Ryan & Harris Dazzle Crowd at QCS

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It was a beautiful evening in East Moline, IL, and in front of a large crowd, 111 stock cars put on a great show at the Quad City Speedway Sunday night. It felt like old times with so many people in the stands and cars in the pits. I remember as a kid going to weekly shows there and it was the same atmosphere. After a tee ball game cancelation (the other team didn't have enough players) and several flip flops, Kyle decided to join me. He had to endure the wrath of Nate Beuseling after earlier in the week, while playing with his cars in the living room, declaring Ray Guss Jr. won the race and his friend Nate Beuseling had to be towed to the pits. I may have ratted him out on a Facebook with a photo and tagged Nate in it. They hashed out their differences with a high five at the end.

With six features on the card for Sunday night, the IMCA SportMods were the first to roll out. Logan Rogers was quick right at the drop of the green but it wasn't long before Bryce Garnhart was knocking on the door for the lead. The Shannon, IL, native used a couple cautions to his advantage and went on to pass Rogers and take home the win. Rogers would have his hands full holding off Phil Anderson and Joe Grant but Rogers did with Anderson third, Grant fourth, and Jarett Franzen fifth. Heat race winners were Garnhart and Rogers.

The Mod Lites were next and it was like old times with ole fashion Shon Sanders wire to wire victory. Galesburg, IL's, Brad Lucy was the real show in the B38 machine. Lucy started 13th and made it all the way up to second but Sander was too strong. No one was going to pass Sanders tonight, Lucy would finish second followed by Jake Halcomb, Brian Schnell, and Erik Close. Heat race winners were Jimmy Halcomb and Sanders.

It was another thriller in the Street Stock feature but this week there were 20 of them doing battle. Maquoketa, IA's, Joe Bonney grabbed the early lead with Perry Gellerstedt right with him. Keith Blum, who started 10th, use the first 10 laps to navigate through the field and with five laps to go, snuck by Bonney and went on to take the checkered flag for the win. Bonney took second followed by Gellerstedt, Schriner, and Kevin Dickey. Heat race winners were Randy Lamar, Bonney, and Blum.

A solid field of 20 IMCA Modifieds were up next for their 20 lap feature. At the beginning of the racing it was the same cast of normal front runners at QCS with Milo Veloz Jr., Doug Crampton, and Greg Durbin. After a caution a little pass the halfway point, Team Nasty (Doug Curless and R.J. Gonzales), made their charge to the front. Curless made it up to second and ran side by side with Veloz for several laps. As lapped traffic thickened both cars got tangled up bringing out the yellow and sending both cars to the rear of the field. This set up a double front row with Durbin and Crampton. Durbin would go on to make it two in a row at QCS. Crampton took second followed by Gonzales, Ray Bollinger (who was driving Mark VerVynck's 19C), and Mike Guldenpfennig. Heat race winners were Matt Werner, Crampton, and Gonzales.

An outstanding field of 23 IMCA Late Models rumbled to the track next and they did not disappoint. I believe it was his first night out in 2015 but Gary Webb could probably run a 25 lap feature at QCS blindfolded. Webb took the lead early on holding off Stephan Kammerer. A couple Davenport, IA, guys, Matt Ryan and Brian Harris, were right on Webb's bumper battling for second. They would both get by Webb and then proceed to run side by side for the lead for the next several laps. Ryan would hug the tires and Harris would the let sparks fly up against the wall. Harris would have the advantage for the beginning of their fight for the lead. Ryan kept plugging away though and the bottom line got better and better and eventually he had the lead. The yellow waved late in the race setting up a green-white-checkered finish. Harris gave it his all but Ryan would not be denied. Ryan put the 07 in victory lane with Harris second followed by Todd Malmstrom, Andy Nezworski, and Mike Garland. Heat race winners were Malmstrom, Ryan, and Brunson Behning.

The 4-Cylinders were the final feature of the night with 18 cars taking the green flag for the 12 lap feature. Brandon Setser had the early lead but mechanical problems ended his night. Zach Dahl looked very strong from the beginning of the race and once he took control of the lead the rest of the race was just a formality. His brother, Brandon Dahl, charged from his tenth starting spot to finish second followed by Cameron Poci, Dustin Forbes, and Jake Benischek. Heat race winners were Poci, B. Dahl, and Forbes.

Next Sunday, May 3rd, the IMCA Late Model Deery Brothers Summer Series invades the Quad City Speedway with some the best IMCA Late Model drivers in the Midwest. Also racing will be the IMCA Modifieds, Street Stocks, and Mod Lites.

I won't be able to make it to the Davenport Speedway on Friday this week (stupid work!) but Kyle and I will be at the Quad City Speedway Sunday for the Deery show. See ya there!