“The People’s Champion” opened the dirt-tracking season in style Friday night when when he won the sport compact feature at Lee County Speedway in Donnellson, Iowa.

Pat “Skipp” Dunker, the popular fan-turned-racer at the Bullring, took his show on the road and came back with a checkered flag. He started 10th in the main event, worked his way to the front and edged Chuck Fullenkamp at the start-finish line for the victory.

“Tge margin of victory could not have been more than six or eight inches,” said Billy Tournear, a member of Quincy UMP modified racer Jake Griffin’s pit crew who was at Lee County watching.

“It was maybe by a bumper,” Dunker said.

“The People’s Champion”

Dunker had no difficulty remembering what was going through his mind as he crossed the start-finish line.

“I thought about all of the hard work that had gone into getting ready during the offseason, and all the guys who have helped us out,” he said. “I’m just so damn happy.”

Dunker said the opening-night track conditions were “spongy,” but he gave credit to track promoter Mike Van Genderen for getting the facility ready to race. Track officials worked throughout the night on the track to keep it as race ready as possible.

“Give those guys a lot of credit, they did a fantastic job,” Dunker said.

Dunker figures to be one of the chief title threats in the sport compacts at Quincy.

“We’re out to have fun … but I don’t like to lose,” he said.

The first night of action at Quincy is April 14. There is a practice session scheduled for Wednesday night. Gates open at 5 p.m.

The start of the dirt-track season is just over two weeks away —well, maybe —and that means the return of the gold, silver and bronze comments of the week. How far are we from the renewal of the flyby vs. Dunker family war of words? I love this time of the year!

Gold medal: MWNN

“In my best Allen Iverson Voice: “We talkin’ about practice?”

Silver medal: SKIPP

“THAT CANT BE THE REASON …. I DONT HAVE 116 FRIENDS …… ;( …BETTER LUCK NEXT YEAR …. I’LL TRY TO BE NICER TO 35 MORE PEOPLE THIS SUMMER. !!!! SEE YA IN MAY ..!!!!!!”

Bronze medal: tyrone

“Better to have a lot of friends than a good looking car any day. Shawn just happens to have both.”

Quincy Raceways has canceled the first night of practice that was scheduled for Sunday, due to the ongoing inclement weather.

The next scheduled practice will be Wednesday, April 3, with gates opening at 5 p.m. Practice will start as soon as the track is ready.

Opening night is April 14 with a full lineup of UMP Super Late Models, UMP Modifieds and IMCA Sport Mods, Stock Cars and Sport Compacts.

Shortly after the end of the 2012 season, Joe Bliven suggested I combine the old “B” modified statistics with those of the sport mods since they are — for all intents and purposes — the same type of car. I like the way Joe thinks (usually, anyway).

First of all, let’s examine how the career track points looked for the 1999-2005 period for the “B” mods, then we’ll add in the 2011-12 sport mods. We use 1999 as the starting point because that is the first season statistics started being kept at the track.

Kelly Bartz

Down the road, we’ll look at victories, but today we’ll start with the track points to get an idea of consistency and overall dominance.

“B” MODIFIED CAREER TRACK POINTS 1999-2005
Tony Dunker, 4,054 points
Rob Carter, 3,676
Jim Leffew, 3,327
Wes Mayfield, 3,136
Terry Houston, 2,961
Joe Bliven, 2,952
Kelly Bartz, 2,892
Joe Hooper, 2,807
Wyatt Lantz, 2,573
Gary Dreyer, 2,509

‘B’ MODIFIED TRACK CHAMPIONS 1999-2005

2005: Wyatt Lantz
2004: Tony Dunker
2003: Tony Dunker
2002: Marty Hull Sr.
2001: Gary Dreyer
2000: Kelly Bartz
1999: Greg Uppinghouse

Only Tony Dunker and Bliven from the old “B” mod days have been involved with the new-age sport mods, but over the course of years to come we’ll see some of sport mod pioneers work their way into this new combined list.

CAREER TRACK POINTS INCLUDING 2011-12 SPORT MODS

Joe Hooper

Tony Dunker, 4,892 points
Joe Bliven, 3,746
Rob Carter, 3,676
Jim Leffew, 3,327
Wes Mayfield, 3,136
Terry Houston, 2,961
Kelly Bartz, 2,892
Joe Hooper, 2,807
Wyatt Lantz, 2,573
Gary Dreyer, 2,509

SPORT MOD CAREER TRACK POINTS 2011-12
Tony Dunker, 838 points
Joe Bliven, 794
Bobby Anders, 663
Tanner Klingele, 614
Brad Holtmeyer, 596
Charles Van Zandt, 592
Chandler Owens, 450
Brandon Dale, 335
Rick Barlow Jr., 323
Vance Wilson, 261
Jim Gillenwater, 255

Shawn Deering!

Deering’s No. 16 UMP modified won the week-plus voting for the best-looking car at the recent Quincy Mall show, following an extremely close balloting with Jared Schlipman, Abe Huls and Pat Dunker.

For most of the poll’s duration the four were separated by fewer than six to eight votes, but Deering pulled away late Sunday to secure the victory. Hewre are the final numbers:

Shawn Deering, 141 votes, 24.1 percent
Jared Schlipman, 124 votes, 21.2 percent
Abe Huls, 121 votes, 20.7 percent
Pat Dunker, 116 votes, 19.9 percent

Total votes: 584.

The poll at the right will end at midnight Sunday after a wild and crazy week-plus of voting. It has been the closest poll in the six years that we have offered polls and it has drew the most votes of any ballot at this time of the year.

But all good things have to end. We left it up an extra three or four days because it has been so interesting to watch, but at midnight Sunday we’ll find out who had the best-looking car at the recent Quincy Mall show.

Late model driver Dustin Griffin pulled off a rare Bullring accomplishment in 2012. The Black Car Superstar finished second in the late model points behind champ Jason Perry — despite missing two points features during the season.

Dustin Griffin

That marked the first time since a 2010 and just the fifth time since 1997 a Quincy Raceways driver missed one or more weeks and finished either first or second in the points.

Such figures are only available back to 1992, but in the 21 seasons covered only four times has a driver missed a week and been able to win a track championship. The most recent was Michael Long in the modifieds in 2008. That was the second year of his incredible back-to-back seasons when he won a combined 71 races, including 31 features.

Griffin is only the second late model driver to miss one or more features and finish first or second in points — and the only one not named (Mark) Burgtorf.

WON CHAMPIONSHIP (with one missed week)

Michael Long, modifieds, 2008
Steve Carlin, bombers, 2003
Sam Burgtorf, bombers, 1994
Mark Burgtorf, late models, 1993

FINISHED SECOND (with one or more missed weeks)

Dustin Griffin, late models, 2012 (missed 2 points features)
Michael Long, modifieds, 2010
Mark Burgtorf, late models, 2008
Mike Karhoff, “A” modifieds, 1997
Bill Genenbacher, bombers, 1997
Mike Karhoff, “A” modifieds, 1994
Ron Gough, “A” modifieds, 1993
Lonnie Carter, “B” modifieds, 1993
Ron Gough, modifieds (one class), 1992

(NOTE: Attendance figures not available on a regular basis until 1992.)

The United Midwest Promoters (UMP) DIRTCar racing organization has released its track groupings for the 2013 season. Here are the late model and modified pairings that affect Quincy Raceways:

UMP LATE MODEL SOUTHWEST REGION

Quincy Raceways, Quincy, Ill.
34 Raceway, Burlington, Iowa.
Belle Clair Speedway, Belleville, Ill.
Charleston Speedway, Charleston, Ill.
Highland Speedway, Highland, Ill.
Fayette Speedway, Brownstown, Ill.
Jacksonville Speedway, Jacksonville, Ill.
Federated Auto Parts Raceway, Pevely, Mo.
Lincoln Speedway, Lincoln, Ill.
Macon Speedway, Macon, Ill.
Tri-City Speedway, Pontoon Beach, Ill.

UMP MODIFIED SOUTHWEST REGION

Quincy Raceways, Quincy, Ill.
Calloway Raceway, Fulton, Mo.
DuQuoin State Fair Raceway, Duquoin, Ill.
Fayette Speedway, Brownstown, Ill.
Highland Speedway, Highland, Ill.
Belle Clair Speedway, Belleville, Ill.
Federated Auto Parts Raceway, Pevely, Mo.
Tri-City Speedway, Pontoon Beach, Ill.

At first, Michael Larsen was not sure he liked the nickname “Taco.” He preferred “Magic Mike.”

Michael Larsen

But now?

“I’ve decided to embrace it,” the good-natured Larsen said.

So much so that Magic Mike, err …. Taco, has adorned the side of his No. 48 stock car with a characterization of Speedy Gonzalez woofing down a taco.

Larsen works at General Mills in Hannibal, Mo., making taco shells — hence, the nickname.

“I wanted an attention-getter, and this is an attention-getter,” Larsen said.

Larsen might be an attention-getter in more ways than one this year. A year ago while most onlookers were watching Terry Houston and Abe Huls dominate much of the stock car season, few noticed the solid year Larsen was having, a season that got better and stronger as it developed.

Conceivably, if Larsen had not missed one points feature he could have finished as high as second in the points. Regardless, Magic Mike, err… Taco, deserves to be listed as a title contender for 2013.

And if the coming season plays out with that No. 48 car running up front on a regular basis, Larsen won’t mind what you call him.

Jake Griffin will be back in black at the Bullring — but only in a UMP modified.

The 14-year-old, who raised his game to the next level in both a modified and UMP Super Late Model last season, says he will be concentrating only on the mods in 2013 at 8000 Broadway.

“We sold the late model to a guy in Michigan,” he told me.

The kid they call “Fireball” — wonder if it’s because of that red hair?? — will be running the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour on asphalt and his UMP modified on dirt.

“We plan on being in Quincy every week unless there’s a conflict, but I think it might only (affect us) once or twice,” Griffin said.

Jake Griffin

The first thing fans will notice about his new car is more of an accent on black, rather than so much green and white. The number on the sides is in black, outlined in white, rather than the white numbering he has used in recent years. (If late model driver Dustin Griffin is the Black Car Superstar, maybe Jake can be the Black Car Superstar II.)

Griffin is hardly resting on his laurels. He wants to keep improving.

“You always have to look for stuff you can improve on,” he said. “(You try things and) sometimes they work, and sometimes they don’t.”

Griffin would like to make a run at two-time defending modified track champ Steven DeLonjay, which is no easy task.

“I think we’ll have somethin’ for him,” said Griffin, who quickly added, “but Steven is tough to beat.”

Griffin and the rest of the mods, late models, sport mods, stock cars and sport compacts open their season in Quincy on April 14.