Perry and Long Double Up at Quincy

My racing this weekend was limited to the regular Sunday night visit to the Quincy Raceways, but there was plenty of action to talk about. 92 race teams checked in, the second highest total of the year, led by 22 UMP modifieds and 21 UMP super late models. This was the first week that the starting time was moved back one hour, and with rain a possibility, it looked like a dubious decision. Fortunately, the rain went around, and I see that our friends in Peoria endured a 90 minute delay. With the first green waving at 6:37, the 14 heat races and late model dash rolled off in just over one hour. The dash was history making, as Jerry Lierly and Dustin Griffin finished the six laps in what looked like a dead heat. But since QR has electronic scoring, the computer would tell us who actually won, except... it was indeed a dead heat, scoring to .000 of a second. Intermission was kept short, and the modified feature was on the track by 8:00. Unfortunately, it took about 25 minutes to run the 25 lap caution fest, capped off by one last yellow as the white flag was set to wave. Michael Long has enjoyed a stellar season every where except his home track in 2012, with only one feature win. He quickly turned the around on Sunday, charging to the lead at the start, and holding on for a solid win. He bookmarked the weekend, having picked up the victory in Pontoon Beach, Il. on Friday, and taking Saturday off for number two sons first birthday. Dave Weitholder powered to a runnerup finish, passing Jared Schlipman, who took third. Jake Griffinf, the 13 year old, followed up a pavement win on Friday at Hawkeye Downs in Cedar Rapids with a fourth place run. Jake had earlier vaulted from seventh to second in 2 plus laps in his heat.Defending track champ Steven Delonjay had engine issues, missing his heat race, and falling out of the feature mid way through.
  The IMCA stock cars were up next, and this usually steady group also had yellow flag issues. Again we had only eight cars, but the racing was close and back and forth. It took most of the race, but Terry Houston finally broke Abe Huls win streak, parking his Ford in victory lane. For his part, Abe ran mid pack most of the way, but stayed out of trouble and recorded a runner up finish ahead of Darin Weisinger, the early leader, and Jerry Jansen.
  The track may have been the best it has been all year, with multiple grooves, and the late models took full advantage. The 20 starters ran 30 laps non stop! Only Clint Kirkham missed the call. Clint came from fifth to second in his heat, then lost power on the warm up lap of the dash. Despite the efforts of a host of folks, the # 28 was scratched for the night. Lierly and Griffin took off at the green, but it was row two starter Perry, who nabbed the lead two laps in. Jason has picked up his first main event the night before at Montgomery, Mo. Motorsports Park, and he kept his # 27 out front to make it two in a row. Griffin continued his strong performance with a second place finish, while a newcomer took third. Nick Bauman climbed behind the wheel of the Adam Mefford # 7M, and scored a podium finish. It was only the third night for the 7M, with Nick supposedly shaking out the bugs for Mefford. I think it worked, and hopefully we will see more of them in 2012. Rickey Frankel ran a steady fourth and national point leader Jim Moon completed the top five. Denny Woodworth advanced quickly from 14th to sixth, but could go no further. Lierly faded to seventh, and 17th starting Mark Burgtorf ran outside the top ten until the final five laps or so, when he charged to eighth. It was Marks first night in the newly purchased Pierce chassis, and car owner Lynn Richard said it was a real " thrash job " to get it ready. For his part, Mark was late to the track after playing in a golf tournament with son Cale.
  All told, the first three feature took one hour to run, then the IMCA Sport Mods were up. This division is a mix of veteran racers and untested rookies and can quite frankly be painful to watch. there was a bit of full moom drama mixed in on Sunday, as a couple of the veterans were a bit unhappy with anothe driver, and we even got to witness a helmet toss! at the checkers, it was hobby stock move up Bobby Anders ending Tony Dunkers string of W's. Vance Wilson survived a trip to the back and recovered to nab second ahead of Jeff Klingle, and first time visitor Tom Elson.
  The IMCA sport comapcts were next. 17 strong, and frisky as ever! After some disappointing seasons, this class is becoming a crowd favorite at Quincy. Iowa ace Bill Michel led throughout for the win, but there was lots of back and forth behind him. Kimberly Abbott stayed patient and grabbed second from deep in the field, with Robert Thompson and Mike Hornung Jr. in tow.
  The hobby stocks closed out the night, with defending champion Steve Carlin out for only the second time in 2012. Steve was using an engine he had obtained in a claim exchange made against him last season. The early laps featured side by side racing between Brian Hoener and Jake Powers, before Hoener broke something in his suspension. Brandon Symmonds then took up the chase in another event marred by cautions. Powers squeeked out a close win over Symmonds, who bobbled away second place temporarily. Brandon came back to make it close at the end, with Jeff Delonjay turning in a season best third, and Nathan Anders in fourth.
  The final checkers waved just before 10:00, and Keagan and I did not stay around to witness any pit discussions!
   There is plenty of action to chose from, so get out and take in some racing this
weekend!