Stevie Dirt

The Broadway Bullring Top 10: Mark it down, the true dynasty is Burgtorf's

No. 3: Burgtorf has given new meaning to consistency

(The most important events, individuals and decisions from the last 10 years at Quincy Raceways)

I once asked some of Mark Burgtorf's chief challengers at Quincy Raceways what his secret was. After all, how could one driver be so dominant for so long?

"Mark has more laps on this track than anyone else," Denny Woodworth said. "He knows this track better than anyone."

I'm sure that explains a big part of why Burgtorf has dominated an entire division since George Bush Sr. was president. And I'm also certain that natural, God-given ability has had something to do with it, too. So have great equipment and a great crew. All of those factors (and more, I'm sure) have contributed to the single most successful extended run of any driver in any division since the track opened in 1975.

Burgtorf has won seven of his record 14 track championships in the past 10 years, most in convincing fashion. Having talked with him after many of the victories that led to those titles, it has never ceased to amaze me at how he attacks each night, each race, each lap. There's an incredible method to his success. It is no accident.

How many more titles will Burgtorf win? Realistically, it probably depends on how often he wishes to race at 8000 Broadway. He's at the stage of his career when he will occasionally skip a Sunday night to chase a big purse or a new challenge at another site, and when you miss one week of points racing, it can cost a driver a championship. Burgtorf missed one points week in 2008 and finished 25 points behind first-time champ Jason Frankel.

Burgtorf probably has at least another 15 years in his career, and I would be surprised if he does not retire with at least 20 track championships. Whenever he does pull No. 7 off the track for the final time, one certainty is already cast in stone.

There will never be another like him.

THE BURGTORF DYNASTY

2008: Jason Frankel
2007: Mark Burgtorf
2006: Mark Burgtorf
2005: Mark Burgtorf
2004: Lonnie Bailey
2003: Mark Burgtorf
2002: Brent Slocum
2001: Mark Burgtorf
2000: Mark Burgtorf
1999: Mark Burgtorf
1998: Mark Burgtorf
1997: Mark Burgtorf
1996: Mark Burgtorf
1995: Mark Burgtorf
1994: Mark Burgtorf
1993: Mark Burgtorf
1992: Mark Burgtorf

The Broadway Bullring Top 10: And now, it's time for another DeLonjay

No. 4: After 13 titles, 'Hank the Crank' knew when to step away

(The most important events, individuals and decisions from the last 10 years at Quincy Raceways)

Hank DeLonjay stands next to his son, Steven.

One of the things I admire the most about Hank DeLonjay and his racing career was how he went out. He retired while still at the top of his game. So many of our favorite sports stars have to be dragged off the field, court or track, never knowing when to step away.

Remember Richard Petty's final years in NASCAR? Those were sad. Or how about Michael Jordan finishing up his playing days with the Washington Wizards? That was a crime.

"Hank the Crank" went out on his own terms. He wanted to oversee the driving career of another DeLonjay -- his son, Steven, who at 16 years old nearly won the 2008 modified track championship in his rookie season. He finished a close third behind Michael Long and Tony Dunker.

When Hank called it a career after 2007, he took with him 13 track championships, including 10 in the modified division. It would have been 11 if not for Robbie Reed's miracle run down the stretch in 2006.

Hank also won three titles in the old sportsman division, where he was rookie of the year in 1977. Thirty seasons after winning that first award he pulled into the pits for the final time at Quincy Raceways as a driver, but he's still there every Sunday night -- with Steven.

Merry Christmas! The countdown returns Jan. 1!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all of our readers!

The Broadway Bullring Top 10 countdown will take the green flag again on Jan. 1.

The Broadway Bullring Top 10: A little modification went a long way

No. 5: When A + B = One

(The most important events, individuals and decisions from the last 10 years at Quincy Raceways)

Jared Schlipman drives in the combined modified class.

I didn't think combining the "A" and "B" modified classes into one following the 2005 season was a good idea.

I was wrong.

The consolidation, due in part to declining numbers in both classes (and more expected in what were becoming tougher economic times), has proven to be genius. Since 2006, the modifieds have put on one whale of a show.

Granted, the last two years have been dominated by Michael Long (but who saw THAT coming?), but No. 18 aside, any one of about a dozen drivers could win on any given night. (Actually, I just looked at last year's points, and I would put 14 drivers in that category.)

The modified division we currently have is a tremendous series. If a driver can manage a top-five feature finish, it is a genuine accomplishment. And the series is doing nothing but getting stronger with the arrival of teenager Steven DeLonjay -- the Joey Logano of the Broadway Bullring -- and other recent additions such as Shawn Deering, Jared Schlipman, Travis Griffith and Todd Reed.

From top to bottom, the modifieds are the strongest of the four weekly classes at 8000 Broadway. We have the merger of '06 to thank for that.

Next: He's gone, but not forgotten

The Broadway Bullring Top 10: Oh, what a night! Oh, what a finish!

No. 6: Three classes decided by one point -- or less

(The most important events, individuals and decisions from the last 10 years at Quincy Raceways)

Remember the Four Seasons' classic about, well you know ...

Oh, what a night
Late December back in '63
What a very special time for me
As I remember what a night.

That was the kind of night it was Aug. 24, 2008, when the modified, stock car and hobby stock series were decided by a point -- or less -- on the final Sunday night of points racing. The computers and calculators were working overtime in the press box that evening.

Michael Long won the modified title
by one point on a memorable night in 2008.

When the dust -- and calculations -- had settled, Michael Long, Jeff Mueller and Aaron Brocksieck had won the closely contested championships. Long took the modified title by a point, and Brocksieck won the hobby stock crown by a point. Mueller and Chris Wibbell tied for the stock car championship and were forced to go to a tiebreaker to determine the title. Mueller was declared champ by virtue of having won more features.

What a way to wind up the season. What happened that night could never have be scripted, because it was way too illogical. That's what made it so intriguing.

The fantastic finishes that night also seemed like poetic justice for what had been a rather star-crossed season at the track, one plagued by early season craters in the racing surface, rainy weather in April and May and the cancellation of the U.M.P. Summernationals in July due to inclement weather.

The beginning and the middle of the season may have been a bit rough, but what we'll always remember is the finish.

Next: Two becomes one.

The Broadway Bullring Top 10: Stock cars? As a weekly class? Good call

No. 7: Addition of IMCA stock car class

(The most important events, individuals and decisions from the last 10 years at Quincy Raceways)

Andrew Griffin drives an IMCA stock car.

I remember the night like it was yesterday, a cold Friday evening in April 1999. Being a relative newcomer to the the area, I made my first pilgrimage north to Lee County Speedway in Donnellson, Iowa, for a little "Thunder in the Heartland."

My favorite memory from that evening -- besides the Breadeaux pizza and shredded roast beef sandwiches -- will always involve the IMCA stock cars. They reminded me of 1980s NASCAR, and what a great show they put on. Every trip I would make to Donnellson from that point on, the thought would always cross my mind, "Why not have these in Quincy?"

Finally, following the 2007 season, Quincy Raceways owner Tony Rhinberger made the announcement: IMCA stock cars were coming to the Broadway Bullring in 2008, replacing the four-cylinder hornets, which never seemed to catch on in their two-year trial run.

From the start, the stock cars put on a good show and had decent -- not great, but decent -- weekly counts. The fans appreciated the balance in the series and the side-by-side racing.

The consensus seems to be that this is a class that will eventually grow into a popular must-see event and attract the same kind of hardcore fans each of the other longstanding series (late model, modified and bomber) have acquired at the 8000 Broadway facility.

I look for the average weekly car count to improve to (at least) the high teens in 2009, and if the current economic climate forces some of the lower-tier late model drivers out of that division, they could easily wind up in a stock car. Look for at least two of the 2008 hobby stockers to move up next season, too.

For the class to truly prosper, the track needs to attract the southeastern Iowa drivers for at least another year while more Quincy area regulars develop cars. I'm confident that will happen.

Next: What a finish! The night we watched history unfold.

The Broadway Bullring Top 10: The wait was worth it

No. 8: U.M.P. Summernationals come to 8000 Broadway

Shannon Babb, left, and NASCAR Sprint Cup
driver Clint Bowyer pose prior to the 2008
season. Babb now drives for Bowyer on the
World of Outlaws circuit.

For years we heard about the Summernationals. For years, we watched as tracks to the north, south, east and west of Quincy Raceways hosted one of the mid-summer stops of the annual "Hell Tour."

Why not, Quincy? Why not, indeed.

In July 2006, that wish of local races fans became a reality when Shannon Babb, Jeep Van Wormer, Wendell Wallace and the rest of the Summnernationals tour made its first-ever stop at the Broadway Bullring. It was a night to remember, from Van Wormer purposely ramming Steve Sheppard Jr. during a caution lap, to the flat-out, pedal-to-the-metal talents of the Moweaqua Missile, Shannon Babb himself.

A United Midwestern Promoters (U.M.P.) Summernationals race awards a special kind of significance to a dirt track in this area of the country. It provides a unique stamp of credibility. When the first green flagged dropped in 2006, that credibility would be forever there.

Fittingly, the Scott family brought the first Summernationals event to the track in its final year of ownership. In many ways, it was the perfect punctuation for a relationship that had lasted more than 30 years. Co-owners Tony Rhinberger and Mike Karhoff brought the Summernats back in 2007, and sole owner Rhinberger did the same last summer, but the event was washed out and no suitable makeup date could be arranged.

Babb and Randy "King Kong" Korte own Summernationals victories at Quincy, but those wins are almost secondary to the annual spectacle itself.

And in case you were wondering, the Summernats are scheduled to return in 2009.

Next: As the 10 most important events, individuals and dedcisions from the last 10 years at Quincy Raceways moves on, we examine a decision that should help solidify the track's lineup for years to come.

The Broadway Bullring Top 10: The only track in the region with such a sophisticated system

No. 9: Electronic scoring limits delays

The electronic scoring system that was installed at Quincy Raceways before the 2007 season has streamlined several important items at the track.

Most important, it has reduced the amount of time spent lining up cars following a caution. Through the help of transponders on all of the cars (except the hobby stock division), a laptop computer quickly spits out the running order in the blink of an eye following a stoppage on the track.

Quincy is the only track in the region to use such a sophisticated system, one that has drawn positive reviews from all who have seen it in action. Many of the fans have no idea such a system is even in place, but they are grateful when a crash occurs and it only takes a few minutes (rather than 10 or 15) to get a 20-car field back in the proper running order. There are nights when the electronic scoring system has probably taken 30 or more minutes off the time needed to complete a Sunday night schedule.

The high-tech AMB system is the same transponder-centered format used by the Olympic Games, NASCAR, Formula 1, ESPN X Games, IndyCar World Series and a host of other major worldwide sporting events.

"This eliminates all arguments about both the lineups following cautions and the order of finish," said Jack Walbring, who coordinates the process each Sunday night at 8000 Broadway. "This system has exceeded my expectations on how it would function and what it can do."

Under the old hand-scoring system employed at the track, there were often long delays in figuring out where cars belonged, especially in events that qualified large fields and where lapped cars were involved.

The computerized scoring works via transponders installed on the backside of an engine's motor plate and is tied into the car's electrical system. Antennas, or scoring loops, are buried under the track near the start-finish line on the front stretch of the .29-mile facility. They stretch 66 feet across the track and are 18 inches beneath the surface.

When a car crosses the start-finish line, it is registered to a laptop that Walbring is monitoring in the scoring tower through an encoder. Not only is a car's position on the track monitored, but so are its speed and time it takes to turn each lap. The moment a race ends, a trove of statistical data is available to officials and media alike.

Next: It was a much-anticipated event that did not disappoint.

The Broadway Bullring Top 10: No. 00 dropped bomb on series, then retired

Today we start a month-long look back at the individuals, events and decisions that have shaped Quincy Raceways over the past decade.

Every few days this month, another step in the countdown will be added as we move closer to what we feel was the most significant item during the past 10 years at 8000 Broadway. Let's start the engines:

No. 10: The retirement of Eddie Dieker

Only one other individual during the brief, yet dominant career of bomber driver Eddie Dieker bettered the accomplishments of of the likable kid from Plainville. Late model legend Mark Burgtorf's dominance in that series at the same was the only other feat that surpassed what Dieker did in the bomber division.

Dieker and car owner Jerry Powers were the bomber equivalent to Jeff Gordon and Ray Evernham. For the most part, no one could touch them on any sort of consistent basis. Jerry built the cars, and Eddie would collect one checkered flag after another. So many checkered flags, in fact, that his opponents were certain the two were up to something illegal -- hence, the birth of "Cheaterville Racing." You can still spot some of those decals in the pits on Sunday nights.

Dieker won four track titles between 1999-2005 and is still the series' career leader for total victories, feature wins and heat victories. Want more? The four track titles he won in that brief period are surpassed only by Burgtorf (14), Hank DeLonjay (13 in modifieds and sportsman) and Steve Fraise (9) in late models.

Dieker was as much of a gentleman as he was an on-track talent. Always polite and willing to talk after a race -- win or lose -- he would always address those older than him as "Sir."

Dieker opted to leave racing in his mid-20s just as he was approaching the peak of a potentially great career, because it was time to raise a family. The commitment needed for racing, even at the weekly dirt-track level, can have adverse effects on a marriage. Just check the court records.

We have been hoping now for three years that Dieker would change his mind about not driving anymore, and we'll keep waiting, because if he ever does decide to come back, the wait will have been worth it.

Next: Technology is a great thing.

Morgan County track will not affect Quincy Raceways

For those wondering how the new dirt track in Morgan County, which will race on Sunday nights, might affect Quincy Raceways' late model car count, the answer is simple.

It won't.

The quarter-mile facility located east of Alexander is being built by the Sheppards (Steve Sr. and Steve Jr.) and will be sanctioned by United Midwestern Promoters (UMP). Quincy will begin its 12th year as an IMCA track next April. Different rules, different cars.

I just wish the Morgan County track was running on a different evening. It would be nice to see some of the cars it is bound to attract on a regular basis, but my heart belongs to 8000 Broadway..

The Alexander track is supposed to seat 3,500 when all the bleachers are assembled. The Sheppards said in story in the Jacksonville Journal-Courier the track will run April to October.

Late models will be the marquee class at the new facility. Expect the track to get a UMP Summernationals date.

No word yet on what the other support series will be.