Date: July 11, 2011
About: Steven DeLonjay - Class of 2010

Lonjay continues to burn up Quincy Raceways modified division

Source: Quincy Herald-Whig
Author: Steve Eighenger
Link: http://www.whig.com/story/sports/QR-for-7-11-11

Fittingly, it was the hottest driver with the hottest car who won on the hottest night of the season at Quincy Raceways.

Steven DeLonjay collected his fourth straight modified feature victory -- and fifth overall -- on a steamy Sunday evening at the Bullring.

"There's no way to really combat the heat, but you really don't think about it while you're racing," DeLonjay said. "You don't think about it once the race starts until the checkered flag waves."

And the checkers waved first for DeLonjay -- again.

DeLonjay slipped past Dave Wietholder in turn one on lap 21 of the 25-lap feature and never surrendered that advantage. He not only won the race but took the series points lead. Defending track champ Jared Schlipman, Wietholder, Troy Grotz and Steve Grotz completed the top five.

DeLonjay (515), Wietholder (491), Shawn Deering (475) and Schlipman (465) are bunched together atop the mod standings. Only Schlipman has won a title among the top four contenders.

Sitting in the catbird seat is entirely new for the 19-year-old DeLonjay, who despite three top-three points finishes in his still-fledgling modified career, has spent most of those 3 1/2 seasons being the pursuer rather than the pursued.

"It's a little different leading the points, but I'm enjoying it â ¦ and hope to keep it going," he said. "The four of us (at the top of the points) are all pretty similar drivers. I'm never scared to be racing near Dave, Shawn or Jared. It should be a good battle the rest of the season. They're all great drivers."

DeLonjay's victory may have been as fortunate as it was impressive. He was involved in a nasty crash Saturday night in Macomb. No problem, he said, with help like Larry Cookson and Danny Hohlman.

"Those guys were at my house at 7 a.m. Sunday and worked on the car until 3:30 in the afternoon to get it ready for Sunday night," DeLonjay said. "There is no way this (win) would have happened without them. They deserve a lot of credit. We really got tore up Saturday night."

Other feature winners Sunday night were defending late model track champ Denny Woodworth, Kevin Tomlinson in stock cars, Tanner Klingele in hobby stocks and Todd Nelson in the wild things.

Woodworth became the first two-time winner in the track's marquee division when got past Dustin Neese on lap seven and led the remainder of the 30-lap main event. Justin Reed, Lonnie Bailey and Keith Pratt completed the top five.

Reed won the late model "Dash for Cash," a special 12-lap run with a $1,125 pot, including $200 for the winner. Pratt was second and Woodworth third in a field that included the top 10 drivers in points.

Bailey (122), Reed (117), Pratt (116) and Woodworth (115) are setting the points pace.

Tomlinson led the final three laps of the stock feature, which for the most part was a sizzling three-car scrum that also included Terry Houston and Andrew Griffin.

Aaron Brocksieck (186) continues to lead the stock car points, with defending champ Houston (180) and Tomlinson (177) the closest challengers.

Klingele's hobby stock feature victory was his first of the season and followed a dandy duel with Brandon Symmonds for most of the 20 laps.

Nelson's second straight wild thing feature win saw him turn back series points leader Casey Kendrick and Robert Thompson.


-- seighinger@whig.com/221-3377