Champions Crowned at QCS

On the hottest Sunday of the 2014 racing season, the Quad City Speedway hosted their Season Championship night with all six divisions in action. The IMCA Late Models and Mod Lites were essentially locked up going into the evening by Mike Murphy Jr. and Jason Masengarb respectively. The Street Stocks were only separated by one point going into the night with Steven Jackson holding the slight lead over Rob Nylin. In the 4-Cylinders Brandon Dahl also held a one point lead over his brother Zach Dahl. Ray Cox Jr. had a five point lead over Doug Crampton in the IMCA Modifieds and Mitchell Davis had a nine point lead over Aaron Schuck in the IMRA Midget Lites.

The Mod Lites took to the track first for their 12 lap feature. All the features were lined up by the point standings going into the night so Jason Masengarb and Bryan Brinker occupied the front row. Masengarb and Brinker battled it early on with Brinker actually running the bottom of the track instead of his usual line all the way up against the wall. Masengarb proved to be too strong though and would go on to win the feature and season championship. Brinker took second followed by Dan Guss, Brad Lucy, and Anthony Guss.

The highly anticipated Street Stock feature was next and after the heat races were over Rob Nylin was able to earn another point so the point standings were tied with Steven Jackson and Nylin taking the green flag from the front row. It was a winner takes all and they began duking it out lap after lap at the beginning. As the caution free race went on though it appeared Nylin’s car got stronger and Jackson’s car started fading. Nylin would finish the race very strong to pick up the win and take the Street Stock track championship. Jackson finished second followed by Chad Coyne, Dwayne Smith Jr., and Rick Schriner.

The exciting IMRA Midget Lites rolled onto the track next and after the heat races Mitchell Davis still had a nine point lead. Aaron Schuck grabbed the lead right away and Davis began running him down. Schuck was hugging the tires and Davis was running up against the wall. They ran several laps side by side before mechanical failures ended Davis’ night early. Schuck was on cruise control the rest of way parking his #53 in victory lane. Patrick Bruns would finish second followed by Jeff Mallonee, Austin Archdale, and Shane Morgan.  If my math is correct, Davis should be crowned the first ever IMRA Midget Lite track champion at the Quad City Speedway.

The action packed IMCA Modifieds were on tap next with a couple seasoned veterans, only separated by five points for the track championship, would take the green flag from the front row. Ray Cox Jr. and Doug Crampton would run each other clean and hard for several laps. Cox got better and better though as the laps went by. Brandon Durbin would get by Crampton and briefly challenge for the lead but Cox would not be denied. Cox would pick up the “W” and the track championship. B. Durbin crossed the line second with Greg Durbin, Doug Crampton, and Chris Lawrence.

The IMCA Late Models rumbled on the track next with Mike Murphy Jr. looking to put the icing on a dream season at QCS. Murf had many struggles in 2013 and the 2014 season at the Davenport Speedway and Quad City Speedway proved he still had it. He would start on the pole with 2013 IMCA Late Model Track Champion, Todd Malmstrom, to his outside. Murf would shoot out like a rocket at the drop of the green and hold off Malmstrom and Ray Guss Jr. and lap the entire field up to third place. Guss would finish second followed Malmstrom, Brian Meiner, and Mike Zemo Jr.

The 4-Cylinders feature was all about the Dahl boys, Brandon and Zach. Friday night at the Davenport Speedway, Brandon picked up the 2014 4 Stock Track Championship with a large point lead but that wasn’t the case at QCS. Coming into Sunday night Brandon had a one lead over his brother, Zach, and after the heat races were in the book the brothers were tied. They started on the front row together and battled each other hard with Brandon coming out on top with the win and championship. Zach took second in the feature followed by Aaron Hitt, Cameron Poci, and Sean Fersch.

FYI, Kyle finally made the trip to the track with me and he got to watch some of the features from the pit bleachers and he loved it. His picks for the night weren’t too bad. He picked Bryan Brinker in the Mod Lites, he got second. Jarett Franzen (the M&M car) in the Street Stocks, didn’t go to well for Jarett. Mitchell Davis in the Midget Lites and he looked strong early on but didn’t finish. He was spot on in the IMCA Modifieds going with Ray Cox Jr. His all time, Ray Guss Jr., got second in the IMCA Late Models. In the 4-Cylinders he picked the orange car with the green wheels, pretty good odds with that since the Dahl boys have identical cars.

We’ll be back at QCS next Sunday for the 2^nd Annual Ron Marks Memorial featuring the Street Stock division.