Conoyer takes advantage of Becerra slip-up to win first modified feature of the season

QUINCY — Rick Conoyer said he was watching and waiting, hoping Austen Becerra might make some sort of a mistake.

And he did, albeit a small one.

Becerra, leading Sunday night’s modified feature for 15 consecutive laps, failed to negotiate a portion of the backstretch with less than two laps remaining. Becerra slipped up and over the cushion for the briefest of moments — but long enough for Conoyer, running second at the time, to scoot by him on the inside with just over one lap remaining.

Conoyer, who had led the first three laps of the race, was then able to hang on for his first feature win of the season. Conoyer withstood a couple of late charges from Becerra, the two-time defending track champ at Adams County Speedway who had won the four previous modified main events.

“I think (Becerra) had a little better car than I did, but I just tried to stay patient,” Conoyer said.

After following Becerra most of the feature, Conoyer admitted he anticipated Becerra might eventually jump the cushion and get into the marbles.

“He had been coming close,” Conoyer said.

Conoyer said the track itself played an integral role in the exciting 20-lap feature.

“The track was heavy and racy,” he said. “We could move all over it. We went racin’! Hats off to (those officials who prepared the racing surface). It was an awesome track.”

Dave Wietholder finished third and Jacob Rexing fourth. Conoyer and Becerra won the modified heat races.

Becerra still controls the points race with three weeks remaining. The Carthage driver sits first with 601 points, followed by Wietholder (583) and Rexing (537). Conoyer is seventh.

Becerra has all but locked up the earnings title for the modified division with $11,370, and will likely break his 2023 series record of $11,620 next Sunday. Becerra is the only non-late model driver to ever top $10,000 in season’s earnings.

Other feature winners were Denny Woodworth in crate late models, Logan Cumby in sprint mods, Robert Cottom in stocks, Travis DeMint in the 4-Cylinders and Jeffrey DeLonjay in the Crown Vics.

Woodworth’s feature victory was his first of the season and vaulted him into the series points lead. Woodworth’s victory in the 25-lap, caution-filled late model main event proved to be a test of endurance.

“It was a marathon, but it was one helluva night,” he said. “Now it’s Miller time!”

Tommy Elston, Jamie Wilson and Jason Oenning rounded out the top four in the 17-car field.

Woodworth, who struggled early in the season but has been on a roll for roughly the last 1 1/2 months, has a 524-503 points lead over Jason Perry. Defending track champ Elston (498) is third.

Woodworth is seeking his ninth late model title at the track and 10th overall. Only Mark Burgtorf (16) and Steve Fraise (13) have reached double figures in track championships.

Woodworth also took over the money-earned lead with $4,320, just ahead of Elston ($3,970) and Perry ($3,970). Woodworth’s victory snapped a 16-feature winless streak for the late model lawyer, dating to late 2023.

Late model heat race wins went to Elston, Perry and Wilson.

Cumby led the closing 17 laps of the sport mod feature to outdistance Adam Birck, Tanner Klingele and A.J. Tournear.

The first words out of Cumby’s mouth were not about anything to do with the racing, but the crowd watching.

“It’s so great to see the stands (almost) full,” he said of the estimated crowd of 2,200.

Cumby’s victory was his second of the summer and kept him in the thick of the points race. He’s seeking a second straight track championship.

Klingele (267), Reed Wolfmeyer (265), Cumby (262) and Tournear (259) are all bunched atop the sport mod points standings. 

Klingele and Cumby are tied for the most series money won at $3,445. Wolfmeyer is third at $3,295.

Tournear and Klingel secured sport mod heat victories.

Cottom’s stock feature victory did not come without a few anxious moments on the final lap. Cottom avoided a potential clash along the backstretch, but was able to hang on for his fifth checkered flag of the season.

“I saw Jesus,” Cottom said of what might have been a major crash, but wound up just damaging a lot of sheet metal.

Cottom readily admitted it had been a long day.

“We were working on the car until about 5 a.m. (Sunday),” he said.

Rounding out the top four in the stock main event were Rudy Zaragoza, Rexing and Jake Powers.

Cottom leads series points 347-345 over Rexing. Zaragoza sits third with 337.

Rexing ($2,950) and Cottom ($2,650) have won the most stock money.

Rexing and Levi Long collected heat victories.

DeMint’s 4-Cylinder feature victory was his first of the season, finishing in front of Kim Abbott, Jaden DeLonjay and Landon Neisen. Spencer Coats and DeLonjay won heats.

DeLonjay continues to run away with the track title, holding a 628-489 points lead over Abbott. Neisen is third (428). DeLonjay ($1,995) is also the series’ top money winner.

Jeff DeLonjay won his second Crown Vic feature, turning back Jacob Jones (who had won the previous three), Alex Hatfield and Brian Kaylor. DeLonjay and Jones won heat races.

Jones (183), Kaylor (178), Dakota Damron (172) and Steve Meyer (172) top the Crown Vic points. Jones ($760) is the leading money winner.

Notes

• Becerra has now pocketed $32,025 in earnings in the last 2-plus seasons at the speedway (since racing resumed following a two-year shutdown).
• Counting his victories in both modifieds and stocks, Rexing (14) leads all drivers in total victories. Becerra (10) is the only other hotshoe in double figures.
• Rexing, Becerra and Cottom all have won five features.
• Longtime track favorite Keith “The Cool Cat” Pratt emerged from retirement to compete in the sport mod series. He finished third in a heat race and seventh in the feature.
• All six classes will be in action through the end of the regular season Aug. 25.
• Sunday night’s 77 cars in the pits were a season high for a non-special event, topping the 75 that were on hand May 12.
• On 11 of 12 race nights this season, there have been 16 or more late models in the pits. The late models lead all series with a 20.0 overall weekly average (including specials) and 16.9 for regular weekly shows. 
• The 15 stocks on hand Sunday night were the most since 18 on May 5.