The Quincy Grand Prix returned to the South Park in Illinois over the June 8-9 weekend (Photo: Mark Schwigen)

The Quincy Grand Prix returned this past weekend – June 8-9 – with karters from all over gathering at South Park in Quincy, Illinois. The two-day street race was brought back by new promoter Jeff Scott after Terry Traeder stepped away from the event his family had promoted since 1970. The city and region welcomed the race back with open arms after its absence in 2023 with thousands of spectators lined the fences to watch the over 200 entries battled in 14 categories, including karts, vintage karts and mini moto machines through ‘The Park’.

Jeff Scott – Quincy Grand Prix Promoter – “WOW! What a weekend! The races, the fans, the memories made!  The team we had worked double time to pull this event off, and I couldn’t have done it without them. The races were all great with last lap racing. The spectator crowds were huge, estimated at ten to fifteen thousand people a day. For now, the barriers are loaded all up, the straw bales have been taken away, and 2024 Quincy Grand Prix has been tucked away. We have penciled in June 14-15 in 2025 with the park district. If it does return in 2025, we are looking for bigger and better things!”

The weekend saw classes take the 1.1-mile course for practice and qualifying on Saturday. Select classes ran Feature races that afternoon before the Main Events were held on Sunday. A damp track delayed activities for 30 minutes on Saturday, however, the schedule remain on time for the remainder of the day. A perfect day for racing on Sunday greeted the racers and fans to witness the 12 Main Events.

Ignite Senior podium (Photo: QuincyGrandPrix.com)

Margay Ignite Senior was the largest division of the event, featuring 30 drivers. Local driver and former event winner Riley Scott (1:17.033) set fast time to clear Justin Vancil by only four thousandths of a second. Qualifying fifth, former Quincy race winner Matt Krechel was able to escape the last lap battle in the Feature for the win. The 12-lap main event ended up getting controlled by 2021 class winner Gabe Sessler. After battling with Justin Vancil and Bobby Krug, Sessler led 11 of the 12 laps to claim the victory, holding off Scott at the line by 90 thousandths. Vancil finished third earning fast time with Krug fourth and two-time class winner Jeff Dolian in fifth.

Sessler left Quincy with two victories on the weekend, also claiming the top spot in Briggs 206 Medium. Former NASCAR Truck Series driver Justin Jennings topped the 14-driver field in qualifying with a 1:17.034 lap. Sessler qualified 10th, however, was up into the lead by lap three. From there, he led the remainder of the race to claim his first victory at Quincy in the class. Matt Krechel was a close second, only 77 thousandths back at the line. Jennings ran third until retiring on lap 11, allowing Kasey Williams to win the battle for third over Austin Motley and Avery Scott.

Gabe Sessler – “The Quincy Grand Prix is always super cool to win. The atmosphere is unlike any other karting event I’ve ever been to; the competitors know the prestige and the fans appreciate and love seeing the racing. It was my first race weekend back in the kart after about 10 months. I’ve been focusing on Late Model and Legend Racing on the West Coast, but the feeling of having thousands of people on their feet watching you race 2000 miles away from home is pretty remarkable.”

It was a near sweep in Briggs 206 Heavy for Sessler after setting fast time in qualifying (1:16.319) and winning the Feature. He fell back at the start but eventually joined Matt Krechel at the front. Riley Scott broke up the duo and became the top challenger for Krechel lap after lap. On the final circuit, Scott was able to work past for the lead and the victory, taking the checkered flag first to earn his second victory in class. Krechel settled for second with Buddy Dailey a close third ahead of Sessler and Gage Rucker.

Briggs 206 Masters podium (Photo: QuincyGrandPrix.com)

A veteran of the Quincy Grand Prix was able to claim two Main Event victories on Sunday. Jeff Dolian – a first-time winner back in 1999 – came into the weekend with seven total Quincy GP wins. First of the day came in the Briggs 206 Masters class. Buddy Dailey was top qualifier with a 1:16.687 lap to edge out Dolian by just over a tenth. Nine-time Quincy Grand Prix winner Tony Neilson added another with Feature win on Saturday, edged out Matt Krechel by 67 thousandths with Dolian in third. Dolian was able to lock in on Neilson’s rear bumper for much of the 12-lap Main Event until the final circuit. Dolian held on through a last lap pass to reach the checkered flag first by 55 thousandths ahead of Neilson. Dailey finished third ahead of Krechel with Don Newmann completing the top-five.

The second victory came in the Pro Briggs division where 12 of the top drivers battled on the weekend. Matt Krechel – a winner for the first time back in 1997 – set fast time with a 1:15.894 lap to edge out Gabe Sessler by only 81 thousandths. Krechel took the pole position and led the first 11 laps of the race. Riley Scott was the top challenger until he retired on lap 10, moving Dolian to the second spot. On the final circuit, Dolian pulled off another magical move to secure the lead and the victory, crossing the line 23 thousandths ahead of Krechel for the victory and a $1,000 payday. Jeremiah Davis drove to third with Tony Neilson and Avery Schwalm rounding out the top-five.

Jefff Dolian – “The feeling of returning to South Park for the Quincy Grand Prix after the race didn’t occur in 2023 was only matched by the return of the race after a nearly 20 year break in 2018. The Quincy Grand Prix is a challenging circuit in the most incredible of settings that gives us karters the opportunity to race in front of thousands of race fans in a way no other karting event in the world does.  Winning my seventh and eighth races at the Quincy Grand Prix were just as special as my first win at The Park in the Briggs Junior class 25 years ago.  And to be able to compete with some of the most talented street racers again this year was truly an honor. I can’t say enough great things about the event and I hope karters have a chance to come experience The Park for many years to come!”

FK-100 podium (Photo: QuincyGrandPrix.com)

Open Shifter was among the three PRO classes on the weekend, and the quickest machines on the track. Kerry Sherman was the driver to top the qualifying session before Cameron Stock claimed the victory in the Feature on Saturday. Lance Curry proved to be the quickest of the weekend during the Main Event on Sunday. A fast time of 1:05.404 helped to put him at the front of the field, claiming the victory. Stock ended up second with Sherman in third. Jacob Tenk and Justin Curry completed the top-five.

The FK-100 class was another PRO category, paying out $1,000 to the winner. It was a sweep of the class by Gage Rucker. A fast time of 1:08.633 put him at the top of the time sheet for qualifying. The Feature on Saturday was a wire-to-wire performance for Rucker, earning the win by over three seconds. Things changed on Sunday for the Main Event with Riley Scott and Pete Vetter fighting for the top spot. Scott was in the battle until he retired on lap eight. That allowed Rucker to take over the lead and show the way until the checkered flag to complete the weekend sweep. Vetter was a close second with Corey Jones in third. Nathan Williams and Keith Scharf were fourth and fifth.

Ignite Masters podium (Photo: QuincyGrandPrix.com)

Pete Vetter was among those competing on the weekend that had won in the previous version of the event that spanned from 1970 to 2001, winning eight times since 1996. His first victory at The Park since 2001 came in the Ignite Masters class. Event promoter Jeff Scott jumped into the kart to claim the fast time in the qualifying session with a 1:17.789. The top-five, including all former winners of Rick Fulks, Matt Krechel, Jeff Dolian and Tony Neilson were all within 58 thousandths. It was veteran Fulks that came out with the victory in the Feature on Saturday after a last lap battle with Scott and Dolian. It was the same scenario in the Main Event on Sunday, with the 12-lap race coming down to the final lap. Dolian began the lap leading the first 11 circuits, just ahead of Krechel and Vetter. As they came around to the checkered flag, it was Vetter taking the victory ahead of Krechel and Dolian. Scott ended up fourth with Neilson in fifth.

It was a double win weekend for Vetter, adding his first victory in the Briggs 206 Legends class. Event promoter Jeff Scott was quick off the trailer all weekend, adding another top qualifier honor with a 1:17.809 lap to clear the field by over 1.2 seconds. From the drop of the green flag however, Vetter jumped out to the lead over the field. Pressured all race long by defending race winner Don Newman, Vetter led all 12 laps to claim the victory. Scott settled for third ahead of Keith Scharf with Dan Monsion completing the top-five.

One of the eldest winners in the field at this year’s Quincy Grand Prix was Rick Fulks. The former event race director in 2018, 2019 and 2021 won four times from 1991 to 1993, having won a sprint race back in 2022. The Ignite Legends class was making its second start at the Quincy Grand Prix with former winner Keith Sharf in the field of 22 drivers. Series promoter Jeff Scott landed another top qualifier honor, posting a 1:18.765 lap. Fulks was sixth in the session but quickly worked his way up to the front in the Main Event after Pete Vetter led the first three laps. Fulks and Scott battled over the next nine laps to the very end. At the line, Fulks secured the victory ahead of Vetter and Scott. Scharf was fourth with Chad Miller in fifth.

Rick Fulks – “It was a good weekend. Talking with Jeff (Scott) prior to the event, I knew the people he had in place would make the race run smooth. They nail it, including the track set-up to the amenities surrounding the race track. I always feel like this is our ‘Monaco’ every year. We came off trailer fast and went home with two belts and one for my MGM Motorsports teammate Matt Kretchel to add to the mantel to celebrate our 2024 Quincy Grand Prix.”

Ignite Legends podium (Photo: QuincyGrandPrix.com)

The third different winner in three editions at the Quincy Grand Prix was crowned in the Ignite Heavy category. Avery Schwalm was able to set the fast time in the qualifying session on Saturday, posting a 1:19.132 lap to edge out Zak Rinker by 23 thousandths. Rinker jumped out to the lead at the start of the 12-lap Main Event with Schwalm down to third. On lap four, Schwalm was able to go from third to first. That was the winning move as he held on through to the checkered flag for his first Quincy Grand Prix victory. Rinker settled for second with Gregory Mefford up to third ahead of Justin Ebbing and Matthew Zigaitis.

A total of 16 drivers took part in the Vintage category, with Ryan Whicker completing the 12 laps quickest to claim the top spot. Clayton Roll, Dudley Fleck, JT Noble and Randy Duncalf made up the top-five. The new Briggs Novice class featured five drivers, allowing them to pace the tricky 1.1-mile course at their own pace to enjoy the thrill of The Park without the pressure of competition. A total of eight riders made the Mini Moto debut at the Quincy Grand Prix. Alex Wisdom was the winner in the Sunday Main Event.

With success in its new era, the Quincy Grand Prix could have another 30-year run ahead thanks to the many partners, supporters and the city of Quincy, Illinois backing new promoter Jeff Scott.

Full Results can be found at MyLaps

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