. The final checkers waved at 9:10.
As I write this on Saturday afternoon, things still look good for the second visit of the IMCA Deery Brothers Summer Series late models to QR Sunday July 3. In addition to the regular classes, the IMCA sport mods have been added to the card - a possible audition for 2012 - with their feature paying $500.00 to win. Hot laps start at 5:45 on Sunday.
Last night Keagan and buddy Fred joined me for a visit to the Lee County Speedway in Donnellson. Friday racing is always a challenge, as my workday ends at 5:00 PM only if things go well, and fortunately that was the case this week. Lee County was racing for the second consecutive night, having staged their annual Liberty Cup race on Thursday, so the IMCA stock cars and sport Mods were not on the Friday card, replaced by IMCA late models and 305 sprints. the sprints lead the way with 20 cars of the total 80 entries in five classes. 16 Wild Things were signed in, with 15 starting the 12 lap feature. David Helenthal led the distance in his sharp looking # 79.
The hobby stocks were next up, with 11 of 12 taking the green. Jim Lynch moved through the pack, catching race leader Dane Fenton on the final lap. Fenton was looking for his second win in a row, but left the inside line open for Lynch as the pair came out of turn four. The finish was so close that all eyes were on the scoreboard awaiting word from the tower as to who won. The victory went to a very excited Lynch, and he led the race for only the last couple of feet.
All 16 IMCA modifieds made the feature call, with Dustin Crear looking like the man to beat. But Wyatt Lantz had other ideas. Lantz had finished third the night before in the Liberty Cup, and had unfinished business to take care of. He took the lead in the caution free event, cruising to the win.
Tyler Cale, who finished second on Thursday slipped past Crear at the checkers to take the runner up spot again, with points leader Josh Foster being the first to drop out of the 20 lap finale.
The 16 car IMCA late models rolled out next, with a front row of Justin Reed and Jeff Aikey. Two nights earlier, Aikey had picked up the win in the 84 lap $5,004.00 to win Red Dralle Memorial Summer Series race at Independence, Iowa. And second place had went to Reed! This time it was Justin, who now calls Collinsville, Il home, taking the early lead, with the Waterloo, Ia veteran hot on his tail. On lap four, Camp Point, Il driver and Quincy Raceways regular Bill Genenbacher flipped his # 72 machine between turns one and two, landing on his wheels on top of the guardrail with most of the car outside the track. It took sometime to remove the uninjured veteran racer and his ride from the guardrail. When racing resumed, third starting Mark Burgtorf moved around Aikey and started to dog Reed. Burgtorf was able to get under Justin on one occasion, but Reed kept his momentum, eventually opening up a lead of several car lengths. Mark had one more shot as the leaders moved into lapped traffic with five to go, but Reed worked the slower cars flawlessly, cruising to the win. Burgtorf nabbed second, while Lonnie Bailey, driving a different # 25 than he competes at Quincy Raceways got by Aikey for third. Denny Woodworth the night late model sponsor finished fifth.
The final race of the evening was the 305 sprints, with the 20 lapper starting at 10:00 straight up.18 cars took the green, with Mark Widmar jumping to the lead. Several cautions slowed the proceedings, and at we agreed on a 10:30 curfew for ourselves after a long Friday. But things were heating up as Bobby Mincer had closed the gap on Widmar with three laps to go, and it looked like another shootout was coming. But entering turn three, Mincer tangled with a lapped car, ending his run. With a wreck to clean up, the clock reading 10:32 and only three laps remaining, we headed for the parking lot. Checking results, I see Widmar held on for a well deserved win. Fred commented that the 305 really get around the 3/8 mile LCS oval. As always, it was a top notch show in Donnellson, and even though things got started about 20 minutes late - a very unusual happening - time was made up, with no intermission between heats and features.
Tonight, I am off to enjoy some Whiteys ice cream and fireworks - legal to shoot'em here in Missouri, you know! Tomorrow it is back to racing, with Quincy Raceways on the docket. After that, we will see. Summer is here for sure, so wherever you are , take in some holiday racing. Maybe we'll meet up down the road.