Sunday night became the twice postponed second season opener for the Jim and Tammy Lieurance Adams County, Illinois Speedway (formerly Quincy Raceways.) Following a successful debut year for the .29 semi banked oval track, shuttered for the previous two seasons, the five regular classes remain the same, albeit with one significant change. The Pro Crate Late Model division had been UMP sanctioned in 2022, however a UMP rules change for this season was basically going to force drivers to choose between competing at either UMP or IMCA tracks. Considering the number of racers who divide their time between Quincy and Lee County Speedway in Donnellson (as well as 34 Raceway in West Burlington,) Lieurance made the decision to drop the UMP sanction for the time being. The move will leave the speedway without a sanction, but will protect the "crossover" drivers. To hopefully lure some of the UMP points chasers to still compete at Quincy, a number of $1,000 to win races dot the 2023 schedule. There are also several $1,000 to win events on tap for the UMP sanctioned Modifieds, a particularly talent laden class at the track. Sport Mods, typically the highest car count class, will retain the IMCA sanction while Street Stocks and Four Cylinders will be unsanctioned.
With the temperatures decidedly on the chilly side, start times were moved up for opening night, with the drivers meeting set for 3:15, hot laps and racing to follow.
This first event of the season was not without issues. After a bit of a late start to hot laps, it quickly became apparent that the bright sunshine combined with a stiff breeze would create considerable dust issues. Fortunately the direction of that steady breeze kept the dust out of the grandstands, but it still made for challenging viewing conditions for fans and drivers alike. Multiple watering sessions followed by laps spent running in the moisture along with more than the usual number of caution periods combined to put a bit of a drag on the program, with the final checkers waving just ahead of 8:00 P.M.
Still a nice sized crowd considering the cool conditions remained patient, happy to be back at the track.
The final tally was sixty three cars, led by twenty one Four Cylinders.
UMP Modifieds would qualify, with Jacob Rexing topping the leader board at 14.618 seconds while all other classes would draw for their heat race starting positions.
With heat race action in the books, Late Models would follow intermission with their twenty lap feature. Heat winners Denny Woodworth and Sam Halstead would sit on row one for the straight up start. Woodworth would grab the early lead and the Late Model Lawyer would stay out front for the distance. After taking several years off, Jason Perry has returned with a familiar looking #27, and he would show little rust as he tucked in behind Woodworth. The front duo would be working the inside line around the oval. As the non stop race neared the halfway point, Braden Bilger would decide to climb the ladder, clearing Halstead for third. While Braden continued to pound the cushion, Woodworth and Perry continued in the low line. With the white flag displayed Bilger found the momentum to clear Perry for second. Halstead held on for fourth. In only his second night out, Christian Miles collected his first top five finish. Darin Weisinger Jr. ran sixth ahead of Jason Oenning and double duty Jeffery Delonjay. Tommy Elston and Austin Poage would be scored next although both were early exits. Delonjay and Pogue join Miles as rookies in the premier division.
Four Cylinders were moved to second in the running order, with all but one lining up for fifteen laps. Pole sitter Barry Taft took the early lead, while his front row mate Jeffery Delonjay drifted high off turn four , losing several positions. Following a pair of yellow flags with three laps in the books, Dyllan Bonk and Delonjay moved to the high line of the track, racing three wide with Taft for the top spot. Six laps in and Delonjay had climbed back to the lead and was trying to check out on the field when the yellow would erase his margin. Restarting single file, the front runners worked middle to high around the track while Jimmy Dutlinger hugged the inside line. A final caution came with three laps to go and second running Taft left the oval with an over heated engine. With a final green flag, Delonjay stayed in command while Bonk, Dutlinger, and Kimberly Abbott battled for second. They would follow Delonjay to the checkers in that order, with Jaden Delonjay nosing out Spencer Coats at the line for fifth.
Street Stocks would turn out only six cars on the night, and hot shoe Robert Cottom was a no show for the twelve lap feature.Third starting Jake Powers would lead lap one, with the yellow flying for a Leremy Jackson spin. Fortunately for Jackson, he would only be going to the back of a five car field. By lap six he had moved up to battle Powers for the lead. Two more laps and Jackson used a high side charge to the front, taking along Sage Martin in second. Martin would bobble in the closing laps, with Powers rebounding to second in front of Martin. It was the first ever Street Stock feature win for Jackson.
The father and son duo of Rick and Drake Stevenson would make up row one for the thirteen car twenty lap UMP Modified feature. After a called back start, Drake took the lead ahead of Rick. Mark Burgtorf would drive around Rick for second on lap two, and the front pair would check out on the field. A lap five caution would set up a Delaware style restart, and Mike Vanderiet Jr. would clear Burgtorf for second as Mark was shuffled back to about seventh. Drake drove away from the pack as six cars worked in tight formation behind him. The younger Stevenson bobbled briefly in turn four allowing Rexing to close slightly, but he stayed in control. Then with five laps remaining, disaster struck Stevenson as a tire failure brought him to a stop in turn three..Rexing inherited the point, then held off Dave Weitholder for the win. Vanderiet, Rick Stevenson and Russ Coultas filled out the first five.
IMCA Sport Mods would stage an eighteen lap thirteen car finale. It would be outside row one starter Logan Cumby with the early lead. Tanner Klingele would clear Cumby ahead of a lap two caution. Kyler Girard would move to the runner up spot on the restart, with the next stop coming with six in the books. Three more quick cautions and the field would go single file. A tight four car battle developed for the lead, with Klingele, Girard, and Cumby running three wide and Adam Birck looking for an opening. One more time the yellow waved for Birck who made a quick move to the trailer, his run ended. Kyler Girard was on a rail, and he stretched out to a nearly straightaway lead all the way to the checkers. Cumby took runner up honors, trailed by Klingele, Dakota Girard, and Josh Holtman.
More than once Promoter Jimmy promised no more afternoon starts , so ACS will likely be back on a regular Sunday night schedule going forward. Thanks to him and Tammy for their continuing hospitality!
No comments:
Post a Comment