Justin Reed

Since it’s done little but rain the past three weeks — at least on the weekends — it’s allowed some extra time to dig into the Stevie Dirt files and check on some weird and strange stuff, such as top late model performers each season at Bullring under the age of 30.

I looked into this a few years ago, and the following is an updated list, which shows a couple of surprising — or at least mildly interesting — things. For example:

– Justin Reed has been the top under-30 guy for five straight seasons, the second time that has happened in the 22 seasons we have such records for. And in case you are wondering, Justin is only 25, so he could “win” a few more of these accomplishments.

– Only three different under-30 drivers have won titles, and one of them, Mark Burgtorf, did it four straight years.

–  There has been an under-30 driver in the top five in points every year but one — 1996, when Jason Frankel was sixth.

UNDER AGE 30 TRACK LEADERS (since 1989)

Late Models

2011: Justin Reed (CHAMPION)
2010: Justin Reed (2nd in points)
2009: Justin Reed (2nd)
2008: Justin Reed (3rd)
2007: Justin Reed (5th)
2006: Joey Gower (4th)
2005: Brian Kenning (4th)
2004: Brent Slocum (2nd)
2003: Brent Slocum (3rd)
2002: Brent Slocum (CHAMPION)
2001: Brent Slocum (2nd)
2000: Brent Slocum (4th)
1999: Chris Smyser (3rd)
1998: Brent Slocum (2nd)
1997: Jason Frankel (2nd)
1996: Jason Frankel (6th)
1995: Mark Burgtorf (CHAMPION)
1994: Mark Burgtorf (CHAMPION)
1993: Mark Burgtorf (CHAMPION)
1992: Mark Burgtorf (CHAMPION)
1991: Lonnie Bailey (2nd)
1990: Lonnie Bailey (3rd)
1989: Lonnie Bailey (3rd)

Sunday night racing at Quincy Raceways fell victim — again — to spring showers and wet grounds. For the third straight week, racing had to be postponed. Track authorities made the official call shortly before noon.

No word yet on a makeup date for NASCAR driver Kenny Wallace, who was scheduled to drive a UMP modified Sunday night against the Bullring regulars.

The good news about all of this? Next Sunday will be May, so maybe all of the horrible April weather will officially be in the rear-view mirror.

Kenny Wallace

Driver Kenny Wallace, who has raced in all three of NACAR’s top series, is scheduled to run Sunday night at Quincy Raceways.

Wallace, who is bringing his UMP modified to the .29-mile track, will be available to talk with fans and sign autographs in the pit area following the races.

Wallace has been a frequent visitor to Quincy in recent years. His Bullring roots trace to the 1980s when he used to work in the pits with brother Mike, who was a weekly late model combatant when the track was NASCAR sanctioned.

Racing starts at 5:30 p.m. Grandstands open at 4, pit gates at 2:30.

Check the Quincy Raceways website at www.quincyraceways.com for additional information, or call the track hotline at (217) 224-4100.

If at first you don’t succeed, try again.
And again.
And if neccessary, again.
The Northern Allstars Late Model Series, twice rained out at Quincy Raceways this month, has been rescheduled for Sunday, July 22.
The series will also be running at the track on Sunday, May 20, which will now be the first major late model event of the season at the Bullring. Both of the NALMS events will be $2,000 to win and $300 to start. Other classes for the July 22 show will be modifieds, hobby stocks and sport compacts.

Brandon Sheppard, the 19-year-old sensation from New Berlin, Ill., will return to the Bullring Sunday night as the UMP Super Late Model national points leader. The first-year regular at 8000 Broadway has a mildly comfortable lead over Scott Schmitt of Tonica, Ill., who was on hand in Quincy on opening night.

Sheppard has 614 points and Schmitt 568 in the early going. UMP Super Late Model drivers get to count their top 35 shows of the season, so there’s obviously a long, long, long way to go. But it’s still kind of cool we have the national points leader as a Sunday night regular in at the Bullring.

UMP SUPER LATE MODEL NATIONAL POINTS LEADERS
Drivers in bold face have raced at Quincy this season
1. Brandon Sheppard, 614
2. Scott Schmitt, 568
3. Dewayne Kiefer, 555
4. Jim Moon, 541
5. Ryan Unzicker, 535
6. Jason McBride, 496
7. Michael Kloos, 460
8. Bobby Pierce, 457

WHAT A NIGHT IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN

What was doubly disappointing about last Sunday’s rainout was the quality of late model field that was going to be on hand. During one of my grandsons’ soccer games a few days ago I was able to spend a few minutes talking with a crew member of one of our local drivers who was at the Northern Allstars race last Fiday in Farmer City. He said all the big guns that were on hand that night — including Shannon “The Moweaqua Missile” Babb — said hey were going to make the trek to the Bullring on Sunday. Oh well, patience is a virtue, they say. There should still be plenty of big nights at the Bullring this summer.

EVERY THREE HOURS

At this writing, the weather looks decent, a slight chance of a mild shower early Sunday. What you always need to remember about the forecast is it changes every three hours. If we can get in Sunday’s action I would say April would be a success, despite rainouts the last two weeks. I’ll take three race nights in April any year. If it makes you feel any better, Lee County Speedway in Donnellson, Iowa, has not been able to race yet. Hopefully, new promoter Dewain Hulett can get in his twice-delayed opening night on Friday.

DONNELLSON, Iowa — Lee County Speedway tries again to open its season Friday night after two rainouts earlier this month..

Promoter Dewain Hulett said all five weekly classes will be racing for points: modifieds, stock cars, sport mods, hobby stocks and sport compacts. Racing starts at 7:30 p.m. Pit gates open at 5, grandstands at 5:30. Hot laps are scheduled to begin at 7.

Grandstand admission to all regular weekly events this season will be $9 for adults, $7 for seniors and $5 for students 11-17. Children 10 and under are free. Pit passes are $25.

Depending on your point of view, there can be a downside to the depth we expect to see in driver talent this season at the Bullring. Those magic numbers — 20 overall victories and 10 feature wins — will be that much more difficult to reach.

Only 11 times since 1999 has the 20 overall win mark been attained, by six different drivers. Only five times has the 10-feature victory milestone been cracked, and by just three different drivers.

If the stars do happen to align just right, however, here are my picks in each class to possibly reach the 20-win mark. I don’t see any chance of any driver winning 10 features:

Late models: Brandon Sheppard. I think the kid is in for a big, big season.

Michael Long

Modifieds: Michael Long. (No explanation needed for the guy who holds track records for both single-season overall wins and feature victories.)

Sport mods: Tony Dunker. If he reaches 20 wins, there will be one heckuva party at the Pat Dunker compound.

Stock cars: Abe Huls. Fewer cars in the class help the law of percentages. No driver in this class has come close to 20 in the first four years of the series.

Hobby stocks: Jake Powers. Can anyone catch The Snake this season?

Sport compacts: Kimberly Abbott. If not Kimberly, Seth Woodruff might be a good choice.

THE 20-VICTORY CLUB

Michael Long, modifieds, 36, 2007
Michael Long, modifieds, 35, 2008
Mark Burgtorf, late models, 28, 2006
Hank DeLonjay, “A” modifieds, 25. 2006
Mark Burgtorf, late models, 24, 2007
Wyatt Lantz, “B” modifieds, 24, 2004
Steve Carlin, hobby stocks, 23, 2007
Hank DeLonjay, “A” modifieds, 23, 2005
Tony Dunker, “B” modifieds, 21, 2005
Michael Long, modifieds, 20, 2010
Mark Burgtorf, late models, 20, 2002

THE 10-VICTORY FEATURE CLUB

Michael Long, modifieds, 16, 2007
Michael Long, modifieds, 15, 2008
Mark Burgtorf, late models, 13, 2006
Steve Carlin, hobby stocks, 12, 2007
Michael Long, modifieds, 10, 2010

It’s not like I have one of those photographic memories, because I guarantee you I dont. But when I was looking over the top 10 closest finishes of the last five seasons — a.k.a. the “electronic era” — I can remember every one of them like it was yesterday.

The one that stands out, however, above all of them is right at the top of the list — Steven DeLonjay’s .010-of-a-second victory over Dave Wietholder in the modified feature on July 11, 2010. It is the only race I really had no idea who had won until track official Jack Walbring made the official call, thanks to the electronic timing and scoring system the Bullring uses. Even looking at pictures the next day on one of the racing websites (St. Louis, I think) it was tough to tell who had won. Thank goodness for those transponders.

Another thing that stands out is that DeLonjay also has the second-closest win and was runner-up in the fourth. Justin Reed is also on this list three times.

Steven DeLonjay

How about you? Any memories of these close calls — or other fantastic finishes?

CLOSEST OF THE CLOSE CALLS

The closest margins of victory at the start-finish line since the electronic timing and scoring system was put in place late in 2007:

Winner (Runner-up), Margin of Victory, Date
1. Steven DeLonjay (Dave Wietholder), 0.010, July 11, 2010 (modifieds)
2. Steven DeLonjay (Mark Burgtorf), 0.024, Sept. 25, 2011 (modifieds)
3. Tony Dunker (Joe Bliven), 0.031, Aug. 28, 2011 (sport mods)
4. Justin Reed (Steven DeLonjay), 0.087, May 31, 2009. (modifieds)
5. Jake Wenig (John Oliver Jr.), 0.096, May 18, 2008. (stock cars)
6. Tom Goble (Justin Reed), 0.116, June 14, 2009. (late models)
7. Michael Long (Mark Burgtorf), 0.126, Sept. 5, 2011 (modifieds)
8. Vance Wilson (Jason Perry), 0.155, Oct. 3, 2010. (late models)
9. Andrew Griffin (Kevin Tomlinson), 0.164, May 10, 2009. (stock cars)
10. Matt Bailey (Justin Reed), 0.178, July 19, 2009. (late models)

We’re always rating drivers, cars and races … so why not take it an entirely new step farther? Below is the the inaugural rankings for Stevie Dirt blog contributors. These are the guys and girls who make this whole thing so much fun:

1. flyby: He may not always be right, but his comments usually serve as a lightning rod for anyone named Dunker.

2. TEAM4FAN: The 2011 Blog Contributor of the Year is trying for a second straight title, and judging by the past few days he’s working his way into a good midseason lather.

3. TEAMFOURBOSS: You always know where you stand with the driver/owner of No. 4 (and No. 3).

4. Joe Boom: Mr. Punctuation is making a strong bid for the top spot.

5. Dave Moore: He loves to stir up trouble, and we love him for it.

6. Just a fan: Half of the 2010 Blogger of the Year tandem, this blonde is the one who wants to drive a sport compact. Someone out there please let her get behind the wheel.

7. GMF: She’s been relatively quiet this season, especially for a blonde.

8. rizzle: He’s coming on strong. Definite top-five potential.

9. leadfoot: A relative newcomer to this mix, leadfoot has shown he’s willing to mix it up.

10. racefan27: this could be the new blogger the rest love to hate.

In staging: Forracer06, bullringfan, Michael Larsen, showstopper.

The wet weather has won again. Quincy Raceways officials were forced to pull the plug on Sunday night’s scheduled Northern Allstars Late Model Series show for the second straight week. The unexpected weekend rain made both the track and pits unusable, especially with the continuing damp conditions.

No makeup date has yet been set.