Quincy Raceways kicked off their 50th anniversary season in grand style, with an outstanding opening night crowd estimated at around 2500 enthusiastic fans. Many of the more than $100,000 in improvements were obvious to the gathered throng, most notable of which is the concrete block wall surrounding the formerly wide open ends of the .29 mile oval with the new track exit in the middle of the backstretch reminiscent of the original configuration. Also multiple loads of new clay seemed to do its job, as the former dust issue was mostly non existent on this night, even with a stiff southeasterly wind buffeting the grandstands. In addition to the on track work, several picnic benches and covered areas dot the grandstand walkways, and while not visible to the public, the concession building has undergone a total makeover including an updated menu.
But we were there for the racing, right? So let's get to the on track action!
A solid field of seventy four cars were well distributed across five of the six divisions, with only the Street Stocks coming in light with seven entries. Time trial qualifying was featured for the two headline classes. Jamie Wilson was the lone Pro Late Model to crack the fifteen second mark, with a lap of 14.696 seconds. The veteran driver would then go on to a clean sweep of his events on this non points opener without passing one car, leading flag to flag from the pole position in both his heat and feature. The night could not have gone worse for Modified fast timer Dave Weitholder. After tripping the clock at 15.25 seconds, Dave was a no show for his heat race. In fact, we watched as he and his crew chief wife hurriedly left the speedway grounds to race home and pick up his "back up" car, arriving back at the track in time to tag the tail of his feature. Apparent engine woes was the issue with his primary ride. So he would line up fifteenth on the feature grid, the green flag would fly and just below the newly constructed flag stand multiple cars would stack up leaving Weitholder no where to go but into the middle of the pile up, tearing the front end apart of this #05. So now he will be busy repairing two cars before next race night!
With thirteen qualifying heat races and intermission out of the way, Sport Mods were moved to first in the feature lineup, with all but rookie Todd Wolfmeyer lining up for fifteen laps. Kyler Girard had captured heat race one from the pole position, and he again paced the main event, taking off in front of his row one mate Tanner Klingele. Following a lap three caution, heat two winner Logan Cumby used the Delaware Style restart to power to the runner up spot. While the front pair battled closely low on the track, third running Klingele was working the high line in an effort to hold off A. J. Tournear. A final caution came with six laps down, and now Klingele was able to clear Tournear and close in on Girard and Cumby. With four laps remaining, he would drive around the outside of Cumby for second, but could not get by the steady Girard. For Kyler it was his first feature win of 2025. Klingele and Cumby followed, while Ottumwa, Iowa driver Tyler Heckart was able to clear Tournear late for fourth.
It was now Street Stock time, with fifteen laps the distance for six of the seven drivers on hand. Heat winner Jacob Rexing started outside row one and shot to the front ahead of Jake Powers. A yellow with one in the books slowed the pace, but back to racing Rexing opened a commanding lead. The field was able to catch up to Rexing as a final caution came twelve laps in, but again the Brighton, Illinois hot shoe drove away for the win. Powers topped returning former track champ Eddie Dieker, Levi Long and Brandon Boden to complete the top five.
Late Models came next, fifteen strong for twenty five laps. Jeffrey Delonjay missed the call after a heat race altercation, later making an appearance in his 4 Cylinder machine. Wilson jumped to the front ahead of heat two winner Kruze Miles, but on lap two, Denny Woodworth cleared Miles for the runner up spot. Before catching the back of the field about lap eleven, Wilson had built a solid lead, while Woodworth also had a nice cushion in second. Wilson had to pick his way carefully through the traffic as those cars raced each other hard for position. Meanwhile tenth starting Jackson Frankel was blasting around the top of the track, quickly advancing through the field. With eight laps left on the scoreboard, Woodworth ducked to the infield, his run over. Frankel would clear Miles for second, but was unable to catch the steady Wilson, who put his #56 in Quincy Auto Supply victory lane. Frankel showed his muscle in second ahead of Kruze Miles, Taylorville, Illinois driver Braden Johnson and Braden Bilger. Christian Miles came home sixth in front of hard charging Darin Weisinger Jr., who advanced seven positions to seventh. Jason Oenning, rookie Benet Duesterhaus and Van Wilson rounded out the top ten.
After considerable cleanup of the first lap melee in the UMP Modified twenty lap feature, only one more caution period slowed the action. Success, Mississippi racer Chase Holland was wrapping up a trip through the area, and he found the new surface to his liking. Charging off from the pole position, he was trailed by a pair of St. Louis area veterans, first Kenny Wallace who gave up second to Rick Conoyer on lap five. At the mid point, Conoyer was attempting to lap a slower car, and when the lapped car got out of shape he slammed into the Conoyer #14, triggering the caution. As he stopped on the track, Rick was forced to restart at the tail, ending his chances at a podium finish. Justin Reed powered the #B4 into second on the restart, then hounded the leader all the way to the checkers. While Holland operated down low, Reed worked up near the new wall in turns one and two while driving through the middle at the other end. But it was Holland with the flag to flag win. Following Reed in second was Wallace and Ofallon, Missouris' Treb Jacoby. The "feel good " story of the night was the return of many time track champion Mark Burgtorf, who missed all of 2024 with health issues. Mark lined up in tenth and brought the Bill Baker #03 home with a top five finish.
While many in the large crowd began to wander towards home, there were still two big features left. The growing Crown Vic class turned out a dozen cars racing for fifteen circuits. Levi Brierton led lap one before his row one mate Garrett Russell charged ahead one lap later. Alex Hatfield took over the runner up spot on lap three, and the leaders ran that way ahead of a caution with six laps scored. Following the single car restart, an entertaining four car battle developed for third through sixth positions. Meanwhille Russell opened a commanding lead. A final caution came with four to go, as Jacob Jones came to a stop, ending his chance at a top three. Once again, Russell took off, cruising to the win in his #316. Hatfield, Jordan Zumwalt, Glen Wiley and Dakota Damron completed the top five.
DirtCar 4 Cylinders capped off the night, fourteen strong for fifteen laps. Derrick DeFord shot to the front from inside row one, leading Dyllan Bonk ahead of a caution with one in the books. Back to racing it was seventh starting Jaden Delonjay on the move, as he powered to third as lap three was scored. After parking his Late Model, Jeffrey Delonjay unloaded his 4 banger, lined up in the last position, and was up to third by lap nine. I was writing the finish and packing up when the red flag suddenly waved with just two laps to go, as Doug White became the first roll over of the season. He was uninjured, and the final pair of laps showed no change in the running order. DeFord took the checkers, besting Bonk, Jeffrey, then Jaden, with Landon Neisen rounding out the top five.
It was a long but entertaining night with lots to see and do at the refurbished Quincy Raceways. Thanks to Jeff, Renee and the staff for their hospitality. Time to catch my breath and see what May brings - hopefully some warmer weather! Thanks for reading!
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