B-SHEPPA View From The Top

Page 2 - By Steve Eighinger

HAMMER DOWNA Publication Of

Inside This Month’s Issue:

Vol. 1 No. 1Special Edition For:

Photo Courtesy of Tim’s Racing Photos

BRIAN LYNN -Haulin’ The Mail

p6

www.CILTRAK.com

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SMASH: Remembering Those We Lostp8

PLUS: Commentary From Patrick Davis and Jake Croxton p10

Steve Eighinger

NEW BERLIN, Il. — So, what will the kid do for an encore?Brandon Sheppard cemented his stand-

ing among dirt-track deity in 2013 when, among other accomplishments, the 21-year-old late model wiz won the Dirt Track World Championship in Ports-mouth, Ohio.

Add in the UMP national title and win-ning the prestigious — not to mention grueling — UMP Summer Nationals Hell Tour and you begin to get an idea of what kind of checkered flags Sheppard was collecting.

“I don’t think we could have asked for a better season,” Sheppard said. “We’ve been working really hard for a lot of years to get where we’re at right now ... and it was a long season, but it was all worth it.”

Sheppard, whose 2014 season will begin in late January in Arizona with a series of four races in the Tucson area, has already established his priorities for coming campaign. The title he wants to repeat most is the Hell Tour, considered the defining accomplishment for any late model driver in the Midwest. Stretching nearly six weeks for the second con-secutive year, late model racing’s most demanding test of man and machine will feature 33 races at 32 tracks in nine states over a period of 39 days.

“Next to the (World Series of) Outlaws and the Lucas Oil series, I think the Hell Tour is the most prestigious (title),” Shep-pard said.

Sheppard’s consistency catapulted him to the Hell Tour championship. Although

he posted “just” four victories during the 26-race schedule, he secured 19 top-five and 23 top-10 finishes. His wins came at Spoon River Speedway and Belle-Clair Speedway in Illinois, and Clarksville Speedway and Clay Hill Motorsports Park in Tennessee.

Sheppard ended with a 75-point advantage (1,675-1,600) over another of the sport’s hot young stars, 16-year-old Bobby Pierce of Oakwood, Ill., son of leg-endary driver and car builder Bob Pierce. Pierce also finished second to Sheppard in the UMP national points standings. Sheppard won that title by 47 points (2,549-2,502).

“Our biggest goal is to repeat in the Summer Nationals,” said Sheppard, who knows the law of percentages may not be as kind in 2014 as they were a year ago.

Sheppard managed to escape any major on-track melee, which is almost a prerequisite in putting together the kind of season he did in 2013.

“We had a few minor issues, but did not tear up much equipment,” he said. “We’ll open the season with three cars.”

Avoiding any major sheet-metal catas-trophes — or blown engines — allowed Sheppard and crew to enjoy a rather

peaceful offseason.“We’ve been able to spend most of our

time just regrouping, talking to our spon-sors and trying to recruit more sponsors,” he said.

Sheppard has also had time to reflect on all that transpired last season.

“In the beginning, you never think you’d do something like win a national championship that young,” he said. “But we’ve been improving as a team and I’ve been improving as a driver every year. I can see myself getting better every year, driving harder and driving better. It all came together (in 2013).

“My dad worked hard a lot of years try-ing to win it and he was never able to ... I guess me winning it kind of fulfilled both of our dreams. I was always there when he was doing it and he’s there helping me now, so it meant a lot to both of us.”

Sheppard is one of just four drivers to win both the Hell Tour and UMP nation-al title in the same season. He joins Brian Shirley (2012) of Chatham, Ill., Dennis Erb Jr. ((2007-08) of Carpentersville, Ill., and John Gill (1986) of Mitchell, Ind., on that short list.

“UMP is the big thing around us – has been since I was little kid,” Sheppard said.

“I’ve been around it my whole life, so it’s real special for me personally to win both championships. We’ve been work-ing really hard for a lot of years to get where we’re at right now and it was a long season, but it was all worth it.”

Sheppard became the youngest driver in the 33-year of the Dirt Track World Championship (DTWC) to enter victory lane. He earned $50,000 for that victory in late October, plus another $50,000 for winning the Hell Tour and UMP national titles.

Sheppard drove the No. 1 Mark Rich-ards Racing late model to the DTWC victory, finishing ahead of Steve Francis, Jackie Boggs, Jason Feger and Jimmy Owens. Sheppard was subbing that night for Josh Richards in the Rocket chassis house car.

“That capped a pretty good season,” Sheppard said.

And that is, obviously, quite an under-statement.

“My dad worked hard a lot of years trying to win it and he was never able to ... I guess me winning it kind of fulfilled both of our dreams.”

THE BIG YEAR: BRANDON SHEPPARD BREAKS OUT IN 2013

Photo by Tim’s Racing Photos

Steve Eighinger a.k.a “Stevie Dirt,” is a reporter for the Quincy Herald-Whig and provides extensive coverage of Quincy Raceways, including his active blog which can be found at www.whig.com/blogs

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Brandon Sheppard Race PartyFriday January 31 - Shepp’s Bar & Grill - New Berlin, IL

Party at 6 - Auction at 7

2013 UMP DIRTcarLATE MODEL CHAMPION

2013 UMP SUMMER NATIONALSHELL TOUR CHAMPION

2013 DIRT TRACK WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

4 Hammer Down January 2014 www.CILTRAK.com

Quincy Raceways

•Steven DeLonjay captured his third straight UMP Modified track champion-ship, which was his fifth overall at the track -- all before he turned 21 in late December. Only three other drivers -- Mark Burgtorf (14), Hank DeLonjay (13) and Steve Fraise (9) -- have won more track titles. Hank DeLonjay is Ste-ven’s dad, who with Burgtorf and Fraise were charter members of the Quincy Raceways Hall of Fame in 2011.

•DeLonjay’s 12 feature victories and 22 overall checkered flags are the most at the track in the UMP era for modi-fieds. Quincy has been a UMP track for that class since 2009. DeLonjay’s nine Fast 6 dash victories were the most by any driver in any series since statistics started being kept in 1999.

•Denny Woodworth won his third overall track title when he captured the UMP Super Late Model championship. Woodworth also has the 2010 IMCA Late Model and 1993 “A” modified track titles on his resume.

•Shannon Babb rocketed to the UMP Summer Nationals Hell Tour victory in early July. The $5,000 win was Babb’s third Summer Nationals victory at the Broadway Bullring. His other triumphs came in 2009 and 2007. No other driver has won more than one Hell Tour race since the series’ first appearance at the track in 2006.

•Tony Dunker dominated the IMCA Sport Mods for the second straight year. Dunker will enter the 2014 season with a streak of 31 straight first- or second-place finishes in a division that debuted at Quincy in late 2011. Dunker led all drivers in all classes last season with 13 feature victories and 25 total wins. Dunker has won 28 main events over the past two years.

•Honest Abe Huls established an IMCA Stock Car record with 17 total victories en route to winning his second title in

that class and first since 2009.

•Austen Becerra’s stranglehold on the IMCA Sport Compacts resulted in his first track championship. Becerra has won 19 features in the last 1 1/2 sea-sons. He also won the sport compacts’ Triple Crown when he claimed both the midseason and season-ending cham-pionship races to go with his points title. Becerra was the first Triple Crown winner outside of the late model and modified divisions since 2001.

Lincoln Speedway

•Greg Osman and Todd Smith battled throughout the season for a street stock championship that was ultimately cap-tured by Osman by a mere 5 points.

•New Berlin’s Nick Bauman sealed a track championship in the UMP Pro Late Model class bringing the B1 ma-chine home with a 122 point final mar-gin. Roben Huffman and Myles Moos had a close battle for the second spot in points with Huffman claiming runner-up honors by a mere 18 points.

•Brian Lynn continued his dominance of the UMP Modified class at Lincoln winning 8 features to capture his 7th Lincoln Speedway track championship.

• Bob Sanders claimed the hornet class championship ending 2013 with a comfortable 267 point margin over Dale Nelson

Jacksonville Speedway

•The introduction of the Neal Tire Sprint Cars was the focus of the weekly show at Jacksonville in 2013 and the cars proved to put on some great action like their big motored brothers. Ryan Blakeman captured the track championship with a win on the final night of racing for the class.

•Jacksonville hosted some great modified action in 2013 with Dave Wietholder

making a great charge from 5th to win the Summit Modified Nationals event during the UMP Summer Nationals, but it was Springfield’s Matt Goulden who claimed the points title over Brian Dively and Ethan Schnapp.

•It was a youth movement in the street stock class as Justin Layne busted from the pack to top the points chart at over Brandon Eskew. Layne claimed 3 wins on his way to his first track champion-ship.

•Stephanie Eskew became Jacksonville’s first female track champion with an outstanding season in the hornet class. Eskew claimed two wins on the year to best runner-up Thomas Angelo

•Much of the offseason has been focused on the track’s first ever STP World of Outlaws sprint car event which will be held on Wednesday May 7th. A limited number of grandstand tickets are being sold with a very small number remain-ing. Grandstand tickets will not be avail-able on race night. To get your tickets while they last, visit www.CILTRAK.com.

MOWA Sprint Car Series Presented by Casey’s General

Stores

•Jerrod Hull continues to be the only champion in MOWA series history winning his third straight title in 2013. AJ Bruns, who led the first half of the season stayed in the hunt through the final event after being overtaken in the points battle by Hull.

•135 different drivers participated in the 20 MOWA events in 2013 with 61 dif-ferent drivers registering a top 10 finish and 38 different drivers registering a top 5 finish. The series saw 15 different winners: Jerrod Hull (2), Jimmy Hurley (2), Ian Madsen (2), Christopher Bell (2), Danny Lasoski (2), AJ Bruns, Paul Nienhiser, Joey Moughan, Danny Smith, Terry McCarl, Bryan Clauson, Brian

Brown, Shane Stewart, Jac Hauden-schild, Bill Balog.

Lucas Oil POWRi Midget Series

•Zach Daum caputred his first POWRi series championship driving his Toyota powered Eagle to a season ending 520 point margin over Andrew Felker.

•Among Daum’s notable wins was capturing the Jason Leffler Memorial at Wayne County Speedway which at-tracted a stellar field of competitors and was later re-broadcast on MAV TV.

•The Midget World Championship, a 16 race international sub-series which will make stops in Central Illinois June 5-7 at Jacksonville, Lincoln and Macon Speedway is already under way with 3 races having been held in New Zealand with winners Chris Bell, Bryan Clauson and Michael Pickens.

Big 10 Late Model Series

•Steve Sheppard, Jr claimed the series crown over Brian Dively in a very close battle throughout the ten race schedule which competed at Macon, Lincoln and Jacksonville Speedways in 2013.

•The points battle came down to the final night in Lincoln between Dively and Sheppard with Sheppard having to bor-row a car for the feature after mechani-cal issues sidelined the 5s. Dively went on to win the event but it wasn’t enough to overcome Sheppard’s final 6 point margin.

•Matt Taylor stayed in the hunt for the series title throughout the season finish-ing just 18 points shy of Sheppard and ending third in points.

•The series returns in 2014 and will be adding Quincy Raceways for two special $2,000 to win events to go along with two stops at Lincoln Speedway, 2 events at Jacksonville Speedway and 4 events at Macon Speedway.

YEAR IN REVEW

Hammer Down January 2014 5www.CILTRAK.com

6 Hammer Down January 2014 www.CILTRAK.com

Bruce Yentes

MASON CITY, IL. – The famous creed is etched

in stone at the James Farley Post Office in New York City: “Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.”

Nothing seems to be able to stop Springfield letter carrier Brian Lynn from delivering track championships in the Modified class at Lincoln Speedway either.

“I won the championship there the first year it opened and I’ve loved it ever since,” said Lynn. “It’s a fun track and it just fits my style.”

That hard charging style has served him well. Since his in-augural crown in 2004, Lynn has claimed six additional championships at the track. He’ll return this season to defend his 2013 title equipped with a pair of new motors prepared by Dennis McQuinn and relishing any challenge from those who would dare to snatch the title away.

“A lot of guys came (in 2013) that were tops in the nation (in UMP Modified points) and I had fun racing them,” he said.

“Fun” has been the op-erative word ever since Lynn, 43, began attending races at Springfield Speedway as a child.

Those trips with his parents inspired a fierce desire to race and Lynn began dabbling with drag racing while still in high school. Although a stint in the armed forces delayed his

entrance into the sport as a serious competitor, an Army buddy continued to stoke the fire to keep the dream alive.

A native of Mason City where he still resides with his wife, Danette, Lynn was less than a month out of high school when he found himself in Army basic training.

While in the Army, which included a tour of duty in Iraq during Desert Storm, Lynn and his best bud Mike Bonham would while away the hours in the motor pool by sharing a mutual interest in motorsports and a mutual desire to someday compete.

Once discharged, Bonham eventually became a U.S. Air Marshal. While he took to the skies, “Flyin’ Brian” (as Lynn is known) took to flying around race tracks in Central Illinois.

This season he’ll again be driving two Modifieds, one of them owned by his parents. The other, the familiar #14 at Lincoln Speedway, is owned by Logan County farmers Dale Lessen, Rod Conklen and Junior Agee of Cashless Racing.

A core group of volunteers, Dave Banister, Jerry Ben-ninger, Jason Harrison and Mike Lockenour also play a role. Lynn gives them credit for much of his success.

“They’ll work in the shop and they’re always at the race-track,” he said. “They do a lot on the car to keep it competi-tive.”

Also lending a hand is Lynn’s son, Austin. Just as Lynn got an early infusion of “racing blood” from his parents, Austin began going to the track with his dad at a young age. Lynn says the 16-year old’s involvement will grow this season.

“Last year he got to drive one of my older cars that I kept around,” Lynn said. “A goal for him this year is a full year at Lincoln to get some seat time.”

Lynn – who also has a 9-year old daughter, Audrey – hopes to add to his personal seat time as well this year. Plans include some additional Summit Racing Equipment Modified Nationals events, a series run in conjunction with the grueling UMP Summer

Nationals series.“We’ll run as many as we

can and try to hit a few more of those to get more points,” he said, with an eye on im-proving last year’s 10th-place finish.

Lynn also wouldn’t mind competing a little more outside of the Modified ranks. Last year he won two featured events at Spoon River Speed-way in Canton driving a Crate Late Model owned by Brian Quick.

In the meantime, he’s hop-ing to deliver another Lincoln Speedway Modified champi-onship and says carrying mail in what’s been a brutal Central Illinois winter is doing its part in keeping him in shape for the racing rigors ahead.

“The snow and the cold and the ice are the worst to carry in,” he said. “You trudge through that all day long, it wears you out.”

An award winning writer and broadcaster, Bruce Yentes covers Central Illinois auto racing for the Bloomington Pantagraph. He also has an extensive background in auto racing publishing and public relations.

Photo Courtesy of Tim’s Racing Photos

Casey’s General Stores Joins MOWA

As Series Presenting Sponsor

Officials of the Midwest Open Wheel Association (MOWA) are pleased to announce a partnership with Casey’s General Stores that will make Casey’s the presenting sponsor for the 2014 MOWA Sprint Car Series Presented by Casey’s General Stores.

The series recently released a 2014 schedule of over 25 events in Illinois, Southeast Iowa, Eastern Missouri and Western Indiana. Entering its fourth season, the MOWA Sprint Car Series Presented by Casey’s General Stores features some of the best 410 winged sprint car action in the Midwest and averaged nearly 30 cars per event in 2013. The partnership with Casey’s General Stores will bring added awards and incentives for teams that regularly participate in series events.

“Casey’s General Stores has a long and rich history of supporting grass roots motorsports and sprint car racing in particular and we are honored for MOWA to become a part of the Casey’s family.” Said MOWA Series Director, Ken Dobson. “We look forward to carrying the Casey’s brand and mes-sage to our events in 2014 and know that our MOWA members and fans will work hard to make this a reward-ing partnership for everyone involved. There are over 600 Casey’s stores within 30 miles of our MOWA venues which creates endless possibilities for marketing our series with the support of a brand our fans already know and trust.”

The 2014 MOWA Sprint Car Series Presented by Casey’s General Stores will open its season on Friday April 4th at Lincoln Speedway in Lincoln, Il-linois in a double-header that will also feature the Lucas Oil POWRi Midget Series.

Brian Lynn: Haulin’ The Mail For Another Lincoln Crown

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So many times, when we hear of someone’s passing, we reflect on their memory and how they impacted our own life and wish we had one more opportunity to tell them what they meant to us. But, in times of passing, once we hear the news, it is too late. There will be no more opportunities to say thanks, no more opportuni-ties to shake a hand, no more opportunities to give a hug and a smile. No more opportunities to acknowledge what the person has meant to our lives or our career etc.

Seize each day as if it were your last opportunity to say to that special someone the words you would say if you knew in advance it were their last day on earth. An often heard cliche is “There are no guarantees of tomorrow. Each day is a gift, hence why they call it the present”. This simple statement holds such truth.

Each year we lose people who have touched us in one way or another, this year was no exception. I want to take this opportunity to name just a few and take a mo-ment to remember them.

Gary Cook, Jr: The sport lost one of it’s greatest ambassadors in 2013 to a long battle with sinus cancer. Gary won the UMP National Championship in 2009. When he accepted his award at the annual awards banquet there was not a dry eye in the house. Gary ex-plained the circumstances that led to his championship being delayed a year or so after he was diagnosed with a tumor in 2008 while battling for the title.

“Gary Cook Jr. will always be remembered as a great UMP Modified champion,” said DIRTcar UMP director Sam Driggers. “He spent his whole career racing with UMP and became one of the UMP Modified division’.s most respected drivers.

Cook’s cancerous tumor returned in 2011 and he had responded positively to treatments and won seven UMP Modified features in 2012, but in 2013 doctors found that the cancer had spread and it ultimately took Gary from us.

Dean Garland: Dean was involved in auto racing for many, many years and in numerous different ways. His last involvement was in the role of trackside supplier for Hoosier Tires, racing fuel, tear offs, Allstar and other products.

Dean always had time to try to answer questions for racers and he truly loved helping the underdogs - the entry level racer that was just starting out that so many times get overlooked, yet are the backbone of our indus-try.

Dean loaned parts to racers, carried them on open account when they couldn’t afford to pay for a part in full, and many times even gave racers parts because he knew they needed them but couldn’t really afford them.

Rich Packingham: Rich was an avid race fan for many years and in his later years was a major supporter of a modified team.

Rich had a passion for auto racing that was fueled over the years by his being involved with Paul Ray when

he raced at the old Springfield Speedway. He remained involved with the Ray family as a supporter of second generation driver Jeff Ray in his modified up until the time of Rich’s passing.

Paul Ray said that Rich was his best friend for over 45 years and was a silent supporter over the latter years of his life. Jack Hewitt was always one of Rich’s favorite drivers, thus the 63 on the modified in memory of Rich and in his honor a P&R logo also adorns the car which stands for Packingham and Ray.

Taken from us way too early in his life, I’m confident Rich is watching down on us and cheering on his favor-ite drivers each week.

Howard “Howdy” Hoyland: Howdy was one of those guys who never met a stranger. If he liked you he would sit and talk with you as long as you would listen. Howdy loved to talk.

My own experience with him was that you did more listening than you did chatting - and I was always fine with that. As a longtime supporter of Roger Drake, Howdy always made sure Roger knew, “you can always find a driver, all you have to do is go to the local tavern”. That thought always kept Roger on his toes and trying to give Howdy his best performance.

Roger said that he always found it funny when he drove for Howdy that Howdy was more popular than Roger was as the driver. Roger recalled that after the races people would crowd the car - but they were there to see Howdy!

Howdy often thought of his friends first and even in his last days showed that once more. The day before Howdy was to be operated on, he called Roger in a call that Roger says he will never forget. Howdy said to him, “Roger, you have always been a good friend to me, I’m not going to make it through this surgery tomorrow and I just wanted to say Goodbye”.

Howdy didn’t survive the surgery, but he sure did enjoy life while he was here! GODSPEED to you my friend!

Howard Lehmann: Howard was one of the founders of MARA – Midwest Auto Racing Association - and Abe Lincoln Quarter Midget Association. He served on the Board of Directors for RFMS. Racing was more than a hobby to Howard, it was a way of life.

So many people relied on Howard to help them throughout their career and we do not have the proper

amount of space here to list all of those who he helped in one manner or another. Most noteable of course would be his beloved son Donnie who together with Howard amassed many MARA Championships together.

Rusty Allen: Rusty was a lifelong fan of dirt track racing and began helping Jack Tyne of Streator in the 1970s. He continued helping Jack for many years until he bought and raced his own car.

He raced many tracks in Illinois, his favorite being Fairbury American Legion Speedway, where he won the six-cylinder track championship in 1988. Rusty quit racing in 1991, then worked at Fairbury Speedway as an official and eventually became track promoter.

Under his leadership Fairbury American Legion Speedway received UMP Track of the Year for two con-secutive years.

Cale Osterhoff: He was born Aug. 22, 2006, in Kanka-kee, the son of Chad and Jennifer Brosseau Osterhoff. Cale was a first-grade student at St. Joseph Grade School and was a “Mite” hockey player for the Kankakee Coy-otes. He loved his dog, Carlee, and all sports.

Cale was the Big Wheel champion for three years in a row at the Kankakee Speedway. He liked to play base-ball, and also liked to play video games with his brother. He enjoyed boating, and watching and cheering for his dad and brother at their races.

It is beyond our understanding why we lose people in our life when we do. We many times question the untimeliness of a loss, when it seems someone is taken from us in their prime or even before as in the case of young Cale Osterhoff.

Cale would have most likely been a racer when he grew up and was tragically lost to a ski mobile accident just before the Christmas season. We must have faith that there is a plan - a much deeper, much bigger plan than we may ever understand..

I am sure I have failed to mention someone who touched our racing community just as much as those listed above. These are but a few of those we lost that are from our area who impacted our lives as racers or fans.

If you take nothing else away from this article please remember one small but important lesson: take a mo-ment to tell those around you what they mean to you. and thank them for the part they have played in your life.

Imagine the smile that some would have had on their faces had they heard the wonderful things while they were alive that were said at their funeral services. It is too late then. Let them know your feelings while you can still express them in person.

May each of those listed above rest in eternal peace. We need not feel sorry for them, for they have won the biggest race of all - they have earned a spot in Heaven.

Until we meet again, know that each of you have touched lives in ways you never imagined.

Reflecting On Those We Lost In 2013SMASH THE LOUD PEDAL

Terry Young

Hammer Down January 2014 9www.CILTRAK.com

2014 Season

Schedule

Saturday March 29 –Weebles/MOWA Car Show Springfield, IL

Friday April 4 – Lincoln Speedway, Lincoln, IL

Friday April 11 – Jacksonville Speedway, Jacksonville, IL

Saturday April 12 – 34 Raceway, W. Burlington, IA

Friday April 18 - Tri City Speedway, Pontoon Beach, IL

Saturday May 3 – Clay County Speedway, Flora, IL

Sunday May 11 – Vermilion County Speedway, Danville, IL

Friday May 23 – Jacksonville Speedway, Jacksonville, IL

Saturday May 24 – Federated Auto Parts Raceway – Pevely, MO

Sunday May 25 – Quincy Raceways, Quincy, IL

Sunday June 15 – Lincoln Speedway, Lincoln, IL

Friday June 20 – Bloomington Speedway, Bloomington, IN

Saturday June 21 – Tri-State Speedway, Haubstadt, IN

Sunday July 6 – Quincy Raceways, Quincy, IL

SPRINT WEEK

Wednesday July 23 – Highland Speedway, Highland, IL

Thursday July 24 – Tri City Speedway, Pontoon Beach, IL

Friday July 25 – Jacksonville Speedway, Jacksonville, IL

Saturday July 26 – Macon Speedway, Macon, IL

Saturday August 23 – LaSalle Speedway, LaSalle, IL

Saturday Sept 6 – 34 Raceway, W. Burlington, IA

Sunday Sept 7 – Quincy Raceways, Quincy, IL

Friday Sept 12 – Jacksonville Speedway, Jacksonville, IL

Saturday Sept 13 – Spoon River Speedway, Banner, IL

Friday Oct 3 - Tri City Speedway, Pontoon Beach, IL

Saturday Oct 4 - Tri City Speedway, Pontoon Beach, IL

Friday Oct 10 – Lincoln Speedway, Lincoln, IL

Saturday Oct 11 Jacksonville Speedway, Jacksonville, IL

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Motorsports is ALWAYS looking for a star. In various divisions, there are drivers that bring legions of fans to a race track just because that driver is at that track. Whether it be Billy Moyer, Scott Bloomquist, Shannon Babb, Jason Feger, or countless others in late models, Steve Kinser, Sammy Swindell, Donny Schatz, and oth-ers in the winged sprint car world, these drivers bring large followings of people who will travel sometimes hundreds of miles and multiple hours just to see their favorite star in action.However, no one stays young or stay on dirt forever,

and we have to keep looking towards the future to find who will become a star that brings fans in out in droves. As we saw in the late model world last year, Central Il-linois drivers Brandon Sheppard and Bobby Pierce burst on to the national late model scene with various great runs throughout the 2013 season. Both Brandon and Bobby won numerous races on the

month long grind of the UMP DIRTcar Summer Nation-als, including for Bobby career high $10,000 paydays at Lincoln Speedway and Kankakee County Speedway. Brandon would go on to capture that title, as well as the overall points championship for the UMP DIRTcar

Super Late Model division. The biggest victory out of these two up-and-coming

drivers was Brandon Sheppard’s masterful job substi-tuting for Josh Richards in the Rocket house car at the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series sanctioned Red Buck Dirt Track World Championship at Portsmouth Race-way Park in Portsmouth,Ohio This victory was worth a whopping $50,000 payday - a career high. The race was taped for later viewing on Fox Sports 1, MavTV, and NBC Sports Network. This caliber of win will put a young driver on the map

of the sport as it is. Adding in national media, where

folks from all over the country can tune in and watch can mean potential sponsorship or driving opportuni-ties for that driver and draw attention to the local racing in the area they came from.Justin Allgaier is a great example of how someone at

the local level, starting out in quarter midgets, progress-ing up through classes such as 600cc mini sprints, UMP Super Late Models, and open wheel midgets, can rise to the top levels of stock car racing - NASCAR. Tyler Red-dick also fits this mold, coming from the mini sprints, then midgets, super late models, and now is moving up to race for Brad Keselowski Racing in the Craftsman Truck Series this year for at least 15 races before doing a full season in 2015. One thing all of the aforementioned drivers have in

common is that they all started at a local home track. Keep an eye on your area drivers. This doesn’t just mean in one class of racing. It means every class that races weekly. Sometimes, a driver will really catch your eye. Some

may take a bit longer, and then come seemingly out of nowhere to score a surprise win. You never know how things might end up. You may be seeing something special and not realize it at that moment. The next breakout star may just be a lot closer than you might think. Keep an eye out for him or her.

For the eleventh consecu-tive year, I spent three days after Christmas at Western Illinois University’s Western Hall moonlighting as the public address announcer for the 68th Macomb-Western Holiday Basketball Tournament. It is no small fete as I endured twenty-four games in three days in the 16-team double-elimination tournament.

Throughout those contests, I thoroughly enjoyed my duty of informing the arena audience and keeping the arena pulse at a high rate – all while trying not to draw attention away from the real spectacle – the athletes and the contest.

As with any sporting event, there were a few times when the crowd rained down a chorus of boos on the officiating crew for what was perceived as a blown call. It’s always fun to try to decipher what verbal rubbish is being hurled at those brave souls in stripes.

In order to be a great an-nouncer, knowing each intricacy of every rule is mandatory. You

will always have that segment of the crowd that just wants to be rowdy and obnoxious but as long as you can explain what is going on, it softens the blow if you can make the entire arena aware as soon as possible.

Most of my negative inter-actions at the racetrack are because of misinformation or someone simply not knowing how we do things. That’s one thing I’d like to improve upon in 2014 – making what we do known and easier to follow. I’m not saying that what we do as officials is unquestionable (we’re talking race format as much as we are calls on the racetrack here) but it’s nice to be able to immediately jump to the facts of what happened versus explain-ing to someone why it hap-pened.

That’s where a great announc-er comes in – they’ve relayed the appropriate message at the appropriate time and they’ve shared knowledge of what we do. In theory, an educated fan is a happy fan.

Whenever I talk to a race fan

that doesn’t understand passing points, I can’t help but think that we messed up somewhere on a massive level. The other part of my theory is that a fan that doesn’t know what’s going on is quickly turned off to another source of entertainment.

Speaking of passing points, we always talk about race format this time of year in the interest of deciphering what puts on the best show. I saw every format under the sun in 2013 – pass-ing points, time trials, inverted point average, draw/redraw, in-verted starts, straight-up starts. Each one has its advantages and disadvantages but each one has its place and provided great rac-ing at least occasionally.

The MOWA Sprint Car Series presented by Casey’s General Stores set the standard for com-petition and boasted 15 different winners in 20 events with its now-familiar Modified Pass-ing Points format – modified because winning a Heat Race guarantees a trip to the Fast Dash.

Some of the most heated bat-tles I saw were at Quincy when the DIRTcar Late Models and Modifieds battled it out in the “Fast Heat Race” of the Quick 6 Format – where the fastest six qualifiers are locked into the front of the program.

Some of the most dramatic races I saw featured the winners starting deep in the field, com-

ing from Row 6 and rising to the top late in the Inverted Point Average 305 Sprint Car features at 34 Raceway – a field handi-capped by average points of the top 10 or 12 qualifiers.

My favorite is still the old Busch All-Star Tour format from the late 80’s and 90’s. That’s back when you had 45-car NASCAR Late Model fields for $3,000 to win and $300 to start. The field was split into two “Qualifiers” of 15-laps. The top 10 were invert-ed and the top 10 transferred. Transfer cars got their time back and the top six were inverted for the A-Main. Everyone else went to one large Consolation Race.

You essentially saw four fea-tures on the track – lots of cars, lots of action, lots of hard racing. You had different guys win the qualifiers. You had the cream at the top at the end of 50-100 laps. I still remember many of them like it was yesterday; I hope we create more of those moments in 2014.

See you at the races.

Searching For The Next Breakout StarThe Race

Chaser

Patrick Davis@pdavis18491988

SpeedBlitz

Jake Croxton@JakeCroxton

Improving Fan Experience With Announcers and Race Formats

Hammer Down January 2014 11www.CILTRAK.com

KOREY WEYANT BRINGS GOLDEN DRILLER TO LAND OF LINCOLN

Three Generations of the Weyant Family: Scott (left), Korey (center) and Gene “Stooge” (right) celebrate Korey’s victory in the 1200cc Mini Sprint division at the Tulsa Shootout at the River Spirit Expo Center in Tulsa Oklahoma on January 4th. Springfield’s Weyant, driving a car owned by longtime car owner Jim Mahan of Easton, Il, earned a coveted ‘Golden Driller’ trophy with the win - the first for an Illinois racer since 2007. Weyant, a 4th generation open wheel driver, spends his summers racing - and winning - throughout the Midwest primarily in his family-owned #99 sprint car which he races with the MOWA Sprint Car Series and in non-wing competition.

World Of OutlawsWednesday May 7

Jacksonville Speedway

Limited Tickets RemainOrder Online at www.ciltrak.com

For Group VIP/Hopitality Inquiries call Ken at 217-371-3653

Left: ‘Finish Of The Year’. Bryan Clauson (21) and Chris Bell (53) cross the finish line at the MOWA Herb Bar-low Memorial at Jack-sonville. Clauson was declared the winner.

Right: Kyle Larson took a break from his NAS-CAR duties to pick up a win at Jacksonville Speedway during POWRi Midget Week.

Left: The ‘Hell Tour’ lived up to its name for Todd Frank at the Quincy Raceways

Right: Area late model racing saw a lot of battles on the track and on the points chart between Brandon Sheppard and Bobby Pierce in 2013. Here Pierce gets the upper hand in a narrow win at Quincy Raceways.Photo by Jimmy Dearing

Photo by Brendon Bauman Photo by Bill Baker

Photo by Randy Brown

12 Hammer Down January 2014 www.CILTRAK.com

March 22, March 29 - Practice

April 4 MOWA Sprints, POWRi Midgets, Modifieds, Street Stocks

April 11 Modifieds, Pro Late Models, Street Stocks, Lightning Sprints, Hornets

April 18 Quick Late Model Series (PCRA), Modifieds, Street Stocks, Lightning Sprints,

Hornets

April 25 Big 10 Late Models, 305 Sprints, Modifieds, Lightning Sprints, Hornets

May 2 410 Winged Sprints, Modifieds, Pro Late Models, Street Stocks, Lightning

Sprints

May 9 Modified Special, Crates, Street Stocks, Lightning Sprints, Hornets

May 16 305 Sprints, Pro Late Models, Modifieds, Street Stocks, Hornets

May 30 305 Sprints, Modifieds, Pro Late Models, Lightning Sprints, Illinois Vintage

Racing

June 6th POWRI Midgets, POWRi Micros, Modifieds, Street Stocks

Sunday June 15 – MOWA Sprints, Modifieds, Pro Late Models, Street Stocks, Hornets

June 20 – 305 Sprints, Modifieds, Pro Late Models, Street Stocks, Lightning Sprints

Sunday June 29 – UMP Summer Nationals, Modifieds, Street Stocks

July 4 – Sprint Cars TBD, Modifieds, Pro Late Models, Street Stocks, Lightning Sprints

July 11 – POWRi Midgets, 305 Sprints Other Classes TBD

July 18 – 305 Sprints, Modifieds, Pro Late Models, Street Stocks, Lightning Sprints

August 8 – Big 10 Late Models, Modifieds, Street Stocks, Hornets, Lightning Sprints

August 15 – POWRI Midgets, Micros, Modifieds, Street Stocks

August 29 – 305 Sprints, Modifieds, Pro Late Models, Street Stocks, Hornets

September 19 –305 Sprints, Modifieds, Pro Late Models, Street Stocks, Lightning

Sprints

Friday October 10 – MOWA Sprints + POWRi Midgets. Other classes TBD

**All Events Are Fridays Unless Otherwise Noted

Friday April 11: MOWA Sprints, Big 10 Late Models, Modifieds, Hornets, Micros

Friday April 25: POWRi Midgets, Micros, Pro Late Models, Street Stocks

Wednesday May 7: World of Outlaw Sprints

Friday May 23: MOWA Sprints, Modifieds, Street Stocks, Hornets, Micros

Thursday June 5: POWRi Midget Week, POWRi Micros, Neal Tire Sprints

Sunday June 8: 410 Sprints (Rain Date For MOWA), Modifieds, Pro Late Models, Street

Stocks, Hornets

Friday June 13: Big 10 Late Models, Neal Tire Sprints, Modifieds, Street Stocks, Hornets

Friday June 27: Modified Special, Pro Late Models, Street Stocks, Hornets, Micros

Wednesday July 2: UMP Summer Nationals, Modifieds, Street Stocks

Friday July 25: MOWA Sprint Week, Modifieds, Street Stocks, Lightning Sprints

Friday August 1: Neal Tire Sprints, Modifieds, Street Stocks, Hornets, Micros

Friday August 22: Neal Tire Sprints, Modifieds, Pro Late Models, Street Stocks, Hornets

Friday September 5: Neal Tire Sprints, Modifieds, Pro Late Models, Street Stocks,

Hornets

Friday September 12: MOWA Sprints + POWRi Midgets, POWRi Micros, Modifieds, Street

Stocks

Saturday October 11: MOWA Sprints + POWRi Midgets. Other Classes TBD.

March 15-16: Quincy Mall Car Show

March 23, March 30 : Open Practice

April 6: Late Models, Modifieds, Sportmods, Stock Cars, Sport Compacts

April 13: Late Models, Modifieds, Sportmod Special, Stock Cars, Sport Compacts

April 20: Albert Scott Memorial , “Scottie 40” featuring ALMS Sunoco Series Late

Models, Modifieds, Sportmods, Stock Cars, Sport Compacts

April 27: Modified Special, 305 Sprints, Sportmods, Stock Cars, Sport Compacts

May 4: Late Models, Modifieds, Sportmods, Stock Car Special, Sport Compacts

May 11: Late Models, Modifieds, Sportmods, Stock Cars, Sport Compact Special

May 18: $2,000 Big 10 Series Late Models, Modifieds, Sportmods, Stock Cars, Sport

Compacts

May 25: MOWA Sprint Car Series presented by Casey’s General Stores PLUS Impact Signs

WAR Wingless Sprints, Sportmods, Stock Cars, Sport Compacts

Monday May 26: Night of Destruction

June 1: Late Models, Modified Special, Sportmods, Stock Cars, Sport Compacts

June 8: Late Models, Modifieds, Sportmod Special, Stock Cars, Sport Compacts

June 15: Late Models, Modifieds, Sportmods, Stock Car Special, Sport Compacts

Thursday June 19: Dirtcar Summer Nationals $5,000 to win, UMP Summit Modified Series

$1000 to win, IMCA Sportmods $500 to Win.

June 22: Mid-Season Championship: Late Models, Modifieds, Sportmods, Stock Cars,

Sport Compact Special

June 29: Modifieds (Non Points Night), 305 Sprint Cars, Sportmods, Stock Car Special,

Sport Compacts

July 6: MOWA Sprint Car Series presented by Casey’s General Stores PLUS Late Models,

Modifieds, Stock Cars, Sport Compacts

July 13: Late Models, Modifieds, Sportmods, Stock Cars , Sport Compact Special

July 20: Big 10 Series Late Models $2,000 to win, Modifieds, Sportmods, Stock Cars,

Sport Compacts

July 27: ULMA Late Models, Modified Special, Sportmods, Stock Cars, Sport Compacts

Aug 3: Late Models, Modifieds, Sportmod Special, Stock Cars, Sport Compacts

Aug 10: Late Models, Modifieds, Sportmods, Stock Car Special, Sport Compacts

Aug 17: 360 Sprint Car Clash. Brockway Mechanical Sprint Invaders vs Speedway Mo-

tors ASCS Warrior, Sportmods, Stock cars, Sport Compacts

Aug 24: Late Models, Modified Special, Sportmods, Stock Cars, Sport Compact Special

Aug 31: Late Models $2,000 to win, Modifieds, Sportmods, Stock Cars, Sport Compacts,

Lightning Sprints

Sept 7: MOWA Sprints Car Series Presented by Casey’s General Stores, Late Models,

Modifieds

Sept 13: Season Championship Late Models, Modifieds, Sportmods, Stock Cars, Sport

Compacts

** All Events Are Sundays Unless Otherwise Noted

2014 RACER/TEAM SCHEDULE