By STEVE EIGHNINGER

Herald-Whig Staff Writer

The Cool Cat is on the attack.

Keith "Cool Cat" Pratt's focus is obvious in his carefully constructed off-track answers, which only serve to punctuate his on-track mission.

Pratt is at the forefront -- heck, he's arguably the grand marshal -- of a parade of young, talented late model drivers at Quincy Raceways who are ready to seize the day.

Pratt, 28, epitomizes this new cast of twentysomething contenders, those who wear their baseball caps in reverse fashion -- and usually sport an earring and a couple of tats. And they can all drive the wheels off a race car.

Not since the late 1970s has the track championship been this wide open, and Pratt is among those ready to try and make his move.

Pratt won his first feature of the season and fifth of his career Sunday night, a door-to-door, nose-to-tail, back-and-forth sheet metal slugfest with fellow kid contender Justin Reed, 22, and a couple of classy track veterans in Mark Burgtorf, 42 and Terry Gallaher, 60.

Pratt led the final 10 circuits of the 30-lap main event that saw the top four cars all battling one another -- and lap traffic.

The top three finishers -- Pratt, Reed and Burgtorf -- were separated by .611 of a second. Yeah, it was that close.

"Sometimes it's just as much luck as it is skill when you win one of these things," Pratt said. "It was a one-groove track, there was lap traffic ... we were just in the right spot when we needed to be."

Besides the scintillating pace of the race and the driving skills that were on display at the front of the pack, never once was there a hint of anything underhanded about to happen.

"I have confidence in a lot of these guys," Pratt said. "The guys who run up front are not going to take you out."

Boone McLaughlin, Joey Gower, Jason Perry, Jason Frankel, Denny Woodworth and Dustin Neese rounded out the top 10 in a 23-car field. Neese, Frankel and Reed won heat races, with Lonnie Bailey taking the trophy dash.

"I'm only 28, but there a lot of guys even younger than me coming into their own -- and they go fast," Pratt said. "I'm looking for consistency this year. We didn't finish a lot of races last year. To win a championship, you have to finish races and keep your car in one piece.

"We're going to concentrate on doing those things this year and see where the points fall at the end of the season."

Gower (78), Reed (75), Pratt (73), Neese (73), Woodworth (72) and Frankel (70) are unofficially the top five in points.

Michael Long won his fourth straight modified feature. Dating back to the end of 2007, the defending track champ has won 11 of the last 13 main events.

Sunday's checkered flag carried some added importance. Long warded off the challenge of runner-up Steve Arpin of Fort Frances, Ontario, Canada.

Arpin was returning to his U.S. compound in Minnesota from a weekend trip to Kentucky when he heard Quincy Raceways advertised on a radio station while heading north. He and his crew decided to stop and race.

Arpin has been one of the nation's hottest modified drivers in recent months, but was no match for Long, who has already won a track-best nine total races at Quincy. Long led the final 22 laps of the 22-car feature.

Dave Wietholder, Tony Dunker and Steven DeLonjay completed the top five. Arpin, Long and Vance Wilson secured heat wins. Steven DeLonjay won the dash.

Long (86), Dunker (78) and DeLonjay (75) are atop the points.

Jeff Mueller edged John Oliver Jr. by .549 of a second to take the stock car feature and move into a tie for the points lead with fourth-place finisher Abe Huls.

Mueller (152), Huls (152) and third-place feature finisher Chris Wibbell (150) are packed at the front of the points race. Mueller and Chris Webb won heats.

James Leffew garnered his first career hobby stock feature and lengthened his series points lead over runner-up Wes Mayfield. Leffew (82), Mayfield (78), Bobby Anders (75), Steve Carlin (73) and Aaron Brocksieck (73) are the points leaders.

Corrie Eifert, Steve Watkins Jr. and Jeremy Buss finished out the top five. Carlin and Eifert were heat winners.

-- seighinger@whig.com/221-3377