Sport modifieds likely to have closest points race this season at Broadway Bullring

QUINCY — After a month of the dirt-track season at Quincy Raceways, it’s fair to offer the following 10 early observations and predictions.

Likely to be the closest points race: The driver atop the sport mod leaderboard will probably fluctuate all season long. Yep, the leading wheel men in that series are THAT close. Defending champ Tanner Klingele, plus Reed Wolmeyer, 2023 champ Logan Cumby, Kyler Girard and A.J. Tournear should provide the best points race of the summer. And most important, any of those five is capable winning a feature on a given week.

Star of the future: Is there any doubt that crate late model youngster Jackson Frankel is a superstar in the making? The son of Jason Frankel, who won the 2008 IMCA late model championship at 8000 Broadway, is just 17 but talented far beyond those years. What many have forgotten about Jackson is he finished fifth in last year’s points race as a 16-year-old.

Best comment: During intermission Friday night at the MARS series event at the Bullring, I was talking to a local businessman who is a longtime race fan. He made one thing perfectly clear when he said (with great enthusiasm), “I cannot believe what’s happening here. The place looks great, and you can just feel the excitement. I’m all in and will help support it however I can.”

Welcome back: Eddie Dieker’s early season appearances in the stock car division have been great. Dieker, who won four track titles and finished second twice between 1999 and 2005 in the old Bomber division, was always one of the most popular drivers at the track. 

Next big date to circle: Quincy will host the DIRTCar Summer Nationals — also known as The Hell Tour — on Wednesday, June 18. This will be the 14th appearance of the Hell Tour at 8000 Broadway, dating to 2006 when Randy “King Kong” Korte of Highland, Ill., was the winner.

Biggest surprise: I’m leaning toward the early season performance of Rick “The Destroyer” Conoyer in the modified series. He has a 10-point lead in the division over four-time champ Dave Wietholder. Conoyer, who hails from Wentzville, Mo., openly talks about how much he loves coming to Quincy to race. Could this be the year he finally takes a championship trophy back to Wentzville with him?

Most improved driver: Sure, it’s early, but the showing of 25-year-old Darin Weisinger Jr. in the crate lates has been impressive. His family eats, sleeps and drinks dirt-track racing, and it’s been great to see him running more up front. Plus, he’s a great kid. (And his sister, Lee Ann Lambert, sings one mean national anthem.)

Championship picks: My official title picks for the six primary series (which are all subject to change in another month, of course) are Jackson Frankel in the crate late models, Dave Wietholder in modifieds, Tanner Klingele in the sport mods, Kim Abbott in the 4-Cylinders, Jacob Rexing in stocks and Glen Wiley in Crown Vics.

Can he do it?: Speaking of championship picks, Denny Woodworth is chasing a nice round number. The late model lawyer needs one more title to give him 10 in a career that already includes nine late model crowns and one in the modified division. The modified title, his first, came in 1993.

Different eras: Woodworth has won late model championships in three separate eras at the track. He won his first in 2010 in the old IMCA era, followed that with three in the UMP years (2013, 2016, 2017) and has four (2017-19, 2022) in the crate late model era.

Track points leaders

The boys who make the noise won’t be racing again until May 25, but when they do, these will be your points leaders:

• Crate late models: Jackson Frankel 140, Braden Bilger 135, Darin Weisinger Jr. 115.
• Modifieds: Rick Conoyer 145, Dave Wietholder 135, Justin Reed 115.
• Sport mods: Kyler Girard 74, Reed Wolfmeyer 73, Logan Cumby 72.
• Open “B” mods: Matthew Edler 75, Brayden Bennett 70, Tanner Klingele 65.
• Stock cars: Jacob Rexing 75, Jake Powers 70, Levi Long 65.
• 4-Cylinders: Kim Abbott 120, Jay Kunce 115, Devin Harrell 111.
• Crown Vics: Glen Wiley 135, Jake Etter 135, Jordan Zummalt 123.

Dirt stars of the week

This week’s Dirt Stars are awarded to the local racers who took part in the recent MARS show at the track — competitors from the super open late models, modifieds, Open “B” mods and Crown Vics.

• 10 stars: Justin Reed, super open late models. Making his first appearance at the Bullring in a late model, Reed ran a strong third behind Jason Feger and Ryan Unzicker in the 40-lap main event. Until Friday night, we had only seen Reed in a modified this season, but obviously he hasn’t last his touch in those big-bodied late models. For those who may have forgotten, Reed is a former track champ in both divisions — 2011 in an IMCA late model and 2009 in a UMP modified.
• 9 stars: Austin Howes, super open late models. We rarely get to watch Howes, a one-time modified regular at the track, since he is now concentrating on his late model career. The amiable Howes was impressive all night against those MARS cars, finishing fifth in the feature and winning a heat race.
• 8 stars: Glen Wiley, Crown Vics. The New London, Mo., driver continues to emerge as the man to beat in this second-year series. His feature victory Friday night was No. 3 since the debut of the division in June 2024. The feature win was also his second straight. 
• 7 stars: Reed Wolfmeyer, open “B” mods. Wolfmeyer rebounded from a disappointing fifth-place heat finish to run third in the feature, the top showing for a local driver.
• 6 stars: Austen Becerra, modifieds. Becerra arguably enjoyed the best overall night for a local driver in this series. He ran sixth in a loaded modified feature following a runner-up finish in his heat.
• 5 stars: Rickey Frankel, super open late models. Frankel deserves five stars simply for walking away from that rollover Friday night. Glad to see he was fine and that his car appeared to have only sustained minimal damage. 
• 4 stars: Dave Wietholder, moifieds. Sure, mechanical woes kept the four-time series champ from running the feature, which was a shame. Wietholder had the series’ top qualifying time (14.378) so far this year. 
• 3 stars: MARS staff. To a man, the MARS representatives who were on hand Friday were gushing at the “new Quincy Raceways,” praising just about every aspect of the operation. The MARS cars will be returning July 20. This will be the first year the MARS series scheduled two appearances in Quincy.
• 2 stars: The track staff. A member of the track staff let me in on the long hours put in during the week before the MARS race so everything would be perfect (or as close as possible) for the new owners’ first showcase of a major event at 8000 Broadway. On a scale of 1 to 10, I”d have to give the night a 9.5.
• 1 star: The crowd. Friday night’s turnout at the Bullring was tremendous, both in number and enthusiasm. What may have been most impressive was during an hour delay midway through the program to do work on the racing surface. Hey, that kind of thing happens. It’s a DIRT track. Yet there were no complaints from the crowd, which was in a festive mood all night. The more than 3,000 fans were awarded with superb features following the work on the track.

Dirt-track dollars

Here’s a look at the top money winners so far in the track’s five weekly divisions:

Crate late models: Jason Frankel ($1,700), Braden Bilger ($1,300), Jamie Wilson ($925). (Note: Justin Reed won $2,000 and Austin Howes $1,400 in the MARS Super Open late model race May 16.)

• 2024 leader: Denny Woodworth ($7,765).
• Record (crate late models): Tommy Elston ($10,695, 2023).
• Record (overall): Mark Burgtorf ($17,510, 2006). 

Modifieds: Rick Conoyer ($1,875), Dave Wietholder ($1,575), Justin Reed ($1,300), Chase Holland ($1,300).

• 2024 leader: Austen Becerra ($13,245).
• Record: Austen Becerra ($13,245, 2024).

Sport mods (includes money won racing in Open “B” mods): Kyler Girard ($1,625), Reed Wolfmeyer ($1,375), Tanner Klingele ($1,285).

• 2024 leader: Tanner Klingele ($6,685).
• Record: Tanner Klingele ($6,685, 2024).

Stock cars: Jacob Rexing ($660), Jake Powers ($480), Eddie Dieker ($290).

• 2024 leader: Jacob Rexing ($4,150).
• Record: Rudy Zaragoza ($5,325, 2022).

4-Cylinders: Derrick DeFord $300, Spencer Coats ($275), Kim Abbott ($250), Devin Harrell $245, Jay Kunce ($240).

• 2024 leader: Jaden DeLonjay ($3,015).
• Record: Kim Abbott ($7,280, 2022).

Crown Vics: Glen Wiley ($460), Jordan Zummalt ($340), Alex Hatfield ($330), Jake Etter ($300).

• 2024 leader: Jacob Jones ($1,330).
• Record: Jacob Jones ($1,330, 2024).