Racing notebook: Pinpointing which drivers are edging ahead for year-end awards

QUINCY — Some dirt-track reflections as the inaugural Adams County Speedway season begins to wind down …

Here is one observer’s thoughts about the frontrunners for some awards that we’ll be monitoring quite closely over the final two weeks of points racing the final overall six weeks of competition:

Driver of the Year

Austen Becerra’s midseason rise to the top of the modified series — and his hard-charging ability to stay there — has emerged as the No. 1 2022 story coming out of 8000 Broadway. The 28-year-old out of Hancock County has run off six victories over a seven-week stretch to wrestle away the points lead from four-time defending champ — and good friend — Dave Wietholder. No driver in any division has been more impressive this summer than Becerra.

Another hotshoe who has also enjoyed a driver of the year-worthy campaign is sport mod veteran Adam Birck of Canton, Mo. Birck has controlled the points lead all season in what is the deepest and arguably most exciting class at the .29-mile track. If Becerra falters down the stretch, Birck could secure the award.

Ironically, it was Birck, also a good friend of Becerra’s, who loaned his sport mod to Becerra when the latter’s modified came up lame prior to a recent feature. Becerra drove the sport mod from the back of the feature pack for an unexpected victory in one of the season’s true highlight-reel moments.

Rising Star

Take your pick here. At the moment, I can’t narrow it down any farther than a top six: Logan Cumby, Reed Wolfmeyer and A.J. Tournear in sport mods, Jeffrey DeLonjay and Jaden DeLonjay in 4-Cylinders and Darin Weisinger Jr. in crate late models..

What If … 

Consider these five questions when assessing the summer-long pursuit of the five series titles:

• What if Kenny Wallace had raced a full modified schedule?

• What if Tommy Elston had raced a full crate late model schedule?

• What if Michael Grossman had raced a full 4-Cylinder schedule?

• What if Beau Taylor had run a complete street stock schedule?

• What if Shane Paris had run a complete sport mod schedule?

Welcome Back/Comeback Driver of the Year

I’ve taken some liberties with this category because … well, I can. The “welcome back” portion of that title will be tied to some drivers who have returned to the track after an absence, while others have “come back” after a time away, or at least a time away from the spotlight. Let’s go class by class:

• Crate late models: Mark Burgtorf has made a number of second-half appearances in both a late model and modified, much to the satisfaction of the Bullring fan base. As expected, the 16-time track champ has been uber-competitive in both series.

• Modifieds: It’s been nice to see Shawn Deering back wheeling that No. 16 modified. He’s become more and more competitive as the season has progressed. I look for him to be back in the title hunt in 2023.

• Sport mods: “Clean Livin'” Joe Bliven is back running up front. He overcame some rough weeks early in the season to become one of the top cars in a tough series.

• Street stocks: Veteran Steve Grotz might be the pick to click in 2023 street stocks, based on the year he has put together this year. This might be his best overall season I have seen from him in my years of watching hot rods go round and round at the speedway.

• 4-Cylinders: I’m giving this tip o’ the hat to Jeffrey DeLonjay, who dominated in April and May, then fell off the face of the dirt-track earth for about a month or so due to engine woes. DeLonjay is now back — better than ever — and in position to win his first track championship.

Breakthrough Driver of the Year

A.J. Tournear has solidified himself as a legit sport mod feature threat each week. If that evolution continues he should graduate to title contender next season.

I already have a favorite for this 2023 award — crate late model driver Darin Weisinger Jr., who has made great strides this season. Speaking of the crates …

Breakthrough Class of the Year

I give the nod to the crate lates, which have grown into a competitive and interesting class. Race director Blake Dotson is optimistic the crates can average 15 to 20 cars a week in 2023. 

Best event

I think it might still be to come in the form of the two-day (Sept. 16-17) gala next month that will draw racers from all across the midwest and beyond. Two of the winners will pocket more than $4,000 each. The show will likely be the richest overall payout in track history outside of events such as the DIRTCar Summer Nationals Hell Tour and similar marquee traveling series. 

Big-money Becerra

Austen Becerra is a virtual lock to establish a money-earned record for the modifieds, and he has an outside shot at becoming the first non-late model driver to pocket $10,000-plus in prize money in a single season.

Becerra currently sits at $7,290 and is aiming at surpassing Steven DeLonjay’s series record totals of $8,285 (2013) and $8,045 (2012).

Becerra is also looking to be the fourth different driver to reach/surpass $10,000 in a season. The other three are all late modal drivers: Mark Burgtorf, Denny Woodworth and Dustin Griffin. Burgtorf is a five-time member of the $10K club.

Burgtorf is the only driver to have reached/surpassed $15,000, doing it in 2006 ($17,510) and 2009 ($15,030).

Muddy River Sports Dirty Thirty rankings

Sport mods

1. Adam Birck

2. Tanner Klingele

3. Logan Cumby

4. Dakota Girard

5. A.J. Tournear

6. Reed Wolfmeyer

Modifieds

1. Austen Becerra

2. Dave Wietholder

3. Kenny Wallace

4. Mark Burgtorf

5. Mike Vanderiet Jr.

6. Shawn Deering

Crate late models

1. Denny Woodworth

2. Tommy Elston

3. Sam Halstead

4. Darin Weisinger Jr.

5. Chase Osterhoff

6. Cody Maguire

4-Cylinders

1. Jeffrey DeLonjay

2. Jimmy Dutlinger

3. Kim Abbott

4. Jaden DeLonjay

5. Derrick DeFord

6. Landon Neisen

Street stocks

1. Rudy Zaragoza

2. Jake Powers

3. Steve Grotz

4. Beau Taylor

5. Robert Cottom

6. Robert Thompson