Spoon River Speedway
Miller rules Spoon River for third UMP victory
By Todd Turner
DirtonDirt.com chief writer
Darren Miller picked up his third series victory. (erikgrigsbyphotos.com)
BANNER, Ill. (July 9) — Leading all 40 laps at Spoon River Speedway in a runaway, Darren Miller of Milledgeville, Ill., dominated the 18th leg of the UMP DIRTcar Summernationals to become the first three-time winner on the series in 2008. Miller started outside the front row and was never challenged on the high-banked 3/8-mile oval in racing to a $6,000 victory. The 31-year-old Miller's previous series victories also came in Illinois on June 19-20 at Farmer City Raceway and I-57/I-64 Raceway in Mount Vernon. | Notebook | Slideshow
Miller's only hiccup came in trying to lap Jim Felker Jr. as contact on the backstretch briefly slowed his momentum with nine laps remaining. But he never let his pursuers get within a straightaway and pulled away the rest of the distance.
Kevin Weaver of Gibson City, Ill., who survived a lap-15 scrape with a lapped car, barely held on to finish second after fighting off heavy challenges from Wes Steidinger of Fairbury, Ill., over the final 25 laps. Jeep Van Wormer of Pinconning, Mich., and Steve Sheppard Jr., of New Berlin, Ill., rounded out the top five.
Series points leader Dennis Erb Jr. expanded his points lead by finishing two positions ahead of Brian Shirley, his closest pursuer in the points.
The race's only caution appeared when Weaver spun but caught a lucky break. He spun to the inside of turn two on the 15th lap trying to get under the lapped car of Brian Allen, but officials gave him his position back.
Feature notes
Provisional starter Greg Longfellow's No. 18 stalled during parade laps and it wouldn't refire. ... Dan O'Conner also fell out of line before the start of the race and never took the green. .. Tim Lance's No. 48 sported new sheet metal and a new decal scheme. ... The next series event is Thursday at La Salle (Ill.) Speedway with $6,000 going to the winner.
UMP @ Spoon River: (1) Darren Miller, (2) Kevin Weaver, (3) Wes Steidinger, (4) Jeep Van Wormer, (5) Steve Sheppard Jr., (6) Will Vaught, (7) Eric Smith, (8) Randy Korte, (9) Scott Bull, (10) Dennis Erb Jr., (11) Rickey Frankel, (12) Brian Shirley, (13) Kevin Cole, (14) Ryan Unzicker, (15) Jim Felker Jr., (16) Jason McBride, (17) Jordan Bland, (18) Brian Allen, (19) Jason Feger, (20) Brad Denney, (21) Joe Harlan, (22) Tim Lance Scratched: Dan O'Connor, Greg Longfellow. Fast qualifier (among 47 cars): Miller, 14.330 seconds. Heat race winners: Miller, E. Smith, Weaver, Steidinger, Van Wormer. C-Main winners: Burgtorf, Bland. B-Main winner: Erb. Provisional starters: Bland, Cole, Denney, McBride, Harlan, Longfellow.
B-Main
In a race run after a delay to wait for a replacement ambulance, polesitter Dennis Erb Jr. cruised to victory on a track that many drivers worried was going to lock down to a single groove. The 45-minute ambulance delay and slightly cooler temperatures may have helped the surface during Erb's 12-lap victory. Third-starting Brian Allen finished a half-straightaway behind in second while sixth-starting Brian Shirley got the third and final transfer spot. Kevin Cole tried to get under Shirley exiting turn four on the final lap but ended up a car length short in fourth. One caution slowed the action as the initial restart was called back because of Chad Mitchell's turn-two spin.
Finish: Dennis Erb Jr., Brian Allen, Brian Shirley, Kevin Cole, Steve Lance Jr., Jordan Bland, Bryan Collins, Mark Burgtorf, Derek Chandler, Joe Harlan, Chad Mitchell, Jerry Reeder Jr., Mike Mullvain, Jimmy Dehm, Russ Adams, Travis Wallbaum.
C-Mains
First C-Main finish: (1) Jordan Bland, (2) Joe Harlan, (3) Jimmy Dehm, (4) Jason McBride, (5) Charley Hess, (6) Rick O'Brien.
Second C-Main finish: (1) Mark Burgtorf, (2) Derek Chandler, (3) Travis Wallbaum.
Fifth heat
With polesitter Bryan Collins getting out of shape in turn two on the first lap, fellow front-row starter Eric Smith slid into the lead in the high groove and led the rest of the way. Fifth-starting Ryan Unzicker got a great start and was quickly up to second, where he chased Smith the rest of the way as the two frontrunners pulled comfortably away from fourth-starting Jason Feger, who got the third and final transfer spot. Collins held the second spot exiting turn four on the first lap, but he slipped back to fourth and nearly got over the backstretch banking on the seventh lap in finishing a half-straight behind Feger in the caution-free prelim.
Finish: Eric Smith, Ryan Unzicker, Jason Feger, Bryan Collins, Jerry Reeder Jr., Brad Denney, Joe Harlan, Brandon Sheppard, Steve Zakrajsek.
Fourth heat
In a nifty first-lap move, outside front-row starter Kevin Weaver ducked under polesitter Randy Korte exiting turn two and took command for good in the 10-lapper. Korte, who got into turn two a bit too hard on the first lap, nosed in on Weaver on the second lap but cruised safely behind him the rest of the way to finish second as the top two cars pulled more than a straightaway ahead of the field by the sixth lap. In a mid-race dogfight for the third and final transfer spot, Jim Felker Jr. held off Chad Mitchell, who got too high in turn one on the seventh lap and never recovered. Felker qualified for his first Summernationals feature of 2008 in his fourth series start.
Finish: Kevin Weaver, Randy Korte, Jim Felker Jr., Chad Mitchell, Russ Adams, Andy Chester, Rick O'Brien.
Third heat
Outside front-row starter Wes Steidinger pounced into the lead over polesitter Ricky Frankel on the high side, then moved to the middle of the high-banked 3/8-mile oval to cruised the rest of the way. Fourth-starting Scott Bull, in the high groove, quickly moved into the second spot and held that position the rest of the caution-free 10-lapper. Frankel held on to finish third ahead of sixth-starting Brian Allen, who is among Spoon River's weekly points leaders.
Finish: Wes Steidinger, Scott Bull, Rickey Frankel, Brian Allen, Steve Lance, Jr., Mark Burgtorf, Derek Chandler, Greg Longfellow, Jason McBride.
Second heat
Polesitter Jeep Van Wormer cruised to an easy victory in the second heat while Steve Sheppard Jr. got rolling on the high side to race his way from his fifth starting spot into second. Front-row starter Dan O'Connor, a recent weekly winner at Spoon River, held on to finish third ahead of Kevin Cole, who flirted with a transfer spot throughout the 10-lapper. The first start was called back when Steve Sheppard Jr. got loose in turn four, triggering spins among cars behind him. A lap-six caution appeared for Scott Riggs, who spun to the inside in turn two, and Fred Kunzeman's car was towed off under the caution. Russ Schoonover pulled out when his machine started smoking.
Finish: Jeep Van Wormer, Steve Sheppard Jr., Dan O'Connor, Kevin Cole, Mike Mullvain, Jimmy Dehm, Travis Wallbaum, Scott Riggs, Russ Schoonover, Fred Kunzeman.
First heat
Polesitter Darren Miller cruised to victory by more than a full straightaway in the first 10-lapper. Tim Lance of nearby Brimfield used the high side to race from his fourth spot into second for one of his best heat-race performances of the tour, and Will Vaught made an inside move on Dennis Erb Jr. exiting turn four to grab the third and final transfer spot. Erb and Brian Shirley, the top two drivers in series points, must race their way into the feature through the B-Main. The race ran caution-free.
Finish: Darren Miller, Tim Lance, Will Vaught, Dennis Erb Jr., Brian Shirley, Jordan Bland, Charley Hess, Jay Sparks, Keith Pratt. Scratched: Jake Denny.
Qualifying
Darren Miller of Milledgeville, Ill., was fastest among nearly 50 qualifiers for the 18th leg of the UMP DIRTcar Summernationals at Spoon River Speedway. Miller will start on the pole of a heat race as will Jeep Van Wormer, Rickey Frankel, Randy Korte and Bryan Collins. Listed times are unofficial. The top three drivers from each of five heat races transfer to the feature, with finishers 4-6 going to the B-Main. Everyone else goes to one of two C-Mains, which will transfer two drivers apiece to the rear of the B-Main. Three provisional starters round out the 21-car field.
