Track style, substance weigh on drivers

Race drivers are, quite often, pretty picky individuals.

When it comes to what type of racetrack they race at, drivers like to find places that suit their style and offer them the best combination of success and enjoyment. And in the case of touring series - no matter what form of racing it is - drivers will circle dates on the calendar they like and dislike.

Quad City Speedway in East Moline, Ill., the next stop on the IMCA Deery Brothers Late Model Summer Series, is a track that elicits both reactions. It's a high-banked 1/4-mile, but uniquely has a concrete wall all the way around the outside, making for extra tight quarters and even tighter racing.

'East Moline is the one venue on the circuit that, for whatever reason, has the stigma attached to it of being a tough place on equipment,” said Summer Series director Kevin Yoder. 'The perception, I think a little bit, is that if you hit the wall, there's not a lot of give there.”

Quad City Speedway is, essentially, the Summer Series equivalent of NASCAR's Bristol, and it's a place many drivers love.

It requires a style that takes years - and a lot of laps - to perfect. And because of that, traditionally, the track has been dominated by guys with plenty of experience there.

'I grew up on short tracks, and I've been going there for years,” said seven-time Summer Series champion Jeff Aikey. 'A lot of people don't like going to East Moline, but I've always liked it.

'It'll be a banger, that's for sure. You can probably go more intense and say it's worse than Bristol. On the whole Deery series, it's the closest, tightest racing there will be. And it's always good racing.”

Still, drivers were mixed on whether or not they would make the trip across the river for Sunday's scheduled Hershel Roberts Memorial, the fourth stop on the Summer Series schedule.

The length of the trip, the risks to equipment because of tight quarters, and the style it takes all make drivers balk - even if only briefly.

'More people come than what they give the impression that come - I think we'll have 33 to 35 cars there,” Yoder said. 'And most of the guys who said they're not coming generally tend to show up.”

Andy Eckrich, who sits one point out of the Summer Series lead behind Justin Kay, is one of those guys, who originally said he was going to skip that date, but now is on the fence.

Eckrich won the season opener at Davenport Speedway, and after a second-place run at Jackson County Speedway in Maquoketa on April 19, is in the thick of the title race. He said there are definite pros to racing at Quad City Speedway, but for him it's more about the style of driving it takes to be fast there.

A quick lap at Quad City requires the drivers to diamond the corner - enter the turn low, slide up toward the wall in the middle, then dive back down the banking on the exit for extra speed, which essentially makes the straightaway longer.

And while Eckrich knows he can do it, he prefers a longer, more wide-open style of racing like you'd see at West Liberty Raceway or Farley Speedway.

'I guess, in a nut shell, it's just the polar opposite of my favorite kind of racetrack,” Eckrich said. 'It's not really conducive to my driving style. You've kind of got to be wide open and throw caution to the wind, and I'm more methodical than that. Open, bigger tracks with momentum are my kind of tracks. That's more stop, go, stop, go. You're just fish-mouthed in there; it's hard to get away from guys.”

The weather forecast is iffy for Sunday's scheduled event, and IMCA announced May 11 would be the makeup date for the race if it's unable to be run. Ray Guss Jr. has won the last three times the Summer Series has raced at Quad City Speedway.

FIVE FAST FRIDAYS AT DAVENPORT

May brings five Fridays of racing for Davenport Speedway, which will have a variety of racing action for fans to enjoy.

In addition to weekly racing, Friday features Powder Puff races, giving mothers, daughters, wives, girlfriends, sisters, aunts, nieces and cousins a chance to get behind the wheel and have at it on the high banks of the 1/4-mile.

The following week, on May 9, the Lucas Oil MLRA Series open late models will run a co-sanctioned show with the Cornbelt Clash Late Model Series. The event will be the final super late model show of the season at Davenport.

After weekly racing on May 16, the IMCA Mod Madness 50 will run on May 23, with $2,000 to the winner of the 50-lap main event. And finally, on May 30, it's Kid's Night, where children 12 and under get in free with a paid adult. After the races are done, kids will get a chance to race their bikes on the 1/4-mile.

CALLING VOLUNTEERS

Following the season opener on Friday, Hawkeye Downs is holding a 'clean-up/fix-up/paint day” on Saturday beginning at 8 a.m.

Volunteers are asked the bring paint brushes, rollers and/or pain trays, if possible. Lunch will be served on the Miller Lite Party Deck.

IOWA SPEEDWAY ANNOUNCES FAN EVENTS

When the NASCAR Nationwide and K&N Series come to Iowa Speedway on May 17 and 18, there will be an assortment of fan-focused events in addition to racing during what the speedway calls its 'Wide-Open Weekend.”

Attractions include a mechanical bull, autograph sessions, a rock wall, dirt-bike stunt shows, a raffle for a luxury suite upgrade, and a Montgomery Gentry concert after the K&N Series race on Saturday night. Fans can get free entry to the concert with a K&N or Nationwide Series race ticket.

For tickets, fans can call 866-787-8946 or go to www.iowaspeedway.com.

' Comments: (319) 368-8884; jeremiah.davis@sourcemedia.net