As curtain closes on dirt track season, attention turns to prepping Quincy Raceways for 2025

QUINCY — One season ends, another begins.

The final checkered flag Sunday night simultaneously marked the end of the dirt-track racing season at Quincy Raceways and the beginning of what promises to be an interesting offseason at 8000 Broadway.

New track owner Jeff DeLonjay, who with wife Renee bought the track about two months ago and took over complete operations Sept. 8, said he and his staff will be hitting the ground running beginning Monday. Between now and the start of the 2025 season in early May, DeLonjay said fans can expect to see plenty of changes and improvements to accompany what has already been done in recent weeks.

Many of the offseason improvements will continue to target what had become an aging infrastructure at a facility that dates to the mid-1970s.

“The first things we’ll be doing are replacing and repairing the fencing along the front stretch, plus bringing in new dirt for a new track,” DeLonjay said. “The drainage system is also going to be overhauled, plus a lot of other (physical changes) that might not be obvious to the average fan.

“We’ll also be remodeling the VIP seating area and enlarging the press box.”

There has already been extensive painting, cement work and other major maintenance efforts.

In addition, the kart track that rests outside the northeast portion of the grandstands is scheduled to be relocated inside the main racing area for next year. “The Little Bullring” attracted 43 racers Saturday night, and expansion is needed to both serve a growing kart crowd and better showcase the track’s karting series.

Quincy Raceways’ main concession area is currently in the process of being completely overhauled. A bar will also be added to the east end of the concession building, plus placing more of an accent on a gaming area.

“The last two weeks have proven to be a blessing in disguise,” DeLonjay said. “We have found out a lot more about what we need to get done in the offseason, and I cannot thank everyone enough who has stepped up to help. We’ve even had a number of people coming out and asking what they can do. I’ll tell ya, I get chills just thinking about the response we’ve had. As they say, it takes a village.”

DeLonjay also said there has not yet been a firm commitment made to racing on either Friday or Sunday nights, but hinted the final schedule might include a combination of both nights, depending on what time of the year it was.

DeLonjay has not yet formally approved the final 2025 schedule, but it “will likely” run from early May through mid-September, and include the same major attractions (UMP Hell Tour, MLRA and MARS for late models and modifieds), with possibly a few new events.

The same six weekly classes — crate late models, modifieds, sport mods, stock cars, 4-Cylinders and Crown Vics — will all return. DeLonjay said he is looking at adding a seventh class, a competition for trucks.

Final feature winners

Tanner Klingele won his fourth straight feature to highlight the final show of the season. Klingele won the Open “B” mod main event, which replaced the usual sport mod feature.

Klingele, the reigning sport mod champion, led all 15 laps en route to outdistancing Damian Kiefer, A.J. Tournear and Michael Goodwin. Tournear and Steve Meyer won heats. Tournear’s heat victory was his ninth of the season, which tied him with stock driver Jacob Rexing for the overall track lead.

Other feature winners included Austen Becerra in crate late models, Justin Reed in modifieds, Jake Powers in stock cars, Dyllan Bonk in 4-Cylinders and Terry Houston in Crown Vics.

Becerra’s first appearance in a late model at Quincy proved impressive. A three-time defending modified track champ, Becerra led the crate late feature for the final 22 laps, turning back Denny Woodworth, Darin Weisinger Jr. and Jason Oenning. Woodworth and Jackson Frankel garnered heat wins.

Reed enjoyed a banner night in winning his first modified feature of the season, plus a heat race. Reed led all 20 laps, finishing ahead of Dave Wietholder, Shawn Deering and Frankie Wellman Jr. Wietholder won the other heat.

Powers’ win in the stock feature was his third of the season — all in the last six weeks. Powers outdueled Rudy Zaragoza, Brandon Boden and Beau Taylor. Zaragoza won the lone stock heat.

Bonk’s win in the 4-Cylinder main event was his first of the season, holding off reigning series champ Jaden DeLonjay. Spencer Coats and Kim Abbott finished off the top four. Bonk and Coats collected heat wins.

Terry Houston ended his Crown Vic season with his first feature victory. Glen Wylie, Alex Hatfield and Jordan Zumwalt completed the top four. Houston and Hatfield were heat winners.

Raceways notes

• Sunday’s grand finale ended the season with a bang. Literally. There were a whopping 28 caution flags, topping the previous season high by one.

• Final earnings leaders in each of the weekly classes were:

Late models — Denny Woodworth ($7,765), Tommy Elston ($7,280), Jason Perry (7,050).

Modifieds — Austin Becerra ($13,245), Dave Wietholder ($9,320), Jacob Rexing ($5,420).

Sport mods — Tanner Klingele ($6,685), Logan Cumby ($4,545), Reed Wolfmeyer ($4,545).

Stocks — Jacob Rexing ($4,150), Rudy Zaragoza ($3,520), Jake Powers ($2,950), Robert Cottom ($2,950).

4-Cylinders — Jaden DeLonbjay ($3,015), Kim Abbott ($1,860), Jeffrey DeLonjay ($1,690).

Crown Vics — Jacob Jones ($1,330), Dakota Damron ($1,1,075), Alex Hatfield ($915).

• A total of $1,733 was collected by drivers to donate to the family of the late Carson Birck, the 23-year-old son of three-time sport mod track champ Adam Birck. Carson Birck was killed in a work-related accident last week.

• Longtime track announcer Doug Mealy, who has been behind the microphone since 2005, is uncertain about his announcing future. If the track moves to Friday nights in 2025, Mealy may not be able to serve as announcer due to other commitments.

• Former NASCAR driver and longtime Quincy Raceways fan favorite Kenny Wallace had been planning to attend Sunday night’s season-ending races. But a crash earlier in the weekend ended his racing for the weekend.

• Retiring driver Jim Powell crashed out of what was likely his final race, the Open “B” Mod feature. He was credited with an 11th-place finish.