Stevie Dirt

During the next few blogs we’ll look at some of the “combined” leaders and record holders at the Bullring. By “combined” I mean grouping all the weekly series together to compare victory and other totals, season leaders, etc.

Notice how most of the leading victory figures have increased over the years. I think it’s a combination of two things — obviously outstanding individual success, but also more race dates. In the mid-200s there were quite a few mid-week race nights, along with the regular Sunday evening shows.

To me, arguably the most glaring number is Michael Long’s 36 total victories in the modified series in 2007. For example, compare that to mod driver Mike Karhoff’s 2001-leading 10 wins for all series. That’s simply amazing. (Long is pictured at the right with his family and flagman Chris Miller following one of those 36 wins in ‘07.)

While the total season victory standards of Long (36, 35), and even Mark Burgtorf (28) will be difficult to equal or surpass, how about the 17 heat victories from Hank DeLonjay in 2006? That’s the equivalent of winning a heat race just about every week.

COMBINED SEASON VICTORY LEADERS

TOTAL     

2009: Michael Long, Modifieds 16
2008: Michael Long, Modifieds 35 
2007: Michael Long, Modifieds 36 
2006: Mark Burgtorf, Late Models 28 
2005: Hank DeLonjay, “A” Modifieds 23
2004: Wyatt Lantz, “B” Modifieds 24
2003: Mark Burgtorf, Late Models 20
2002: Hank DeLonjay, “A” Modifieds 15
2001: Mike Karhoff, “A” Modifieds 10                     
2000: Sam Burgtorf, “A” Modifieds 12           
1999: Vance Wilson, “A” Modifieds 13
 
FEATURES

2009: Mark Burgtorf, Late Models  7; Michael Long, Modifieds 7
2008: Michael Long, Modifieds 15
2007: Michael Long, Modifieds 16
2006: Mark Burgtorf, Late Models 13
2005: Wyatt Lantz, “A” Modifieds  9; Hank DeLonjay, “A” Modifieds 9
2004: Eddie Dieker, Bombers 9
2003: Mark Burgtorf, Late Models 9
2002: Mark Burgtorf, Late Models 6;  Hank DeLonjay, “A” Modifieds 6
2001: Mark Burgtorf, Late Models 5; Mike Karhoff, “A” Modifieds 5
2000: Eddie Dieker, Bombers 6; Vance Wilson, “A” Modifieds 6
1999: Greg Uppinghouse, “B” Mods 8

HEATS

2009: Nick Ingalls, Late Models  6; Vance Wilson, Modifieds  6;  Tony Dunker, Modifieds 6; Ryan Meyer, Modifieds 6;  Steve Steinkuhler, Stock Cars 6
2008: Michael Long, Modifieds 13
2007: Michael Long, Modifieds 13
2006: Hank DeLonjay, “A” Mods 17
2005: Eddie Dieker, Bombers  14
2004: Wyatt Lantz, “B” Modifieds 11; Adam Birck, Bombers  11
2003: Michael Long, “A” Modifieds 11
2002: Adam Birck, Bombers 8
2001: Rob Carter, “B” Modifieds 8
2000: Eddie Dieker, Bombers 8
1999: Bruce Hatfield, Bombers 9

DASHES

2009: Steven DeLonjay, Modifieds 4
2008: Michael Long, Modifieds 7
2007: Mark Burgtorf, Late Models 8
2006: Mark Burgtorf, Late Models 5; Robbie Reed, Modifieds 5
2005: Denny Woodworth, Late Models 6
2004: Lonnie Bailey, Late Models 6
2003: Brent Slocum, Late Models 4
2002: Brent Slocum, Late Models 4
2001: Vance Wilson, “A” Modifieds 5
2000: Jamie Wilson, Late Models 5
1999: Lonnie Bailey, Late Models 5

COMBINED TOP 10 SEASON VICTORY LEADERS

TOTAL     

Driver, Series   
Michael Long, Modifieds, 36, 2007
Michael Long, Modifieds, 35, 2008
Mark Burgtorf, Late Models, 28, 2006
Hank DeLonjay, “A” Modifieds, 25, 2006
Mark Burgtorf, Late Models, 24, 2007
Wyatt Lantz, “B” Modifieds, 24, 2004
Steve Carlin, Hobby Stocks, 23, 2007
Hank DeLonjay, “A” Modifieds, 23, 2005
Tony Dunker, “B” Modifieds, 21, 2005
Mark Burgtorf, Late Models, 20, 2002
Wyatt Lantz, “B” Modifieds, 19, 2005

 FEATURES

Driver, Series   
Michael Long, Modifieds, 16, 2007
Michael Long, Modifieds, 15, 2008
Mark Burgtorf, Late Models, 13, 2006
Steve Carlin, Bombers, 12, 2007
Jeff Mueller, Stock Cars, 9, 2008
Adam Birck, Bombers, 9, 2006
Wyatt Lantz, “B” Modifieds, 9, 2005
Hank DeLonjay, “A” Modifieds, 9, 2005
Eddie Dieker, Bombers, 9, 2004
Mark Burgtorf, Late Models, 9, 2003

HEATS

Driver, Series   
Hank DeLonjay, “A” Modifieds, 17, 2006
Eddie Dieker, Bombers, 14, 2005
Michael Long, Modifieds, 13, 2008
Michael Long, Modifieds, 13, 2007
Tony Dunker, “B” Modifieds, 12, 2005
Hank DeLonjay, “A” Modifieds, 12, 2005
Steve Carlin, Hobby Stocks, 11, 2007
Adam Birck, Bombers, 11, 2004
Michael Long, “A” Modifieds, 11, 2003
Hank DeLonjay, “A” Modifieds, 10, 2007
Steven DeLonjay, Hornets, 10, 2007
Mark Burgtorf, Late Models, 10, 2006

DASHES

Driver, Series   
Mark Burgtorf, Late Models. 8, 2007
Michael Long, Modifieds, 7, 2008
Michael Long, Modifieds, 7, 2007
Denny Woodworth, Late Models, 6, 2005
Lonnie Bailey, Late Models, 6, 2004
Mark Burgtorf, Late Models, 5, 2008
Mark Burgtorf, Late Models, 5, 2006
Robbie Reed, Modifieds, 5, 2006
Vance Wilson, “A” Modifieds, 5, 2001
Jamie Wilson, Late Models, 5, 2000
Lonnie Bailey, Late Models, 5, 1999

(STEVIE DIRT NOTE: The following ran in Saturday’s print edition of The Herald-Whig, chronicling the track’s all-decade (2000-09) team, plus a few other treats.)

They all had the right stuff when it came to turning left.

When the subject concerns the top drivers of the decade at Quincy Raceways, there are five names that immediately jump to the forefront.

Mark Burgtorf is the equivalent of a living legend at the Broadway Bullring, and he did nothing but enhance that image over the past 10 years.

And if not for Burgtorf, Lonnie Bailey might have been the name linked to late model dominance in the decade of the 2000s.

Among the modifieds, Hank DeLonjay and Michael Long stood the tallest between 2000-09.

In the hobby stocks — which were known as “bombers” for more than half of the decade — Eddie Dieker became the standard by what all other drivers were measured.

MARK BURGTORF

Burgtorf piloted that familiar No. 7 to six of his 14 track titles during the decade, including three in a row between 2005-07.

Almost as impressive as all of the victories Burgtorf stockpiles is his uncanny ability stay out of harm’s way. Not once during the past 10 years was he involved in any sort of major crash.

Lucky?

To a point, for sure, but Branch Rickey once said luck is the residue of design.

Burgtorf further cemented his No. 1 positions in The Herald-Whig’s all-time and IMCA era (since 1998) late model rankings, which are based on where a driver finishes each season in the final points standings.

Burgtorf’s signature season during the past 10 years came in 2006 when he accented a track championship with a decade-best 13 feature victories and 28 total wins.

LONNIE BAILEY

Bailey was the only late model driver outside of Burgtorf to win more than one track title between 2000-09, collecting championships in 2004 and 2009.

Bailey also finished runner-up in points four times. On three of those occasions he was second to Burgtorf. Bailey is No. 4 in the all-time rankings and No. 2 in the IMCA era.

The finest overall season of the decade for Bailey came in 2004 when he won a series-leading six features and 18 total races. He edged the late Brent Slocum for the title that summer, winning the crown by four points in what remains the closest title chase in series history. Ironically, two years earlier Slocum won his only track championship in Quincy when he outdueled Bailey.

HANK DeLONJAY

“Hank The Crank” will likely always be the model of success for local modified racers. DeLonjay retired after the 2007 season to serve as crew chief for his son, Steven, who took over the ride in the No. 35 modified in 2008.

Hank won four titles during the 2000-09 decade, all in succession between 2002-05. He also finished runner-up three other seasons, including his final two campaigns. That kind of repeated success is why DeLonjay has held the No. 1 posiiton in The Herald-Whig all-time modified rankings since their inception more than 10 years ago. 

DeLonjay led all modified drivers in feature and total wins four times during the decade.

MICHAEL LONG

Not even Burgtorf was able to put up individual season numbers like Long 
has in recent summers.

Long has been a contender from his first full-time season in 2000, but elevated his game to heights never seen before in any series at the Bullring in 2007-08. During those two years he won an unprecedented 31 features, 71 overall races and a pair of track championships.

Long, who also put together four other top-three seasons during the decade, won an incredible 150 races (including 53 features) between 2000-09. Those remarkable numbers would have been even higher, but he did not run at Quincy in 2006 and was only on hand for about half of the 2009 season.

EDDIE DIEKER

Dieker inadvertently created a James Dean-esque backdrop around his career. He was gone from racing way too early.

At the top of the bomber division in 2005, he opted to retire after winning a second straight championshop and his third in four years. The likable Plainville resident decided to drive off into the sunset to concentrate on raising a family.

Dieker, who also won a championship in 1999, still holds series records for most titles (4) and just about any other category related to the bombers and hobby stocks. Dieker’s halcyon days of 2003-05 saw him win a combined 49 races, the most ever during any three-year stretch in the division’s 23-year history.

Making Dieker’s accomplishments even more impressive is he managed his dominance at a time when the bombers were averaging 30 cars a week, almost double the average of recent seasons at the track.

5 MEMORABLE RACES

More than 200 late model feature races were run in the track’s marquee division between 2000-09. Here are five of the most memorable:

1. The first UMP Summernational late model event, 2006: After years of trying, the track finally landed a UMP Summernationals tour stop. The crowd, the buzz and the race all matched the hype. Randy “King Kong” Korte won the event, which saw Jeep Van Wormer spear Steve Sheppard Jr. on a caution lap on night when tempers grew shorter with each yellow flag.

2. Lonnie Bailey’s 2002 Deery Brothers Summer Series victory: Bailey, who went on to win the track championship that season, won the July Deery race, leading a 1-2-3 sweep by Quincy regulars. The late Brent Slocum and Burgtorf followed him across the finish line. The only other 1-2-3 finish by Quincy regulars came in the September 2007 race when Burgtorf, Jason Frankel and Kevin Tomlinson dominated.

3. That was close: Tom Goble, Justin Reed and Lonnie Bailey formed a near-blanket finish June 14, 2009, in the closest late model ending since the track adopted its electronic scoring system in late 2007. Goble was the winner by 0.116 of a second in a race that was talked about for weeks afterward.

4. The DQ: Mark Burgtorf was disqualified two days after “winning” the first 2007 Deery Brothers race at the track because of “unapproved alterations made to a spec cylinder head” that allegedly could have increased horsepower of the engine. Let’s just say the ruling was “questionable” and leave it at that.

5. $10,000 to win: The richest race in track history was held in July 2009, a UMP Summernationals event won by Shannon “The Moweaqua Missile” Babb, who pocketed $10,000 for the first-place finish.

5 BEST LOOKING CARS OF THE DECADE

1. Jamie Wilson, 2002 late model: Wilso always had a knack for preparing sharp looking cars and this was arguably his finest effort. A green, black and silver color scheme made it stand out in brilliant fashion.

2. Mark Burgtorf, 2000 late model: Burgtorf unveiled a blue “outlaw” car on occasion that season and it was dazzling. Burgtorf normally drove a red car (until bringing out a white ride in 2009), but the 2000 blue late model was one of the decade’s most spectacular from a cosmetic point of view.

3. Todd Reichert, 2005 hobby stock: Reichert combined a sleek silver body with a green No. 2 modeled after Rusty Wallace’s NASCAR hot rod.

4. Tony Dunker, 2009 modified: Dunker, who has won four Herald-Whig ZZ Top Sharp-Dressed Man awards in his career for the best-looking modifieds, may have showcased his best effort in 2009. Dunker’s jet black car was highlighted with green/white decals and numbers. The shamrocks were a nice touch, too.

5. Ryan Meyer, 2001 modified: Meyer’s cars have always been known for their flourescent colors, normally combining purple, green and orange in some sort of eye-catching sheet metal landscape. This was the car that set the tone for the rest of the decade.

Mark Burgtorf

He left his mark.

Mark Burgtorf did not win the track title at the Bullring, but there was ltitle else he did not accomplish at 8000 Broadway and around the immediate region. Burgtorf is the Stevie Dirt Late Model Driver of the Year.

Burgtorf dominated much of the Tri-State area, shown in his dominant No. 1 position in the Stevie Dirt Regional Rankings. He also won more races than any other late model driver at Quincy and more overall features than any other late model hotshoe in the Quincy-Lee County-West Burlington area.

Burgtorf was part of a banner group of late model drivers under consideration for the honor. Lonnie Bailey, Justin Reed and Jason Frankel were all quality candidates and the decision was not easy. I simply felt the scales tipped a little more in Burgtorf’s direction.

A driver’s success at the Bullring, combined with accomplishments at Lee County and West Burlington were all weighed. To be eligible for Driver of the Year, a driver must have been at least a semi-regular at Quincy Raceways.

Burgtorf, a first-row selection in 2008, follows Jason Frankel as Stevie Dirt Driver of the Year. Frankel is a second-row selection this season.

LATE MODEL DRIVER OF THE YEAR

MARK BURGTORF

WHY: Even though Burgtorf was No. 3 in points at the Bullring, he was either alone at No. 1 or tied for the top in the Stevie Dirt Regional Rankings all 20 weeks this season … He led Quincy drivers in total, feature and dash victories, feature laps led, second-half points and won the April Deery race at 8000 Broadway … Burgtorf was champion at Lee County Speedway … He also won his sixth straight Herald-Whig Performance Points title, a points formula that places more emphasis on high feature finishes more than anything else.

NOTEWORTHY: Burgtorf again topped all late model drivers in money earned ($15,030) at the Bullring and has pocketed $58,790 over the past four seasons combined — double that any of his rivals.

FIRST ROW

LONNIE BAILEY

WHY: Bailey won his second track championsip at Quincy (despite not winning a feature) and was No. 2 in the SDRR … Led the Bullring in feature points and was 560-for-560 in feature laps run, which translated into no DNFs … The late model track championship was his third overall, making him one of only drivers in track history to win three or more titles.

NOTEWORTHY: Bailey was the only late model driver to finish in the top 10 in all 17 points features this season.

JUSTIN REED

WHY: Finished second in the points race in a season-long, tight battle with Bailey … No. 4 in the SDRR, his second straight season in the top five … Reed has improved his place in final points standings at QR each year since 2006 … Led all late model drivers in improvement points … Winner of inaugural DIRTy online voting award.

NOTEWORTHY: Reed had the most second-place feature finishes (5) among late model drivers.

SECOND ROW

JASON FRANKEL

WHY: Frankel only ran 13 of 17 points races, which explained his 12th-place points finish, but still showed four feature feature victories at the Bullring … He finished No. 3 in the SDRR after winning the 2008 title … Frankel was the only late model driver to win a feature, heat, dash and “B” main.

NOTEWORTHY: Frankel captured the $10,000-to-win Pepsi USA National feature at West Burlington. He is only the second Quincy driver to win the race since its inception in 1992. Burgtorf has won the race three times.

KEITH PRATT

WHY: Pratt was in thick of championship race for first two-thirds of the season before settling for a sixth-place finish, his best-ever showing at the Bullring … No. 7 in the SDRR … Captured the $3,000-to-win Titan Wheel Shootout.

NOTEWORTHY: Pratt needs to improve his second-half performance to make a serious run at his first track title. He has not finished in the top 10 in second-half points in any of the past three seasons.

STEVIE DIRT LATE MODEL DRIVERS OF THE YEAR
2009: Mark Burgtorf
2008: Jason Frankel

The Herald-Whig’s all-decade racing ‘team” will be featured in Saturday’s sports section. I think it will spark some interesting debate and offseason conversation. Drop me a line on this blog to tell me what you think.

Justin Reed

In a way, it’s kind of a shame Justin Reed won the modified track title at the Bullring in his first full season in the series. Why? Because there’s no place for the 22-year-old to go but down.

Reed’s 58-point margin of victory in the modified series helped earn him Stevie Dirt Driver of the Year in that series.

Reed’s most important strength proved to be his consistency. He “only” won four points features, but no other driver matched him in top-five and top-10 performances.

“Justin’s just a natural,” said rival Tony Dunker, a second-row selection on this year’s all-Dirt team, and also Reed’s car owner.

A driver’s success at the Bullring, combined with success in the Stevie Dirt Regional Rankings and at Lee County and West Burlington were all weighed. To be eligible for a Driver of the Year award, a driver must be at least a semi-regular at Quincy.
 
Reed follows Michael Long as Stevie Dirt Modified Driver of the Year. Long is a first-row selection this season.

MODIFIED DRIVER OF THE YEAR

JUSTIN REED

WHY: In his first full season in a modified, “Forrest” won the track championship with relative ease … Reed had the most top-five points finishes among mod drivers … Stevie Dirt Regional Ranking  (No. 7) was hurt by only running at Quincy … Reed formed one half of the popular and always-controversial Team 4 that includes two-time track champ Tony Dunker … Extremely consistent, finishing 419 of 440 feature laps to lead all mod drivers … Only Donovan Lodge (478) had more second-half points than Reed (474).

NOTEWORTHY: Can Reed repeat in 2010? Mod history seems to say he has a good chance. Seven times in the 11 preceding years there was a repeat winner in this series.

FIRST ROW

MICHAEL LONG

WHY: Only a 12th-place finish in points at the Bullring kept Long from winning back-to-back Driver of the Year accolades … Long still won 16 races, including seven features, to lead all drivers in all classes … No. 18 was runner-up to Josh Foster in the SDRR after winning the 2008 championship. 

NOTEWORTHY: Long’s totals at Quincy this season were accomplished while running in just 10 of 17 points races.

STEVEN DeLONJAY

WHY: “Little Crank” was runner-up in the points race after finishing third in 2008 — and he’s still a teenager … DeLonjay was a runaway leader in improvement points, the only driver at the track to top the century mark with 102 … DeLonjay has been racing for four years and never finished lower than third in points in any series … Finished No. 8 in the SDRR.

NOTEWORTHY: DeLonjay has already won 45 races in his Bullring career, which ranks 15th among all drivers at the track since such statistics started being charted in 1999.

SECOND ROW

TONY DUNKER

WHY: Dunker has been one of the most successful drivers at the track during the past decade, and 2009 was no different, finishing third in points … He enters 2010 six wins away from becoming the fourth driver to reach 100 victories since statistics started being kept in 1999 … Strangely enough, Dunker has not won a Bullring feature since 2005 or title since 2004, but has climbed to No. 2 in all-time mod rankings and is No. 1 since 2006 when the “A” and “B” classes were combined.

NOTEWORTHY: “Bone” was the winner of the inaugural DIRTy online voting award for Driver of the Year.

VANCE WILSON

WHY: Wilson, who returned to Quincy full-time for the first season since winning the 2001 “A” mod championship, finished fifth in points … Wilso also finished No. 5 in the SDRR, which represented the top performance by a Missouri driver … Nine overall wins were his most in Quincy since earning 13 in 1999.

NOTEWORTHY: Wilson led modified drivers in Herald-Whig Performance Points to win his first HWPP championship since 1999.

STEVIE DIRT MODIFIED DRIVERS OF THE YEAR
2009: Justin Reed
2008: Michael Long

Abe Huls

When Abe Huls won the stock car track championship on the final night of points racing at the Bullring, it was arguably just icing on the cake en route to his winning the Stevie Dirt Driver of the Year award in this series.

Huls’ resume was pretty complete prior to that accomplishment, having dominated the Stevie Dirt Regional Rankings much of the season on the way to winning the track title at West Burlington and finishing third at Lee County.

While Huls managed just two feature victories at the Bullring, he was tops in top-five and top-10 finishes. He was one of the most improved drivers at the track in any class after having finished 10th in points in 2008.

A driver’s success at the Bullring, combined with success at Lee County and West Burlington were all weighed in selecting the second annual Driver of the year and all-Dirt team.
 
Huls follows Jeff Mueller as Stevie Dirt Stock Car Driver of the Year. Mueller did not earn a spot on this year’s all-Dirt team, opting not to race at Quincy full-time this season.

STOCK CAR DRIVER OF THE YEAR

ABE HULS

WHY: He not only won the championship at the Bullring, but was a force throughout the region … Completely dominated the Stevie Dirt Regional Rankings … Fittingly capped his points season in Quincy with a victory in the season championship race … Led the Dependable Drivers Leaderboard (DDL) for stock cars, completing 329 of 340 feature laps for a .938 percentage … Was second to Kevin Tomlinson in improvement points.

NOTEWORTHY: Huls has won more money ($5,965) at the Bullring than any other stock car driver the past two years.

FIRST ROW

KEVIN TOMLINSON

WHY: Finished runner-up to Huls in the title race when he was disqualified on season championship night over not having a muffler on his car … No. 5 in the SDRR … finished second in Herald-Whig Performance Points … won seven overall races, tying for second behind Terry Houston (10).

NOTEWORTHY: Tomlinson led the series in improvement points (80), eight more than Huls.

TERRY HOUSTON

WHY: No driver won more stock car races (10) than Houston … No. 97 also won the most features (5) … finished No. 8 in the SDRR … Houston was the hottest driver in the series down the stretch, leading in second-half points … Led class in money earned ($3,115) and was first Herald-Whig Performance Points.

NOTEWORTHY: Houston led the most feature laps (108) of any stock car driver, almost double his closest challenger Aaron Brocksieck (56).

SECOND ROW

AARON BROCKSIECK

WHY: Brocksieck’s rookie season in stock cars was memorable, finishing sixth in points despite missing one  feature … Brocksieck’s improvement was obvious in the second half, totaling 222 points after the midseason break, which was just two behind leader Terry Houston (224).

NOTEWORTHY: Brocksieck did not win a heat race all season, but won three features, including the $1,000-to-win Tri-State Shootout on July 3.

CHRIS WIBBELL

WHY: The Dallas City driver had a rough final month of the season or he would have likely been a first-row pick … Still finished seventh in points despite missing one  feature … No. 9 in SDRR. 

NOTEWORTHY: Wibbell is the career stock car points leader at the Bullring, racking up 1,189 in the first two years of the series. Steve Steinkuhler (1,117) and Abe Huls (1,117) are tied for second.

STEVIE DIRT STOCK CAR DRIVER OF THE YEAR
2009: Abe Huls
2008: Jeff Mueller

Steve Carlin

 
STEVIE DIRT NOTE: The following is the first of four Driver of the Year and all-Dirt team awards. Coming up in the following days will be the Stock Car, Modified and Late Model honors.
 
Probably the toughest decision among this year’s Driver of the Year awards came in the hobby stock division, where Steve Carlin gets the nod over Jim Powell.

I felt Carlin’s consistency and stronger second half of the season outweighed that of Powell, resulting  in the nine-point difference in the points standings between the two veterans. Powell had better-looking victory numbers, but Carlin had a few more points — and his third track title.

Powell led in feature victories, both drivers were tied in top-five showings and Carlton had an advantage in top-10 performances. What gave Carlin an advantage were two other important categories — he led all series drivers in second-half and feature points.

Carlin follows Aaron Brocksieck as Stevie Dirt Hobby Stock Driver of the Year. Brocksieck moved to stock cars this season, where he was a second-row selection.

In the other three classes, a driver’s success at the Bullring, combined with performance in the Stevie Dirt Regional Rankings, plus success at Lee County and West Burlington were all weighed in making all-Dirt team selections. There are no Stevie Dirt Regional Rankings for hobby stocks. Hobby stock drivers at Quincy drive only at 8000 Broadway.

HOBBY STOCK DRIVER OF THE YEAR

STEVE CARLIN

WHY: Carlin, who has now won three track titles, showed his talent down the stretch and his understanding of “points racing.” … Carlin has always had a knack of coming up big at crunch time. He leads all hobby stockers in feature and second-half points earned over the past three years — that is no accident, or coincidence … Carlin was the first hobby stock hotshoe to reach 700 track points since 2005.

NOTEWORTHY: Carlin will be trying to tie Eddie Dieker’s all-time series record of four track titles in 2010.

FIRST ROW

JIM POWELL

WHY: One of three Hannibal, Mo., drivers — Carlin and Mike Wiley are other others — on this year’s team … Was a second-row selection in 2008 … Led series in feature (6) and total (11) victories … Won three straight main events in late April and early May … First in Herald-Whig Performance Points … Also first in imporvement points.

NOTEWORTHY: Powell led all hobby stock drivers in money earned ($2,590).

MIKE WILEY

WHY: Wiley enjoyed his finest overall season with a third-place finish in points … Struggled somewhat in last two months of the season, which showed in his seventh-place standing in second-half points … Wiley was a perfect 370-for-370 in feature laps run … Finished in the top 10 in 17 of 18 points fatures.

NOTEWORTHY: Wiley is now 12th all-time in career series points, and has second-most points over the past three years (trailing only Carlin).

SECOND ROW

JAKE POWERS

WHY: Powers finished a strong fourth in his first season in the series … Was one of two drivers to finish in the top in all 18 points features (Carlin was the other) … Powers won back-to-back features in August, accenting his strong stretch run that saw him wind up third in second-half points … Was fourth in Herald-Whig Performance Points.

NOTEWORTHY: Powers was third in feature laps run, which translates into his avoiding the all-important DNFs.

TRAVIS BOOHER

WHY: Booher may have enjoyed his finest overall campaign with a fifth-place finish in points and six total victories … Finished in the top six in second-half, feature, improvement and heat points … Booher’s successful season moved him into the top 10 of career, feature and heat victories since 1999.

NOTEWORTHY: Booher has finished in the top 10 in points seven straight seasons. That ties him with Carlin for the top active streak in this class and is only two off Eddie Dieker’s series record.

STEVIE DIRT HOBBY STOCK DRIVERS OF THE YEAR
2009: Steve Carlin
2008: Aaron Brocksieck

The streak is over.

For the first time since 2004, the late model car count at the Bullring did not average 20 or higher per show, falling just short at 19. That average was still considered healthy, just not in the same neighborhood as, say, 2006 when the per-show norm was 25.

Modifieds continued their growth spurt since combining as one class prior to the 2006 campaign. ThIn theirr first year being sanctioned by UMP, the Bullring mods averaged 25 cars per show. Hitting an average of 30 in 2010 might seem a reach, but it wouldn’t surprise me, considering those wild-and-crazy modifieds averaged 28.7 cars in the pits over the final six weeks of the season, including back-to-back-to-back counts of 34, 34 and 30 between Aug,. 2-16. Over the finall 11 shows the season, the mods drew no fewer than 24 cars on any given night.

The stock cars’ per-show average of 14 matched their 2008 inaugural season. The hobby stocks’ 16-car norm was their highest since 21 in 2006, the final year they carried the “bomber” name tag.

AVERAGE CAR COUNTS

LATE MODELS

2009: 19
2008: 20
2007: 22
2006: 25 TRACK RECORD
2005: 20
2004: 17
2003: 16
2002: 16
2001: 16
2000: 16
1999: 18
1998: 15 (first year as an IMCA track)
1997: 13
1996: 14
1995: 16
1994: 13
1993: 17
1992: 16
1991: 15
(before 1991 not available)

MODIFIEDS

2009: 25 TRACK RECORD  (first year as a UMP track)
2008: 23
2007: 22
2006: 19

Last five years of “A” Modifieds
2005: 14
2004: 15
2003: 15
2002: 17
2001: 18 (”A” Mod track record)

Last five years of “B” Modifieds’
2005: 13
2004: 18
2003: 22
2002: 24 (”B” Mod track record)
2001: 22

STOCK CARS

2009: 14
2008: 14

HOBBY STOCKS (last 10 years)

2009: 16
2008: 14
2007: 15
2006: 21 (final year known as “bombers”)
2005: 20
2004: 23
2002: 30
2001: 31 TRACK RECORD
2000: 31 TRACK RECORD
1999: 22

Justin Reed came up short in his bid for the late model track championship, but has emerged as the first DIRTy Driver of the Year following a week-long online vote among race fans.

Reed captured 38.4 percent of 352 votes cast to finish ahead of closest challengers Mark Burgtorf (24.7 percent) and track champ Lonnie Bailey (11.1 percent).

Here’s a breakdown of the ballots when voting ended at midnight Friday (the poll remained up after midnight, but votes stopped being counted after 12):

Justin Reed, 38.4 percent
Mark Burgtorf, 24.7 percent
Lonnie Bailey, 11.1 percent
Keith Pratt, 9.9 percent
Clint Kirkham, 4.8 percent
Jerry Weisenberger, 4.0 percent
Jason Perry, 3.4 percent
Matt Bailey, 1.7 percent
Bill Genenbacher, 1.1 percent
Joey Gower, 0.9 percent 

Reed joins Tony Dunker in modifieds, Steve Steinkuhler in stock cars and Adam Scott in hobby stocks as voting champs.

Up next will be the second annual Stevie Dirt postseason awards, which feature Drivers of the Year in each of the Bullring’s four classes, plus first- and second-row selections. Will any, all or none of the online DIRTy winners also walk away with a Stevie Dirt Driver of the Year award, too?

Consistency is the mark of a champion, at the very least a contender. With that in mind, examine the following:

LONGEST ACTIVE STREAK(s) OF FINISHING IN THE TOP 5 IN TRACK POINTS

(Drivers who have won a track championship are in bold face)

LATE MODELS
Mark Burgtorf, 7 years
Lonnie Bailey, 3
Justin Reed, 3
Jason Perry, 2
 
MODIFIEDS
Tony Dunker, 9 years
Steven DeLonjay, 2

HOBBY STOCKS
Steve Carlin, 7 years
Jim Powell, 2

(Stock cars have only been a weekly series for two years)

ALL-TIME TOP 5 STREAKS

LATE MODELS
Terry Gallaher, 21 years
Steve Fraise, 13
Mark Burgtorf, 11
Mark Burgtorf, 7-active
Sonny Findling, 7
Dick Crane, 6

MODIFIEDS
Hank DeLonjay, 11 years
Tony Dunker, 9-active
Sam Burgtorf, 7
Bob Dale, 6
Hank DeLonjay, 6

HOBBY STOCKS
Eddie Dieker, 8 years
Bill Genenbacher, 7
Steve Carlin, 7-active
Harold Ketchum, 5
Junior Tuggle, 5

LONGEST ACTIVE STREAK(s) OF FINISHING IN THE TOP 10 IN TRACK POINTS

LATE MODELS
Mark Burgtorf, 25 years
Lonnie Bailey, 9
Jerry Weisenberger, 5
Jason Perry, 3
Justin Reed, 3

MODIFIEDS
Tony Dunker, 10 years
Dave Wietholder, 6
Robbie Reed, 5
Shawn Deering, 4
 
HOBBY STOCKS
Steve Carlin, 7 years
Travis Booher, 7
Mike Wiley, 3
Jim Powell, 2
Wes Mayfield, 2
 
(Stock cars have only been a weekly series for two years)

ALL-TIME TOP 10 STREAKS

LATE MODELS
Mark Burgtorf, 25 years-active
Terry Gallaher, 21
Steve Fraise, 16
Dick Crane, 15
Tom Long, 13
Denny Woodworth, 12
Lonnie Bailey, 9-active
Mark Holtmeyer, 9

MODIFIEDS
Hank DeLonjay, 11 years
Tony Dunker, 10-active
Hank DeLonjay, 8
Sam Burgtorf, 7

HOBBY STOCKS
Eddie Dieker, 9 years
Brent Chapman, 8
Bill Genenbacher, 7
Bob Hightower, 7
Steve Carlin, 7-active
Travis Booher, 7-active
Harold Ketchum, 6
Bruce Hatfield, 6