1st Annual Burt Peterson Memorial Goes to Larson

East Moline, IL (Sunday, June 21, 2020) - It has been several years since I have been to the now named Bullring at the Rock Island County Fairgrounds in East Moline, Illinois. And when the Peterson family was named the new promoter's of the track for the 2020 season, I instantly made up my mind to try and make a few trips north to cover the action on Sunday night's.

My return visit took place this past Sunday, June 21st, as they hosted the 1st Annual Burt Peterson Memorial. Highlighting the nights action was the IMCA Modifieds, battling for $1,000 to win. Also on the card was the IMCA SportMods, IMCA Hobby Stocks, Street Stocks, Nostalgia Stock Car Racing Club Vintage Late Models, Mod Lites and Sport Compacts.

I arrived just shortly before hot laps were set to begin to find 111 race teams signed in to do battle on the night. But unfortunately for the fourth week in a row they were not allowed to have any fans in the grandstands. Now I don't know about all tracks, but I would think that it is very hard to just break even without those fans sitting in the grandstands to show their support. Hopefully with Illinois moving to phase 4 before this coming weekend, this will allow them to have a limited number of fans sitting in the empty grandstands come Sunday.

After the sixteen heat races were completed to help set up the starting field for the seven feature events, it was time to bring the first one to the track. The 12 lap IMCA Hobby Stocks would come out first, and with this being a new class at the track for the 2020 season the number was low with only four cars. Jerry Legner and Steve Cox led the field to the green flag, with Cox leading lap 1 over Legner and Randy LaMar. Legner, LaMar, and Cox would race off turn 4 three wide for the top spot on lap 2, with LaMar emerging as the leader at the stripe. Legner would try to keep pace with LaMar over the next several laps, when he excited the track on lap 8 with troubles. This left LaMar on the track by himself, as he went on to the claim the checkered flag for the third time in four races at the track.

Up next was the 15 lap Street Stock feature, with Jeffrey Peterson and Dwayne Smith Jr. making up the front row. Smith Jr. took advantage of his starting spot to jump out front on lap 1 over Peterson and Zach Zuberbier. Just after the first lap was scored complete the caution appeared, as a tire was clipped onto the track in turn 3 to bring out the yellow. On the restart Zuberbier shot under Smith Jr. coming off turn 2 to take over the top. Two laps later, lap 4, Erick Turner would spin in turn 4 to bring out the yellow. Zuberbier moved back out front on the restart, with Jesse Owen and Mike Anderson glued to his back bumper. Anderson tried to work under Zuberbier over the last few laps of the race, including the final lap. But Zuberbier was able to hold him off to claim his third win in four races at the Bullring at the Rock Island Fairgrounds. Owen was 3rd, Smith Jr. was 4th, with Rick Schriner coming from 10th to round out the top 5.

Twenty-two Nostalgia Stock Car Racing Club Vintage Late Models took to the track next for their 20 lap feature. Brian Ashmore grabbed the lead on lap 1 over Brendan Ramer and Keith Lucas. The action was brought to an abrupt end on lap 2, as Matt Ramer barrel rolled several times in turn 2 to bring out the red. He would climb from his mangled car okay. On the restart Justin Rutledge would over take Ashmore for the top spot. Rutledge then paced the field out front over the next seven laps, as Jeff Walker and Mark Claeys closed in to make it a three car battle for the lead. Walker, Rutledge and Claeys raced off turn 4 three wide coming to complete lap 11, with Walker emerging with the top spot. Walker then held off a last lap challenge from Ben Hamburg to pick up the win. Andrew Hamburg was 3rd, Randy Lucas was 4th, with Claeys holding on for 5th.

Rob Guss and Blake Gonzales led the field to green in the 15 lap Mod Lites feature, with Blake Gonzales leading lap 1 over Guss and a fast charging Mike Zemo Jr., who started 9th. While Blake Gonzales worked the bottom of the track, Zemo Jr. used the middle groove. The work paid off for Zemo Jr., as he took over the top spot on lap 3 coming off turn 4. With Zemo Jr. setting a fast pace out front, Robert Gonzales, who started 7th, was working his way towards the front. And with heavy lap traffic in front of Zemo Jr., this allowed Robert Gonzales to close within striking distance by lap 8. Coming off turn 4 to complete lap 9, Zemo Jr. looked to the high side to clear the lapped cars in front of him. This would allow Robert Gonzales to shoot under him to grab the lead away. Robert Gonzales then pulled away through more lap traffic to bring an end to Zemo Jr.'s three race winning streak at the track. Michael Dominguez finished 3rd after starting in 8th, Blake Gonzales was 4th, with Jon Padilla finishing 5th after starting in 10th.

Twenty-five of the twenty-eight Sport Compacts that were signed in took to the track next for their 15 lap feature. And what surprised me was there were only two cautions during the entire 15 lap event on the small quarter mile track. The first caution would appear on the drop of the green flag, as Forrest Frymoyer got into the wall in turn 1 and almost got upside down to bring the yellow light on. The following original restart saw Dave White III grab the lead on lap 1 over Ashton Blain and Cyle Hawkins. White III then worked to hold the field off over the next 6 laps, when the action was slowed for the final time on lap 7. Justin Moffitt would spin in turn 3 to bring out the caution. On the restart White III jumped back out front, with Hawkins and Jacob Rietter close behind. Hawkins then tried to work under White III over the next two laps, but White III was able to hold him off. That was until lap 11 when Hawkins finally slipped under White III for the top spot. Hawkins then pulled away over the final laps to pick up his first win of the season at the Bullring at the Rock Island County Fairgrounds. White III held off Rietter on the final lap to finish 2nd, Brandon Dahl came from 10th to finish 4th, with Blain holding on for 5th.

Jared Coppejans and Logan Veloz drew the front row for the 20 lap IMCA SportMod feature, with Coppejans grabbing the lead on lap 1 over Jarett Franzen and Veloz. The lead for Coppejans only last one lap, as Franzen got under him to take over the top spot on lap 2. The action was slowed for the first time of the race on lap 5, when Chris Hesseling stopped in turn 2 to bring out the yellow. On the restart Franzen moved back out front, with Steven Spiker and Chance Huston giving chase. One lap later, lap 7, the second caution appeared, as Jared Waterman stopped in turn 4 to bring out the yellow. The yellow light would come back on on the restart, as third place running Huston spun in turn 2. The following restart saw Franzen move back out front, with Spiker and Dustin Schram, who started 8th, close behind. Franzen then had to defend off Schram over the next 5 laps, when the fourth caution of the race slowed the action on lap 15. This time Brandt Cole spun in 4 to bring out the yellow.

On the restart Franzen, Schram and Trey Grimm, who started 11th, raced three wide off turn 4, with Franzen holding them off. As the caution appeared on the completion of the lap, for debris down the backstretch. On the restart Spiker, Kevin Goben, Veloz and CJ Durbin tangled in turn 2 to bring the yellow light back on. The following restart saw Franzen jump back out front, with Grimm and Schram battling for the runner up spot. Schram tried to get under Franzen over the next two laps, and when he was unsuccessful at making the pass he went to the top of the track on the white flag lap. Franzen was able to hold him off at the line to claim his second win of the season at the track. Grimm was 3rd, Huston recovered from his spin on lap 7 to come back up to finish 4th, with Cole recovering from his spin on lap 15 to come back to finish in 5th.

The final feature to take to the track on the night was the 30 lap Burt Peterson Memorial, featuring the IMCA Modifieds. Eric Barnes and Chris Lawrence led the field to the drop of the green flag, with Barnes edging out Lawrence and Jeff Larson to lead lap 1. While Barnes worked to hold off Larson for the lead, Travis Denning, who started 10th, worked himself into the battle on lap 4. Going into turn 1 to come around to complete lap 7, Larson was able to get under Barnes to take over the top spot. Larson then pulled away to a straight-away lead, as Branes worked to hold off Denning in the battle for the runner up spot. The only chance anybody had of challenging Larson for the win was a caution. And that appeared on lap 19, as debris in turn 4 brought out the yellow. On the restart Larson jumped back out front, with Barnes, Denning and 8th place starter Doug Lenth following. Larson once again pulled away over the final 10 laps to go on to score the $1,000 top prize. Barnes was 2nd, Denning was 3rd, Lenth was 4th, with Jim Sandusky finishing 5th after starting in 12th.

What was impressive on the night was the first feature went green at 8 PM, with the final checkered flag waving at 10:04 PM. That meant 127 laps of feature racing in the seven classes were ran in just over 2 hours. I would like to say THANK YOU to the Peterson family and their entire staff for welcoming me. I certainly plan on attending a few more shows on Sunday night during the 2020 season.

Mother Nature Cuts Davenport Speedway Short

Davenport, IA (Friday, June 19, 2020) - My 2020 racing season has been very limited, thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. So far I have only taken in seven nights of racing, six of those were at the track I work at weekly. The other night was when a friend and myself took his two boys to Knoxville, Iowa last Saturday to take in the World of Outlaw Sprint Car show.

With the weekly track I work at canceling early due to mother nature, I decided to make the one hour drive north to take in a weekly night of racing at the Davenport Speedway in Davenport, Iowa. For the fourth time in five weekly events 125+ cars signed in for competition. On this night 35 SportMods, 31 Modifieds, 21 Street Stocks, 16 Late Models, 15 4-Cylinders, and 9 Midwest Jalopies made up the 127 cars signed in.

Shortly after hot laps were completed the 15 scheduled heats races begin. The track was fast, which helped to produce two, three and even four wide racing in the heats. But as the night went along the skies southwest of the track started to darken. A quick look at the radar showed heavy rains heading right towards the Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds. Just as the first of two Modified B-Mains hit the track it started to sprinkle. So I decided to head for the car. Which was a good idea, because just after I got in the car the skied opened up and poured on the grounds.

Just some of the two, three and even four wide action shots from the Davenport Speedway.

From a press release I received they called the show complete last night, since all heat races were completed. An announcement on when the make-up features will be held will be announced on their Facebook page and website.

The Davenport Speedway has a busy two nights of racing next weekend. It will begin on Thursday, June 25th, as the MARS Racing Series kicks off a three day swing at the track. The open Late Models will battle for $5,000 to win, with the IMCA Late Models joining them. Then on Friday, June 26th The Sprint Invaders will join the weekly action, with the exception of the IMCA Late Models, as they will have the night off.

Notes: I can see how and why the Davenport Speedway beats the 10:30 PM curfew they have, even with the large amount of car counts that sign in on a weekly night. Once the action begins they push them through at a fast and efficient way. Which shows they have a great crew put together, and they also get the co-operation from the driver's to be in staging and ready to go for your race.

I would like to say THANK YOU to Ricky and Brenda Kay, and their entire crew at the Davenport Speedway for the great hospitality. I am not able to get up to Davenport very often, but whenever I can they always welcome me.

My Saturday plan is to take the night off, as the family is getting together to celebrate my parents 50th Wedding Anniversary. But on Sunday I may make the hour trip back north to take in the 1st Annual Burt Peterson Memorial show at The Bullring at the Rock Island County Fairgrounds. It has been several years since I have been up there. So I look forward to returning, with the Peterson family taking over as promoters this year.