Livin' The Dream

In 2009 I made my first and only trip to the famed Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio for the late model Dream along with buddy Darryl. While I had been dirt track racing for 50 plus years, the hype of Eldora had always seemed more than I cared to travel eight hours for. However I decided I should go once to see the place, and although I was very impressed, I though it was a " one and done. " But last season I decided that granddson Keagan should get a look at the place, so along with buddies Fred and Darryl, I made plans to attend again this season, ordering tickets in November. To me this is a dicey situation for several reasons, but a necessary one to get good front stretch seats. One of those situations arose this week, when Darryl became ill and was not able to make the trip. So Keagan, Fred and I piled into Freds van and headed out before the sun rose on Friday morning.
 I could easily write a book about the weekend, but if you have been to Eldora, you have experienced it - if not, it is difficult to explain. Of course we did not get the entire experience, staying in a motel 40 miles away in Richmond, In. but 12 hour days at the speedway makes for many adventures!
 With a sizable addition to the purse this season by corporate sponsors, the car count went up to 98 after several seasons of decline, and it was a solid mix of  touring drivers, with local and regional stars thrown in from over 20 states and Canada.
  Friday night began with nine hot lap sessions beginning at 6:13, followed by two rounds of time trials. All drivers draw for a one lap trial in round one, then redraw for a spot in the second round. Don Oneal brought out a MastersBilt chassis with which he won this race in 2011, finished third in the World 100, and had not raced since. The " Real Deal " set quick time in round one, only to have Earl Pearson Jr better his 15.592 in round two. As it turned out, Pearson and third quick Eddie Carrier Jr. needed their times to collect the last two provisional starting spots in the 26 car main event on Saturday, with Oneal qualifying through his heat race. Tim McCreadie recorded the fastest lap to date in hot laps before crashing into the turn two wall and being forced to bring out his back up # 39 for the rest of the weekend.  After time trials locked in the top 60 cars, the remainder split into three 20 lap position races paying UMP feature points and $1,000 to win purse. These were won by Duane Chamberlain, Jeff Babcock, and Shane Cottle, with the first two going caution free. we left the track just before 11:30 local time.
  Saturday racing began at 7:00 sharp, with no hot laps run. Six 15 lap heats where contested with the top three in times inverted per a Friday spin of the invert wheel by Pearson. All six winners started outside row one - Klint Byers, Scott Bloomquist, Steve Shaver, Jeep VanWormer, Shane Clanton, and Illinois standout Brian Shirley. The sixth heat winner would have the feature pole, putting Shirley and Clanton in row one.
  At this point, anyone outside the top ten in their heat was done for the night - positions seven through ten went to the 24 car C-main. Doud Drown took the 15 lap win - from outside row one - with the top six advancing to the B-main. The non qualifiers then stayed on the track for a five lap, $ 1,000 to win shootout, again with full UMP points. Mississippi driver Chris Wall took home the top prize.
  Heat finishers four through six along with the top six from the C main then contested a 20 lap B main, with again the top six moving to the big show. Chris Madden broke the outside row one streak by winning from the poll. Outside row one driver Brandon Sheppard, from New Berlin,Il. in the Rocket house car took second, while Josh Richards who gave up the house ride to compete in the Nationwide series, failed to qualify in the # 25. Illinois drivers were front and center in the B, with Jason Feger third, and Shannon Babb sixth. Scott James finished fourth in a Riggs Motorsports entry out of southern Il., while 16 year old Tyler Reddick made the feature in his first visit to Eldora.  Again, the non qualifiers ran five laps for $1,000, with Eric Wells snagging the win.
  After the pomp and circumstance of driver interviews and introductions, Keagan and I made our way from the pits to the grandstands, and the 100 lap $100,000 to win finale took the green at 10:35. Again it was the outside polesitter Shane Clanton taking the early lead, with Shirley and Bloomquist locked in a side by side duel for second. After Bloomer took the spot on lap 21, the first caution waved three laps later for Chub Frank. On the side by side restart, Bloomquist jumped the start, and was penalized one row. Back to racing, both of the challengers began to fade a bit, and West Virginias John Blankenship took up the chase. The leaders hit traffic about lap 42, but three laps later, the caution waved for Shaver. With a clear track, the Georgia Bulldog Clanton was hooked and hauling on the top side of the high banked ( short ) 1/2 mile track. a  third caution came out on lap 67, and fifth running Bloomquist headed for the trailer. Meanwhile, Darrell Lanigan had charged from row eight to blast past row nine starter Steve Francis for third. Dennis Erb Jr, also eased by Francis before slipping back to fifth at the finish. Clint Smith held off 26th starting Carrier for sixth, Brian Birkhofer and Billy Moyer swapped the next spot late with Birky finishing eight, and Chris Madden advance nine spots to record a tenth place run.
  Again we were on the road before 11:30.
  Although the feature was a bit of a snoozer, there was still lots of action, and while the results may not show it, the preliminary events had some outstanding back and forth racing. Eldora is a special place, and the fact that you can hold on to your reserved seat while paying an extra $5.00 for two nights of pit access is my favorite part. If you can make it fit your financial and time budget, it is a must see for dirt track fanatics. I was thinking two and done, but Keagans says he is going back, so we shall see!
  While Eldora was a first for Keagan, so was a shot at three straight nights of racing, and we got back in plenty of time to meet up with his little brother Parker and head for Quincy Raceways for Sunday night mid season championship racing.
  17 UMP late models headlined an 87 car field in six divisions. After a slow start in 2012 while waiting on an engine and then missing a night with mechanical woes, Dustin Griffin had held the hot hand at QR. Dustin captured heat one form, you guessed it, the outside pole. Mark Burgtorf was in the Richard Racing # 15R, and began smoking on the final laps, but it turned out to be only a broken oil line. Jake Griffin was running up front in heat two before breaking an axle on the final lap, with Jason Perry taking the win. Griifin bested Perry in the dash, and the two started in the front row of the 30 lap finale. after the third caution period on lap 16 saw Fourth running Justin Reed go pitside, second running Perry spun on the restart. National point leader Jim Moon, the winner Saturday night at Montgomery Co., Mo. then grabbed the lead from D Griffin, but the # 20 regained the top spot on lap 22.  A final caution one lap later for Perry and Roger Brickler slowed the action, but did not derail Griffin, who collected his third win of 2012, completing a sweep of the nights late model events. Moon turned in his best feeort at QR in second ahead of Denny Woodworth Burgtorf, and third starting Jerry Lierly, who went to the back early and charged back to fifth.
 The UMP modifieds turned out 20 cars, and the feature was slow to get started with several early cautions. Steven Delonjay and Dave Weitholder, who have developed a bit of a rivalry, dueled early, before Michael Long found a way way around for the win. Delonjay held second, while Weitholder took third with the drivers side sheet metal of his # 05 peeled away. Abe Huls started up front on mid season night and cruised to the IMCA feature win over a sparse field of cars. Darin Weisinger continued his strong runs in the runner up spot, and Michael Larsen rebounded from early issues to take third.  Brian Hoener survived a slam bang hobby stock main to grab a win over Jeff Delonjay and Jamie Bevill, and Mike Hornung Jr, was the first of three Iowa drivers in the sport compact finale, edging out Chuck Fullenkamp and Bill Michel. The IMCA sport mod feature was the last one on the card, and was a marathon event. Tony Dunker led all the way for the win over Bobby Anders and Tanner Klingele.
 With a lot going on this week, our next action may come next Sunday at QR. 
  Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone involved in the tragic Friday night events at CJ Speedway in Columbus Junction, Iowa, where veteran modified driver Tim Sands lost his life in an accident that also injured driver Dave Schrier.
  See you at the track!