Race Notebook: As Speedway Flagman, Motley provides a calming presence in the chaotic action

QUINCY – Allen Motley has experienced virtually every aspect of the world of racing, especially at the grassroots level.

Motley, a Pittsfield resident, is in his eighth season as head flagman at Adams County Speedway and has also owned and operated the track.

It is as a flagman, however, that Motley has found his true niche in racing. He is the first to admit to having a fiery personality, but once he is at the flagpole he is a controlling yet calming presence. This kind of combined influence on the weekly sheet metal chaos at the Broadway Bullring has proven invaluable.

“I’ve been involved in some capacity on local dirt tracks for about 20 years and I take my job very seriously,” said Motley, 53.

Safety is Motley’s top priority.

“I’m probably a lot more concerned about the drivers’ safety than they are,” Motley said. “They’re on the track to put on a show and make a little money. My job is to make sure they do that safely.”

Motley also displays flags on special occasions at various racetracks in the region, including Jacksonville Speedway in Jacksonville, Illinois, and Lee County Speedway in Donnellson, Iowa.

Motley and his wife, Cathy, owned and operated Pike County Speedway from 1998 to 2007. In their final year, the Motleys brought the racetrack to attention across the region and beyond.

“We ran a show called the Heartland Challenge,” he said. “It was the biggest race we ever had – a $10,000 feature race.”

The event, which offered $10,000 to win, unofficially made the check the largest ever paid to a race winner in west-central Illinois and northeast Missouri. Quincy Raceways, the former name of Adams County Speedway, paid $10,000 for the win in its 2009 UMP DIRTCar Summer Nationals Hell Tour event.

Motley, who owns Pittsfield-based construction company CNA Home Services, has raced micro sprints and street stocks in recent years but has most recently gotten into karting. His 25-year-old son Austin is a former state champion and a rising star in the sport. His father is his crew chief.

Austin, who played football at Culver-Stockton College, is also learning his skills as a flagman at Adams County Speedway under the watchful eye of his father.

“Austin is just getting back into karting,” Allen said. “He quit when he was 11 to focus on playing soccer.”

For the younger Motley, the racing season is over. He will soon head west for a few months for personal reasons, but in a year he and his father should be back in karting and flag racing.

When asked if he was looking forward to the reunion, the elder Motley paused, smiled and nodded his head in a definitive “yes” style.

“We will do it all again,” he reiterated.

Midseason Championships

Mid-season championships? Already?

At least that’s what the Adams County Speedway calendar says.

Some rain-related cancellations early in the season, as well as planned downtime for some of the regular weekly classes, have resulted in some divisions seeing little actual on-track competition.

Here is a breakdown of the six weekly disciplines by class:

Box of late models

The boxes are one of two classes that have raced on all six dates this season. Not only has there not been a back-to-back major winner, no local box driver has more than one major winning streak. While this class is still wide open, two names are emerging: defending champion Tommy Elston and Jason Perry. And it looks like Denny Woodworth has found something, too. Oh, and Jamie Wilson and Spencer Havermale are in the mix too. The final two or so months of the points season should be a treat for the ever-growing crowds at the Bullring.

Modified

The Mods are the other division that has competed in all six dates this spring, and while he hasn’t dominated like he did in the early and mid-2023, I still think Austen Becerra is the man to beat in this highly competitive group. If Becerra can secure the Mod title for a third consecutive year, he will have a total of five titles on the circuit and will become only the ninth driver in circuit history to win that many championships.

Sportmods

The biggest question at this point in the season is whether more Sportmods will emerge. The highest car count this season was 13 for a class that is scheduled to have 18 to 20 cars most weeks. As for the title, it would be a huge surprise to see a driver other than Tanner Klingele, Logan Cumby or Reed Wolfmeyer take the big win. For now, Wolfmeyer, who won the feature race last Wednesday during Hell Tour Night, appears to be the hottest driver in the series.

Shares

There hasn’t been a race in this class since June 2, but when it starts again on Sunday evening, the usual guys will be at the front of the field: Robert Cottom, Jacob Rexing and Rudy Zaragoza.

4-cylinder

Barring any unexpected four-cylinder breakdowns, one of two DeLonjays will reign as champion. Jeffrey has won 23 features (and two titles) since 2022, but currently trails his younger brother Jaden in the points race.

Crown Vics

More and more cars are coming into this class, but until there are consistently 10 or more cars competing, I’m holding off on making any big predictions. What we’ve seen so far in this division has been quality entertainment, but more cars are needed.

The next big dates

Don’t forget that July 3rd is the next big date on the local dirt track racing calendar.

That’s the lineup for the fourth annual Chad McCoy Memorial Races, where the winner of the modified feature race receives $4,545. More than 120 cars were in the pits for the 2023 event, won by Trevor Neville of Mackinaw, Illinois.

Not long after, the MARS cars will be in town on July 21 to compete in a Super Late Model showdown. The 2023 winner was Ryan Unzicker of El Paso, Illinois.