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Past the Pit Gate.......
by Danny Rosencrans
August 25, 2009
The weatherman gave us a good night for racing on Sunday at Quincy Raceways,
and an amazingly large crowd for a school night came out to enjoy five
classes of racing. Perhaps it was the allure of two late model classes that
helped fill the grandstands. The car count in the UMP Monster Midwest late
model class would have been a bit disappointing, but 13 of the IMCA cars
"double dipped," filling the field and forcing a B-main to be run. In fact,
it was one of the weekly cars taking home the $ 2,000.00 top prize, albeit
with a bit of modification. The IMCA late models by rule run a 12 inch wheel
and special IMCA tire, referred to by some as a “hockey puck.” For the UMP
class, most of the 13 switched to the allowed 14 inch wheel and larger,
softer and more expensive tire. Combined with a dry, slick track, the under
horse powered weekly machines matched up pretty well, and 14 time track
champion Mark Burgtorf used his expertise to turn a second row start into a
big time victory. UMP national points leader Jason Feger, from Bloomington
shared the front row with track regular Denny Woodworth, who brought three #
45DW cars for the nights activities. Burgtorf sat in row two outside series
co point leader Ryan Unzicker, and just ahead of UMP Summernationals
champion and national star Dennis Erb Jr. Unzicker jumped to the early lead,
and held it for 10 laps before Burgtorf drove by, leading the final 30 laps.
Unzicker eventually dropped to fourth, with Feger and Erb following the # 7B
across the stripe. Jason Frankel drove his # 0F weekly car to a fifth place
finish, and series co points leader Eric Smith took sixth. Woodworth faded
to an eighth place finish, and veteran Terry Schlipman wheeled the second of
Denny’s big motor cars to an 11th on the final rundown. Popular Ed Dixon,
from Washington, Mo. pulled out in the late stages of the race after winning
the B-main.
Local hot shoe Dustin Griffin also brought two cars to the track, including
his crate engine race car. Dustin’s cousin, Jake Griffin attracted not a
small amount of attention as he wheeled his # 08 crate car around the
speedway. Jake Griffin has made the move to late models at the ripe old age
of 10 years old! Although he did not make the big race, Jake performed well,
and surely has bright future if he stays in the racing game. While Jake made
his late model debut at QR, a long time veteran made a return to the
Broadway Bullring. Terry Gallaher, absent since an early season crash, was
back with his IMCA power plant, and made the feature in both divisions.
Woodworth rolled out his IMCA car for that portion of the show, so if you
were there, no, you weren't seeing triple!
The IMCA late model feature top prize went to Payson driver Jason Perry.
Jason, in his fourth year of racing after starting in the late models with a
ride out of the Genenbacher garage, came close a few weeks back to getting
that first win. On that night, Burgtorf overtook him late in the race. This
time, after an early duel with Vance Wilson, who once again piloted the
Jason Krigbaum # 11, Perry survived four caution flags, including two in the
final five laps to get that elusive first win. This time it was Justin Reed
who mounted a serious late race challenge, but fell short of his first QR
late model win of 2009. Wilson held off Frankel and Burgtorf to capture
third, and as he has done so often of late, Lonnie Bailey advanced several
spots in the closing laps to finish sixth. Lonnie will enter season
championship night this Sunday with an eight point advantage over Reed for
the title. With Burgtorf more than 20 points out of first, it looks like a
two man race. And unless the eventual champion wins on Sunday, it will be
only the second time in track history that a driver won a late model title
without winning a feature. Incidentally, the 19 car field was the most late
models for a regular weekly show this season.
The UMP modified class again turned out a stellar field of 30 competitors
for the extra purse money paid on Sunday. Vance Wilson, Dustin Griffin and
Justin Reed became “triple dippers," running three features during the
evening. Vance had crashed his # 22c ride Saturday night in Pevely, Mo., and
was behind the wheel of the # 4G machine. Griffin was wheeling the # 17L,
and point leader Reed was in his familiar Dunker Racing # 4st. Another
familiar face was competing also, as veteran Jamie Wilson took the reigns of
Mike Begley’s # B4 car. Jamie was pleased with the handling of the car, and
scored a top 10 run. Jared Schlipman paced the field for the first 20 laps
looking for his first win, before Michael Long took command. Michael
recorded yet another victory ahead of Jared, with Steven Delonjay, Donovan
Lodge and Justin Reed rounding out the top five. The race ran off with only
three caution periods, can you believe it? The top five run left Reed in
position to win the first ever UMP track points title at QR, in his first
full season of modified racing. And he still has an outside shot at the late
model crown, as well!
14 IMCA stock cars signed in, although Andrew Griffin had trouble early with
his # 25. Not to be deterred, Andrew raced his # 25 hobby stock in the stock
car class as well, mimicking the late model crossovers. A heat race crash
ended the night and the championship hopes of steady competitor Chris
Wibbell. Chris lost the points race on a tie breaker last season, and was
hanging near the top before Sunday’s action. Although short on cars, the
feature had lots of excitement, as early season points leader Abe Huls made
not one, but two trips to the back of the field, the second after getting
tangled up with point leader Kevin Tomlinson. In fact, it took track crews a
considerable amount of time to separate the two cars. Meanwhile, red hot
Terry Houston worked his way to the front and walked off with his fifth
feature win of '09. Doug Huls hung close in second, with the Aaron
Brocksieck, Steve Steinkuhler team in the next two spots. Abe Huls recovered
to finish fifth, is still five markers behind Tomlinson as we enter
championship night. Remember, in the stock car class, there are no heat race
points awarded as there are in late model and hobby stock, and feature
points drop one point per spot, so Abe would need to finish five spots ahead
of Kevin to invoke the tiebreaker.
The hobby stock championship is coming down to the final night, as Steve
Carlin, searching for his third title, holds a two point lead over Jim
Powell, in search of his first. 14 cars raced on Sunday, including first
time visitor Tim Dawson, of Callao, Mo., the 25th different competitor in
2009. Tim was involved in a crash with hard luck Andrew Griffin, who wound
up with two broke cars. A good early race battle ensued between youngsters
Tanner Klingele, and Jake Powers, both looking for their second win of the
year. A flat tire took Klingele out of contention, and Jake sailed to the
win. Powell and Carlin followed in hot pursuit, with Nathan Hays and Mike
Wiley completing the top five. Carlin shows little effect from the engine
claim/swap with Nathan Anders two weeks prior. For those who are wondering,
early season point leader Wes Mayfield sold his # 21 to former QR racer Jim
Brown. Wes has plans to be back in 2010 with an IMCA stock car.
Although this Sunday is season championship night, the racing will not be
over. Labor Day Sunday will see the second visit of the IMCA late model
Deery Brothers Summer Series, as well as the 410c.i. All Star sprint cars.
Action will continue on September 13 with the 360c.i. Sprint Invaders as a
featured class. But first, we will crown four champions. Good luck to all!
See you at the races.
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