Dusty roads take me home: Speedway season opens with earlier start time to combat low temps

QUINCY — The conditions were hardly ideal.

Temperatures were in the 40s, coupled with what was often a brisk breeze. Hoods and gloves were mandatory gear for most in attendance. And the blowing dust was another problem for most of the program.

But no one cared, and no one complained.

Dirt-track racing returned late Sunday afternoon and early evening to Adams County Speedway, officially signaling the end of winter for both the local dirt-track heroes and the fans who watch them.

“Yeah, it got a little dusty, but we’re usually not racing in the afternoon,” smiled crate late model feature winner Denny Woodworth of Mendon.

The starting time for the twice-postponed season opener was bumped up by about three hours to 3:45 p.m. in the hope of avoiding even cooler temperatures — and equally chilling winds — that had been predicted for what would have been the normal evening racing hours.

The afternoon sun, coupled with the aforementioned weather conditions, made it next-to-impossible for the grounds crew to stay ahead of the curve when it came to coping with the atmospheric conditions that can play havoc with a dirt-track like the .29-mile semi-oval at 8000 Broadway.

“We can live with a little dust,” said late model driver Sam Halstead, who made the haul from Keokuk, Iowa, and finished fourth in the opener. “The track was a little slick, but smooth. As usual, it was a good track.”

For rookie driver Christian Miles of Paloma, his first race behind the wheel of a big-bodied late model, was an education, especially on a challenging day like Sunday.

“I thought things went really well,” he said. “I thought I was able to hold my own. I’ll get better with more seat time.”

Finishing behind Woodworth in the King of the Crates feature, which paid $1,000 to win, were Braden Bilger of Jacksonville, Jason Perry of Payson, Halstead and Miles. Woodworth led flag-to-flag in the 20-lap main event.

The happiest of all the late model drivers may have been Perry, who is returning to full-time racing after more than five years away from the sport.

“I’ve still got some work to do, but I hope to be here all year,” said Perry, who won the late model track title in 2012 when the then-Quincy Raceways was a UMP site.

Woodworth and Halstead won the late model heat races. Woodworth is gunning for a seventh straight track title.

Other feature winners were Jacob Rexing of Brighton, Ill., in modifieds, Kyler Girard of Moberly, Mo., in sport mods, Leremy Jackson of Unionville, Iowa, in street stocks and Jeffrey DeLonjay of Quincy in 4-Cylinders. 

Woodworth and DeLonjay were the only defending track champs to win season-opening features.

Rexing held back Dave Wietholder of Liberty, Mike Vanderiet of Centralia, Mo., and Rick Stevenson of O’Fallon, Mo., in the modified finale. 

Rexing led the closing five laps of the 20-lap feature, moving past Drake Stevenson of O’Fallon, Mo. Stevenson’s right rear tire exploded coming out of turn two, ending his quest for a first-ever feature win in Quincy. Drake Stevenson is Rick Stevenson’s college-aged son.

Austen Becerra and Drake Stevenson won modified heats. 

Girard led the final nine circuits of the 18-lap sport mod main event, holding off Logan Cumby of Quincy, Tanner Klingele of Quincy and Dakota Girard of Moberly, Mo. 

Reed Wolfmeyer of Liberty and Kyler Girard earned sport mod heat-race wins.

Jackson’s victory in the street stock feature was the first of his career. Jackson led the final five laps of the 15-lap event. Jake Powers of Plainville was runner-up, followed by Sage Martin of Perry and Kale Foster of Pittsfield.

DeLonjay had a strong effort in his 4-Cylinder feature victory. He recovered nicely from getting loose on turn four early in the race and falling back to the middle of the pack. DeLonjay eventually climbed into the lead on lap eight and led the remainder of the 15-lap feature.

Dyllan Bonk of Golden, Kim Abbott of Camp Point and Jimmy Dutlinger of Peoria rounded out the top four. DeLonjay edged Dutlinger 626-625 for the 2022 track championship.