By STEVE EIGHINGER
Herald-Whig Staff Writer
No championships, no points.
This was just about the Benjamins.
The final night of action at Quincy Raceways saw local hotshoe Lonnie Bailey collect the big payday for the late models. But no area driver could run down Donovan Lodge of Moline, who left town with the biggest check among the modified drivers.
Despite a pair of $2,500-to-win features and a total purse of more than $25,000, a mildly disappointing turnout of 15 late models and 30 modifieds pulled the curtain on the dirt-track racing season. The first appearance of the mod lites filled out the lineup.
Bailey roared past Keith Pratt on lap 19 and the kept the rest of the field at arm's length in picking up the second-biggest first-place check of the season at 8000 Broadway. Only a $3,000-to-win July 4 race paid more.
Bailey found his groove on the high side and dominated the final 10 laps of the 30-circuit main event. The feature win was his second of the season at Quincy.
Bailey also recorded the fastest feature lap (66.833 mph) en route to his .54-of-a-second victory over Pratt, who pocketed $1,500 for finishing second. Nick Ingalls collected $1,000 for third place.
Rob Toland and Jason Perry rounded out the top five. Filling out the rest of the top 10 werre Robby Warner, Jerry Weisenberger, Kevin Tomlinson, Garry Russell and Sam Halstead.
Track champ Jason Frankel, runner-up Mark Burgtorf and fan favorite Denny Woodworth were three of the local heavy hitters who were absent. Frankel and Burgtorf blew engines late last month, while Woodworth sold his IMCA car recently.
Burgtorf (18), Frankel (11) and Woodworth (7) had three of the top four victory totals this season at the .29-mile track.
Lodge wrestled the lead away from Vance Wilson on lap seven and led the final 34 laps of the modified feature. Wilson led the first six of the 40-lapper.
Top challengers Michael Long and Kevin Weaver of Gibson City, took themselves out of contention with 12 laps to go. Weaver was running second and Long third, but got tangled up in turn two causing one of the modifieds' season-high 17 caution flags.
Both Long, two-time defending track champ at Quincy, and Weaver were sent to the back of the field. Weaver protested and exited the track. Long then worked his way up through about half of the remaining 20 (of 24) cars before being engaged in another accident with Tony Dunker. Long then took his car to the pits.
Long was blanked in the victory column for one of the few times this season at Quincy. He needed one win of some sort to match his 2007 track-record 36 victories, but came no closer than a second place in a heat race.
Following Lodge across the start-finish line were Robbie Reed, Justin Reed, Steven DeLonjay and Vance Wilson in the top five. Chris Spalding originally finished third but was later disqualified during post-race inspection.
Terry Wilson, Scott Weber, Brandon Lennox, Jared Schlipman and Brian Rieck completed the top 10.
Robbie Reed made $1,500 for his runner-up finish, Justin Reed $1,000 for third, DeLonjay $1,200 for fourth and Vance Wilson $1,000 for fifth.
Vince Conway of Mineral Point, Mo., won the mod lites feature. Drivers from four states made up the 18-car field.
-- seighinger@whig.com/221-3377
