2006umpsummernationalsmore.htm

The series features new race procedures for the 2006 tour!
1- ALL DRIVERS WILL DRAW FROM THE UMP VEHICLE.
2- WE WILL DO GROUP QUALIFYING.
3- YOU WILL RUN YOUR HEAT AGAINST THE CARS YOU QUALIFIED WITH.
4- THE WINNER FROM EACH HEAT WILL RUN A DASH TO DETERMINE WHERE THEY START IN THE FEATURE.
5- YOU WILL REDRAW FOR THE DASH
6- 2ND PLACE BACK FROM EACH HEAT WILL START THE FEATURE THE WAY THEY FINISHED THE HEAT.
7- CONSI’S WILL BE LINED UP THE WAY YOU FINISHED YOUR HEAT.
8- 19TH WILL BE THE HIGHEST S/N DRIVER THAT DID NOT MAKE THE FEATURE.
9- 20TH WILL BE THE HIGHEST TRACK DRIVER FROM LAST YEARS POINTS THAT DID NOT MAKE THE FEATURE. IF THE TRACK DOES NOT RUN LATE MODELS WEEKLY, WE WILL TAKE THE FASTEST QUALIFYING CAR THAT DID NOT MAKE THE FEATURE.
10- 21ST WILL BE THE HIGHEST DRIVER IN THE 2005 UMP NATIONAL POINTS THAT DID NOT MAKE THE FEATURE.

 

SCROLL DOWN FOR COMPLETE STORIES/RESULTS

Congratulations to 2006 Champion Shannon Babb
July 15 Saturday - Oakshade, Wauseon, OH $10000 to win 60 laps
top 5....Shannon Babb, Rusty Schlenk, Wendell Wallace, Jeep VanWormer, Randy Korte....67 cars
July 14 Friday - travel day
July 13 Thursday - Quincy Raceways, Quincy, IL....$6000 to win 40 laps***new track***
top 5....Randy Korte, Steve Sheppard Jr, Joe Ross Jr, Tim Lance, Mark Burgtorf ....32 cars
July 12 Wednesday - 34 Raceway, West Burlington, IA $10000 to win 40 laps
top 5....Shannon Babb, Randy Korte, Jimmy Mars, Brady Smith, Darren Miller ....27 cars
July 11 Tuesday....no race....traditional travel day
July 10 Monday - LaSalle, IL $6000 to win 40 laps
top 5....Shannon Babb, Randy Korte, Wendell Wallace, Jeep VanWormer, Wes Steidinger ....33 cars
July 09 Sunday - Tri-City Pontoon Beach, IL $10000 to win 40 laps
top 5....Brian Birkhofer, Don O'Neal, Shannon Babb, Jeep VanWormer, Terry Phillips ....31 cars
July 08 Saturday - Fairbury, IL $10000 to win 40 laps
top 5....Jimmy Mars, Don O'Neal, Darren Miller, Brian Birkhofer, Rodney Melvin ....53 cars
July 07 Friday - Bureau County, Princeton, IL $10000 to win 40 laps***new track***
top 5....Brian Birkhofer, Shannon Babb, Darren Miller, Dennis Erb Jr, Jimmy Mars ....30 cars
July 06 Thursday - Jacksonville, IL.... $6000 to win 40 laps***new track***
top 5....Jeep VanWormer, Don O'Neal, Dennis Erb Jr, Matt Taylor, Shannon Babb ....38 cars
July 05 Wednesday - Spoon River Banner, IL $6000 to win 40 laps
top 5....Randy Korte, Wendell Wallace, Wes Steidinger, Dennis Erb Jr, Steve Sheppard Jr ....54 cars
July 04 Tuesday - Highland, IL $6000 to win 40 laps
top 5....Rodney Melvin, Jeep VanWormer, Randy Korte, Shannon Babb, Wendell Wallace ....30 cars
 July 03 Monday - Western Kentucky, Madisonville, KY $6000 to win 40 laps
top 5....Shannon Babb, Dennis Erb Jr, Terry English, Jack Sullivan, Jeep VanWormer ....29 cars
July 02 Sunday - Vermilion County Danville, IL $6000 to win 40 laps
top 5....Shannon Babb, Brian Shirley, Don O'Neal, Randy Korte, Jeep VanWormer ....32 cars
July 01 Saturday - i55 Pevely, MO $10000 to win 40 laps
top 5....Shannon Babb, Brian Birkhofer, Wendell Wallace, Jimmy Mars, Billy Faust ....41 cars
June 30 Friday - Poplar Bluff, MO.... $10000 to win 40 laps***new track***
top 5....Shannon Babb, Jimmy Mars, Darren Miller, Wendell Wallace, Terry Phillips ....39 cars
June 29 Thursday - Paducah, KY $6000 to win 40 laps
top 5....Shannon Babb, Jeep VanWormer, Terry English, Darren Miller, Brian Shirley ....40 cars
June 28 Wednesday - Mt. Vernon IL $6000 to win 40 laps
top 5....Shannon Babb, Rodney Melvin, Jimmy Mars, Dennis Erb Jr, Wes Steidinger ....40 cars
June 27 Tuesday- Fayette County Brownstown, IL $6000 to win 40 laps
top 5....Dennis Erb Jr, Wendell Wallace, Randy Korte, Shannon Babb, Rodney Melvin ....38 cars
June 26 Monday- travel day
June 25 Sunday - Lawrenceburg, IN $6000 to win 40 laps
top 5....Jeep VanWormer, Shannon Babb, Brad Neat, Steve Casebolt Jr, Brian Shirley ....45 cars
June 24 Saturday - Clarksville, TN $10000 to win 40 laps
top 5....Shannon Babb, Dennis Erb Jr, Jeep VanWormer, Randy Korte, Steve Sheppard Jr ....33 cars
June 23 Friday - Farmer City Raceway IL $10000 to win 40 laps
top 5....Steve Hillard, Wes Steidinger, Kevin Weaver, Shannon Babb, Matt Taylor ....57 cars
June 22 Thursday - Macon, IL 100 laps $6000 to win 100 laps
top 5....Shannon Babb, Kyle Logue, Joe Ross Jr, Dennis Erb Jr, Randy Korte ....36 cars
June 21 Wednesday - Peoria, IL $6000 to win 40 laps
top 5....Shannon Babb, Rodney Melvin, Dennis Erb Jr, Ryan Dauber, Wes Steidinger ....50 cars
June 20 Tuesday - travel day
June 19 Monday - Hartford, MI $6000 to win ....40 laps
top 5....Don O'Neal, Wendell Wallace, Jeep VanWormer, Darren Miller, Brian Shirley ....44 cars
June 18 Sunday - Tri-State, Haubstadt, IN $6000 to win 40 laps
RAIN
June 17 Saturday - KAMP Boswell, IN $10000 to win 40 laps
top 5....Shannon Babb, Billy Drake, Wendell Wallace, Jeep VanWormer, Jason Feger ....40 cars
June 16 Friday - Kankakee Motor Speedway, Kankakee, IL $10000 to win 40 laps
top five--Randy Korte, Kevin Weaver, Shannon Babb, Steve Hillard, Richie Hedrick ....45 cars
June 15 Thursday - Twin Cities, North Vernon, IN 6000 to win 40 laps
top five....Dennis Erb Jr, Wendell Wallace, Shannon Babb, Randy Korte, Billy Moyer ....41 cars
 

Congratulations to 2006 Champion Shannon Babb

there might be several stories for some races....please scroll down to read them all!!

July 15 Saturday - Oakshade, Wauseon, OH $10000 to win 60 laps
thanks to Kkovac for the story

WAUSEON, OH – July 15, 2006 – Shannon Babb put a cherry on top of his second straight UMP Summernationals points title, capturing Saturday night’s 60-lap series finale at Oakshade Raceway.

The 32-year-old dirt Late Model driving star from Mowequa, Ill., dominated the event, blasting off from the outside pole to lead the entire distance. He was never seriously challenged en route to earning $10,000 for his 13th triumph in 26 races on this year’s tour.

Rusty Schlenk, an Oakshade regular hailing from Jackson, Mich., finished a distant second, a full straightaway behind Babb at the checkered flag.

“It’s awesome to be able to win the 2006 Summernationals championship like this,” said Babb, whose final victory margin in the series standings was 163 points over Jeep VanWormer of Piconning, Mich. “Last year we won the championship, but we didn’t win the finale (which was also at Oakshade).”

Babb, whose Summernationals title was worth an extra $30,000 for his bank account, had the crown locked up before even starting Oakshade’s ninth annual ‘Birthday Race’ special. There was no need for him to race conservatively – though that’s not part of his racing philosophy anyway.

“We try to win every race,” Babb said after spraying champagne with his crew in Victory Lane. “There’s (naughty word) good money on the line every night of this series, and we try to get as much of it as we can.”

Babb had no trouble collecting the top cash at the three-eighths-mile Oakshade Raceway, where he was previously victorious in the 2004 edition of the ‘Birthday Race.’ He simply perched his Billy Moyer Sr.-owned Rayburn No. 18 on the top lip of the track and tore around the oval, leaving the lane only when he needed to pass lapped cars.

“I’ve been here before and I knew the top’s pretty good,” analyzed Babb. “It’s a momentum deal (through the corners) here, and if I run around the bottom, it seems like I get my car bound up. So I thought it was best for the tires and the car to put it up there on the top and ride.”

With lapped cars giving him little trouble, Babb cruised to a UMP Summernationals championship celebration on Oakshade’s homestretch in front of a standing-room-only crowd.

“We had a super good race car for this whole series,” said Babb, who recorded his 51st career win in UMP Summernationals competition. “And we had great people behind us – J&J Steel, Car City, Petroff Towing, Rayburn.”

Schlenk couldn’t stop Babb from blowing into his hometrack and stealing the top prize, but his second-place finish was still noteworthy. He fell back to third early in the race after starting from the pole position, but he used the inside groove to take second from Wendell Wallace of Batesville, Ark., on lap 43 and actually gained some ground on Babb before being hampered by slower cars.

“I can’t complain about second, especially with the kind of competition that was here tonight,” said Schlenk. “But I started getting a real big grin on my face after I got to second. My tires were starting to come and I saw (Babb) getting bigger and bigger in front of me, but then lapped traffic got in my way.”

Wallace, who started fourth, settled for third place in a race that was slowed by five caution flags in the first 16 laps but none thereafter. He also clinched a third-place points finish in the UMP Summernationals, which he followed from start-to-finish for the first time in his career.

VanWormer came from eighth to place fourth, a couple car lengths behind Wallace at the finish. Randy Korte of Highland, Ill., completed the top five after starting third and unofficially claimed fourth in the UMP Summernationals points standings, two points ahead of Carpentersville, Ill.’s Dennis Erb Jr., who finished sixth and was the final driver on the lead lap at the checkered flag.

Babb, VanWormer, Wallace, Korte and Erb were the five drivers who had perfect attendance on DIRT MotorSports’ 2006 UMP Summernationals.

Brian Ruhlman of Clark Lake, Mich., set fast time for the event, which drew an ’06 UMP Summernationals high of 67 cars.

Heat winners were Curtis Roberts, Schlenk, Duane Chamberlain, Korte, Wallace and Babb. B-Main victors were Don Wallace, Dustin Moore and Zack Olger, and Schlenk captured the pole dash.

UMP Summernationals Feature Finish (60 laps): 1. Shannon Babb, 2. Rusty Schlenk, 3. Wendell Wallace, 4. Jeep VanWormer, 5. Randy Korte, 6. Dennis Erb Jr., 7. Rick Delong, 8. Curtis Roberts, 9. Brian Ruhlman, 10. Frank Heckenast Jr., 11. Aaron Scott, 12. Casey Noonan, 13. Kris Patterson, 14. Dustin Moore, 15. Hillard Miller, 16. Ron Miller, 17. Duane Chamberlain, 18. Justin Paxton, 19. Jerry Bowersock, 20. Don Wallace, 21. Zack Olger.

DNQ: Tim Sabo, Greg Martin, Dean Anderson, Herb Reich, Kevin Reeve, Brad Miller, Brandon Perkins, Darrell Scott, Rody Schroyer, Brian Koebbe, Bob Miller, Ky Harper, Tim Wright, Dan Wilkins, Joe Wildermuth, Curtis Diesenroth, Terry Sroufe, Skeet Richner, Tom Stafford, Tim Stemler, Joe Overmyer, Ernie Haynes, Zac Davis, Devin Shiels, John Gamber, Jeremy Grover, Mark Thrasher, Mike Stiltner, Jake Rendel, Mike Miller, Mike Harger, Mike McKnight, Jeff Kohn, Ryan Garey, Ken Hahn, Brian McQueen, Bill Hahn, Troy Cattarene, Jeff Clapp, Ronnie Perrine, Brad Eitnear, George Lindsey, Shawn Reed, Chris Keller, Jon Horner.

Oakshade Raceway
Wauseon, OH.
by: Terry Young

Shannon Babb, the Mowequa Missile rounded out the 2006 UMP Summer Nationals as the traveling contingent made the trek to the Ohio speedplant for their annual "Birthday Race" and won his 13th event on the tour of 26 races, ending the tour with a perfect 50% win rate.

In front of a full house, with $10.00 general admission and $20.00 pit pass pricing, the lowest on the tour, Babb was showered with champagne in victory lane as he also captured an additional $30,000.00 for the points title, bringing his Summer National earnings to an excess of $132,000.00 for just his wins in a little under a month. The Oakshade raceway stop also boasted the highest car count of all of the Summer National events with 67 competitors on hand.

Babb was driving his Bill Moyer, Sr. owned C.J. Rayburn built #18 powered by a RaceTek powerplant with sponsorship from CAR CITY, Watters Autoland, Hoosier by Smash, J&J Steel, Weld Wheels, Platinum Motors, Petroff Towing, Outlawd Motorsports, Dyers Top Rods, OutPace Products, ALLSTAR Automotive and Team Petersen under the preperation of Jay Hunt and Andrew Barnes.

Babb started the evening winning his heat race and finished 2nd in the trophy dash after starting 5th, which would earn him the outside front row starting position for the 60 lap A-Main. On a multi-groove track, Babb set a blistering pace, lapping 2/3rd's of the field on his way to the win.

Jeep Van Wormer, was the overall fast qualifier with a time of 16.119. Van Wormer would finish second in the final point tally for the Summer Nationals and earned $12,000.00 for his runner up effort.

The heat races were won by Curtis Roberts over Brian Ruhlman, Rusty Schlenk over Van Wormer in a daring last lap pass for the win, Duane Chamberlain over Rick Delong, Randy Korte over Ron Miller, Wendell Wallace over Aaron Scott and Babb over Justin Paxton.

The trophy dash was topped by Schlenk over Babb, Korte, Wallace, Chamberlain and Roberts.

Consi action events would transferDan Wallace and Jerry Bowersock, Dustin Moore and Dennis Erb and Zack Olger and Casey Noonan.

Summary:

Fast Time; Jeep Van Wormer 16.119

Heat 1: Roberts, Ruhlman, Tim Sabo, Frank Heckenast, Jr., Greg Martin Josh Steinacker, Kevin Reeve, Dean Anderson, Herb Reich, Brandon Perkins, Brad Miller, Darrel Scott

Heat 2: Schlenk, Van Wormer, Dan Wallace, Bowersock, Brian Kobbe, Dan Wilkins

Heat 3: Chamberlain, Delong, Hillard Miller, Kris Patterson,Tim Steimler, Curtis Diesenroth, Terry Srouffe, Skeet Reckner, Tom Stafford

Heat 4: Korte, Miller, Erb, Devin Shiels, Moore, Jeremy Grover, Mark Thrasher, John Gamber, Jake Rendel

Heat 5: Wallace, Scott, Mike Miller, Jeff Kohn, Mike Harger, Brian McQueen, Ken Hahn, Ryan Gorey, Mike McKnight, Troy Cattarene

Heat 6: Babb, Paxton, Olger, Ron Perrine, Noonan, Jeff Clapp, George Lindsey, Chris Keller, Brad Eitniear, Jon Horner, Shawn Reed

Feature:

   1. (2) Shannon Babb
   2. (1) Rusty Schlenk
   3. (4) Wendell Wallace
   4. (8) Jeep Van Wormer
   5. (3) Randy Korte
   6. (16) Dennis Erb
   7. (9) Rick Delong
   8. (6) Curtis Roberts
   9. (15) Brian Ruhlman
10. (18) Frank Heckenast, Jr.
11. (10) Aaron Scott
12. (17) Casey Noonan
13. (21) (P) Kris Patterson
14. (13) Dustin Moore
15. (19) (P) Hillard Miller
16 - 20 Unavailable
21. (21) (P) Ron Perrine, Jr.

July 14 Friday - travel day

July 13 Thursday - Quincy Raceways, Quincy, IL....$6000 to win 40 laps***new track***

July 13, 2006

Quincy Raceways

Quincy, Illinois

King Kong Korte Takes Quincy Raceways UMP Summer Nationals Win

By Jack Walbring

 Mother Nature was up to no good at Quincy Raceways for the UMP Summer Nationals event on Thursday, July 13. Extremely hot and humid conditions after two days of rain that totaled about two inches brought about severe thunderstorm warnings and heavy rain in the city of Quincy only minutes before action was scheduled to begin. A small amount of rain fell at the track and racing action was only delayed for a short time but the track conditions were less than ideal as the action proved to be about as hot and heavy as the air with thirty two cars checked in to race for the first ever Quincy Raceways UMP Summer Nationals event.

 Shannon Babb set fast time for the night during qualifying with a lap of 13.876, the only driver to dip into the thirteen second bracket. Babb looked like he may have been on his way to his thirteenth win on this years tour as he won his heat race and the pole dash. Babb started the forty lap main event on the pole with Dennis Erb on the outside of row one. Babb jumped into the lead at the drop of the green with Erb challenging for the top spot until suffering a flat tire with suspension problems on the thirteenth circuit. Babb maintained the lead on the restart and kept Steve Sheppard Jr. at bay in the second spot until having contact with lapped traffic on the thirty third lap sending the number 18 into a 360 degree spin which damaged his suspension forcing him to retire from the event. Sheppard then showed the way on the restart but Randy Korte put the pressure on Sheppard for the top spot over the next three laps. Sheppard slipped high in turn two on the thirty sixth lap giving Korte the opportunity he needed as King Kong charged past to take the lead. Korty kept Sheppard at bay until the checkered flag fell giving Korte the win and the $6000 payday. Sheppard held on for second followed by Joe Ross Jr. in third, Steve Lance in fourth and Mark Burgtorf in fifth. Korte, Sheppard and Erb were the heat race winners with Ryan Dauber and Jack Sullivan claiming the wins in the consolation events.

                                            7/13/2006 - Special Events Results...UMP Summer Nationals #26                                                                   

UMP Late Models – Fast Time – Shannon Babb 13.876

A-Main --  1. Randy Korte, Highland; 2. Steve Sheppard Jr., New Berlin; 3. Joe Ross, Springfield; 4. Tim Lance, Brimfield; 5. Mark Burgtorf, Quincy; 6. Jack Sullivan, Greenbrier, Ark.; 7. Kevin Weaver, Gibson City; 8. Jeep VanWormer, Pinconning, Mich.; 9. Dennis Erbe, Carpentersville; 10. Jay Johnson, West Burlington, Iowa; 11. Jason Feger, Bloomington; 12. Ryan Dauber, Tonica; 13. Billy Genenbacher, Camp Point; 14. Keith Pratt, Mendon; 15. Wendell Wallace, Batesville, Ark.; 16. Brian Kenning, Quincy; 17. Shannon Babb, Moweaqua; 18. Steven Grotz, Quincy; 19. Denny Woodworth, Mendon; 20. Rodney Melvin, Benton; 21. Johnny Johnson, West Burlington, Iowa.

B-Main 1 --  1. Ryan Dauber, Tonica; 2. Steven Grotz, Quincy; 3. Billy Genenbacher, Camp Point; 4. Jason Feger,

Bloomington; 5. Adam Mefford, Jacksonville; 6. Don Cisco III, Oreana; 7. Kerry Mathew, Rensselaer, Ind.; 8. Billy Moyer Jr.,Batesville, Ark.; 9. Brian Shirley, Chatham; 10. Kevin Tomlinson, New London, Mo..

B-Main 2 --  1. Jack Sullivan, Greenbrier, Ark.; 2. Johnny Johnson, West Burlington, Iowa; 3. Jeep VanWormer, Pinconning,Mich.; 4. Rickey Frankel, Quincy; 5. Brian Kenning, Quincy; 6. Terry Gallaher, New London, Mo.; 7. Justin Reed, Quincy, Il.; 8.Steve Zak, Williamsburg, ; 9. Dustin Neese, Nebo; 10. Wendell Wallace, Batesville, Ark.; 11. Andy Davis, Quincy.

Heat 1 --  1. Shannon Babb, Moweaqua; 2. Rodney Melvin, Benton; 3. Mark Burgtorf, Quincy; 4. Ryan Dauber, Tonica; 5.

Brian Shirley, Chatham; 6. Jason Feger, Bloomington; 7. Adam Mefford, Jacksonville; 8. Kerry Mathew, Rensselaer, Ind.; DNS Kevin Tomlinson, New London, Mo..

Heat 2 --  1. Randy Korte, Highland; 2. Tim Lance, Brimfield; 3. Joe Ross, Springfield; 4. Steven Grotz, Quincy; 5. Billy

Genenbacher, Camp Point; 6. Don Cisco III, Oreana; 7. Billy Moyer Jr., Batesville, Ark.; 8. Wendell Wallace, Batesville, Ark..

Heat 3 --  1. Steve Sheppard Jr., New Berlin; 2. Jay Johnson, West Burlington, Iowa; 3. Keith Pratt, Mendon; 4. Rickey

Frankel, Quincy; 5. Steve Zak, Williamsburg, ; 6. Jeep VanWormer, Pinconning, Mich.; 7. Justin Reed, Quincy, Il.; 8. Brian

Kenning, Quincy.

Heat 4 --  1. Dennis Erbe, Carpentersville; 2. Kevin Weaver, Gibson City; 3. Denny Woodworth, Mendon; 4. Jack Sullivan,

Greenbrier, Ark.; 5. Johnny Johnson, West Burlington, Iowa; 6. Dustin Neese, Nebo; 7. Terry Gallaher, New London, Mo.; 8. Andy Davis, Quincy.

July 12 Wednesday - 34 Raceway, West Burlington, IA $10000 to win 40 laps


By Kevin Kovac
WEST BURLINGTON, IA – July 12, 2006 – Shannon Babb put himself on the brink of a second consecutive UMP Summernationals title, winning Wednesday night’s 40-lap tour event at 34 Raceway.

The $10,000 triumph was Babb’s second in a row and 12th overall on DIRT MotorSports’ grueling, month-long dirt Late Model series.

But more importantly, the Moweaqua, Ill., standout extended his already commanding points lead with two races remaining in the 26-event UMP Summernationals. He can mathematically clinch the $30,000 crown in Thursday night’s stop at Quincy (Ill.) Raceway.

“We’re getting close,” said Babb, who won a series-record 15 features en route to capturing last year’s Summernationals. “But we’ve run every night like it’s a new one and we’ll continue to do that.

“We look at the Summernationals as a chance to make some good money every night for a month – and if everything works out, there’s real good money for winning the points.”

Babb, 32, started the main from the pole position and led from flag-to-flag, but the checkered flag didn’t come easily. He was threatened early by Randy Korte of Highland, Ill., who finished in the runner-up spot for the second consecutive race, and he thought he was vulnerable late in the distance.

The three-eighths-mile oval’s moist, racy track surface proved to be a challenge. Babb made myriad suspension changes to his RaceTek-powered Rocket No. 18 during the program in hopes of uncovering an optimum setup for the conditions, and he drove up-and-down the speedway to find the fast groove.

“I was searching everywhere,” said Babb. “I ran around the top at the start, but I saw Randy down there inside me a few times so I moved to the middle to try it. That’s the lane my car liked best.”

Babb was flawless racing through lapped traffic at mid-race and pulled away from Korte following the race’s second and final caution flag, on lap 29. He beat Korte to the finish line by roughly 10 car lengths – a margin that Babb wasn’t quite sure about.

“I felt like I was taking forever to get off turn four late in the race,” said Babb. “I thought for sure that Randy would be there to challenge me.”

Korte, who recorded the night’s fastest lap in time trials, never got close after his early challenge, but he held firmly to second place.

Jimmy Mars of Menomonie, Wis., was the mover-and-shaker of the closing circuits, passing Brady Smith of Salon Springs, Wis., exiting turn two on the final lap to finish third. Smith settled for fourth place and outside-polesitter Darren Miller of Milledgeville, Ill., took fifth.

Babb’s Victory Lane appearance had some special significance. It was his first-ever win at 34 Raceway, a top-notch facility that is owned by veteran dirt Late Model racer/supporter Johnny Johnson, whose J&J Steel company’s logo happens to grace the flanks of Babb’s car.

“Johnny has done a lot of stuff for us,” said Babb, who has another Iowa-based business, Car City, as a sponsor. “It means a lot to come to his track and win.”

Brian Birkhofer of Muscatine, Iowa, who entered Wednesday night’s action after winning UMP Summernationals events on July 7 at Bureau County Speedway in Princeton, Ill., and July 9 at Tri-City Speedway in Pontoon Beach, Ill., moved from the eighth starting spot to fourth by lap 11. But sheet metal that was bent in an early scrape ultimately cut down his car’s left-rear tire, forcing him out of action on lap 29.

Twenty-seven cars entered the event.

Heat winners were Korte, Babb and Miller. Wendell Wallace of Batesville, Ark., captured the B-Main and Babb topped the pole dash.

UMP Summernationals Feature Finish (40 laps): 1. Shannon Babb, 2. Randy Korte, 3. Jimmy Mars, 4. Brady Smith, 5. Darren Miller, 6. Steve Shepard, 7. Dennis Erb Jr., 8. Jeep VanWormer, 9. Wendell Wallace, 10. Mark Burgtorf, 11. Jay Johnson, 12. Todd Shute, 13. Jack Sullivan, 14. Billy Moyer Jr., 15. Brian Birkhofer, 16. Johnny Johnson, 17. Denny Woodward, 18. Jason Feger, 19. Jeff Laue, 20. Brian Harris, 21. Kevin Weaver, 22. Brian Kenning, 23. Brian Shirley, 24. Kerry Matthew.

DNQ: Steve Zakrajsek, Kevin Tomlinson, Denny Eckrich.

July 11 Tuesday....no race....traditional travel day

July 10 Monday - LaSalle, IL $6000 to win 40 laps
This photo is from the UMP Summer Nationals race at LaSalle Speedway July 10th.
Photo by Dan Simpson
"Shannon Babb (18) dominates the low groove under Randy Korte (00) at LaSalle Speedway's July 10th UMP Summer Nationals race. Babb won the $6,000 payday uncontested while Korte picked up second."

Babb dominates UMP Summer Nationals stop at LaSalle
By Betty Glynn

LaSalle, IL - In the Spring it was Shannon Babb, a self proclaimed simple man, taking home the big money from LaSalle Speedway. His May 20th visit earned him $10,000 while Monday night's victory was a little less at $6,000. The payout may have been less but it's dividends may add up to be more in the long run. "I tell you we hit it right on the money," Babb told the crowd. "We pulled it out last night and got it done here."

The 33 year old driver who hails out of Moweaqua has been traveling the grueling UMP Summer Nationals Series in dominating style. His incredible skills at mastering track conditions, chassis setup and talent behind the wheel of a Late Model has enabled him to etch his name deep in the record books with victories across the country. The wins are also packing on the
points in the title chase.

So far on his Summer Nationals quest he has earned himself a staggering 11 wins and the tour still has three more races to go. "We won here in the Spring and it has been a good summer for us," Babb told the crowd from a victory lane interview.

Coming into Monday nights stop in the Illinois Valley Babb has nearly owned the tour for the second year in a row. Some have nicknamed the series the "Babb Nationals".

Monday was another Babb night as he won every event with the exception of the fastest qualifying lap. His fast lap of 12.96 fell just a bit shy behind Jeep Van Wormer's quick time of 12.712. Considering they were the only drivers to sail through the high banked ¼ mile in the twelve second range it became apparent they would be tough to beat. Especially from the front of
the grid.

Babb's Dash victory positioned him on the pole next to Randy Korte. Wendell Wallace and Van Wormer were in row two. As soon the flagman waved the green, it was Korte off to a great start. Three laps into the feature a yellow slowed their action.
The temporary delay was quickly forgotten when the twenty one cars went green. Korte tried to hold back the super fast machine of Babb. But during the tenth lap out, Babb took over on the back stretch and distanced himself from the competition.

Babb seemed to be in a time zone all his own as he traveled without contest the entire remaining thirty laps. His only obstacle came from the lapped car of Russ Scheffler. Scheffler continued to race the leaders more laps then any were hoping.
By Lap 16, it was obvious that starting up front was a major advantage as the track's slick surface didn't invite much in the way of door to door action. It was an unusual follow-the-leader type of racing that is not characteristic of the speed arena.

While Babb commanded the pace, Korte secured a second place run by himself over Wallace, Van Wormer, and Steve Sheppard. During Lap 24, Dennis Erb Jr. ended his sixth place run hard into the turn two wall after losing his brakes. The unforgiving concrete barrier was still comfortably standing while the 28 car was hanging from the back of the two truck. Erb luckily left unscathed.
For the restart, Babb was positioned at the helm over the lapped machine of Scheffler, then Korte, Wallace, Van Wormer, Sheppard, Wes Steidinger, and Utica's Tony Izzo Jr. The remaining laps were nearly uneventful as Babb pulled to over a quarter of a track lead before collecting the checkers.
Korte picked up second in front of Wallace, Van Wormer, Steidinger, Sheppard, Izzo, Darren Miller, Jimmy Mars, Kevin Weaver, Brian Shirley, Jason Feger, Eric Smith and Scheffler.

Van Wormer won the first heat race over Sheppard, Tim Hamburg and Mars. Korte captured the second heat with Steidinger second ahead of Weaver and Eric Jacobson. Babb was the third heat winner ahead of Erb, Miller and Billy Drake. The final heat race win was taken by Wallace over Izzo, Feger and Scheffler.

Mars, Jacobsen, Dauber, Scheffler, Drake and Shirley all earned the semi transfer positions.

A new face entered victory lane in the Open Wheel Modified showing.

Scott Bull took the twenty five lap main event and the $700 top prize much like Babb, uncontested from the front row.

Riding the rim, Bull carried the twenty car field from the end of the first lap until pulling into a great lead on Lap 13.

At the finish it was Gary Cook Jr. second over Brian Bushong, Marty Thompson, Jason Lackey, Jim Farris, Joel Funk, Ray Bollinger, Jeff Curl, Dale Lueth, Dennis Wilson, and Mike Spatola.
Jay Ledford, Farris, and Bushong won the heat races. Jim Phelps beat Ron
Morris at the finish line for the semi.

LaSalle Speedway Results
UMP Summer Nationals: 33 Cars
Qualifying: Jeep Van Wormer 12.712
Dash: Shannon Babb, Randy Korte, Wendall Wallace, Jeep Van Wormer
Heat One: Jeep Van Wormer, Steve Sheppard, Tim Hamburg, Jimmy Mars
Heat Two: Randy Korte, Wes Steidinger, Kevin Weaver, Eric Jacobson
Heat Three: Shannon Babb, Dennis Erb Jr., Darren Miller, Billy Drake
Heat Four: Wendall Wallace, Tony Izzo Jr., Jason Feger, Russ Scheffler
Semi Feature: Jimmy Mars, Eric Jacobsen, Ryan Dauber, Eric Smith, Jack
Sullivan, Kerry Matthew, Mike Glynn, Steve Zakrachek, Rich Bell, Brian
Claudnic
Feature: 1. Shannon Babb(1), 2. Randy Korte(2), 3. Wendall Wallace(3), 4.
Jeep Van Wormer(4), 5. Wes Steidinger(6), 6. Steve Sheppard(5), 7. Tony Izzo
Jr.(8), 8. Darren Miller(11), 9. Jimmy Mars(13), 10. Kevin Weaver(10), 11.
Brian Shirley(18), 12. Jason Feger(12), 13. Eric Smith(21), 14. Russ
Scheffler(14), 15. Jack Sullivan(19), 16. Billy Drake(16), 17. Dennis Erb
Jr.(7), 18. Mike Glynn(20), 19. Tim Hamburg(9), 20. Ryan Dauber(17), 21.
Eric Jacobsen(15)

LaSalle Speedway
LaSalle, IL.
by: Terry Young

Shannon Babb, the most dominant performer in the 2006 UMP Summer Nationals got things back on track at the LaSalle Speedway after struggling in some of the recent outings. Babb who had previously claimed 6 in a row, claimed his 11th win on the black slick at LaSalle, claiming the $6,000.00 winners share of the prize money posted by Kerianne Izzo.

33 cars rolled through the gates of the LaSalle Speedway with Jeep Van Wormer recording the fast time honors.

Heat races were won by Van Wormer over Steve Sheppard, Jr. and Tim Hamburg, Randy Korte over Wes Steidinger and Kevin Weaver, Babb over Dennis Erb and Darren Miller and Wendell Wallace over Tony Izzo, Jr. and Jason Feger.

Consi events added Jimmy Mars, Eric Jacobsen and Ryan Dauber and Russ Sheffler, Billy Drake and Brian Shirley.

The dash was topped by Babb over Korte, Wallace and Van Wormer.

The feature event would see Babb and Korte do battle in the early laps with Korte in the high groove and Babb in the preferred low side, Korte gave it his all for several laps before settling in and following Babb who would check out in the mid to ending laps take the chckers well ahead of the rest of the field. Following Babb to the stripe to round out the top 10 were Korte, Wallace, Van Wormer, Wes Steidinger, Sheppard, Jr., Izzo, Jr., Miller, Mars and Weaver.

Babb was driving his Bill Moyer, Sr. owned C.J. Rayburn built #18 powered by a RaceTek powerplant with sponsorship from CAR CITY, Watters Autoland, Hoosier by Smash, J&J Steel, Weld Wheels, Platinum Motors, Petroff Towing Outlawd Motorsports, Dyers Top Rods, OutPace Products, ALLSTAR Automotive and Team Petersen under the preperation of Jay Hunt, Andrew Barnes and Mike Mudd.


Summary:

Heat 1: Van Wormer, Sheppard, Jr., Hamburg, Mars, Eric Smith, Kerry Matthew, Jack Sullivan, 21b, Michael Glynn

Heat 2: Korte, Steidinger, Weaver, Jacobsen, Dauber, 3z, 76

Heat 3: Babb, Erb, Miller, Drake, Shirley, Brett Sievert, George Sheffler, d1 Letizia

Heat 4: Wallace, Izzo, Jr., Feger, Sheffler, Mike Provenzano, Brady Smith, Letizia,

Consi 1: Mars, Jacobsen, Dauber, Smith, Sullivan, Matthew, Glynn,

Consi 2: Sheffler, Drake, Shirley, B. Smith, Provenzano, G. Sheffler, Sievert, Letizia, Letizia

Dash: Babb, Korte, Wallace, Van Wormer

Feature:
Starting Position in Parenthesis

   1. (1) Shannon Babb
   2. (2) Randy Korte
   3. (4) Wendell Wallace
   4. (3) Jeep Van Wormer
   5. (6) Wes Steidinger
   6. (5) Steve Sheppard, Jr.
   7. (8) Tony Izzo, Jr.
   8. (11) Darren Miller
   9. (13) Jimmy Mars
  10.(10) Kevin Weaver
  11.(18) Brian Shirley
  12.(12) Jason Feger
  13.(20) (P) Eric Smith
  14.(14) Russ Sheffler
  15.(19) (P) Jack Sullivan
  16.(16) Billy Drake
  17.(7) Dennis Erb
  18.(21) (P) Michael Glynn
  19.(9) Tim Hamburg
  20.Ryan Dauber
  21.Eric Jacobsen
 

July 09 Sunday - Tri-City Pontoon Beach, IL $10000 to win 40 laps

thanks to Jack Pugh
 

   The touring UMP Summer Nationals show rolled into Tri-City Speedway on Sunday night for a $10,000 to win race on the ½ mile track. There were 31 cars available to make the 40 lap race.

  In time trails, Jeep Van Wormer beat Shannon Babb for the fast time overall by 0.001 seconds. Van Wormer set the fast time on the first lap of the first group of qualifiers. Babb was in the same group. Randy Korte set fast time for the second group with the other fast timer being Billy Moyer and Darren Miller.

  Don O’Neal and Brian Birkhofer sat on the front row to start the feature. With the green light on, it was Birkhofer shot out of a cannon and into the lead. Birkhofer used the other side of the track for his line and made it work.

  Birkhofer was followed in the early laps by O’Neal, Babb, Van Warmer and Moyer. As the laps went on, Birkhofer started to pull away form the field leaving O’Neal and Babb to fight between themselves for position.

   The only caution came out on lap 9 when fifth starting Brian Shirley spun in turn three and left the track to be the first official car out. The running order at this point was Birkhofer. O’Neal, Babb, Van Wormer and Moyer in the top five.

  With the green back out, Birkhofer continued to do what he had been doing, he pulled away. Birkhofer would continued to pull away from the rest of the field and have a race by himself. The duo of O’Neal and Babb had their race while  Van Wormer was trying to catch the duo in front of him.

  The car on the move was 13^th starting Terry Phillips as he move around cars to get into the top ten.

  As the laps continued to click off, Birkhofer was lapping cars at will and leave the rest of the field behind. Birkhofer used that outside lane that was fast and comfortable to him to build a large lead over O’Neal.

  At the half was point, the top five were Birkhofer, O’Neal, Babb, Van Wormer and Moyer.

   During the second half of the race, it was the Birkhofer show as he just moved passed cars left and right with easy. The distance between first place and O’Neal was growing with each lap.

   Also, the top ten would change, as Moyer slipped back being passed by Phillips and Dennis Erb. Sixth starting Korte slid out of the top ten.

   With the laps closing, it was Birkhofer with a half track or better lead and lapping cars in the process. O’Neal and Babb still had their battle going on for second place. Van Wormer was by himself in fourth place, but Phillips was trying to track him down.

   At the end, Birkhofer took the checkered flag with over a half track lead and lapping up to fifth place Phillips. O’Neal, Babb, Van Wormer and Phillips rounded out the top five. 

  Heat winner were Babb, Birkhofer, Moyer and O’Neal. Dash went to O’Neal. Semi #1 sent Phillips, Mark Voigt and Michael Kloos to the feature. The second semi sent Jack Sullivan, Dan Schlieper, and Billy Laycock forward. 

Finish - Brian Birkhofer, Don O’Neal, Shannon Babb, Jeep Van Wormer, Terry Phillips, Dennis Erb, Billy Moyer, Darren Miller, Steve Sheppard, Mark Voigt, Wendell Wallace, Randy Korte, Michael Kloos, Brian Collins, Jack Sullivan, Billy Laycock, Jamie Zidar(P), Patrick Sheltra, Dan Schlieper(DNF), Mike Hammerle(P)(DNF), Tim Manville(P)(DNF), Brian Shirley(DNF)

thanks to Jimmy Dearing

Pontoon Beach, IL (July 9, 2006) Brian Birkhofer of Muscatine, IA rolled into Tri-City Speedway and put on one of the most dominating performances that has been seen in several years at the track. Birkhofer hit the setup perfectly in the main event and left the other twenty-one competitors wondering where he went. Before the end of the forty lap main event, Birkhofer had lapped all but four cars and had all four of those cars in his sights and probably would of came close to putting the entire field a lap down had he not eased off his pace in the closing laps. Birkhofer's victory earned him a cool $10,000 in the UMP Summer Nationals event.

The big battle in the main event was for second place as Don O'Neal and UMP Summer Nationals point leader Shannon Babb dueled for all forty laps. Babb never got more than a car length behind O'Neal throughout the event but was unable to ever complete a pass and claim the spot. O'Neal rolled across the finish line in the second position and stated in a post race interview that Birkhofer gave them all a good old fashion butt-whoopin. Babb was equally amazed by Birkhofer's run.

Jeep VanWormer brought his ride home in the fourth spot and Terry Phillips rounded out the top five.

31 cars....fast time Jeep VanWormer

HEAT 1
1 18 SHANNON BABB
2 55 JEFF VANWORMER
3 28 DENNIS ERB
4 75 TERRY PHILLIPS
5 6K MICHAEL KLOOS
6 5 ERIC JACOBSEN
7 10 GEORGE SHEFFLER
8 58 TOM SEETS SR

HEAT 2
1 15B BRIAN BIRKHOFER
2 00 RANDY KORTE
3 5S STEVE SHEPPARD
4 30 MARK VOIGT
5 9Z JAYME ZIDAR
6 33 TIM MANVILLE
7 12 MIKE HAMMERLE
8 99 CHIP MORGAN

HEAT 3
1 21 BILLY MOYER
2 3S BRIAN SHIRLEY
3 11Z BRYAN COLLINS
4 18X JACK SULLIVAN
5 23 PATRICK SHELTRA
6 38L RYAN LITTLE
7 3DC DON CISCO
8 22 DAN JACOBER

HEAT 4
1 71 DON O'NEAL
2 32D DARREN MILLER
3 88 WENDALL WALLACE
4 9S DAN SCHLIEPER
5 14 KERRY MATTHEW
6 82 BILLY LAYCOCK
7 75 BERT CHEATHAM

DASH
1 71 DON O'NEAL
2 15B BRIAN BIRKHOFER
3 21M BILLY MOYER
4 18B SHANNON BABB

SEMI 1
1 75 TERRY PHILLIPS
2 30 MARK VOIGT
3 6K MICHAEL KLOOS
4 9Z JAYME ZIDAR
5 33 TIM MANVILE
6 58 TOM SEETS ST
7 10 GEORGE SCHEFFLER
8 5 ERIC JACOBEN
9 12 MIKE HAMMERLE
10 99 CHIP MORGAN

SEMI 2
1 18 JACK SULLIVAN
2 9S DAN SCHLIEPER
3 82 BILLY LAYCOCK
4 23 PATRICK SHELTRA
5 14 KERRYMATTHEW
6 75 BERT CHEATHAM
7 38 RYAN LITTLE
8 3 DON CISCO
9 22 DAN JACOBER

FEATURE
1 15B BRIAN BIRKHOFER
2 71 DON O'NEAL
3 18 SHANNON BABB
4 55 JEEP VAN WORMER
5 75 TERRY PHILLIPS
6 28 DENNIS ERB
7 21 BILLY MOYER
8 32D DARREN MILLER
9 5S STEVE SHEPPARD
10 30 MARK VOIGT
11 88 WENDALL WALLACE
12 00 RANDY KORTE
13 6K MICHAEL KLOOS
14 11Z BRYAN COLLINS
15 18 JACK SULLIVAN
16 82 BILLY LAYCOCK
17 9Z JAYME ZIDAR
18 23 PATRICK SHELTRA
19 9S DAN SCHLIEPER
20 12M MIKE HAMMERLE
21 33 TIM MANVILLE
22 3S BRIAN SHIRLEY

July 08 Saturday - Fairbury, IL $10000 to win 40 laps
 

July 07 Friday - Bureau County, Princeton, IL $10000 to win 40 laps***new track***

thanks to Kathy Costerisan, our regular weekly reporter
 

July 06 Thursday - Jacksonville, IL.... $6000 to win 40 laps***new track***

thanks to CingularRacing

Summernational Results, Jacksonville Speedway - 07/06/2006

38 Late Models

Qualifying
1. Matt Taylor 11.99
2. Jeep VanWormer (didn't get lap)
3. Shannon Babb 12.08
4. Randy Korte 12.172
5. Rodney Melvin 12.179
6. Steve Sheppard 12.26
7. Frank Heckenast, Jr. 12.28
8. Mark Burgetorf #7b 12.32
9. Brian Dively 12.35
10. Joe Ross, Jr. 12.37


Group 1 Heat
1. Rodney Melvin
2. Matt Taylor
3. Jack Sullivan
4. Joe Ross, Jr.

Group 2
1. Jeep VanWormer
2. Shannon Babb
3. Randy Korte
4. Brian Shirley

Group 3
1. Dennis Erb, Jr.
2. Mark Burgetorf #7b
3. Frank Heckenast, Jr.
4. Steve Sheppard

Group #4
1. Kevin Weaver
2. Don O'Neal
3. Jordan Bland
4. Nick Bauman


Late Model Dash
1. Dennis Erb, Jr.
2. Jeep VanWormer
3. Kevin Weaver
4. Rodney Melvin


Consi #1
1. Brian Shirley
2. Brian Dively
3. Joe Ross, Jr.
4. #40

Consi #2
1. Steve Sheppard
2. #5T
3. #82
4. #12

Feature Results

1. Jeep VanWormer
2. Don O'Neal
3. Dennis Erb, Jr.
4. Matt Taylor
5. Shannon Babb
6. Steve Sheppard
7. Randy Korte
8. Kevin Weaver
9. Troy Hudson
10. Wendell Wallace
11. Brian Dively
12. Jordan Bland
13. Frank Heckenast, Jr.
14. #40
15. #25f
16. #82
17. Rodney Melvin
18. Brian Shirley
19. Joe Ross, Jr.
20. #B1
21. #7

 

July 05 Wednesday - Spoon River Banner, IL $6000 to win 40 laps

thanks to 4m member CingularRacing

54 Late Models!

Top Qualifiers
1. Jeep VanWormer 13.95
2. Wes Steidinger 14.12
3. #24m 14.16
4. Randy Korte 14.22
5. Shannon Babb 14.25
6. Brian Shirley 14.29
7. Frank Heckenast, Jr. 14.34
8. Rodney Melvin 14.40
9. Wendell Wallace 14.42
10. #99j 14.42
11. Dennis Erb, Jr. 14.45

Group #1 Heat Race (Top 2)
1. Wes Steidinger
2. Dennis Erb, Jr.

Group #2 Heat Race (Top 2)
1. Jeep VanWormer
2. Rodney Melvin

Group #3 Heat Race (Top 2)
1. Randy Korte
2. Steve Sheppard

Group #4 Heat Race (Top 2)
1. Shannon Babb
2. Brian Shirley

Group #5 Heat Race (Top 2)
1. Joe Harlan
2. Patrick Sheltra

Group #6 Heat Race (Top 2)
1. Wendell Wallace
2. Steve Lance, Jr.

Late Model Dash
1. Randy Korte
2. Shannon Babb
3. Jeep VanWormer
4. Wes Steidinger
5. Wendell Wallace
6. Joe Harlan

Consi#1
1. Joe Ross, Jr.
2. Tony Izzo, Jr.

Consi#2
1. Jack Sullivan
2. Kevin Weaver

Consi#3
1. Matt Taylor
2. #5jj

40 Lap Feature
1. Randy Korte
2. Wendell Wallace
3. Wes Steidinger
4. Dennis Erb, Jr.
5. Steve Sheppard
6. Rodney Melvin
7. Brian Shirley
8. Joe Harlan
9. Patrick Sheltra
10. Jack Sullivan
11. Kevin Weaver
12. Joe Ross, Jr.
13. Matt Taylor
14. Frank Heckenast, Jr.
15. Jeep VanWormer
16. Bryan Collins
17. #1z (track provisional)
18. Steve Lance, Jr.
19. #5jj
20. Shannon Babb
21. Tony Izzo, Jr.


Results are not official.

July 04 Tuesday - Highland, IL $6000 to win 40 laps

July 03 Monday - Western Kentucky, Madisonville, KY $6000 to win 40 laps

thanks to 4m member CingularRacing

29 Late Models

Qualifying
1. Babb 17.84
2. Sweeney 17.90
3. Korte 18.08
4. VanWormer 18.15
5. Wallace 18.23
6. Melvin 18.24
7. Bland 18.35
8. Weaver 18.39
9. Sheppard 18.45
10. Sullivan 18.46

Group #1 Heat
1. Korte
2. Babb
3. Wallace
4. Melvin
5. Walker

Group #2 Heat
1. Weaver
2. Sheppard
3. English
4. Sweeney
5. Tungate

Group #3 Heat
1. VanWormer
2. Erb
3. Sullivan
4. Owens
5. Granderson

Dash
1. VanWormer
2. Korte
3. Weaver

Consi #1
1. Heckenast, Jr.
2. 27T
3. 5T

thanks to 4m member Straight Circles
VERY VERY Unofficial Results (correct up to Lap Cars):
1/Shannon Babb, 2/Dennis Erb 3/Terry English, 4/Jack Sullivan, 5/Jeep Van Wormer, 6/Randy Korte, 7/Jimmy Owens, 8/Tim Tungate, 9/Kevin Weaver 10/Wendell Wallace 11/Randle Sweeney, 12/Patrick Sheltra, 13/5T Troy Hudson, 14/Chuck Proctor, 15/Jeff Bland Jr., 16/Frank Heckenast Jr., 17/Rodney Melvin, 18/Perry Delaney, 19/Steve Shepard 20/41 Granderson, 21/Phil Walker

DNQ: 21J Billy Moyer Jr,33 Rusty Griffaw, 0 Frank Perry, 38 William Simmons, 41J Jarred Holzhouser, D4 William Deason, 16 Chris Shelton, 71 Darrell Brown

FT: Babb
Heat One - Korte, Babb, Wallace, Walker, Proctor, Sheltra, Brown, Shelton

Heat Two- Weaver, Shepard, English, Sweeney, Tungate, Heckenast, Moyer, Hudson, Simmons, Holzhouser

Heat Three - Van Wormer, Sullivan, Erb, Owens, Granderson, Perry, Bland, Delaney

Consy- Heckenast, Proctor, Hudson

Photo highlights Thursday on RaceVibe.com

July 02 Sunday - Vermilion County Danville, IL $6000 to win 40 laps

Vermilion County Speedway
Danville, IL.
by: Terry Young

Shannon Babb continued his domination of the 2006 UMP Summer Nationals once again, winning his 5th consecutive event and his 9th overall in the first 14 races on the 2006 schedule. 32 cars passed through the gates at the Vermilion County Speedway in Danville, Illinois under the watchful eye of Bob Sargent and Bill Nelson, promoters of the event.

Tonights win would boost Babb's winnings to$70,000+ dollars in just over  a weeks work. Boss and team owner Bill Moyer was on hand and able to see Babb's handiwork as he rolled to the lead from his fourth place starting spot on the start and led every lap of the 40 lap A-Main event.

Babb began the evening recording the fast time honors and went on to win his heat over Randy Korte and Jack Sullivan. Other heats were won by Frank Heckenast, Jr. over Jason Feger and Kevin Weaver, Jeep Van Wormer over Don O'Neal and Dennis Erb and Brian Shirley over Rodney Melvin and Steve Sheppard.

By the time the feature event rolled onto the track, the bottom groove had become the preferred lane after heat race action seen 3 wide racing. Babb made his move early from the outside of row 2 knowing he would have to make a move early if he were to be a contender. Following Babb at the strip was Brian Shirley, Don O'Neal, Randy Korte, Jeep Van Wormer, Dennis Erb, Kevin Weaver, Rodney Melvin, Jack Sullivan and Frank Heckenast, Jr. rounding out the top 10.

Babb was driving his Bill Moyer, Sr. owned C.J. Rayburn built #18 that the team has dubbed "Wildside" powered by a RaceTek powerplant with sponsorship from CAR CITY, Watters Autoland, Hoosier by Smash, J&J Steel, Weld Wheels, Platinum Motors, Petroff Towing Outlawd Motorsports, Dyers Top Rods, OutPace Products, ALLSTAR Automotive and Team Petersen under the preperation of Jay Hunt, Andrew Barnes and Mike Mudd.


Summary:

Fast Qualifier: Shannon Babb

Heat 1: Heckenast, Jr., Feger, Weaver, Shawn Toczek, Patrick Sheltra, Dick Potts, Eddie Leviner, Jim Felker

Heat 2: Van Wormer, O'Neal, Erb, Richie Hedrick, Wendell Wallace, Billy Moyer, Jr., Don Cisco III, Don Mehalic

Heat 3: Babb, Korte, Sullivan, Derek Chandler, Shickel, Jr., Jordan Bland, Kerry Matthew

Heat 4: Shirley, Melvin, Sheppard, Jr., Joe Harlan, Corey Rolfe, Dan Walden, Lisa Shickel

Consi 1: Hedrick, Wallace, Toczek, Sheltra, Potts, Moyer, Jr., Cisco III, Mehalic

Consi 2: Chandler, Shickel, Jr., Harlan, Shannon Reed, Weaver, Troy Hudson, Walden, Rolfe, Shickel

Feature: 40 Lap A-Main Event $6,000.00 to WIN
Starting Position in Parenthesis

  1. (4) Shannon Babb
  2. (2) Brian Shirley
  3. (6) Don O'Neal
  4. (7) Randy Korte
  5. (1) Jeep Van Wormer
  6. (10) Dennis Erb
  7. (9) Kevin Weaver
  8. (8) Rodney Melvin
  9. (11) Jack Sullivan
10. (3) Frank Heckenast, Jr.
11. (15) Wendell Wallace
12. (13) Richie Hedrick
13. (12) Steve Sheppard, Jr.
14. (P) Patrick Sheltra
15. (19) Dan Walden
16. (P) Don Cisco III

(P) Denotes Provisional Starting Position

July 01 Saturday - i55 Pevely, MO $10000 to win 40 laps

I-55 Raceway
Pevely, MO.
by: Terry Young

Shannon Babb, of Moweaqua, Illinois  once again visited victory lane to take home the $10,000.00 winners share at Ken Schrader and Ray Marler's I-55 Raceway in Pevely, MO. in the 13th outing of the 2006 UMP Summer Nationals.

While many of the naysayers have said how different the outcome would be if only Don O'Neal and Brian Birkhofer etc. were following the Summer National grind, they were proven wrong tonight as both of those drivers and others were among the 41 cars entered for tonights action.

Babb now sits comfortably atop the UMP Summer Nationals point standings with 8 victories in the first 13 events of this years tour, and his 4th consecutive win. The Midwestern Illinois standout has also topped $65,000.00 in the bakers dozen of events thus far.

It appeared that perhaps Birkhofer was going to put a stop to Babb and his string of wins in the last 3 stops on the tour as Birky drove to the lead on lap 28 from his 6th starting position. Babb who had lead all of the previous laps running in the bottom groove, moved to the top on lap 27 to try to block Birkhofer, but to no avail. Moving back to the bottom groove Babb drove back to the lead on lap 38 and led the final 3 circuits to take the win ahead of Birkhofer, Wendell Wallace, Jimmy Mars, Billy Faust, Patrick Sheltra, Brian Collins, Terry English, Jeep Van Wormer and Tim Ratajcyzk.

Babb was driving his Bill Moyer, Sr. owned C.J. Rayburn built #18 powered by a RaceTek powerplant with sponsorship from CAR CITY, Watters Autoland, Hoosier by Smash, J&J Steel, Weld Wheels, Platinum Motors, Petroff Towing Outlawd Motorsports, Dyers Top Rods, OutPace Products, ALLSTAR Automotive and Team Petersen under the preperation of Jay Hunt, Andrew Barnes and Mike Mudd.

Randy Korte began the evening by setting the fast time with a lap of 12.872.

After additional track prep prior to the heats, the heat races were action packed with multiple grooves and 3 wide racing thourhgout. The heats were won by Shannon Babb from the fifth starting position over Faust and Ratajcyzk, Darren Miller over Birkhofer and Steve Hillard, Randy Korte over O'Neal and Mars and Wallace over English and Erb.

The consi races added Billy Drake over Collins and Ed Dixon and Van Wormer over Sheltra and Jack Sullivan.

The dash was won by Babb over Korte and Miller. Wallace was busy repairing a ring and pinion and was unable to compete in the dash and was relegated to the fourth starting berth in the A-Main.

Summary:

Heat 1: Babb, Faust, Ratajcyzk, Sheppard, Jr., Drake, Marc Oller, Jeff Johns, Frank Heckenast, Jr., Jordan Bland, Mark Gansman, Billy Moyer, Jr.

Heat 2: Miller, Birkhofer, Hillard, Dixon, Matt Taylor, Collins, Shirley, Kevin Weaver, Bruce Unterbrink, Craig Smith

Heat 3: Korte, O'Neal, Mars, Van Wormer, Sullivan, Mark Voigt, Tim Manville, Rodney Melvin, Dan Maguire, Paul Belken

Heat 4: Wallace, English, Erb, Sheltra, Denny Woodworth, Haynes, Steve Shive, Troy Hudson, Mark Connor, Duane Kiefer

Consi 1: Drake, Collins, Dixon, Taylor, Oller, Johns, Bland, Moyer, Jr., Heckenast, Gansman, Shirley, Sheppard

Consi 2: Van Wormer, Sheltra, Sullivan, Woodworth, Haynes, Voigt, Manville, Shive, Kiefer, Hudson, Maguire, Belken, Melvin

40 Lap A-Main Event $10,000.00 TO WIN!
Starting Position in Parenthesis

  1. (1) Shannon Babb
  2. (6) Brian Birkhofer
  3. (4) Wendell Wallace
  4. (11) Jimmy Mars
  5. (5) Billy Faust
  6. (16) Patrick Sheltra
  7. (15) Brian Collins
  8. (8) Terry English
  9. (14) Jeep Van Wormer
10. (9) Tim Ratajcyzk
11. (22) (P) Brian Shirley
12. (13) Billy Drake
13. (21) (P) Matt Taylor
14. (20) (P) Jeff Johns
15. (12) Dennis Erb
Finishing Position 16-26 Unavailable
(P) Denotes Provisional Starting Position

June 30 Friday - Poplar Bluff, MO.... $10000 to win 40 laps***new track***

thanks again to Michelle at    http://michellepetroff.blogspot.com/

June 29 Thursday - Paducah, KY $6000 to win 40 laps

thanks to Jay Wilkins
 

thanks to SMASH

Paducah International Raceway
Paducah, KY.
by: Terry Young

Shannon Babb of Mowequa, Illinois often referred to as the Decatur Invader bagged his 6th UMP Summer National in the 12th outing of the 2006 edition of the grueling tour at the Paducah International Raceway tonight moving his win percentage to 50%.

Jumping to the lead from his outside pole position at the drop of the green, Brian Shirley would lead the opening laps in a car which sported a HAPPY 50th Birthday tribute to Ed Petroff, his primary sponsor, on a race track that was multi-grooved the entire evening. After leading the first 8 laps, Jeep Van Wormer who started 7th would take over the point, flexing his muscle until Babb who started 8th would pass Van Wormer on the backstretch out of turn 2 to take over the point. Entering turn 3 and 4, Jeep got his mount completely sideways but saved it and straightened out in the 3rd position. From that point forward Babb was in control and led the remainder of the race crossing the stripe ahead of Van Wormer, English, Darren Miller, Brian Shirley, Jack Sullivan, Dennis Erb, Wendell Wallace, Patrick Sheltra and 16 year old Dylan Thompson.

Babb was driving his Bill Moyer, Sr. owned C.J. Rayburn built #18 powered by a RaceTek powerplant with sponsorship from CAR CITY, Watters Autoland, Hoosier by Smash, J&J Steel, Weld Wheels, Platinum Motors, Petroff Towing Outlawd Motorsports, Dyers Top Rods, OutPace Products, ALLSTAR Automotive and Team Petersen under the preperation of Jay Hunt, Andrew Barnes and Mike Mudd.

Preliminary race action seen Billy Drake get his ride upside down in a scary flip that seen Drake emerge unharmed, but his mount was worse for wear.

The heat races were won by Randy Sellars over Michael Steele and Rodney Melvin, Shirley over Tim Brown and Randy korte, Terry English over Van Wormer and Darren Miller and Patrick Sheltra over Babb and Jimmy Mars.

The dash was topped by English over Shirley, Sheltra and Sellars.

Consis were won by Sullivan over Chad Zobrist and Weaver and Phil Walker over Thompson and Joe Morris.

Tomorrow night the UMP contingent will travel to the Poplar Bluff Speedway in Poplar Bluff, MO. for a $10,.000.00 to win 40 lap A-Main event.

SUMMARY
Fast Time: Shannon Babb 15.800

Heat 1: Sellars, Steele, Melvin

Heat 2: Shirley, Brown, Korte

Heat 3: English, Van Wormer, Miller

Heat 4: Sheltra, Babb, Mars

Consi 1: Sullivan, Zobrist, Weaver
Consi2: Walker, Thompson, Morris

Feature:
Finish /Starting Position in ( )

1. (8) Shannon Babb
2. (7) Jeep Van Wormer
3. (1) Terry English
4. (11) Darren Miller
5. (2) Brian Shirley
6. (13) Jack Sullivan
7. (20) (P) Dennis Erb
8. (19) (P) Wendell Wallace
9. (3) Patrick Sheltra
10. (14) Dylan Thompson
11. (17) Kevin Weaver
12. (15) Chad Zobrist
13. (9) Rodney Melvin
14. (21) (P) Steve Sheppard, Jr. (in Steve Hillards car)
15. (4) Randy Sellars
16. (12) Phil Walker
17. (18) (P) Kevin Cole
18. (5) Michael Steele
19. (16) Joe Morris
20. (22) Jimmy Mars (in Mike Marlars car)
21. (6) Tim Brown
22. (10) Randy Korte
(P) Denotes Provisional Starting Position
 

June 28 Wednesday - Mt. Vernon IL $6000 to win 40 laps

MT. VERNON RACEWAY
Mt. Vernon, IL.
by: Terry Young

The Mowequa Missile, Shannon Babb of Mowequa, Illinois showed consistent fashion once more that led to his 2005 Summer Nationals crown as 40 UMP late models rolled through the gates at the Mt. Vernon Raceway. In taking the checkered flag and the $6,000 prize that goes with it, Babb claimed his 5th win on the "06 tour and padded his point lead iin the chase for the $30,000.00 championship share of the "06 Summer Nationals crown.

2005 UMP National Champion Rodney Melvin persued Babb the entire race but with passing at a premium was relegated to runner up followed by Jimmy Mars, Dennis Erb, Wes Steidinger, Randy Korte, Steve Sheppard, Jr., Billy Faust, Kevin Weaver and Brian Shirley rounding out the top 10.

Babb was driving his Bill Moyer, Sr. owned C.J. Rayburn built #18 powered by a RaceTek powerplant with sponsorship from CAR CITY, Watters Autoland, Hoosier by Smash, J&J Steel, Weld Wheels, Platinum Motors, Petroff Towing, Outlawd Motorsports, Dyers Top Rods, Triple B Outfitters, OutPace Products and Team Petersen under the preperation of Jay Hunt and Andrew Barnes.

The evening began with Korte recording the fast time of the night with a time of 14.335.

The heat races were won by Jeep Van Wormer over Mars and Korte, Babb over Kevin Cole and Ed Dixon, Melvin over Erb and Joe Morris and Shirley over Steidinger and Jack Sullivan.

The dash was topped by Babb over Melvin, Shirley and Van Wormer.

Tomorrow night the UMP contingent will travel to the Paducah International Raceway in Paducah, Kentucky  for a $6,.000.00 to win 40 lap A-Main event.

SUMMARY
Fast Time: Randy Korte 14.335

Heat 1: Van Wormer, Mars, Korte, Randle Sweeney, Terry Babb, Chad Zobrist, Richie Hedrick, Steve Hillard, Shawn Negangard, Lee Thomasson

Heat 2: Babb, Cole, Dixon, Billy Faust, Kyle Monroe, Mark Voigt, Michael Kloos, Terry English, Jordan Bland, Mike Hammerlee

Heat 3: Melvin, Erb, Morris, Sheppard, Jr., Frankie Martin, Weaver, Mark Faust, Mike Marlar, Tony Broyles, Dan Jacober

Heat 4: Shirley, Steidinger, Sulllivan, Billy Drake, Rylan Dagg, Sheltra

Dash: Babb, Melvin, Shirley, Van Wormer

Feature:
Finish /Starting Position in ( )

1. (1) Shannon Babb
2. (2) Rodney Melvin
3. (5) Jimmy Mars
4. (7) Dennis Erb
5. (10) Wes Steidinger
6. (9) Randy Korte
7. (14) Steve SHeppard, Jr.
8. (13) Billy Faust
9. (18) Kevin Weaver
10. (3) Brian Shirley
11. (19) (P) Wendell Wallace
12. (12) Jack Sullivan
13. (4) Jeep Van Wormer
14. (21) (P) Michael Kloos
15. (22) (P) Mike Hammerlee
16. (10) Ed Dixon
17. (6) Kevin Cole
18. (20) (P) Kyle Monroe
19. (16) Billy Drake
20. (15) Chad Zobrist
21. (11) Joe Morris
22. (17) Randle Sweeney

June 27 Tuesday- Fayette County Brownstown, IL $6000 to win 40 laps

Fayette County Speedway
Brownstown, Illinois
by: Terry Young

Dennis Erb of Carpentersville, Illinois bagged his second UMP Summer National win on the 2006 tour at the Fayette County Speedway this evening in Brownstown, Illinois. Erb bested a field of 38 as the traveling contingent got back under action after a travel day off the previous day.

Erb, driving the C.J. Rayburn Race Cars, Petersen Aluminum, Reaber Transport, Hoosier Racing Tire, Thomason Transportation #28 crossed the stripe after starting from the outside pole position and leading the entire 40 lap distance ahead of Wendell Wallace, Randy Korte, Shannon Babb, Rodney Melvin, Kevin Weaver, Chad Zobrist, Ed Dixon, Jack Sullivan and Jeep Van Wormer.

Richie Hedrick began the evening by touring the facility with a lap of 13.728.

Heat races were won by Wallace over Shawn Negangard and Brent Kreke, Korte over Weaver and Dixon, Babb over Melvin and Sulllivan and Erb over Zobrist and Steve Hillard.

The trophy dash was won by Wallace over Erb, Babb and Korte.

Consis were topped by Brian Shirley over Joe Ross, Jr. and Billy Faust and Van Wormer over Steve Sheppard, Jr. and Hedrick.

The Summer Nationals trek across the Midwest will move to the Mt. Vernon Raceway tomorrow night for a 40 lap A-Main event with $6,000.00 to the winner before moving down the road to Paducah International Racewat the following evening.

Heat 1: Wallace, Negangard, Kreke, Ross, Jr., Rylan Dagg, Roger Brickler, Ed Bingham

Heat 2: Korte, Weaver, Dixon, Shirley, Faust, Tim Manville, Terry Babb, Ron Sensel, Jason Cleaver, Lee Thomason

Heat 3: Babb, Melvin, Sullivan, Sheppard, Mark Faust, Rusty Griffaw, Brent Helmkamp

Heat 4: Erb, Zobrist, Hillard, Van Wormer, Michael Kloos, Tim Lance, Craig Smith, Patrick Sheltra, Danny Maguire

Consi 1: Shirley, Ross, Jr., B. Faust, Manville, Dagg, Cleaver, T. Babb,

Consi 2: Van Wormer, Sheppard, Hedrick, M. Faust, Sheltra, Kloos, Smith, Lance, Griffaw

Feature Finish 40 Lap A-Main Starting Position in (  )
   1. (2) Dennis Erb
   2. (1) Wendell Wallace
   3. (4) Randy Korte
   4. (3) Shannon Babb
   5. (8) Rodney Melvin
   6. (6) Kevin Weaver
   7. (8) Chad Zobrist
   8. (10) Ed Dixon
   9. (11) Jack Sullivan
10. (14) Jeep Van Wormer
11. (9) Brent Kreke
12. (13) Brian Shirley
13. (12) Steve Hillard
14. (18) Richie Hedrick
15. (5) Shawn Negangard
16. (16) Steve Sheppard, Jr.
17. (P) Patrick Sheltra
18. (15) Joe Ross, Jr.
19. (P) Tim Manville
20. (17) Billy Faust
21.(P) Michael Kloos
(P) Denotes Provisional Starting Position

June 26 Monday- travel day

June 25 Sunday - Lawrenceburg, IN $6000 to win 40 laps

thanks to Jeffrey Bayless and the Lawrenceburg website for the final feature results:

Winner - Jeep Van Wormer #55 (Pinconning, Michigan)
followed by 2-Shannon Babb, 3-Brad Neat, 4-Steve Casebolt, 5-Brian Shirley, 6-Wendell Wallace, 7-Mike Marlar, 8-Dennis Erb Jr, 9-Duane Chamberlain, 10-Tim Tungate, 11-Steve Hillard, 12-Steve Sheppard, Jr., 13-Wayne Chinn, 14-Patrick Sheltra, 15-Shawn Negengard, 16-Don O'Neal, 17-Rick Aukland, 18-Jason Feger, 19-Kevin Weaver, 20-Randy Korte, 21-Justin Rattliff.

Thanks to Michelle Petroff for the limited results....
check out her blog at: http://michellepetroff.blogspot.com

Round 10: Lawrenceburg Speedway - Lawrenceburg, IN (45 entries)
Fast Qualifier: Mike Marlar
Heat 1: Van Wormer, Chamberlain, O'Neal
Heat 2: Negangard, Hillard, Shirley, Weaver (Wendell was around 5th)
Heat 3: Neat, Tungate, Ratliff
Heat 4: Babb, Erb, Korte, Sheltra
B-Main 1: Marlar, Weaver Casebolt
B-Main 2: Sheppard, Sheltra, Aukland
Dash: Van Wormer, Babb, Neat, Negangard

Feature:
1. (1) Jeep VanWormer
2. (2) Shannon Babb
3. (3) Brad Neat
4. (17) Steve Casebolt Jr
5. (10) Brian Shirley

Korte got penalized for jumping a start in the heat race and was moved off of the front row for it. He got Sheltra right at the end. They said the track is a bit of a mess - slicked off on the straights and rough in the corners.

June 24 Saturday - Clarksville, TN $10000 to win 40 laps

thanks to Dirt Guy....

June 23 Friday - Farmer City Raceway IL $10000 to win 40 laps

unofficial finish: (start pos. in parenthesis)
34 Steve Hillard(3)
1 Wes Steidinger(2)
B12 Kevin Weaver(4)
18 Shannon Babb(9)
3L Matt Taylor(7)
s9 Dan Schlieper(WI)(12)
32D Darren Miller(1)
88 Wendell Wallace(AR)(14)
3s Brian Shirley(8)
55 Jeep VanWormer(MI)(10)
18s Jack Sullivan(AR)(16)
00 Randy Korte(20)prov
9 Eric Smith(18)
S10 Jr Shickel(21)prov
5s Steve Sheppard(6)
dnf
4 Mike Mullvain(13)
64 Ryan Dauber(15)
27 Rodney Melvin(19)prov
Z Joe Harlan(5)
9 Billy Drake(11)
83 Scott James(IN)(17)
The very stout field, along with the new line up procedures left several notables on the trailer at feature time, including Tim Lance, Richie Hedrick, Dennis Erb Jr, Roger Long, Joe Ross Jr, Johnny Johnson, Brad Neat, Jason Feger, Patrick Sheltra, Steve Lance Jr, and a host of others

On a personal note, I would like to thank all the volunteers helping with the Easter Seals benefit. This includes the Track Personnel, the fans who donated a LOT of money, and the drivers who donated the t-shirts and hats and other items raffled off. Special thanks to Steve Brandt Sr for all his work, and for letting the kids put handprints all over his racecar.

 

June 22 Thursday - Macon, IL 100 laps $6000 to win 100 laps

June 21 Wednesday - Peoria, IL $6000 to win 40 laps

BABB REPEATS AT PEORIA by Jeff Adams

   (Peoria, IL) Shannon Babb of Mowequa made a repeat visit to victory lane at Peoria Speedway Wednesday night as Round 5 of the UMP Summernationals rolled into the quarter-mile dirt oval.

    Babb made a back-stretch pass of Dennis Erb on lap 32 and held on for the $6,000 payday. Babb, the 2005 Summernationals champion, became the first repeat winner on the tour in 2006.

    Defending UMP National Champion Rodney Melvin of Logan drove past pole-sitter Ryan Dauber on lap 1, only to lose the lead to Erb on lap 2. Babb drove under Melvin on the backstretch on lap 10, and then set chase for Erb.

    Babb began applying heavy pressure on Erb as the duo diced through traffic on lap 25. Babb made another attempt at the lead on lap 31, and then capitalized on an Erb slip on lap 32 for the lead. Erb did not give up easy as the drivers touched on several occasions on lap 33. Erb held on to finish 2^nd, with Melvin ending up 3^rd. Dauber and Wes Steidinger completed the top 5. Wendell Wallace, Jeep Van Wormer, Randy Korte, Donny Walden and Denny Woodworth rounded out the top 10.

  “We didn’t take off good, but I was eventually able to catch Erb in lapped traffic”, said Babb. “I could turn and drive under him off turn 2, and when I did we touched a few times. Dennis is a good racer and that was a racy little track there. It’s awful hard to beat these guys.”

   Rick Scott, Jr. won the Modified feature, with Geno Kalb capturing the Hornet feature.

OFFICIAL FINISH

UMP Summernationals Round 5

Peoria Speedway, Peoria, IL

Wednesday, June 21, 2006

Finish (Starting position) car number, driver name, and hometown

1. (4) 18-Shannon Babb, Mowequa, IL
2. (3) 27-Rodney Melvin, Logan, IL
3. (2) 28-Dennis Erb, Jr.-Carpentersville, IL
4. (1) 64-Ryan Dauber-Tonica, IL
5. (5) 1-Wes Steidinger, Fairbury, IL
6. (6) 88-Wendell Wallace, Batesville, AR
7. (8) 55-Jeep Van Wormer, Pinconning, MI
8. (9) 00-Randy Korte, Highland, IL
9. (10) 1w-Donny Walden, Towanda, IL
10. (7) 45DW-Denny Woodworth, Mendon, IL
11. (21) 5s-Steve Sheppard, New Berlin, IL
12. (12) 48-Tim Lance, Mapleton, IL
13. (13) B12-Kevin Weaver, Gibson City, IL
14. (19) 34-Steve Hillard, Sadorus, IL
15. (18) 45-Don Hammer, Clinton, IL
16. (11) 7-Jay Sparks, Metamora, IL
17. (14) 9-Billy Drake, Bloomington, IL
18. (15) 25-Steve Lance, Jr., Cuba, IL
19. (20) 4-Doug Nigh, Maquoketa, IA
20. (16) 21I-Tony Izzo, Jr., Bridgeview, IL
21. (17) 157-Mike Marlar, Winfield, TN

June 20 Tuesday - travel day
 

June 19 Monday - Hartford, MI $6000 to win 40 laps
 

1. Don O'Neal 71
2. Wendell Wallace 88
3. Jeep Van Wormer 55
4. Darren Miller 32D
5. Brian Shirley 3s
6. Randy Korte 00
7. Steve Sheppard 5s
8. Tony Izzo 21
9. Brian Dauber 64
10. Dennis Erb 28
11. Steve Hillard 34
12. Rusty Schlenk 91
13. Patrick Sheltra 23
14. Alan Vozhaska 34v
15. Casey Noonan 1
16. Zack Olger 0
17. Mike Mataragas 1m
18. Rick Aukland 12a DNF
19. Ron Miller 35 DNF
20. Shannon Babb 18 DNF

thanks to Whitney Conroy

June 18 Sunday - Tri-State, Haubstadt, IN $6000 to win 40 laps
RAIN

June 17 Saturday - KAMP Boswell, IN $10000 to win 40 laps
 

--------------
KAMP Motor Speedway
Boswell, IN.
by: Terry Young

Shannon Babb of Mowequa, Illinois showed his dominant fashion tonight that led to his 2005 Summer Nationals crown as 40 UMP late models rolled through the gates at the beautiful KAMP Motor Speedway.

Jumping to the lead from his pole starting position at the drop of the green, Babb would never look back and would set a blistering pace in the 40 lap A-Main event as he lapped every competitor in the running order with the exception of runner up finisher Billy Drake and third place finisher Wendell Wallace.By lap 7 Babb was working on his first competitor to fall a lap in arrears on a track that was racey from top to bottom.

Babb commented in victory lane that the efforts of track personnell should not go unnoted as this was the raciest track thus far during the opening days of the summer nationals. The track crew worked the track just before the start of the A-Main and their efforts were rewarded with a multi-groove race surface that made for a great show for the fans.

Babb was driving his Bill Moyer, Sr. owned C.J. Rayburn built #18 powered by a RaceTek powerplant with sponsorship from CAR CITY, Watters Autoland, Hoosier by Smash, J&J Steel, Weld Wheels, Platinum Motors, Petroff Towing Outlawd Motorsports, Dyers Top Rods, OutPace Products and Team Petersen under the preperation of Jay Hunt and Andrew Barnes.

Rounding out the top 10 in the A-Main were Jeep Van Wormer, Jason Fegers, Dennis Erb, Randy Korte, Rodney Melvin, Kevin Weaver and Mike Marlar.

The evening began with Mike Mataragas recording the fast time of the night with a time of 13.403.

The heat races were won by Drake over Eddie Leviner and Mataragas, Erb over Melvin and Rick Aukland, Babb over Korte and Feger and Van Wormer over Frank Heckenast, Jr and Wallace.

The dash was topped by Babb over Drake as Van Wormer and Erb were both relegated pitside after they got together in the opening lap of the race.

Tomorrow night the UMP contingent will travel to Southern Indiana for a $6,.000.00 to win 40 lap A-Main event at the always meticulously manicured Tri-State Speedway in Haubstadt, Indiana,before heading North once more for their journey into the state of Michigan.

SUMMARY
Fast Time: Mike Mataragas

Heat 1: Drake, Leviner, Mataragas, Steve Hillard, George Sheffler, Jordan Bland, Shawn Negangard, Jim Laws, Corey Rolfe


Heat 2: Erb, Melvin, Aukland, #14, Sheltra, Guy Volk, #2m, #32

Heat 3: Babb, Korte, Feger, Weaver, Brian Shirley, Shawn Toczek, #56, Michael Bradley,

Heat 4: Van Wormer, Heckenast, Jr., Wallace, Marlar, Dan Walden, Dick Potts, Chuck Haga, Roy Mitchell, Don Hammer

Consi 1: Negangard, Sheltra, Sheffler, Bland, Laws
Consi2: Weaver, Marlar, Walden, Shirley, Bradley

Feature:
Finish /Starting Position in ( )

1. (1) Shannon Babb
2. (2) Billy Drake
3. (10) Wendell Wallace
4. (3) Jeep Van Wormer
5. (11) Jason Fegers
6. (4) Dennis Erb
7. (7) Randy Korte
8. (6) Rodney Melvin
9. (12) Kevin Weaver
10. (14) Mike Marlar
11. (19) (P)Steve Hillard
12. (8) Rick Aukland
13. (9) Mike Mataragas
14. (13) Shawn Negangard
15. (15) Patrick Sheltra
16. (16) Dan Walden
17. (18) (P) Jim Laws
18. (5) Eddie Leviner
19. (17) George Sheffler
20. (20) (P) Chuck Haga
21. (2) (P) Steve Sheppard
22. (21) Frank Heckenast, Jr.

 

June 16 Friday - Kankakee Motor Speedway, Kankakee, IL $10000 to win 40 laps
Kankakee Motor Speedway
Kankakee, IL.
by: Terry Young

Randy Korte of Highland, Illinois continued his dominating fashion that he has displayed over the first half of the UMP season, winning the second stop on the 2006 UMP Summer Nationals as the traveling group rolled through the gates at the Kankakee Motor Speedway.

Flexing his muscle and showing that he will be a force to be reckoned with over the Summer Nationals duration, Korte drove his Mid-Continental Fuels, Renegade Fuels, TMCI Transportation, Terry Egalin Motorsports, Hoosier Racing Tire sponsored Rocket chassis to the $10,000.00 victory ahead of Kevin Weaver, Shannon Babb, Steve Hillard, Richie Hedrick, Wendell Wallace, Mike Marlar, Jeep Van Wormer, Rodney Melvin and Tony Izzo, Jr.

Izzo began the evening recording the fastest lap of the 45 cars on hand with a lap of 14.746 as the only car to break into the 14 second barrier.

The heat races were won by Izzo, Jr. over Ryan Unzicker and Garrett Slager, Weaver over Marlar and Don Walden, Babb over Van Wormer and Hillard and Korte over Ryan Dauber and Wallace.

The dash was won by Babb over Weaver, Korte and Izzo.

Consi action transferred Brian Shirley into the evenings A-Main as he won the first of two consis over Lil' John Provenzano and Rick Aukland while Hedrick won the second over Wes Steidinger and Billy Drake.

At the drop of the green for the 40 lap main event Kevin Weaver jumpoed to the point as Korte rolled from his second row starting position into the runner up position, on Lap 5 Korte would take over the point from Weaver and would never be challenged the remainder of the 40 markers. A tight battle was waged by Shannon Babb as he ran bumper to bumper with Weaver for most of the race. In the preliminary laps a 4 car battle was being waged further back in the field with Dauber, Hillard, Hedrick and others battling for the remainder of the top 10 spots behind Izzo, Marlar and Unzicker. Korte drove the track masterfully, working into lapped traffic on lap 30.

Tomorrow night the UMP Summer Nationals will move back to the east as they visit the KAMP Motor Speedway in Boswell, Indiana for a $10,000.00 to win 40 lap A-Main event as Night #3 gets under way.

SUMMARY

Fast Time: Tony Izzo, Jr.

Heat 1: Izzo, Jr., Ryan Unzicker, Garrett Slager, Brian Shirley, Turk Letizia, Eddie Leviner, Roy Mitchell

Heat 2: Kevin Weaver, Mike Marlar, Donnie Walden, John Provenzano, Shawn Negangard, Bobby Melvin, Rick Aukland, Dick Potts, Steve SHeppard, Jr.

Heat 3: Shannon Babb, Jeep van Wormer, Steve Hillard, Richie Hedrick, Frank Reaber, Jordan Bland, Jason Feger, Russ Sheffler, Steve Dimmick, Shawn Toczek, Jim Letizia

Heat 4: Randy Korte, Ryan Dauber, Wendell Wallace, Wes Steidinger, Billy Drake, Dennis Erb, Rodney Melvin, Gary Matthews, Mike Mataragas, Derek Chandler

Consi 1: Shirley, Provenzano, Aukland, Nagangard, Sheppard, B. Melvin, Letizia, R.J. Gall, Potts

Consi 2: Hedrick, Steidinger, Drake, Reaber, Erb, Feger,R. Melvin, Mataragas, Bland, Toczek, Matthews, Chandler

Dash: Babb, Weaver, Korte, Izzo, Jr.

Feature: Starting Position in ( )
1. (3) Randy Korte
2. (2) Kevin Weaver
3. (1) Shannon Babb
4. (11) Steve Hillard
5. (14) Richie Hedrick
6. (12) Wendell Wallace
7. (6) Mike Marlar
8. (7) Jeep Van Wormer
9. (21) (P) Rodney Melvin
10.(4) Tony Izzo, Jr.
11.(19) (P) Dennis Erb
12.(13) Brian Shirley
13.(18) Billy Drake
14.(17) Rick Aukland
15.(10) Donnie Walden
16.(9) Garrett Slager
17.(5) Ryan Unzicker
18.(15) John Provenzano
19.(16) Wes Steidinger
20.(8) Ryan Dauber
21.(20) (P) Ted Loomis
(P) Denotes Provisional Starting Position
 

June 15 Thursday - Twin Cities, North Vernon, IN 6000 to win 40 laps

North Vernon, Indiana
by: Terry Young

The 2006 edition of the UMP Summer Nationals got underway this evening at the TWIN CITIES Raceway in North Vernon, Indiana with 41 cars in attendance. Kicking off the grueling grind that has become a favorite of the Midwestern dirt track fans, there were plenty of cars and stars on hand.

Missing from the event was a racing surface which was conducive to side by side racing with plenty of passing which followers of the grueling summer tour have come to expect.

Baking under the fierce sun, the surface was hampered by the daylight savings starting time with the Central Indiana race track being an hour ahead on Big Ben!

The evening was highlighted by the new format for this years rendition of the brainchild of the late Bob Memmer which will now highlight group qualifying, with the front runners drawing a starting position for a dash to determine the front starting positions of the 40 lap A-Main event.

By virtue of winning the dash Carpentersville, Illinois favorite son Dennis Erb would jump from his pole starting position to the lead at the green and was never headed in his quest for the $6,000.00 winners geld. Racing in lapped traffic for most of the second half of the event, Wendell Wallace was able to close in on Erb's rear bumper, with Shannon Babb all over Wallace, but nobody was able to capitalize and pass Erb due to the virtually one lane racing surface which enabled lapped traffic to race right with the leaders.

Erb would take the checkers ahead of Wallace, Babb, Randy Korte, Jeep Van Wormer, Rodney Melvin, Shannon Reid, Ryan Dauber and Shawn Negangard to put his name in the records as the opening night winner in the grueling grind across the Midwest.

Erb was driving a C.J. Rayburn chassis sponsored by Reaber Transport, Petroff Towing, Hoosier Racing Tire and Thommason Transportation.

Jeep Van Wormer started the night recording the fastest lap in qualifying with a lap of 15.305 as the first car to hit the track against the clock.

Heat races were won by Van Wormer over Erb and Dauber, Randy Korte over Negangard and Melvin, Wallace over Reid and Steve Hillard and Babb over Moyer and Weaver.

The dash was won by Erb over Reid, Wallace, Korte, Babb, Moyer, Van Wormer and Negangard.

Tomorrow night the UMP contingent rolls on to the Kankakee Speedway for night number 2 as they chase yet another $6,000.00 payoff for the winners efforts.

Fast Time: Jeep Van Wormer 15.305

Heat 1: Vanwormer, Erb, Dauber, Steidinger, Rick Aukland, Greg Johnson, Marty O'Neal, Jason Feger, Billy Drake, Jason Jamison

Heat 2: Korte, Negangard, R. Melvin, Mike Marlar, Mark Frazier, Dick Potts, Greg Ault, Rick Sowder, Christian Raybrun

Heat 3: Wallace, Reid, Hillard, Steve Sheppard, Frank Heckenast, Jr., Mike Jewell, Joe Ramey, Mike Petersak, Devon Sebree

Heat 4: Babb, Moyer, Weaver,. Brian Shirley, Duane Chamberlain, Bobby Melvin, Brian Barnhart, Jordan Bland

Consi 1: Marlar, Aukland, Potts, Frazier, Mike Mataragas

Consi 2: Shirley, Sheppard, Chamberlain, B. Melvin, Tim Prince

Feature: Finish Position / Starting Position in Parenthesis

  1. (1) Dennis Erb
  2. (3) Wendell Wallace
  3. (5) Shannon Babb
  4. (4) Randy Korte
  5. (6) Billy Moyer
  6. (7) Jeep Van Wormer
  7. (10) Rodney Melvin
  8. (2) Shannon Reid
  9. (9) Ryan Dauber
10. (8) Shawn Negangard
11. (14) Brian Shirley
12. (12) Kevin Weaver
13. (13) Mike Marlar
14. (11) Steve Hillard
15. (15) Rick Aukland
16. (21) (P) Jason Feger
17. (18) Duane Chamberlain
18. (16) Steve Sheppard, Jr.
19. (17) Dick Potts
20. (19) (P) Billy Drake
21. (20) (P) Wes Steidinger
(P) denotes Provisional Starting Position

Unofficial Points after completion of TWIN CITIES Raceway North Vernon, IN.

1. Dennis Erb 88 1 WIN
2. Wendell Wallace 85
3. Shannon Babb 81
4. Randy Korte 80
5. Jeep Van Wormer 79
6. Billy Moyer 76
7. Shannon Reid 73
8. Rodney Melvin
9. Ryan Dauber
10. Shawn Negangard / Brian Shirley 66
12. Mike Marlar 62
13. Kevin Weaver 61
14. Steve Hillard 57
15. Rick Aukland 56
16. Jason Feger 52
17. Duane Chamberlain / Steve Sheppard, Jr. 51
19. Dick Potts 47
20. Wes Steidinger 45
21. Billy Drake 43

It’s Summernational Time
Jeffrey A. Bayless 

     The calendar says it’s June, it’s the Dream weekend and that can mean one thing for Midwest Dirt Late Model fans; the UMP Summernationals are right around the corner.  Less than a week away, to be precise.  One of the most highly anticipated series in the Midwest; the 19^th Annual UMP Summernationals is slated to compete at 27 different venues in a grueling 31 day time span with an approximate distance of travel from the first event to the last of 4600 miles.  The last two seasons have seen dominating performances with Don O’Neal smiting the competition in 2004 and Shannon Babb dismantling the challengers last season with his record shattering 15 wins in 27 events.  Will the ’06 version of the whirlwind slug fest see another dominator or will it come down to the wire?  

     First off the format for the ’06 Summernationals has received a facelift.  Gone is the old qualifying, 9 car dash to determine the first three rows with the top 6 qualifiers grouped with the top Summernational point man, top track driver, and highest finisher in the previous years UMP National points not currently in the dash and it is replaced with a group qualifying/heat race system made popular in the Midwest by the Northern Allstar Late Model Series (NALMS) over the past several season.  Each entrant will draw and will be set in a group and each group will qualify against itself to determine it’s heat starting order.  The winner of each heat will redraw for a starting spot in a dash that will determine the heat winners feature starting position.  The rest of the heat transfers will line up according to their heat finishing position.  After the first 18 feature starting spots have been determined through heats and concis starting spot 19 through 21 will go to provisional starters.  The nineteenth starter will be the highest Summer National point man currently not in the show, the 20^th will be highest track point man from the ’05 standings or the fastest qualifier not in the show if the track doesn’t run a weekly late model series, and the 21^st will be the highest 2005 national UMP point man not currently in the show.  

     Who can you expect to see competing at these shows?  The Moweaqua Missile, Shannon Babb will likely run the entire schedule in an attempt to defend his title.  Among those attempting to dethrone Babb will be Jordan Bland, Billy Drake, Dennis Erb Jr., Frank Heckenast Jr., Randy Korte, Rodney Melvin, Patrick Sheltra, Brian Shirley, Jeep VanWormer, and Kevin Weaver.  Others who at this time plan to run a portion of the tour but not the entire schedule include Steve Barnett, Ryan Dauber, Jimmy Mars, Darren Miller, Shawn Negengard, and Wes Steidinger among others.  You can also expect the top local drivers to put their hat in the ring when the show comes to town as well as to see a few National Series drivers drop in for a race or two if they are in the region and have an open date.  

    The anticipation has been building for 11 months since the conclusion of the ’05 Summernationals.  In a few short days the chase for the ’06 crown will begin. 

THE TOUR
June 15, Twin Cities Raceway Park, North Vernon, Ind., $6,000
June 16, Kankakee (Ill.) Motor Speedway, $10,000
June 17, Kamp Motor Speedway, Boswell, Ind., $10,000
June 18, Tri-State Speedway Haubstadt, Ind., $6,000
June 19, Hartford (Mich.) Speedway Park, $6,000
June 20, Travel
June 21, Peoria (Ill.) Speedway, $6,000
June 22, Macon (Ill.) Speedway, $6,000
June 23, Farmer City (Ill.) Raceway, $10,000
June 24, StormPay.com Speedway, Clarksville, Tenn., $6,000
June 25, Lawrenceburg (Ind.) Speedway, $6,000
June 26, Travel
June 27, Fayette County Speedway, Brownstown, Ill., $6,000
June 28, Mount Vernon (Ill.) Raceway, $6,000
June 29, Paducah (Ky.) Int'l Raceway, $6,000
June 30, Poplar Bluff (Mo.) Speedway, $10,000
July 1, I-55 Raceway, Pevely, Mo., $10,000
July 2, Vermilion County Speedway, Danville, Ill., $6,000
July 3, Western Kentucky Speedway, Nebo, Ky., $6,000
July 4, Highland (Ill.) Speedway, $6,000
July 5, Spoon River Speedway, Banner, Ill., $6,000
July 6, Jacksonville (Ill.) Raceway, $6,000
July 7, Bureau County Speedway, Princeton, Ill., $10,000
July 8, Fairbury (Ill.) American Legion Speedway, $10,000
July 9, Tri-City Speedway, Granite City, Ill., $10,000
July 10, La Salle (Ill.) Speedway, $6,000
July 11, Travel
July 12, 34 Raceway, West Burlington, Iowa, $10,000
July 13, Quincy (Ill.) Raceway, $6,000
July 14, Travel
July 15, Oakshade Raceway, Wauseon, Ohio, $10,000 

ALL TIME WIN LIST 1988 TO PRESENT (1989, 1992 Results Incomplete)

1. Billy Moyer, Batesville, Arkansas (60)
2. Shannon Babb, Moweaqua, Illinois (35)
3. Don O'Neal, Martinsville, Indiana (31)
4. Scott Bloomquist, Mooresburg, Tennessee (27)
5. Rick Aukland, Fargo, North Dakota (23)
6t. Kevin Weaver, Gibson City, Illinois (13)
6t. Bob Pierce, Danville, Illinois (13)
8. Billy Drake, Bloomington, Illinois (9)
9. Bill Frye, Greenbrier, Arkansas (8)
10t. Jim Curry, Norman, Indiana (6)
10t. John Gill, Mitchell, Indiana (6)
12. Ed Dixon, Washington, Missouri. (5)
13t. Roger Long, Fithian, Illinois (4)
13t. Terry English, Benton, Kentucky (4)
13t. Randy Korte, Highland, Illinois (4)
13t. Jimmy Mars, Menomonie, Wisconsin (4)
17t. Tony Izzo Jr., Bridgeview, Illinois (3)
17t. Tom Rients, Streator, Illinois (3)
17t. Kevin Claycomb, Vincennes, Indiana (3)
17t. Donnie Barnhart, N. Little Rock, Arkansas (3)
17t. Jim Leka, Buffalo, Illinois (3)
17t. Brian Birkhofer, Muscatine, Iowa (3)
24t. Dick Taylor, Springfield, Illinois (2)
24t. Bob Hill, Story City, Iowa (2)
24t. Steve Barnett, Franklin, Indiana (2)
24t. Randy Sellars, Mayfield, Kentucky (2)
24t. Wendell Wallace, Batesville, Arkansas (2)
24t. Rodney Melvin, Benton, Illinois (2)
24t. Joe Ross Jr. Springfield, Illinois (2)
24t. Brian Shirley, Chatham, Illinois (2)
Drivers with one victory: Tom Hekfrich, Steve Kosiski, Paul Shafer, 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, Jeep VanWormer, Matt Miller, Billy Faust, Earl Pearson Jr., Dennis Erb Jr., Jimmy Owens, Steve Francis

 payouts for 2006: