Jake Griffin answers some post-race questions.

For the past couple of years we have watched Jake “Fireball” Griffin move from field filler, then to race contender. Finally, last season he broke through and started his checkered flag collection.

Griffin, who will race next season as a 14-year-old, should continue his development and move to championship contender in 2013 — in two classes. No, he won’t win a title — well, at least I think he won’t — but he should be a major contender. I think he’ll leave his biggest mark in the modifieds, although his late-season performance in 2012 in the late models was nothing to sneeze at. Of those two classes, the UMP Super Lates should be even stronger than last season, making it that much tougher for a youngster like Griffin — even though he’s talented well beyond his years. (Do you realize there are a few guys whose cars are older than Griffin?)

What is so impressive about the teenager is a combination of his fearlessness and moxie. Watch him some night attack the corners. It’s impressive, and he does so in a fashion he does not take out half the field with him. There’s a fine line between aggressiveness and mayhem, and if you develop a reputation for the latter instead of the former it’s … well, not a good thing.

What we need to guard against is expecting too much from Fireball. It seems like he’s been around forever, yet he’s not even old enough to go to most movies without a parent. Let’s

Michael Larsen

not forget there will still be nights when he struggles. Even great young talents like Griffin have to endure a learning curve. But unless I miss my guess, he’ll negotiate that learning curve as quickly and easily as he does each of those four turns at the Bullring.

This will be the season we come to realize the level of talent driving that No. 08 car. Sit back and enjoy. In many ways, this should be the summer of Jake Griffin.

Enter the Fireball.

2. Craig Spegal: He’s given us glimpses of his talent in a modified. This season, he should make a run at the track’s elite. And like Griffin, he won’t win a championship, but unless I miss my guess he’ll have a say in who does.

3. Clint Kirkham: He started to turn the corner — both figuratively and literally — in late 2011. Last year there were more positive results. This year? He won’t win the Super Lates title, but a top-five in points is more than possible.

4. Michael Larsen: If someone is going to legitimately challenge Abe Huls and Terry Houston in the stock cars, “Taco” is your man. I’ve said in this space before, a good indication to see who to watch out for the following season is to monitor who won the most heat races the year before. No stock car driver won more heats than Larsen in 2012. He loves racing. He has a good ride. And he’s excited. Larsen is the only driver — outside of Honest Abe the Mayor of Mount Sterling — who (on paper) would seem to have a chance at the series championship. Could he really take the big iron? Why not?

Jerry Lierly (7) battles Mark Burgtorf.

5. Pat Dunker: “The People’s Champion” will be there from the beginning in the sport compacts. Each series needs a “face,” and Dunker could emerge as the matinee idol of the four-cylinders. Oh, and he can drive, too. Hey, he taught his brother, Tony, everything he knows.

COMEBACK DRIVERS OF THE YEAR

1. Jerry Lierly: It’s a shame he suffered the injury last season. We were just starting to get a good look at what he could do in that late model. Jerry could be the sleeper of the year in the track’s marquee class.

2. Keith Pratt: Here’s another driver who should come back strong. The Kool Kat was robbed of most of 2012 due to having to wait on equipment following some early season mishaps. The law of percentages say the breaks should go his way this season.

3. Jim Gillenwater: Call this one a hunch. And if he does come back, there might be a new sheriff in the sport mods.

MACOMB, Ill. — Francis “Wild Man” Kelly, one of the pioneers of dirt-track racing at Quincy Raceways and the surrounding region, died Monday morning. He was 87.

No other details are available at this time.

Kelly was part of the second class of inductees in the track’s hall of fame in September 2012. He was unable to attend the ceremonies that night because of health problems, His grandson, modified driver Matt Pepmeyer, accepted his plaque that night.

It’s that time again.

The calendar is getting dangerously close to 2013, which means the annual Quincy Raceways banquet (Jan. 12), which means to mall show can’t be far behind (March 16-17), which means opening night is right around the corner (April 14).

And that all adds up to the start of putting together the next — which will be the third — Hall of Fame class for the Bullring. I’ll get the ball rolling with some individuals I think are deserving of consideration from Hall of Fame Executive Director Charlie Bryson and his selection committee.

The following list is deals primarily with drivers, for the exception of a couple of “families” and a car builder I have added to the discussion. I am not qualified to talk about longtime track employees, sponsors or many of the drivers who were around prior to 1999. I’ll leave that up to the selection committee and track officials. Today I am simply starting the discussion about some of the leading modern-era drivers.

I’ll look forward to hearing your thoughts.

The drivers listed below are in alphabetical order, followed by the others mentioned above:

DRIVERS FROM THE MODERN ERA

Here are the drivers I would consider the leading candidates from the “modern era” (since 1999, when statistics have been kept for all classes):

LONNIE BAILEY

– No. 4 in all-time late model rankings (1975-2011).
– No. 2 in IMCA Era rankings (1998-2011), and one of only two drivers to win two or more tiles in that period. Burgtorf won 8, Bailey 2.
– One of 10 drivers in track history with three or more total championships. He also won a sportsman title before entering the late model series.
– Has finished second in track points six times in a late model career that started in 1988, including five runner-up finishes since 2002.
– Was No. 5 in all-time Deery Brothers Summer Series tour rankings at Quincy Raceways, trailing only Burgtorf, Denny Woodworth, Rob Toland and Boone McLaughlin.
– Ranks second in both late model total wins (98) and features won (23) since statistics started being tracked in 1999.
– No. 3 in track points during the IMCA Era behind Burgtorf and Woodworth.

STEVE CARLIN

– No. 1 in all-time (1987-2011) hobby stock/bomber rankings.
– No. 1 in hobby stock era (since 2007) rankings.
– Only non-late model/modified driver to win three or more consecutive track championships.
– His five track titles trail only Burgtorf (14), Hank DeLonjay (13) and Steve Fraise (9) in track history.
– Has won his five track titles since 2003, which is more than any other driver in that period.
– Holds class record for total races (23) and features (12) won in a season.

TONY DUNKER

– No. 2 in all-time (since 1988) modified rankings.
– Was No. 1 in “B” modified career rankings when they were retired following the 2005 season.
– One of six drivers in all classes in track history to finish in the top five in points nine or more consecutive seasons.
– Once had a modified record 12 straight seasons in the top 10 in points.
– One of five drivers to win 100 or more races in all classes since 1999. (Mark Burgtorf has won 207, Michael Long 200, Hank DeLonjay 138, Dunker 129 and Denny Woodworth 100.)
– Put together one of the most dominant seasons int rack history in 2012 during the first full season of the sport mods. He won 15 features and 27 total races.

MICHAEL LONG

– One of two drivers since 1999 to win 200 or more races in all classes. Long has won 200, second only to Hall of Famer Mark Burgtorf
(207).
– Has more overall (197), feature (77) and heat (86) wins in a modified since 1999 than any other driver.
– No. 3 in all-time modified rankings behind Hall of Famer Hank DeLonjay and Tony Dunker.
– Has won two track titles.
– Had six seasons in an eight-year span that he did not finish lower than third in points.
– Arguably had the two most dominant back-to-back seasons in any class in track history during 2007-08 when he won a combined 71 races, including 31 features.

DENNY WOODWORTH

– One of two drivers (Justin Reed being the other) to win a track title in both a late model and modified.
– No. 6 in all-time late model rankings (1975-2011).
– No. 3 in IMCA Era rankings (1998-2011)
– No. 2 in all-time Deery Brothers Summer Series tour rankings at Quincy Raceways, trailing only Burgtorf.
– Ranks third in both late model total wins (92) and features won (22) since statistics started being tracked in 1999. One of five drivers with 100 or more wins in all classes since 1999.
– No. 2 in track points during the IMCA Era behind Burgtorf.

JERRY POWERS

When the subject is car building at Quincy Raceways, Jerry’s name is always at the top of the list. His cars ruled the the former bomber and hobby stock divisions. Eddie Dieker and Steve Carlin, among others, owed much of their success to the rides beneath them — built by Powers.

WILSON FAMILY RACING

For years, Vance, Gary, Terry and Jamie Wilson have combined to provide plenty of Sunday night thrills. Gary was one of the track pioneers and son Vance is still one of the Bullring’s premier talents.

POWELL FAMILY RACING

This family’s legacy can be traced to the very first year of the track in 1975, and continues strong with the modern-day presences of Jim Powell and Michael Larsen.

Ahh …. remember the days when Tony Dunker was young and innocent? Well, young anyway. And why wasn’t Skippy in this picture?

Nothing like a Sunday night rollover at 8000 Broadway! Does anyone know whose car this was?

Old No. 42, Terry Schlipman, with one of his sweet-looking rides. At his left is the familiar Mr. White Pants.

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away there was a young driver named Mark (Burgtorf, not Hamill) who collected quite a few checkered flags from this Kenny Rogers lookalike in the Era of the White Pants.

The guy behind the wheel of this low rider is none other than Doug Mealy, now the popular track announcer at the Bullring.

One of the best-looking rides from days gone by belonged to Dick Crane and this black No. 77. (And why did track officials always wear white pants back in those years?)