Federated Raceway at I-55
Erb's I-55 win, Tri-Track bonus pay $16,000
From track reports
Erb collects his $16,000. (stlracingphotos.com)
PEVELY, Mo. (Aug. 2) — Dennis Erb Jr.'s richest career victory came at I-55 Raceway when he earned $15,000 in a 2004 event. Erb returned to the third-mile oval for the rain-postponed Tri-Track Challenge finale and, counting a big bonus, topped that earnings total in the Northern Allstars Late Model Series event.
The Carpentersville, Ill., driver started on the pole at I-55 and led all 40 laps to earn $6,000 from the race purse along with an additional $10,000 bonus for capturing two of the three Tri-Track Challenge events. Erb won his previous Tri-Track Challenge event June 1 at Macon (Ill.) Speedway (the I-55 event was a makeup from a May 31 rainout).
Erb lapped all but six drivers in keeping runner-up Billy Faust of Lebanon, Ill., at bay throughout the main event. Mark Voigt of Marine, Ill., rallied from his 10th starting spot to finish a distant third while Jason Feger of Bloomington, Ill., and track co-owner Ken Schrader of Fenton, Mo., rounded out the top five. Schrader, the May� Tri-Track winner at Paducah (Ky.) International Raceway, was the only other driver with a chance to win the bonus.
Notes: Erb's Rayburn Race Cars has a Rhyne Competition engine and sponsorship from Petroff Towing, J&J Steel and Thomason Express. ... Erb dominated his heat race, outrunning Jason Feger by a full straightaway. ...� Ken Schrader competed despite suffering from flu-like symptoms. ... The next major Dirt Late Model special at I-55 is an Aug. 23 visit from the O'Reilly MARS DIRTcar Series with $6,000 going to the winner.
Northern Allstars @ I-55: (1) Dennis Erb Jr., (2) Billy Faust, (3) Mark Voigt, (4) Jason Feger, (5) Ken Schrader, (6) Randy Korte, (7) Chris Smyser, (8) Mark Burgtorf, (9) Jeff Johns, (10) Dewayne Keifer, (11) Ryan Unzicker, (12) Jason McBride, (13) Tim Manville, (14) Steve Sheppard Jr., (15) Ed Dixon, (16) Brandon Sheppard, (17) Jayme Zidar, (18) Brent Kreke, (19) Brian Diveley, (20) Bryan Collins, (21) Danny Haynes, (22) Tim Ratajczyk, (23) Dylan Sharp, (24) Michael Kloos. Fast qualifier (among 40 cars): Erb, 12.350 seconds. Heat race winners: Erb, Faust, Smyser, Kloos. Consolation winners: Diveley, S. Sheppard.
