Racing notebook: Weekend weather biggest concern ahead of Chad McCoy Memorial Race

QUINCY — Those rumors about Jim Lieurance looking for a four-leaf clover, rabbit’s foot or some other good-luck charm have not been exaggerated. 

The fate of Sunday night’s fourth annual Chad McCoy Memorial modified race at Adams County Speedway will likely depend on not only whether it rains, which is in the forecast, but how much precipitation actually falls on the .29-mile dirt track. 

Right now, however, all Lieurance can do is sit back and wait. 

And watch the skies.

“The weather is definitely a concern,” admits Lieurance, who with wife Tammy are in the midst of their third year operating the track at 8000 Broadway. “The track is prepped, ready to go and in great shape, but it’s all going to depend on when the rain comes and how much we get.”

The Chad McCoy Memorial is the track’s richest modified show of the season, paying $4,545 to win, $2,045 for second and $1,045 for third. The total modified purse is a little less than $20,000, and just earning a spot in the feature guarantees a driver at least $445.

The memorial race is in honor of Chad McCoy, a former modified and crate late model driver who was Lieurance’s nephew. McCoy died in late 2021. He was 31 years old.

Lieurance said the biggest concern involving wet weather could wind up being the pit and parking areas. If additional hours are needed to repair the track after a storm, there might not be enough time to also get the pits and parking areas in usable condition.

Lieurance said if Sunday gets rained out, the plan is to try and race on Monday, but no tentative starting time has yet been set for that day.

“We’ll have to wait and see what happens with the weather on Sunday before we can try and establish a potential starting time for Monday,” he said.

Weather permitting, Sunday’s starting time will be around 6:30 p.m. If the schedule is moved to Monday it’s likely an earlier starting time would be used, probably around 5:30 p.m. 

“If we lose the whole weekend, we’ll make up the event later in the season, but right now I can’t tell you exactly when that would be,” Lieurance said. “Hopefully, we’ll get lucky this weekend and it won’t rain at all.)

Past Chad McCoy Memorial results

2023 — 1. Trevor Neville (Mackinaw, Ill.); 2. Mike Chasteen; 3. Chase Holland.

2022 — 1. Tyler Nicely (Owensboro, Ky.); 2. Michael Long; 3. Shawn Deering.

*2021 — 1. Terry Phillips (Springfield, Mo.); 2. Josh Angst; 3. Robbie Reed.

*Race run at Moberly, Mo.

Other purses increased, too

The modifieds will not be the only class running for more cash this weekend.

The crate late model winner will receive $1,045 (up from $600), the sport mod victor will pocket $845 (up from $600), the stock car winner will earn $645 (up from $375) and the 4-Cylinder winner will get $445 (up from $300).

Last year’s total purse for all classes was more than $45,000. A final figure for this year’s event will not be available until the night of the races.

The 2023 Chad McCoy Memorial drew racers from five different states. The racer who traveled the farthest was Chase Holland from Success, Miss., a 765-mile trip.

Crown Vics debut

The track’s newest class, the Crown Vics, will debut this weekend and be running for $150 first-place money.

“The first week we’re expecting 10 to 12 of the Crown Vics,” Lieurance said. “I know there are some cars not ready yet, but when the full class is up and running, I think we’ll be averaging 15 to 20 on a normal Sunday night.”

The Crown Vics will begin their races from a standing start.

Car counts

The weekly car-count averages over the first three weeks of the season:

Crate late models: 21.7 (2023 average: 14.0)

Modifieds: 18.0 (2023 average 17.5)

Stocks: 14.0 (2023 average: 11.1)

4-Cylinders: 12.3 (2023 average: 13.3)

Sport mods: 11.5 (2023 average: 15.6)

Easily the most disappointing car count average this season has been the sport mods, which are down four from 2023 and 10 from 2022. Lieurance, however, remains optimistic the numbers will soon increase.

“Yes, that (low number) has been surprising, but like the Crown Vics, I know there are still some sport mods being worked on that should soon be at the track,” he said.

A year ago, only four of the 19 race nights for sport mods drew car counts of under a dozen.