‘I love racing here’: Neville making himself feel at home in Adams County Speedway’s victory lane

QUINCY — Trevor Neville has officially adopted Quincy as his home away from home.

Who can blame him?

Neville won his second modified feature of the season at Adams County Speedway, surviving a late-race duel Sunday night with Chance Holland.

Neville, who resides in Mackinaw, Ill., used back-to-back slide jobs coming out of turns two and four on lap 17 to secure the lead from Holland. Neville then warded off all ensuing challenges from Holland, Dave Wietholder and Austen Becerra over the closing three laps.

“I’m worn out, but that was a blast,” said Neville. “If you didn’t like that race, you’re here for the wrong reason.” 

Neville started racing in Quincy late last season, and has grown to love the .295-mile dirt track. Winning the feature four times in his eight visits has probably had something to that with that relationship, too.

“I love racing here, I love the fans … I love America,” an excitable Neville said. “Let’s keep doing this the rest of the summer, let’s have some more fun.”

Neville also finds himself in the midst of the modified championship chase as he seeks to become the first driver in any class to win a track title at Quincy who has not been from West-Central Illinois, Northeast Missouri or Southeast Iowa. Mackinaw is in Tazwell County, situated between Peoria and Bloomington.

Wietholder, who finished second in the feature and is a four-time series champ, currently leads the modified points with 243. Holland ended third in the feature, one spot in front of Becerra, who is seeking a third straight series championship and currently sits second in points with 236. Neville is third with 220.

Other Sunday night feature winners were Tommy Elston in crate late models, Patrick Phillips in sport mods, Robert Cottom in stock cars, Matthew Mackey in 4-Cylinders and Jacob Jones in Crown Vics.

Elston survived two cautions over the closing six laps of the crate late main event to win his first feature of the season and series-best 14th since the track re-opened in 2022.

Elston led all 25 laps, finishing ahead of Jason Perry, Jamie Wilson and Denny Woodworth.

“The top and bottom of the track both worked well,” Elston said. “I didn’t think it mattered.”

Wilson’s strong third-place allowed him to move into the points lead over Perry 200-195. Right behind are Woodworth (174), Elston (173) and Spencer Havermale (171).

Phillips led all 18 laps of the sport mod feature, but had to turn back a late-race run from Reed Wolfmeyer. Phillips’ margin of victory was a scant .06-of-a-second.

“When I saw (Wolfmeyer) coming, I knew I had company and that it was going to be close,” Phillips said.

Logan Cumby and Tanner Klingele rounded out the top four.

Klingele remains the points leader (116) in a tightly bunched top five. Wolfmeyer (113), Cumby (111), A.J. Tournear (110) and Lucas Schieferdecker (103) are right behind.

Cottom finally emerged in a back-and-forth stock car finale with Jake Powers. Cottom managed to ward off Powers over the closing five circuits to collect his second victory of the season. Powers, Rudy Zaragoza and Jacob Rexing completed the top four.

“I knew (Powers and Zaragoza) were close, but I felt I had enough breathing room,” Cottom said.

Cottom (155) and Rexing (155) are tied for the points lead, just ahead of Zaragoza (152).

Mackey led flag-to-flag in the 15-lap 4-Cylinder feature, holding off a late charge from eventual runner-up Jaden DeLonjay. Spencer Coats was third and Jeremy Lee fourth.

“There’s a lot of tough competition in this division, and I appreciate the track for giving us a place to race on Sunday nights,” Mackey said.

Jaden DeLonjay has opened up a commanding 278-240 points lead over his older brother and two-time defending series champ Jeffrey DeLonjay. Jeffrey DeLonjay was forced to the pits early in the feature due to mechanical issues and had to settle for a 14th-place finish.

Jones’ feature win in the Crown Vic division came in the series’ debut. The feature was marred by seven cautions and a six-car field, about half of what was expected and about one-third of what is anticipated later in the season. 

Brian Kaylor finished second.

Track co-promoter Jim Lieurance said “many of the (Crown Vic) cars are still not ready,” but remains positive the new series will be a success.

The June 9 schedule will be highlighted by the season’s lone visit from the Iowa-based Sprint Invaders sprint car series. Other classes competing that night will be the crate lates, modifieds and Crown Vics.

The track will be off June 16 in preparation for the June 19 visit of the UMP DIRTCar Summer Nationals Hell Tour super late model series.