East Moline Speedway
Korte fights off Erb for victory at Quad City
By Todd Turner
DirtonDirt.com chief writer
Randy Korte emerges at Quad City. (erikgrigsbyphotos.com)
EAST MOLINE, Ill. (July 6) — On the first Sunday of the UMP DIRTcar Summernationals, Dennis Erb Jr. stole a victory from Randy Korte with a last-lap pass on a quarter-mile oval. But on the fourth Sunday of the month-long tour, Korte got a measure of revenge at another bullring. | Slideshow | Complete Summernationals coverage
Starting on the front row alongside the polesitting Erb, Korte jumped to the lead at the outset and fought off several challenges at Quad City Raceway to win the 17th leg on the UMP tour for his first series victory of 2008 and 10th of his career. The Highland, Ill., driver who finished second three weeks earlier at Tri-State Speedway in Haubstadt, Ind., earned $6,000 for what was essentially a two-car race in a caution-free 40-lapper at Quad City's fairgrounds oval.
Korte had a few tense moments amid lapped traffic but otherwise stayed a few lengths ahead of Erb most of the way as the top two finishers were more than a quarter-track margin ahead of third-finishing Kevin Weaver of Gibson City, Ill., who slipped past Wes Steidinger of Fairbury, Ill., in the closing laps. Darren Miller of Milledgeville, Ill., rounded out the top five.
While Erb didn't get the checkered flag, the Carpentersville, Ill., driver and reigning series champion did get a boost as the title chase entered its final week. Erb, who lost the points lead to Brian Shirley of Chatham, Ill., the previous night at Fairbury American Legion Speedway when engine problems struck on the last lap, rebounded to move back out front in the points chase.
This time Shirley had the engine problems as his powerplant broke while he was on his way to a heat race victory. Shirley was forced to borrow the No. 48 normally driven by Tim Lance, and he guided it from the rear of the 18-car field up to sixth to salvage what could have been a points disaster. With five points race remaining, Erb has 1,316 points to lead Shirley (1,300) and Stiedinger (1,162).
Feature notes
There were 11 cars running at the finish. ... Among early dropouts were Adam Oppendike, Gary Webb and Leroy Brenner. ... Jeep Van Wormer was running sixth when he dropped out on the 20th lap; he clipped an infield tire while running fifth. ... UMP rules require drivers to pilot cars that have been entered in the event, which is why Brian Shirley couldn't unload a backup car. The team could've changed powerplants but didn't have the correct headers for the backup engine, crew member Dave Hoff said. Shirley checked about driving Jason Feger's car and Donny Walden's car before Tim Lance agreed to give up his spot in the feature. ... Darren Miller posted his third straight top-five finish since rejoining the tour at Tri-City Speedway in Granite City, Ill.
UMP @ Quad City: (1) Randy Korte, (2) Dennis Erb Jr., (3) Kevin Weaver, (4) Wes Steidinger, (5) Darren Miller, (6) Brian Shirley, (7) Steve Sheppard Jr., (8) Jason Feger, (9) Will Vaught, (10) Jason McBride, (11) Ryan Unzicker, (12) Jordan Bland, (13) Jeep Van Wormer, (14) Donny Walden, (15) Leroy Brenner, (16) Kevin Dickey, (17) Gary Webb, (18) Adam Oppendike. Scratched: Tim Lance, Don O'Neal, Brandon Sheppard. Fast qualifier (among 20 cars): Shirley, 12.825 seconds. Heat race winners: Weaver, Erb, Korte.
Third heat
Starting outside the front row, Randy Korte became the only heat winner not to win from the pole as he outran polesitting Jeep Van Wormer in the 10-lapper. Korte struggled a few times exiting turn four when he got too high, but he turned back Van Wormer's few challenges for the victory. Darren Miller was third but never got in the mix up front while Jordan Bland was a distant fourth.
Finishes: Randy Korte, Jeep Van Wormer, Darren Miller, Jordan Bland, Tim Lance, Donny Walden.
Second heat
Putting Saturday night's engine woes behind him, polesitter Dennis Erb Jr. dominated all 10 laps. Ryan Unzicker, who barely held off Steve Sheppard Jr. while trying to duck past the slower car of Kevin Dickey on the last lap, finished more than a straightaway behind in second. Sheppard was third followed by Jason Feger and third-starting Gary Webb, who faded from the outset.
Finish: Dennis Erb Jr., Ryan Unzicker, Steve Sheppard Jr., Jason Feger, Gary Webb, Jason McBride, Kevin Dickey.
First heat
Brian Shirley crossed the finish line first, but he was disqualified for failing to scale after the race in which Shirley and Don O'Neal blew motors. Shirley led all 10 laps as he narrowly outran Kevin Weaver. Shirley appeared as if he might run uncontested early on, but Don O'Neal and Weaver tracked him down in the final laps. O'Neal nearly pulled alongside Shirley exiting turn four on the eighth lap when smoke appeared from the rear of both machines. O'Neal had obvious problems as he slowed, while Shirley appeared to slow only marginally the last few laps in fighting off Weaver. Wes Steidinger overtook O'Neal at the white flag and finished third while O'Neal limped around the last lap, barely beating out onrushing Adam Oppendike and Will Vaught. Weaver, who banged together with O'Neal taking the initial green and lost ground, spun in turn four on the first lap to force a complete restart.
Finish: Kevin Weaver, Wes Steidinger, Don O'Neal, Adam Oppendike, Will Vaught, Leroy Brenner. DQ'd: Shirley
Qualifying
Brian Shirley of Chatham, Ill., was the fastest of 20 qualifiers at Quad City Raceway as the UMP DIRTcar Summernationals enters its final week with the 17th race on the tour. Shirley lowered the track record with a time of 12.825 seconds on the quarter-mile fairgrounds oval and will start on the pole of a heat race. Other heat race polesitters, based on group qualifying, are Dennis Erb Jr. of Carpentersville, Ill., and Jeep Van Wormer of Pinconning, Mich. The $6,000-to-win event's 21 entries is the least on the series in 2008. No consolation races are scheduled and drivers will line up in the feature according to their heat finishes with the winners drawing for the top three spots.
Pre-race notes
Shirley enters the event with a four-point lead over reigning series champ Erb, whose 12th-place finish Saturday in Fairbury, Ill., after having engine problems was his worst on the tour. ... Quad City runs weekly IMCA-sanctioned Late Models that use lower-powered spec engines. While most of the track's weekly cars are sitting out against the open-competition engines of the UMP Late Models, Leroy Brenner of Aledo, Ill., Adam Oppendike of nearby Silvis, Ill., and Kevin Dickey of Silvis entered with spec engines. Oppendike was the second fastest in his group, but his lap didn't look as quick as the clock reported. ... The previous track record was 13.65 seconds was held by Eddie Kirchoff of Gillette, Wyo., who set the mark during last year's Summernationals. ... The 40-lap Late Model main event is scheduled to be the third of four features among the track's four divisions, following street stocks and four-cylinders and before the modifieds. ... The track has a curfew of 10:15 p.m. ... Donny Walden spends every Sunday night at Quad City, but not as a driver. Walden serves as the track's regular flagger. ... Quad City drew 26 cars for last year's Summernationals event. ... The national anthem was played on a tuba by Jordan Schram of Sterling, Ill., a regular in the track's modified division. ... Brandon Sheppard attempted to enter the event but couldn't get his No. B5 fired.
Time trials (unofficial)
First group
(Heats start straightup according to times)
Brian Shirley (3s), Chatham, Ill., 12.825
Adam Oppendike (29), Silvis, Ill., 12.903
Kevin Weaver (B12), Gibson City, Ill., 13.181
Don O’Neal (71), Martinsville, Ind., 13.273
Wes Steidinger (J1), Fairbury, Ill., 13.336
Will Vaught (1), Crane, Mo., 13.785
Leroy Brenner (53), Aledo, Ill., 14.703
Second group
Dennis Erb Jr. (28), Carpentersville, Ill., 13.219
Ryan Unzicker (24), El Paso, Ill., 13.589
Gary Webb (56), Blue Grass, Iowa, 13.638
Steve Sheppard J.r (5s), New Berlin, Ill., 13.683
Jason Feger (25), Bloomington, Ill., 13.734
Jason McBride (77), Carbondale, Ill., 13.758
Kevin Dickey (42), Silvis, Ill., 15.476
Third group
Jeep Van Wormer (55), Pinconning, Mich., 13.298
Randy Korte (00), Highland, Ill., 13.436
Jordan Bland (12), Campbellsville, Ky., 13.551
Darren Miller (32D), Milledgeville, Ill., 13.568
Tim Lance (48), Brimfield, Ill., 13.679
Donny Walden (1w), Towanda, Ill., 13.877
