Daugherty Speedway
Steidinger bags $10,000, tops Mataragas at Kamp
By Todd Turner
DirtonDirt.com chief writer
Wes Steidinger (J1) pulls away early from Billy Moyer (21). (erikgrigsbyphotos.com)
BOSWELL, Ind. (June 14) — Leading flag-to-flag at Kamp Motor Speedway, Wes Steidinger of Fairbury, Ill., earned the richest victory of his career in the second round of the UMP DIRTcar Summernationals. Steidinger pocketed $10,000 for the 40-lap victory at the roundish 3/8-mile track in western Indiana. | Pre-race notebook | Slideshow
Steidinger outdueled fellow front-row starter Billy Moyer of Batesville, Ark., early in the race, then turned back a stirring late-race charge from unheralded Mike Mataragas of DeKalb, Ill. Mataragas, driving a chassis he designed with his father Dan, peeked underneath Steidinger several times in the final few laps but couldn't pull alongside Steidinger's winning No. J1.
Mataragas settled for second, his best-ever Summernationals performance, while 12th-starting Brian Birkhofer, who made up lots of ground with a mid-race run in the high groove, was third, just nipping Moyer at the line. Dennis Erb Jr. was further back in fifth.
Steidinger, who dropped out Thursday's Summernationals opener with engine problems, captured his second Summernationals victory in his last three starts. His first-ever series victory came last year at Macon (Ill.) Speedway.
Two cautions slowed the action. The first yellow appeared on the 18th lap when Tim McCreadie lost control in turn three, triggering a scramble that involved Will Vaught, Kevin Claycomb and Brian Shirley. As McCreadie pulled away from the fray, he veered his car in apparent anger toward Dewayne Kiefer, who was circling the track under caution. Will Vaught spun on the restart to draw a second yellow.
Notebook
Steidinger's Rayburn Race Car is powered by an ARC engine and sponsored by Executive Homes and Pontiac RV. ... The 26-race series heads to Tri-State Speedway in Haubstadt, Ind., for the third leg of the tour. Friday's race at Brownstown (Ind.) Speedway was rained out and rescheduled for July 11, the second-to-last day of the series. ... Track points leader Dan Walden was added as a second track provisional. ... The track drew its biggest crowd of the season with nearly full grandstands.
UMP @ Kamp: (1) Wes Steidinger, (2) Mike Mataragas, (3) Brian Birkhofer, (4) Billy Moyer, (5) Dennis Erb Jr., (6) Brian Shirley, (7) Eric Smith, (8) Jordan Bland, (9) Jeep Van Wormer, (10) Jason Feger, (11) Don O'Neal, (12) Darren Miller, (13) Dewayne Kiefer, (14) Steve Barnett, (15) Dan Walden, (16) Kevin Weaver, (17) Kevin Claycomb, (18) Tim Lance, (19) Will Vaught, (20) Tim McCreadie, (21) Steve Sheppard Jr., (22) Ryan Dauber. Fast qualifier (among 36 cars): Kiefer, 14.223 seconds. Heat race winners: Steidinger, Smith, Mataragas, Moyer. C-Main winner: Duke Whiseant. B-Main winner: Miller. Provisional starters: Weaver, Sheppard, Feger, Walden.
B-Main
Outside front-row starter Darren Miller outdueled third-starting Brian Shirley for the lead in the early going while polesitter Jason Feger quickly slipped backed to fourth. Miller kept Shirley at bay throughout the 12-lapper while Tim McCreadie ran a steady third. Kevin Claycomb was fourth with a charging Don O'Neal and Tim Lance grabbing the final transfer spots. Kevin Weaver was seventh but got a series provisional and Feger pulled out while running fourth on the eighth lap but received a track provisional. The race was slowed by two cautions. Near the halfway point, Brent Kreke spun between turns three and four, collecting Mike Petersak. Officials blamed the caution on Duke Whiseant and restored Kreke to his eighth spot; Petersak retired. The initial start was called back after several cars in the back of the pack banged together in turns three and four. O'Neal spun in turn four and and the Kerry Mathew car had much of its sheetmetal peeled away. Ryan Unzicker's car was briefly hooked to a tow truck, but he was able to continue.
Finish: Darren Miller, Brian Shirley, Tim McCreadie, Kevin Claycomb, Don O'Neal, Tim Lance, Kevin Weaver, Brent Kreke, Ryan Unzicker, Jason McBride, Dan Walden, Duke Whiseant, Joe Janowski, Jason Feger, Kerry Mathew.
C-Main
Duke Whiseant, starting outside the front row, jumped into the early lead and cruised to a 12-lap victory in the C-Main. Polesitter Jason McBride held on to finish second ahead of fifth-starting Don O'Neal while track points leader Dan Walden was all over O'Neal in fourth, the final transfer position. Brandon Sheppard was fifth in the caution-free event.
Finish: Duke Whiseant, Jason McBride, Don O'Neal, Dan Walden, Brandon Sheppard, Guy Volk, Ted Loomis, Cory Rolfe, Dick Potts, Shawn Toczek, Steve Sheppard Jr. Scratched: Brian Dively
Fourth heat
Polesitter Billy Moyer won an early duel with low-running Jeep Van Wormer and pulled away to win a stacked heat race. Moyer, the only polesitting winner among four heats, crossed the finish line a straightaway ahead of the third-starting Van Wormer, who had his hands full with fellow second-row starter Brian Birkhofer throughout the race. Tim McCreadie finished further back in fourth in his Kamp debut while front-row starter Ryan Unzicker faded badly to finish sixth. Brent Kreke rallied from the tail to finish fifth as drivers continued to have trouble getting traction on a dry-slick surface. The race's first start was called back by officials; Brandon Sheppard spun in turn four after the yellow had appeared.
Finish: Billy Moyer, Jeep Van Wormer, Brian Birkhofer, Tim McCreadie, Brent Kreke, Ryan Unzicker, Guy Volk, Brandon Sheppard, Ted Loomis.
Third heat
Mike Mataragas became the third straight driver to win from outside the front row as he led all 12 laps. He finished more than a straightaway ahead of polesitter Steve Barnett for the victory while fourth-starting Will Vaught, making his debut at Kamp, got the third and final transfer spot. Brian Shirley was fourth after overtaking Mike Petersak with five laps remaining, but the high-running Shirley was too far back to challenge Vaught. The first start was called back and there was a brief delay for debris on the track. Steve Sheppard Jr. pulled out on the ninth lap.
Finish: Mike Mataragas, Steve Barnett, Will Vaught, Brian Shirley, Mike Petersak, Joe Janowski, Dick Potts, Steve Sheppard Jr. Scratched: Brian Dively
Second heat
Eric Smith outjumped polesitter and fast qualifier Dewayne Kiefer and pulled away for a straightaway victory in the second heat. Kiefer lost the second spot to Dennis Erb Jr. on the 10th of 12 laps, but held on to the third and final transfer spot. Darren Miller was the only other competitor who could keep up, finishing fourth. Erb stopped in turn two after getting a poor start initially, and a complete restart was called with no penalty. Fifth-starting Shawn Toczek faded from the outset and finished last.
Finish: Eric Smith, Dennis Erb Jr., Dewayne Kiefer, Darren Miller, Tim Lance, Kevin Weaver, Duke Whiseant, Dan Walden, Shawn Toczek.
First heat
Starting outside the front row, Wes Steidinger blew away the field in the first heat, building up a straightaway lead by the halfway point of the 12-lapper. He had nearly a half-track margin on polesitter Jordan Bland when a lap-11 caution appeared for Don O'Neal, who spun exiting turn two. Steidinger wasn't challenged in a green-white-checkered finish while Bland was a comfortable second. Kevin Claycomb, restarting third with two laps remaining, was overtaken by Ryan Dauber for the third and final transfer spot. Claycomb finished fifth as eighth-starting Jason Feger, the reigning track champion, finished fourth. Cory Rolfe pulled off midway through the race.
Finish: Wes Steidinger, Jordan Bland, Ryan Dauber, Jason Feger, Kevin Claycomb, Kerry Mathew, Jason McBride, Don O'Neal, Cory Rolfe.
Qualifying
Dewayne Kiefer of St. Genevieve, Mo., posted the fastest overall qualifying time in UMP DIRTcar Summernationals action at Kamp Motor Speedway. Kiefer ran a lap of 14.223 seconds and will be among the polesitters in heat races for the $10,000-to-win event. The race drew 36 Late Models.
Other heat polesitters: Jordan Bland of Campbellsville, Ky., Steve Barnett of Franklin, Ind., and former Summernationals series champion Billy Moyer of Batesville, Ark. The top three finishers in each heat race will transfer to the main event. Finishers 4-6 advance to a B-Main and the rest of the drivers will compete in a C-Main.
Pre-race notes
Among drivers on hand at Kamp who weren't at Thursday's KLMS opener (Friday's race in Brownstown, Ind., was rained out): Don O'Neal, Tim McCreadie and Brian Birkhofer. McCreadie will be making his first-ever Summernationals start. ... Cory Rolfe spun exiting turn two on his qualifying lap. ... Brian Dively scratched before time trials. .. Eric Smith is coming off a Friday night victory at Farmer City (Ill.) Raceway. ... Dan Walden, leader of Kamp's weekly UMP points, spun during his qualifying lap.
