Record car counts expected this season as Adams County Speedway plans to open Sunday

QUINCY — The numbers never lie.

That’s why Jimmy Lieurance is anxious for racing season at the Adams County Speedway to start.

“We’re pretty sure we’ll have more than 100 cars in the pits most Sunday nights this season,” he said.

Lieurance and his wife, Tammy, are close to beginning their third year as co-promoters of the .29-mile dirt track at 8000 Broadway. 

The first night of racing is Sunday. The first green flag is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.

Buoying this year’s expected car count is the much-talked-about new class at the track, the Crown Vics, which will first roll into the pits on Memorial Day weekend. That division’s average car count is expected to eventually push the weekly norm to more than 100.

“Once the Crown Vics get established, we’re expecting that class to average around 20 a week,” Lieurance said.

The projected numbers say the weekly average for all divisions will run at about 110 to 120 cars.

Lieurance said the average weekly counts are expected to be around 20 each for the crate late models and modifieds, 18-20 for the sport mods, 16-20 for stock cars and 12-15 for the 4-Cylinders.

Lieurance, who has ties to the track going back more than 40 years, said roughly 70 teams — an all-time high — already have paid for pit space reservations.

“That’s another great sign,” he said.

If the track were to average 100 cars per week, it is believed that would be an all-time high. Car count averages are only available from 1991. The track opened in 1975.

The Lieurances took over operation of the facility before the 2022 season following a two-year shutdown. The track was closed due to the pandemic 2020 and then abandoned by former operators, forcing cancellation of the 2021 schedule.

New starting time

The expected increase in cars and classes is the reason track officials are pushing the starting time up to 5:30 p.m. Pit gates will open at 2:30, the grandstands at 3:30.

New automated scoring

Lieurance hopes a new automated scoring system will be operating by opening night. Installation of the necessary equipment, much of which will be underground, will depend on weather conditions, he said.

When finished, fans will see immediate updates on the scoreboard involving the top four positions. The new scoring loop is being positioned about 16 inches beneath the track’s racing surface near the flag stand.

Technological assistance is being provided by the Westhold Corporation, headquartered in Denver.

Other changes

A new Victory Lane is being constructed at the edge of the infield area. It should be ready by opening night or shortly thereafter.

Improvements at the karting track, which sits behind the northeast corner of the main grandstand area, are under way. The karts are scheduled to run again on Saturday nights. The average kart count a year ago was “18 to 20,” according to Lieurance.

Drivers and car owners will be greeted by some structures in the pits, plus a new entrance to the pit area designed to reduce the congestion of previous years. The principal entrance has been moved to the southwest corner (from the northwest corner) of the pits.

Town Center show was ‘huge success’

The recent Adams County Speedway car show at the Quincy Town Center (formerly the Quincy Mall) was a “huge success,” Lieurance said. Among the estimated 7,500 people who attended were dirt-track fans from as far as three hours away.

“There were tremendous vibes about the coming season,” Lieurance said.

About 40 cars and karts — plus drivers — from all divisions were on hand. 

Defending champs

Defending champs in the five returning classes are Tommy Elston (crate late models), Austen Becerra (modifieds), Logan Cumby (sport mods), Jake Powers (stock cars) and Jeffrey DeLonjay (4-Cylinders).

Becerra and DeLonjay will each be searching for their third straight series title.

Denny Woodworth, who finished runner-up to Elston in the crate lates, had won six track championships between 2016 and 2022. He’s seeking a 10th track title this season, which would make him only the third driver in speedway history to reach double figures in championships. Mark Burgtorf (16) in late models and Hank DeLonjay (13) in modifed and sportsman are the others.