Birck returns to spot he’s often occupied in victory lane at Adams County Speedway

QUINCY — So much for that rather abbreviated retirement, eh?

Adam Birck, a three-time track champion in the sport mod division, emerged from retirement Sunday night at Adams County Speedway.

And Birck did so with an exclamation point, winning his first sport mod feature since August 2023. Birck led the final two circuits of the 18-lap main event, managing to hold off Dakota Girard and Reed Wolfmeyer.

“To be honest, I got lucky,” said Birck, who ruled the division in 2018, 2019 and 2022 but retired following the 2023 season.

Birck, who resides in LaGrange, Mo., was making a genuine point.

Birck had been pursuing Tanner Klingele and Logan Cumby, two of the “big three” in the sport mod class with Wolfmeyer the other. Birck was able to assume the lead on a lap 17 restart that followed a crash that knocked both Klingele and Cumby out of contention. 

“I felt bad for Tanner and Logan,” said Birck, who is friends with both drivers.

Birck’s return to racing was made possible with the help of Austen Becerra, a four-time track champ and another good friend of Birck’s. Becerra, who is trying to lock down a third straight modified championship, provided Birck with the car he is driving. 

“I can’t thank him enough for his help,” Birck said. “It’s been a challenge.”

Kyler Girard and Dakota Girard won the sport mod heats.

Klingele (229) and Wolfmeyer (229) are tied for the series points lead, followed by Cumby (222) and A.J. Tournear (222).

Klingele ($3,145) held on to his series earnings lead. Wolfmeyer ($3,095) is a close second, followed by Cumby ($2,745).

Other feature winners were Becerra in the modifieds, Tommy Elston in the crate late models, Robert Cottom in the stock cars and Jaden DeLonjay in the 4-Cylinder class. The Crown Vics had the night off.

Becerra led all 20 laps of the mod feature, finishing ahead of Dave Wietholder and Jacob Rexing. Becerra has led a series-best 110 feature laps this season. No other mod driver has been in front for more than 19 laps.

Becerra’s victory was his fourth straight and fifth of the season. He said he was grateful when the feature ended because midway through the race “it felt like the motor might be starting to overheat.”

Becerra also won his mod-best fifth heat race. Shawn Deering captured the other preliminary.

Becerra built his series points advantage over Wietholder to 531-518. No other mod driver is within 50 points of the lead.

Becerra is closing in on a modified series earnings record. He now shows $9,770 won this season at just past the midpoint of the schedule. The series record is $11,620, established by Becerra a year ago. He’s won $30,435 in the modified series since the track reopened in 2022, which is almost $10,000 more than any other competitor.

Elston says one of the reasons he enjoys coming to Quincy to race is the large car counts in the crate late division. There were 17 crates in the pits Sunday night.

“It’s like the old (super open late model) days here,” said Elston, who makes the haul from Keokuk, Iowa. “I love coming here to race.”

Elston said he felt in recent weeks he “had been struggling (in Quincy) and racing better up north.” That all ended Sunday night when he dominated the feature field by pulling away over the final 14 laps en route to staving off Jason Perry, Denny Woodworth and Jackson Frankel. Jamie Wilson, who wound up 14th, had led the opening 11 circuits.

Elston’s feature victory was his second of the season and first since June 2. 

Elston, Wilson and Woodworth won the crate late heats.

The victory also pulled Elston, the defending series champ, closer to the top in points. Perry (463), Woodworth (449) and Elston (428) are the leaders.

Perry ($3,845), Woodworth ($3520), Elston ($3,370) and Wilson ($3,095) are the top crate late money earners.

Cottom rolled to his fourth stock feature victory, outdistancing Jake Powers and Rudy Zaragoza. Cottom and Zaragoza claimed heat victories.

Cottom’s victory tied him with Jacob Rexing for the most stock feature wins this season. Cottom (273), Rexing (268) and Zaragoza (263) are the points leaders.

Rexing ($2,600) continues as the stock money leader. Cottom ($2,175) is second.

Jaden DeLonjay’s fourth feature win in the 4-Cylinders padded his series points lead to 503-369 over Kim Abbott, who finished third behind runner-up Travis Demint.

Rick Deford and Demint earned heat victories.

Jaden DeLonjay ($1,710) regained the money-earned lead from brother Jeffrey DeLonjay ($1,630), who finished 12th in the feature due to mechanical issues.

Notes

• Sunday night’s 27 cautions matched the May 19 season high.

• Another major show is on the docket next Sunday when the MARS series late models are in town. Past MARS winners at Quincy include Ryan Unzicker (2023) of El Paso, Ill., and Tommy Sheppard Jr. (2022) of New Berlin, Ill.

• The MARS modifieds also will be on hand next Sunday. Former Quincy track champ Michael Long (2015, 2008, 2007) is currently the MARS points leader.

• Beginning next Sunday, the Crown Vics will be on the schedule each Sunday the remainder of the season.

• There will be no racing at the speedway July 28 due to the Adams County Fair.

• The continued growth of the crate late model division can be seen in this year’s car counts. Nine of 10 shows have attracted 16 or more crates. A year ago, just three of 20 dates managed those numbers, and in 2022 only two shows did.

• Since the 2022 reopening of the track, Elston (15) has won the most crate late features, Becerra (20) the most modified main events, Klingele (10) the most sport mod features, Cottom (20) the most stock features and Jeffrey DeLonjay (24) the most 4-Cylinder main events.

• Becerra also has three checkered flags (2021-22) in the sport mods, giving him 23 overall, one behind Jeffrey DeLonjay for the overall track lead.