Big time racing is in store for the Hooters Pro Cup drivers and teams. The November 1st race at the one mile long Rock promises to be one of the best all season. And I plan on going.

I used to try to attend at least two or three Hooters Pro Cup races a year, usually the Lakeland (now defunct) starter along with Myrtle Beach and sometimes Bristol. With all of the work we do here at CT, it is getting harder and harder to spread ourselves that thin. We need to keep up with both dirt and asphalt racing, regional racing, stock car - modified - sprint car racing, and all of the tech that goes with each.

That being said, I do plan on going to the final Championship race for the Hooters series at Rockingham on November 1st. I look forward to seeing some of my favorite racing buddies - Jon Craig and crew, Billy Hess, Steve Leavitt, Bobby Gill, Jay Fogleman and our very own, John Gibson. Andy Hillenburg has made this a family affair by charging just $10 for admission with kids free. It'll be a blast. See you there.

But not for the reason your are thinking...We here at Circle Track usually refrain from covering the Sprint Cup Series only because our focus remains at the short track level.  However, after watching yesterday's Talladega race I couldn't help but weigh in on the finish.

By the title you obviously already know my opinion is that Regan Smith should have won that race.  But that stance has nothing to do with the "below the yellow line" call made by NASCAR.  No sir, not at all.

Playing Monday Afternoon Crew Chief for a minute...WHERE WAS THEIR PLAN??? I mean...come on you've got Tony Stewart in the lead and not two, but three team cars directly behind him!  With two teammates ready to push there is no reason that Smith shouldn't have won.  My opinion: as the field roared out of four toward the checkered Smith and his two partners should have made a fake to the low side and then jumped back to high side to make the pass.  If Tony moves high to block (which you know he would have), Smith needed to quickly dart back to the inside and freight train him.  Naturally accomplishing that would take A LOT of teammate.  But it could be done.  Unfortunately, that's not at all what happened.

Smith faked but he faked high and went low, that gave Smoke the chance to force him below the yellow line and into a NASCAR penalty.  Menard didn't follow and Almirola was asleep at the green and lost third spot to Jeff Burton.

I ask again where was their plan?  Heck all three crew chiefs had a yellow flag to plan their attack.  If they did have a plan, it sure didn't show on the track.  My point of this blog is come Saturday night when you're getting ready to race, take into account as many race scenarios as you can and plan a course of action for each one.  If you are in the position to win, then make sure you know (in your mind) how you are going to win!

So let me ask this final question if the three cars behind Stewart were #48, #24 and #88 would he have still won the race?

O.K. so I got this press release this morning, it is one of about 200 that I receive every day, but...      

this one caught my eye.  Since I'm always bashing promoters as being a big problem within our sport (not all mind you but quite a few) I'm always on the look out for somebody who is doing something smart!  Anyway the press release said that for the upcoming Hooters Pro Cup race at Rockingham Speedway in North Carolina kids under under 12 will be admitted free with a paid adult.  Practice starts on Friday Oct 31 with tickets for adults at $10, race tickets are $25.  Camping outside the track on speedway grounds is free while a reserved Thunder Alley spot along the backstretch is $100. 

Here's my point Andy Hillenburg's ticket pricing is makes it a mere $50 to take a family of four to see some great racing action.  The last MINOR league league baseball game I took my family to I dropped over $80 and that was before food! 

Kudos to The Rock for delivering some affordable family fun!

For more info visit their website www.rockinghamspeedway.com

Is it me, or is this year's NASCAR Sprint/Nextel/Winston Cup season fairly boring?

It really seems like this year I've watched very few laps of each race. Thinking on it, the reason I came up with for my short attention span has been, most of the races have just been boring as all get out this season.

Has NASCAR watered down the Cup circuit so much that it's become, for the most part, boring?

What do you think?

Hey Fellow Racers,

One of our valued advertisers here at Circle Track is launching a brand new website on September 5th at 8 AM Pacific Standard Time. 

Speedware Motorsports is giving some really cool deals too:

The first 50 customers get 25% off their order
The second 50 customers get 15% off their order
The third 50 customers get free shipping

Check 'em out and get some stuff!

www.speedwaremotorsports.com

Madison, WI - For twelve high school students it was truly an award-winning night at Madison International Speedway (MIS) in Oregon, Wisconsin recently.  Nearly $200,000 in scholarships to Ohio Technical College in Cleveland, Ohio, were presented to them as part of the Speedway Educational Series (formerly the ASA Educational Series).

Five students were awarded $25,000 scholarships while five others took home $12,000 scholarships and two students netted $6,000 scholarships. Awards were determined based on a point system for participating teams similar to the weekly point system.

Students were presented scholarships during a trackside ceremony during intermission. Presenting the awards were Raskovic, MIS Owner Terry Kunes, MIS General Manager Dave Grueneberg, and Randy Dziadowicz, Midwest Regional Manager at Ohio Technical College.

Winning the $25,000 scholarships and their racing teams were Nicholas Jungenberg (Team Haseleu), Benjamin June (Urban Force Racing), Courtney Hanke (Team Lawver), Stephen Scheel (Team Scheel), and Michael Hanson (Team Riddle). Taking home $12,000 scholarships were Matthew Noyce (Team Kreyer), Vern Fagerberg Jr. (Team Fagerberg), Pat Richgels (Team Richgels), and Tom Landwehr. Winning $6,000 scholarships were Shaun Scheel (Team Scheel), Addison Graves (Urban Force Racing), and Zach Reining (Team Reining).

"This was a great program for the kids. They were able to help out with a race team and learn what's involved not only in getting a car ready during the week but on race night too. The kids were also a big help to the race teams," added driver Nathan Haseleu.

Founded by Peter Raskovic of Beloit, Wisconsin, the Speedway Educational Series gives high school students an opportunity to work with race teams at Madison International Speedway in Oregon, Wisconsin. High school students were eligible to sign up at the beginning of the year to work as a crew member with one of the teams. High school students who were drivers at the speedway were also eligible. In some cases the students may have already been working with a team or in other cases MIS helped connect them with a team.

"As a sport we must do more to get our young people involved at the grassroots level of racing. With this program we have a unique opportunity to match high school students up with race teams and let them experience racing up close and personal," said Raskovic. "Ohio Technical College is an outstanding, state of the art automotive technology school. We are very happy to partner with them and offer this wonderful opportunity to the kids."

Raskovic received an award during the ceremony for his efforts in developing this program and bringing it to Madison International Speedway. "I want to thank Ken Hendricks for making all of this possible," noted Raskovic in reference to the late Hendricks of ABC Supply who passed away earlier this year. "Ken was all about giving young people opportunities to learn new skills. This is the perfect program for kids to get involved in racing."

Ohio Technical College (OTC) is located in Cleveland, Ohio, and offers more than 25 technician training programs with facilities encompassing more than 500,000 square feet. The school dates back to 1969 when it began as the Ohio Diesel Mechanics School. For more information about OTC checkout their website at ohiotechnicalcollege.com. The Ohio Technical College scholarships may be applied towards tuition for study in the areas of Automotive, Diesel, and Powersport and Auto Body Technology.

It was also announced that the Speedway Educational Series will not only be back next year but for at least the next five years. "We are very excited to continue this partnership with Ohio Technical College. They are the premier automotive technology school in the country," added Raskovic.

"Our goal would be to have a Speedway Educational Series member on each of our race teams. I would like to see all of our teams have a high school student part of their team next year. This is an outstanding program and I'd like to see all of our area high schools represented in 2009," said MIS General Manager Dave Grueneberg.

More information about the Speedway Educational Series will be regularly updated on the MIS website at madisoninternationalspeedway.com.
Madison International Speedway is located on Sunrise Road just south of Highway 138 between Stoughton and Oregon. The track phone number is 608.835.9700.

I thought this was a pretty cool idea from Stan Lester and the gang at FASTRAK Series.  They renewed their partnership with WAL-MART to benefit the Children's Miracle Network.

The FASTRAK Series will race at Wythe Raceway Aug 29-31.  On Saturday, Aug. 31, drivers and race teams will be on hand at the WAL-MART Supercenter located at 345 Commonwealth Dr in Wytheville from 11:00 - 1:00. Fastrak Series Late Models set to race later in the day at Wythe Raceway will be on display. Drivers will be present to meet race fans, and sign autographs. All proceeds will go to the Children's Miracle Network.
 
With so many race teams on hand for the $10,000 To Win ‘Pro Late Model Nationals’ this will provide area race fans the opportunity to see FASTRAK Series Late Models up close and meet the drivers. Because Wythe Raceway is located only 10 minutes away and the gates not slated to open until later in the afternoon, all FASTRAK drivers and teams are encouraged to be a part of this special event.  The Children’s Miracle Network is close to the hearts of many, and FASTRAK is honored to partner with WAL-MART once again to support CMN.

“WAL-MART and the Children’s Miracle Network have been great to work with this year” said FASTRAK Series founder Stan Lester. “This is a great opportunity for FASTRAK teams and their marketing partners to be a part of something really special, that benefits so many”

“I’d also like to thank Fred Brown of Wythe Raceway as well as Donna Harless from WAL-MART for the time and effort they’ve put into making this event happen” stated Lester.

All FASTRAK race teams are asked to take part. Please be unloaded and set up by 10:30. Officials will be on hand to assist with parking and setting up.

Wal-Mart is located next to Exit 70 on I-81

For more info contact Fastrak Racing Series at www.fastrakracing.com

Congrats to our buddy Nine-time ARCA RE/MAX Series champion Frank Kimmel who cleaned up this past Sunday afternoon at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield.

Just a couple of weeks after suffering a concussion in a hard wreck at Pocono, the Clarksville, Indiana driver ended a year-long winless streak with a victory in the 46th Allen Crowe 100.

Kimmel, driving his own Ford Drive One Ford Fusion, led 83 of 102 laps en route to his seventh win on the historic fairgrounds mile-dirt, tying the late Dean Roper with the most Allen Crowe 100 wins at Springfield.

"What a great crowd of fans," said Kimmel. "This Ford Fusion ran well all day long. It's very cool to be named in the same category as Dean Roper. He was a hero of mine growing up and so this is pretty cool. We've had some really good cars here over the years, but this one is probably the best ever. We can't wait to take the Ford Drive One Ford to DuQuoin."

Kimmel also smashed the one-lap track record earlier in the day with an average speed of 109.496 mph, surpassing the old mark of 107.778 set by Damon Lusk in 2006.

Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., in the Roush Fenway Racing Ford, passed Brian Tyler on the final lap to finish second, five lengths behind Kimmel.

Get hands-on experience and expert demonstrations of MIG welding, TIG welding and plasma cutting. Test Miller TIG and MIG welders that make it easier to learn to weldperfect for enthusiast-level motorsports applications.

APPLETON, Wis. -- Miller Electric Mfg. Co. plans to debut a revolutionary new TIG welder on Nov. 4 the 2008 SEMA Show in Las Vegas. Although the company will not reveal product details until the show opens, product manager John Swartz hints that Miller will introduce a revolutionary new AC/DC TIG unit designed with simplicity in mind for the first-time TIG welder. In early tests, users report that the new TIG unit is easy to operate; offers excellent arc starts, great control over the weld puddle and is affordably priced for the do-it-yourself motorsports enthusiast.

Miller encourages SEMA show visitors to get under the hood try all of its welders on display at booth #23913 in the Racing & Performance section and to ask questions of the welding experts staffing the booth.

Hands-on Experience

In addition to unveiling new products, Miller will conduct live arc demonstrations of the following products:

Millermatic series of MIG welders, including Millermatics 140 and 180 with Auto-Set paired with a Spoolmate 100 Series spool gun for MIG welding aluminum.

Spectrum series of plasma cutters, including the 18-lb. Spectrum 375 X-TREME.

Dynasty 200 AC/DC TIG inverters.

Digital Elite welding helmets including the new Luckys Speed Shop and Vintage USA Designs.

Highlights/Key Facts

* New TIG welder designed for motorsports enthusiasts

* Visit Miller booth #23913 in the Racing & Performance section

* Hands-on product experience, expert demonstrations

When I look back over the many inquiries I get at the magazine, I see a predominance of interest in certain subjects. This is how we design the content of CT and how you can affect that content. Let's see what's popular.

Of all of the correspondence I get, most of the content is about how to make a teams race car setup better. Some questions are of a more general theme, but some are very specific and the reader gives me all of the technical information about the car. Here is where I have to tell you that I cannot and will not setup race cars by email or phone. There is way too much I don't know about your car to do that with success. I refer the readers to our articles where I explain goals and specific technology concerning the most important issues.

Some readers respond to something we wrote in CT and have an idea or comment about the technical content. It may be a clarification, a direct question on what we meant exactly (this is when I don't do a good job of explaining what I am thinking) or just to say they appreciate what we do.

We encourage any and all comments from our readers. That is how we know what we need to present and how to present it. We also get ideas from readers about technical issues, how to make racing life easier or just how they do things themselves. I like it when a racer opens up and spills out all of the things that go well as well as all that might go wrong. It shows trust in us here at CT that you would expose yourselves in that way and even leave your name!

I guess the most rewarding letters I get are when a racer explains how their racing program involves the whole family and friends. There is no better endeavor than that which brings family and friends closer together. That is by far the best side of racing.

The United Dirt Late Model Challenge Series race at Charlotte County Motorsports Park could very well have been the fastest dirt late model feature in history.         

Proving whether or not that is true is an impossible task given the number of 50 lap dirt late model races run weekly in the U.S. But this past Saturday night, the UDLMCS visited Charlotte County Motorsports Park for a very special 50 lap $3,000 to win feature race that saw the dirt late models take to the asphalt. 

It was a wild event that was completed in 13 minutes and 28 seconds!!!  Talk about the fast and the furious!  We took our Project Dirt Late Model driven by Bobby Clark down to the event and had a blast!!!  We're penning up a omplete report on what had to be one of the most exciting events of the year.  It'll be out in the coming issue of Circle Track.

So, if you don't have a subscription to Circle Track you won't be able to read it.  Better go click on that button in the upper right hand corner of this page and subscribe today!

Some promoters have been re-thinking their approach to promoting races of late. We visited some races and talked with some of these promoters and here is what we think.

It is a fun time for circle track racing. Everyone is concerned about the economy and rightfully so. But, as always happens, it takes hard times to wake everyone up and this is no exception.

What I have seen is that promoters are doing a little thinking and coming up with new ideas on how to promote their programs. One group offered a Pay-Per-Lap format where everyone was paid the same amount for every lap they completed.  The lap leaders and race winner were awarded extra money. And, the racers liked that.

Other promoters of asphalt tracks were offering to run dirt late model cars on the asphalt track. They were outfitted with asphalt tires as a necessity, but it gave the dirt guys a chance to do something different and learn a little about running on HARD dirt. To say the track had a lot of grip.........well.

One promoter and team sponsor told me that he was a huge fan of the crate motor program because he thought it would save short track racing due to lowering the cost to go racing. I have to agree to a point. At his track, any engine was legal and there was a weight penalty for the built motors. The racing was very close there because the measures used to make the car more equal was fair to both.

Talk to your promoter/track owner and see if they can come up with a promtional plan that will bring some exctiement to yourweekly program. If you come up with any ideas, let us know. We are always interested in reporting new ideas that would help the racing community at large. Respond to this blog or email us at CT. Thanks for your support.

Fresh off a trip to Lincoln Nebraska where I found one of the best kept secrets in the world of motorsports.   

Granted here at Circle Track our focus is the technological side of racing.  If you want to read about NASCAR driver's wives there are other magazines that cover that.  Naturally since the pages of Circle Track are filled with an abundance of technical information we tend to attrack leading motorsports companies as advertisers.  One such company is Speedway Motors.  Founded by Speedy Bill, the Lincoln, Nebraska based company has been selling parts ranging from the smallest AN plug to rolling chassis for more than 50 years.  Last week I returned from a trip to Speedway to visit their facility to see what was new in their parts offering.  You'll be able to see the results of my trip in the upcoming issues of Circle Track (better subscribe if you don't already).

But while there I got a private tour of Speedy Bill's musuem.  It is something to behold.  And since a picture is worth a thousand words check these out.  And yes we'll be posting more very soon.

Circle Track is about to get more technical about sprint car racing. Our editor, Rob Fisher, and I will be traveling to Texas soon to try out driving a sprint car and talking with experts in that genre of racing to get more insight. Here is the plan.

We here at CT have covered various tech about sprint cars in the past, but as you know, we don't regularly put sprint car tech in the magazine.  That is about to change.

In the next couple of months we will be outlining our content for 2009 and part of that process is deciding to do a lot more sprint car tech. To start that out, we will be visiting a sprint car racing school and talking with some of the top sprint car teams in the country.

We will approach sprint car tech just as we do stock car tech, with straight forward and honest information that will make sense to you and that you will be able to take to the track to improve your program. We shy away from generalized tech and go for more indepth analysis of topics.

We get a lot of positive feedback about this approach and it confirms to us that we are taking this magazine in the right direction. So, if you have any particular needs for knowledge about sprint car racing, let us know. Outline your concerns and how you could benefit from a better presentation of technical content in CT. We will be listening and reporting back.

When I write, I try to convey a message that is sometimes very technical in a way everyone can understand. Sometimes I word it wrong. This is one instance.

A reader wrote to me and was upset because something I wrote sounded like I was tooting my own horn and saying I had invented a method that had been around for years previously. I was able to email and then talk to him and explain the situation.

I had been talking about setting up a dirt late model project car and said that the first time (my first is what I meant) we had mounted a J-bar on the right side of the car was in 1997 on Billy Moyers car.  What I wrote sounded like I was the first to do that. Of course, I was not and I wasn't trying to say that, but my written words could have been construed to mean that.

When I, or anyone for that matter, write, I have an idea about what I want to say and it is sometimes hard to put those thoughts into words that truly express my meaning. So, I have to read and re-read my writings many times to make sure what is being presented is what I want the readers to hear.

I appreciated this readers comments because it made me more aware of how important it is to be careful what I write. After all, your program is at stake and if I am not careful, I could mislead you and have a negative affect on your racing program.

Danica vs. Milka - I'm just waiting for Vince McMahon to show up.    

It seems that in IndyCar Racing these days Danica Patrick is trying to grab headlines any way she can.  She's gotten in heated debates with a number of her male counterparts on the circuit.  She's been called a menace by Scott Dixon and a whiney little brat by members of ESPN.  But it got really really good this past weekend, when, after qualifying, Danica got in the face of Milka Duno, the Venezulan who drives the Citgo sponsored Dreyer & Reinbold Racing entry.  Apparently, Patrick took issue with Milka's "slow" driving style. 

In video replayed boatloads of times on YouTube, Patrick stomps over to the Duno pits to confront the sophomore driver.  In what has become typical fashion Patrick begins a tirade..which this time is promptly met by a towel thrown in her face, not once but twice.  When Patrick confronts a male racer who she's feels has wronged her, she knows she's not going to get hit!  After all, that would be career suicide.  But confronting Duno was a different story.  Watch the video.  It's pretty clear that Duno has no problem standing up to her highness Ms. Patrick.  While I was personally watching the replay waiting for Milka to unload a big ol' left hook, she only threw her towel-less hand up in digust and walked away.  Patrick wisely backed off.

Here's the sad point of this blog.  After becoming the first female to win an major closed course auto race in history, Danica Patrick had the opportunity to become a true trailblazer for women racers all over the world.  But alas she has proven with yet another "get in my competitor's face tantrum" that she is the last role model young women racer's need.  Perhaps World Wrestling Entertainment's Vince McMahon will come calling for Danica with a title belt match against Mickie James.

Half way through the season RayVon Clark is the only repeat winner so far in hotly-contested COMP Cams UARA Engine Builder Award.

The money is up for grabs, and the competition is hot. Motivated by the certificates and cash available from COMP Cams for the United Auto Racing Association (UARA) Pavement Late Model Series Engine Builder of the Year, engine builders are stretching it to the limit to put their race cars in the winner's circle. So far this season, only RayVon Clark has successfully won three COMP Cams Engine Builder awards and the accompanying payouts. Other award winners through the first eight races of the season include Billy Banks, Darrell Poe, Kevin Blanks, Don Kowalski and Charlie Long.

The program is part of the continued support that COMP Cams provides to America's grassroots racing. At each of the sixteen 2008 UARA races, the Engine Builder of the Race winning car receives a certificate good for $200 in COMP Cams products. At the season ending UARA awards banquet, the Engine Builder of the Year will receive a certificate for $500 in COMP Cams products and an additional $500 in cash. Their major role in the UARA reinforces the COMP Cams commitment to support a wide variety of racing efforts and to reward those engine builders who have helped to make COMP Cams(r) the absolute leader in valve train technology.

"UARA is a very strong series that delivers tremendous action on the track and provides the perfect venue for our technological valve train products to shine. With a great mixture of up-and-coming young drivers and seasoned veterans, the future of this series is very bright, and we are happy to be a part of it," said COMP's Director of Marketing Chris Douglas. "The UARA is very pleased with the continued support of COMP Cams. The desire of such visible aftermarket companies, such as COMP, to be involved with this series speaks volumes about the racers and engine builders that compete with the UARA tour," said UARA President Kerry Bodenhamer.

For more information about the UARA touring series, call the UARA at 1-828-692-3833, or visit www.uara-stars.com. To learn more about COMP Cams valve train products, call us at 1-800-999-0853, or visit us online at www.compcams.com.

Miller Adds Vintage USA Design to the Elite(TM) and Digital Elite(TM) Series of Auto-Darkening Welding Helmets and a new digital welder control...

Miller Adds Vintage USA Design to the Elite(TM) and Digital Elite(TM) Series of Auto-Darkening Welding Helmets

* Retro design features 1929 Miller Logo, bald eagle, crest, US Flags, patriotic stars

* Available in Miller's Elite(TM) (MSRP $349) and Digital Elite(TM) (MSRP $389) Series

APPLETON, Wis -- Miller Electric Mfg. Co. today introduced the Vintage USA Elite(TM) and Digital Elite(TM) auto-darkening welding helmets, which combine today's state-of-the-art auto-darkening technology with a sense of nostalgia. The Vintage USA design celebrates Miller's and the U.S.A.'s shared history through a compelling and bold design, while also providing the user with an auto-darkening response time of 1/20,000 of a second, the largest viewing window, and excellent low-amperage response. The Elite version provides an Auto-On/Auto-Off and Grind Mode, while the Digital Elite includes four programmable modes for grinding, welding, cutting and an electromagnetic mode for use when the sensors may be obstructed.

The Elite and Digital Elite series helmets are ideal for professionals and for those hobbyists who frequently Stick, MIG and TIG weld. The Vintage USA helmet is available through welding supply distributors in the US and Canada and carry an MSRP of $349 for the Elite(TM) and $389 for the Digital Elite(TM) Series. Prices will vary by distributor.

"We were really proud of the nostalgic feel that the Vintage USA helmet invokes," states Tom Sommers, product manager, Miller Electric Mfg. Co. "It's a bold design that is complemented by the industrial-grade, full-featured lenses of the Elite and Digital Elite Series.

Elite Series - Still The Benchmark

Miller's popular Elite Series helmet features four independent arc sensors that respond in 1/20,000 of a second and comes standard with Auto-On/Auto-Off and Grind mode. Weighing in at 18 oz., Elite helmets are lightweight and comfortable and come complete with five outside and two inside replacement cover lenses, a Miller-exclusive fatigue-reducing comfort cushion and helmet bag.

Digital Elite Series - Weld, Cut, Grind by Personal Preference

Building on Miller's Elite Series, the Digital Elite series was designed for professional welders demanding control and flexibility. Digital Elite helmets feature the precision of a digital control that allows users to set and store their shade, sensitivity and delay preferences for various applications: welding shades 8-13, cutting shades 5-8, grinding shade 3, and an X-Mode shades 8-13. The X-Mode provides full protection for those instances when an arc is present, but the sensors are obscured. X-Mode eliminates interference from sunlight and out-of-position welding angles, such as those found in pipe welding or in obstructed or hidden-cavity welds.

Miller Auto-Darkening Helmets are covered by a two-year warranty. For more information or to download a product spec sheet, visit Miller's Web site at http://www.MillerWelds.com, call 1-800-4-A-MILLER (800-426-4553), fax 877-327-8132 or write to Miller Electric Mfg. *** P.O. Box 100, Lithonia, GA 30058.

This past month I have been on the road quite a bit. Here is a recap.

Since I last blogged in June I have been on the road quite a bit. Traveling and taking in the races and meeting race teams is what keeps our fingers on the pulse of short track racing here at CT. Here is just some of what I did.

I traveled up to Norway, MI to Norway Speedway for a unique Pay-Per-Lap race. See our blog here and stay tuned for a report in an upcoming issue of CT. I spotted for a Grand Am DP team at Daytona for a race that was a preliminary event to the Cup race. I did attend the Nascar race and entertained some of our advertising partners in the company suite. Rob and I enjoyed a very good (for a plate race at Daytona) race that saw Kyle Bush come from last to first after some early trouble.

Then it was off to Boggy Creek where my wife and I volunteered for a few days at a camp for serious and chronically ill children. I then drove to the west coast (of Florida) to Charlotte County Speedway for a test with our dirt late model project car. Yes, CCS is an asphalt track. We were preparing our car for a unique race to be run on asphalt later in August for the dirt LM cars. They were shoed with Goodyear asphalt tires that were former Hooters Pro Cup tires.

I will be going to Alabama this weekend for more racing and soon I will be traveling to Alaska with my wife for a much delayed and well deserved vacation. But, while I am there, I am going to visit the dirt track in Fairbanks and the asphalt North Star Speedway just north of Anchorage - I can't help myself. This trip is an ambitious sixteen day, 2500 miles (750 miles north to south) journey that will take in Fairbanks and surroundings,  a drive north to the Brooks Range via the Alyeska pipeline haul road, a drive south to Denali Park, a flight to Anchorage, another flight south to King Salmon and a float plane trip around the Katmai Peninsula and National Park, a drive down the Kenai Peninsula to Homer, a kayak trip across the Kachemak Bay and then we work our way back home to Florida.

After all of that, maybe I can get some rest before heading back to the race tracks. I hope so.

A unique Pay Per Lap race was promoted and run this month. I drew forty-five late model cars and was a huge success. Here are some comments.

I attended a unique Pay-Per-Lap race this past June 28th. The race was run at Norway Speedway in Norway, Michigan. I had never been this far north in Michigan, but once visited Gene Coleman in Minominee to help him with his team way back in 1994.

Speaking of Gene, he was the brain behind the idea of a pay-per-lap format. He was assisted by Fran Presley of Five Star Bodies, Mike Bellisle of North Honda Motorsports, and Craig Van Enkevort, president of Union Station Motorsports. These four spend many hours refining the format and getting the thing promoted.

In this race, everyone who qualified (twenty started out of forty-five entries) for the feature was paid $7.50 per lap regardless of where they finished as a guarentee. The leader(s) of the race received bonuses of $100 for laps one, ten, twenty, thirty, etc. and $20 for every other lap. So, if you could lead and/or win, you could end up with more than the $750 you would earn by running all 100 laps.

The racers were very much in favor of this format because it helped everyone pay some of the cost to show up. We heard no complaints about this unique format from any of the teams. At the end of the night, we realized that the fans won by witnessing a great race, the teams won by going home with more $$$ than they would have and the team who put this together won because it worked.

What we need is your input. What do you think of this type of promotion. The pay per lap could be any amount that is fair to the track and promoters. But mostly, how could that fit in with todays racing environment? Write and let us know your thoughts.

UMP DIRTcar Summer Nationals Night 17: Korte Leads From Flag-To-Flag For Quad City Speedway Victory

EAST MOLINE, IL - July 6, 2008 - By Kellen Burns/DIRTcar Racing P.R.

Perseverance often times pays off in the end.

Such was the case for Highland, Ill.'s Randy Korte on Sunday night at Quad City Raceway, where he captured the caution-free 40-lap UMP DIRTcar Summer Nationals A-Main.

Korte, who has had his share of strong runs on this year's Summer Nationals tour, broke into RacingJunk.com Victory Lane for the first time in 2008.

The $6,000 win came in flag-to-flag fashion for Korte, but it was certainly not a cakewalk. He was challenged by defending Summer Nationals champion Dennis Erb Jr. of Carpentersville, Ill., throughout the distance.

Korte and Erb ran nose-to-tail and diced through lapped traffic until they saw the checkered flag, with Korte ahead of Erb by a few car lengths. The pair was well in front of third-place finisher Kevin Weaver of Gibson City, Ill.

"I felt like the car was really good tonight," said Korte, who recorded his 10th career Summer Nationals triumph. "I tried to stay off the top because it was so rough up there, but my guys said I was actually better up there."

Korte no doubt knew Erb was going to be stalking him the entire race.

"I knew Dennis would be good on the bottom," said Korte. "I knew that he would always be there. Dennis has his stuff figured out and he's good everywhere we go, but I felt like I was good enough that I could hold him off."

Korte, the 2006 UMP DIRTcar Super Late Model national points champion, got the jump on the polesitting Erb at the initial green flag from the outside of the front row, which turned out to be a race-making move.

"It was just a matter of me getting the jump on him there and then holding him off," said Korte.

Korte is looking forward to the final week of Summer Nationals competition, which may prove unfortunate for his fellow tour-mates. He seems to be hitting his stride after sitting out the early portion of the season due to a back injury he suffered in a February incident at Florida's East Bay Raceway Park.

"Actually, this week we're going to some tracks I'm pretty good at," said Korte, who returned to competition just before the start of the Summer Nationals. "I'm pretty excited."

Erb searched high and low for a way around Korte, but he fell short.

"The top was a little bit faster," said Erb. "I had to try something. I thought I could get up around the top there in the end, but it was real rough and I didn't want to take a chance with tearing anything up and not finishing." 

Erb's second-place finish provided him a big boost toward a second straight UMP DIRTcar Summer Nationals points title.

"We'll take the second," remarked Erb, who unofficially regained the tour points lead over Brian Shirley of Chatham, Ill. "But we definitely would have liked to win tonight. I think we had the car that could do it."

Weaver, meanwhile, battled throughout the race with Fairbury, Ill.'s Wes Steidinger. The former Summer Nationals champ used lapped traffic to his advantage to secure the third spot in the waning laps.

"Lapped traffic played a big part in that," said Weaver. "(Steidinger) squirted away from me there a few times, but I think I was more consistent."

Weaver would have relished a non-existent caution.

"It would have been interesting," said the 2000 tour titlist. "I felt pretty good out there." 

Weaver rebounded from a dismal performance the previous night at Fairbury American Legion Speedway, where he used a provisional to start the A-Main and wound up 20th in the finishing order.

"Last night was terrible and we went home and found our problem," said Weaver. "We got it back to where it needs to be."

Steidinger settled for fourth and Darren Miller of Milledgeville, Ill., was fifth.

Shirley finished sixth, salvaging a decent run after his Petroff Towing No. 3s was sidelined by terminal engine problems during heat action. He picked up a ride in Tim Lance's No. 48 for the A-Main and drove it forward from the rear to stay within striking distance of Erb in the points standings.

At the start of the night, Shirley set a new track record in group time trials for 21 cars with a blistering lap of 12.825 seconds around the quarter-mile oval.

Heat winners were Weaver, Erb and Korte.

The tour takes a scheduled day off on Monday (July 7) and returns to action Tuesday night (July 8) at Quincy (Ill.) Raceway.

Stay tuned to www.dirtcar.com for the latest news and results from the 20th anniversary edition of the UMP DIRTcar Summer Nationals.

UMP DIRTcar Summer Nationals Feature Finish (40 laps):

1. Randy Korte
2. Dennis Erb Jr.
3. Kevin Weaver
4. Wes Steidinger
5. Darren Miller
6. Brian Shirley
7. Steve Sheppard Jr.
8. Jason Feger
9. Will Vaught
10. Jason McBride
11. Ryan Unzicker
12. Jordan Bland
13. Jeep VanWormer
14. Donny Walden
15. Leroy Brenner
16. Kevin Dickey
17. Gary Webb
18. Adam Oppendike
DNS: Tim Lance, Don O'Neal, Brandon Sheppard

2008 UMP DIRTcar Racing Summer Nationals Schedule (Date/Day/Track/Location/To Win/Winner - Car Count):

June 12 - Thurs. - Kentucky Lake Motor Speedway/Calvert City, KY - $7,500 (Brad Neat - 40)
June 13 - Fri. - Brownstown (IN) Speedway - $10,000 (Rain - postponed to July 11)
June 14 - Sat. - Kamp Motor Speedway/Boswell, IN - $10,000 (Wes Steidinger - 36)
June 15 - Sun. - Tri-State Speedway/Haubstadt, IN - $6,000 (Dennis Erb Jr. - 39)
June 16 - Mon - OFF
June 17 - Tues. - Highland Speedway/Highland, IL - $6,000 (Terry English - 47)
June 18 - Wed. - Belle Clair Speedway/Belleville, IL - $6,000 (Will Vaught - 41)
June 19 - Thurs. - I-57/I-64 Raceway/Mt. Vernon, IL - $6,000 (Darren Miller - 37)
June 20 - Fri. - Farmer City Raceway/Farmer City, IL - $10,000 (Darren Miller - 50)
June 21 - Sat. - I-55 Raceway/Pevely, MO - $10,000 (CANCELED - flooding)
June 22 - Sun. - Vermilion Co. Speedway/Danville, IL - $6,000 (Jeep VanWormer - 43)
June 23 - Mon. - OFF
June 24 - Tue. - Sedalia State Fair Speedway/Sedalia, MO - $6,000 (Brian Shirley - 27)
June 25 - Wed. - Lake Ozark Speedway/Eldon, MO - $6,000 (Billy Moyer - 31)
June 26 - Thurs. - Paducah Int'l Raceway/Paducah, KY - $6,000 (Kevin Claycomb - 35)
June 27 - Fri. - Lawrenceburg Speedway/Lawrenceburg, IN - $10,000 (Dennis Erb Jr. - 36)
June 28 - Sat. - Clarksville Speedway/Clarksville, TN - $10,000 (Rain - postponed to July 19)
June 29 - Sun. - Lincoln Speedway/Lincoln, IL - $6,000 (Brian Shirley - 46)
June 30 - Mon. - OFF
July 1 - Tue. - Peoria Speedway/Peoria, IL - $6,000 (Jeep VanWormer - 40)
July 2 - Wed. - Morgan Co. Speedway/Jacksonville, IL - $6,000 (Rain - postponed to Aug. 15)
July 3 - Thurs. - Macon Speedway/Macon, IL - $6,000 (Rain - postponed to Aug. 16)
July 4 - Fri. - Tri-City Speedway/Pontoon Beach, IL - $10,000 (Billy Moyer - 51)
July 5 - Sat. - Fairbury American Legion Speedway/Fairbury, IL -$10,000 (Jimmy Mars - 48)
July 6 - Sun. - Quad City Raceway/East Moline, IL - $6,000 (Randy Korte - 21)
July 7 - Mon. - OFF
July 8 - Tue. - Quincy (IL) Speedway - $6,000 
July 9 - Wed. - Spoon River Speedway/Canton, IL - $6,000
July 10 - Thurs. - La Salle Speedway/La Salle, IL - $6,000
July 11 - Fri. - Brownstown (IN) Speedway - $10,000 (Rescheduled date)
July 12 - Sat. - Oakshade Raceway/Wauseon, OH - $10,000
July 19 - Sat. - Clarksville Speedway/Clarksville, TN - $10,000 (Rescheduled date)
Aug. 15 - Fri. - Morgan Co. Speedway/Jacksonville, IL - $6,000 (Rescheduled date)
Aug. 16 - Sat. - Macon Speedway/Macon, IL - $6,000 (Rescheduled date)

UMP DIRTcar Summer Nationals Night 12: Erb Regains Points Lead With Victory At Rebuilt Lawrenceburg Speedway

LAWRENCEBURG, IN - June 27, 2008 - Dennis Erb Jr. is back on top and eyeing a second straight UMP DIRTcar Summer Nationals title.

The tour's defending champion was flawless on Friday night at the redesigned Lawrenceburg Speedway, leading from flag-to-flag to capture the 40-lap A-Main.

Erb, 36, of Carpentersville, Ill., pocketed $10,000 for his second Summer Nationals victory of 2008 and the ninth of his career. He joined Darren Miller of Milledgeville, Ill., as the only repeat winners through 12 events on the highly competitive tour.

The triumph propelled Erb into the Summer Nationals points lead over Brian Shirley of Chatham, Ill., who fell from the catbird's seat after experiencing a tough night. Shirley blew a right-rear tire in his heat race and used a provisional to start the A-Main, which he finished in the seventh spot after surviving a lap-21 restart tangle.

Erb, who started second in his Rayburn No. 28, captured the first Super Late Model event held on the reconfigured Lawrenceburg track. Formerly a quarter-mile oval, the showplace facility was rebuilt during the off-season to a high-banked, three-eighths-mile layout complete with a concrete outside wall.

Erb wasn't seriously challenged after the departure of Darren Miller, who made several bids for the lead before retiring on lap 21. The driver known as the 'One Man Band' crossed the finish line several car lengths ahead of Highland, Ill.'s Randy Korte, who reached second place from the eighth starting spot on lap 30 and finished in the runner-up slot.

Steve Sheppard Jr. of New Berlin, Ill., finished third, followed by Wayne Chinn of Bradford, Ohio, and Steve Casebolt of Richmond, Ind.

Miller was the fastest qualifier among 36 entrants in the group time-trial session, turning a lap of 13.65 seconds.

Heat winners were Wes Steidinger of Fairbury, Ill., Erb, Sheppard and Miller. The C-Main was captured by Shawn Negangard of Osgood, Ind., and the B-Main was claimed by Josh Williams of Cleves, Ohio.

The tour is scheduled to continue on Saturday night (June 28) at StormPay.com Speedway in Clarksville, Tenn., but UMP DIRTcar director Sam Driggers said the potential for storms will lead series and track officials to evaluate the weather situation on Saturday morning.

For more information on the UMP DIRTcar Summer Nationals, visit www.dirtcar.com.

UMP DIRTcar Summer Nationals Feature Finish (40 laps):

1. Dennis Erb Jr.
2. Randy Korte
3. Steve Sheppard Jr.
4. Wayne Chinn
5. Steve Casebolt
6. Jeep Van Wormer
7. Brian Shirley
8. Scott James
9. Brad Neat
10. Wes Steidinger
11. Ryan Dauber
12. Will Vaught
13. Jordan Bland
14. Jesse Lay
15. Jason McBride
16. Tim Lance
17. Darren Miller
18. Matt Miller
19. Josh Williams
20. Justin Rattliff
21. Duke Whiseant

C-Main Finish: Shawn Negangard, Rick Corbin, David Spille, Derek Fisher, Ryan Unzicker, Jeff Alsip (DNS) Brian Shirley, Troy Cruse, Bob Lanter, Brian Gray, Jerry Rice, Sean Thomas

B-Main Finish: Josh Williams, Scott James, Tim Lance, Matt Miller, Ryan Dauber, Justin Rattliff, Jordan Bland, Jesse Lay, Robby Hensley, Shawn Negangard, Don O'Neal, Greg Johnson, David Spille, Derek Fisher, Rick Corbin, Bill Sheets

2008 UMP DIRTcar Racing Summer Nationals Schedule (Date/Day/Track/Location/To Win/Winner - Car Count):

June 12 - Thurs. - Kentucky Lake Motor Speedway/Calvert City, KY - $7,500 (Brad Neat - 40)
June 13 - Fri. - Brownstown (IN) Speedway - $10,000 (Rain - postponed to July 11)
June 14 - Sat. - Kamp Motor Speedway/Boswell, IN - $10,000 (Wes Steidinger - 36)
June 15 - Sun. - Tri-State Speedway/Haubstadt, IN - $6,000 (Dennis Erb Jr. - 39)
June 16 - Mon - OFF
June 17 - Tues. - Highland Speedway/Highland, IL - $6,000 (Terry English - 47)
June 18 - Wed. - Belle Clair Speedway/Belleville, IL - $6,000 (Will Vaught - 41)
June 19 - Thurs. - I-57/I-64 Raceway/Mt. Vernon, IL - $6,000 (Darren Miller - 37)
June 20 - Fri. - Farmer City Raceway/Farmer City, IL - $10,000 (Darren Miller - 50)
June 21 - Sat. - I-55 Raceway/Pevely, MO - $10,000 (CANCELED - flooding)
June 22 - Sun. - Vermilion Co. Speedway/Danville, IL - $6,000 (Jeep VanWormer - 43)
June 23 - Mon. - OFF
June 24 - Tue. - Sedalia State Fair Speedway/Sedalia, MO - $6,000 (Brian Shirley - 27)
June 25 - Wed. - Lake Ozark Speedway/Eldon, MO - $6,000 (Billy Moyer - 31)
June 26 - Thurs. - Paducah Int'l Raceway/Paducah, KY - $6,000 (Kevin Claycomb - 35)
June 27 - Fri. - Lawrenceburg Speedway/Lawrenceburg, IN - $10,000 (Dennis Erb Jr. - 36)
June 28 - Sat. - Clarksville Speedway/Clarksville, TN - $10,000
June 29 - Sun. - Lincoln Speedway/Lincoln, IL - $6,000
June 30 - Mon. - OFF
July 1 - Tue. - Peoria Speedway/Peoria, IL - $6,000
July 2 - Wed. - Morgan Co. Speedway/Jacksonville, IL - $6,000
July 3 - Thurs. - Macon Speedway/Macon, IL - $6,000
July 4 - Fri. - Tri-City Speedway/Pontoon Beach, IL - $10,000
July 5 - Sat. - Fairbury American Legion Speedway/Fairbury, IL -$10,000
July 6 - Sun. - Quad City Raceway/East Moline, IL - $6,000
July 7 - Mon. - OFF
July 8 - Tue. - Quincy (IL) Speedway - $6,000 
July 9 - Wed. - Spoon River Speedway/Canton, IL - $6,000
July 10 - Thurs. - La Salle Speedway/La Salle, IL - $6,000
July 11 - Fri. - Brownstown (IN) Speedway - $10,000 (Rescheduled date)
July 12 - Sat. - Oakshade Raceway/Wauseon, OH - $10,000

UMP DIRTcar Summer Nationals Night 10: Moyer Bags First Victory Of '08 Tour At Lake Ozark Speedway

ELDON, MO - June 25, 2008 - By Kellen Burns/DIRTcar Racing P.R. -

One night after the low groove did him in at the historic Sedalia (Mo.) State Fair Speedway, veteran Billy Moyer of Batesville, Ark., was determined to not bare witness to a repeat performance.

A six-time UMP DIRTcar Summer Nationals champion, Moyer didn't let another race slip through his fingers. He emerged victorious for the first time on the 2008 tour with a win in Wednesday night's 40-lap A-Main at Lake Ozark Speedway.

Moyer, 50, made a strong jump from the fourth starting spot and maneuvered around defending UMP Summer Nationals champion Dennis Erb Jr. of Carpentersville, Ill., for the lead on lap five. He never looked back as he powered his Victory Circle M1 Chassis into RacingJunk.com Victory Lane for his alltime series-leading 63rd time.

The dirt Late Model legend, who's affectionately known to many as 'Mr. Smooth,' displayed the style he's known for during his drive to the $6,000 checkered flag.

"It was a long time coming this year it seemed," the driver of the familiar No. 21 said of his initial triumph on this season's grueling trail. "We've had some good runs, but just been a little off. We keep learning on this car and I made some adjustments.

"More so than blaming it on the tires like I did last night, I think the car was just a little off."

Moyer was followed across the finish line by Erb, who started from the pole position and set the pace until relinquishing the catbird's seat to Moyer on the fifth circuit.

"Yeah, if I wouldn't have slipped up there and he wouldn't have got around me, I think I would have been alright," remarked Erb.

One of the night's biggest movers was Darren Miller of Milledgeville, Ill., who started 11th and quietly made his was to a third-place finish. The tour's only '08 repeat winner attributed his advance to the factor that has produced his recent success.

"Patience," said Miller. "The bottom was definitely better for me, but then towards the end of the race I moved towards the middle. It was pretty good on restarts because we could pack it down under caution."

Miller uncertain of whether or not he could have outdueled Moyer if given the chance. 

"I felt pretty good out there," said Miller. "I could make up ground on entry, but they were better on exit. He would have definitely been hard to get by."

Summer Nationals points leader Brian Shirley of Chatham, Ill., finished fourth and Randy Korte of Highland, Ill., placed fifth.

The feature event was slowed by four cautions, the last of which came on lap 36 for former UMP Summer Nationals champion Don O'Neal of Martinsville, Ind. He used a thin cushion to climb from the 14th starting spot to second before making contact with the turn-four wall.

Thirty-one cars entered the event, with Erb's lap of 14.995 seconds the fastest of the group qualifying session.

Heat winners were Mark Burgtorf of Quincy, Ill., Erb, Moyer and Wes Steidinger of Fairbury, Ill., and the B-Main was captured by Denny Woodworth of Mendon, Ill.

The UMP DIRTcar Summer Nationals moves to Paducah (Ky.) International Raceway on Thursday night (June 26).

For more information on the UMP DIRTcar Summer Nationals, visit http://www.dirtcar.com/.

UMP DIRTcar Summer Nationals Feature Finish (40 laps):

1. Billy Moyer
2. Dennis Erb Jr.
3. Darren Miller
4. Brian Shirley
5. Randy Korte
6. Ryan Unzicker
7. Wes Steidinger
8. Denny Woodworth
9. J.D. Hubert
10. Mike Hammerle
11. Andrew McCay
12. Duane Kiefer
13. Don O'Neal
14. Terry English
15. Rusy Dukes
16. Jordan Bland
17. Mark Burgtorf
18. Steve Sheppard Jr.
19. Will Vaught
20. Jeep VanWormer
21. Craig Smith

B-Main Finish: Denny Woodworth, Rusty Dukes, Jordan Bland, Tim Lance, Jason McBride, Chris Smyser, Billy Moyer Jr., Reid Millard, Donnie Gemes, Steve Beach, Chris Fetter, Craig Smith. Scratched: Tim Manville, Trace Westling, Eric Turner

UMP DIRTcar Summer Nationals Points Standings (after 10 events):

1. Brian Shirley 770
2. Dennis Erb Jr. 751
3. Will Vaught 658
4. Wes Steidinger 651
5. Jeep VanWormer 649
6. Randy Korte 592
7. Steve Sheppard Jr. 545
8. Jason Feger 511
9. Billy Moyer 479
10. Darren Miller 478
11. Dewayne Keifer 453
12. Terry English 390
13. Kevin Claycomb 372
14. Kevin Weaver 372
15. Jordan Bland 344

2008 UMP DIRTcar Racing Summer Nationals Schedule (Date/Day/Track/Location/To Win/Winner - Car Count):

June 12 - Thurs. - Kentucky Lake Motor Speedway/Calvert City, KY - $7,500 (Brad Neat - 40)
June 13 - Fri. - Brownstown (IN) Speedway - $10,000 (Rain - postponed to July 11)
June 14 - Sat. - Kamp Motor Speedway/Boswell, IN - $10,000 (Wes Steidinger - 36)
June 15 - Sun. - Tri-State Speedway/Haubstadt, IN - $6,000 (Dennis Erb Jr. - 39)
June 16 - Mon - OFF
June 17 - Tues. - Highland Speedway/Highland, IL - $6,000 (Terry English - 47)
June 18 - Wed. - Belle Clair Speedway/Belleville, IL - $6,000 (Will Vaught - 41)
June 19 - Thurs. - I-57/I-64 Raceway/Mt. Vernon, IL - $6,000 (Darren Miller - 37)
June 20 - Fri. - Farmer City Raceway/Farmer City, IL - $10,000 (Darren Miller - 50)
June 21 - Sat. - I-55 Raceway/Pevely, MO - $10,000 (CANCELED - flooding)
June 22 - Sun. - Vermilion Co. Speedway/Danville, IL - $6,000 (Jeep VanWormer - 43)
June 23 - Mon. - OFF
June 24 - Tue. - Sedalia State Fair Speedway/Sedalia, MO - $6,000 (Brian Shirley - 27)
June 25 - Wed. - Lake Ozark Speedway/Eldon, MO - $6,000 (Billy Moyer - 31)
June 26 - Thurs. - Paducah Int'l Raceway/Paducah, KY - $6,000
June 27 - Fri. - Lawrenceburg Speedway/Lawrenceburg, IN - $10,000
June 28 - Sat. - Clarksville Speedway/Clarksville, TN - $10,000
June 29 - Sun. - Lincoln Speedway/Lincoln, IL - $6,000
June 30 - Mon. - OFF
July 1 - Tue. - Peoria Speedway/Peoria, IL - $6,000
July 2 - Wed. - Morgan Co. Speedway/Jacksonville, IL - $6,000
July 3 - Thurs. - Macon Speedway/Macon, IL - $6,000
July 4 - Fri. - Tri-City Speedway/Pontoon Beach, IL - $10,000
July 5 - Sat. - Fairbury American Legion Speedway/Fairbury, IL -$10,000
July 6 - Sun. - Quad City Raceway/East Moline, IL - $6,000
July 7 - Mon. - OFF
July 8 - Tue. - Quincy (IL) Speedway - $6,000 
July 9 - Wed. - Spoon River Speedway/Canton, IL - $6,000
July 10 - Thurs. - La Salle Speedway/La Salle, IL - $6,000
July 11 - Fri. - Brownstown (IN) Speedway - $10,000 (Rescheduled date)
July 12 - Sat. - Oakshade Raceway/Wauseon, OH - $10,000

UMP DIRTcar Summer Nationals Night 11: Claycomb Captures First Tour Victory Since 2000 At Paducah International Raceway

PADUCAH, KY - June 26, 2008 - By Kellen Burns/DIRTcar Racing P.R. -

Kevin Claycomb had certainly experienced his shares of frustrating runs on the 2008 UMP DIRTcar Summer Nationals tour.

On Thursday night, however, the driver from Vincennes, Ind., got the monkey off his back, racing to victory in the 40-lap Summer Nationals A-Main at the super-fast Paducah International Raceway.

Back behind the wheel this season after ending a four-year retirement, Claycomb became the 10th driver in 11 Summer Nationals events to reach RacingJunk.com Victory Lane. The 1991 UMP DIRTcar Super Late Model national champion recorded his fourth career Summer Nationals win and first since 2000, also at Paducah.

Claycomb earned a win in the first heat race and used that to position himself in the fourth starting spot for the feature.

Previous event winners Darren Miller of Milledgeville, Ill., and Dennis Erb Jr. of Carpentersville, Ill., led early while Claycomb stalked them from third place. Miller, who ceded the lead to Erb on lap 10, lost second to Claycomb on the 12th circuit and then slowed on lap 13 with a blown right-rear tire to bring out the event's third and final caution flag.

On the restart Claycomb climbed the high banks of PIR and powered around Erb to assume command on lap 14. He drove away over the remaining distance in his Scott Clippinger Racing machine, beating Erb to the finish line by a full straightaway margin.

The veteran driver definitely was relieved to capture his first win on this year's tour.

"It feels really good," said Claycomb, who retired after shutting down his family-operated team in 2004. "We thought we had one at Mt. Vernon last week but went too soft on tires."

The same gamble that lead to his demise last week paid dividends this time around. "We gambled again tonight and it paid off," he said.

Erb once again showed the patience and consistency that won him both the UMP DIRTcar Summer Nationals and UMP DIRTcar Super Late Model national points titles in 2007. He used the low line, which proved to be quickest in the early laps, to get to the front, but found his groove fading late.

"It's not really my style to skate around up there (at the top)," said Erb. "We kind of jumped up there and held our own, brought home second again.

"He was pretty good up there," Erb said of Claycomb's high-side style. "I felt O.K. up there, but I just passed the guy for the lead on the bottom so I stayed with that."

Duke Whiseant of Texarkana, Ark., started 11th in his yellow No. A1  and climbed all the way to a third-place finish.

"We hit on something right before the feature and the car was really good," said Whiseant. "I just wish we would have had some more laps."

Brian Shirley of Chatam, Ill., unofficially maintained a slim points lead over Erb with a fourth-place finish, and Jeff Walston of Paducah, Ky., placed fifth.

Thirty-five dirt Late Models were on hand, with Wes Steidinger of Fairbury, Ill., setting the overall quick time in the group qualifying session with a lap of 15.553 seconds.

Heat winners were Claycomb, Miller, Randy Korte of Highland, Ill., and Erb. Randy Sellars of Mayfield, Ky., topped the C-Main and Jeep VanWormer of Pinconning, Mich., won the B-Main.

Summer Nationals rookie Will Vaught of Crane, Mo., was involved in a spectacular accident on the third lap of the B-Main that left his car heavily damaged. The young driver flipped exiting turn two and gingerly climbed from his mangled machine.

Vaught, who entered the night ranked third in the points standings, suffered an apparent broken thumb and complained of sore ribs. But he used a provisional starting spot and took one lap behind the wheel of Mike Hammerle's car.

The UMP DIRTcar Summer Nationals moves to Lawrenceburg (Ind.) Speedway on Friday night (June 27). The event will bring the tour to the completely rebuilt and enlarged track, which is now a high-banked, three-eighths-mile oval.

For more information on the UMP DIRTcar Summer Nationals, visit http://www.dirtcar.com/.

UMP DIRTcar Summer Nationals Feature Finish (40 laps):

1. Kevin Claycomb
2. Dennis Erb Jr.
3. Duke Whiseant
4. Brian Shirley
5. Jeff Walston
6. Kevin Weaver
7. Wes Steidinger
8. John Tindal
9. Dylan Thompson
10. Jordan Bland
11. Tim Brown
12. Jeep Van Wormer
13. Billy James
14. Darren Miller
15. Tim Lance
16. Steve Sheppard Jr.
17. Randy Korte
18. Will Vaught
19. Dewayne Kiefer
20. Jason Feger
21. Terry English

C Main Finish: 1. Randy Sellars, 2. Jason Riggs, 3. Todd Hall, 4. Jason McBride, 5. Rusty Griffaw, 6. Chris Shelton, 7. Brandon Chappell, 8. Mike Hammerle, 9. Wes Steidinger

B Main Finish: 1. Jeep Van Wormer, 2. Jeff Walston, 3. Kevin Weaver, 4. Billy James, 5. Tim Brown, 6. Tim Lance, 7. Jarryd Holshouser, 8. Randy Sellars, 9. Brent Kreke, 10. Tanner English, 11. Jason Riggs, 12. Todd Hall, 13. Jason McBride, 14. Will Vaught. Scratched: John Tindal, Justin Rattliff

2008 UMP DIRTcar Racing Summer Nationals Schedule (Date/Day/Track/Location/To Win/Winner - Car Count):

June 12 - Thurs. - Kentucky Lake Motor Speedway/Calvert City, KY - $7,500 (Brad Neat - 40)
June 13 - Fri. - Brownstown (IN) Speedway - $10,000 (Rain - postponed to July 11)
June 14 - Sat. - Kamp Motor Speedway/Boswell, IN - $10,000 (Wes Steidinger - 36)
June 15 - Sun. - Tri-State Speedway/Haubstadt, IN - $6,000 (Dennis Erb Jr. - 39)
June 16 - Mon - OFF
June 17 - Tues. - Highland Speedway/Highland, IL - $6,000 (Terry English - 47)
June 18 - Wed. - Belle Clair Speedway/Belleville, IL - $6,000 (Will Vaught - 41)
June 19 - Thurs. - I-57/I-64 Raceway/Mt. Vernon, IL - $6,000 (Darren Miller - 37)
June 20 - Fri. - Farmer City Raceway/Farmer City, IL - $10,000 (Darren Miller - 50)
June 21 - Sat. - I-55 Raceway/Pevely, MO - $10,000 (CANCELED - flooding)
June 22 - Sun. - Vermilion Co. Speedway/Danville, IL - $6,000 (Jeep VanWormer - 43)
June 23 - Mon. - OFF
June 24 - Tue. - Sedalia State Fair Speedway/Sedalia, MO - $6,000 (Brian Shirley - 27)
June 25 - Wed. - Lake Ozark Speedway/Eldon, MO - $6,000 (Billy Moyer - 31)
June 26 - Thurs. - Paducah Int'l Raceway/Paducah, KY - $6,000 (Kevin Claycomb - 35)
June 27 - Fri. - Lawrenceburg Speedway/Lawrenceburg, IN - $10,000
June 28 - Sat. - Clarksville Speedway/Clarksville, TN - $10,000
June 29 - Sun. - Lincoln Speedway/Lincoln, IL - $6,000
June 30 - Mon. - OFF
July 1 - Tue. - Peoria Speedway/Peoria, IL - $6,000
July 2 - Wed. - Morgan Co. Speedway/Jacksonville, IL - $6,000
July 3 - Thurs. - Macon Speedway/Macon, IL - $6,000
July 4 - Fri. - Tri-City Speedway/Pontoon Beach, IL - $10,000
July 5 - Sat. - Fairbury American Legion Speedway/Fairbury, IL -$10,000
July 6 - Sun. - Quad City Raceway/East Moline, IL - $6,000
July 7 - Mon. - OFF
July 8 - Tue. - Quincy (IL) Speedway - $6,000 
July 9 - Wed. - Spoon River Speedway/Canton, IL - $6,000
July 10 - Thurs. - La Salle Speedway/La Salle, IL - $6,000
July 11 - Fri. - Brownstown (IN) Speedway - $10,000 (Rescheduled date)
July 12 - Sat. - Oakshade Raceway/Wauseon, OH - $10,000

UMP DIRTcar Summer Nationals Night 9: Shirley Passes Moyer On Final Lap At Sedalia For First Win Of '08 Tour

SEDALIA, MO - June 24, 2008 - By Kellen Burns/DIRTcar Racing P.R. -

Brian Shirley sure does know how to make things exciting for the fans.

The 27-year-old driver from Chatham, Ill., pulled off a dramatic victory on Tuesday night, passing Billy Moyer for the lead on the final circuit to win the 30-lap UMP DIRTcar Summer Nationals A-Main at Sedalia State Fair Speedway.

"It was a really exciting night," said Shirley, who registered his first victory of the 2008 Summer Nationals in the tour's ninth event. "The last five laps I just hit my marks perfect."

Competing in the first Summer Nationals event at the big, fast Sedalia half-mile oval since 1992, Shirley proved patience was a virtue after starting third. He rode for 29 laps on the bottom before making a last-lap pass of six-time Summer Nationals champion Moyer, pulling alongside the legend from Batesville, Ark., through turns one and two and then surging ahead on the backstretch.

Shirley was very happy to finally break into RacingJunk.com Victory Lane - and gave credit to the "the people that help me," including car owner Ed Petroff and his sponsors.

Shirley padded his Summer Nationals points lead with the $6,000 success. He unofficially leads defending champion Dennis Erb Jr. of Carpentersville, Ill., who finished fourth on Tuesday night, by 29 points.

Moyer led laps 1-29 after starting second but settled for runner-up money.

"I think it was more tires just going away than anything," said Moyer, who chose softer tires for the main event than Shirley. "The top was better down in (turns) one and two and I think the bottom was probably better in three and four, but I think we just had the wrong tires on."

Former UMP DIRTcar Summer Nationals Champion Don O'Neal of Martinsville, Ind., registered a third-place finish.

"It was way too free into the corner," O'Neal said of his machine. "I was lucky to hang on to third, that's how bad I felt. But that's a start with the way we've been the past two nights, not making the shows."

Erb and the polesitting Jeep VanWormer of Pinconning, Mich., completed the top five.

With 27 cars on hand, VanWormer turned the overall fastest lap of 19.742 seconds in time trials.

Heat winners were VanWormer, Moyer and Shirley, and Will Vaught of Crane, Mo., topped the B-Main.

For more information on the UMP DIRTcar Summer Nationals, visit http://www.dirtcar.com/.

UMP DIRTcar Summer Nationals Feature Finish (30 laps):

1. Brian Shirley
2. Billy Moyer
3. Don O'Neal
4. Dennis Erb Jr.
5. Jeep Van Wormer
6. Randy Korte
7. Steve Sheppard Jr.
8. Darren Miller
9. Jeremy Payne
10. Wes Steidinger
11. Will Vaught
12. Terry English
13. Eric Turner
14. Dewayne Kiefer
15. Jason McBride
16. Terry Phillips
17. Rusty Dukes
18. J.D. Hubert
19. Jason Feger
20. Jordan Bland
21. Ryan Unzicker
22. Larry Clawson

B-Main Finish: Will Vaught, Eric Turner, Terry Phillip, Rusty Dukes, Ryan Unzicker, Chris Smyser, Tim Lance, Billy Moyer Jr., Andrew McKay, Reid Millard, Jason McBride (DNS) Miller

 2008 UMP DIRTcar Racing Summer Nationals Schedule (Date/Day/Track/Location/To Win/Winner - Car Count):

June 12 - Thurs. - Kentucky Lake Motor Speedway/Calvert City, KY - $7,500 (Brad Neat - 40)
June 13 - Fri. - Brownstown (IN) Speedway - $10,000 (Rain - postponed to July 11)
June 14 - Sat. - Kamp Motor Speedway/Boswell, IN - $10,000 (Wes Steidinger - 36)
June 15 - Sun. - Tri-State Speedway/Haubstadt, IN - $6,000 (Dennis Erb Jr. - 39)
June 16 - Mon - OFF
June 17 - Tues. - Highland Speedway/Highland, IL - $6,000 (Terry English - 47)
June 18 - Wed. - Belle Clair Speedway/Belleville, IL - $6,000 (Will Vaught - 41)
June 19 - Thurs. - I-57/I-64 Raceway/Mt. Vernon, IL - $6,000 (Darren Miller - 37)
June 20 - Fri. - Farmer City Raceway/Farmer City, IL - $10,000 (Darren Miller - 50)
June 21 - Sat. - I-55 Raceway/Pevely, MO - $10,000 (CANCELED - flooding)
June 22 - Sun. - Vermilion Co. Speedway/Danville, IL - $6,000 (Jeep VanWormer - 43)
June 23 - Mon. - OFF
June 24 - Tue. - Sedalia State Fair Speedway/Sedalia, MO - $6,000 (Brian Shirley - 27)
June 25 - Wed. - Lake Ozark Speedway/Eldon, MO - $6,000
June 26 - Thurs. - Paducah Int'l Raceway/Paducah, KY - $6,000
June 27 - Fri. - Lawrenceburg Speedway/Lawrenceburg, IN - $10,000
June 28 - Sat. - Clarksville Speedway/Clarksville, TN - $10,000
June 29 - Sun. - Lincoln Speedway/Lincoln, IL - $6,000
June 30 - Mon. - OFF
July 1 - Tue. - Peoria Speedway/Peoria, IL - $6,000
July 2 - Wed. - Morgan Co. Speedway/Jacksonville, IL - $6,000
July 3 - Thurs. - Macon Speedway/Macon, IL - $6,000
July 4 - Fri. - Tri-City Speedway/Pontoon Beach, IL - $10,000
July 5 - Sat. - Fairbury American Legion Speedway/Fairbury, IL -$10,000
July 6 - Sun. - Quad City Raceway/East Moline, IL - $6,000
July 7 - Mon. - OFF
July 8 - Tue. - Quincy (IL) Speedway - $6,000 
July 9 - Wed. - Spoon River Speedway/Canton, IL - $6,000
July 10 - Thurs. - La Salle Speedway/La Salle, IL - $6,000
July 11 - Fri. - Brownstown (IN) Speedway - $10,000 (Rescheduled date)
July 12 - Sat. - Oakshade Raceway/Wauseon, OH - $10,000