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Past the Pit Gate.......
by Danny Rosencrans
September 8, 2009
" Postseason" racing started with a big splash Sunday night at Quincy
Raceways. Operating under the "something for everyone" formula, promoter
Tony Rhinberger packaged IMCA Deery Brothers late models with 410 All Star
winged sprints, and topped it off with UMP Modifieds, open hobby stocks, and
dwarf car/mod lites. A large crowd held on throughout the longest night of
the year as 94 race teams put on an entertaining show on the .29 mile oval.
30 IMCA late models signed in to contest the $2,000.00 top prize lead by
series points leader Jeff Aikey of Waterloo, Iowa, and veteran Darrell
DeFrance of Marshalltown, Iowa. DeFrance continued his streak of entering
all 350 series races since its inception 21 years ago. When the checkered
flag flew, however, it was a couple of home track hot shoes taking home the
top spots. Denny Woodworth followed Mark Burgtorf across the line in second
place in the first late model heat race. But when the drivers redrew for
feature starting spots, Denny pulled a number three, while Mark drew the 11.
Woodworth powered his # 45DW in behind track regular and pole sitter Jason
Perry for a couple of laps before taking the lead. He then stretched out an
impressive lead as the field scrambled behind him. Hard charging Terry Neal
and number two points man Ray Guss Jr. advanced into the top five when Neal
got sideways in turn one. Guss drove through him, and both drivers were sent
to the back of the pack. This put Burgtorf, who picked up the series win the
night before in Donnellson, Iowa in the fourth spot. Getting around DeFrance
and Perry proved a fierce challenge, and by the time the # 7 car rolled into
second, Woodworth had once again built a commanding lead. For Denny, it was
his second career series win, with both coming at QR. Justin Reed made a
late charge to get by Perry, giving QR drivers four of the top five
finishing spots, with DeFrance in the middle. Point leader Aikey came home
in eighth, still finishing ahead of Guss in 11th, and third place point man
Jason Frankel in 13th. Frankel suffered damage in a heat race crash that
temporarily sent track champion Lonnie Bailey to the trailer with a
suspected broken rack.
When Lonnie found out that he was eligible for a provisional starting spot,
he unloaded his # 25 planning to run just a couple of laps to collect the $
250.00 starting money. The car performed better than anticipated, so Bailey
stayed out to finish in the 16th spot in the 24 car field. Long time QR fans
will remember Guss from the days when the track was NASCAR affiliated and he
came to race often in the yellow # 50 car. Ray is now driving a car
belonging to long time Quad City legend Hershel Roberts. Hershel got out of
the car in midseason with health issues, and Guss has rewarded him with
several victories. Guss went on to win Monday night in the third leg of the
weekend tour in Boone, Iowa, followed by Aikey and Frankel. Controversy
reared its head on Sunday, when apparent feature qualifiers Ron Elbe and
Joey Gower failed post heat race inspection due to tire issues. Neither
driver attempted to re-qualify in the two B-Mains. The run of the night may
have come from Reed, who came through a B-Main and started 18th on the grid
for the 50 lap finale.
The All Star sprinters also raced for a $ 2,000.00 top prize, and turned out
a disappointing 15 car field. That was soon forgotten in time trial
qualifying; however, as the track record was broken three times. First to
break it was Kody Kinser, son of World of Outlaw hot shoe Kelly Kinser. Then
it was the winner of the spring All Star event here, Jim Moughan of
Springfield. Finally A.J. Bruns of Lincoln turned a lap of 11.197 seconds,
an average speed of 93.239 MPH! Come feature time, it was Sikeston, Mo.
driver Jerrod Hull collecting the hardware, with Moughan and Kinser in tow.
Decatur driver Terry Babb was making a late charge around the top side of
the track when he made hard contact with the front stretch wall, ending his
bid for the win. Special thanks to Ben Wagoner of Emden for his hospitality
after the races, as he was most gracious with my grandsons. Ben came to race
with his 36 sprinter, and will be back this Sunday for the Sprint Invader
show. Although he was under horse powered he still rolled home fifth behind
Alex Shanks.
Even though track points have ended, the UMP modified field turned out 24
strong. A lot of buzz surrounded the appearance of 15 year old Tim Ward of
Mesa, Arizona. Tim and his family were visiting his mother’s relatives in
Quincy as they were on their way to the Boone, Iowa IMCA Super Nationals.
Tim has already made a name for himself in the desert in modified racing.
Dave Wietholder let the youngster climb behind the wheel of the # 17L
machine that he purchases a few weeks back. Driving a strange car at a
strange track, the youngster acquitted himself well. Remember that name in
the future. The evening also saw a return to the track, if only for one
night, of veteran Quincy driver Steve Grotz. Racing for the first time since
his neck injury last spring, Steve took the reigns of son Trents # 2H. He
finished seventh, one spot ahead of son Troy. Michael Long drew a second row
start for the 25 lap finale, and quickly powered to the top spot. Michael is
simply in a league of his own at QR, and he cruised to another feature win.
Vance Wilson, Steven Delonjay, Jared Schlipman, and Donovan Lodge completed
the top five.
Track officials decided to open up the hobby stock rules with the point
season over in hopes of drawing cars from other area tracks that would
normally not be legal by QR rules. The idea had limited success, with three
Lee County, Iowa speedway regulars making the trek south. The problem was
that the change may have scared away some of our regulars, and the field
still came in at 13. Bobby Anders again took the wheel of Nathan Anders # 22
and ran away with both his heat and the 20 lap main event. Keokuk, Iowa
pilot Brandon Symmonds led Jim Powell to the finish line, with Donnellson,
Iowa drivers Jeremy Pundt and Jim Lynch in the next two spots. The hobby
stocks will not be on the card this Sunday, the final night of racing in
2009.
The dwarf cars/mod lites were quite entertaining on the short track, even
though only 12 cars checked in. They came mostly from the Quad Cities, the
Kansas City area, and even Boone, Iowa. Three former IMCA late model drivers
were sprinkled in the field, with Jason Masengarb of Colona and Bobby Toland
of Coal Valley taking the top two spots. Toland has been a late model
competitor here on several occasions, and indeed, his father Rob was a top
ten car in the late models on Sunday. Shon Sanders of Geneseo was the third
of the former late model drivers.
This coming Sunday will mark the end of the 2009 racing season at QR. The
racing card will feature the 360 C.I. Sprint Invaders series, IMCA late
models, UMP Modifieds, and the IMCA stock cars will return, running for
state and national points. Don't let this one pass you by!
See you at the races!
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