While several tracks around the mid west fell victim to wet conditions this weekend, 34 Raceway near West Burlington opened their points season in fine fashion with a six division program on Saturday night. And the $1,000 to win in both the IMCA Late Model and IMCA Modified classes drew plenty of quality cars and stars to the pit area. Along with $750 to win IMCA Stock Cars, Sport Mods, Compacts and 305 Sprint Cars, a talent laden group of ninety five race teams signed in to do battle on the high banked three eighths mile speed plant. Of particular note was the arrival of Late Model racer Patrick Shumaker, who made the trip from Sellersburg, Indiana, and the starved for racing modified ace Justin Zeitner who made the cross state haul from Malvern, Iowa after his Super Late Model race was rained out, using his toter trailer to bring along cousin(?) Zach Zeitner, Bellevue, Nebraska with his #76 Late Model!
While four of the six classes had very healthy car counts, a pair of track regular classes came up a bit short, and it was surprising to see only eight 305 Sprints roll through the gate.
With the fourteen qualifying heats running off in fine fashion, a threat of showers prompted track officials to move quickly into feature racing with no break. Fortunately, the track was still in good condition, with two defined grooves.
Sprints would line up first for fifteen laps. Nick Guernsey and Riley Scott would fill out row one, but it was third starting Tanner Gebhardt jumping to the lap one lead. Buy the eighth circuit Tanner had caught the tail of the field, and with no yellow flags slowing the action he opened a straightaway lead over second running Guernsey by lap ten. The front three of Gebhardt, Guernsey and Scott continued to run in that order, green to checkers. Cole Helmerson started and finished fourth, with Travis Pence completing the top five. It was the second win in two tries at 34 for Gebhardt in this young season.
Seventeen Sport Mods checked in, and all made the call for twenty laps. Outside pole sitter Brayton Carter outran his row one mate Jarrett VanDenBerg ahead of the first feature yellow flag with one lap scored. As racing resumed, Carter began to stretch his lead, catching slower traffic by lap five as fellow Oskaloosa driver Dylan VanWyk moved from his tenth starting spot to second. A second caution came at lap six, as Tony Olson and Adam Birck got together in a battle for fourth. Birck would retire to the pits while Olson rejoined the pack at the tail. One more lap went in the books before a third caution, but a lengthy green flag run saw Carter again leave the field behind. Sixteen circuits in, Cole Gillenwater stopped in turn three in a cloud of smoke, bringing out the red flag. On this final restart, VanWyk was able to slide Carter for the lead in turn three, but "Speedy Bray" crossed back over in turn four to retain the top spot. VanWyk then drifted a bit high in turn one, and Carter sailed home for the flag to flag win. VanWyk and VanDenBerg followed, while Olson charged from the earlier incident to come home in fourth. Sean Wyatt rounded out the first five.
It was now Late Model time as the stellar field of eighteen came to the track. The redraw saw Curtis Glover and second generation racer Clay Simpson share the front row. Glover charged to the lead taking along veteran Jay Johnson in second. Soon fifth starting Jesse Bodin moved in to challenge Johnson for second, and Glover was able to increase his advantage ahead of their battle. Glover was cruising out front at the mid point of the twenty five lapper, while Simpson cleared Bodin to retake third. But at lap nineteen, Simpson got too high off turn two, losing several positions and turning third over to the hard charging Zach Zeitner, who had lined up twelfth. Still on the move, Zeitner closed in to challenge Johnson for second on lap twenty two, but Jay was able to fend off the #76. Meanwhile a very happy Glover cruised to the win, his second of 2025 after a victory one week prior in Davenport. Johnson and Zeitner followed, with Bodin and Andy Nezworski rounding out the top five. Simpson grabbed sixth, chased by C.J. Horn, fifteenth starting Tommy Elston, Jeremy Pundt, and Shumaker. It was a $1,000 payday for Glover, the Knoxville, Iowa driver.
An excellent field of twenty three Stock Cars signed in to chase the $750 payday, and all but David McCalla came to the track for twenty fast laps. Kaden Reynolds redrew the number two pill and shot to the lead ahead of a lap one caution. Back under green, John Oliver Jr., again piloting the #12, settled into the runner up position while sixth starting Cayden Carter wheeled his #1X to third. A lap three caution followed, and once more around saw Carter power to second. Running a low line in turns one and two and up next to the wall in three and four, the top trio of Reynolds, Carter and Oliver Jr. separated from the pack. Meanwhile, double duty Tony Olson was on the charge after starting in the back row, and he advanced to fourth at lap fourteen. The leaders would encounter heavy traffic in the closing five circuits, but Reynolds stayed calm and cool, racing to the win. Carter and Oliver Jr. held their positions while Olson gained a remarkable eighteen spots to take fourth. Kirk Kinsley started ninth and rode home in fifth.
Twelve laps was the distance for the Sport Compacts. Pole sitter Barry Taft grabbed the early lead with fifth starting Josh Barnes charging to second. Tim Schnathorst was locked in a battle with the front runners, and he briefly took over the top spot on lap six. Taft quickly regained control while Chevy Barnes joined the now four car scrum up front. Ten laps in, Josh Barnes was able to clear Taft, and he then held on for the hard fought checkers, only to be DQ'd in post race tech. So Taft would inherit the win, topping Schnothorst, Chevy Barnes, Chuck Fullenkamp and Blaine Lambert.
An all star field of nineteen IMCA Modifieds came in search of the $1,000 prize as the finale for the evening. Amazingly, it would be twenty caution free laps to decide the winner. Another of the several double duty racers, Cayden Carter jumped out front from outside row one. But just as suddenly, he slowed and exited the track, turning over the lead to pole sitter John Oliver Jr., wheeling a Dennis Laveine #71J. Along with fifth starting Joel Rust and eighth starting Logan Anderson, the top three broke free from the pack. But it was Oliver and Rust staging the race of the night as they ran nose to tail with Rust sticking his nose inside the #71J lap after lap. Finally Rust was able to gain enough momentum as the duo exited turn two on lap fifteen, and once out front he slowly stretched his leading margin. Anderson then moved in to challenge for the runner up spot, easing around Oliver two laps from the checkers. Rust would pick up the win ahead of Anderson and Oliver Jr. Justin Zeitner gained seven spots to claim fourth, while Denny Eckrich ran fifth. Failing to make the redraw, Austen Becerra lined up in row nine, advancing eleven positions to sixth at the checkers.
As icing on the cake, the show wrapped up minutes after 10:00 P.M.! Thanks To Brad, Jessi and their staff for their hospitality and for an entertaining and well run show.
Tonight, Sunday, we will hope to wrap up another three race weekend at Quincy Raceways as new owners Jeff and Renee Delonjay and their crew begin their first full season at the helm with a six division program. Vast improvements have been made to the facility during the off season, and we look forward to this 50th anniversary campaign with many special events lined up. If you see me there tonight, stop and say "Hi!"
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