A Road Trip, Then Back Home

Friday morning, Keagan, Darryl ans I jumped in Freds van and we took off for a midsummer road trip.
Several years ago, while attending a race at Kentucky Lake Motor Speedway, Darryl and I had taken a side trip to Paducah International Raceway. At the time, it was undergoing a remodel, and promoter Bob Sargent had let us take a tour of the 3/8 mile speedplant. We decided then to schedule a visit to catch a race there, but work and weather never seemed to cooperate. So finally this weekend, we were set to join the UMP Summernationals Hell Tour at this fine facility. The upgrades made since our visit were most impressive, and we had read where new dirt had recently been brought in to try and improve the racing surface. Arriving plenty early, as is our usual plan, we struck up a conversation with a fan who was enjoying an early supper. As it turned out, he was the father of defending  track super late model point champ Tim Brown, and grandfather of defending crate late model champ Cameron Brown. He was gracious enough to give us much appreciated info about the track, and area racing, including a first hand account of the recent auction of Kentucky Lake Speedway. As we waited for the action to begin, we checked out the concessions and found possibly the best track food at more than reasonable prices that we have encountered anywhere!
The track was hosting a total of seven classes on the night, however most would be running features only. Although I have a bit of a small sample size, it seems that tracks " down south " move at a leisurely pace, and PIR was no exception. The 33 late models and 25 UMP modifieds concluded group qualifying, and racing began about 8:10. The stock 4 cylinder class had only three entrants for their eight lap feature on the small inside track. That field was pared when one driver was sent pitside for rough driving! The black also came into play in the ten lap  ten car outlaw 4's when the leaders got together. The track announcer seemed to prefer talking while the cars were on the track, so we were not able to put names to cars as we would have liked.  We enjoyed the Kentucky Vintage cars, as nine of them put on a good show. Former super late model driver Jon Tindal took the crate feature over Kevin Cole, who did double duty, also driving one of the Riggs Motorsports super lates.
 Super late model heat one went to outside polesitter Ryan Unzicker over Jack Sullivan, series points leader Brandon Sheppard, and Tanner English. Overall fast Qualifier Billy Moyer, who time in at 15.766 seconds, took heat two ahead of  Terry English, Kent Robinson, and Randy Korte. Heat three found Brian Shirley, driving a Tim Lance # 48 car challenging Tyler Reddick for the lead when he got into the turn three wall. Scott James grabbed the lead following the restart, but soon went pitside. Reddick then took the checkers ahead of Shannon Babb, Tennesse driver Riley Hickman, and Don Oneal in the Moring Motorsports # 1, as only these four finished to eight lap event. Heat four saw Tim Brown lead until the white flag lap, when Bobby Pierce slipped by. But Brown charged back on the top side out of turn two to nab the win. Wendall Wallace in his # 6M and Florida pilot Dillon Wood chased Pierce to the stripe. Jason McBride captured the B-main, with Kevin Cole also making the show. Four provisionals completed to 22 car starting grid.
 As the 40 lap $10,000 to win feature began, Reddick took off from the pole to lead lap one before Brown took over. On lap 12, Unzicker took over second, and one lap late Moyer, who had fell back early, moved to third. Five laps later, Moyer grabbed second, and on lap 19, he took the top spot. From there on he was in command, and although he soon closed in on slower traffic, he was able to follow the back of the pack to the checkers in the non stop event. Unzicker held second, followed by Babb, a fast closing Robinson, and Pierce. Wallace gained six spots to take sixth, Reddick and Brown faded to seventh and eighth, with Sullivan and Terry English also in the top ten.
 The 20 lap UMP modified main was the final race of the night. Mike Harrison, from Highland, Il took the lead on lap two after starting in row two, and held on for the win. Matt Mevert mad a last lap charge, nearly overtaking Harrison as they came to the checkers. Trent Young held off Rusty Griffaw for third and Matt Cooper held off Kenny Wallace for fifth. Point leader Ray Bollinger came home ninth. The final checkers waved at 11:14.
 After a nights lodging in Paducah, we worked our way back to I-55 Raceway in Pevely, Mo. , as we followed the tour north. Arriving early, we watched the pits begin to fill and the clouds begin to form, and around 4:00 PM, the monsoon hit! While the storm did not last all that long, there was more than enough rain to force postponement of the show. It was immediately rescheduled for August 17, although it will not be a part of the Summernationals points race. This is the second time in 2013 we have been rained out at Pevely as we sat in the parking lot....
  After of tour of the 100 year old dam in my hometown of Keokuk, Iowa on Sunday, Keagan and I headed for Quincy Raceways. After three straight rainouts, it was good to get back to Sunday racing. 75 cars signed in for five classes of action, not bad considering the Summernationals tour event was just over a couple hours away in Lincoln, Il.
  Qualifying saw Steven Delonjay again set fast time in the mods at 15.004, while Rickey Frankel turned the best time trial lap of 2013 with a 13.463 in his # 33F UMP super late model.
  The ten preliminary events rolled off in mostly uneventful fashion, although a first lap mixup sent Mark Burgtorf to the pits in the late model fast dash, setting him up to start sixth in the 30 lap finale.
  As the IMCA sport compact heats concluded, the skies opened, dumping a quick shower on the .29 mile oval. As quickly as it started, it stopped, and after a brief delay, the IMCA stock car feature pulled onto the track. Micheal Larsen quickly jumped to the lead, but soon Brandon Savage was breathing down his neck. As the laps would down, Larsen went a bit too deep into turn three, forcing Savage to check up, however he still made contact with Larsen. The two continued on, but a lap later, the front bumper came loose from the Savage car, bringing out the only caution of the 20 lap event. On the restart, Abe Huls made his move to the front from third in the Delaware style restart. Savage cam along, and points leader Jake Powers soon followed. Larsen held off Beau Taylor to round out the top five.
  Next up was the 19 car, 25 lap UMP modified feature. Robert Thompson failed to make the call, and 40 year veteran Steve Thievagt spun the driveshaft from his # 36 on the parade lap after pulling out on lap one of his heat. Michael Long took the early lead, but by lap six, Delonjay was out front, and he held on through a couple of mid race cautions, including one for a Troy Grotz, who rolled to a stop while running in the top five on lap 16. Long won the battle with dash winner Dave Weitholder for second, while Robbie Reed and Craig Spegal completed the first five.
  Jeff Delonjay jumped out front in the 20 lap IMCA sport mod headliner, building a lead until a couple of lap six yellows bunched the field. As the race restarted, Bobby Anders took second from Tanner Klingele, but four laps later, Anders hooked his ride, falling to fourth. Defending champion Tony Dunker was in second and on the move, when Klingele clipped one of the tractor tires in turn four, bringing out the caution on lap 12. Again the Delaware restart came into play, and by lap 15, Delonjay, Dunker, and Anders were running three wide. Delonjay and Anders swapped the lead several times, with Delonjay running with a broken left front end. Anders took the win, followed by Dunker, Delonjay, and Brandon Dale.
  Visiting Steve Thorsten jumped out front at the start of the 30 lap UMP super late model feature from his pole position. Frankel soon closed the gap after starting fourth, and took the lead on lap five following a side by side duel. Burgtorf took over the runnerup spot on lap 12, with Frankel holding a big advantage. On lap 17, Justin Reed slowed on the backstretch, bringing out the only caution of the race. On the restart, Burgtorf eased ahead, but Frankel was back on top on lap 24. From then on, it was back and forth, Burgtorf led lap 27, Frankel lap 28. As the two came out of turn four to the checkers, Burgtorf found an opening on the bottom of the track and won the drag race to the flag by .123 seconds! Almost unnoticed, Michael Long outdueled Denny Woodworth in a great battle for third while Dewayne Kiefer made a late run to grab fifth. The second five consisted of Jerry Lierly, Thorsten, Clink Kirkham, visiting Jay Chenoweth, and Ron Elbe.
  The final race of the night was the IMCA sport compact 12 lapper. Bryce Baker climbed in a car borrowed from Michael Hornung and got upside down in turn one!  He rejoined the field, but was retired soon after. Austen Becerra picked up the win over Josh Barnes, Laine VanZandt and Kim Abbott.
 Action returns Tuesday night, July 2 to the Broadway Bullring, as the UMP Summernationals Hell Tour for late models and modifieds invades Quincy Raceways, with hot laps set for 6:45
The IMCA sport mods will also be in action. The late models will race for a $5,000 top prize, the mods for $1,000, and thanks to some hard work by the Dunker brothers and others, the sport mods have a winners check of $1,003, with their feature paying $113 to start! Hope to see you there!