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Past the Pit Gate.......
by Danny Rosencrans
September 21, 2009
West Burlington, Iowa
While the 2009 season has ended at Quincy Raceways, there is still plenty of
dirt track racing to be found, and while there were several venues last
weekend, I chose a long time favorite, 34 Raceway in West Burlington, Iowa.
My first trip to the 3/8 mile came in its third year of operation in 1968,
and although i have witnessed hundreds of races there since, none had more
drama than last Saturday night. The two night extravaganza was the 18th
annual running of the Pepsi sponsored USA Late Model Nationals, of which I
have missed only the 1997 edition. Friday night started things off with 100
cars in the pits, including a solid total of 64 IMCA late models. The race
now also serves as the final installment of the Deery Brothers sponsored
IMCA Summer Series, and although the points title had been determined, the $
10,000
winners purse and $ 500 just to make the 26 car 100 lap feature still drew
plenty of competitors from a four state region. Time trials started the
evening, and track regular Colby Springsteen, set the pace early with a
16.253 second lap that proved to be the best of the evening. Six heat races
qualified 12 cars for the big race, leaving everyone else to try their luck
on Saturday. A couple of years ago, an " Iron Man " 20 lap feature was added
to the Friday card, featuring only drivers with perfect attendance in the
Summer Series for the season. In 2009, only 10 drivers qualified, so race
sponsors J&J Steel and Ideal Ready Mix bumped up the purse by $ 90.00 for
all 10 spots, making the winners share $840.00. The field was set inverted
by points, but the order was soon switched around, as eighth starting Jason
Frankel of Quincy,Il powered his way to the top spot and the win. Series
point champion Jeff Aikey of Waterloo, Iowa took runner up honors. One of
the weekend highlights was watching veteran Darrell Defrance roll off in his
352nd Summer Series race at the track where the series and the streak began
way back in 1987. And yes, I was at that race, too! IMCA stock car ace Jeff
Mueller bested a 23 car field in their main event, and Bart Andrews of
Muscatine took the T.Q. 11 car feature.
On a beautiful Saturday night, an amazing 60 cars came back for the action,
and three B - Mains were used to build the field to 21. The first two of
these races were edge of your seat races, and one of my travelling
companions commented that we had seen the best racing of the weekend. Boy
was he wrong! Five provisionals filled out the field, and this is probably
my only real gripe with the format. The provisional spots went to the best
time trial not qualified, the top two in Summer Series points who had at
least one of their three allowed provisionals left, the highest non
qualifier in 34 Raceway points, and a hard charger spot for the driver
advancing the most positions in the B - Main without making the top three.
Although there were no non deserving drivers in that group, I would much
prefer that everyone race their way to a starting spot, not just in this
event, but everywhere. After Dean Kratzer topped a hobby stock feature, and
Dennis Schulte won the 4 cylinder season championship, the 26 qualified cars
rolled to the front straightaway for driver introductions. When the green
flag flew, track champion Lonnie Bailey took off from his pole position to
lead lap one, before outside pole sitter and the races only three time
winner, Mark Burgtorf took over. The two Quincy veteran would swap the lead
again until aftert two early cautions, Bailey and Terry Beal tangled on lap
54, just as Aikey moved to the lead. Lonnie stopped in turn two and was sent
to the back of the lead lap cars, while Neal was given his top five spot
back, and Aikey had to go back behind Burgtorf, never to lead again. That
was to be the final stoppage of the race, and although the field stayed
pretty well bunched, Burgtorf held the lead for the next 45 or so laps. With
the track getting slick, and the front runners catching slower cars, Mark
played it cool, holding his line. As a result, the first dozen cars stayed
within striking distance, and 95 laps in it looked as though at least five
cars had a shot at the big prize, as they traded positions three through
seven. Inside those final five laps, it was Frankel who decided to roll the
dice. Jason had been no higher than fifth until his late charge, but he
gambled by going to the top of the track, found some grip, and blasted past
Aikey for second. Less than three laps from the checkers, he again put his #
0F on the outside concrete wall and charged by Mark for his first lead.
Burgtorf was not going away, however, and he got beside his hometown rival
in eacjh corner on the final laps, but was unable to regain the lead.
Frankel took the biggest win of his career, leading only three trips past
the flagstand. Burgtorf gave Quincy a one two finish, and along with Bailey
Quincy drivers led all 100 laps of the race. Quad City pilot Rob Toland came
from a B - Main win to finish third,Aikey fell to fourth ahead of Neal.
Defending race champion Matt Strassheim used a late pass to take sixth ahead
of first time entrant Tony Fraise. Jason Hahne, Ray Guss Jr., and Boone
Mclaughlin completed the top ten, and all ten were on the same straightaway
at the end, amazing for 46 non stop green flag laps. Proving that
provisional spots were deserved, 26th starting Tom Darbyshire came home 12th
behind Tommy Elston. For his part, Burgtorf still took home a tidy $ 4,000
plus a pocketful of lap money, but will have to wait to try for Nationals
crown number four. This race has earned a bit of a reputation for some
disqualifications over the years, but all inspected cars made the grade in
2009. Pretty much everyone agreed, whether or not they liked the outcome,
that it was as exciting a 100 lap race as you should expect to see anywhere.
The track was good all weekend, the weather was nice, and if you missed out,
well pencil the show in for 2010.
Weekend notes:
A Friday night pitside scuffle between a pair of track regulars added to the
weekend buzz. A bunch of friday night high scholl footbal games held the
crowd down on night one and created a dilemma for some drivers with close
ties to both events. Congratulations to Tom and Sheila Darbyshire, who
celebrated anniversary number 22 over the weekend. Former Iowan Mike Smith,
who burned up the dirt for several years before moving to Arkansas came back
to drive for one of his former car owners, Lynn Richard. Mike was in a team
car to Tommy Elston, but did not make the feature. IMCA national champion
Kevin Blum also failed to make the cut. Another former race winner, Hall of
Famer Gary Webb also missed the big dance. Although there were many second
generation drivers in the field, the only father son duo entered was the
Baileys, with both dad Lonnie and son Matt qualifying through the heats on
Friday night. By my count there were still 21 cars running when the checkers
flew, with 20 on the lead lap! Frankel also picked up the win in the season
opening Summer Series race at 34 Raceway, the Slocum 50, a one night show
with 66 late models on hand.
Wether permitting, Racin' Down the Road will be back next week with news and
notes from another area dirt track. Thanks for reading, remember, there is
lots of racin' left. See you down the road.
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