2007ump

Contact: DIRT MotorSports d/b/a World Racing Group
Kevin Kovac, DIRTcar Racing Public Relations
704-254-7929 • kkovac@dirtcar.com

UMP DIRTcar Racing Passes Out Over $80,000 In 2007 Points-Fund Cash To Racers In Five Support Divisions

EVANSVILLE, IN – Jan. 17, 2008 – UMP DIRTcar Racing rewarded support-division drivers for their 2007 efforts with over $80,000 in points-fund cash during the organization’s 24^th annual awards banquet on Jan. 12 in Springfield, Ill.

A total of 249 drivers spread over five divisions shared in the post-season booty, which reached $82,170 with the addition of two new entry-level classes to the UMP DIRTcar Racing sanctioning lineup in 2007. The introduction of the Factory Stock and Four-Cylinder divisions pushed the UMP DIRTcar Racing roster to seven classes, including the marquee Late Model and open-wheel Modified divisions.

Troy Naeger of Festus, Mo., walked off a combined $5,800 from the $31,960 UMP DIRTcar Racing Sportsman points fund for winning his second consecutive national championship and the Missouri State title. He also hailed UMP DIRTcar Racing for providing weekend warriors across the country some lucrative financial incentive.

“This is real money for us,” said Naeger, who calls Missouri’s I-55 Raceway home. “All of us racers in the support classes really, really appreciate UMP giving us a chance to race for money like this.”

The big winner in the UMP DIRTcar Racing Limited Modified ranks was Jonathan Clayton of Denham Springs, La. A first-time titlist, his national crown and first-place finish in the Louisiana State points standings brought him $5,800 in checks from a $19,085 points fund.

Jerrad Krick of Earl Park, Ind., and Jim Ransom of Williamsport, Ind., were co-national champions of the UMP DIRTcar Racing Street Stock division. They split the first- and second-place checks from the $20,925 Street Stock points fund, giving them each $3,500 for their 2007 efforts plus State points money ($110 for Krick, $115 for Ransom).

The Factory Stock division – a new addition to UMP DIRTcar Racing in 2007 that encompassed such entry-level classes as Pure Stocks, American Stocks, Hobby Stocks, Bombers and Novices – offered a points fund of $2,550 for the top 20 drivers in the national standings. Tom Ordway of Stryker, Ohio, earned $500 for winning the first UMP Factory Stock title.

Another new-in-’07 class, the Four-Cylinders, boasted a points fund of $7,650 divided among the top 20 drivers in three national regions. Cashing $500 checks as champions were D.J. Werkmeister of Braceville, Ill. (East), Mike Rittenberry of Clarksville, Tenn. (Mid-America) and Ryan Eilers of Highland, Ill. (Southern).

Combining the Sportsman, Limited Modified, Street Stock, Factory Stock and Four-Cylinder payouts with the points funds for the Late Models ($205,000) and Modifieds ($179,470), the total 2007 UMP DIRTcar Racing points fund handed out at the awards banquet totaled over $465,000.

Below is a complete breakdown of the 2007 UMP DIRTcar Racing points fund distributions for the Sportsman, Limited Modified, Street Stock, Factory Stock and Four-Cylinder divisions.

2007 UMP DIRT Car Racing Sportsman National Points Fund Distribution ($12,585):

1. Troy Naeger $5,000; 2. Troy Medley $2,000; 3. Kent Nations $1,000; 4. Jimmy Cummins $700; 5. Greg Kimmons $500; 6. Pete Stefanski $400; 7. Justin Ketrow $375; 8. Dave Bissonnette $350; 9. Jeff Herzog $325; 10. Mike Jessen $300; 11. Ronnie Bader $275; 12. Kyle Borgman $250; 13. (tie) Tom Smallwood $200; 14. (tie) Chad Weinrick $200; 15. Stephene Lebrun $160; 16. Mike Harris $140; 17. (tie) Robbie Eilers $117.50; 17. (tie) Louie Jackson $117.50; 19. Justin Delong $100; 20. Clayton Benedict $75

FLORIDA: 1. Chris Day $800; 2. Stanton Mills $400; 3. Barry Sheffield $200; 4. Nick Kerr $150; 5. Robby Richardson $125

ILLINOIS: 1. Greg Kimmons $800; 2. Justiin Ketrow $400; 3. Justin Delong $200; 4. Mike Harris $150; 5. Tom Smallwood $125; 6. Jason Unzicker $115; 7. Darrell Dick $110; 8. Joel Funk $100; 9. Jimmy Cummins $100; 10. Alan Crowder $100

INDIANA: 1. Ryan Huddleston $800; 2. Doug McCullough $400; 3. Kenny Sweat $200; 4. Kenny Carmichael Jr. $150; 5. Troy Overstreet $125; 6. Brad Hancock $115; 7. Scott Buchanan $110; 8. Joe Whisler $100; 9. David Huff $100; 10. Mike Staggs $100

MICHIGAN: 1. Kyle Borgman $800; 2. Chad Weinrick $400; 3. Stan Dodds $200; 4. Mike Guinon $150; 5. Ralph Sternberg $125; 6. Mike Peterson $115; 7. Kurt Woodard $110; 8. Jared Gunnin $100; 9. Rob Sternberg $100; 10. Mike Anderson $100

MISSOURI: 1. Troy Naeger $800; 2. Troy Medley $400; 3. Kent Nations $200; 4. Jeff Herzog $150; 5. Ronnie Bader $125; 6. Jason Keller $115; 7. Jimmy Cummins $110; 8. Kyle Stolzer $100; 9. Joe McCain $100; 10. Tim Hollerback $100

NEW YORK: 1. Pete Stefanski $800; 2. Dave Bissonette $400; 3. Louie Jackson $200 4. Joey Ladouceur $150; 5. Stephenn Lebrun $125; 6. Allen Peters $115; 6. Clayton Benedict $110; 8. Jason Parkhurst $100; 9. Bob Waters Jr. $100; 10. (tie) Don Barnes $50; 10. (tie) Denis Gauvreau $50

OHIO: 1. Mike Jessen $800; 2. Bruce Takach $400; 3. Brian Fisher $200; 4. Josh Steinacker $150; 5. Tom Johnson $125; 6. Tim Fisher $115; 7. Chris Smith $110; 8. Joe Derbeck $100; 9. Terry Hinkle $100; 10. Robert Mayle $100

TENNESSEE: 1. Joseph Hamm $800; 2. Robert Brooks $400; 3. Mike Hodges $200; 4. Neal Grisham $150; 5. Jon Wix $125; 6. Jimmie Davenport $115; 7. Kent Nations $110

2007 UMP DIRT Car Racing Limited Modified National Points Fund Distribution ($12,585):

1. Jonathan Clayton $5,000; 2. Donnie Noland $2,000; 3. Damon McCabe $1,000; 4. Randy Dickman $700; 5. Dan Bimson $500; 6. Bobby Fehring $400; 7. Tim Sitton $375; 8. Larry Hull Jr. $350; 9. Todd Barrett $325; 10. Bill Deroy $300; 11. Brian Kinnaird $275; 12. Bill Gordon $250; 13. Brian Singleton $225; 14. Matthew Holmes $175; 15. Bryan Henry $160; 16. Ken Huber $140; 17. Thomas Schinderle $120; 18. Brandon Buhler $115; 19. Dale Taylor $100; 20. Christina Lemons $75

2007 UMP DIRTcar Racing Limited Modified State Points Fund Distribution ($6,500):

LOUISIANA: 1. Jonathan Clayton $800; 2. Donnie Noland $400; 3. Damon McCabe $200; 4. Bill Gordon $150; 5. Matthew Holmes $125; 6. Brandon Buhler $115; 7. Nicholas Lanclos $110; 8. Kevin Dupont $100; 9. Mark Buhler $100; 10. Kamron Campbell $100

MISSOURI: 1. Randy Dickman $800; 2. Dan Bimson $400; 3. Larry Hull Jr. $200; 4. Bill Deroy $150; 5. Brian Kinnaird $125; 6. Brian Singleton $115; 7. Ken Huber $110; 8. Christian Lemons $100; 9. Scott Anderson $100

TEXAS: 1. Bobby Fehring $800; 2. Tim Sitton $400; 3. Todd Barrett $200; 4. Bryan Henry $150; 5. Thomas Schinderle $125; 6. Dale Taylor $115; 7. Cody Williams $110; 8. Blake Witherspoon $100; 9. Charles Williford $100; 10. Derek Ross $100

2007 UMP DIRT Car Racing Street Stock National Points Fund Distribution ($12,585):

1. (tie) Jerrad Krick $3,500; 1. (tie) Jim Ransom $3,500; 3. Steve Ewing $1,000; 4. Shad Eskew $700; 5. David Hurst $500; 6. Randy Lines $400; 7. Lee J. Hall $375; 8. Josh Griffith $350; 9. Michael Welch $325; 10. David Manisse $300; 11. (tie) Tim Feldhake $262.50; 11. (tie) Dan Meyers $262.50; 13. Stacy Tretter $225; 14. J.J. Miller $175; 15. Nathan Alexander $160; 16. Ron Hawker $140; 17. Kevin Lenzen $120; 18. Darrell Hartman $115; 19. Jesse Simmons $100; 20. David Pope $75

2007 UMP DIRTcar Racing Street Stock State Points Fund Distribution ($8,340):

COLORADO: 1. Ashley Chiles $800; 2. Dan Droll Sr. $400; 3. Billy Cumby $200; 4. Brian Cumby $150; 5. Joe Esquibel $125; 6. Terry Chiles $115

ILLINOIS: 1. Steve Ewing $800; 2. Shad Eskew $400; 3. Josh Griffith $200; 4. Tim Feldhake $150; 5. J.J. Miller $125; 6. Travis Copley $115; 7. Billy Wicker $110; 8. Kevin Lenzen $100; 9. David Shain $100; 10. Darrell Beckham $100

INDIANA: 1. David Hurst $800; 2. Randy Lines $400; 3. Dan Meyers $200; 4. Lee J Hall $150; 5. Ervin Turner $125; 6. Jim Ransom $115; 7. Jerrad Krick $110; 8. Marlin Burns $100; 9. Bob Weems $100; 10. Nate Alexander $100

KENTUCKY: 1. Stacy Tretter $800; 2. Darrell Hartman $400; 3. Poncho Elder $200; 4. Mitch Fiers $150; 5. Mike Watson $125; 6. Lloyd Lingle $115; 7. Michael Watson $110; 8. Paul Howard $100; 9. Richie Crenshaw $100; 10. Mitchell Penrod $100

LOUISIANA: 1. Mark Debate $800; 2. Brian Jarreau $400; 3. Kent Maher $200; 4. Jeff Teal $150; 5. Shaun Romero $125

MISSOURI: 1. Randy Dickman $800; 2. Eddie Lowery $400; 3. Buddy Lowery $200; 4. Dan Pitti $150; 5. Beau Davis $125

NEW YORK: 1. Michael Welch $800; 2. David Manisse $400; 3. Ron Hawker $200; 4. Nick Rizzo $150; 5. Nathan Peckham $125; 6. David Pope $115; 7. Scott Smith $110; 8. Blane Smith $100; 9. Phil Marsden $100; 10. Andy Fisk $100

TENNESSEE: 1. Mike Neighbors $800; 2. Floyd Clinard Jr $400; 3. Dale Phillips $200; 4. Jon Wix $150; 5. David Cline $125; 6. Chris Peltier $115; 7. Mike Watson $110; 8. Jason Todd $100

TEXAS: 1. Jodie Moon $800; 2. Ben Sharp $400; 3. Ben Poole $200; 4. Dewey C Miller Sr $150; 5. Dewey C Miller Jr. $125

2007 UMP DIRT Car Racing Factory Stock National Points Fund Distribution ($2,550):

1. Tom Ordway $500; 2. Dan Dippman $300; 3. Craig Dippman $200; 4. Jim Scout $175; 5. Brett Miller $150; 6. Chris Sale $140; 7. Robert Erickson $130; 8. Bill Delong $120; 9. Chris Henry $110; 10. Tony Weinrick $100; 11. B.J. Gregory $95; 12. Mike Reagan $90; 13. Mike Harmon $85; 14. Larry Smith Jr. $80; 15. John Schrand $75; 16. Charles Morris $70; 17. Jamie Lorenz $65; 18. Devin Vanderstelt $60; 19. Danny Ripperda $55; 20. Tinker Beals $50

2007 UMP DIRT Car Racing Four-Cylinder National Points Fund Distribution ($7,650):

MID-AMERICA: 1. Mike Rittenberry $500; 2. Mark Farber $300; 3. Don Keech $200; 4. Jeff Bailey $175; 5. Keith Mayo $150; 6. Jeff Rittenberry $140; 7. Rick Champagne $130; 8. Trevor Bailey $120; 9. Jerry Myering $110; 10. Emily Crowell $100; 11. Amber Walden $75; 12. Ray Reynolds $75; 13. Robert Canter $75; 14. Luke Near $75; 15. Edward Abbitt $75; 16. James Scott $50; 17. April Spriggs $50; 18. Nick Alexander $50; 19. Levi Baker $50; 20. Donnie Whited $50

EASTERN: 1. D.J. Werkmeister $500; 2. Rich Mueller $300; 3. Jerrod Thomas $200; 4. Ryen Johnson $175; 5. Mark Adkins $150; 6. Jeremy Grove $140; 7. Lake Nicholds $130; 8. Axle Wicker $120; 9. Bill Lawson $110; 10. Dan Kerr $100; 11. Eddie Johnson $75; 12. Andy Parks $75; 13. Daniel Flessner $75; 14. Jerry Adkins $75; 15. Harley Weidner $75; 16. Russell Robinson $50; 17. Beau Bradley $50; 18. Mike Adkins $50; 19. Jessica Summer $50; 20. Robert Frohnapfel $50

SOUTHERN: 1. Ryan Eilers $500; 2. Joe Reed $300; 3. Chris Fisher $200; 4. Jim Cross Jr. $175; 5. Chris Burton $150; 6. David Shaw $140; 7. Rob Shaw $130; 8. Jon Ripperda $120; 9. Josh James $110; 10. Aaron Wood $100; 11. Stacy Whitehouse $75; 12. T.J. Eilers $75; 13. Bill Burke $75; 14. Bruce Duglar $75; 15. Chad Burgess $75; 16. Justin Shaw $50; 17. Tracy Vonrohr $50; 18. Larry Hawk $50; 19. Jason Crump $50; 20. E.J. Gregory $50

UMP DIRTcar Racing Open-Wheel Modified Drivers Share Over $175,000 In 2007 Points-Fund Cash

EVANSVILLE, IN – Jan. 17, 2008 - UMP DIRTcar Racing open-wheel Modified drivers collected a total of $179,470 in 2007 points-fund cash during the organization’s 24^th annual awards banquet on Jan. 12 in Springfield, Ill.

The richest points fund in the nation for the type of open-wheel Modifieds sanctioned by UMP DIRTcar Racing included $74,975 for the national points race; $61,350 for the Region points battles; $36,900 for the State points races; and $6,245 for the UMP-sanctioned Wolfpack Challenge Series.

Denny Schwartz, 47, of Ashmore, Ill., walked off with the lion’s share of the lucrative points fund, pocketing $23,650 in checks following a 2007 season that saw him capture the UMP DIRTcar Racing open-wheel Modified national championship for the second time in three years.

Jeff Leka of Buffalo, Ill., who lost the national title to Schwartz by four points in a dramatic battle that wasn’t decided until the season’s final lap, settled for a points-fund take that totaled $14,425.

Other drivers who accumulated attractive points-fund returns in 2007 with their UMP DIRTcar Racing open-wheel Modified action included Shelby Miles of Bloomington, Ind. ($11,000), Bobby Martintoni of Livingston, Ill. ($8,800), Randle Sweeney of Clifty, Ky. ($7,000) and Ben Stephens of Hattiesburg, Miss. ($5,770).

Below is a complete breakdown of the 2007 UMP DIRTcar Racing Modified points-fund distribution, which was divided among 210 drivers.

2007 UMP DIRT Car Racing Open-Wheel Modified National Points Fund Distribution ($74,975):

1. Denny Schwartz $20,000; 2. Jeff Leka $10,000; 3. Shelby Miles $5,000; 4. Bobby Martintoni $3,000; 5. Gary Cook Jr. $2,000; 6. Jesse Cramer $1,500; 7. Kent Robinson $1,400; 8. Bobby Bittle $1,300; 9. Bub Patrick $1,200; 10. Randle Sweeney $1,100; 11. Dave Porth $1,000; 12. Ryan Thomas $900; 13. McKay Wenger $800; 14. Todd Sherman $700; 15. Danny Schwartz $650; 16. Matt Bex $600; 17. Mike Spatola $550; 18. Tim Reynolds $500; 19. Chuck Haga $490; 20. Jon Henry $475;

21. Matt Boknecht $470; 22. Andy Sprague $465; 23. Lance Dehm $460; 24. Rob Fuqua $455; 25. Scott Orr $450; 26. Kevin Hastings $445; 27. John McCaul $440; 28. Bill Lewis $435; 29. Greg Amick $430; 30. Derek Losh $425; 31. Matt Goulden $420; 32. Doug Adkins $415; 33. Tony Anderson $410; 34. Brian Bielong $405; 35. Arby Burton $400; 36. Clayton Miller $395; 37. Jason Hastings $390; 38. (tie) Chad Evans $382.50; 38. (tie) Ray Walsh $382.50; 40. Dan Dykman $375;

41. Ben Stephens $370; 42. Lee Hobbs $365; 43. Tim Rivers $360; 44. Jeff Curl $355; 45. Tommy Kroll $350; 46. Richie Ginn $345; 47. Mike Vanderiet $340; 48. Randy Myers $335; 49. Mark Herbert $330; 50. Jeff Wellum $325; 51. Gabe Menser $320; 52. Jeb Freidman $315; 53. Kenny Carmichael $310; 54. (tie) Gary Richard $302.50; 54. (tie) John Demoss $302.50; 56. Jim Farris $295; 57. Matt Bachman $290; 58. Chad Osterhoff $285; 59. Mike Wilbern $280; 60. Brian Lynn $275;

61. Rich Neiser $270; 62. Mike Harrison $265; 63. Tim Hancock $260; 64. Randy Whitten $255; 65. Vince Cooper $250; 66. Todd Gilpin $245; 67. Brent Londeree $240; 68. Kevin McCarty $235; 69. Tim Tuttle $230; 70. Jamie Wilson $225; 71. Mark Miner $220; 72. Kyle Cooper $215; 73. Dean Hoffman $210; 74. Brad Wieck $205; 75. Brett Korves $200; 76. Miles Thalman $195; 77. Tim Walker $190; 78. Devin Gilpin $185; 79. Scott Weber $180; 80. Chris Smith (#155) $175;

81. Josh Ferguson $170; 82. (tie) Daniel Lewellwn $162.50; 82. (tie) A.J. Garber $162.50; 84. Justin Houston $155; 85. Chad Sellers $150; 86. Jamie Cobb $145; 87. (tie) Aaron Ricketts $137.50; 87. (tie) Paul Bailey $137.50; 89. Matt Miley $130; 90. Daryl Herbert $125; 91. Joel Funk $120; 92. Nick Poole $115; 93. Cody Hood $110; 94. Brian Yeatman $105; 95. Randy Shuman $100; 96. Jon Horn $95; 97. Michael Bolyard $90; 98. Marty Smith $85; 99. Jason Henry $80; 100. Shane Hebert $75

1. Craig Conyer $2,500; 2. Jeff Wellum $1,200; 3. Wes McClara $600; 4. Matt Goulden $450; 5. Rick Weekly $300; 6. Kent Robinson $275; 7. Rob Fuqua $260; 8. McKay Wenger $240; 9. Chad Kinder $220; 10. Shelby Miles $200

2007 UMP DIRTcar Racing Open-Wheel Modified Region Points Fund Distribution ($61,350):

NORTH: 1. (tie) Denny Schwartz $3,500; 1. (tie) Jeff Leka $3,500; 3. Gary Cook Jr. $1,000; 4. Dave Porth $700; 5. McKay Wenger $500; 6. Mike Spatola $400; 7. Tim Reynolds $375; 8. Chuck Haga $350; 9. Andy Sprague $325; 10. Kevin Hastings $300; 11. John McCaul $275; 12. Lance Dehm $250; 13. Derek Losh $225; 14. Jason Hastings $175; 15. Arby Burton $160; 16. Bub Patrick $140; 17. Dan Dykman $120; 18. Tommy Kroll $115; 19. Jeff Curl $100; 20. Rob Fuqua $75

SOUTH: 1. Randle Sweeney $5,000; 2. Clayton Miller $2,000; 3. Miles Thalman $1,000; 4. Tim Walker $700; 5. Justin Houston $500; 6. Jamie Cobb $400; 7. A.J. Garber $375; 8. Jeff Elliott $350; 9. Michael Bolyard $325; 10. Steve Ladd $300; 11. Brandon Dierlam $275; 12. Fred Thalman $250; 13. Matt Thomas $225; 14. Dustin Isom $175; 15. Jeff Parks $160; 16. Dustin Ladd $140; 17. Brian Shaw $120; 18. Michael Coakley $115; 19. Ron Wall $100; 20. George Herter $75

EAST: 1. Shelby Miles $5,000; 2. Todd Sherman $2,000; 3. Matt Bex $1,000; 4. Jon Henry $700; 5. Matt Boknecht $500; 6. Bill Lewis $400; 7. Kent Robinson $375; 8. Tony Anderson $350; 9. Scott Orr $325; 10. Doug Adkins $300; 11. Lee Hobbs $275; 12. Greg Amick $250; 13. Gary Richards $225; 14. Jesse Cramer $175; 15. Todd Gilpin $160; 16. Brent Londeree $140; 17. Kevin McCarty $120; 18. Brad Wieck $115; 19. Devin Gilpin $100; 20. Tim Rivers $75

WEST: 1. Bobby Martintoni $5,000; 2. Bobby Bittle $2,000; 3. Brian Bielong $1,000; 4. Ray Walsh $700; 5. Matt Goulden $500; 6. Chad Evans $400; 7. Mark Miner $375; 8. Mike Vanderiet $350; 9. Dean Hoffman $325; 10. Brett Korves $300; 11. Tim Hancock $275; 12. Chris Smith #155 $250; 13. Randy Myers $225; 14. Mike Harrison $175; 15. Marty Smith $160; 16. Chad Sellers $140; 17. Paul Bailey $120; 18. Scott Weber $115; 19. Doug Wood $100; 20. Kenny Neu $75

DEEP SOUTH: 1. Ben Stephens $5,000; 2. Richie Ginn $2,000; 3. Mark Herbert $1,000; 4. Matt Miley $700; 5. Nick Poole $500; 6. Jason Henry $400; 7. Shane Hebert $375; 8. Kent Wood $350; 9. Gregg Hollingsworth $325; 10. D.J. Purvis $300; 11. Brad Rose $275; 12. Lance Broadus $250; 13. Michael Barfield $225; 14. Chris Smith #88 $175; 15. Chris Cassano $160; 16. Charlie MacNichol $140; 17. Danny Hebert $120; 18. Jerry Cassano $115; 19. Troy Seidl $100; 20. Robby Barker $75

2007 UMP DIRTcar Racing Open-Wheel Modified State Points Fund Distribution ($36,900):

CALIFORNIA: 1. Kenny Neu $800; 2. Ed Daviess $400; 3. Donny Bottoms $200; 4. Joel Hannagan $150; 5. Mike Salazar $125; 6. Jack Waldon $115; 7. Smoke Oakley $110; 8. Rickey Berndt $100; 9. John Toolanen $100; 10. Aaron Crowell $100

COLORADO: 1. Robbie Chiles $800; 2. Tommy Spurlock $400; 3. Jason Kirkpatrick $200; 4. Trevan Pepper $150; 5. Terry Chiles $125; 6. Kris Asbell $115; 7. Matt Ratzlaff $110; 8. John McCormick $100; 9. Michael McKinsey $100; 10. Chris Boone $100

FLORIDA: 1. Matt Miley $800; 2. Nick Poole $400; 3. Charlie MacNichol $200; 4. Chris Smith #88 $150; 5. Patrick Williams $125; 6. Dave Barber $115; 7. Rick Scott $110; 8. Greg Vandergriff $100; 9. Eddie Tribble $100; 10. Don Rollison $100

ILLNOIS: 1. Jeff Leka $800; 2. Gary Cook Jr. $400; 3. Dave Porth $200; 4. McKay Wenger $150; 5. Lance Dehm $125; 6. Brian Bielong $115; 7. Chad Evans $110; 8. Jason Hastings $100; 9. Kevin Hastings $100; 10. Jeff Curl $100

INDIANA: 1. Shelby Miles $800; 2. Jesse Cramer $400; 3. Kent Robinson $200; 4. Matt Bex $150; 5. Ryan Thomas $125; 6. Greg Amick $115; 7. Matt Boknecht $110; 8. Bub Patrick $100; 9. Lee Hobbs $100; 10. Bill Lewis $100

KENTUCKY: 1. Randle Sweeney $800; 2. Miles Thalman $400; 3. Justin Houston $200; 4. Jamie Cobb $150; 5. Tim Walker $125; 6. Jeff Elliott $115; 7. Steve Ladd $110; 8. Fred Thalman $100; 9. Dustin Ladd $100; 10. Michael Coakley $100

LOUISIANA: 1. Shane Hebert $800; 2. Michael Barfield $400; 3. Chris Blaszak $200; 4. Richie Ginn $150; 5. Leslie Hendrix $125; 6. Danny Hebert $115; 7. Chris Cassano $110; 8. Tommy Cannon $100; 9. Jerry Cassano $100; 10. Kevin Maddox $100

MICHIGAN: 1. Andy Sprague $800; 2. John McCaul $400; 3. Day Dykman $200; 4. Mike Wilbern $150; 5. Rich Neiser $125; 6. Randy Whitten $115; 7. Tim Tuttle $110; 8. Jon Horn $100; 9. Jacob Poel $100; 10. Jeremy Holman $100

MISSOURI: 1. Bobby Martintoni $800; 2. Ray Walsh $400; 3. Bobby Bittle $200; 4. Mark Miner $150; 5. Doug Wood $125; 6. Mike Vanderiet $115; 7. Jason Russell $110; 8. Leroy Haney $100; 9. Dennis Richards $100; 10. Ray Wagner $100

MISSISSIPPI: 1. Mark Herbert $800; 2. Ben Stephens $400; 3. Richie Ginn $200; 4. Jason Henry $150; 5. Kent Wood $125; 6. Gregg Hollingsworth $115; 7. D.J. Purvis $110; 8. Brad Rose $100; 9. Lance Broadus $100; 10. Robby Barker $100

OHIO: 1. Jon Henry $800; 2. Doug Adkins $400; 3. Tony Anderson $200; 4. Todd Sherman $150; 5. Gary Richard $125; 6. Brian Post $115; 7. Brent Hole $110; 8. Anthony Kinkade $100; 9. D.J. Cline $100; 10. Darryl Banks $100

OREGON: 1. Mark Wauge $800; 2. Monte Bischoff $400; 3. C.J. Putnum $200; 4. Jeff Hudson $150; 5. Kevin Putnum $125; 6. Justin Holt $115; 7. Wayne Kniffen $110; 8. Travis Peery $100; 9. Jeremy Richey $100; 10. Jerry Severson $100

TENNESSEE: 1. Clayton Miller $800; 2. A.J. Garber $400; 3. Matt Thomas $200; 4. Billy Palmer $150; 5. David Flowers $125; 6. Charles Zimmerman $115; 7. Steve Mullinax $110; 8. Dustin Isom $100; 9. Randle Sweeney $100; 10. Aaron Ogle $100

TEXAS: 1. Troy Seidl $800; 2. Jay Vinson $400; 3. Mike Girardo $200; 4. Edward Wickham $150; 5. Benny Perry $125; 6. Johnny Brown $115; 7. Richie Ginn $110

CANADA: 1. Curtis Coulter $800; 2. Jim Dale Jr. $400; 3. Joey Brousseau $200; 4. Abe Unger $150; 5. Aaron Wiebe $125; 6. Chris Vandewiele $115; 7. Brian Spellman $110; 8. Brad McLeod $100

FLORIDA DIRTcar NATIONALS: 1. Steve Arpin $800; 2. Brian Strand $400; 3. Joey Kramer $200; 4. Lee Hobbs $150; 5. Ray Walsh $125; 6. Kenny Wallace $115; 7. Tom Seets $110; 8. Brad Waits $100; 9. Kevin Adams $100; 10. Mark Dotson $100

FLORIDA WINTERNATIONALS: 1. Steve Arpin $800; 2. Kevin Weaver $400; 3. Jeff Mathews $200; 4. Denny Schwartz $150; 5. Jeff Leka $125; 6. Dave Groves $115; 7. Rob Fuqua $110; 8. J.E. Stadler $100; 9. Scotty Kincaid $100; 10. Julie McDermid $100

EVANSVILLE, IN – Jan. 17, 2008 – A total of $205,000 in 2007 points-fund cash was distributed to UMP DIRTcar Racing Late Model competitors during the organization’s 24^th annual awards banquet on Jan. 12 in Springfield, Ill.

The points-fund money handed out at the Springfield Crowne Plaza included $74,975 for the national points race; $56,600 for the UMP DIRTcar Racing Summernationals series; $37,755 for the three Region points battles; $21,900 for the State points races; $1,500 for the top-three in the Rookie of the Year standings; and $12,270 for the UMP-sanctioned Northern Allstars Late Model Series/Challenge of Champions.

Dennis Erb Jr. of Carpentersville, Ill., who made UMP DIRTcar Racing history in 2007 by becoming the first driver to win the national Late Model title and Summernationals championship in the same season, led the division in points-fund earnings. The checks he received for his ’07 work totaled $46,240.

Wes Steidinger of Fairbury, Ill., finished second in the national points race and third in the Summernationals standings, but he nevertheless reaped some sweet points-fund rewards for his career year. Buoyed by a North Region title and Illinois State crown, Steidinger rang up $23,800 in points-fund checks from UMP DIRTcar Racing.

Other big points-fund collectors included Steve Sheppard Jr. of New Berlin, Ill. ($13,000), Don O’Neal of Martinsville, Ind. ($10,595), Kevin Cole of Harrisburg, Ill. ($7,775), Randy Korte of Highland, Ill. ($7,700), Brian Ruhlman of Clarklake, Mich. ($6,300), Jeep VanWormer of Pinconning, Mich. ($6,000) and Jason Feger of Bloomington, Ill. ($5,100). Ruhlman also earned $5,000 for winning the UMP-sanctioned Sunoco American Late Model Series title, but that money was presented to him during the recent Eldora Speedway awards banquet.

Below is a complete breakdown of the 2007 UMP DIRTcar Racing Late Model points-fund distribution, which was divided among 137 drivers.

2007 UMP DIRT Car Racing Late Model National Points Fund Distribution ($74,975):

1. Dennis Erb $20,000; 2. Wes Steidinger $10,000; 3. Randy Korte $5,000; 4. Steve Sheppard Jr. $3,000; 5. Jason Feger $2,000; 6. Kevin Cole $1,500; 7. Mike Hammerle $1,400; 8. Ryan Dauber $1,300; 9. Mike Schulte $1,200; 10. Kevin Weaver $1,100; 11. Jeep VanWormer $1,000; 12. Richie Hedrick $900; 13. Brian Ruhlman $800; 14. Rusty Griffaw $700; 15. Scott Bull $650; 16. Rusty Schlenk $600; 17. Rodney Melvin $550; 18. Shannon Babb $500; 19. Ed Dixon $490; 20. Don O'Neal $475;

21. Joe Harlan $470; 22. Rick DeLong $465; 23. Ryan Unzicker $460; 24. Mark Voigt $455; 25. Dustin Mooneyham $450; 26. Billy Faust $445; 27. Brian Diveley $440; 28. Daren Friedman $435; 29. Chris Shelton $430; 30. Frankie Martin $425; 31. Chris Dick $420; 32. Billy Moyer $415; 33. Ted Loomis $410; 34. Michael Kloos $405; 35. Mike Mataragas $400; 36. Eric Smith $395; 37. Dusty Moore $390; 38. (tie) Matt Taylor $382.50; 38. (tie) Mike Marlar $382.50; 40. Chad Zobrist $375;

41. Frank Shickel Jr. $370; 42. Brad Looney $365; 43. Kevin Reeve $360; 44. Bryan Collins $355; 45. Kerry Mathew $350; 46. Rick Salter $345; 47. Mark Faust $340; 48. Donny Walden $335; 49. Brandon McCormick $330; 50. Larry Jones $325; 51. Darrell Mooneyham $320; 52. Tim Manville $315; 53. Casey Noonan $310; 54. (tie) Jarryd Holshouser $302.50; 54. (tie) Derek Chandler $302.50; 56. Jayme Zidar $295; 57. Ron Miller $290; 58. Andy Pryor $285; 59. Dave Thornton $280; 60. Aaron Scott $275;

61. John Beck $270; 62. Don Klein $265; 63. (tie) Will Vaught $262.50; 63. (tie) Daniel Wallace $262.50; 65. (tie) Ryan Little $247.50; 65. (tie) Terry Phillips $247.50; 67. Tyler Boggs $240; 68. George Lindsey $235; 69. DJ Cline $230; 70. Gil Smith $225; 71. Eddie Kirchoff $220; 72. Daniel Walden $215; 73. Steven Ashby $210; 74. Alan Vochaska $205; 75. Duane Chamberlain $200; 76. Jack Sullvain $195; 77. Jason Riggs $190; 78. Hillard Miller $185; 79. Bill Frye $180; 80. Dylan Thompson $175;

81. Mike Provenzano $170; 82. (tie) Jason McBride $162.50; 82. (tie) Ronnie Perrine Jr. $162.50; 84. Jeremy Payne $155; 85. Randy Sellars $150; 86. Josh Richards $145; 87. (tie) Ron Mayle $137.50; 87. (tie) John Tindal $137.50; 89. Ky Harper $130; 90. Burl Woods $125; 91. Kris Patterson $120; 92. Cory Rolfe $115; 93. AJ Diemel $110; 94. Darrell Lanigan $105; 95. Roger Brickler $100; 96. Steven Unterbrink $95; 97. Steve Francis $90; 98. Andrew Reaume $85; 99. Chub Frank $80; 100. Clint Smith $75

1. Dennis Erb Jr. $25,000; 2. Don O’Neal $10,000; 3. Wes Steidinger $7,000; 4. Jeep VanWormer $5,000; 5. (tie) Mike Marlar $2,500; 5. (tie) Steve Sheppard Jr. $2,500; 7. Eddie Kirchoff $1,000; 8. Kevin Weaver $800; 9. Jason Feger $700; 10. A.J. Diemel $600; 11. Randy Korte $500; 12. Rodney Melvin $400; 13. Shannon Babb $300; 14. Billy Moyer $200; 15. Terry Casey $100

2007 Northern All-Star Late Model Series/Challenge of Champions Points Fund Distribution ($12,270): 1. Steve Sheppard Jr. $5,000; 2. Ryan Unzicker $2,000; 3. Wes Steidinger $1,000; 4. Randy Korte $700; 5. Jason Feger $500; 6. Kevin Weaver $400; 7. Kevin Cole $375; 8. Don Cisco $350; 9. Terry Babb $300; 10. Rodney Melvin $275; 11. Dennis Erb Jr. $225; 12. Rusty Schlenk $200; 13. Mike Mataragas $175; 14. Richie Hedrick $160; 15. Billy Faust $140; 16. Don O’Neal $120; 17. Michael Kloos $100; 18. Frank Heckenast $100; 19. Brian Diveley $75; 20. Ryan Dauber $75

2007 UMP DIRTcar Racing Late Model Rookie of the Year Points Fund Distribution ($1,500):

2007 UMP DIRTcar Racing Late Model Region Points Fund Distribution ($37,755):

NORTH: 1. Wes Steidinger $5,000; 2. Steve Sheppard Jr. $2,000; 3. Jason Feger $1,000; 4. Dennis Erb Jr. $700; 5. Richie Hedrick $500; 6. Ryan Dauber $400; 7. Scott Bull $375; 8. Kevin Weaver $350; 9. Joe Harlan $325; 10. Daren Friedman $300; 11. Chris Dick $275; 12. Ryan Unzicker $250; 13. Eric Smith $225; 14. Mike Mataragas $175; 15. Frank Shickel Jr. $160; 16. Ted Loomis $140; 17. Kerry Mathew $120; 18. Donny Walden $115; 19. Matt Taylor $100; 20. Derek Chandler $75

SOUTH: 1. Kevin Cole $5,000; 2. Mike Schulte $2,000; 3. Randy Korte $1,000; 4. Rusty Griffaw $700; 5. Dustin Mooneyham $500; 6. Mike Hammerle $400; 7. Chris Shelton $375; 8. Ed Dixon $350; 9. Frankie Martin $325; 10. Mark Voigt $300; 11. Brad Looney $275; 12. Rick Salter $250; 13. Billy Faust $225; 14. Larry Jones $175; 15. Michael Kloos $160; 16. Darrell Mooneyham $140; 17. Brandon McCormick $120; 18. Rodney Melvin $115; 19. Jarryd Holshouser $100; 20. Chad Zobrist $75

EAST: 1. Brian Ruhlman $5,000; 2. Rick DeLong $2,000; 3. Kevin Reeve $1,000; 4. Dusty Moore $700; 5. Ron Miller $500; 6. Casey Noonan $400; 7. Rusty Schlenk $375; 8. Daniel Wallace $350; 9. George Lindsey $325; 10. DJ Cline $300; 11. Aaron Scott $275; 12. Ronnie Perrine Jr. $250; 13. Hillard Miller $225; 14. Ron Mayle $175; 15. Duane Chamberlain $160; 16. Kris Patterson $140; 17. Ky Harper $120; 18. Alan Vochaska $115; 19. Andrew Reaume $100; 20. Tyler Boggs $75

2007 UMP DIRTcar Racing Late Model State Points Fund Distribution ($21,900):

CALIFORNIA: 1. Jeff Decker $800; 2. Shawn Deforest $400; 3. Jeremy Petrell $200; 4. Kellen Chadwick $150; 5. Paul Guglielmoni $125; 6. Derek Nance $115; 7. Randy Shafer $110; 8. David Newquist $100; 9. Marcus Aue $100

CANADA: 1. Andrew Reaume $800; 2. Joe Field $400; 3. Jim Dale Jr. $200; 4. Brett Reaume $150; 5. Dale Glassford $125; 6. John Pinsonneault $115; 7. Kirk Hooker $110; 8. Jim Jones $100; 9. Dan Smolders $100; 10. Paul Rivait $100

ILLINOIS: 1. Wes Steidinger $800; 2. Steve Sheppard Jr. $400; 3. Mike Hammerle $200; 4. Mike Schulte $150; 5. Ryan Dauber $125; 6. Dennis Erb Jr. $115; 7. Scott Bull $110; 8. Jason Feger $100; 9. Joe Harlan $100; 10. Kevin Weaver $100

INDIANA: 1. Jason Feger $800; 2. Dan Walden 1074; 3. Mike Mataragas 913; 4. Richie Hedrick 869; 5. Cory Rolfe 798; 6. Guy Volk 754; 7. Ted Loomis 768; 8. Dennis Erb Jr. 720; 9. Kerry Mathew 691; 10. Steve Sheppard 646

KENTUCKY: 1. Kevin Cole $800; 2. Randy Sellars $400; 3. Jason Riggs $200; 4. John Tindal $150; 5. Dylan Thompson $125; 6. Chris Shelton $115; 7. Terry English $110; 8. Michael Steele $100; 9. Jarryd Holshouser $100; 10. Jason McBride $100

MICHIGAN: 1. Alan Vochaska $800; 2. Kevin Reeve $400; 3. Ron Miller $200; 4. Terry Sroufe $150; 5. George Lindsey $125; 6. Rusty Seaver $115; 7. Derek Didone $110; 8. Eric Spangler $100; 9. Brian Ruhlman $100; 10. Daniel Wallace $100

MISSOURI: 1. Dustin Mooneyham $800; 2. Brad Looney $400; 3. Larry Jones $200; 4. Darrell Mooneyham $150; 5. Brandon McCormick $125; 6. Bryan Collins $115; 7. Will Vaught $110; 8. Terry Phillips $100; 9. Burl Woods $100; 10. Jeremy Payne $100

OHIO: 1. Rick DeLong $800; 2. Brian Ruhlman $400; 3. Casey Noonan $200; 4. Dusty Moore $150; 5. DJ Cline $125; 6. Ronnie Perrine Jr. $115; 7. Ron Mayle $110; 8. Aaron Scott $100; 9. Rusty Schlenk $100; 10. Hillard Miller $100

TENNESSEE: 1. Rusty Griffaw $800; 2. Gil Smith $400; 3. Steven Ashby $200; 4. Chris Shelton $150; 5. Duane Hodges $125; 6. Jarryd Holshouser $115; 7. Mike Chandler $110; 8. Perry Delaney $100; 9. Dylan Thompson $100; 10. Kevin Cole $100

FLORIDA SPEEDWEEKS: 1. Josh Richards $800; 2. Chub Frank $400; 3. Earl Pearson Jr. $200; 4. Shannon Babb $150; 5. Steve Shaver $125; 6. Darrell Lanigan $115; 7. Shane Clanton $110; 8. Rick Eckert $100; 9. Steve Francis $100; 10. Dennis Erb Jr. $100

News & Notes From The 24^th Annual UMP DIRTcar Racing ‘Night of Champions’ Awards Banquet

POSITIVE VIBE: World Racing Group Chief Operating Officer Tom Deery delivered an uplifting speech to nearly 1,000 attendees of the 24^th annual UMP DIRTcar Racing ‘Night of Champions’ Awards Banquet on Jan. 12 at the Springfield (Ill.) Crowne Plaza.

Asserting that “this is where the real racing is” during his remarks, Deery pointed out the $465,000-plus in cash that was distributed at the affair – “without a doubt, the largest point fund of a short track series, dirt or pavement, in the United States,” he said. “That’s something to be proud of.”

Deery also mentioned the marriage of UMP and its sister DIRTcar Racing Northeast circuit. Pro Stock and Street Stock racers from DIRTcar Northeast competed for UMP points-fund cash in the Sportsman and Street Stock divisions, respectively, in 2007.

“For the first time in 2007, we blended together two of North America’s biggest sanctioning bodies – UMP and DIRT MotorSports Northeast –creating without a doubt the biggest motorsports sanctionoing body in the country,” said Deery. “That marriage was a great success, and we look to continue to grow DIRTcar across the country.”

Deery closed by pledging that the World Racing Group will continue working hard to expand UMP DIRTcar Racing.

“The future – starting in 10 days (with the season-opening UMP DIRTcar-sanctioned Late Model event at Golden Isles Speedway in Brunswick, Ga.) – and beyond is very bright,” said Deery. “We are here to stay. We intend to carry the tradition forward that (late UMP founder) Bob Memmer and a group of like-minded men started 24 years ago.

“Bob brought all the stakeholders together in hopes of strengthing dirt track racing, and with your help, your professionalism, and your support, the years to come will provide great memories and rewards.”

HUGE AFFAIR: The turnout for the UMP DIRTcar Racing Awards Banquet was so impressive that three giant video screens were spread across the ballroom so attendees at every table could easily see the activities happening on the stage, which was hosted by World of Outlaws Late Model Series announcer Rick Eshelman.

And UMP DIRTcar Racing director Sam Driggers shook plenty of hands during the gala, as in attendance were many of the 593 drivers who received at least one of the 990 points-fund checks from the 2007 season.

The breakdown of competitors sharing in the points fund cash included 210 open-wheel Modified drivers; 137 Late Model drivers; 76 Sportsman drivers; 71 Street Stock drivers; 60 Four-Cylinder drivers; 24 Limited Modified drivers; and 20 Factory Stock drivers.

Five drivers received money in two divisions: D.J. Cline, Jim Dale Jr. and Kevin Weaver in the Late Models and Modifieds; Jon Wix in the Sportsman and Street Stocks; and Randy Dickman in the Limited Modifieds and Street Stocks.

PRESTIGIOUS TROPHY: The third annual Bob Memmer Memorial Achievement Award was presented to Eldora Speedway’s Larry Boos.

Making the moment more special for Boos, he received the award from his old boss: legendary former Eldora owner Earl Baltes, who attended the banquet with his wife Berniece.

“Bob Memmer was a man with a vision, and I’m glad I got to work with him,” said Boos. “And this man right here (pointing at Baltes) has a great vision, and he taught me a lot. Now, working for (new Eldora owner) Tony Stewart, he’s allowed me to proceed with that vision for Eldora.

“I thank Bob (Memmer) for all he’s done for racing. Now his vision is being carried on by Sam (Driggers) and everybody else with UMP. In Bob’s eyes, everybody was a racer, not just the top dogs, and now with Sam bringing in all these other divisions (under UMP), everybody is here as a family like Bob would have wanted.”

Boos mentioned the points-season-ending UMP DIRTcar Racing Fall Nationals at Eldora Speedway is set for the first weekend in October once again, but will feature some new wrinkles in 2008. He said he’s hoping to make the weekend even more of a destination event for the UMP DIRTcar Racing set and will announce details in the near future.

TOP OVAL: UMP DIRTcar Racing members voted Fairbury (Ill.) American Legion Speedway as the organization’s ‘Track of the Year’ for the second season in a row.

A unique facility that is actually owned by the local American Legion, Fairbury is successfully operated by a team of volunteers. The 2008 campaign will mark Fairbury’s 62^nd consecutive season of dirt-track racing.

NUMBER ONE OPERATORS: Terry and Pam Henricks were overjoyed to receive the 2007 UMP DIRTcar Racing Promoters of the Year Award for their work at Oakshade Raceway in Wauseon, Ohio.

“It’s been 30-some years for us at Oakshade,” an emotional Pam Henricks told the crowd. “My family built the track (in 1976), and I’ve missed one race (all those years) – when my daughter Christie was born.

“Running Oakshade has always been a family affair, and we’re thrilled to receive this award from UMP.”

MOVIN’ ON UP: Oakshade Bomber division standout Tom Ordway of Stryker, Ohio, is hoping that his 2007 UMP DIRTcar Racing Factory Stock national championship will serve as a springboard for his racing career.

A 34-year-old who has been racing for seven seasons, Ordway has purchased a UMP DIRTcar Racing open-wheel Modified and will advance to the division in 2008. Oakshade doesn’t run Modifieds, so he plans to compete on Friday nights at either Limaland Motorsport Park in Lima, Ohio, or Indiana’s Gas City I-69 Speedway.

NICE WORDS: Coming off his first season as promoter of Winston Motor Speedway in Rothbury, Mich., former dirt Late Model racer Tom Sprague spoke glowingly of UMP DIRTcar Racing when called to the stage for special recognition.

“I didn’t realize what kind of operation UMP was until I got involved with it,” said Sprague. “I will definitely be back (as a UMP-sanctioned track) again this year.”

Erb & Schwartz Cash In As Nearly Half-Million Dollars Is Distributed
At Saturday’s 24^th Annual UMP DIRTcar Racing Awards Banquet

SPRINGFIELD, IL – Jan. 12, 2008 – Dennis Erb Jr. basked in the glory of his history-making 2007 Super Late Model season during Saturday night’s 24^th annual UMP DIRTcar Racing ‘Night of Champions’ Awards Banquet inside the Springfield Crowne Plaza Hotel’s ballroom.

As a reward for a campaign that saw him become the first-ever driver to sweep the UMP DIRTcar Racing National and Summernationals championships, the 36-year-old star from Carpentersville, Ill., pocketed a total of $46,240 in points-fund checks.

Sharing the evening’s spotlight with Erb was Denny Schwartz of Ashmore, Ill., who was saluted for capturing his second open-wheel Modified national championship in the last three years.

The coronation of UMP DIRTcar Racing’s 2007 champions and recognition of its top performers came in front of nearly 1,000 attendees from more than a dozen states and Canada, all of whom watched as nearly a half-million dollars was distributed.

Erb spent much of his championship acceptance speech showering praise on his racing team’s backers, including C.J. Rayburn Race Cars, Thomason Transportation, J&J Steel, Petroff Towing, Peterson Aluminum and Malcuit Race Engines.

“I was fortunate to have a really good bunch of people behind me this year,” said Erb, who won a personal-high 20 features en route to his career season. “That includes Heather (Lyne, his chief mechanic) – I have to thank her for giving up all her time to help me.

“And I want to thank (UMP DIRTcar Racing director) Sam (Driggers), DIRT MotorSports (World Racing Group) and all the promoters and fans for giving us a place to race and letting me be able to live my dream and be out there racing every weekend.”

Erb earned $25,000 for winning the UMP DIRTcar Racing Summernationals, the grueling, month-long series of events throughout the Midwest that was his primary focus from the start of the 2007 season. He picked up another $20,000 for capturing the organization’s Late Model national title, which he began pursuing in earnest shortly after securing the Summernationals crown.

The normally reserved Erb showed a bit of emotion when talking about his late father.

“Most of all, I want to thank one person who’s no longer with me, and that’s my father, who got me started in this,” said Erb. “I know he’s not here, but he’s up there looking down and I know he would be proud.”

“It’s gonna be kind of hard to top this year, but we’ll see what we can do,” he said. “We’ll be out there again and racing as hard as we can.”

Erb’s points fund also included $700 for finishing fourth in the North Region; $225 for placing 11^th in the Northern Allstars Late Model Series/Challenge of Champions; $115 for taking sixth in the Illinois State standings; $100 for finishing eighth in the Indiana State points; and $100 for 10^th in the Florida DIRTcar Nationals battle.

Schwartz, 47, went home with checks totaling $23,650 for his UMP DIRTcar Racing open-wheel Modified efforts, including a cool 20-grand for winning the national title.

A veteran of three decades racing around Midwest dirt tracks, Schwartz battled for the national crown with longtime rival Jeff Leka of Buffalo, Ill., right down to the points-season finale at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio. Schwartz’s final championship margin was a mere four points over Leka.

“I better thank my wife first of all,” Schwartz told the crowd. “She’s put up with me doing this for 30 years.”

Schwartz, who also earned $3,500 for finishing in a tie with Leka for the North Region title and $150 for placing fourth in the Modified Winternationals standings, was joined on stage by all his family and crew members in attendance. The group included his wife, son and fellow racer Danny, and longtime mechanic/partner Bud Price.

Troy Naeger, 39, of Festus, Mo., repeated as the UMP DIRTcar Racing Sportsman national champion, rolling up 15 feature wins en route a $5,000 paycheck that left him smiling broadly.

Jerrad Krick of Earl Park, Ind., and Jim Ransom of Williamsport, Ind., were co-national champions of the UMP DIRTcar Racing Street Stock division. The weekly rivals at Indiana’s Kamp Motor Speedway finished in a tie atop the points standings and thus split the first- and second-place checks, giving them each $3,500 for their 2007 efforts.

Jonathan Clayton of Denham Springs, La., made the long trip north from the Gulf Coast to be feted for his first-ever UMP DIRTcar Racing Limited Modified national title. He earned $5,000.

With the addition of the entry-level Factory Stock and Four-Cylinder classes to the UMP DIRTcar Racing sanctioning lineup in 2007, drivers from seven divisions received recognition during Saturday’s festivities.

Making history as the first-ever national champions of the new UMP DIRTcar Racing divisions were Oakshade Raceway regular Tom Ordway of Stryker, Ohio, in the Factory Stocks and D.J. Werkmeister of Braceville, Ill. (East), Mike Rittenberry of Clarksville, Tenn. (Mid-America) and Ryan Eilers of Highland, Ill. (Southern) in the Four-Cylinders. Each driver picked up a $500 check.

* Late Model Region champions Wes Steidinger (North), Kevin Cole (South) and Brian Ruhlman (East) each received a check worth $5,000.

* Pocketing $1,000 apiece as Late Model State champs were Jeff Decker (California), Andrew Reaume (Canada), Steidinger (Illinois), Jason Feger (Indiana), Cole (Kentucky), Alan Vochaska (Michigan), Dustin Mooneyham (Missouri), Rick DeLong (Ohio) and Rusty Griffaw (Tennessee).

* Modified Region titlists were Schwartz and Leka (tie-North), Randle Sweeney (South), Shelby Miles (East), Bobby Martintoni (West) and Ben Stephens (Deep South). Sweeney, Miles, Martintoni and Stephens each earned $5,000, while Schwartz and Leka received $3,500 apiece after dividing the first- and second-place cash.

* Earning $1,000 each as Modified State champions were Kenny Neu (California), Robbie Chiles (Colorado), Matt Miley (Florida), Leka (Illinois), Miles (Indiana), Sweeney (Kentucky), Shane Hebert (Louisiana), Andy Sprague (Michigan), Martintoni (Missouri), Mark Herbert (Mississippi), Jon Henry (Ohio), Mark Wauge (Oregon), Clayton Miller (Tennessee), Troy Seidl (Texas), Curtis Coulter (Canada), Joey Kramer (Winternationals) and Steve Arpin (Florida DIRTcar Nationals).

The Sportsman, Street Stock and Limited Modified State champions were each presented $800. The Sportsman titlists were John Anderson (CO), Chris Day (FL), Greg Kimmons (IL), Ryan Huddleston (IN), Jason Jackson (LA), Kyle Borgman (MI), Naeger (MO), Pete Stefanski (NY), Mike Jessen (OH) and Joseph Hamm (TN); Street Stock champs were Ashley Chiles (CO), Erik Nelson (FL), Steve Ewing (IL), David Hurst (IN), Stacy Tretter (KY), Mark Debate (LA), Randy Dickman (MO), Michael Welch (NY), Mike Neighbors (TN) and Jodie Moon (TX); and Limited Modified winners were Bobby Fehring (TX), Clayton (LA) and Randy Dickman (MO).

Other UMP-sanctioned series titlists honored during Saturday’s festivities were Steve Sheppard Jr. of New Berlin, Ill., who collected a $5,000 check for winning the Northern All-Stars/COC crown, and Craig Conyer of Jamestown, Ind., who pocketed $2,500 for capturing the Wolfpack Challenge Series championship.

A number of special awards determined by a vote of the UMP DIRTcar Racing membership were handed out:

* In the Mechanic of the Year category, Erb’s crew chief Heather Lyne and Steidinger’s head wrench Terry Aaron shared the Late Model award and Rob Coulter received the Modified trophy.

* Scott Bull of Fairbury, Ill. (Late Models) and Jeff Leka (Modifieds) received Sportsman of the Year hardware.

* Fairbury (Ill.) American Legion Speedway was announced as the UMP DIRTcar Racing Track of the Year for the second consecutive season.

* Terry and Pam Henricks of Oakshade Raceway in Wauseon, Ohio, were honored as the organization’s Promoters of the Year.

Eldora Speedway’s Larry Boos, meanwhile, received the third annual Bob Memmer Achievement Award, which honors the memory of UMP DIRTcar Racing’s late founder. The prestigious plaque was presented to Boos by legendary former Eldora owner Earl Baltes, the winner of the inaugural Memmer trophy and Boos’s boss for a decade.

Drivers recognized with Rookie of the Year awards during the program were Bull, who earned the nod as the top first-year UMP DIRTcar Racing Late Model racer, and Ryan Unzicker of El Paso, Ill., who earned $2,000 for the NALMS/COC rookie honor.

The 2007 UMP DIRTcar Racing Chassis Builder of the Year awards went to C.J. Rayburn Race Cars of Whiteland, Ill., in the Late Models and Bob Pierce Race Cars of Oakwood, Ill., in the Modifieds. Rayburn led all manufacturers with 151 UMP-sanctioned Late Model feature wins, while Pierce set the pace on the Modified side with 235 victories.

Rayburn, a well-known Late Model racer and car builder, was not on hand to accept his award. Pierce, also an accomplished Late Model driver, came to the stage to receive his award with his family at his side.

Claiming the 2007 Engine Builder of the Year awards were Pro Power Engines (50 Late Model wins) and Mullins Race Engines (99 Modified victories). Pro Power’s Bill Schlieper did not attend the banquet, while Chad Mullins accepted the Modified award.

Darren Friedman, the 2007 Late Model track champion at Fairbury American Legion Speedway, stood in for his father Roger of Dyer’s Top Rods to present special prizes to Erb and Sheppard for their series championships. Both drivers received a set of Dyer’s Top Rods and a leather jacket.

Promoters or representatives of UMP DIRTcar Racing tracks in attendance were recognized throughout the affair. Recipients of appreciation plaques included Eldora’s Boos; Farmer City Raceway; Kentucky Lake Motor Speedway; Oakshade’s Pam Henricks; La Salle Speedway; Bob and Gayle Kamp of Kamp Motor Speedway; Bill and Jean Nelson of Vermilion County Speedway; Mike Null of Montgomery County Speedway; William Scoggins of Clarksville/Crossville speedways; Stan Shanter of Belle Clair Speedway; Tom Sprague of Winston Motor Speedway; Billy West of Morgan County Speedway; Fairbury American Legion Speedway; I-55 Raceway; Track Enterprises (Macon Speedway and Paducah International Speedway); Highland Speedway; and Callaway Speedway.

In addition, Phil Richardson, who will take over the operation of Vermilion County Speedway in Danville, Ill., in 2008, was introduced to the assemblage.

World Racing Group Chief Operating Office Tom Deery delivered an uplifting speech on the future of UMP DIRTcar Racing to the banquet attendees – and also pointed out that the organization’s 2008 season will kick off in less than two weeks. The ‘Super of Bowl Racing’ runs from Jan. 23-Feb 2 at Golden Isles Speedway in Brunswick, Ga., and features UMP DIRTcar Racing Late Model programs on seven of its 10 nights, and the marquee 37^th annual Florida DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park follows with competition for both UMP Modifieds (Feb. 5-12) and Late Models (Feb. 11, 12, 13, 15).

Missouri’s Troy Naeger Doubled His Pleasure By Repeating As UMP DIRTcar Racing Sportsman National Champion In 2007

EVANSVILLE, IN – Nov. 30, 2007 – Troy Naeger enjoyed winning the 2006 UMP DIRTcar Racing Sportsman National championship so much, he decided to go after a repeat this season.

The veteran racer from Festus, Mo., made good on his goal for 2007, winning the UMP DIRTcar Racing support-division crown for the second consecutive year.

Title number two, however, had a slightly different feel for Naeger. This time around he was focused on winning the national championship from the first green flag of the season.

“Last year I had no intention of running for the national title,” said the 39-year-old Naeger. “I thought if you wanted to win it you would have to run a lot more races than I was willing to run, so I started the year just planning to run on Saturday nights at my local track (I-55 Raceway in Pevely, Mo.).

“But about three-quarters of the way through the (2006) season, I started looking at the points and I told my guys, ‘You know, this is do-able. If we really set our mind to it, we could win this thing.’ We spent the rest of the year going to some other tracks in Illinois to get some more races under our belt (the national title was determined using a driver’s best 20 finishes) and we were able to pull it out.”

The points-chasing experience Naeger gained en route to the championship led him to alter his strategy for the 2007 campaign.

“This year I said, ‘I’m not gonna run around at the end of the year trying to get points,’” said Naeger. “I knew that winning the championship this year would probably take running about 30 or 35 races because UMP made it the best 25 races (to determine the national champion), so we decided to run Friday (at Auto Tire & Park Speedway in Benton, Mo.) and Saturday (at I-55) every week.”

Racing two nights per week was “a big commitment,” said Naeger. A married father of two young sons (ages 11 and 8) who makes his living as the owner of a trucking company that hauls mobile homes from factories to dealers, Naeger fields his own racing equipment and does most of the preparation work on it himself.

“I have some good guys who help me at the track and come by the shop occasionally, but I pretty much do all my own work on the car,” said Naeger. “That definitely makes it harder to race two nights a week, but everybody has different things that they like about racing, and what I enjoy most is the time I spend working in the garage.

“For me, going to the racetrack is the proving ground for what you do in the garage. Running well on Saturday night is validation of what you do in the shop.”

Naeger’s handiwork earned plenty of validation in 2007. He won 16 features – just one less than UMP DIRTcar Racing Sportsman national win leader Pete Stefanski of Wheatfield, N.Y. – behind the wheel of his No. 12 machine, an ’85 Chevy Monte Carlo built by Impressive Race Cars and powered by a 350 Chevy engine.

After overtaking Greg Kimmons of Pleasant Plains, Ill., for the national points lead about three-quarters of the way through the season, Naeger was never headed. But a strong late push by Missouri’s Troy Medley gave Naeger reason to worry.

“We started off the season really good, but when the weather got hot and the tracks dried out and got slick we kinda struggled for a little bit,” said Naeger. “Then Troy Medley started catching fire, and it was a real challenge to hold him off.”

Naeger took the championship by a narrow 22-point margin (1,637-1,615) over Medley, who won eight features. He’ll collect a $5,000 national title check on Jan. 12, 2008, during the UMP DIRTcar Racing ‘Night of Champions’ Awards Banquet in Springfield, Ill.

“That $5,000 makes life a lot easier,” smiled Naeger, who also captured the UMP DIRTcar Racing Sportsman Missouri State points title. “Before UMP started the national points for the Sportsman, if you won a track championship all you had to look forward to was probably about $500 (in points-fund cash). That money from the track was definitely appreciated, but having a national championship and some bigger money to shoot for really means something to a driver.”

It also gives a race team a nice shot in the arm. Just ask Naeger, who uses the championship cash to fill his racing bank account and the championship glory to help entice more sponsors to back his operation.

“I’ve been lucky enough during my career to accumulate a great bunch of sponsors,” said Naeger, whose dozen-plus backers include longtime sponsor Brookside Homes, Tire Bargains, High Caliber Graphics and Oil Time. “And now, after winning the UMP championship, instead of having to go hunting for more sponsors, I’ve had people asking me if they can be on my car. When that started happening, I said, ‘This is different!’”

With the exception of a couple seasons away from competition after he got married and bought a house, Naeger has been racing since 1987. He’s driven in an array of different divisions – including Street Stocks, economy Late Models, open-wheel Modifieds, Mod Lights and 600cc Mini-Sprints – but he’s found a home with the UMP DIRTcar Racing Sportsman.

Naeger loves the Sportsman class, which encompasses such similar divisions as Super Streets, Pro Stocks and Limited Sportsman. UMP DIRTcar Racing sanctions Sportsman/Pro Stock racing in 10 states and Canada.

“I’ve had people ask me, ‘Why don’t you move up? Why don’t you get a Modified?’” said Naeger. “I tell them that the Sportsman class just fits me budget-wise. I’m not going to take money away from my family to go racing – and with all the great sponsors I have, I don’t have to spend my own money to run a Sportsman.

“Racing is my hobby, and if I run in a division that’s more expensive, it will take the fun out of it for me. If I can’t afford to race competitively, I don’t want to do it.”

Naeger paused, and then added, “When UMP picked up the Sportsman and made a national points race for the division, it was the best thing that ever happened – especially for me. You always used to wonder how you stacked up against other drivers like you around the country who don’t really travel a lot, and now we have a chance to see.”

Will Naeger see if he can top the UMP DIRTcar Racing Sportsman Nation for a third straight year in 2008? He’s not committing to a title assault – not yet, at least.

But there’s little doubt Naeger would be a favorite to three-peat. His championship reputation, after all, now precedes him.

National Points Standings (Rank/Driver/Races Counted/State/Points): 1. Troy Naeger 25 MO 1637; 2. Troy Medley 25 MO 1615; 3. Kent Nations 25 MO 1609; 4. Jimmy Cummins 25 IL 1561; 5. Greg Kimmons 25 IL 1558; 6. Pete Stefanski 25 NY 1503; 7. Justin Ketrow 25 IL 1493; 8. Dave Bissonnette NY 1483; 9. Jeff Herzog 25 MO 1479; 10. Mike Jessen 25 OH 1476; 11. Ronnie Bader 25 MO 1444; 12. Kyle Borgman 25 MI 1430; 13. Tom Smallwood 25 IL 1425; 14. Chad Weinrick 25 MI 1425; 15. Stephene Lebrun 25 NY 1403; 16. Mike Harris 25 IL 1400; 17. Robbie Eilers 24 IL 1390; 17. Louie Jackson 25 NY 1390; 19. Justin Delong 25 IL 1389; 20. Clayton Benedict 25 NY 1381; 21. Joey Ladouceur 25 NY 1368; 22. Jason Keller 25 MO 1361; 23. Jason Unzicker 25 IL 1356; 24. Joseph Hamm 24 TN 1346; 25. Denis Gauvreau 25 NY 1343;

26. Jason Jackson 24 LA 1343; 27. Darrell Dick 25 IL 1341; 28. Josh Steinacker 22 OH 1315; 29. Allen Peters NY 1309; 30. Joel Funk 25 IL 1304; 31. Robert Brooks 24 TN 1298; 32. Stan Dodds 25 MI 1255; 33. Mike Hodges 24 TN 1246; 34. Alan Crowder 25 IL 1245; 35. Ricky Thompson 25 NY 1225; 36. Bruce Takach 22 OH 1214; 37. Brock Bauman 25 IL 1209; 37. Jeff Graham 25 IL 1209; 39. Brian Fisher 21 OH 1199; 40. Jarred Fremin 22 LA 1184; 41. Dion Oakes 25 NY 1178; 42. Kyle Stolzer 25 MO 1170; 43. Rock Aubin 25 NY 1160; 44. P.J. Peters 24 NY 1136; 45. Mike Guinon 20 MI 1129; 46. Tom Johnson 21 OH 1126; 47. Ralph Sternberg 20 MI 1122; 48. Tim Fisher 20 OH 1114; 49. Chris Smith 21 OH 1091; 50. Neal Grisham 21 TN 1088

ILLINOIS STATE: 1. Greg Kimmons 1558; 2. Justiin Ketrow 1493; 3. Justin Delong 1389; 4. Mike Harris 1373; 5. Tom Smallwood 1357; 6. Jason Unzicker 1356; 7. Darrell Dick 1341; 8. Joel Funk 1304; 9. Jimmy Cummins 1272; 10. Alan Crowder 1245

TENNESSEE STATE: 1. Joseph Hamm 1346; 2. Robert Brooks 1298; 3. Mike Hodges 1246; 4. Neal Grisham 1088; 5. Jon Wix 968; 6. Jimmie Davenport 330; 7. Kent Nations 58

OHIO STATE: 1. Mike Jessen 1465; 2. Bruce Takach 1214; 3. Brian Fisher 1199; 4. Josh Steinacker 1135; 5. Tom Johnson 1128; 6. Tim Fisher 1114; 7. Chris Smith 1091; 8. Joe Derbeck 1083; 9. Terry Hinkle 1004; 10. Robert Mayle 944

FLORIDA STATE: 1. Chris Day 970; 2. Stanton Mills 948; 3. Barry Sheffield 740; 4. Nick Kerr 616; 5. Robby Richardson 540

MICHIGAN STATE: 1. Kyle Borgman 1430; 2. Chad Weinrick 1425; 3. Stan Dodds 1255; 4. Mike Guinon 1124; 5. Ralph Sternberg 1122; 6. Mike Peterson 1027; 7. Kurt Woodard 992; 8. Jared Gunnin 964; 9. Rob Sternberg 961; 10. Mike Anderson 937

INDIANA STATE: 1. Ryan Huddleston 1084; 2. Doug McCullough 968; 3. Kenny Sweat 966; 4. Kenny Carmichael Jr. 936; 5. Troy Overstreet 913; 6. Brad Hancock 910; 7. Scott Buchanan 852; 8. Joe Whisler 837; 9. David Huff 822; 10. Mike Staggs 816

MISSOURI STATE: 1. Troy Naeger 1646; 2. Troy Medley 1585; 3. Kent Nations 1572; 4. Jeff Herzog 1479; 5. Ronnie Bader 1412; 6. Jason Keller 1369; 7. Jimmy Cummins 1341; 8. Kyle Stolzer 1133; 9. Joe McCain 1017; 10. Tim Hollerback 851

NEW YORK STATE: 1. Pete Stefanski 927; 2. Dave Bissonette 907; 3. Louie Jackson 889; 4. Joey Ladouceur 876; 5. Stephenn Lebrun 875; 6. Allen Peters 870; 6. Clayton Benedict 870; 8. Jason Parkhurst 866; 9. Bob Waters Jr. 837; 10. Don Barnes 834; 10. Denis Gauvreau 834

UMP DIRTcar Racing Offers First Crate-Engine Division With Introduction Of Pro Late Models In 2008

EVANSVILLE, IN – Nov. 21, 2007 – UMP DIRTcar Racing will offer its first division that uses crate engines exclusively with the 2008 introduction of the Pro Late Model class, organization officials announced today.

Designed to provide racers an economical pathway to UMP DIRTcar Racing’s marquee Super Late Model and open-wheel Modified divisions, the Pro Late Models will combine the increasingly popular crate-engine concept with UMP DIRTcar Racing’s trademark uniform technical rules and other cost-cutting measures.

Tracks spread across Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Tennessee and other states are expected to be part of the UMP DIRTcar Racing Pro Late Model program in 2008.

“For the last three years the biggest question I’ve heard from people has been, ‘When is UMP DIRTcar Racing going to offer a crate Late Model division?’” said UMP DIRTcar Racing director Sam Driggers. “I’ve repeated that we’ve just been waiting for the right time to do it – and that time has come.”

The centerpiece of the Pro Late Model class will be the GM 602 and 604 crate engines. Aspiring competitors will be able to purchase the durable powerplants at a cost of approximately $3,500 (GM 602) or $5,000 (604).

UMP DIRTcar Racing’s Late Model body and chassis rules will be used for the Pro Late Models. Additional rules, including mandates on such items as shocks and tire compounds, will be put in place to help keep costs in check.

Complete Pro Late Model rules and information about purchasing GM crate engines will be available within the next week by visiting the UMP DIRTcar racing website at www.umpracing.com or calling the UMP DIRTcar Racing office at 812-426-1200.

The Pro Late Models will compete for UMP DIRTcar Racing National and State points championships in 2008, said Driggers.

This will be the eighth division sanctioned by UMP DIRTcar Racing, which sanctions over 100 racetracks in the United States and Canada. The Pro Late Models will be the first class in UMP DIRTcar Racing history that allows only crate engines to be used in competition.

The UMP DIRTcar Racing Sportsman/Pro Stock division did have a number of crate-engine entries in action in 2007 with the addition of DIRTcar Racing Northeast’s Pro Stock racers to the UMP title chase, but crates were not mandatory.

“We invite all UMP DIRTcar Racing tracks currently running crate-motor Late Model classes to join our Pro Late Model division in 2008,” said Driggers. “We see the division growing every year and serving as a great stepping-stone to our Super Late Models and open-wheel Modifieds.”

Jeff Leka Tops 2007 UMP DIRTcar Racing Open-Wheel Modified Ranks In Feature Wins, But Falls Short In National Points Battle

EVANSVILLE, IN – Nov. 13, 2007 – The unfortunate side of a dramatic, razor-close championship points battle is that there will probably be a loser.

In 2007 that fate befell Jeff Leka of Buffalo, Ill., who came up a mere four points short in one of the tightest national points races in the history of the UMP DIRTcar Racing open-wheel Modified division.

Leka, 41, led all UMP DIRTcar Racing open-wheel Modified drivers in 2007 with 27 feature wins during the points season (29 overall), but the lofty total wasn’t enough to bring him a first career national title. He finished second in the points standings to Denny Schwartz of Ashmore, Ill., who captured 18 features but accumulated four more points (2,517-2,513) than Leka.

Despite losing a $20,000 title that was literally in doubt until the last circuit of the points-season finale – the 25-lap UMP DIRTcar Racing Fall Nationals on Oct. 6 at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio – the preternaturally positive Leka showed no disappointment.

“There’s no reason to hang our heads,” asserted Leka, “because we’ve been fast all year.”

Indeed, Leka’s distinctive Bob Pierce Race Cars/Hovis Racing Engines No. 3L was blazing fast in ’07. He dominated the action at Farmer City (Ill.) Raceway (winning 11 features en route to his fourth consecutive championship at his Friday-night home), but he was no one-track wonder. Leka won at 13 other racetracks in four states, including Illinois’s Lincoln Speedway (five wins), Fairbury American Legion Speedway (two wins), Macon Speedway, Highland Speedway, Spoon River Speedway, Morgan County Speedway, Kankakee Motor Speedway and La Salle Speedway; Indiana’s Shady Hill Speedway and Lawrenceburg Speedway; Kentucky’s Paducah International Raceway and Western Kentucky Speedway; and Missouri’s I-55 Raceway.

All the visits to Victory Lane couldn’t get Leka a firm grip on the UMP DIRTcar Racing national points lead, however. After swapping the top spot in the standings with Schwartz several times during the late-summer and early-fall, he entered Eldora’s deciding Fall Nationals weekend trailing Schwartz by two points.

Under the UMP DIRTcar Racing points system, the national open-wheel Modified champ is determined using a driver’s best 35 finishes/points nights with an emphasis on car counts. A field of 21 cars provides one bonus point for each finishing position, with a one-point-per-car increase up to a maximum of 20 bonus points for fields numbering 40 or more.

Schwartz gained his slight advantage on Leka thanks to performing well in some events with higher car counts, but the title was still up for grabs in Eldora’s $3,000-to-win open-wheel Modified A-Main. If Leka could win the feature with Schwartz finishing outside the top four, the championship would belong to Leka by two points. Beyond that, the points would end in a tie if Leka won and Schwartz finished fourth or if Leka placed second and Schwartz couldn’t crack the top four.

The title battle in the Fall Nationals appeared to be a moot point after Leka qualified through a B-Main and Schwartz had to use a points provisional to start the A-Main because he experienced an assortment of problems during preliminary action.

But Leka refused to go down without swinging. Mired with the 20^th starting spot, he made a breathtaking charge forward, reaching second place behind Scott Orr by lap 11. With Schwartz having just cracked the top 10 at that point and battling an ailing engine to boot, Leka’s hopes suddenly appeared bright.

Alas, Leka couldn’t pull off a pass of Orr and had to settle for second place – and Schwartz made a valiant late-race assault of his own to finish third and hold on for his second career UMP DIRTcar Racing open-wheel Modified national points crown.

“I looked up at the scoreboard once and seen we were second and I didn’t know where Denny was, so I thought we might have a shot at pulling it out,” Leka said after the race. “But then I got in the cushion and packed the right-rear (wheel) full of mud. The car started vibrating, and after that I couldn’t slide-job Scotty without getting into him.

“I wasn’t gonna get into Scotty to win the race, so I said, ‘Well, let’s take our stuff home in one piece, and if we don’t win the points, we don’t win the points.’”

Leka didn’t win the UMP DIRTcar Racing national open-wheel Modified championship, the one honor that has proved elusive for a driver who has arguably been the Midwest’s biggest Modified star for the past decade. He has won over 200 features in the span, but his national points finishes include second (2004), third (1998), fourth (2006) and fifth (2003 and 2005).

“I’ve got second-place trophies, and third-place trophies, and fourth-place trophies, but I haven’t won it,” said Leka. “I don’t have that first-place trophy.

“But you know what? If I don’t win it, I won’t lose no sleep over it. Because, man, the stuff we did this year, to me, it’s a lot. Me, my wife, my kids, my guys – we all had fun this year. I’m a mechanic at my brother-in-law’s (auto repair) shop, and I feel fortunate to be able to do what we do.”

Leka, a former winner of the UMP DIRTcar Racing Sportsman of the Year Award, is a steely-eyed competitor, but he won’t let an unsuccessful title pursuit tear him up inside.

“I like to race. I like to compete. I like pressure,” said the approachable Leka. “You give me a challenge, and I’m gonna go to my fullest to get it done, but I’m not gonna get all worked up about it.

“I’ve been doing this a long time, and this points deal wasn’t nerve-racking to me. When we won the (NASCAR) Winston Racing Series national championship (in 1999) that paid $150,000 – now that was nerve-racking.

“Like I told everybody – we’re not gonna drag our heads because we didn’t win the UMP championship,” he added. “We walked in smiling, and we’re gonna walk out smiling. We wish it would’ve turned out better for us, but that’s the way it is.”

Schwartz noted after clinching the title that he wouldn’t have minded finishing the national points in a tie with Leka, and Leka felt similarly.

“I think it would’ve been neat as heck if we tied,” said Leka, who did tie Schwartz for the UMP DIRTcar Racing North Region points title and won the Illinois State points outright. “There’s never been a tie, so we would’ve been the first ones. We could’ve put the $20,000 (for first place) and $10,000 (for second place) together and split it, and we both would’ve been happy.”

Regardless, Leka was happy he battled to the wire with a driver he deeply respects.

“Everybody thinks me and Denny don’t like each other, but we get along,” Leka said of Schwartz. “Denny calls me, I call Denny. Hell, last year I ran his car when mine broke.

“Everybody thinks that when you go to the racetrack and you see Denny Schwartz and Jeff Leka – man, there’s gonna be a battle! Well, we’ll put a show on for you, but we’ll put a clean show on for you. We’ll slide-job each other, and we won’t take each other out.

“That’s what it’s all about. When you can race a guy like that, and put a show on for the fans, people appreciate it.”

Leka will be back behind the wheel of his UMP DIRTcar Racing open-wheel Modified in 2008, racing side-by-side with Schwartz for plenty of wins and making another run at that national title.

“We ran the Late Models for a long time and won track championships,” said Leka, a solid supporter of the UMP DIRTcar Racing open-wheel Modified class. “But I just could never compete with guys like Bloomer (Scott Bloomquist), Moyer (Billy Moyer) – those big guys – in the big shows.

“This here, (UMP) Modified racing, we can afford to do it. I’m not one to take away from the house (and family) to go racing. With the Modified I don’t do that, and we can still go to a $5,000 (to win) Modified race and hopefully we’re gonna be running for a spot in the top five.”

“Next year we’re gonna try again to win it,” said Leka. “If it happens, we’ll be happy. If it doesn’t, we’ll just try again.”

2007 UMP DIRTcar Racing Open-Wheel Modified Top 20 Feature Winners List (UMP DIRTcar members only):

Denny Schwartz Worked Hard In 2007 To Secure Second Career UMP DIRTcar Racing Open-Wheel Modified National Championship

EVANSVILLE, IN – Nov. 8, 2007 – There was nothing easy about the route Denny Schwartz took to the 2007 UMP DIRTcar Racing Open-Wheel Modified national championship.

After spending the late-summer and early-fall locked in a tense, one-on-one battle for the top spot in the points standings with longtime rival Jeff Leka, Schwartz literally secured the $20,000 title on the final lap of the season’s final race.

“Like I’ve told everybody,” Schwartz said after clinching his second career UMP DIRTcar Racing Open-Wheel Modified national crown, “it seems like I always do it the hard way.”

Schwartz, a 47-year-old, second-generation racer from Ashmore, Ill., couldn’t have been more relieved than he was after beating Buffalo, Ill.’s Leka by a mere four points (2,517-2,513) in one of the closest national championship chases in UMP DIRTcar Racing history. The neck-and-neck struggle with Leka was almost too stressful for Schwartz to handle.

“I damn near made myself sick over this,” Schwartz said of the points race as it came down the stretch. “I finally told everybody on my crew, ‘I’m done with this. I can’t worry so much about the points.’

Thus Schwartz tried to take a more relaxed outlook into the points-season finale, the UMP DIRTcar Racing Fall Nationals on Oct. 5-6 at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio. That was easier said than done, however, because Schwartz held only a precarious two-point lead over Leka and his weekend appeared to be spiraling down the tubes during the Friday-night qualifying program.

Schwartz’s Pierce Race Cars/Mullins Race Engines No. 21s was involved in a tangle on an opening-lap restart of the fourth heat at Eldora, but he continued racing at the rear of the field. Unbeknownst to Schwartz, however, his car’s radiator mounts had broken, causing water to dump out of the radiator with every lap he turned. He charged all the way back up to second before stopping on the backstretch on the final lap, leaving him with an extremely overheated motor and a starting spot deep in a B-Main the next night.

“After everything that went wrong (that Friday night), I actually was ready to just give up and say, ‘The hell with it,’” recalled Schwartz, shaking his head. “I thought I’d be better off just staying in the trailer (on Saturday).”

But the hard-nosed Schwartz couldn’t bring himself to pack it in and hope he could still hold on to win the title. He knew that he could lose the championship if he finished outside the top four and Leka won Saturday night’s 25-lap A-Main – and that was a distinct possibility. After all, even though Leka had also failed to qualify through a heat, he had come from a mid-pack starting spot to capture the 2006 UMP DIRTcar Racing Fall Nationals feature.

So Schwartz and Co. put their noses to the grindstone and patched up their orange Modified for Saturday’s action.

“We had to rebuild the radiator mounts and fix some other stuff on the car,” said Schwartz. “So we went back to the motel and worked until about 5 o’clock (in the morning). Then we got back up at 9, ate breakfast, and worked on it again until it was time to race.”

Schwartz encountered more problems in Saturday night’s B-Main, adding to his worries. Early in the second B-Main he ended up going underneath a bouncing Modified in turn one, ripping up the right side of his bodywork and causing his roof to flap in the breeze when he went back to racing. He climbed as high as fourth with his handicapped car before slowing on the final lap, forcing him to use a UMP DIRTcar Racing points provisional to start the A-Main.

“It was like a parachute with that roof flapping up,” said Schwartz. “It just wouldn’t drive down in the corner the rest of the race. (Bob) Pierce (the well-known car builder and former Late Model driver) always told me the body is a big deal at Eldora, and he’s right. It just wanted to skate.”

After making more repairs, Schwartz took the green flag in the A-Main from the 25^th starting spot. Leka was only three rows ahead in 20^th after winning a B-Main, but the 41-year-old standout didn’t stay there long, cutting through the field in dramatic fashion to reach second place by lap 11.

When Leka began pressuring Scott Orr for the lead, Schwartz had just cracked the top 10. Suddenly, with Leka on the charge and Schwartz not even certain that his ailing engine could last to the finish, Schwartz seemed to be watching the championship slip through his fingers.

“We actually melted the motor down (on Friday night),” said Schwartz. “A half-hour after the heat, it was still over 270 (degrees). But we’re a one-motor deal, so we just ran it (on Saturday) and crossed our fingers that it would hang on all night.”

Leka’s explosion to the front left Schwartz unable to baby his car to the finish. He had to get on the move fast, injured powerplant notwithstanding.

“Oh, I was watching (Leka) creeping up, and I didn’t think I had it in me to get up there,” said Schwartz. “But then I went into a different mode or something. I just said, ‘The heck with it. I gotta try something.’ So I just started running the snot out of it.

“I put it way out there above the cushion, and that got me a bunch of spots. When I got to fifth (on lap 16), I was counting cars.”

When a caution flag flew on lap 24, Schwartz sat fourth and Leka was still second. That would have been enough to preserve the title for Schwartz, but if Leka managed to pull off a dramatic win on the final-lap restart and Schwartz slipped one spot to fifth, then Leka would snare his first career UMP DIRTcar Racing national crown. What’s more, if Leka won and Schwartz stayed in fourth, then the two drivers would finish in an unprecedented championship tie and split the first- and second-place points money.

Alas, Leka, hampered by a vibration due to mud that was caked in his right-rear wheel, settled for second place, while Schwartz found just a little more in reserve and executed a last-lap pass to claim third at the finish line and clinch his second national title in three years.

“I done decided, ‘I’m gonna win this thing,’” Schwartz said on Eldora’s homestretch after completing his relentless late-race assault to bag the points crown. “The motor is hurt real bad – in fact, I don’t think there’s any water left in it – but I think in one more lap, I was gonna win that feature too.”

The dramatic season-ender at Eldora was a rare instance in which Schwartz was glad he hasn’t really mellowed over the years. He noted during the post-race ceremonies that his penchant to hammer the gas put him in position to become a repeat UMP DIRTcar Racing open-wheel Modified national champ.

“My son uses his head a little more than I do,” Schwartz said of his 24-year-old son Danny, who finished 15^th in the 2007 UMP Modified national points standings. “I kinda drive with my foot, so he must’ve taken a little more after his Mom. She’s more level-headed than me.

“My head’s more like a big pop-off valve – but it’s a good thing it popped off tonight!”

Schwartz actually felt a tinge of regret in defeating Leka, who recorded more feature wins than Schwartz in 2007 (29-18) but couldn’t compile enough points for the title.

“I’ve been racing with Jeff all year, and we’ve done some good racing,” said Schwartz. “I wish we could’ve just tied – I didn’t want to just give it away, but wouldn’t have minded if we ended up tied. He deserved to win it just as much as we did.”

“In my opinion, Jeff really had the better year,” conceded Schwartz, who finished in a tie with Leka for the North Region points championship. “He was more consistent every night, and he had a lot more wins. I just played the game – like I told him, I played chess all summer.

“Actually, the points are (computed) a little different than the first time I won the championship (in 2005). If (the points system) would’ve been like it was two years ago, Jeff would’ve won this hands down.”

Schwartz paused, and then added with a smile, “I don’t feel sorry for (Leka), though. I mean, the guy wanted to win, but I can’t say I didn’t want to win it.”

Yes, winning the UMP DIRTcar Racing open-wheel Modified national title means a lot to Schwartz. He is, after all, a UMP Modified guy through and through.

“I really like UMP Modifieds,” he said. “I raced Late Models back 14 years ago and I’d love to go back and do it again, but I own the car and Modifieds are what I can afford to race. Like anything, the costs keep going up, but what I like about the UMP Modifieds is that you can take off and go to about any state you want, and you can run these things.

“And I build these cars at Pierce (Chassis in Oakwood, Ill). I do bodies, weld – basically I float around and do whatever needs to be done. I about see these cars in my sleep.”

Racing at least two nights a week – and often more – to chase UMP DIRTcar Racing Modified points left Schwartz, his 62-year-old sponsor/mechanic Bud Price and the rest of his team “about wore out,” but you can bet he’ll be back digging away in 2008.

“I’ve loved racing ever since I was a little kid,” said Schwartz, whose father started the family’s race-driving tradition. “Actually, I wanted a racetrack, but I just got a race car instead and I still enjoy it.”

Schwartz will receive his championship trophy and points-fund cash on Sat., Jan. 12, 2008, during the UMP DIRTcar Racing ‘Night of Champions’ Awards Banquet at the Crowne Plaza in Springfield, Ill.

For more information on the Awards Banquet, visit www.umpracing.com or call the UMP DIRTcar Racing office at 812-426-1200.

Official Final 2007 UMP DIRTcar Racing Open-Wheel Modified Points Standings:

National Points Standings: 1. Denny Schwartz 2517; 2. Jeff Leka 2513; 3. Shelby Miles 2413; 4. Bobby Martintoni 2330; 5. Gary Cook Jr. 2321; 6. Jesse Cramer 2319; 7. Kent Robinson 2314; 8. Bobby Bittle 2271; 9. Bub Patrick 2247; 10. Randle Sweeney 2246; 11. Dave Porth 2224; 12. Ryan Thomas 2222; 13. McKay Wenger 2205; 14. Todd Sherman 2181; 15. Danny Schwartz 2157; 16. Matt Bex 2146; 17. Mike Spatola 2135; 18. Tim Reynolds 2104; 19. Chuck Haga 2099; 20. Jon Henry 2088;

21. Matt Boknecht 2083; 22. Andy Sprague 2082; 23. Lance Dehm 2080; 24. Rob Fuqua 2077; 25. Scott Orr 2076; 26. Kevin Hastings 2068; 27. John McCaul 2064; 28. Bill Lewis 2040; 29. Greg Amick 2036; 30. Derek Losh 2034; 31. Matt Goulden 2031; 32. Doug Adkins 2009; 33. Tony Anderson 1999; 34. Brian Bielong 1994; 35. Arby Burton 1985; 36. Clayton Miller 1984; 37. Jason Hastings 1978; 38. Chad Evans 1962; 39. Ray Walsh 1962; 40. Dan Dykman 1937;

41. Ben Stephens 1936; 42. Lee Hobbs 1924; 43. Tim Rivers 1919; 44. Jeff Curl 1902; 45. Tommy Kroll 1886; 46. Richie Ginn 1879; 47. Mike Vanderiet 1875; 48. Randy Myers 1840; 49. Mark Herbert 1835; 50. Jeff Wellum 1834; 51. Gabe Menser 1817; 52. Jeb Freidman 1796; 53. Kenny Carmichael 1793; 54. Gary Richard 1784; 55. John Demoss 1784; 56. Jim Farris 1776; 57. Matt Bachman 1761; 58. Chad Osterhoff 1734; 59. Mike Wilbern 1732; 60. Brian Lynn 1728;

61. Rich Neiser 1697; 62. Mike Harrison 1668; 63. Tim Hancock 1660; 64. Randy Whitten 1648; 65. Vince Cooper 1636; 66. Todd Gilpin 1619; 67. Brent Londeree 1617; 68. Kevin McCarty 1616; 69. Tim Tuttle 1593; 70. Jamie Wilson 1572; 71. Mark Miner 1571; 72. Kyle Cooper 1561; 73. Dean Hoffman 1549; 74. Brad Wieck 1530; 75. Brett Korves 1513; 76. Miles Thalman 1506; 77. Tim Walker 1503; 78. Devin Gilpin 1502; 79. Scott Weber 1457; 80. Chris Smith (#155) 1447;

81. Josh Ferguson 1426; 82. Daniel Lewellwn 1424; 83. A.J. Garber 1422; 84. Justin Houston 1418; 85. Chad Sellers 1416; 86. Jamie Cobb 1408; 87. Aaron Ricketts 1395; 88. Paul Bailey 1395; 89. Matt Miley 1388; 90. Daryl Herbert 1381; 91. Joel Funk 1380; 92. Nick Poole 1374; 93. Cody Hood 1365; 94. Brian Yeatman 1358; 95. Randy Shuman 1333; 96. Jon Horn 1325; 97. Michael Bolyard 1321; 98. Marty Smith 1311; 99. Jason Henry 1308; 100. Shane Hebert 1303

NORTH REGION: 1. (tie) Denny Schwartz 2409; 1. (tie) Jeff Leka 2409; 3. Gary Cook Jr. 2267; 4. Dave Porth 2187; 5. McKay Wenger 2176; 6. Mike Spatola 2124; 7. Tim Reynolds 2104; 8. Chuck Haga 2099; 9. Andy Sprague 2082; 10. Kevin Hastings 2066; 11. John McCaul 2064; 12. Lance Dehm 2049; 13. Derek Losh 2008; 14. Jason Hastings 1978; 15. Arby Burton 1966; 16. Bub Patrick 1947; 17. Dan Dykman 1937; 18. Tommy Kroll 1886; 19. Jeff Curl 1877; 20. Rob Fuqua 1876

SOUTH REGION: 1. Randle Sweeney 2222; 2. Clayton Miller 1962; 3. Miles Thalman 1506; 4. Tim Walker 1446; 5. Justin Houston 1418; 6. Jamie Cobb 1408; 7. A.J. Garber 1370; 8. Jeff Elliott 1252; 9. Michael Bolyard 1233; 10. Steve Ladd 1220; 11. Brandon Dierlam 1196; 12. Fred Thalman 1179; 13. Matt Thomas 1164; 14. Dustin Isom 1154; 15. Jeff Parks 1149; 16. Dustin Ladd 1138; 17. Brian Shaw 1137; 18. Michael Coakley 1130; 19. Ron Wall 1129; 20. George Herter 1090

EAST REGION: 1. Shelby Miles 2323; 2. Todd Sherman 2151; 3. Matt Bex 2120; 4. Jon Henry 2088; 5. Matt Boknecht 2083; 6. Bill Lewis 2040; 7. Kent Robinson 2025; 8. Tony Anderson 1999; 9. Scott Orr 1996; 10. Doug Adkins 1979; 11. Lee Hobbs 1868; 12. Greg Amick 1832; 13. Gary Richards 1784; 14. Jesse Cramer 1760; 15. Todd Gilpin 1629; 16. Brent Londeree 1617; 17. Kevin McCarty 1606; 18. Brad Wieck 1530; 19. Devin Gilpin 1502; 20. Tim Rivers 1460

WEST REGION: 1. Bobby Martintoni 2282; 2. Bobby Bittle 2252; 3. Brian Bielong 1994; 4. Ray Walsh 1779; 5. Matt Goulden 1651; 6. Chad Evans 1601; 7. Mark Miner 1571; 8. Mike Vanderiet 1496; 9. Dean Hoffman 1485; 10. Brett Korves 1475; 11. Tim Hancock 1456; 12. Chris Smith #155 1447; 13. Randy Myers 1420; 14. Mike Harrison 1385; 15. Marty Smith 1311; 16. Chad Sellers 1309; 17. Paul Bailey 1244; 18. Scott Weber 1214; 19. Doug Wood 1160; 20. Kenny Neu 1157

DEEP SOUTH REGION: 1. Ben Stephens 1936; 2. Richie Ginn 1879; 3. Mark Herbert 1835; 4. Matt Miley 1388; 5. Nick Poole 1374; 6. Jason Henry 1308; 7. Shane Hebert 1303; 8. Kent Wood 1287; 9. Gregg Hollingsworth 1173; 10. D.J. Purvis 1108; 11. Brad Rose 1030; 12. Lance Broadus 1028; 13. Michael Barfield 973; 14. Chris Smith #88 905; 15. Chris Cassano 884; 16. Charlie MacNichol 863; 17. Danny Hebert 834; 18. Jerry Cassano 829; 19. Troy Seidl 796; 20. Robby Barker 782

CALIFORNIA STATE: 1. Kenny Neu 1157; 2. Ed Daviess 1075; 3. Donny Bottoms 925; 4. Joel Hannagan 915; 5. Mike Salazar 835; 6. Jack Waldon 781; 7. Smoke Oakley 778; 8. Rickey Berndt 748; 9. John Toolanen 705; 10. Aaron Crowell 703

COLORADO STATE: 1. Robbie Chiles 740; 2. Tommy Spurlock 696; 3. Jason Kirkpatrick 670; 4. Trevan Pepper 664; 5. Terry Chiles 640; 6. Kris Asbell 594; 7. Matt Ratzlaff 580; 8. John McCormick 540; 9. Michael McKinsey 452; 10. Chris Boone 412

FLORIDA STATE: 1. Matt Miley 1388; 2. Nick Poole 1374; 3. Charlie MacNichol 863; 4. Chris Smith #88 676; 5. Patrick Williams 604; 6. Dave Barber 597; 7. Rick Scott 465; 8. Greg Vandergriff 450; 9. Eddie Tribble 424; 10. Don Rollison 370

ILLNOIS STATE: 1. Jeff Leka 2453; 2. Gary Cook Jr. 2321; 3. Dave Porth 2168; 4. McKay Wenger 2129; 5. Lance Dehm 2049; 6. Brian Bielong 1988; 7. Chad Evans 1954; 8. Jason Hastings 1932; 9. Kevin Hastings 1922; 10. Jeff Curl 1898

INDIANA STATE: 1. Shelby Miles 2341; 2. Jesse Cramer 2295; 3. Kent Robinson 2247; 4. Matt Bex 2136; 5. Ryan Thomas 2136; 6. Greg Amick 2036; 7. Matt Boknecht 2019; 8. Bub Patrick 1924; 9. Lee Hobbs 1868; 10. Bill Lewis 1656

KENTUCKY STATE: 1. Randle Sweeney 1685; 2. Miles Thalman 1484; 3. Justin Houston 1418; 4. Jamie Cobb 1408; 5. Tim Walker 1352; 6. Jeff Elliott 1242; 7. Steve Ladd 1220; 8. Fred Thalman 1179; 9. Dustin Ladd 1138; 10. Michael Coakley 1130

LOUISIANA STATE: 1. Shane Hebert 799; 2. Michael Barfield 755; 3. Chris Blaszak 627; 4. Richie Ginn 615; 5. Leslie Hendrix 476; 6. Danny Hebert 465; 7. Chris Cassano 444; 8. Tommy Cannon 341; 9. Jerry Cassano 251; 10. Kevin Maddox 191

MICHIGAN STATE: 1. Andy Sprague 2082; 2. John McCaul 2064; 3. Day Dykman 1888; 4. Mike Wilbern 1732; 5. Rich Neiser 1687; 6. Randy Whitten 1631; 7. Tim Tuttle 1539; 8. Jon Horn 1325; 9. Jacob Poel 1079; 10. Jeremy Holman 1052

MISSOURI STATE: 1. Bobby Martintoni 1525; 2. Ray Walsh 1397; 3. Bobby Bittle 1394; 4. Mark Miner 1290; 5. Doug Wood 1160; 6. Mike Vanderiet 1111; 7. Jason Russell 1021; 8. Leroy Haney 1016; 9. Dennis Richards 845; 10. Ray Wagner 835

MISSISSIPPI STATE: 1. Mark Herbert 1823; 2. Ben Stephens 1812; 3. Richie Ginn 1509; 4. Jason Henry 1308; 5. Kent Wood 1179; 6. Gregg Hollingsworth 1163; 7. D.J. Purvis 1108; 8. Brad Rose 1030; 9. Lance Broadus 1028; 10. Robby Barker 740

OHIO STATE: 1. Jon Henry 2083; 2. Doug Adkins 1979; 3. Tony Anderson 1875; 4. Todd Sherman 1812; 5. Gary Richard 1784; 6. Brian Post 1209; 7. Brent Hole 1206; 8. Anthony Kinkade 1195; 9. D.J. Cline 1145; 10. Darryl Banks 1068

OREGON STATE: 1. Mark Wauge 707; 2. Monte Bischoff 675; 3. C.J. Putnum 610; 4. Jeff Hudson 607; 5. Kevin Putnum 571; 6. Justin Holt 569; 7. Wayne Kniffen 366; 8. Travis Peery 350; 9. Jeremy Richey 311; 10. Jerry Severson 281

TENNESSEE STATE: 1. Clayton Miller 1484; 2. A.J. Garber 1291; 3. Matt Thomas 1104; 4. Billy Palmer 1039; 5. David Flowers 902; 6. Charles Zimmerman 816; 7. Steve Mullinax 609; 8. Dustin Isom 490; 9. Randle Sweeney 346; 10. Aaron Ogle 281

TEXAS STATE: 1. Troy Seidl 796; 2. Jay Vinson 754; 3. Mike Girardo 598; 4. Edward Wickham 378; 5. Benny Perry 290; 6. Johnny Brown 236; 7. Richie Ginn 56

CANADA: 1. Curtis Coulter 776; 2. Jim Dale Jr. 726; 3. Joey Brousseau 690; 4. Abe Unger 654; 5. Aaron Wiebe 546; 6. Chris Vandewiele 492; 7. Brian Spellman 146; 8. Brad McLeod 40

FLORIDA WINTERNATIONALS: 1. Joey Kramer 484; 2. Steve Arpin 382; 3. JEFF MATHEWS 230; 4. Denny Schwartz 222; 5. Jeff Leka 214; 6. Dave Groves 184; 7. Rob Fuqua 176; 8. J.E. Stadler 152; 9. Scotty Kincaid 150; 10. Julie McDermid 148

FLORIDA DIRTcar NATIONALS: 1. Steve Arpin 550; 2. Brian Strand 484; 3. Lee Hobbs 420; 4. Kenny Wallace 392; 5. Tom Seets 372; 6. Brad Waits 368; 7. Kevin Adams 354; 8. Mark Dotson 338; 9. Shawn Peterson 336; 10. Vance Wilson 332

Dennis Erb Jr. Achieves Historic Sweep Of UMP DIRTcar Racing Summernationals & National Late Model Titles

EVANSVILLE, IN – Oct. 17, 2007 – Dennis Erb Jr. will never forget his 2007 season.

“By far, this has been the best year ever for me,” said Erb, a 35-year-old, fulltime professional dirt Late Model driver from Carpentersville, Ill. “It’s just been unbelievable.”

Erb was the king of the UMP DIRTcar Racing Late Model world in ’07, becoming the first driver in the organization’s history to win both the grueling Summernationals tour and national points championships in the same season.

Of course, capturing the $25,000 Summernationals crown for the first time in his career was his primary objective for the campaign. Adding a first-ever UMP DIRTcar Racing national title, worth $20,000, to his spectacular 23-win (and still counting) season was an unexpected bonus.

“We didn’t have any plans to do it,” Erb said of chasing the national crown. “We basically started a month late (his first Northern start came in late April) because our new trailer wasn’t ready when the UMP points started (in late March), so we just went out and did our normal thing at the beginning of the year.

“We were really concentrating on the Summernationals this year. That was our goal – we put our minds to it and tried to get everything prepared to win that. When we ended up with that championship, it really made me feel good.

“Then, after we got out of the Summernationals, we realized we had a pretty good shot at the national deal,” he added. “We decided to go for it, focus on that and see where we’d end up.”

Erb was hundreds of points behind leader Wes Steidinger of Fairbury, Ill., when he began his pursuit of the national championship, making it appear unlikely that he could rally over the final two-and-a-half months of the season. There were even some who told Erb that he had no chance, but that only fueled his desire.

“When people say that it can’t be done, that gives you a little bit of extra incentive to go out there and do the best you can do,” said Erb, who turned 35 on Oct. 12. “It wasn’t like we were out to prove them wrong, but we knew we could still win it. With only your best 50 races counting (to determine the national title) and the way you got bonus points for good car counts (a 40-car field represented maximum points), we just had to keep plugging away at it.”

Erb caught fire after turning his attention to accumulating national points, winning nine times from July 20 to Aug. 31. His explosion included four August victories at Farmer City (Ill.) Raceway; three wins at Kamp Motor Speedway in Boswell, Ind.; and single triumphs at Kankakee (Ill.) Motor Speedway and Vermilion County Speedway in Danville, Ill.

While Steidinger by no means fell into a slump – the 24-year-old won a career-high 20 features this season – he couldn’t hold off Erb’s charge. Erb grabbed the points lead after the weekend of Sept. 15-17 and didn’t look back. He clinched the title the last weekend of September when he pushed his edge over Steidinger to 41 points, allowing him to run the season-ending UMP DIRTcar Racing Fall Nationals on Oct. 5-6 at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio, without any championship pressure

A third-place finish in Eldora’s 40-lap UMP DIRTcar Racing Fall Nationals A-Main unofficially left Erb’s final winning margin over Steidinger at 53 points (3,390-3,337).

Erb said the full magnitude of his historic UMP DIRTcar Racing accomplishment will “take a while to sink in,” but he’s already quite clear about what propelled him to so much success this season.

An owner/operator in the truest sense, Erb knows he wouldn’t have been able to enter nearly 90 events – including 67 under UMP DIRTcar Racing-sanction – without the assistance of his primary sponsors and benefactors.

“To make this thing work,” said Erb, “it takes people like Lee Thomason from Thomason Express; Ed Petroff from Petroff Towing; Johnny Johnson from J&J Steel; C.J. Rayburn (Erb’s chassis builder), who will give you anything he can to help you out; and Malcuit (Race Engines), who’s done a great job for us.

“Without all those people’s help and support, there’s no way we could be out there doing this. I owe a lot of thanks to them.”

Erb also would have a hard time performing at such a high level without the aid of Heather Lyne, who serves as his chief – and usually only – mechanic. Lyne, a 35-year-old electrical engineer for defense contractor Northrop Grumman, volunteered to help Erb in June 2001 and has been his right-hand “woman” ever since. She uses comp time and vacation days from her job to travel the circuit with Erb.

“We work pretty well together,” Erb said of Lyne, a favorite to win the 2007 UMP DIRTcar Racing Late Model Crew Chief of the Year Award that is voted upon by the organization’s membership. “She knows what I want done, and she knows how to do it. She’s definitely the hardest worker I’ve ever had.”

Erb and Lyne combined to prepare cars that rarely failed to finish races this season – the real key to Erb’s championships. He didn’t drop out of a single Summernationals event (25 races made up this year’s ‘Hell Tour’), and his worst finish in a UMP DIRTcar Racing event all season was 14^th.

“The big thing is, we didn’t really have any mechanical failures,” bottom-lined Erb. “Everything held together real good for us. If there was a problem, we actually caught it before it caused anything. We just kept up on our maintenance.

“When you can finish all the time, it definitely helps when you’re running for points.”

Since he has been making his living as a fulltime dirt Late Model driver for the past eight years, Erb understands that he must sacrifice plenty to be successful. But the payoff is a season like 2007.

“You give up everything for this deal,” said Erb, whose wife, Michelle, supports his racing endeavors (the couple doesn’t have any children). “There ain’t much free time to do anything, because you’re on the road so much, especially during the Summernationals, and you’re always working on your cars.

“So it’s big to get out there and run good. That’s what you have to do to keep things going.”

And for Erb, it’s extremely satisfying that the biggest glory of his career season came under the UMP DIRTcar Racing banner.

“I started running Late Models (in 1990) and basically grew up racing UMP tracks when (the organization) was growing too,” said Erb, who had previously finished as high as second in the national Late Model points standings (2006). “I’ve been a part of UMP and watched it grow over the years.

“Heck, I remember going and running some Summernationals shows with one car, traveling up-and-down the road following (six-time Summernationals champ) Billy Moyer with his big semi (hauler) – and now we have the equipment to go out and win championships too.

“I guess,” concluded Erb, “that growing up in UMP and finally winning a championship – winning both championships – means a lot to me and I think says a lot about what we can do.”

Erb will receive his points-fund cash and be crowned champion during the annual UMP DIRTcar Racing ‘Night of Champions’ Awards Banquet on Jan. 12, 2008, at the Crowne Plaza in Springfield, Ill.

Bloomquist & Orr Capture UMP DIRTcar Racing Fall Nationals Features At Eldora Speedway; Erb & Schwartz Crowned UMP National Champs

ROSSBURG, OH – Oct. 6, 2007 – Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, Tenn. (Late Models) and Scott Orr of Columbia City, Ind. (open-wheel Modifieds) registered hard-fought victories in Saturday night’s UMP DIRTcar Racing Fall Nationals at Eldora Speedway.

Bloomquist, 42, made a strong run to the front in the 40-lap Late Model A-Main, advancing from the ninth starting spot to grab the lead on lap 21 from Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va. A former winner of the half-mile oval’s prestigious ‘World 100’ and ‘Dream’ events, Bloomquist pulled away in the caution-free event to pocket the $10,000 top prize by a straightaway over Richards.

Orr added another notch to his ample Eldora victory belt in the 25-lap open-wheel Modified feature, earning $3,000 for his track-record 31^st career Modified win at the high-banked track. He led the entire distance but had to fend off a furious late-race challenge from Jeff Leka of Buffalo, Ill., who needed a triumph to keep alive his hopes of winning the UMP DIRTcar Racing open-wheel Modified national title.

With the two-day program closing out the 2007 UMP DIRTcar Racing points season, Dennis Erb Jr. of Carpentersville, Ill., was crowned the Late Model national champ and Denny Schwartz of Ashmore, Ill., claimed the open-wheel Modified title. Both drivers will receive a $20,000 check at the 2007 UMP DIRTcar Racing Awards Banquet, scheduled for Jan. 12, 2008, in Springfield, Ill.

Erb, 35, had already clinched his first-ever Late Model national crown before entering the weekend’s action, but the Modified battle literally went down to the final lap.

Schwartz, 46, entered the event with a two-point lead over Leka, whose only shot at vaulting ahead in the standings was to win the feature and have Schwartz finish outside the top four.

When Schwartz was forced to use a points provisional to start the A-Main due to a busted radiator during Friday’s heat action and his involvement in an accident in a Saturday-night B-Main, Leka, 41, seemed to have some hope. He was mired in the 20^th starting spot for the A-Main, but he cut through the pack in stirring fashion, reaching second place on lap 12.

While Leka challenged Orr for the lead, Schwartz made a stirring charge of his own from the 25^th starting position. He reached the crucial fourth spot on lap 19 and, after a lap-24 caution flag set up a one-lap dash to the checkered flag, he picked up one more spot to finish third and clinch the title.

Leka settled for second place, several car lengths behind Orr and just a car length ahead of Schwartz. Shelby Miles of Bloomington, Ind., and Kent Robinson, also of Bloomington, completed the top five.

The runner-up finish unofficially left Leka four points behind Schwartz in the final standings.

“I just kept plugging away,” said Schwartz, who earned his second UMP national crown in the last three years. “It didn’t look good for awhile there, but I just ran as hard as I could and we pulled it out.

“I’ve been racing with Jeff all year, and we’ve done some good racing. I wish we could’ve just tied – I didn’t want to just give it away, but wouldn’t have minded if we ended up tied. He deserved to win it just as much as we did.”

Leka, who was searching for his first career UMP Modified national championship, was gracious in defeat.

“I looked up at the scoreboard once and seen we were second and I didn’t know where Denny was, so I thought we might have a shot at pulling it out,” said Leka. “But then I got in the cushion and packed the right-rear (wheel) full of mud. The car started vibrating, and after that I couldn’t slide-job Scotty without getting into him.

“I wasn’t gonna get into Scotty to win the race, so I said, ‘Well, let’s take our stuff home in one piece, and if we don’t win the points, we don’t win the points.’

“We’ll just come back next. It was still a great year for us, and we’ll hold our heads high.”

“I’ve been trying to win this race every year, but it’s tough because there’s so many good guys here,” said Orr. “I finally did it – and I held off the best in the business.”

The Modified A-Main was marred by a frightening crash on the original start that saw fourth-starter Rob Williams of Eaton, Ohio, climb the homestretch fence and flip back into traffic. Jon Henry of Ada, Ohio, slammed the top of Williams’s flying car and Canadian Steve Arpin and West Virginia’s Kenny Johnson also became involved, but all drivers escaped the wreck without injury.

In the Late Model A-Main, Bloomquist gained a dose of redemption for his disappointing performances in the recent ‘World 100’ and the Sept. 29 Knoxville (Iowa) Late Model Nationals. His unspectacular run at Knoxville actually prompted him to enter the UMP DIRTcar Racing Fall Nationals.

“We weren’t happy with how we ran last week,” Bloomquist said of piloting his homebuilt ‘Team Zero’ mount to victory at Eldora. “We went home and stripped down the car and came here to see if we could get back on track.”

Bloomquist accomplished that goal, running a flawless race in his familiar No. 0. The 19-year-old Richards, who started sixth, beat Bloomquist to the front of the field, but he couldn’t hold off the veteran.

“We should’ve been set up like this for (the World 100),” said Bloomquist. “Then we might’ve had something for ‘em.”

Richards, who passed polesitter Dan Schlieper of Sullivan, Wis., for the lead on lap 13, was a runner-up in the UMP DIRTcar Racing Fall Nationals for the second consecutive year.

“We were off just a little bit,” said Richards, who drove his father Mark’s Rocket Chassis house car. “When we got to lapped traffic, (Bloomquist) was just more maneuverable. I had to move my car up the racetrack more to get through the corners.”

Erb started and finished third after racing right on Richards’s rear bumper for the final quarter of the race. Jeep VanWormer of Pinconning, Mich., advanced from the 20^th starting spot to finish a fast-closing fourth without the benefit of a caution flag, and Schlieper settled for fifth after leading laps 1-12.

The low-key Erb joined Schwartz on the frontstretch after the Late Model finale to receive recognition for his national championship. He made UMP DIRTcar Racing history as the first driver to win both the Summernationals and national crowns in the same season.

“When we came out of the Summernationals and saw we had a shot at the national deal, we decided to take a shot at it,” said Erb. “Some people said that we couldn’t do it, but when they say that it just gives you a little bit of extra incentive. We just did the best we could do, kept plugging away, and we got it done.”

Saturday’s Late Model heat races were won by Richards, Wayne Chinn of Tipp City, Ohio, Steve Sheppard Jr. of New Berlin, Ill., Schlieper, Erb and Rick Delong of Whitehouse, Ohio. The B-Mains were claimed by Jason Montgomery of Jackson, Ohio, VanWormer and Randy Korte of Highland, Ill.

Jared Hawkins of Fairmont, W.Va., crossed the finish line first in the sixth Late Model heat, but he was disqualified for weighing in three pounds light with his car after the event.

NOTE: Look for feature stories on UMP DIRTcar Racing national champions Dennis Erb Jr. and Denny Schwartz in the coming days.

Late Model Heat 1: Josh Richards, Darrel Lanigan, Dave Hess Jr., John Blankenship, Chad Zobrist, Mike Provenzano, Richie Hedrick, Andrew Reaume, Derek Didone, Brad Harden, Scott Baker, Shawn Phillippi, Bill Hahn, Jason Fegers

Late Model Heat 2: Wayne Chinn, Ben Adkins, Eric Jacobsen, Jason Montgomery, Dustin Moore, Derek Chandler, Daren Friedman, Aaron Scott, Jayme Zidar, Brett Reaume, Rusty Griffaw, Chris Ross, Adam Thrush

Late Model Heat 3: Steve Sheppard Jr., Scott Bloomquist, Jerry Bowersock, Brian Ruhlman, Bobby Kitchen, Jeep VanWormer,

Michael Kloos, Keith Berner, Brian Dively, Jason McBride, Ed Ellert, Jason Haskell

Late Model Heat 4: Dan Schlieper, Michael England, Alan Vochaska, John Mason, Wes Steidinger, Casey Noonan, Ky Harper, Kevin Reeve, Jim Felker, Jr., Jay Helton, Trace Westling, Kevin Nelson, Jr.

Late Model Heat 5: Dennis Erb Jr., Frank Heckenast Jr., Chad Ruhlman, Scott James, Randy Korte, Bill Faust, Tyler Boggs, J.R. Hotovy, Ken Hahn, Greg Haskell, Dan Smolders, George Lee, Duane Chamberlain

Late Model Heat 6: Rick DeLong, Tim Manville, Ted Loomis, Brad Eitinear, Donald Mihelich, Kevin Mack, Jon Horner, Don Gordon, Mike Schulte, Jimmy Gallagher, Ryan Dauber, Robby Hensley, Jared Hawkins

Late Model B-Main 1: Jason Montgomery, Richie Hedrick, Daren Friedman, Andrew Reaume, Scott Baker, John Blankenship, Chris Ross, Mike Provenzano, Derek Chandler, Brad Harden, Bill Hahn, Adam Thrush, Shawn Phillippi, Jayme Zidar, Chad Zobrist, Aaron Scott, Derek Didone, Brett Reaume, Dustin Moore, Rusty Griffaw, Jason Feger

Late Model B-Main 2: Jeep VanWormer, Brian Ruhlman, Casey Noonan, Bobby Kitchen, John Mason, Michael Kloos, Brian Dively, Wes Steidinger, Ky Harper, Jason McBride, Kevin Reeve, Trace Westling, Jim Felker, Jr., Jay Helton, Kevin Nelson, Jr., Ed Ellert, Keith Berner, Mike Mataragas, Jason Haskell, Jimmy Owens

Late Model B-Main 3: Randy Korte, Scott James, Billy Faust, Tyler Boggs, J. R. Hotovy, Jared Hawkins, Ken Hahn, Mike Schulte, Ryan Dauber, Greg Haskell, Don Gordon, Donald Mihelich, Duane Chamberlain, Brad Eitinear, Kevin Mack, JimmyGallagher, Dan Smolders, Robby Hensley, Jon Horner, George Lee

Modified B-Main 1: Randle Sweeney, Gabe Menser, Ed Roley, Clint Shutts, Jimmy Hayden, Mike Dirksen, Kevin Hastings, Dave Porth, Chad Bauer, Shane Unger, Brent Hole, Tony Molnar, Brandon Morrow, Bobby Pearson, Barney Craig, Brad McLeod, Gary Richard, Rich Robinson, Jr. Chad Rosenbeck, John Brooks, Craig Conyer, Ryan Thomas, Jesse Bitterling, Mike Free

Modified B-Main 2: Jon Henry, Steve Arpin, Brian Lynn, Chad Osterhoff, Todd Sanders, Jeff Wellum, Greg Socha, Mike Hohlbein, Rick Weekly, Mark Hotovy, Billy Palmer, Anthony Davis, Mike Chrisman, Dave Treon, Jr., Kasey Schrock, Ryan Huddleston, Shaun Smith, Denny Schwartz, Chad Begoon, Andrew Sprague, Doug Taylor, Nick Rosselit, Shawn Wildman, Mike Janis

Modified B-Main 3: Geroge Catanzano, Mike Spatola, Tommy Seets, Jr., Jeb Friedman, Doug Adkins, Dave Hess, Jr., Jesse Cramer, Jeff Babcock, J. D. Laster, John McCaul, Paul DeGoey, Ed Haudenschild, Gary Ricketts, Brad Powley, Mike Roediger, Davey Gantt, Kenny Johnson, Jason Hastings, Marion Gardner, Josh Morrow, Casey Luedeke, Tom Treon, Aaron Wiebbe, Sick Stout

Modified B-Main 4: Jeff Leka, Rob Fugua, Danny Schwartz, Dave Wheatley, Daryl Banks, Matt Huddleston, Bob Burch, Lenny Guyton, Mark Kowarsch, Jacob Poel, Steve Shute, Justin Matson, John Taylor, Darrell Lowe, Stan Smith, Scott Knepley, Tim Richardson, Steve Clark, Chad Ruhlman, Michael Brown, Lee Hobbs, Curtis Coulter, Don Lamb, Josh Scott

Steidinger Stars On Opening Night Of UMP DIRTcar Racing Fall Nationals At Eldora Speedway

ROSSBURG, OH – Oct. 5, 2007 – Wes Steidinger’s dream of winning the UMP DIRTcar Racing Late Model national championship has evaporated, but that doesn’t mean he has nothing to race for.

A victory in Saturday night’s 40-lap UMP DIRTcar Racing Fall Nationals A-Main at Eldora Speedway would be a nice consolation prize – and Steidinger made it clear on Friday night that he’s a serious contender for the $10,000 winner’s check.

Steidinger, 24, of Fairbury, Ill., was the star of Friday night’s UMP DIRTcar Racing Fall Nationals action, registering the overall fastest lap (16.045 seconds) among 79 entrants in the group qualifying session and winning the 10-lap Late Model Race of Champions event that closed the preliminary program.

The ‘Fairbury Flyer’ dominated the RoC sprint, which included 15 drivers who won UMP state, regional or series titles or were a chassis builder’s highest-ranked representative in the national points standings. He surged off the outside pole to grab the lead from 2007 UMP DIRTcar Racing Late Model national champ Dennis Erb Jr. of Carpentersville, Ill., on the opening circuit and never looked back en route to a $1,000 payday.

Erb settled for second in the Race of Champions, followed by Randy Korte of Highland, Ill., 14^th-starter Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va., and Rick Delong of Whitehouse, Ohio.

“We know how good of a car we have, so our hopes are high going into tomorrow’s show,” said Steidinger, who will start his Rayburn No. J1 from outside the second row in the fourth of Saturday night’s six scheduled Late Model heats. “If things go our way, we can be a contender.”

Steidinger enters Saturday night’s UMP DIRTcar Racing points-season finale with no mathematical chance to win the $20,000 national title after bowing to Erb, who overtook Steidinger for the points lead with a late surge and clinched his first-ever championship last week.

But Steidinger, who has scored a career-high 20 feature wins this season, will have no problem accepting a second-place finish in the national points if he can record his first-ever win at the Eldora half-mile.

“To win here would be way sweeter than winning the championship,” said Steidinger. “To do anything good here, against so much competition, is just a pretty awesome feeling.”

Other group fast-timers were Richards (16.303 seconds), Eric Jacobsen of Sea Cliff Beach, Calif. (16.316), Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, Tenn. (16.138), Frank Heckenast Jr. of Orland Park, Ill. (16.214) and Jared Hawkins of Fairmont, W.Va. (16.916).

Erb, who will officially be crowned the 2007 UMP DIRTcar Racing Late Model national champ on Saturday night, timed fourth-fastest in his group. But thanks to the invert, he’ll start from the pole position in the fifth heat.

Jimmy Owens of Newport, Tenn., who won last month’s World 100 at Eldora, ripped off the second-fastest overall lap of the night (16.095 seconds) but ran into major trouble in the Race of Champions. He dropped out on lap two when his No. 20 let out a thick belch of white smoke due to a busted oil line. With no backup motor in his trailer, it appeared that he would not return to compete on Saturday night.

A huge field of 117 UMP DIRTcar Racing open-wheel Modifieds was signed in for Friday night’s program, which featured group qualifying and eight 10-lap heat races.

Modified heat winners were Don Adams of London, Ky., Kent Robinson of Bloomington, Ind., Lance Dehm of Chatsworth, Ill., Scott Orr of Columbia City, Ind., Kyle Brown of Wooster, Ohio, Jerry Bowersock of Wapakoneta, Ohio, Rob Williams of Eaton, Ohio, and Shelby Miles of Bloomington, Ind.

The two combatants for the UMP DIRTcar Racing open-wheel Modified national title – Denny Schwartz of Ashmore, Ill., and Jeff Leka of Buffalo, Ill. – had tough nights.

Schwartz, who leads Leka by two points entering the Fall Nationals, was the fastest-timer for the fourth heat but ran into trouble on the opening lap. He hit the turn-one wall after tangling with another car and was forced to restart from the rear of the field.

The 2005 national champ rallied to challenge for second place – the final transfer spot – but stopped on the backstretch with tire and suspension problems on the last lap. He’ll have to come from deep in a B-Main field on Saturday night or be forced to use a points provisional to start the A-Main.

Leka, meanwhile, missed the heat invert with his time-trial clocking and fell one spot short of qualifying in his preliminary, finishing third. Thus he’ll have a big hill to climb if he wants to win Saturday night’s 25-lap A-Main.

Of course, Leka must win the feature and have Schwartz finish outside the top four to claim the championship.

Gates open on Saturday at 3 p.m., with the Modified Race of Champions set to begin the program at 6 p.m. Late Model heats and B- and A-Mains for both divisions are also on the agenda.

Starting Lineups For Saturday’s UMP DIRTcar Racing Late Model Heat Races (inside/outside, with Friday qualifying lap time):

Results of Friday Night’s UMP DIRTcar Racing Open-Wheel Modified Heat Races (10 Laps/Top 2 Transfer):

Heat 1: 1. Don Adams, 2. Jimmy Westerfield, 3. Gabe Menser, 4. Barney Craig, 5. Brad McLeod, 6. Ed Roley, 7. Tony Molnar, 8. Brandon Morrow, 9. Bobby Pearson, 10. Gary Richard, 11. Jesse Bitterling, 12. Mike Dirksen, 13. Mike Free, 14. Dave Porth, 15. Kenny Carmichael

Heat 2: 1. Kent Robinson, 2. Jeff Harris, 3. Randle Sweeney, 4. Ryan Thomas, 5. John Brooks, 6. Clint Shutts, 7. Kevin Hastings, 8. Jimmy Hayden, 9. Chad Rosenbeck, 10. Craig Conyer, 11. Rich Robinson Jr., 12. Chad Bauer, 13. Brent Hole, 14. Shane Unger, 15. Todd Ferber, 16. Doug Hewitt Jr.

Heat 3: 1. Lance Dehm, 2. Greg Johnson, 3. Shaun Smith, 4. Jon Henry, 5. Todd Sanders, 6. Chad Begoon, 7. Kasey Schrock, 8. Billy Palmer, 9. Ryan Huddleston, 10. Doug Taylor, 11. Anthony Davis, 12. Shawn Wildman, 13. Steve Arpin, 14. Mark Hotovy

Heat 4: 1. Scott Orr, 2. Rick Hensley, 3. Chad Osterhoff, 4. Brian Lynn, 5. Jeff Wellum, 6. Andrew Sprague, 7. Mike Hohlbein, 8. Denny Schwartz, 9. Mike Chrisman, 10. Greg Socha, 11. Nick Rosselit, 12. David Treon Jr., 13. Rick Weekly, 14. Mike Janis, 15. R.J. Bradford

Heat 5: 1. Kyle Brown, 2. Chad Evans, 3. Davey Gantt, 4. George Cantanzano, 5. Dave Hess Jr., 6. Tommie Sheets Jr., 7. Marion Gardner, 8. Jason Hastings, 9. Josh Morrow, 10. Casey Luedeke, 11. Bradley Powley, 12. Tom Treon, 13. Aaron Wiebe, 14. Rick Stout

Heat 6: 1. Jerry Bowersock, 2. Todd Sherman, 3. Jeb Friedman, 4. Kenny Johnson, 5. Mike Spatola, 6. J.D. Laster, 7. Paul DeGoey, 8. John McCaul, 9. Ed Haudenschild, 10. Mike Roediger, 11. Doug Adkins, 12. Gary Ricketts, 13. Jeff Babcock, 14. Jesse Cramer

Heat 7: 1. Rob Williams, 2. Dean Hoffman, 3. Jeff Leka, 4. Chad Ruhlman, 5. Dave Wheatley, 6. Lee Hobbs, 7. Justin Matson, 8. Scott Knepley, 9. John Taylor, 10. Lenny Guyton, 11. Mark Kowarsch, 12. Jacob Poel, 13. Steve Clark, 14. Don Lamb

Heat 8: 1. Shelby Miles, 2. Clayton Miller, 3. Rob Fuqua, 4. Danny Schwartz, 5. Darryl Banks, 6. Matt Huddleston, 7. Bob Burch, 8. Darrell Lowe, 9. Steve Shute, 10. Curtis Coulter, 11. Michael Brown, 12. Tim Richardson, 13. Stan Smith, 14. Josh Scott

Erb Ready For Late Model Coronation, Schwartz & Leka Set To Battle For Modified Title In This Weekend’s UMP DIRTcar Racing Fall Nationals At Eldora Speedway

ROSSBURG, OH – Oct. 3, 2007 – This weekend’s UMP DIRTcar Racing Fall Nationals at Eldora Speedway will serve as a coronation for Super Late Model star Dennis Erb Jr.

The two-night racing meet will be a battle to the final lap, meanwhile, for open-wheel Modified standouts Denny Schwartz and Jeff Leka.

Carpentersville, Ill.’s Erb heads into the Friday/Saturday (Oct. 5-6) UMP DIRTcar Racing points-season finale with the sanctioning body’s 2007 Super Late Model national championship already secured. His late-summer/early-fall surge has him 41 points ahead of Fairbury, Ill.’s Wes Steidinger – a deficit that Steidinger can’t overcome in Eldora’s 40-lap, $10,000-to-win A-Main on Saturday night.

The UMP DIRTcar Racing open-wheel Modified national points race is an entirely different story. Ashmore, Ill.’s Schwartz leads Buffalo, Ill.’s Leka by a scant two points, making it very likely that the title won’t be decided until the checkered flag falls in Saturday night’s 25-lap, $3,000-to-win feature for the division.

Erb, 35, clinched his first career UMP DIRTcar Racing Late Model national title last weekend. With Steidinger not entering any UMP DIRTcar Racing-sanctioned events over the weekend, Erb’s victory on Saturday night at Kamp Motor Speedway in Boswell, Ind. – the 22^nd of the season for the driver known as the ‘One Man Band’ – and a fifth-place finish in Sunday night’s rain-shortened ‘Fall Harvest Shootout’ at Quad City Raceway in East Moline, Ill., allowed him to wrap up the $20,000 crown.

Both Erb and Steidinger plan to compete in this weekend’s UMP DIRTcar Racing Fall Nationals, but even an Erb DNF and Steidinger victory wouldn’t change the national points standings. With both Erb and Steidinger already passing the best-50-finishes benchmark that is used to determine the champion, Steidinger can only gain a maximum of 14 points by winning the event (he’s replacing a seventh-place finish worth 66 points).

Erb will go into the recordbooks as the first driver in the history of UMP DIRTcar Racing Super Late Model action to win the Summernationals and national points championships in a single season.

“It feels great to become the first person to win both the UMP national championship and the UMP Summernationals in the same year,” Erb said in a team press release. “I was so far behind in the (national) points chase after the Summernationals that no one knew if I could make that many points up. But we set our minds to it and survived a great point battle with Steidinger.

“It is a relief to finally have it over with though, as we can now focus on winning the UMP Fall Nationals instead of worrying about the points.”

There will be no relaxing at Eldora for the UMP DIRTcar Racing open-wheel Modified national title contenders. Schwartz and Leka are so close, one misstep could ruin their hopes of winning the championship, which is determined using a driver’s best 35 finishes of the season.

Schwartz, who leads Leka 2,513-2,511, is in the driver’s seat to win his second UMP open-wheel Modified national crown in the last three years. With a fifth-place for 72 points being his next race to replace, he can unofficially assure himself of the title by placing third in Saturday night’s A-Main.

Leka, who is seeking his first-ever UMP open-wheel Modified national championship, will have just one option: win the feature. If Leka captures the 25-lapper and Schwartz fails to finish in the top-four spots, the former NASCAR Weekly Racing Series national champ would unofficially claim the title by two points over Schwartz.

Leka, who has 27 feature wins this season, is looking to replace a third-place finish for 76 points this weekend. That means only a win or runner-up finish will allow him to pick up more points – and if he finishes second, the best he could do is tie Schwartz for the title. The two drivers could also unofficially finish in a tie if Leka wins the race and Schwartz finishes fourth.

A repeat of the 2006 UMP DIRTcar Racing Fall Nationals would be fine with Leka, who came from the 11^th starting spot to score his first-ever win at Eldora in last year’s 25-lap A-Main. Schwartz, who entered last year’s Fall Nationals feature needing a top-five finish to have a shot at the title, finished a quiet ninth.

The UMP DIRTcar Racing national points standings will remain unofficial until an audit of all drivers is completed.

A huge field of cars is expected for the Fall Nationals, which have found a home at the high-banked, half-mile oval. Last year a total of 70 Super Late Models and 110 UMP DIRTcar Racing open-wheel Modifieds entered the event.

A talented army of drivers is expected to join Erb and Steidinger in the Super Late Model field. Some of the racers with plans to attend include top-five UMP points men Randy Korte of Highland, Ill., Steve Sheppard Jr. of New Berlin, Ill., and Jason Feger of Bloomington, Ill.; World of Outlaws Late Model Series regulars Steve Francis of Ashland, Ky., Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky. (last year’s Fall Nationals winner) and Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va.; Eldora’s recent Johnny Appleseed Classic victor Jeep VanWormer of Pinconning, Mich.; 2007 Sunoco American Late Model Series champ Brian Ruhlman of Clarklake, Mich.; Scott James of Lawrenceburg, Ind.; Bart Hartman of Zanesville, Ohio; and Wayne Chinn of Tipp City, Ohio.

Action kicks off on Fri., Oct. 5, with time trials for the Super Late Models and Modifieds; heat races for the Modifieds; and the Race of Champions for both divisions. The pit and spectator gates will open at 1 p.m., and hot laps are set to begin at 6:15 p.m.

On Sat., Oct. 6, the pit and spectator gates will open at 2:30 p.m. Racing is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. with heat races for the Super Late Models, followed by B-Mains and the features for both divisions.

Adult general admission is $5 on Friday night and $20 on Saturday. All kids 15 and under will be admitted free on Friday, and on Saturday admission is $12 for kids 12-15, $5 for children 7-11 and free for those 6 and under.

After the racing is completed on Friday night, a Barn Party will take place with D.J. Good Vibrations spinning tunes.

For more information on the UMP DIRTcar Racing Fall Nationals, visit www.eldoraspeedway.com or call 937-338-3815.

Additional info on UMP DIRTcar Racing is available by visiting www.umpracing.com.

2007 UMP DIRTcar Racing Late Model National Points Standings as of Oct. 1
(Rank/Driver/Points/Races Counted – Maximum of 50):

2007 UMP DIRTcar Racing Modified National Points Standings as of Oct. 1
(rank/driver/hometown/races counted – max of 35/points/feature wins):

Denny Schwartz & Jeff Leka Locked In Tight UMP DIRTcar Racing Modified National Points Battle Entering Final Two Weekends Of 2007 Season

EVANSVILLE, IN – Sept. 27, 2007 – The battle for the 2007 UMP DIRTcar Racing open-wheel Modified national championship is going down to the wire.

With this weekend’s weekly action plus the Oct. 5-6 UMP DIRTcar Racing Fall Nationals at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio, the only points races left on the schedule, Denny Schwartz of Ashmore, Ill., leads Jeff Leka of Buffalo, Ill., by a single point (2,513-2,512) in the Modified standings.

Schwartz is seeking his second UMP DIRTcar Racing Modified national title in the last three years, while Leka is chasing his first-ever national crown.

Leka, whose career highlight is winning the 1999 NASCAR Weekly Racing Series national championship, leads Schwartz in UMP DIRTcar Racing-sanctioned feature wins (27-18) this season. But it’s Schwartz who holds the slim edge in the national points standings, which are determined using a driver’s best 35 finishes and bonus points that are distributed on a one-point-per-car basis for fields numbering 21-40 cars.

The showdown between Schwartz and Leka for the $20,000 championship is so tense entering this weekend’s competition, neither driver is tipping their hand publicly regarding where they’ll head to chase points.

There are many variables that will factor into the championship battle, but the points picture will become much clearer after this weekend’s results are in. Odds are that the title will not be decided until the checkered flag falls on the Oct. 6 Modified A-Main that highlights Eldora’s UMP DIRTcar Racing Fall Nationals.

In other UMP DIRTcar Racing national points races, Missouri’s Troy Neager leads Troy Medley by 29 points and Kent Nations by 34 markers in his quest for a second straight Sportsman division title; Indiana’s Jerrad Krick has five drivers within 100 points of him in the Street Stock standings; Louisiana’s Jonathan Clayton has clinched the Limited Modified crown; and Tom Ordway owns a commanding advantage in the Factor Stock rundown.

Points leaders in the new Four-Cylinder division, meanwhile, include D.J. Werkmeister (Eastern Nationals), Joe Reed (Southern Nationals) and Mike Rittenberry (Mid-American Nationals).

2007 UMP DIRTcar Racing Modified National Points Standings as of Sept. 26 (rank/driver/hometown/races counted – max of 35/points/feature wins):

Erb Extends UMP DIRTcar Racing Late Model National Points Lead Over Steidinger With Two Weekends Of Action Remaining

EVANSVILLE, IN – Sept. 26, 2007 – Dennis Erb Jr.’s late-season surge continued last weekend, moving him closer to a career-first UMP DIRTcar Racing Late Model national championship.

On the strength of a victory and runner-up finish, Erb, 35, of Carpentersville, Ill., extended his lead in the national standings to 36 points over 24-year-old Wes Steidinger of Fairbury, Ill. Just this weekend’s weekly-track action and the Oct. 5-6 UMP DIRTcar Racing Fall Nationals at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio, remain in the points season.

Erb entered last weekend’s competition holding a slight four-point edge over Steidinger, who had his long run atop the standings end following the weekend of Sept. 14-16. But Erb’s advantage ballooned thanks to a pair of solid performances – a second-place finish on Sept. 21 at Kankakee (Ill.) Motor Speedway and a win on Sept. 22 at Kamp Motor Speedway in Boswell, Ind. (his 21^st overall triumph of 2007).

Steidinger finished second to Erb at Kamp, but an early exit from Friday night’s A-Main at Kankakee due to an accident left him with a crushing 17^th-place finish. The DNF continued a rough stretch for Steidinger, who had to take his favorite car back to C.J. Rayburn’s shop for repairs after it was damaged in a hard Sept. 15 crash at Kamp.

With the $20,000 UMP DIRTcar Racing national points title determined using a driver’s best 50 finishes (bonus points are also given on a one-point-per-car basis for fields of 21-40 cars), both Erb and Steidinger are looking to replace their lowest points totals to gain markers. Erb’s worst finish remaining in 63 starts is a ninth place with 58 points, and Steidinger’s worst finish in 72 starts is a seventh place with 66 points.

Erb is planning to chase UMP DIRTcar Racing national points this weekend at Kankakee (Friday), Kamp (Saturday) and Quad City Speedway in East Moline, Ill. (Sunday). Steidinger also has the Kankakee and Quad City shows on his schedule; he has a race at Peoria (Ill.) Speedway listed for Saturday, but it’s a non-point event that Erb also had on his schedule until replacing it with Kamp’s points event.

The bottom line is that Steidinger must right his ship with strong finishes this weekend – and hope that Erb doesn’t continue to roll up wins and seconds. If Steidinger can shave off a bit of Erb’s lead, then next weekend’s UMP DIRTcar Racing Fall Nationals at Eldora Speedway could become a dramatic points-season finale.

Erb, who finished second in the 2006 national points race, is looking to become the first driver to win the UMP DIRTcar Racing Summernationals and national points titles in the same season. Steidinger, meanwhile, is gunning for a career-first national title after finishing fifth in last year’s standings.

2007 UMP DIRTcar Racing Late Model National Points Standings as of Sept. 26 (Rank/Driver/Points/Races Counted – Maximum of 50):

Young Wes Steidinger Now Must Fight Back To Win First-Ever UMP DIRTcar Racing Late Model National Points Championship

EVANSVILLE, IN – Sept. 20, 2007 – Wes Steidinger’s almost season-long run atop the UMP DIRTcar Racing Late Model national points standings is over.

The question is: does the 24-year-old rising star from Fairbury, Ill., have enough time left to get the lead back?

Steidinger heads into this weekend’s action without the points lead for the first time in months. Two rough nights last weekend caused him to lose the top spot to 2007 UMP DIRTcar Racing Summernationals champion Dennis Erb Jr. of Carpentersville, Ill., who has been chipping away at Steidinger’s once-healthy edge for the past two months.

Erb, 34, now holds a four-point advantage over Steidinger, who suddenly finds himself wondering if he has enough left to pull out the $20,000 national title.

“Our hopes have been high ever since we got the (points) lead early in the season,” said Steidinger, who is chasing his first-ever UMP DIRTcar Racing national points crown. “We thought we could hold them all off, but it’s not looking good because of the bad luck we’ve been having.”

Steidinger has not yet lost the war by any means – not with two weekends of UMP weekly points collecting remaining, plus the season-finale UMP DIRTcar Racing Fall Nationals on Oct. 5-6 at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio. The title is determined using a driver’s best 50 points finishes of the season, so he still has several opportunities to replace his worst points nights with higher numbers.

But Steidinger’s hopes certainly took a very big hit last weekend, draining some of his morale.

After recording his 19^th overall feature win of 2007 on Sept. 14 at Kankakee (Ill.) Motor Speedway, Steidinger experienced his worst night of the season 24 hours later at Kamp Motor Speedway in Boswell, Ind. He tangled with Jason Feger of Bloomington, Ill., while battling for position during the ‘Kamp 50,’ and then Dan Walden of Crawfordsville, Ind., slammed into both Steidinger and Feger at high speed.

No one was injured in the fierce wreck, but it left Steidinger with a 19^th-place finish and a badly damaged Rayburn car.

“It wiped the front (end) clean off my car,” said Steidinger, whose machinery is owned by his father Mark. “We have to get the front reclipped, and that’s a big blow to us. We raced every night this year but three with that car, and we won all our races with it.”

Steidinger had to run his older Rayburn mount – a car he just doesn’t feel as comfortable driving – in the Sept. 16 World of Outlaws Late Model Series event at La Salle (Ill.) Speedway. He started from the pole position in the 40-lap A-Main, which offered UMP national points because the UMP Hoosier 20/40 tire rule was in effect for the night, but he faded once the green flag was thrown and ultimately retired from the race, finishing 20^th.

Pouring salt in Steidinger’s wound, Erb won the ‘Kamp 50’ and finished sixth at La Salle, giving him quality points nights that vaulted him into the national points lead.

Somehow, some way, Steidinger must put the disastrous weekend behind him and move on. His remaining schedule includes Kankakee (Sept. 21 and 28), Kamp (Sept. 22), Peoria (Ill.) Speedway (Sept. 29), Quad City Speedway in East Moline, Ill. (Sept. 30) and Eldora’s Fall Nationals.

Erb has the same six events listed on his schedule, setting up a head-to-head showdown with Steidinger for the title. UMP officials said Steidinger will need to finish seventh or better to replace his worst finishes, while Erb must finish ninth or better to replace his low points nights.

“It’s gut-check time right now,” bottom-lined Steidinger, who finished a career-high fifth in the 2006 UMP DIRTcar Racing Late Model national points race. “I have a good team that helps keep my head up for me when I get down like we are now. They’re gonna push me, and hopefully we can just stick together as a team and pull it out.”

It will be little consolation to Steidinger if he falls short of the title, but the fact is, win or lose, he has taken a giant leap forward in his career this season. In his sixth year of dirt Late Model racing, Steidinger has won at eight different tracks (Illinois’s Kankakee, Peoria, Fairbury American Legion Speedway, Farmer City Raceway, Morgan County Speedway, Macon Speedway and Vermilion County Speedway, and Indiana’s Bloomington Speedway); finished third in the UMP DIRTcar Racing Summernationals points standings; and captured his first Summernationals victory (Macon’s Herald & Review 100).

He’s done it all after starting the year with no real plan to chase the Summernationals or the national title.

“Actually, we were gonna take it easy this year,” said Steidinger. “We weren’t gonna race as much and focus on my son (Blaine), who lost his mother (Jenny Sue Maurer was killed in a highway accident earlier this year).

“But we took off at the start and started winning. All of a sudden we’re leading the points, so we’re like, ‘Man, we gotta try to do it (run for the UMP national title) if we’re running this good.’

“We felt that if you’re gonna try to win the national title, you gotta do the Summernationals as well, so we jumped into that too.”

Steidinger has made 70 starts this season – a lofty total for a kid who makes his living as the owner of a trim carpentry business.

“What’s hard for us is that we’re not fulltime racers, and Dennis (Erb) is,” said Steidinger. “Everyone involved with the team works, so we’ve really extended ourselves this year.”

If Steidinger and Co. end up standing in the spotlight as national champs at the 2007 UMP DIRTcar Racing Awards Banquet, all the sacrifice will have been well worth it.

2007 UMP DIRTcar Racing Late Model National Points Standings - as of Sept. 17 (Rank/Driver/Number of Starts Counted – 50 maximum/State/Points):

Steady Brian Ruhlman Claims Sunoco American Late Model Series Championship For Second Time In Three Years

EVANSVILLE, IN – Sept. 20, 2007 – Brian Ruhlman’s second career Sunoco American Late Model Series championship had a little different look than his first.

Ruhlman, 37, of Clarklake, Mich., captured the title of the UMP DIRTcar Racing-sanctioned tour for the first time in 2005 while driving Mike Lawrence’s No. 11. He repeated this season as largely an owner/operator, entering his own Rocket No. 49 in 12 of the 16 events.

“It’s very satisfying to win it with our own stuff this year,” said Ruhlman, who also drove a No. 1 car owned by Ron Zeller of Delta, Ohio, in the four ALMS shows held in 2007 at Oakshade Raceway in Wauseon, Ohio. “I drove the Lawrence car from 2002 until we split halfway through last season. I came back with my equipment to finish the season and just missed winning the championship (placing second to Rusty Schlenk by five points in 2006), but we got the job done this year.”

There was one other noticeable difference between Ruhlman’s points crowns: in 2005 he won five features en route to the title, but this year he came out on top of the standings without the benefit of a single victory.

Yes, it was a steady approach that brought Ruhlman the ALMS championship by 12 points over Duane Chamberlain of Richmond, Ind., whose three triumphs tied him with Jeep VanWormer of Pinconning, Mich., as the tour’s winningest driver in 2007.

Ruhlman registered five top-five and 11 top-10 finishes en route to the $5,000 title, including runner-ups on June 1 at Indiana’s Gas City I-69 Speedway, June 22 at Attica (Ohio) Raceway Park and June 23 at Oakshade. His best shot at a win was probably on Aug. 5 at Oakshade, where he was solidly in command of the feature when mechanical knocked him out late in the distance.

“You always like to win races, but we won it with consistency this year,” said Ruhlman, who ranks fourth on the alltime ALMS win list with 16 career victories. “Last year we won twice but didn’t win the championship, so you never know. I’ll take it any way I can get it.”

The title wasn’t decided until the season finale, the 25-lap Johnny Appleseed Classic on Sept. 2 at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio. After overtaking Chamberlain for the points lead the previous night at Oakshade with a drive from the 19^th starting to eighth at the finish, Ruhlman knew the ALMS trophy would be his if he merely stayed on Chamberlain’s back bumper. He did better than that, however, finishing fifth to Chamberlain’s 14^th to clinch the championship.

Going through the schedule without a win was the furthest thing from Ruhlman’s mind after his second title was secured.

“Only two other guys have won more than one (ALMS) championship – Kris Patterson (six) and Shane Yoder (two),” said Ruhlman, whose car is powered by a Malcuit engine and carries sponsorship from Zeller Towing and St. Henry Night Club. “Winning it a second time puts us in some pretty select company. It’s something for us to be proud of.”

Ruhlman is a big proponent of the ALMS, which has been in existence since 1995. This year’s tour visited 11 tracks in four states (Ohio, Michigan, Indiana and Illinois), and 11 different drivers scored feature wins.

“It’s a working man’s series,” said Ruhlman. “You don’t have the real big hitters running the series because the purses aren’t real big, but you get a lot of good regional guys who like to travel to some different tracks without going too far from home.

“It’s the kind of series that fits our program. We really don’t have a big crew – it’s just my wife Heather and I at a lot of the races – but we can do this series.”

Ruhlman has been chasing the ALMS religiously for the past decade. It was a perfect fit for him after he moved in late 1995 to Toledo, Ohio, from the Jamestown, N.Y., area, where he had grown up and launched his racing career in 1986 in the Cadet division at Stateline Speedway in Busti, N.Y.

Ruhlman cut his racing eye teeth on the Erie, Pa.-area circuit that includes Stateline, Eriez Speedway in Hammett, Pa., and Raceway 7 in Conneaut, Ohio. He entered the dirt Late Model ranks for the first time in 1991 behind the wheel of a No. 1* car fielded by current World of Outlaws Late Model Series star Chub Frank of Bear Lake, Pa., and promptly won the track title at Eriez, stamping him as a rising star at his local ovals.

A lucrative job opportunity led Ruhlman to relocate in Toledo. Ruhlman, whose younger brother Chad, 30, still lives in Bemus Point, N.Y., but drives a dirt Late Model that’s based in western Ohio, spent 11 years working as the engineering manager of an automotive engineering company that did design work for such firms as General Motors, Ford and Dodge, providing him a comfortable living and the means to fulfill his dirt Late Model racing appetite.

Ruhlman’s life underwent a change in 2006, however. For starters, he moved to Clarklake, Mich. – one hour north of the Ohio border – to be a bit closer to his wife’s work site. The more drastic change came in June – one day after he split with Lawrence’s racing team, Ruhlman learned that he was being laid off from his engineering job.

After considering his employment options, Ruhlman rolled the dice and made the sport he loved his livelihood: he decided to open Ruhlman Race Cars, a fully-stocked speed shop in Clarklake that serves as a dealer and repair center for Rocket Chassis Late Models and Modifieds.

“We had to scramble around, but we said we were gonna try to make this work,” said Ruhlman. “We already had a good reputation from the setup and repair work we had done as a hobby in the past, and before you knew it, people started showing up. We’ve been swamped ever since.”

One year later, Ruhlman’s new business is booming – and he’s a champion again with the Sunoco American Late Model Series.

What a whirlwind it’s been for Ruhlman, who isn’t content with just winning the ALMS crown in 2007. He leads the UMP DIRTcar Racing Late Model East Region points standings with just two weekends of action plus the UMP DIRTcar Racing Nationals (at Eldora on Oct. 5-6) left in the points season, and he’s intent on securing that title.

“We’d like to win that UMP championship too,” said Ruhlman, who has three Late Model and two UMP open-wheel Modified feature wins in 2007. “If we can do that, it would make our season just a little bit better.”

Additional info on UMP DIRTcar racing is available by logging on to www.umpracing.com.

Jimmy Owens Certifies Status As A National Dirt Late Model Star With Victory In Sunday’s World 100 At Eldora Speedway

ROSSBURG, OH – Sept. 9, 2007 – Jimmy Owens has officially arrived as a national dirt Late Model star.

The four-time UMP DIRTcar Racing open-wheel Modified champion dispelled any lingering questions on Sunday afternoon by winning the division’s toughest and most prestigious event, the 37^th annual World 100 at Eldora Speedway.

“The best in the country are here, so it’s always a boost any time you win this race,” said the modest, unassuming Owens, a 35-year-old from Newport, Tenn., who has been driving dirt Late Models fulltime for only four years. “I don’t know where it’s gonna put us, but I guess we’re gonna find out.”

Owens’s $40,000-plus triumph in the UMP DIRTcar Racing-sanctioned event, which was postponed one day by heavy rain, came on the heels of his $50,000 score in last month’s North-South 100 at Florence Speedway in Union, Ky. He also led the recent World of Outlaws Late Model Series ‘Scorcher 100’ at Volunteer Speedway in Bulls Gap, Tenn., until the final laps, and has top-10 finishes in this year’s high-profile Show-Me 100, USA Nationals and Topless 100 events.

It’s been a true breakout season for Owens, who has won a total of 12 features in 34 starts, including six worth $10,000 or more.

None could be more important than the World 100, which he earned by combining the speed of his Reece Monuments Bloomquist Chassis No. 20 with a healthy dose of patience.

Owens, who set fast time on Friday night with a lap of 15.690 seconds around the high-banked, half-mile oval, started 13^th in the A-Main but grabbed the lead from his car builder, Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, Tenn., on lap 10. He surrendered the top spot to World of Outlaws Late Model Series points leader Steve Francis of Ashland, Ky., on lap 18, but he calmly ran in second until regaining command for good from Francis on the 87^th circuit.

“Francis did that little slide job on me and got the lead, and I didn’t think I had nothing for him for awhile,” said Owens. “But I just kept my head on my shoulders and kept my car smooth, and toward the end I started reeling him back in.

“From years and years of watching guys like Scott (Bloomquist) and the other professional drivers run, you just learn to use your head, show patience and let the race come to you. That’s what I did today, and it paid off.”

Francis, who won the World 100 in 1999, steadily lost ground to Owens over the final laps but held on to finish second in his Valvoline Rocket car, nearly a straightaway behind the winner at the checkered flag.

Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky., came from the 14^th starting spot to finish third, followed by first-time World 100 qualifier Wayne Chinn of Tipp City, Ohio, and 23^rd-starter Jeep VanWormer of Pinconning, Mich., who cracked the top five despite damaging his car’s spoiler when he clipped the outside wall late in the distance.

The move of the day might have been Owens’s explosion forward on the first lap, when he rocketed past eight cars to reach the top five in the blink of an eye. He carried that momentum right to the front, taking the lead from Bloomquist, who started from the outside pole and led laps 1-9.

“That was just pretty lucky,” Owens said of his opening-lap success. “Everybody went up high, and I just went down along the wall on the inside. When I looked up and realized where I was, I said, ‘Heck, I’m doing pretty good.’”

The quick glide to the front surprised Owens, who had plenty of doubts about his chances on Sunday.

“Actually, I wasn’t expecting to win because I was starting 13^th,” said Owens, who salvaged the last transfer spot in his heat race despite missing the setup (he mistakenly expected the Saturday rain would create wet conditions for the first prelim). “I was really skeptical about the track. I thought it would lock-down and be one-groove because we were running in the afternoon, so I thought there was no way I was goonna make it up through (the field). It never did, though, so that was really surprising.

“My hat’s off to Eldora Speedway for getting the show in today,” he added. “It turned out we had a great track to race on all day long.

After the race’s third and final caution flag flew on lap 54 for Bloomquist, who spun on the homestretch after fading to seventh and then pitted for a tire change, Owens stayed within striking distance of Francis. He made his move on lap 87, surging by a struggling Francis.

“It looked like me and (Francis) both started getting a little push in the middle of the corners, especially down here in three and four,” said Owens. “His car was getting a little tigher, and mine was also, but we made a little bit of a change in driving style to get through the center of the corner and get off better.”

Francis, who raced on the eve of his 40^th birthday, couldn’t get his machine around the track as well as he had during the race’s middle stages.

“I didn’t really need Scott to spin out on the straightaway,” Francis said of the caution flag that wiped out his three-second edge over Owens. “We had a nice little rhythm going at that time.

“But Jimmy’s car was real good anyway, so I don’t know if the caution changed the outcome or not.”

“The racetrack was as slow and slick as I’ve ever, ever seen this place,” said Francis. “It was 20.50 (second) lap times, and we were just out there running half-throttle all the way around the racetrack. I never even had to change the throttle (pressure).

“Then, around lap 65 or 70, it got to where I couldn’t turn into three anymore. I had to start coming out of the gas getting into three, and that was sort of the beginning of the end at that point. I kinda knew we were in trouble.

“The track changed a little bit,” he continued. “Everybody decided to get in line on the bottom. That made the lane I was running – a lane up off the bottom – get dusty. We got real, real tight getting into three; we just couldn’t turn into three anymore.”

Owens did complete the job, winning in just his fourth career World 100 feature start. He finished 15^th in 2004, 26^th in 2005 and 24^th in 2006.

“This is a dream come true,” said Owens. “We’ve been coming here to Eldora and qualifying good, and we had some decent finishes. But who would have expected this to happen?”

Owens gave the credit for his career-making victory to his car owner Mike Reece, who gave him an opportunity he couldn’t refuse.

“It was one of the hardest decisions I ever had to make in my life – to leave the Harrod Farms team and all those guys, and come to this one,” said Owens. “You don’t know if you’re doing the right thing or not.

“(Reece) said, ‘We’re gonna do this, this, and this.’ Well, every day racers get promises, but he’s come through. There’s nothing he said that he hasn’t done.

Reece was just as proud to provide Owens his winning Bloomquist/Cornett engine combination.

“I put him in the car because everybody said he could do it,” an emotional Reece said in Victory Lane, “and he’s done it!”

Owens made his way to the top of the dirt Late Model world through the UMP DIRTcar Racing open-wheel Modified ranks, spending more than a decade racing in the division. He won UMP national championships in 1998, 2000, 2001 and 2002, and he also built Modified chassis.

“To me, the (UMP) Modified deal is an awesome stepping stone,” said Owens. “It prepares you for the track conditions we got out here today. You gotta be real smooth, keep the car under you.

“I think winning this race definitely shows you can use the Modifieds as a stepping stone. It can be done.”

Of course, Owens is still trying to figure out exactly how he’s become the hottest driver in dirt Late Model racing over the past month.

“This month has been unreal,” said Owens. “I keep waiting to wake up tomorrow and get back to the shop, and the wall will be empty with no (winner’s) checks hanging on it.”

Only one of the race’s three caution flags was caused by an accident. It came on lap three, when Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va., spun between turns one and two and collected Steve Shaver of Vienna, W.Va., whose car climbed the outside wall; Brady Smith of Solon Springs, Wis., who continued despite sustaining body damage; Brad Neat of Dunnville, Ky.; and Vic Hill of Morristown, Tenn.

The second caution flag flew on lap 16 when Brian Birkhofer of Muscatine, Iowa, slowed in turn four with mechanical trouble.

Shannon Babb of Moweaqua, Ill., who started 18^th, used the extreme inside groove to climb as high as fifth before settling for a sixth-place finish. He passed Bloomquist, who rallied from the rear after pitting on lap 54, on the final lap for the position.

Bloomquist settled for seventh, followed by Wendell Wallace of Batesville, Ark., Donnie Moran of Dresden, Ohio, and defending UMP DIRTcar Racing Late Model national champion Randy Korte of Highland, Ill., who ran in the top five for much of the distance.

Dennis Erb Jr. of Carpentersville, Ill., who sits second in the 2007 UMP DIRTcar Racing Late Model national points standings, finished 13^th.

A total of 203 cars were signed in for the event, with drivers hailing from 23 states and Canada.

Friday night’s time trials started over two hours later than scheduled after rain fell just as hot laps were beginning. All qualifying was completed at 1:45 a.m., and the three Non-Qualifiers events were checkered at 3:26 a.m.

Heavy rain struck the track on Saturday at 5:40 p.m. and literally flooded a portion of the pit area. When the precipitation refused to quit, officials were forced to postpone the entire program to Sunday afternoon.

Heat winners were Matt Miller of Whitehouse, Ohio, Korte, Randy Weaver of Crossville, Tenn., Chinn, Bloomquist and Shannon Buckingham of Morristown, Tenn. The B-Mains were captured by Brady Smith and Neat.

Heat 1 (15 laps): Matt Miller, Mike Marlar, Jimmy Owens, Freddy Smith, Ivedent Lloyd, Billy Moyer, Terry Phillips, Tim Dohm, Brandon Kinzer, Scott James, Rod Conley, Brian Ruhlman, Shawn Toczek, Curt Spalding, Josh Bocook, Jackie Boggs, Dustin Moore, Greg Johnson, Dave Hilliker, Ben Adkins

Heat 2 (15 laps): Randy Korte, Donnie Moran, Darrell Lanigan, Brady Smith, Jeep VanWormer, Michael, England, Jason Keltner, Jay Johnson, Chuckie May, Andrew Reaume, Casey Noonan, Bill Hahn, Chub Frank, Chris Madden, Doug Drown, Jordan Bland, David Webb, Earl Pearson, Jr., George Lee, Dustin Neat

Heat 3 (15 laps): Randy Weaver, Dan Schleiper, Brian Birkhofer, John Mason, Dale McDowell, Chris Wall, Josh Richards, Chad Simpson, Justin Ratliff, D. J. Wells, Jared Hawkins, Steve Casebolt, Bobby Kitchen, Steve Barnett, Kris Patterson, John Blankenship, Jason Dunn, G.R. Smith, Steve Shaver, Jerry Rice

Heat 4 (15 laps): Wayne Chinn, Steve Francis, Dennis Erb, Billy Drake, Rick Eckert, Bart Harman, Tim Hitt, Jerry Bowersock, Frank Heckenast, Eric Wells, Tim Manville, Josh Williams, Jared Landers, Bryan Barber, Mark Douglas, Aaron Scott, Chad Hina, Dave Davasier, Clint Smith, Ky Harper

Heat 5 (15 laps): Scott Bloomquist, Ray Cook, Jason Feger, Brad Neat, Don O’Neal, Chad Ruhlman, Steve Smith, Brian Shirley, Garrett Durrett, Anthony White, Brett Wyatt, Brian Dauber, Rick Corbin, Rusty Seaver, Booper Bare, Jeff Kohn, Tony Knowles, Terrance Nowell, Duane Chamberlin, Don Hammer

Heat 6 (15 laps): Shannon Buckingham, Wendell Wallace, Shannon Babb, Vic Hill, Eddie Carrier, Shane Clanton, Eric Smith, Matt Lux, Josh McGuire, Chris Combs, John Gill, Shannon Thornsberry, Whitney McQueary, Tyler Boggs, Eric Wells, Rick DeLong, Michael Kloos, Ray Bradford

B Main 1 (20 laps): Brady Smith, Jeff VanWormer, Michael England, Josh Richards, Scott James, Chris Wall, Billy Moyer, Terry Phillip, Tim Dohm, Ivedent Lloyd, Rod Conley, Chad Simpson, Casey Noonan, Jay Johnson, Justin Ratliff, Chuckie May, Freddie Smith, John Mason, Brandon Kinzer, Jason Keltner, Andrew Reaume, Jared Hawkins, DJ Wells, Dale McDowell

B Main 2 (20 laps): Brad Neat, Billy Drake, Rick Ecker, Vic Hill, Chad Ruhlman, Matt Lux, Bart Hartman, Brian Shirley, Eddie Carrier, John Gill, Eric Smith, Don O’Neal, Steve Smith, Josh McGuire, Eric Wells, Jerry Bowersock, Chris Combs, Garrett Durrett, Anthony White, Frank Heckenhast Jr., Shannon Thornsberry, Brett Wyatt, Tim Manville, Shane Clanton

Friday Non-Qualifier 1 (15 laps): Scott James, Jared Landers, Andrew Reaume, Rick Rickman, James Felker, Jason Dunn, David Hilliker, Joseph Pomeroy, Bill Hahn, Donnie Roberts, Randy Woodling, Dennis Potridge, Jake Henry, Adam Thrush, Steve Lance, Dennis Roberson, Scott Ford, Bryan Elder, Chris Dick, David Hatfield, Justin McCree, Nick Marolff

Friday Non-Qualifier 2 (15 laps): Jesse Lay, D.J. Wells, Jeff Beyers, Jeff Alsip, Mike Amell, Donald Beyers, Jeff Watson, Jason Jameson, Justin Shaw, Chuck Hummer, Keith Gentz, Dean Boyd, Doug Zartler, Kevin Mack, Ryan VanderVeen, Dereck Chandler, Shaun Smith, Clint Jamison

Friday Non-Qualifier 3 (15 laps): David Webb, Rohn Moon, Justin Robinson, Lee Devesier, Wayne Maffett, Dona Marcoullier, Chris Wilson, Mike Walker, John Jackson, Brad Eitinear, Bill Williams, Devin Shiels, Steve Kempt, Hillard Miller, Brian Claudnic, Mike Stacy, Larry Kingseed, Michael Stiltner

World of Outlaws Late Model Series Points Leader Steve Francis Falls One Spot Short Of Second Career World 100 Victory

ROSSBURG, OH – Sept. 9, 2007 – On one hand, Steve Francis was happy after finishing second in Sunday afternoon’s 37^th annual World 100 at Eldora Speedway.

It was, after all, by far his best outing in the dirt Late Model division’s most prestigious event since he won it in 1999, and he was the highest-finishing World of Outlaws Late Model Series regular in the 28-car starting field.

But at the same time, the Ashland, Ky., star couldn’t help feeling disappointed that he fell short of Victory Lane in the UMP DIRTcar Racing-sanctioned race after leading more than half the distance.

“This place has kinda had our number for awhile,” said Francis, the current WoO LMS points leader. “We had two good runs after we won the World (fifth-place finishes in 2000 and 2001), but we’ve been horrible here ever since (including consecutive DNQs from 2003-05).

“I would have liked to win today, but actually, it feels good to run good here again.”

Francis – racing on the eve of his 40^th birthday after rain postponed the World 100 one day to Sunday afternoon – was unable to stop the late-race charge of Newport, Tenn.’s Jimmy Owens, who earned over $40,000 for his first-ever win in the grand daddy of dirt Late Model events. Owens slid by Francis for the lead on lap 87 and pulled away to triumph by nearly a full straightaway margin.

The bulk of the distance, however, belonged to Francis, who drove his Valvoline Rocket No. 15 from the 10^th starting spot to the lead in 18 laps. After driving underneath Owens for the top spot, he built a lead of as much as three seconds before the race’s third and final caution flag flew on lap 54 for 2004 WoO LMS champion Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, Tenn., who spun on the homestretch.

Francis wasn’t immediately challenged by Owens after the race restarted, but his car’s performance soon dropped off. The comfortable rhythm he had established on the half-mile oval’s shiny, sun-baked surface gradually faded away

Francis’s hopes of becoming a repeat World 100 winner evaporated, but he found consolation in running well on Eldora’s tricky track conditions.

“Larry (Kemp, Eldora’s general manager) has got this place now where it gets icy, icy slick,” said Francis, who made his 17^th career World 100 feature start since 1986. “That seems to suit what we’re looking for right now – which is odd for Steve Francis, because he’s always liked wet, fast, go-as-hard-as-you-can-go tracks.

“We’ve been working a whole lot on this car for these conditions. When we had that time off from the Outlaws (schedule in August), we took Tim Logan’s car, which is about a twin to this car, and we did a lot of racing with it. We changed some things in that car and had some success, and we adapted them to this car – and it’s finally starting to show up.”

The car Francis drove at Eldora was the same machine he piloted to a win and runner-up finish in the Sept. 1-2 WoO LMS doubleheader at Tri-City Speedway in Franklin, Pa. His strong September start has him confident for the stretch run of the WoO LMS, which has nine events remaining beginning with a three-race swing this weekend to Paducah (Ky.) International Raceway (Sept. 14), I-55 Raceway in Pevely, Mo. (Sept. 15) and La Salle (Ill.) Speedway (Sept. 16).

“Everybody’s happy, everybody’s working together,” said Francis, who is gunning for his first career WoO LMS title. “We’ll just go to every race from here on out and try to win all of them. Don’t get me wrong – we’re doing everything maintenance-wise to make sure we can finish the races. But we’re not scared to throw oddball things at our setup right now to try and win the race. We’re not glued to one thing right now.

“If I win or lose this thing, I’m gonna win or lose it going out to win. I’m not gonna try to go out and win or lose it running fourth or fifth.”

* Francis was chased across the finish line by Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky., who advanced from the 14^th starting spot to finish third in his gottarace.com Rocket car.

Lanigan reached third on lap 36. A lap-54 caution flag put him directly behind the leaders, but he lost ground after the restart and never was able to make a serious bid for second place.

“These big races are so competitive, it’s hard to get in position to win one,” said Lanigan, who ironically finished second to Francis in the 1999 World 100. “That’s why it’s disappointing to finish third – we were close, but couldn’t pull it off.”

* Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va., had to run the B-Main after a lackluster heat-race effort, but after moving from the 10^th starting spot to a fourth-place finish he was in the World 100 for the third straight year.

The 19-year-old rocketed out of the gate in the 100, hustling from the 27^th starting position into the top 20 in just three laps. But then he spun between turns one and two and was collected by another car, effectively ending his hopes of duplicating a fourth-place finish in the 2006 event.

“We had a real good car, but I got in just a little too deep beside another car (on lap three) and the car just got loose and I spun out,” said Richards, who was credited with a 19^th-place finish in his Seubert Calf Ranches Rocket No. 1. “I got hit in the right-front, and it bent the suspension. I came in and they tried to fix it, but it was bent and after that I just couldn’t steer.

“I was also running on seven cylinders because we broke a rocker arm, so I was pretty much just riding around.”

* Rick Eckert of York, Pa., also qualified for the World 100 through a B-Main (third in the second last-chance event), but he was never a factor. He took the green flag from 26^th and finished 20^th in his ninth career World 100 start.

“I knew we were starting all the way in the back, so we threw some real oddball stuff at the (GRT) car,” said Eckert, who was lapped by Francis on the 41^st circuit. “We were hoping it might help us get to the front, but it didn’t work.”

* Shane Clanton of Locust Grove, Ga., was running fifth in the second B-Main – one spot out of a transfer position – when his RSD Enterprises Rocket was stuck by a cut right-rear tire. He pulled into the pit area and was left a World 100 non-qualifier for the second straight year.

* Chub Frank of Bear Lake, Pa., got plenty of attention during the rain-plagued weekend – his special green ‘Chubzilla’ graphics package helped earn him the Best Appearing Car & Crew Award – but the 2004 World 100 winner watched the feature from the grandstand.

The 45-year-old made a stirring charge from the eighth starting spot to third place in the day’s second heat race, but a caution flag on the last lap of the 15-lap event proved to be disastrous for him. He clobbered the turn-one wall on the restart and was hit hard by Doug Drown, inflicting heavy front and rearend damage to his machine and ending his day.

* Clint Smith of Senoia, Ga., also ran into last-lap problems in the fourth heat. He was running sixth when he clipped the sliding car driven by teenager Ky Harper of Holland, Ohio, who had slammed the wall between turns one and two.

The right-rear of Smith’s car was not seriously damaged from the contact, but he retired to the pit area because one more lap would not have given him enough time to grab a transfer spot to a B-Main.

* WoO LMS Rookie of the Year contender Brian Shirley of Chatham, Ill., drove C.J. Rayburn’s No. 1CJ House Car – a ride he picked up on the even of the World 100 weekend – to an eighth-place finish in the second B-Main, falling four spots short of the A-Main in his first-ever World 100 appearance.

Heat 1: Matt Miller, Mike Marlar, Jimmy Owens, Freddy Smith, Ivedent Lloyd, Billy Moyer, Terry Phillips, Tim Dohm, Brandon Kinzer, Scott James, Rod Conley, Brian Ruhlman, Shawn Toczek, Curt Spalding, Josh Bocook, Jackie Boggs, Dustin Moore, Greg Johnson, Dave Hilliker, Ben Adkins

Heat 2: Randy Korte, Donnie Moran, Darrell Lanigan, Brady Smith, Jeep VanWormer, Michael, England, Jason Keltner, Jay Johnson, Chuckie May, Andrew Reaume, Casey Noonan, Bill Hahn, Chub Frank, Chris Madden, Doug Drown, Jordan Bland, David Webb, Earl Pearson Jr., George Lee, Dustin Neat

Heat 3: Randy Weaver, Dan Schleiper, Brian Birkhofer, John Mason, Dale McDowell, Chris Wall, Josh Richards, Chad Simpson, Justin Ratliff, D. J. Wells, Jared Hawkins, Steve Casebolt, Bobby Kitchen, Steve Barnett, Kris Patterson, John Blankenship, Jason Dunn, G.R. Smith, Steve Shaver, Jerry Rice

Heat 4: Wayne Chinn, Steve Francis, Dennis Erb Jr., Billy Drake, Rick Eckert, Bart Harman, Tim Hitt, Jerry Bowersock, Frank Heckenast, Eric Wells, Tim Manville, Josh Williams, Jared Landers, Bryan Barber, Mark Douglas, Aaron Scott, Chad Hina, Dave Davasier, Clint Smith, Ky Harper

Heat 5: Scott Bloomquist, Ray Cook, Jason Feger, Brad Neat, Don O’Neal, Chad Ruhlman, Steve Smith, Brian Shirley, Garrett Durrett, Anthony White, Brett Wyatt, Brian Dauber, Rick Corbin, Rusty Seaver, Booper Bare, Jeff Kohn, Tony Knowles, Terrance Nowell, Duane Chamberlin, Don Hammer

Heat 6: Shannon Buckingham, Wendell Wallace, Shannon Babb, Vic Hill, Eddie Carrier, Shane Clanton, Eric Smith, Matt Lux, Josh McGuire, Chris Combs, John Gill, Shannon Thornsberry, Whitney McQueary, Tyler Boggs, Eric Wells, Rick DeLong, Michael Kloos, Ray Bradford

B Main 1: Brady Smith, Jeff VanWormer, Michael England, Josh Richards, Scott James, Chris Wall, Billy Moyer, Terry Phillip, Tim Dohm, Ivedent Lloyd, Rod Conley, Chad Simpson, Casey Noonan, Jay Johnson, Justin Ratliff, Chuckie May, Freddie Smith, John Mason, Brandon Kinzer, Jason Keltner, Andrew Reaume, Jared Hawkins, DJ Wells, Dale McDowell

B Main 2: Brad Neat, Billy Drake, Rick Eckert, Vic Hill, Chad Ruhlman, Matt Lux, Bart Hartman, Brian Shirley, Eddie Carrier, John Gill, Eric Smith, Don O’Neal, Steve Smith, Josh McGuire, Eric Wells, Jerry Bowersock, Chris Combs, Garrett Durrett, Anthony White, Frank Heckenhast Jr., Shannon Thornsberry, Brett Wyatt, Tim Manville, Shane Clanton

NIGHTS OF CHAMPIONS WILL HONOR SERIES, COMPETITORS AND 2007 CHAMPIONS

CONCORD, N.C. — Aug. 14, 2007 — The World Racing Group announces its 2007 Nights of Champions for the premier dirt racing series.

Five special events will highlight the achievements of drivers competing with the World of Outlaws Sprint Series, the World of Outlaws Late Model Series, the Advance Auto Parts Super DIRTcar Series, the MARS DIRTcar Series and UMP DIRTcar Racing.

“The Nights of Champions will be our way to honor all of the drivers who have competed with us in 2007,” said World Racing Group President Tom Deery. “Each series or sanctioning body will have its own night to shine the spotlight on the accomplishments of these outstanding competitors.”

Following the World Finals Nov. 1-3 at The Dirt Track @ Lowe’s Motor Speedway, the World of Outlaws will be the first to honor its drivers with its annual banquet on Monday, Nov. 5, at the Hilton Charlotte University Place in Charlotte, N.C.

The Advance Auto Parts Super DIRTcar Series returns Saturday, Nov. 17, to the OnCenter Complex in Syracuse, N.Y., where it will honor its drivers and series. DIRTcar NorthEast track champions also will be honored during a special recognition luncheon on Friday, Nov. 16. The location will be announced at a later date.

On that same Nov. 17 at the Clarion at the Grand Palace in Branson, Mo., the MARS DIRTcar Series will celebrate its season and drivers.

The World of Outlaws Late Model Series is set for its Night of Champions in conjunction with the Performance Racing Industry show in Orlando, Fla., with the event on Thursday, Dec. 6, at the International Plaza Resort and Spa.

The final Night of Champions belongs to UMP DIRTcar Racing as it celebrates the 2007 season on Saturday, Jan. 12, 2008, at the Crowne Plaza in Springfield, Ill.

The banquets are intended to be a celebration for the competitors and officials of each series and sanctioning body.

Championship Hopefuls Ready For Start Of 2007 UMP DIRTcar Racing Summernationals Friday At Kankakee Motor Speedway

Red-Hot Dennis Erb Jr., ’06 Tour Runner-Up Jeep VanWormer Among Favorites To Win Title

Thus the question is: who will survive the grueling, month-long UMP DIRTcar Racing Summernationals to emerge as the 2007 series champion?

A host of drivers have high hopes heading into dirt Late Model racing’s toughest test of man and machine, which begins a run of 28 races in 30 days with a Friday-night (June 15) show at Kankakee (Ill.) Motor Speedway.

None, however, feel better about their chances of claiming the 2007 title than Dennis Erb Jr. of Carpentersville, Ill., and Jeep VanWormer of Pinconning, Mich.

Erb, 34, enters the Summernationals as one of the Midwest’s hottest drivers. He already has six victories to his credit this season, including two in World of Outlaws Late Model Series competition.

And with Shannon Babb of Moweaqua, Ill., planning to relinquish his two-year reign as UMP DIRTcar Racing Summernationals champion to chase the World of Outlaws Late Model Series title for the first time, VanWormer, 32, is the top returning driver from the 2006 tour. He finished a career-high second in last year’s Summernationals points standings.

Of course, both drivers know there are no guarantees when it comes to the Summernationals, which take a special mix of speed, smarts and stamina for a team to be successful.

“We’ve started off the year real good, but being prepared for the Summernationals is a whole different ballgame,” said Erb, who drives self-owned Rayburn cars. “You gotta have everything you’ll need when you’re out on the road already lined up before the tour starts, and then you have to be consistent and not get torn up when you’re out there.

“When you start crashing, you gonna have so much repair work to do the next day that you’re not gonna be able to go through your car the right way.”

“It’s a bunch of work – and it’s in the heat of the summer,” said VanWormer, who has chased the Summernationals fulltime for the past four years. “Nothing can prepare you for it until you actually do it.

“There’s no easy race, because you’re racing every night against the locals who are fresh and know the track. You’ve got two or three hours of driving between tracks every night. You’re in the (hauler) bunks every night. You never get to take a long shower. You’re with the same guys for 30 days.

Erb will be following the entire Summernationals schedule for the fourth consecutive year. He owns three career tour wins, and has finished fourth (2004), third (2005) and fifth (2006) in the point standings.

What makes Erb so bullish about his chances for claiming the $25,000 title this year is his team’s level of preparation. He will once again run the majority of the events with his longtime friend, Heather Lyne, as his only mechanic, but his pair of $10,000 WoO LMS victories last month provided him an influx of cash to pay off a fresh Malcuit engine for use on the tour and store up on some spare parts.

In addition, Erb has already visited Victory Lane this season at four tracks that will host UMP DIRTcar Racing Summernationals events: Fairbury (Ill.) American Legion Speedway (the SN stops there on July 7), Lincoln (Ill.) Speedway (June 24), Peoria (Ill.) Speedway (June 25) and Vermilion County Speedway in Danville, Ill. (July 1).

VanWormer had his best Summernationals points finish ever last year, trailing Babb by 153 points in the final standings. He won two features, pushing his career Summernationals victory total to three.

“I’m excited about this year,” said VanWormer. “We’re taking the same cars on it that we ran last year, and we think we’ve got ‘em figured out. We also have a guy from Australia who helped us last year coming back over to spend the month with us on the road, so we’re in good shape there.

“The biggest thing we’ve learned (from running the Summernationals) is that you can’t get off your basics. You have to stick with what you know, and try to be consistent. We did that last year, and we were successful.”

Both Erb and VanWormer expect to hit the road on Friday and not return to their shops until after the Summernationals finale, on July 14 at Oakshade Raceway in Wauseon, Ohio. They’ll make stops in seven states (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, Ohio and Tennessee) during that month of action.

“My wife will be back home taking care of the grass,” Erb joked when asked who will keep his house in order while he’s gone. “I’ll still pay the bills, though. I gotta go out and make money to send back to her!”

This year’s UMP DIRTcar Summernationals figures to be a wide-open affair with Babb’s absence from regular competition. Several drivers are planning to join Erb and VanWormer as fulltime points chasers, including 2004 Summernationals champion Don O’Neal of Martinsville, Ind.

O’Neal has not competed for the Summernationals title the last two years, but his return means one of the tour’s top contenders is back. He sits third on the alltime Summernationals win list, with 32 victories.

Other drivers with plans to follow the series include 2006 UMP DIRTcar Racing Late Model national champion Randy Korte of Highland, Ill., who finished fourth in last year’s SN points standings; 2000 SN titlist Kevin Weaver of Gibson City, Ill., who finished sixth last year; Steve Sheppard of New Berlin, Ill., who finished seventh last year while missing just one event; Rusty Schlenk of Jackson, Mich., a 20-year-old talent looking to complete the entire grueling month of racing for the first time; Terry Casey of New London, Wis., another first-time Summernationals hopeful; Wes Steidinger of Fairbury, Ill., whose 10 victories to date this season have him leading the UMP national points race; Kevin Cole of Harrisburg, Ill.; 18-year-old Jordan Bland of Campbellsville, Ky.; Mike Marlar of Winfield, Tenn.; and Jason Feger of Springfield, Ill.

For more information on the UMP DIRTcar Racing Summernationals, visit www.umpracing.com.

6/15 – Fri. – Kankakee Motor Speedway/Kankakee, IL
6/16 – Sat. – Kamp Motor Speedway/Boswell, IN
6/17 – Sun. – Tri-State Speedway/Haubstadt, IN
6/18 – Mon. – Jefferson County Raceway/Mt. Vernon, IL
6/19 – Tues. – Lebanon I-44 Speedway/Lebanon, MO
6/20 – Wed. – Highland Speedway/Highland, IL
6/21 – Thurs. – Morgan County Speedway/Jacksonville, IL
6/22 – Fri. – Farmer City Raceway/Farmer City, IL
6/23 – Sat. – I-55 Raceway/Pevely, MO
6/24 – Sun. – Lincoln Speedway/Lincoln, IL
6/25 – Mon. – Peoria Speedway/Peoria, IL
6/26 – Tues. – Poplar Bluff Speedway/Poplar Bluff, MO
6/27 – Wed. – Lake Ozark Speedway/Eldon, MO
6/28 – Thurs. – Paducah International Raceway/Paducah, KY
6/29 – Fri. – Western Kentucky Speedway/Nebo, KY
6/30 – Sat. – Clarksville Speedway/Clarksville, TN
7/1 – Sun. – Vermilion County Speedway/Danville, IL
7/2 – Mon. – Midway Speedway/Crooksville, OH
7/3 – Tues. – Lawrenceburg Speedway/Lawrenceburg, IN
7/4 – Wed. – Day Off
7/5 – Thurs. – Macon Speedway/Macon, IL
7/6 – Fri. – Tri-City Speedway/Pontoon Beach , IL
7/7 – Sat. – Fairbury American Legion Speedway/Fairbury, IL
7/8 – Sun. – Quad City Speedway/East Moline , IL
7/9 – Mon. – C.J. Raceway/Columbus Junction, IA
7/10 – Tues. – Quincy Raceway/Quincy, IL
7/11 – Wed. – Spoon River Speedway/Canton, IL
7/12 – Thurs. – LaSalle Speedway/LaSalle, IL
7/13 – Fri. – Day Off
7/14 – Sat. – Oakshade Raceway/Wauseon, OH

17. Tony Izzo Jr. – 3
    Tom Rients – 3
    Roger Long – 4
    Kevin Claycomb – 3
    Donnie Barnhart – 3
    Jim Curry – 6
    Dennis Erb Jr. – 3
    Rodney Melvin – 3
    Jeep VanWormer – 3

28. Bob Hill – 2
    Steve Barnett – 2
    Randy Sellars – 2
    Wendell Wallace – 2
    Joe Ross Jr. – 2
    Brian Shirley – 2

33. (Drivers w/one victory): Jack Boggs, Rick Egersdorf, Doug McCammon, Joey Izzo, Willy Kraft, Pete Parker, Ray Cook, Donnie Moran, Tony Stewart, Darrell Lanigan, Ed Bauman, Bart Hartman, Jay Johnson, Matt Taylor, Dan Schlieper, Matt Miller, Billy Faust, Earl Pearson Jr., Jimmy Owens, Steve Francis, Steve Hillard, Paul Shafer, Steve Kosiski, Tom Helfrich

Contact: DIRT MotorSports d/b/a World Racing Group
Kevin Kovac, DIRTcar Racing Public Relations
704-254-7929 • kkovac@dirtmotorsports.com

Casebolt Pulls Off Monumental Upset Win In UMP DIRTcar Racing-Sanctioned ‘Dirt Late Model Dream XIII’ At Eldora Speedway

ROSSBURG, OH – June 9, 2007 – Steve Casebolt didn’t merely pull off a monumental $100,000 upset victory in Saturday night’s 100-lap Dirt Late Model Dream XIII at Eldora Speedway.

To secure the biggest payoff of the season in dirt Late Model racing, Casebolt had to hold off a furious late-race charge from four-time Dream 100 winner Scott Bloomquist.

The outcome was in doubt until Casebolt outran Bloomquist on a lap-98 restart, producing an appreciative roar from the huge crowd that filled Tony Stewart’s high-banked, half-mile oval for the UMP DIRTcar Racing-sanctioned event.

“I think a lot of people liked seeing me win,” said Casebolt, aware of his Cinderella status with the fans. “And I know a lot of people like seeing someone different win.”

Casebolt, 28, of Richmond, Ind., led the race’s final 80 laps to register by far the most prestigious triumph of his burgeoning career. He was never headed after passing Scott James of Greendale, Ind., for the top spot on lap 21.

Mooresburg, Tenn.’s Bloomquist advanced from the 15^th starting spot to finish second, about three car lengths behind Casebolt.

World of Outlaws Late Model Series regulars Chub Frank of Bear Lake, Pa., and Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky., who started 16^th, ran in the top five for most of the distance and finished third and fourth, respectively, and James placed fifth after leading laps 1-20 off the pole position.

Driving Dale Beitler’s Cornett-powered Rocket No. 19 that is based in West Friendship, Md., Casebolt built a lead of well over a straightaway midway through the race. But Bloomquist slowly, steadily sliced that gap after passing James for second on lap 66, closing within two seconds of Casebolt by the time Shane Clanton of Locust Grove, Ga., brought out a caution flag on lap 79.

Casebolt pulled away from Bloomquist on the ensuing restart, but Bloomquist drew close again as the green-flag laps mounted. When Garrett Durrett of Simsboro, La., triggered the race’s fourth and final caution flag due to a blown engine on lap 98, Bloomquist was on Casebolt’s rear bumper and looking to pull off a dramatic pass for a six-figure win.

The caution flag was a boon to Casebolt, who took off on the restart to shock the assemblage.

“It was actually kind of exciting to get the restarts because my car felt really good with a clean racetrack ahead of me,” said Casebolt, who started fifth but took just a single lap to reach second place. “I knew I was pulling out a little on restarts and slowing on long runs, so a caution was a good thing for me.

“I was having trouble in lapped traffic. When I’d get in behind the lapped cars, they’d kick the dust up across the track. I’d hit that dust, and then my car would tail out and I’d get loose.”

After surviving a Bloomquist assault, Casebolt knew he had earned his career-making checkered flag.

“It’s better to beat Bloomquist,” Casebolt said when asked if leading the legendary 42-year-old across the finish line brought him any added satisfaction. “Last week we won (the Ralph Latham Memorial) at Florence (Ky.) and I drove by Bloomquist and beat him, but he ended up finishing fifth so it wasn’t quite as good of a feeling.

“Everybody kinda measures themselves by how good Bloomquist is that night, and I think everybody saw tonight that we had the best car.”

Bloomquist was doomed by the two late-race caution flags. His Bloomquist ‘Team Zero’ chassis was simply set up to be better on long runs rather than restarts.

"I think we made up a lot of ground on (Casebolt), and if we wouldn't have had that (lap-79) caution…” said a wistful Bloomquist, his voice trailing off for a moment. “But even after that, after we got going again, with two (laps) to go there, I pretty much had already set up in my mind where I was going by him.

That was the difference for Casebolt, who bubbled over with emotion in Victory Lane. He had started a Dream 100 A-Main just once previously in his career, finishing eighth in 2000.

Despite his lack of a prior record in the Dream and a career resume that shows only a handful of special-event wins, Casebolt never doubted that he could get the job done on such a big stage.

“We haven’t really been in the spotlight that much (in 2007), but there’s been several nights that we thought if we just had done this or that different, we had a good shot at beating these guys,” said Casebolt, whose assault was headed by former Rick Eckert crew chief Robbie Allen. “I sort of felt we had arrived after winning Florence (on June 2). To win that race I beat some of the guys here tonight, so I felt, If I can win this race, I can win that Dream next weekend.’

Four caution flags slowed the event, including early yellows for Zanesville, Ohio, veteran Bart Hartman’s spin between turns three and four on the opening lap and the lap-28 mechanical trouble encountered by Brian Birkhofer of Muscatine, Iowa, who was running third when he was forced to retire.

Hartman restarted at the rear of the field after escaping serious damage in his spin, then made his way forward to finish sixth. Brady Smith of Solon Spring, Wis., placed seventh in his first-ever Dream 100 start, followed by outside-polesitter Clint Smith of Senoia, Ga., Tim McCreadie of Watertown, N.Y., and 2006 World 100 winner Earl Pearson Jr. of Jacksonville, Fla., who climbed from 17^th to fifth by lap 21 but faded thereafter because his tires had apparently sealed over.

McCreadie was the fastest of 146 drivers who participated in Friday night’s time trials, turning a lap of 17.575 seconds. He was the only driver to break into the 17-second bracket.

But McCreadie ran into trouble during Saturday night’s first heat race, pulling off the track with a busted oil cooler. He used his fast-time provisional to start the A-Main from the 19^th spot.

Winners of Saturday’s 15-lap heats were Frank, Casebolt, Hartman, Brian Shirley of Chatham, Ill., Clint Smith and James. Brad Neat of Dunnville, Ky., captured the 15-lap C-Main and Steve Shaver of Vienna, W.Va., topped the 20-lap B-Main.

Heat 1 Finish: Chub Frank, Brian Birkhofer, Eddie Carrier Jr., Rick Eckert, R.J. Conley, Justin Ratliff, Mike Johnson, Audie McWilliams, Brent Kreke, Scott Edmisten, Mike Walker, Steve Kester, Brian Ruhlman, Michael England, Tim McCreadie, Josh McGuire, Mike Marlar, Greg Oliver, Frank Heckenhast, Jerry Bowesock

Heat 2 Finish: Steve Casebolt, Josh Richards, Jimmy Owens, Shawn Toczek, Jimmy Mars, Brandon Kinzer, Jason Keltner, Darren Miller, Jesse Lay, Freddy Smith, Dutch Davies, Casey Noonan, Michael Balzano, Ron Davies, Jon Horner, Delmas Conley, Mark Douglas, Duane Chamberlain, John Gill, Frank Ingram

Heat 3 Finish: Bart Hartman, Garrett Durrett, Scott Bloomquist, Matt Miller, Shane Clanton, Shannon Babb, Dennis Erb, Doug Drown, Donnie Moran, John Mason, Damon Eller, Aaron Scott, Robbie Hensley, Nick Marolf, Corey Conley, Shawn Holliday, Petey Ivey, Scott Fisk, Rick Aukland, Shanon Buckingham

Heat 4 Finish: Brian Shirley, Steve Francis, Darrell Lanigan, Randy Korte, Don O’Neal, Terry Phillips, Brad Neat, Jerry Rice, Jordan Bland, Chad Ruhlman, Rod Conley, Ben Adkins, Tony Knowles, Mike Mataragas, Tim Manville, Casey Vitale, Chad Hina, J. R. Hotovy, Bodine Massengill, Steve Landrum

Heat 5 Finish: Clint Smith, Brady Smith, Earl Pearson, Jr., Steve Shaver, Todd Morrow, Dale McDowell, Kellen Chadwick, Eric Jacobson, Jason Montgomery, Shannon Thornsberry, Brad Looney, Randy Woodling, John Anderson, Brian Rickman, Josh Williams, Clint Jamison, Kris Patterson, Rodney Combs, Tim Sabo, Roy Mitchell

Heat 6 Finish: Scott James, Jeep VanWormer, Wendell Wallace, Chris Madden, John Blankenship, Jackie Boggs, Bobby Kitchens, Tim Dohm, Billy Moyer, Dan Schlieper, Ashley Anderson, Jeff Beyers, Wayne Chinn, Josh Williams, Kevin Weaver, Rick Rickman, Bill Williams, Bill Hahn, Curtis Roberts

C-Main Finish: Neat, Keltner, Drown, D. Miller, Moran, Dohm, Lay, Rice, McWilliams, Mason, Moyer, Chadwick, Kreke, F. Smith, M. Johnson, Anderson, Eller, Edmisten, Montgomery, Thornsberry, Bland, C. Ruhlman, Schlieper

B-Main Finish: Shaver, Mars, Madden, Clanton, Korte, Morrow, Eckert, Babb, Erb, Boggs, R. J. Conley, D. Miller, Blankenship, Dohm, Phillips, Wyatt, Kinzer, Moran, Drown, Ratliff, McDowell, Toczek, Neat

Non-Qualifiers Race Finish (Friday): Mark Banal, Brett Wyatt, Mike Benedem, David Hilliker, Chad Hina, Scott Bell, Zack Forster, Hillard Miller, Ryan VanderVeen, Jon Horner, Michael Stiltner, Greg Ruckel, Eric Midkiff, Mike Walker, Dale Gross, Jr., Steve Kester, Ryan Mitchell, Ky Harper, Shaun Smith

DIRTcar Racing Sanctions The Nextel Prelude

CONCORD, N.C. — June 4, 2007 — The Nextel Prelude to the Dream
Presented by Old Spice has quickly become one of Eldora Speedway’s
premier annual events. This year, DIRTcar Racing will sanction the
popular Dirt Late Model charity event on June 6 through its
Midwestern arm, UMP DIRTcar.

Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon, Matt Kenseth, Kevin Harvick, Juan Pablo
Montoya, 1995 World of Outlaws champion Dave Blaney and many other of
today’s NASCAR superstars are driving in the third annual event that
benefits the Victory Junction Gang Camp. In addition, the race will
be broadcast for pay-per-view on HBO.

DIRTcar Racing will provide timing and scoring, the World of Outlaws
Mobile Media Center, and a staff of inspectors that will enforce
standard UMP DIRTcar technical rules.

“The Prelude is an exciting event for drivers and fans,” said Ben
Geisler, World Racing Group Executive VP of Operations. “We’re
pleased to bring DIRTcar Racing to the Prelude and to help Eldora
Speedway with equipment and staff to make this major race a memorable
experience for everybody in attendance and watching on HBO.”

Only a handful of tickets are left, and all remaining general
admission tickets must be ordered by phone at 937-338-3815. Fans can
visit EldoraSpeedway.com for more information on the event.

Frye & Phillips Ready To Continue Personal Battle For MARS Late Model Supremacy In 2007

It’s been the theme of the Mid-America Racing Series (MARS) since its inception in 2000, and it likely will continue during the dirt Late Model tour’s 2007 season.

Bill Frye of Greenbrier, Ark., and Terry Phillips of Springfield, Mo. – the only champions MARS has even known – will be back battling each other and a host of other hungry regional racers for this season’s title.

The MARS opener was scheduled for Sun., April 8, at Monett (Mo.) Speedway, but a forecast of frigid temperatures forced the event’s postponement to Sun., May 6. As a result, the ’07 MARS campaign will now kick off this weekend with a doubleheader at the reconfigured Tri-City Speedway in Pontoon Beach, Ill. (Fri., April 13) and Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Mo. (Sat., April 14).

When that first green flag falls, all eyes will certainly be on Frye and Phillips, who are the unquestioned MARS Kings. Frye owns a series record four points championships (2001-2003, 2006), and Phillips captured the inaugural title in 2000 and back-to-back crowns in 2004-05.

You can bet that Frye, 47, and Phillips, 40, will go at each other in all 20 scheduled MARS dates – though not quite as ferociously as earlier in their careers.

“We still race each other hard, but not the same way we used to,” analyzed Frye, who has more than a quarter-century of dirt Late Model driving experience. “When we first started racing each other, we raced each other real hard – sometimes too hard.

“We were both younger and hungry then, so we’re a lot better with each other now.”

Phillips, whose late father Larry is acknowledged as one of dirt Late Model racing’s alltime greats, has noticed a gradual calming in his personal battle with Frye as time has passed.

“We still battle hard, but now I’m gonna give up a little bit and he’s gonna do the same when we race together,” said Phillips, who finished second in last year’s MARS point standings. “We realized it doesn’t do either of us any good if we wreck, and we’ve gotten along pretty well ever since.”

All the laps of dirt-track combat have also brought them to the point where they are totally familiar with each other’s tendencies behind the wheel.

“I know a lot of what to expect from him and I’m sure it’s the same from his point of view,” said Frye. “When you race anybody a lot, you know what move they like to make, and you know how to counter it and maneuver around it.”

“We kind of know to always expect something different from each other,” commented Phillips. “He’s a good driver, so I know he’s going to keep doing things different to give him an advantage. It’s up to me to counter that.”

Frye will go for a fifth MARS title this season after contemplating retirement at the end of the 2006 campaign. An ever-increasing workload at his ‘GRT by Frye’ speed/chassis shop, family commitments (including his wife’s health scare) and the physical and emotional drain that invariably results from years of grueling travel had him close to hanging up his helmet.

But Frye was invigorated by an enjoyable ’06 season, which included four victories en route to the MARS crown. A heart-to-heart talk with his wife prompted him to cancel any retirement plans, and now he’s ready for another spin down the MARS highway.

Of course, Frye was happy to see the postponement of Sunday’s scheduled MARS lidlifter. He was in need of an extra week’s preparation time for his familiar GRT No. 66 equipment.

“We got three complete cars (sold) out of our shop this week and we still have one of mine to finish up,” Frye said shortly before the opener at Monett was pushed back one month. “Yesterday was a 16-hour day so I’m pretty burnt out, but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

“I’m excited about this season. I really like this series. The number of races and the travel does fit my schedule well, and I enjoy the people on the series.”

Phillips, meanwhile, heads into the 2007 season with only one noticeable change to his team: Andy’s Frozen Custard has stepped up to be his primary sponsor.

Already a winner this season twice (during a January trip to Arizona), Phillips is focused on reclaiming the MARS title he ceded to Frye last year. He fell short of joining Frye as a MARS champion in three consecutive seasons.

“We have to try to stay more consistent,” said Phillips. “We had some bad-luck stuff happen to us last year that normally doesn’t happen, like a fan blade breaking and hitting the radiator. If we can avoid that kind of stuff, we should be O.K.”

Phillips will also field a second car in MARS competition this season for up-and-coming Jeremy Payne, a 21-year-old native of Arizona who has relocated to the Midwest to further his career.

“I see the potential in him,” said Phillips, who wouldn’t be surprised to see Payne contend for the MARS title in 2007. “I feel I can help him get to where he wants to go.”

Payne isn’t the only driver who figures to give Frye and Phillips a run for their money on the MARS trail this season.

Jeff Taylor of Cave City, Ark., who finished third in last year’s MARS point standings, remains a favorite to overtake Frye and Phillips. Other drivers to watch include Steve Rushin of Poplar Bluff, Mo., Billy James of Sikeston, Mo., Justin Wells of Aurora, Mo., Jeff Floyd of Walnut Ridge, Ark., Will Vaught of Crane, Mo., Dane Dacus of Arlington, Tenn., and Joey Mack of Benton, Mo.

The series is currently scheduled to visit tracks in five states, with Missouri serving as the tour’s epicenter. Eight speedways in the Show-Me State will have races, with two events set for Kansas and one each in Illinois, Kentucky and Nebraska.

Missouri’s Lebanon I-44 Speedway will showcase the MARS stars on a total of six dates, including a pair of two-day shows. The track’s multi-day events are the annual $10,000-to-win Larry Phillips Memorial on Aug. 31/Sept. 1 and the ‘Midwest Madness Featuring MARS vs. MLRA’ on Sept. 21-22.

The Larry Phillips Memorial is the biggest show on the 2007 MARS sked – and the race one particular driver would most like to win.

“I want to win any race I’m in,” said Terry Phillips, “but winning that one would be special. I’ve never won it.

“I don’t really think about that race – until it gets closer. Then I think more about it. That’s probably why I’ve struggled there the last few years, because maybe it’s in my mind.”

Other Missouri ovals on the schedule are Monett (three dates), Lucas Oil Speedway, Bolivar Speedway USA, Lake Ozark Speedway in Eldon, Airport Speedway in Springfield, Poplar Bluff Speedway and I-55 Raceway in Pevely.

Joining the tour this season is I-80 Speedway in Greenwood, Neb., which will bring MARS to the Cornhusker State on May 27.

Back as part of the MARS tour in ’07 are the popular ‘MARS vs. UMP Clash’ events, which debuted last season. Three ‘Clashes’ are set for consecutive nights late in the summer: at Popular Bluff Speedway (Aug. 23), Paducah (Ky.) International Raceway (Aug. 24) and I-55 Raceway (Aug. 25).

MARS will also participate in two ‘Midwest Madness’ programs in conjunction with the Midwest Late Model Racing Association (MLRA). The first will be this Saturday night at Lucas Oil Speedway, and the second is set for Lebanon I-44 Speedway later in the season.

New in 2007 will be two ‘MARS vs. World of Outlaws Challenge’ events. MARS will co-sanction 360 OTC World of Outlaws Late Model Series shows on June 16 at Lakeside Speedway in Kansas City, Kan., and June 17 at the Belleville (Kan.) High Banks, with the UMP Hoosier 20/40 tire rule in effect both nights.

April 14 – Sat. – Lucas Oil Speedway/Wheatland, MO (MIDWEST MADNESS FEATURING MARS vs. MLRA)

June 16 – Sat. - Lakeside Speedway/Kansas City, KS (MARS vs. World of Outlaws Challenge)

June 17 – Sun. – Belleville High Banks/Belleville, KS (MARS vs. World of Outlaws Challenge)

Aug. 23 – Thurs. - Poplar Bluff Speedway/Poplar Bluff, MO (MARS vs. UMP CLASH)

Aug. 24 – Fri. – Paducah International Raceway/Paducah, KY (MARS vs. UMP CLASH)

Aug. 31/Sept. 1 – Fri./Sat. – Lebanon I-44 Speedway/Lebanon, MO (Larry Phillips Memorial)

Sept. 21 – Fri. – Lebanon I-44 Speedway/Lebanon, MO (MIDWEST MADNESS FEATURING MARS vs. MLRA)

Sept. 22 – Sat. - Lebanon I-44 Speedway/Lebanon, MO (MIDWEST MADNESS FEATURING MARS vs. MLRA)

UMP DIRTcar Racing Sportsman, Limited Modified & Street Stock Drivers Divided Over $75,000 In 2006 Points Fund Cash

EVANSVILLE, IN – Jan. 26, 2007 – A total of $78,365 in 2006 points-fund cash was divided among Sportsman, Limited Modified and Street Stock division drivers during the 23^rd annual UMP DIRTcar Racing Awards Banquet on Jan. 20 in Springfield, Ill.

Troy Naeger of Festus, Mo., collected the lion’s share of the $28,105 in UMP Sportsman money, walking off with a combined $5,500 for winning his first national championship and finishing second in the Missouri State points race.

The big winner in the UMP Limited Modified ranks was Bobby Fehring of Belview, Texas. His national title and first-place finish in the Texas State point standings brought him $6,000 worth of checks from the $18,335 divisional points fund.

Jerrad Krick of Earl Park, Ind., earned $6,000 from the $31,925 UMP Street Stock points fund for capturing the division’s national title and Indiana State points battle.

Combining the Sportsman, Limited Modified and Street Stock payouts with the points funds for the Late Models ($218,865) and Modifieds ($202,120), the total 2006 UMP DIRTcar Racing points fund totaled $499,350.

Below is a complete breakdown of the 2006 UMP DIRTcar Racing points fund distributions for the Sportsman, Limited Modified and Street Stock divisions.

2006 UMP Dirtcar Racing Sportsman National Points Fund Distribution ($12,675):

1. Troy Naeger $5,000; 2. Steve Maisel $2,000; 3. Greg Kimmons $1,000; 4. Paul Bauman $700; 5. Troy Medley $500; 6. Josh Steinacker $400; 7. Rick Hufford $375; 8. Ray Klawitter $350; 9. Brandon Hogenson $325; 10. Jason Bohnenstiehl $300; 11. Dennis Wernle $275; 12. Mike Nicholson $250; 13. Jason Keller $225; 14. Robbie Eilers $200; 15. Brian Fisher $180; 16. Rusty Schlenk $160; 17. Mark Bohnenstiehl $140; 18. Mike Jessen $120; 19. Trista Stevenson $100; 20. Troy Overstreet $75

COLORADO: 1. Dean Huss $1,000; 2. John Anderson $500; 3. Lindsay Huss $300; 4. Marty Price $220; 5. Ryan Gilleland $200; 6. Mike Damewood $150; 7. Thomas Torrez $130; 8. Larry Garner $120; 9. N/A; 10. N/A

ILLINOIS: 1. Greg Kimmons $1,000; 2. Brandon Hogenson $500; 3. Jason Bohnenstiehl $300; 4. Dennis Wernle $220; 5. Paul Bauman $200; 6. Robbie Eilers $150; 7. Steve Maisel $130; 8. Mark Bohnenstiehl $120; 9. Trista Stevenson $110; 10. Denny Tribout Jr. $100.

INDIANA: 1. Rick Hufford $1,000; 2. Scott Hufford $500; 3. Jack Dowers $300; 4. Troy Overstreet $220; 5. Kenny Sweat $200; 6. Dave Watkins $150; 7. Mike Staggs $130; 8. Nathan Holmes $120; 9. Jeff VanLannen $110; 10. Justin Gregory $100

LOUISIANA: 1. Rocky DeGruy $1,000; 2. Jason Jackson $500; 3. N/A; 4. N/A; 5. N/A; 6. N/A; 7. N/A; 8. N/A; 9. N/A; 10. N/A

MISSOURI: 1. Mike Nicholson $1,000; 2. Troy Naeger $500; 3. Troy Medley $300; 4. Paul Bauman $220; 5. Ronnie Bader $200; 6. Kent Nations $150; 7. Chuck Adams $130; 8. Jason Keller $120; 9. Kyle Stolzer $110; 10. Steve Maisel $100

OHIO: 1. Josh Steinacker $1,000; 2. Ray Klawitter $500; 3. Brian Fisher $300; 4. Rusty Schlenk $220; 5. Mike Jessen $200; 6. Chris Smith $150; 7. Joe Derbeck $130; 8. Rob Liaeff $120; 9. Bruce Stuart; 10. Terry Stratton $100

2006 UMP DIRTcar Racing Limited Modified National Points Fund Distribution ($12,675):

1. Bobby Fehring $5,000; 2. Dustin Shoemaker $2,000; 3. Arnold Hodges $1,000; 4. Brandon Buhler $700; 5. Kamron Campbell $500; 6. Vance Noland $400; 7. Matthew Holmes $375; 8. Donnie Noland $350; 9. Charles Williford $325; 10. Damien Acosta $300; 11. Dale Taylor $275; 12. Blake Witherspoon $250; 13. Kevin Jones $225; 14. Dennis Wilson $200; 15. Chip Thompson $180; 16. David Cobb $160; 17. Dwayne Shoemaker $140; 18. Jacy Clemons $120; 19. Alex Adams $100; 20. Mark Buhler $75

2006 UMP DIRTcar Racing Limited Modified State Points Fund Distribution ($5,660):

TEXAS: 1. Bobby Fehring $1,000; 2. Dustin Shoemaker $500; 3. Arnold Hodges $300; 4. Charles Williford $220; 5. Dale Taylor $200; 6. Blake Witherspoon $150; 7. Kevin Jones $130; 8. Dennis Wilson $120; 9. Chip Thompson $110; 10. David Cobb $100

LOUISIANA: 1. Brandon Buhler $1,000; 2. Kamron Campbell $500; 3. Vance Noland $300; 4. Matthew Holmes $220; 5. Donnie Noland $200; 6. Damien Acosta $150; 7. Jacy Clemons $130; 8. Mark Buhler $120; 9. Roger Oakes $110; 10. Summer Simeon $100

2006 UMP DIRTcar Racing Street Stock National Points Fund Distribution ($12,675):

1. Jerrad Krick $5,000; 2. Lee J. Hall $2,000; 3. David Hurst $1,000; 4. Ian Keller $700; 5. Larry Matillo $500; 6. Jesse Simmons $400; 7. Josh Griffith $375; 8. Jim Ransom $350; 9. J.J. Miller $325; 10. Mitch Latsch $300; 11. Jim Quinn $275; 12. Larry Russell $250; 13. Scott Buchanan $225; 14. Tim Feldhake $200; 15. Mike Watson $180; 16. Bob Weems $160; 17. Darrell Hartman $140; 18. Caleb Miller $120; 19. Andy Hall $100; 20. Kevin Lenzen $75

2006 UMP DIRTcar Racing Street Stock State Points Fund Distribution ($19,250):

COLORADO: 1. Terry Chiles $1,000; 2. Michael Sterle $500; 3. Eric McGowan $300; 4. Billy Cumby $220; 5. Ashley Chiles $200; 6. Don Adams $150; 7. Brian Cumby $130; 8. Don Droll $120; 9. Brian Smith $110; 10. Mark Ulrich $100

ILLINOIS: 1. Josh Griffith $1,000; 2. J.J. Miller $500; 3. Jim Quinn $300; 4. Larry Russell $220; 5. Tim Feldhake $200; 6. Caleb Miller $150; 7. Kevin Lenzen $130; 8. Jesse Simmons $120; 9. Billy Wicker $110; 10. Matt Hines $100

INDIANA: 1. Jerrad Krick $1,000; 2. Ian Keller $500; 3. Lee J. Hall $300; 4. David Hurst $220; 5. Larry Matillo $200; 6. Scott Buchanan $150; 7. Bob Weems $130; 8. Andy Hall $120; 9. Jim Ransom $110; 10. Jesse Simmons $100

KENTUCKY: 1. Mike Watson $1,000; 2. Darrell Hartman $500; 3. Terry Jones $300; 4. Harvey Edwards $220; 5. Paul Howard $200; 6. Lloyd Lingle $150; 7. Paul Humphrey $130; 8. Chris Shinn $120; 9. Tony Boyd $110; 10. Rich Armour $100

LOUISIANA: 1. Jacob Teal $1,000; 2. Robert Nevels $500; 3. Cliff Welch $300; 4. Donovan Romero $220; 5. Kent Maher $200; 6. Jeff Teal $150; 7. Mark Debate $130; 8. Jason Truax $120; 9. Bubba Shelton $110; 10. N/A

MICHIGAN: 1. Mitch Latsch $1,000; 2. Dean Wolever $500; 3. James Kimmell $300; 4. Dean Barnhard $220; 5. Mike Guinon $200; 6. Jeremy Holman $150; 7. Paul Vanattergail $130; 8. Ron Wiers $120; 9. Travis Stemler $110; 10. Ron Chaffee Jr. $100

TEXAS: 1. Ernest Haynes $1,000; 2. Bubba Haynes $500; 3. Jodie Moon $300; 4. H.D. McClendon $220; 5. Ben Sharp $200; 6. Arnold Hodges $150; 7. N/A; 8. N/A; 9. N/A; 10. N/A

UMP DIRTcar Racing Modified Drivers Share Over $200,000 In 2006 Points-Fund Cash

EVANSVILLE, IN – Jan. 24, 2006 – UMP DIRTcar Racing Modified drivers shared a total of $202,120 in 2006 points-fund cash that was distributed during the circuit’s 23^rd annual awards banquet on Jan. 20 in Springfield, Ill.

The lucrative 2006 points-fund breakdown for UMP’s top open-wheel class included $74,965 for the national points race; $63,375 for the Region points battles; $51,720 for the State points races; $6,560 for the Wolfpack Challenge Series; and $5,500 for the Midwest Modified Summer Series.

Dan Hamstra of Wheatland, Ind., who won his first career UMP Modified national championship, led all Modified drivers in total points-fund earnings with $25,600.

The 50-year-old Hamstra, won captured the national title despite missing the final three weeks of the 2006 season after suffering life-threatening injuries in a Sept. 20 highway accident, announced his retirement from driving at the UMP DIRTcar Racing Awards Banquet. His recovery is going well, but he decided to forego making a comeback after talking with his doctors and family.

Other drivers who walked away from the banquet with attractive post-season cash awards included Denny Schwartz of Ashmore, Ill. ($12,575), John DeMoss of Bloomington, Ill. ($8,500), Mike Harrison of Highland, Ill. ($8,200), Bobby Bittle of Smiton, Ill. ($7,300) and Jeff Leka of Buffalo, Ill. ($6,200).

Below is a complete breakdown of the 2006 UMP DIRTcar Racing Modified points-fund distribution.

2006 UMP DIRTcar Racing Modified National Points Fund Distribution ($74,965):

1. Dan Hamstra $20,000; 2. Denny Schwartz $10,000; 3. Mike Harrison $5,000; 4. Jeff Leka $3,000; 5. John DeMoss $2,000; 6. Ryan Thomas $1,500; 7. Ray Humphrey $1,400; 8. Bobby Bittle $1,300; 9. Jeff Bland Jr. $1,200; 10. Todd Sherman $1,100; 11. Jesse Cramer $1,000; 12. Matt Mevert $900; 13. Gabe Menser $800; 14. Matt Boknecht $700; 15. Arby Burton $650; 16. Tim Hancock $600; 17. Brent Mullins $550; 18. Lee Hobbs $500; 19. Danny Schwartz $490; 20. Scott Bull $475;

21. Bub Patrick $470; 22. Jammie Wilson $465; 23. (tie) Gary Cook Jr. $457.50; 23. (tie) Tom Seets Sr. $457.50; 25. Bobby Martintoni $450; 26. Rob Fuqua $445; 27. Steve Ott $440; 28. Lance Dehm $435; 29. Brian Bielong $430; 30. Matt Goulden $425; 31. Dave Porth $420; 32. Tim Reynolds $415; 33. Mike Roediger $410; 34. Jason Lakey $405; 35. Derek Losh $400; 36. Kent Robinson $395; 37. Tony Anderson $390; 38. Ray Walsh $385; 39. McKay Wenger $380; 40. Tommie Seets Jr. $375;

41. Nick Allen $370; 42. Brad Wieck $365; 43. Clayton Miller $360; 44. Paul Bumgardner $355; 45. Leroy Haney $350; 46. Brent Keyes $345; 47. Scott Weber $340; 48. Brooks Strength $335; 49. Kevin Hastings $330; 50. Jamey Henson $325; 51. Charles Zimmerman $320; 52. Don Kiger $315; 53. Mark Herbert $310; 54. Brandon Dierlam $305; 55. Michael Bolyard $300; 56. Jim Farris $295; 57. Todd Feutz $290; 58. Matt Bachman $285; 59. David Flowers $280; 60. Chad Osterhoff $275;

61. Troy English $270; 62. Johnny DeYoung $265; 63. Ryan Driemeyer $260; 64. Aaron Ricketts $255; 65. Tom Ratajczyk $250; 66. Scott Orr $245; 67. Jacob Poel $240; 68. Tommy Kroll $235; 69. Tyler Boggs $230; 70. Ray Wagner $225; 71. (tie) Ryan Fisk $217.50; 71. (tie) Shane Hebert $217.50; 73. Dale Hayes $210; 74. Ben Stephens $205; 75. Jesse Carson $200; 76. Joel Funk $195; 77. Kelly Devall $190; 78. Stan Smith $185; 79. Brett Korves $180; 80. Ricky Waggoner $175;

81. Travis Peery $170; 82. Cody Hood $165; 83. Bobby Dauderman $160; 84. Chad Sellers $155; 85. Mark Anderson $150; 86. Jeb Friedman $145; 87. Jeff Curl $140; 88. Mike Vanderiet Jr. $135; 89. Chris Streeval $130; 90. Jimmy Westerfield $125; 91. Shane Barbara $120; 92. (tie) Billy Collett $112.50; 92. (tie) Jimmy Cummins $112.50; 94; Gabriel Kirtley $105; 95. Brad Heady $100; 96. JD Beal $95; 97. Jason Hastings $90; 98. Ronnie Falloway $85; 99. Shelby Miles $80; 100. Phil VanSant $75

1. Denny Schwartz $2,000; 2. Gabe Menser $1,000; 3. Danny Schwartz $600; 4. John DeMoss $500; 5. Dan Hamstra $400; 6. Matt Mevert $300; 7. Don Kiger $250; 8. Jeff Leka $200; 9. Rob Fuqua $150; 10. Aaron Ricketts $100

1. Mike Harrison $2,500; 2. Ray Humphrey $1,200; 3. Carlos Bumgardner $600; 4. Matt Goulden $500; 5. Jeff Bland Jr. $400; 6. Shelby Miles $300; 7. Ralph Groomer $280; 8. Matt Mevert $270; 9. Ryan Thomas $260; 10. Rob Fuqua $250

2006 UMP UMP DIRTcar Racing Modified Region Points Fund Distribution ($63,375):

NORTH: 1. Dan Hamstra $5,000; 2. Jeff Leka $2,000; 3. Arby Burton $1,000; 4. Jammie Wilson $700; 5. Tim Reynolds $500; 6. Lance Dehm $400; 7. Dave Porth $375; 8. Gary Cook Jr. $350; 9. Jason Lakey $325; 10. Scott Bull $300; 11. McKay Wenger $275; 12. Nick Allen $250; 13. Kevin Hastings $225; 14. Bub Patrick $200; 15. Jim Farris $180; 16. Todd Feutz $160; 17. Don Kiger $140; 18. Matt Bachman $120; 19. Chad Osterhoff $100; 20. Denny Schwartz $75

SOUTH: 1. Clayton Miller $5,000; 2. Charles Zimmerman $2,000; 3. Brandon Dierlam $1,000; 4. David Flowers $700; 5. Troy English $500; 6. Ricky Waggoner $400; 7. Jimmy Westerfield $375; 8. Gabriel Kirtley $350; 9. Ronnie Falloway $325; 10. Robert Leach $300; 11. Jeff Elliott $275; 12. AJ Garber $250; 13. Lucas Lee $225; 14. Michael Coakley $200; 15. Jeff Parks $180; 16. Jamie Cobb $160; 17. Tim Ellington $140; 18. Brian Shaw $120; 19. Todd Miller $100; 20. Jay Jones $75

EAST: 1. John DeMoss $5,000; 2. Jeff Bland Jr. $2,000; 3. Todd Sherman $1,000; 4. Ray Humphrey $700; 5. Matt Boknecht $500; 6. Lee Hobbs $400; 7. Mike Roediger $375; 8. Tony Anderson $350; 9. Steve Ott $325; 10. Brad Wieck $300; 11. Kent Robinson $275; 12. Jesse Cramer $250; 13. Ryan Thomas $225; 14. Paul Bumgardner $200; 15. Scott Orr $180; 16. Stan Smith $160; 17. Brad Heady $140; 18. Shelby Miles $120; 19. Tyler Boggs $100. 20. Chris Streeval $75

WEST: 1. Bobby Bittle $5,000; 2. Bobby Martintoni $2,000; 3. Brian Bielong $1,000; 4. Mike Harrison $700; 5. Tom Seets Sr. $500; 6. Tim Hancock $400; 7. Ray Walsh $375; 8. Tommie Seets Jr. $350; 9. Leroy Haney $325; 10. Brent Mullins $300; 11. Ryan Driemeyer $275; 12. Tom Ratajczyk $250; 13. Matt Mevert $225; 14. Scott Weber $200; 15. Ray Wagner $180; 16. Jesse Carson $160; 17. Brett Korves $140; 18. Travis Peery $120; 19. Bobby Dauderman $100; 20. Brent Keyes $75

DEEP SOUTH: 1. Brooks Strength $5,000; 2. Mark Herbert $2,000; 3. Shane Hebert $1,000; 4. Ben Stephens $700; 5. Shane Barbara $500; 6. Billy Collett $400; 7. Herb Donath $375; 8. Chris Smith $350; 9. Cliff Ross $325; 10. Mark Smith $300; 11. Kevin Cumbie $275; 12. Rusty Harmon $250; 13. John Rodgers Jr. $225; 14. Brian Powell $200; 15. Johnny Brown Jr. $180; 16. Chris Cassano $160; 17. Toby Hodge $140; 18. Michael Connell $120; 19. Jay Vinson $100; 20. Mike Wickham $75

ALABAMA: 1. Herb Donath $1,000; 2. Rusty Harmon $500; 3. John Rodgers Jr. $300; 4. Mikey Mount $220; 5. William Thomas $200; 6. Rodgerick Dykes $150; 7. Richie Stephens $130; 8. Donnie Harig $120; 9. N/A; 10. N/A

CALIFORNIA: 1. Smoke Oakley $1,000; 2. Lenny Toolanen $500; 3. Travis Peery $300; 4. Monte Bischoff $220; 5. Dennis Silva $200; 6. Jeff Hudson $150; 7. Skipper Klimcheck $130; 8. N/A; 9. N/A; 10. N/A

CANADA: 1. Jim Dale Jr. $1,000; 2. Curtis Coulter $500; 3. Brad McLeod $300; 4. Joey Brousseau $220; 5. Tim Richardson $200; 6. Aaron Wiebe $150; 7. Chris VanDeWiele $130; 8. Elizabeth Harrison $120; 9. Brian Speelman $110; 10. N/A

COLORADO: 1. Jason Kirkpatrick $1,000; 2. Robbie Chiles $500; 3. Michael McKinsey $300; 4. Trevan Pepper $220; 5. Bob Cordova $200; 6. Matthew Ratzlaff $150; 7. Jason Haug $130; 8. Tommy Spurlock Jr. $120; 9. Jesse Biederman $110; 10. Kris Asbell $100

FLORIDA: 1. Patrick Williams $1,000; 2. Kevin Hupp $500; 3. Kent Corbin $300; 4. Jamie Burrows $220; 5. Jerry Morgan $200; 6. N/A; 7. N/A; 8. N/A; 9. N/A; 10. N/A

FLORIDA SPEEDWEEKS: 1. Scott Drake $1,000; 2. Chad Ohnstad $500; 3. Joey Kramer $300; 4. Tom Seets Sr. $220; 5. Steve Arpin $200; 6. Craig Thatcher $150; 7. Jason Miller $130; 8. Mark Dotson $120; 9. David Cain $110; 10. Duke Whiseant $100

GEORGIA SPEEDWEEKS: 1. Tom Seets Sr. $1,000; 2. Kevin Adams $500; 3. Tom Moore $300; 4. Ronnie Chance $220; 5. Donnie Hall $200; 6. Johnny Mullner $150; 7. Eric Tatum $130; 8. Scott Drake $120; 9. Steve Arpin $110; 10. Gary Clark $100

ILLINOIS: 1. Jeff Leka $1,000; 2. Denny Schwartz $500; 3. Gabe Menser $300; 4. Bobby Martintoni $220; 5. Brian Bielong $200; 6. Tim Hancock $150; 7. (tie) Gary Cook Jr. $125; 7. (tie) Danny Schwartz $125; 9. Tom Seets Sr. $110; 10. Lance Dehm $100

INDIANA: 1. John DeMoss $1,000; 2. Ryan Thomas $500; 3. Jeff Bland Jr. $300; 4. Ray Humphrey $220; 5. Dan Hamstra $200; 6. Jesse Cramer $150; 7. Lee Hobbs $130; 8. Matt Boknecht $120; 9. Kent Robinson $110; 10. Derek Losh $100

KENTUCKY: 1. Troy English $1,000; 2. Ricky Waggoner $500; 3. Jimmy Westerfield $300; 4. Gabriel Kirtley $220; 5. Robert Leach $200; 6. Jeff Elliott $150; 7. Michael Coakley $130; 8. Jeff Parks $120; 9. Brandon Dierlam $110; 10. Jamie Cobb $100

LOUISIANA: 1. Shane Hebert $1,000; 2. Michael Connell $500; 3. Shane Barbara $300; 4. Chris Cassano $220; 5. Kevin Dupont $200; 6. Daniel Jessup $150; 7. Jerry Cassano $130; 8. Billy Collett $120; 9. Matthew Simeon $110; 10. John Parker $100

MICHIGAN: 1. Todd Feutz $1,000; 2. Johnny DeYoung $500; 3. Jacob Poel $300; 4. Jeremy Ferguson $220; 5. John McCaul $200; 6. Dan Dykman $150; 7. Mark Anderson $130; 8. Tim Tuttle $120; 9. Ryan Fisk $110; 10. Shannon Fisk $100

MISSISSIPPI: 1. Brooks Strength $1,000; 2. Mark Herbert $500; 3. Ben Stephens $300; 4. Chris Smith $220; 5. Cliff Ross $200; 6. Billy Collett $150; 7. Kevin Cumbie $130; 8. Brian Powell $120; 9. Toby Hodge $110; 10. KI Davis III $100

MISSOURI: 1. Bobby Bittle $1,000; 2. Ray Wagner $500; 3. Leroy Haney $300; 4. Michael Vanderiet Jr. $220; 5. JD Rottler $200; 6. Larry Hull $150; 7. Mark Miner $130; 8. Eric Mabery $120; 9. John Campbell $110; 10. Jerry Grither $100

OHIO: 1. Mike Roediger $1,000; 2. Stan Smith $500; 3. Kelly Bowlby $300; 4. Rick Hensley $220; 5. Darryl Banks $200; 6. Todd Sherman $150; 7. Tony Anderson $130; 8. Eddie Harmon $120; 9. Brian Post $110; 10. Brandy Taylor $100

OREGON: 1. Brian Poppa $1,000; 2. Travis Peery $500; 3. Brad Alfrey $300; 4. Skipper Klimcheck $220; 5. Jeff Hudson $200; 6. Kevin Putnum $150; 7. Dennis Silva $130; 8. Steve Arpin $120; 9. Monte Bischoff $110; 10. Gary Cook Jr. $100

SOUTH CAROLINA: 1. Rusty Covan $1,000; 2. Doug Deeds $500; 3. Willie Baughman $300; 4. Kenneth Harn $220; 5. N/A; 6. N/A; 7. N/A; 8. N/A; 9. N/A; 10. N/A

TENNESSEE: 1. Charles Zimmerman $1,000; 2. David Flowers $500; 3. Clayton Miller $300; 4. AJ Garber $220; 5. Lucas Lee $200; 6. Steve Mullinax $150; 7. Randle Sweeney $130; 8. Dustin Isom $120; 9. Brian Fritts $110; 10. Scott Weber $100

TEXAS: 1. Mark Smith $1,000; 2. Johnny Brown Jr. $500.00; 3. (tie) Jay Vinson $260; 3. (tie) Mike Wickham $260; 5. Chris Brown $200; 6. Edward Wickham $150; 7. Dan Sikes $130; 8. John Arthur $120; 9. Benny Perry $110; 10. Darren McCaa $100

EVANSVILLE, IN – Jan. 23, 2007 – A whopping total of $218,865 in 2006 points-fund cash was distributed to UMP DIRTcar Racing Late Model competitors during the circuit’s 23^rd annual awards banquet on Jan. 20 in Springfield, Ill.

The points-fund breakdown included $74,965 for the national points race; $64,900 for the UMP DIRTcar Summernationals; $38,025 for the Region points battles; $28,300 for the State points races; and $12,675 for the COC/Northern All-Stars Late Model Series.

Randy Korte of Highland, Ill., who captured his second career UMP Late Model national title in 2006, led all Late Model drivers in points-fund earnings with a total of $36,850.

Other Late Model drivers who broke five-figures in total ’06 UMP points-fund earnings were Summernationals champion Shannon Babb of Moweaqua, Ill. ($32,630), Dennis Erb Jr. of Carpentersville, Ill. ($14,030), Jeep VanWormer of Piconning, Mich. ($13,070) and Rusty Schlenk of Jackson, Mich. ($11,300).

Below is a complete breakdown of the 2006 UMP DIRTcar Racing Late Model points-fund distribution.

2006 UMP DIRT Car Racing Late Model National Points Fund Distribution ($74,965):

1. Randy Korte $20,000; 2. Dennis Erb Jr. $10,000; 3. Rusty Schlenk $5,000; 4. Steve Sheppard Jr. $3,000; 5. Wes Steidinger $2,000; 6. Rodney Melvin $1,500; 7. Shannon Babb $1,400; 8. Brian Shirley $1,300; 9. Ryan Dauber $1,200; 10. Kevin Weaver $1,100; 11. Jason Feger $1,000; 12. Brad Looney $900; 13. Ed Dixon $800; 14. (tie) Terry English $675; 14. (tie) Jeep VanWormer $675; 16. Richie Hedrick $600; 17. Brian Dively $550; 18. Wendall Wallace $500; 19. Kevin Cole $490; 20. Frank Heckenast Jr. $475;

21. Matt Taylor $470; 22. Rusty Griffaw $465; 23. Chad Zobrist $460; 24. Mike Shulte $455; 25. Mike Hammerle $450; 26. Eric Smith $445; 27. Michael Kloos $440; 28. Mark Voigt $435; 29. Brian Ruhlman $430; 30. Bryan Collins $425; 31. Jayme Zidar $420; 32. Joe Ross Jr. $415; 33. Rick Standridge $410; 34. Brent Kreke $405; 35. Kris Patterson $400; 36. Ken Rumble $395; 37. Mark Faust $390; 38. Joe Harlan $385; 39. Billy Faust $380; 40. Hillard Miller $375;

41. Craig Smith $370; 42. Jaryd Holshouser $365; 43. Don Klein $360; 44. Zach Olger $355; 45. Tim Manville $350; 46. Dick Taylor $345; 47. John Beck $340; 48. George Lindsey $335; 49. Frank Shickel Jr. $330; 50. Darren Freidman $325; 51. Dillon Thompson $320; 52. Frankie Martin $315; 53. Rick Delong $310; 54. Larry Jones $305; 55. Darrell Mooneyham $300; 56. Bruce Unterbrink $295; 57. Dan Jacober $290; 58. Duane Chamberlain $285; 59. Aaron Scott $280; 60. Alan Vochaska $275;

61. Randle Sweeney $270; 62. Jack Sullivan $265; 63. (tie) Casey Noonan $257.50; 63. (tie) Terry Phillips $257.50; 65. (tie) Kerby Damery $247.50; 65. (tie) Will Vaught $247.50; 67. Billy James $240; 68. Ryan Unzicker $235; 69. Dan Walden $230; 70. Chris Dick $225; 71. John Tindal $220; 72. Dusty Moore $215; 73. Dick Potts $210; 74. Mark Oller $205; 75. Tony Albright $200; 76. Steve Grotz $195; 77. Justin Wells $190; 78. Dustin Mooneyham $185; 79. Dave Ware $180; 80. Jason Meadors $175;

81. Michael Steele $170; 82. Ron Perrine Jr. $165; 83. Denny Woodworth $160; 84. Rick Salter $155; 85. Mike Mataragas $150; 86. (tie) Darren Miller $142.50; 86. (tie) Steve Rushin $142.50; 88. Jimmy Mars $135; 89. Eddie Leviner $130; 90. Bill Frye $125; 91. Brad Authier $120; 92. Don Walden $115; 93. (tie) Darren Barton $107.50; 93. (tie) Brandon McCormick $107.50; 95. Derek Chandler $100; 96. Billy Drake $95; 97. Patrick Sheltra $90; 98. Michael Bradley $85; 99. Aaron Kleine $80; 100. Chris Shelton $75

1. Shannon Babb $30,000; 2. Jeep VanWormer $12,000; 3. Wendell Wallace $7,000; 4. Randy Korte $5,000; 5. Dennis Erb Jr. $3,000; 6. Kevin Weaver $2,000; 7. Steve Sheppard Jr. $1,000; 8. Brian Shirley $800; 9. Rodney Melvin $700; 10. Jack Sullivan $600; 11. Patrick Sheltra $500; 12. Steve Hillard $400; 13. Darren Miller $350; 14. Don O'Neal $300; 15. Wes Steidinger $250; 16. Jimmy Mars $200; 17. Jason Feger $200; 18. Frank Heckenast Jr. $200; 19. Billy Drake $200; 20. Ryan Dauber $200

2006 COC/Northern All-Star Late Model Series Points Fund Distribution ($12,675):

1. Randy Korte $5,000; 2. Kirby Damery $2,000; 3. Frank Heckenast Jr. $1,000; 4. Ryan Dauber $700; 5. Russ Adams $500; 6. Jason Feger $400; 7. Steve Sheppard Jr. $375; 8. Dennis Erb Jr. $350; 9. Tim Lance $325; 10. Rodney Melvin $300; 11. Tim Manville $275; 12. Richie Hedrick $250; 13. Kevin Weaver $225; 14. Billy Faust $200; 15. Brian Dively $180; 16. Chad Zobrist $160; 17. Denny Woodworth $140; 18. Dan Walden $120; 19. Justin Ratliff $100; 20. Eric Smith $75

2006 UMP DIRTcar Racing Late Model Region Points Fund Distribution ($38,025):

NORTH: 1. Randy Korte $5,000; 2. Steve Sheppard Jr. $2,000; 3. Jason Feger $1,000; 4. Richie Hedrick $700; 5. Wes Steidinger $500; 6. Dennis Erb Jr. $400; 7. Ryan Dauber $375; 8. Eric Smith $350; 9. Kevin Weaver $325; 10. Joe Ross Jr. $300; 11. Jayme Zidar $275; 12. Frank Heckenast Jr. $250; 13. Joe Harlan $225; 14. Chad Zobrist $200; 15. Rodney Melvin $180; 16. Mark Faust $160; 17. Matt Taylor $140; 18. Shannon Babb $120; 19. Frank Shickel Jr. $100; 20. Darren Freidman $75

SOUTH: 1. Brad Looney $5,000; 2. Ed Dixon $2,000; 3. Terry English $1,000; 4. Rusty Griffaw $700; 5. Kevin Cole $500; 6. Mike Hammerle $400; 7. Bryan Collins $375; 8. Randy Korte $350; 9. Mark Voigt $325; 10. Brian Dively $300; 11. Ken Rumble $275; 12. Jarryd Holshouser $250; 13. Don Klein $225; 14. Brent Kreke $200; 15. Steve Sheppard Jr. $180; 16. Dillon Thompson $160; 17. Larry Jones $140; 18. Brian Shirley $120; 19. Darrell Mooneyham $100; 20. Rodney Melvin $75

EAST: 1. Rusty Schlenk $5,000; 2. Brian Ruhlman $2,000; 3. Kris Patterson $1,000; 4. Hillard Miller $700; 5. Zach Olger $500; 6. George Lindsey $400; 7. Rick Delong $375; 8. Duane Chamberlain $350; 9. Aaron Scott $325; 10. Casey Noonan $300; 11. Jeep VanWormer $275; 12. Dusty Moore $250; 13. Ron Perrine $225; 14. Brad Authier $200; 15. Alan Vochaska $180; 16. Andrew Reaume $160; 17. Jim Dale Jr. $140; 18. Chris Ross $120; 19. Jerry Bowersock $100; 20. Dan Smolders $75

2006 UMP DIRTcar Racing Late Model State Points Fund Distribution ($28,300):

CANADA: 1. Brad Authier $1,000; 2. Jim Dale $500; 3. Dan Smolders $300; 4. Dale Glassford $220; 5. Andrew Reaume $200; 6. Joe Field $150; 7. Jim Jones $130; 8. Randy Jackson $120; 9. John Pinsonneault $110; 10. Chris Ross $100

GEORGIA: 1. Chub Frank $1,000; 2. Rick Eckert $500; 3. Ricky Elliott $300; 4. Clint Smith $220; 5. Steve Francis $200; 6. Darrell Lanigan $150; 7. Billy Decker $130; 8. Donnie Moran $120; 9. Darren Miller $110; 10. (tie) Jimmy Mars $50; 10. (tie) Don O'Neal $50

ILLINOIS: 1. Randy Korte $1,000; 2. Steve Sheppard Jr. $500; 3. Wes Steidinger $300; 4. Mike Schulte $220; 5. Ryan Dauber $200; 6. Dennis Erb Jr. $150; 7. Mike Hammerle $130; 8. Chad Zobrist $120; 9. Rodney Melvin $110; 10. Joe Ross Jr. $100

INDIANA: 1. Richie Hedrick $1,000; 2. Jason Feger $500; 3. Dan Walden $300; 4. Eddie Leviner $220; 5. Dick Potts $200; 6. Guy Volk $150; 7. Michael Bradley $130; 8. Jim Laws $120; 9. Mike Mataragas $110; 10. Chuck Haga $100

IOWA: 1. Shannon Babb $1,000; 2. Randy Korte $500; 3. Jimmy Mars $300; 4. Darren Miller $220; 5. Brady Smith $200; 6. Steve Sheppard Jr. $150; 7. Dennis Erb Jr. $130; 8. Jeep VanWormer $120; 9. Wendell Wallace $110; 10. Jack Sullivan $100

KENTUCKY: 1. Terry English $1,000; 2. Kevin Cole $500; 3. John Tindal $300; 4. Michael Steele $220; 5. Dillon Thompson $200; 6. Randy Sellars $150; 7. Brandon Chappell $130; 8. Matt Liner $120; 9. Rusty Griffaw $110; 10. Jarryd Holshouser $100

MICHIGAN: 1. Alan Vochaska $1,000; 2. George Lindsey $500; 3. Rusty Schlenk $300; 4. Kris Patterson $220; 5. Rusty Seaver $200; 6. Derek Didone $150; 7. Brian Ruhlman $130; 8. Don Mihelich $120; 9. Zach Olger $110; 10. JR Hotovy $100

MISSOURI: 1. Brad Looney $1,000; 2. Ed Dixon $500; 3. Larry Jones $300; 4. Darrell Mooneyham $220; 5. Dustin Mooneyham $200; 6. Dave Ware $150; 7. Jason Meadors $130; 8. Ken Rumble $120; 9. Bryan Collins $110; 10. Will Vaught $100

OHIO: 1. Rusty Schlenk $1,000; 2. Rick Delong $500; 3. Brian Ruhlman $300; 4. Hillard Miller $220; 5. Aaron Scott $200; 6. Casey Noonan $150; 7. Duane Chamberlain $130; 8. Kris Patterson $120; 9. Ron Perrine $110; 10. Zach Olger $100

TENNESSEE: 1. Rusty Griffaw $1,000; 2. Tony Albright $500; 3. Jarryd Holshouser $300; 4. Randle Sweeney $220; 5. Bryan Singleton $200; 6. Chris Shelton $150; 7. Terry English $130; 8. Dylan Thompson $120; 9. Shannon Babb $110; 10. Kevin Cole $100

Korte & Hamstra Enjoy Spotlight As Nearly Half-Million Dollars Is Distributed At Saturday’s 23^rd Annual UMP DIRTcar Racing Awards Banquet

SPRINGFIELD, IL – Jan. 20, 2007 – Randy Korte (Late Models) and Dan Hamstra (Modifieds) enjoyed standing in the spotlight during Saturday night’s 23^rd annual UMP DIRTcar Racing Awards Banquet inside the Springfield Hilton’s Grand Ballroom.

The 2006 national champions of UMP’s two marquee divisions were feted for their accomplishments before a packed house of over 800 UMP enthusiasts, who looked on as nearly a half-million dollars in points-fund cash was distributed.

Korte, 41, of Highland, Ill., departed the gala affair with a whopping total of $36,850 in checks from the $223,195 Late Model points fund, including the $20,000 he received for his second career UMP Late Model national title.

The fulltime professional driver confirmed during his acceptance speech that he’ll look to repeat as a UMP DIRTcar Racing national champ in 2007.

“We’re gonna try to win this thing again,” said Korte, who registered 25 UMP-sanctioned victories in 2006 en route to his first national points crown since 1997. “I enjoy doing this, and racing with these guys in this area, too much to do something else.”

Korte thanked several people for playing key roles in his championship run, including his car owner Don Goddard, Tim Manville, Terry Eaglin and his crew. He gave special mention to two members of his team: his 14-year-old son Dale and Dale’s teenage buddy Tony, who served as Korte’s only crewmen for a majority of the grueling, 26-race UMP DIRTcar Summernationals.

The veteran racer known as ‘King Kong Korte’ also mentioned a person who passed away several years ago but remains close to his heart.

“I lost my brother to a motorcycle accident,” said Korte, “but I know he helped make this (championship) happen.”

Korte’s points-fund take also included $5,000 for winning the North Region points race; $5,000 for finishing fourth in the ’06 Summernationals standings; $5,000 as the Northern All-Stars Late Model Series titlist; $1,000 for capturing the Illinois State points; $500 for placing second in the Iowa State points; and $350 for finishing eighth in the South Region battle.

The evening’s loudest cheer was reserved for Hamstra, who held on to win the 2006 UMP Modified national title despite having his season end three weeks early due to life-threatening injuries he suffered in a highway accident on Sept. 20 near his home in Wheatland, Ind.

One of the Midwest’s most respected short-track racers, Hamstra was driving to a local hospital on Sept. 20 to see his daughter, who had given birth to a baby girl, when his vehicle reportedly struck a tree head-on. He suffered multiple injuries, including a lacerated liver, fractured vertebra, broken ribs, collapsed lungs, a concussion and numerous cuts.

Hamstra was still recovering from his injuries in the hospital when he officially clinched the Modified title following the UMP Nationals on Oct. 7 at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio. Denny Schwartz of Ashhmore, Ill., and Mike Harrison of Highland, Ill., did not finish well enough in that event to overtake Hamstra in the point standings.

The banquet crowd gave Hamstra, 50, a standing ovation when he walked on the stage to accept his first career UMP Modified national championship. He then thanked everyone for their prayers and good wishes following his accident and made an emotional announcement.

“At the urging of my family and doctors, I’m retiring from racing,” said Hamstra, his voice cracking.

Hamstra, who has made a remarkable recovery but continues to rehab, pocketed a total of $25,600, including $20,000 for winning the national title; $5,000 for capturing the North Region points race; $400 for finishing fifth in the UMP Midwest Modified Summer Series; and $200 for placing fifth in the Illinois State points.

Other 2006 UMP DIRTcar Racing national champions honored during the evening were Troy Naeger of Festus, Mo., who scored his first Sportsman division title; Bobby Fehring of Belview, Texas, who became UMP’s first Limited Modified champ; and Jerrad Krick of Earl Park, Ind., who earned UMP’s first Street Stock points crown. Each driver received a check for $5,000.

Region and State champions were named in the Late Model and Modified classes. The Regional titlists received $5,000, while the State champs picked up $1,000 checks.

* Late Model Region champions were Korte (North), Brad Looney (South) and Rusty Schlenk (East).

* Late Model State champs were Korte (IL), Chub Frank (GA), Terry English (KY), Looney (MO), Rusty Griffaw (TN), Shannon Babb (IA), Richie Hedrick (IN), Alan Vochaska (MI), Schlenk (OH) and Brad Authier (Canada).

* Modified Region titlists included Hamstra (North), Clayton Miller (South), John DeMoss (East), Bobby Bittle (West) and Brooks Strength (Deep South).

* Modified State champions were Herb Donath (AL), Jason Kirkpatrick (CO), Tom Seets Jr. (GA), John DeMoss (IN), Shane Hebert (LA), Bittle (MO), Mike Roediger (OH), Rusty Covan (SC), Mark Smith (TX), Smoke Oakley (CA), Patrick Williams (FL), Jeff Leka (IL), Troy English (KY), Todd Feutz (MI), Strength (MS), Brian Poppa (OR), Charles Zimmerman (TN) and Jim Dale Jr. (Canada).

The Sportsman, Street Stock and Limited Modified State champions were presented $1,000 each. The Sportsman titlists were Dean Huss Jr. (CO), Ggreg Kimmons (IL), Mike Nicholson (MO), Rick Hufford (IN), Rocky DeGruy (LA) and Josh Steinacker (OH); Street Stock champs were Krick (IN), Terry Chiles (CO), Jacob Teal (LA), Ernest Haynes (TX), Josh Griffith (IL), Mike Watson (KY) and Mike Latsch (MI); and Limited Modified winners were Fehring (TX) and Brandon Buhler (LA).

Shannon Babb of Moweaqua, Ill., was presented the remaining portion of the $30,000 he earned for winning the 2006 UMP DIRTcar Summernationals. It was the second straight Summernationals title for Babb, who had previously received half of his title award at the completion of the grueling, month-long Late Model tour.

Other UMP-sanctioned series titlists honored during Saturday’s festivities were Korte (Northern All-Stars/COC); Denny Schwartz, who earned $2,000 for winning the Midwest Modified Summer Series; and Mike Harrison, who pocketed $2,500 for capturing the Wolfpack Challenge Series crown.

A number of special awards were handed out during the banquet:

* UMP Mechanic of the Year honors were bestowed on Shannon Babb’s crew chief Jay Hunt (Late Models) and Jeff Leka’s head wrench Dave Rhodes (Modifieds).

* UMP Modified Chassis Builders of the Year were C.J. Rayburn (Late Models) and Bob Pierce (Modifieds).

* UMP Engine Builders of the Year were Pro Power Racing (Late Models) and Mullins Race Engines (Modifieds).

* UMP Sportsman of the Year Awards went to Kevin Cole (Late Models) and Tom Seets Jr. (Modifieds).

* Brian Dively was named the 2006 UMP Late Model Rookie of the Year.

* Fairbury (Ill.) American Legion Speedway was recognized as the 2006 UMP Track of the Year.

* Ray and Sue Marler, who operate I-55 Raceway in Pevely, Mo., were celebrated as the 2006 UMP Promoters of the Year.

* Veteran Late Model driver and car builder C.J. Rayburn was the recipient of the second annual Bob Memmer Achievement Award, honoring the memory of UMP’s late founder. The plaque was presented by legendary former Eldora Speedway promoter Earl Baltes, the winner of the inaugural award, and his wife Berniece.

* UMP DIRTcar Racing director Sam Driggers was the surprise recipient of a special ‘Award of Recognition’ from the UMP drivers, who stood at their seats as Driggers was called to the stage.

Several promoters of UMP-sanctioned racetracks were presented special recognition plaques, including Bob and Gail Kamp (Kamp Motor Speedway); Bob Sargent (Paducah International Raceway); Pam and Terry Hendricks (Oakshade Raceway); Larry Rollo (Houston Raceway Park); Dan Adams (Soggy Bottom Speedway); Sherri Heckenast (Kankakee Motor Speedway and Kentucky Motor Speedway); Rick Heck (Mt. Vernon Speedway); Don Hammer (Farmer City Speedway and Lincoln Speedway); Larry Kemp (Eldora Speedway); Ray Marler (I-55 Raceway); Steve Schanter (Belle Clair Speedway); William Scogin (Clarksville Speedway); Kevin Gundaker (Tri-City Speedway); Rusty Allen (Fairbury American Legion Speedway); and Jeff Gotelaer (South Buxton Raceway).

For more information on UMP DIRTcar Racing, visit www.umpracing.com.

NOTE: Additional press releases will include points-fund breakdowns for the five UMP DIRTcar Racing divisions and notes from the awards banquet.

SPRINGFIELD, IL – Jan. 20, 2007 – A new era began for United Midwestern Promoters on Saturday.

Continuing the circuit’s rise in North American short-track racing circles while maintaining its treasured history, UMP officials unveiled a fresh, stylish logo and announced an updated, all-encompassing title – ‘UMP DIRTcar Racing’ – for the popular weekly racing series.

The news was formally released during Saturday night’s 23^rd annual UMP Awards Banquet inside the Grand Ballroom of the Springfield Hilton, where the top UMP drivers from the 2006 season shared over a half-million dollars in points-fund awards in front of a sold-out crowd.

“Over the years we have made a few changes to the logo here and there, but really felt like it was time to update our look,” said Sam Driggers, Director of UMP DIRTcar Racing. “We hope that the new logo and the addition of ‘DIRTcar Racing’ will help us grow interest in our sport in general and give our promoters something they can really use in their advertising.”

“We feel the time is right to invest in the UMP circuit’s image and accentuate the fact that we are all about dirt track racing,” said Ben Geisler, Executive Vice President of Operations. “The thrilling grassroots dirt-track racing that UMP has always been known for remains, and we’re striving to package more under the ‘UMP DIRTcar Racing’ banner so fans across the country and in Canada will always know where to find the best weekly competition.”

In 2007, ‘UMP DIRTcar Racing’ will be headlined by the Late Model and open-wheel Modified classes. The divisional sanction lineup will also include Sportsman, Limited Modifieds, Street Stocks, Factory Stocks and Four-Cylinders.

The organization’s premier traveling series for Late Models will also reflect the new name. From June 14 to July 14, the grueling UMP DIRTcar Summernationals will run 29 events in 31 nights.

The United Midwestern Promoters circuit was founded in 1984 by the late Bob Memmer, whose goal was to provide an arena for dirt track racing’s many Weekend Warriors to shine.

“When Bob Memmer started UMP, I don’t think he could have ever imagined how widespread it would become,” said Driggers, who worked under Memmer for a decade. “The new logo and addition of ‘DIRTcar Racing’ will give our tracks in other areas of the country something to work with and help us expand the UMP footprint more aggressively.

“This is a very exciting time for everyone involved with UMP DIRTcar Racing, and I can’t wait to share some of the other tricks we have up our sleeve for 2007.”

“As the caretakers of what Bob Memmer started,” said Geisler, “all of us are dedicated to continuing his legacy. Everyone can be assured that ‘UMP DIRTcar Racing’ and grassroots racing will always be the foundation of what we are building.”

2007 UMP DIRTcar Summernationals Schedule For Late Models Boasts 29 Dates In 31 Nights

EVANSVILLE, IN – Jan. 20, 2007 – The 2007 UMP DIRTcar Summernationals is shaping up to be an unprecedented test of dirt Late Model men and machines.

With 29 dates scheduled over a 31-day period from June 14 to July 14, this season’s tour could be the biggest ever.

The ’07 UMP DIRTcar Summernationals is on track to set a record for most events run in the history of the series, which has thrilled Midwestern fans since its launch in 1988. The current single-season high for completed races is 27, established in 2002 and 2005.

“This just demonstrates the continued popularity of the UMP DIRTcar Summernationals,” said UMP director Sam Driggers, who announced the tour’s schedule on Thursday. “I’m as excited about this year’s schedule as I’ve ever been.”

The ’07 UMP DIRTcar Summernationals is currently slated to visit a mix of new and long-standing tour venues across a six-state area, starting on Thurs., June 14, at Twin Cities Raceway Park in North Vernon, Ind. It will mark the second straight year that an event at the Twin Cities oval kicks off the Summernationals.

The cradle of the Summernationals will remain the state of Illinois, which currently has 15 events scheduled at tracks within its borders. There are four races slated for Indiana, three in Missouri, two each in Kentucky and Ohio and one in Tennessee.

Two of the 29 Summernationals dates – Wed., July 4, and Fri., July 13 – are still being negotiated, but Driggers decided to announce the schedule with the ‘TBA’ slots so racers and fans can begin making plans for the busy month of competition.

“We’re very happy to have the schedule out in January,” said Driggers, who expects to soon announce the host venues for the July 4 and July 13 events. “This should be a big help to everyone who needs to arrange vacation days so they can enjoy some time on the road with the Summernationals.”

The only off days for the tour are set for Mon., June 18, and Mon., July 9, which means the heart of the Summernationals will feature a grueling 20 consecutive nights of Late Model action.

First-time additions to the UMP DIRTcar Summernationals schedule this season are Missouri’s Lebanon I-44 Speedway (June 19) and Midway Speedway in Crooksville, Ohio, which will highlight its inaugural year as a UMP-sanctioned track by making its annual Jim Dunn Memorial a part of the tour on July 2.

The standard purse for Summernationals events will offer a $6,000 top prize, but nine races are scheduled to pay more to win. Midway’s Jim Dunn Memorial boasts a $7,500 first-place check, and $10,000 is posted for events at Kankakee (Ill.) Motor Speedway (June 15); Kamp Motor Speedway in Boswell, Ind. (June 16); Farmer City (Ill.) Raceway (June 22); I-55 Raceway in Pevely, Mo. (June 23); Clarksville (Tenn.) Speedway (June 30); Tri-City Speedway in Pontoon Beach, Ill. (July 6); Fairbury (Ill.) American Legion Speedway (July 7); and Oakshade Raceway in Wauseon, Ohio (July 14).

Unless otherwise specified, all Summernationals A-Mains will be contested over the 40-lap distance.

Lovers of hard-fought, bullring racing should be overjoyed with this year’s UMP DIRTcar Summernationals, which currently has no track larger than three-eighths of a mile listed on the schedule. That includes Tri-City Speedway; formerly an imposing half-mile oval, it has been reconfigured during the off-season by promoter Kevin Gundaker to a three-eighths-mile layout.

“The sizes of the tracks will make this year’s Summernationals a real racer-friendly series,” said Driggers. “There are no big half-miles that teams will need major horsepower to get around.”

Driggers also noted that this year UMP will be selling sponsorships for events to local businesses. For starters, a backer has already been secured for the races at Paducah (Ky.) International Raceway (June 28) and Fairbury; both events will be titled the ‘ARC 40.’

* A visit to Farmer City Raceway for the 19^th consecutive year. The only Summernationals that didn’t include the quarter-mile Farmer City oval was the first, in 1988.

* The Herald & Review 100 on July 5 at Macon (Ill.) Speedway, which at one-fifth of a mile is the smallest track on the tour. This will be the 19^th year that the Summernationals has visited Macon, which has hosted a tour event every season except 1998.

* An event at Fairbury American Legion Speedway for the 18^th consecutive year. The quarter-mile track was missing only from the 1988 and ’89 Summernationals.

* A 17^th Summernationals event at Kankakee Motor Speedway, which was part of the inaugural six-race tour in 1988.

* Races at Mount Vernon (Ill.) Raceway (June 27) and Paducah International Raceway, both on the schedule for the 12^th consecutive year.

* The 10^th straight year of action at Clarksville Speedway, which has been a Summernationals stalwart since 1998 when NASCAR star Tony Stewart won the quarter-mile track’s first tour event.

* A return to Quad City Speedway in East Moline, Ill., which will host the tour for the first time since 2000 on July 8.

* The 10^th annual 60-lap ‘Birthday Race’ at Oakshade Raceway (July 14), where the Summernationals will conclude for the third year in a row.

Shannon Babb of Moweaqua, Ill., is expected to chase a third consecutive UMP DIRTcar Summernationals points title this season, but he might receive a challenge from some experienced Summernationals hands. It appears that former tour champions Billy Moyer and Don O’Neal will run substantially more Summernationals events than they have in recent years.

For more information on the 2007 UMP DIRTcar Summernationals, visit www.umpracing.com or call the UMP office at 812-426-1200.

Tickets Sold Out For 23^rd Annual UMP Awards Banquet On Jan. 20 In Springfield, Ill.

EVANSVILLE, IN – Jan. 10, 2007 – Unprecedented interest has made a sell-out of the 23^rd annual United Midwestern Promoters (UMP) Awards Banquet on Sat., Jan. 20, at the Springfield (Ill.) Hilton, UMP director Sam Driggers announced today.

“We’ve done all we can to accommodate as many people as possible in the Hilton’s Grand Ballroom, but we’ve reached the point where we can’t sell any more tickets,” said Driggers.

This is the first time in UMP’s history that the awards banquet’s tickets have been sold out in advance, said Driggers.

While no more tickets are available, Driggers said that a waiting list has been established for UMP faithful who are still interested in attending the banquet. Those parties can call the UMP office at 812-426-1200 or Driggers’s cell phone at 405-488-5561 to have their names put on the stand-by list.

“If there are any cancellations by people already holding tickets,” said Driggers, “we’ll call the people who are on the waiting list and offer them the opportunity to purchase the tickets and have dinner with us.”

The 23^rd annual UMP Awards Banquet is scheduled to begin on Sat., Jan. 20, with cocktails at 5 p.m. CST. Dinner will be served at 6:30 p.m. CST, followed by the presentation of awards and entertainment.

Rick Eshelman, the lead announcer of the 360 OTC World of Outlaws Late Model Series, will serve as emcee of the night’s activities.

Earning the lion’s share of the attention during the banquet will be UMP Late Model national champion Randy Korte of Highland, Ill., and UMP Modified national titlist Dan Hamstra of Wheatland, Ind. Both drivers will receive $20,000 checks for their points crowns.

Other 2006 UMP national champs set to be honored are Bobby Fehring of Mont Belview, Texas (Limited Modifieds), Troy Naeger of Festus, Mo. (Sportsman) and Jerrad Krick of Earl Park, Ind. (Street Stocks).

Awards will also be distributed to the top finishers in UMP’s Late Model Summernationals and each UMP division’s regional and state point standings, and “Outstanding Awards” will be presented to the Promoter of the Year, Track of the Year, Sportsman of the Year (Late Model and Modified) and Mechanic of the Year (Late Model and Modified) as voted by UMP member drivers.

In addition, the Bob Memmer Award, named in honor of UMP’s late founder, will be presented to a person who has helped make the UMP organization a success.

UMP’s Late Model and Modified Divisions Ready To Get Rolling Again During February’s DIRTcar Nationals At Volusia Speedway Park

EVANSVILLE, IN – Jan. 12, 2007 – As has become customary, the United Midwestern Promoters (UMP) season will get rolling next month in the Sunshine State.

The DIRT MotorSports-owned organization’s top two divisions – dirt Late Models and Modifieds – are set for competition as part of the 36^th annual DIRTcar Nationals Presented by Mopar Speed Shop that runs from Feb. 6-17 at Volusia Speedway Park.

The UMP Late Models are scheduled to contest a four-race meet at the half-mile, D-shaped oval on Feb. 12, 13, 14 and 16, while the open-wheel UMP Modifieds will battle for eight consecutive nights from Feb. 6-13.

UMP-sanctioned Late Model and Modified action has been lighting up Volusia Speedway Park in February for more than a decade – and this year the DIRTcar Nationals will even serve as a prelude to more UMP-sanctioned racing at the track. Several of Volusia’s weekly divisions will run under the UMP banner in 2007.

A UMP Late Model field approaching 100 cars is expected to participate in the DIRTcar Nationals. Programs highlighted by 30-lap features paying $5,000 to win will be presented on Mon., Feb 12, Tues., Feb. 13, and Wed., Feb. 14, and then a 50-lap A-Main boasting a $10,000 top prize will serve as the UMP Late Model series finale on Fri., Feb. 16.

Last year’s DIRTcar Nationals yielded only three UMP Late Model features because the series opener was canceled due to unusually cold Florida weather. Chub Frank of Bear Lake, Pa., and Darren Miller of Millidgeville, Ill., scored victories in the 30-lap events, while Rick Eckert of York, Pa., emerged triumphant in the big-money, extra-distance championship show on Friday night.

On the strength of seventh-, second- and third-place finishes in the three A-Mains, Earl Pearson Jr. of Jacksonville, Fla., was crowned the 2006 UMP Late Model DIRTcar Nationals champion.

Two more nights of dirt Late Model competition during the 2007 DIRTcar Nationals will feature the 360 OTC World of Outlaws Late Model Series, which will battle in separate $10,000-to-win, 50-lap features on Thurs., Feb. 15, and Sat., Feb. 17.

Another huge field of UMP Modified teams will converge on Volusia from all across the country to enjoy eight grueling nights of action beginning on Tues., Feb. 6. The first seven evenings will be topped by 20-lap features, with a 30-lap UMP Modified Championship event bringing the meet to an end on Tues., Feb. 13.

Missouri’s Scott Drake captured the 2006 UMP Modified DIRTcar Nationals points championship driving as a teammate to Gary Clark, who owns the popular Dirt Works Race Cars manufacturing company.

UMP Modified teams will actually have an opportunity to tune up for the DIRTcar Nationals by competing in the North Florida Winternationals, set for Feb. 1-3 at North Florida Speedway in Lake City, Fla. Following a practice night on Feb. 1, complete programs will be run for the division on Feb. 2 and 3.

Entry forms for UMP teams planning to compete in the DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park are available at www.umpracing.com; www.volusiaspeedwaypark.com; or by calling the Volusia Speedway Park office at 386-985-4402.

Late Model teams that enter prior to the Feb. 3 early-entry deadline will receive one free camping spot for the division’s six nights of action at VSP – a spot that normally sells for $20 per night.

In addition, trackside camping spots will be available for the first time during the DIRTcar Nationals. Interested parties should call the Volusia Speedway Park office for more information on the parking specifics and cost.

The UMP Late Models and Modifieds will be just two parts of the DIRTcar Nationals racing extravaganza at Volusia.

Also on the DIRTcar Nationals docket is racing for the All-Star Circuit of Champions Sprint Cars (Feb. 6-8); the Sprint Car superstars of the World of Outlaws tour (Feb. 9-11); the Advance Auto Parts big-block DIRT Modifieds (Feb. 14-17); and the 360 OTC World of Outlaws Late Model Series (Feb. 15 and 17).

Special reserved-seat ‘Super Tickets’ are now available for the DIRTcar Nationals at a cost of $160 (covering the six nights of Sprint Car racing or the six nights of dirt Late Model action) and $120 (for the four nights of big-block Modified competition). A free gift is included with the purchase of ‘Super Tickets,’ which fans can learn more about by calling the VSP office at 386-985-4402.

The Volusia Speedway Park pit area and campground will open for racer and fan parking on Mon., Feb. 5.