Racing notebook: Drivers heading full steam into second half of Adams County Speedway season

QUINCY — It’s that time of year.

The local racing season is heading full steam into the second half of the dirt-track calendar. From now until the end of points racing at sites like Adams County Speedway this weekend begins The Grind. 

The meek may one day inherit the earth, but they’ll never win a track championship. That should be obvious come feature time each and every week between now and the end of the season.

Here’s a capsule look at the six weekly classes at 8000 Broadway:

Crate late models

Who’s ahead right now: Jason Perry (393 points), Denny Woodworth (384), Jamie Wilson (373), Tommy Elston (353).

Who will win the track championship: Denny Woodworth of Mendon has been coming on like gangbusters in recent weeks, finishing second, second and third in the last three features. Getting past Jason Perry of Payson will be no easy task, but Woodworth has won six track titles since 2016. He knows what he’s doing. One more championship will give Woodworth 10 overall track titles. Only Mark Burgtorf (16) and Hank DeLonjay (13) have more. 

What is a trend to keep an eye on: Tommy Elston of Keokuk, Iowa, won his first title at Quincy a year ago with a memorable season-ending charge, winning the final four features and seven of the last nine. Well, it’s the second half of 2024 and Elston again appears ready to go on another roll.

Who’s a sleeper to watch: Christian Miles is not going to win the track title this season, but he’s coming and he’s coming fast. The Paloma teenager won his first feature last Sunday, and by this time in 2025, he’ll likely be in the title hunt.

Modifieds

Who’s ahead right now: Austen Becerra (456), Dave Wietholder (448), Jacob Rexing (412).

Who will win the track championship: Becerra, who is from Carthage, has won the last three features. He’s going to be difficult to keep away from what would be a third straight title at the Bullring.

What is a trend to keep an eye on: If not for a DNF May 19, Dave Wietholder of Liberty would likely be the points leader. Outside of that particular night, Wietholder has lived on the podium. He’s chasing his first track championship since 2019.  

Who’s a sleeper to watch: Becerra and Wietholder regularly command most of the attention in this division, and rightly so, but Jacob Rexing of Brighton, Ill., is far from chopped liver. I fully expect him to have a major say in whether it’s Becerra or Wietholder who win the track championship.

Sport mods

Who’s ahead right now: Tanner Klingele (194), Reed Wolfmeyer (191), Logan Cumby (188), A.J. Tournear (185).

Who will win the track championship: Any one of the top four is capable — and would be a worthy champ — but I’m leaning toward Reed Wolfmeyer of Liberty by the slimmest of margins. Wolfmeyer has seemed to up his game another notch this season. 

What is a trend to keep an eye on: All four of those points leaders have finished in the top five of all points features.

Who’s a sleeper to watch: Keep an eye on Quinton Shelton of Quincy. He gets better by the week, and it’s not so much what he’s going to accomplish this season but what he may do in 2025 if he continues to improve. Lucas Schieferdecker of LaGrange, Mo., has been another driver who has enjoyed a solid year, and another we should see even more from next season.

Stocks

Who’s ahead right now: Jacob Rexing (233), Robert Cottom (233), Rudy Zaragoza (225).

Who will win the track championship: Wow. Rexing and Robert Cottom, who is from Galesburg, have emerged as the two giants of the stocks this season, with one of them winning every feature to date. Let’s flip a coin and I’ll take whoever you don’t want. 

What is a trend to keep an eye on: Traditionally, we don’t seem to see much of Beau Taylor of Canton, Mo., until the second half of the season. Well, the second half is here and I fully expect Taylor to claim his fair share of checkered flags from now until when the leaves start to fall.

Who’s a sleeper to watch: At this point, Taylor would technically qualify as a sleeper. Plus, the bottom line is no other driver figures to have a chance to run down either Rexing or Cottom.

4-Cylinders

Who’s ahead right now: Jaden DeLonjay (428), Jeffrey DeLonjay (310), Kim Abbott (304).

Who will win the track championship: As the weeks pass, Jaden DeLonjay of Quincy has solidified his claim to No. 1. He’s also the most improved driver in the series, which, for the most part, I think has come from maturity. The teenager has learned he can’t necessarily win a race on the first lap, but unnecessary chances can certainly allow him to lose it.

What is a trend to keep an eye on: Kim Abbott’s continued rise has been impressive after a disastrous first week. Abbott was absolutely buried in the points following a forgettable opener when her car failed to start for the feature. She may not win another track title (this year), but an eventual runner-up finish after that woeful start to the season would be most satisfying to the veteran from Camp Point.. 

Who’s a sleeper to watch: Two-time series champ Jeffrey DeLonjay of Quincy probably shouldn’t be classified as any sort of sleeper, but I think with his younger brother’s first-half dominance he’s been forgotten about by many. It’s a long way from now to October, and don’t fret, big brother still has time to make plenty of headlines. Don’t forget, the oldest of the DeLonjay brothers has won 24 features since the start of the 2022 season. 

Crown Vics

Who’s ahead right now: Jacob Jones (104 points), Steve Meyer (104), Dakota Damron (102), Brian Kaylor (102), Jake Etter (101).

Who will win the track championship: To be honest, your guess is as good as mine with this wide-open and sometimes wacky first-year class. 

What is a trend to keep an eye on: The closest thing to consistency we’ve seen from any of the Crown Vic pilots has arguably been provided by Jacob Jones of Quincy, but he’s far from a lock for the title. By the time the class has grown to its expected 12 to 15 in its first season, any sort of prediction will become that much tougher.

Who’s a sleeper to watch: I like what I’ve seen most weeks from Steve Meyer of Hannibal. He’s only got one feature victory to date, but week in, week out Meyer has spent most of his time near front. Plus, he has the best looking car in this class, with a paint job similar to Kyle Petty’s old Mello Yello ride in NASCAR.

Ka-ching!

Here’s a look at the leading money winners by division, and whether or not they might have a chance of a record earnings total:

Crate late models — Jason Perry ($3,245), Denny Woodworth ($3,020), Jamie Wilson ($2,695), Tommy Elston ($2,570). The crate late model record belongs to Tommy Elston ($10,895) in 2024, while the overall late model record is Mark Burgtorf ($17,510) in 2006.

Modifieds — Austen Becerra ($8,970), Dave Wietholder ($4,520), Jacob Rexing ($3,745). Becerra ($11,620) set the record in 2023.

Sport mods — Tanner Klingele ($3,945), Reed Wolfmeyer ($2,795), Logan Cumby ($2,695). Klingele ($6,120) established the record in 2023.

Stocks — Jacob Rexing ($2,500), Robert Cottom ($1,800), Rudy Zaragoza ($1,520). Zaragoza ($5,325) accumulated the record in 2022.

4-Cylinders — Jeffrey DeLonjay ($1,585), Jaden DeLonjay ($1,470), Kim Abbott ($730). Abbott ($7,280) set the record in 2022.

Crown Vics — Jacob Jones ($510), Steve Meyer ($410), Dakota Dameron ($360). This is the first year for the Crown Vics at the Bullring.