Beck &Burgtorf Bring Home the Bacon

After Friday nights unexpected rain out, we were not in the mood for more disappointment. So when Keagan and I rolled in to Freds' house in Quincy, I told him the radar did not look too good to the east. But we had made our plans, and with Fred behind the wheel, we picked up Darryl and headed out to make our first visit if 2011 - and Freds first ever - to Shepps Speedway, just outside Alexander,Il. Alexander is a small town just off I-72 about 90 miles from Quincy. Unfortunately, there regular race night is Sunday, in direct conflict with Quincy Raceways. This week, however, with I-55 Raceway in Pevely,Mo. running World of Outlaw sprint cars, the Sheppard family scheduled a special Saturday night show featuring UMP late models. Although the late models are no longer featured weekly at the track, 17 cars showed up for a shot at the $1,000 top prize. In addition, UMP modifieds, street stocks, Hornets, mini sprints and Kidz Modz were a part of the 76 car field on the tight 1/4 mile speedway. The UMP mods and UMP late models were last in the running order, and both had some problems with the caution flag come feature time. Former late model driver Guy Taylor led the first lap of the mod main before breaking the front end of his #77. From there, Curt Rhodes took over the top spot in his #10. A total of six cautions slowed the action, with most coming early in the race. Meanwhile, Ryan Blakeman, fresh off a Friday night win in just down the road in Jacksonville,Il. had encountered problems in his heat race, and started last in the 17 car field. By lap seven, he was up to fourth, and coming fast. Surprisingly, that was as far as he could advance, and he settled in there, as the battle raged up front. Brian Dively, doing double duty in the mods and late models, worked all three lanes of the track to try and overtake Rhodes, but came up short, settling for runner up honors, Another double duty pilot, Ethan Schnapp, finished third, with Blakeman fourth.
All 17 late models took the green for the finale of the evening. John Beck took off from the pole to lead lap one, but Farmer City Raceway co promoter Kyle Logue took over on lap two. At the same time, Ryan Little eased his # 38L into second, but smoke began to pour out of the back of Littles ride during a lap eight caution, ending his good run. Four laps later, Jake Little in the 38J - not sure what the family connection is - brought out another yellow. On the restart, Logue smacked the turn two wall, lost a wheel, and was done for the night. This turned the lead back over to Beck, with Roger Brickler in second. At this time, Dively, who started fifth was setting in the sixth spot. When the green waved, he took to the top of the track, and four laps later he was third and closing fast. On lap 17 the caution waved again, and on the restart, Dively jumped the turn three cushion, and climbed the concrete wall, ending the run of the night. One more yellow waved on lap 21, but Beck remained in control, picking up only his second ever super late model win. Veteran Rick Standridge ran second,, second generation racer Matt Taylor in one of father Dicks # 24 cars was third, Greg Kimmons took fourth, and Brickler faded to fifth. 14th starting Mike Hammerle rolled home sixth, and Adam Mefford in the Sheppard family owned # 5s advanced five spots to seventh. Although there was some delay between checkered flags and the next racing pulling on the track, the curtain came down about 10:20 after a 17 race program. The racing was very close throuout the night, including possibly the best 4 cylinder battle I have ever witnessed. Part time Quincy competitor Todd Nelson finished second, but unfortunately, I was not able to get the winners name! If you get a chance, I can recommend a visit to this unique facility.
Night number 30 of the 2011 season found me back at the familiar ground of Quincy Raceways. With the weather somewhat cooler although accompanied by a threat of rain, the car count was up a bit with 67 race teams in the five classes, led by 22 UMP modifieds.
The IMCA stock cars ran feature number one, and the story remained the same - short on cars, long on action! Three different drivers spent time in the top spot, with the team cars of Kevin Tomlinson and Kelly Bartz knocking at the doors, of first Andrew Griffin, then Terry Houston, and finally Aaron Brocksieck. In the end, Brocksieck cruised to the " W " ahead of Tomlinson.
The 14 car IMCA late model feature rolled out next, for their 30 laps of action. Amazingly, the race went green to checkers with no stoppages - sort of. Lonnie Bailey held the lead for a dozen laps before Joey Gower took the spot away.On lap 19, Keith Pratt took over the second spot, while seventh starting Mark Burgtorf - the late models ran a draw, redraw show - began to move on the top side of the oval. In lapped traffic on lap 24, Pratt moved alonside Gower, and two laps later took over the lead. It was then we noticed that Pratt had broken something in the left front of his # 33. We later learned he also lost his brakes. One lap later, Burgtorf took third, and as the white flag flew, Mark moved to second. Coming out of turn four to the checkers, I will not speculate on exactly what happened at the far end of the track, but there was some contact between Mark and Keith, and Pratt got airborne, flipping his mount across the finish line, landing upside down under the flag stand. Burgtorf scooted by for his first win of the season, Gower grabbed second, Bailey third, and Pratts wild finish was good for fourth and a bent up race car. Justin reed held on to the point lead by coming home fifth. As for Pratt, he is sore, but otherwise uninjured despite the wild ride.
Tanner Klingele topped a twelve car hobby stock field, while Nelson picked up a win to go with Saturday nights runner up finish in the 4 cylinder class. Obviously a true racer, Nelson loaded up Friday in Donnellson after the cancellation and headed for Jacksonville,Il Raceway hoping to tag the back of the Hornet feature. He came up just short, as the feature was rolling to the track as he came to the gate. As he calls Springfield,Il home, at least it was on the way!
The UMP mod feature ran last on the card, but there was plenty of drama attached. Steven Delonjay was looking to set a track record, as he was going for his seventh straight feature win. Besides the locals trying to prevent that, UMP national point runner up Ray Bollinger from Kewanee, Il made the trip south in search of UMP points. Bollinger has been a dominant car at Peoria,Il in 2011 , but had not yet been to Quincy. 20 of the 22 entrants took the green to start the 25 lap finale, and once again, the caution periods slowed the pace, especially early on until the field was pared down a bit. Defending track champion Jared Schlipman took the initial lead, before Michael Long took advantage of a restart to claim the top spot. Schlipman stayed close until a lapped car opened the door for Delonjay to take second on lap 13. A final caution flew on lap 20 as Jim Roach lost a rearend while running fourth, and as everyone settled in for the final shootout, Chris Spalding suddenly found something on the top of the track, and moved up to grab third and challenge for second. At the flag, it was Long breaking the streak, Delonjay second, Spalding third, followed by Schlipman and Bollinger.
I would have to say that the two nights combined provided some of the most exciting racing I have seen in 2011.
This weekend, plans are wide open, other than Quincy on Sunday. Maybe I will see you at the races!