Mid-event notes

Jason Feger will give up his outside second-row starting spot because engine problems have forced him into another car. He'll start the No. M14 of Michigan driver Brandon Thirlby in the 40-lap feature. The Feger and Thirlby crews were working to prepare the car, including changing fans after the car ran too hot in the consolation race. The 3-race-old MasterSbilt has a best finish of second at Cherry (Mich.) Speedway, and Thirlby was happy to loan it to Feger. "He's been helping me out," Thirlby said of Feger. ...With the high side picking up a rubber strip, tire wear could be an issue in the 40-lapper. Donny Walden, who finished second in consolation race, said he trashed his right-rear Hoosier LM-40 tire during the 12-lapper. "It completely chunked it out," Walden said. He tried to take it easy, turning on 7600 RPMs, but the 1-race-old tire was junk. "It's going to be a survival race I think for sure," said Walden, who starts inside the ninth row. ... Polesitter Rodney Melvin had heard some drivers complain about the track conditions that saw single-file high-side racing in the consolation race, but he'll be able to live with it, he said. "I'm starting up front, so I like it. I'm a greedy bastard," Melvin said with a laugh. Melvin acknowledged that drivers — even through the first eight Summernationals events — can manage to complain about track conditions from too wet to too dry to rough and anything in between. "It's always something," he said. ... Steve Sheppard Jr. (series points) and Mike Hammerle ('08 UMP weekly points) got provisional starting spots. ... The track began an intermission about 9:25 p.m. following the modified consolation race; the starting lineup hadn't been called to the track as of 10 p.m.

Consolation

Outside front-row starter Derek Chandler led all the way as the fast high groove picked up a black strip around the track. Polesitter Donny Walden was second with Kenny Carmichael Jr. and Brandon Sheppard getting the other transfer spots. (Because Charleston doesn't run Late Models regularly, it designated the fourth finishing driver in the consolation race as its provisional). Brent Kreke started outside the front row but flattened a tire in a first-lap tangle with Steve Sheppard Jr., who dropped out of the race in the final laps while running fifth.

Finish: Derek Chandler, Donny Walden, Kenny Carmichael Jr., Brandon Sheppard, Brandon Thirlby, Jimmy Dehm, Cory Daugherty, Mike Hammerle, Steve Sheppard Jr., Brent Kreke.

Third heat

Polesitter Rodney Melvin jumped out early and cruised to a half-straightaway victory over Terry Casey in the final heat. Kyle Logue got third, holding off Mark Voigt while Scott Schmitt — who started outside the front row and held the second spot on the first lap — faded to the fifth and final transfer spot. The heat ran caution-free, just as the first two heats did.

Finish: Rodney Melvin, Terry Casey, Kyle Logue, Mark Voigt, Scott Schmitt, Steve Sheppard Jr., Kenny Carmichiael Jr., Brandon Thirlby

Second heat

Outside front-row starter Scott James stayed with a middle-high groove and led every lap for the victory over polesitter Randy Korte, who also moved up in finishing five lengths back in second. Third-starting Kevin Weaver barely kept touch with the top two cars while everyone else was far behind. The battle for fourth was tight with Frank Heckenast Jr., running just inside Ryan Unzicker, nipping Unzicker at the line. Both drivers transferred to the main event.

Finish: Scott James, Randy Korte, Kevin Weaver, Frank Heckenast Jr., Ryan Unzicker, Richie Hedrick, Derek Chandler, Brandon Sheppard, Cory Daugherty.

First heat

Polesitter Shannon Babb away jumped out early, then stretched his winning margin to nearly a full straightaway at the finish over Jason Feger, who got second just ahead of Steve Casebolt. Further back was a tight battle for fourth in the closing laps between Duane Chamberlain and Dennis Erb Jr., with Chamberlain edging Erb at the line. Erb second in series points, started seventh in the nine-car heat. Erb headed for his pit stall initially before reversing course and hitting the infield scales. Feger drove straight to the scales, but his car needed a push back to the pits from a 4-wheeler.

Finish: Shannon Babb, Jason Feger, Steve Casebolt, Duane Chamberlain, Dennis Erb Jr., Donny Walden, Jimmy Dehm, Brent Kreke, Mike Hammerle.

Qualifying

Two-time series champion Shannon Babb of Moweaqua, Ill., winless on the UMP DIRTcar Summernationals through seven events, was the fastest among 26 qualifiers for the eighth leg of the tour at Charleston Speedway. Babb turned a lap of 15.27 seconds on the high-banked 3/8-mile oval in eastern Illinois.

Other top group qualifiers who will start on the pole of heat races are Randy Korte (15.35) of Highland, Ill., and Rodney Melvin (15.52) of Benton, Ill.

The top five finishers from each of three heat races will transfer to the main event with the heat winners drawing for the top three spots. Four cars from the C-Main will transfer to the main event, a 40-lapper starting 21 cars for the $6,000-to-win purse.

Pre-race notes

The 26 entries is a series low for 2009; the previous low was 31 cars at Quad-City Raceway. ... Of the four drivers who have won Summernationals events so far in '09, only two-time winner Dennis Erb Jr. is on hand. ... The event marks the first Late Model race at Charleston since the 2002 Summernationals event won by Bob Pierce of Danville, Ill., who frequented the track early in his racing career. ... Pierce holds the track qualifying record for Late Models at Charleston with a 14.16-second lap. ... The Northern Allstars Late Model Series ran at Charleston three times in the 2000 season with Mike Jewell, Roger Long and Steve Barnett taking victories. ... Among the most notable series newcomers at Charleston is Steve Casebolt of Richmond, Ind., who ran one of those Northern Allstars events nine years ago. Casebolt is fresh off a six-race swing on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series and plans to run at Charleston and Tri-City Speedway at Granite City, Ill., on Wednesday before heading back home. ... The Charleston event was rained out last Thursday and rescheduled for June 23, replacing a Summernationals event originally set for Mount Vernon, Ill. ... Charleston has another special event scheduled for Saturday when the O'Reilly Auto Parts Midwest All Star Winged Sprints hit the track. Fans who bring a ticket stub from the Summernationals event get $5 off the $25 general admission ticket for the sprint event. ... Charleston isn't a fairgrounds track, but it has a fairgrounds-style covered grandstand. There are no concrete walls in the corners and guardrails line the outside of the straightaways. The scales and a few push trucks are in infield, but the pits are behind the backstretch.

Feature lineup