Mount Vernon Raceway

Miller grabs first series victory at Mount Vernon

June 19, 2008, 2:45 pm

By Todd Turner

DirtonDirt.com chief writer

Darren Miller (32D) overtakes Terry English (96). (erikgrigsbyphotos.com)

MOUNT VERNON, Ill. (June 19) — Darren Miller was denied his first UMP DIRTcar Summernationals victory two years ago in a last-lap fiasco. There was no such drama this time for the Milledgeville, Ill., driver in the sixth leg of this year's 25-race tour at I-57/I-64 Raceway. | Mount Vernon pre-race notebook | Slideshow

Outdueling fellow front-row starter Kevin Claycomb in a side-by-side battle midway through the 40-lapper, Miller edged ahead for good on the 21st lap and led the rest of the way to earn $6,000 and his first win on the grueling series. He became the sixth winner in six races.

Dennis Erb Jr. of Carpentersville, Ill., was second ahead of eighth-starting Randy Korte of Highland, Ill., last year's winner at Mount Vernon. Claycomb, who led most of the first half of the race, was fourth with track points leader Rodney Melvin of Benton, Ill., rounding out the top five in a race where the frontrunners dodged and weaved while looking for the ever-changing fastest groove.

Erb's second-place finish jumped him from third to first in the title chase with 458 points overall. Brian Shirley (441) dropped from first to second and Will Vaught is third with 429 points.

Running the low groove, Claycomb took command early with Miller in pursuit, but it was Korte making noise early from his fourth-row starting spot. He was flying in the high groove, nudging his next victim in the middle of the straightaways and then sweeping around them through the corners. Korte was fourth by lap two, took third from Erb on the fifth lap, then moved past Miller for second on the seventh lap. He was ready to overtake Claycomb when a lap-eight caution slowed the action, and when the race restarted, Claycomb jumped to the high groove, too.

That halted Korte's charge but, after a lap-12 caution, Miller decided to try the middle of the track. He found enough traction to pull past Korte just after the restart, then he began working on the high-running Claycomb to set up a side-by-side duel that lasted nearly 10 laps. Miller got within a half-length on the 15th lap, but Claycomb edged further ahead on the next lap. Miller nipped Claycomb at the flagstand to lead lap 17, but Claycomb kept up his high-side momentum and went back into the lead for three more circuits.

But Miller took firm control on the 21st lap. As he began pulling away, Claycomb faded as Erb came alive in the final 15 laps. With 10 laps remaining, Erb was up to second and catching Miller, who switched to the lowest groove in maneuvering through lapped traffic. Erb was right on Miller's deck with five laps remaining and stayed right in the leader's tire tracks, but when Miller successfully lapped Ryan Unzicker exiting turn four with two laps remaining, Erb's car got pinched trying to get past Unzicker, costing him momentum he'd never regain.

Both the feature's cautions were for third-starting Jeep Van Wormer's flat tires. He slowed on the eighth lap while running fifth (he pitted and returned) and again on the 12th lap. He was black-flagged for the two-caution rule.

While the victory was Miller's first on the Summernationals circuit, he'd been close in 2006. He dominated the June 23 series event at Farmer City Raceway, but contact with second-running Steve Hillard exiting turn two on the final lap sent Miller out of control, costing him a $10,000 victory.

UMP @ I-57/I-64: (1) Darren Miller, (2) Dennis Erb Jr., (3) Randy Korte, (4) Kevin Claycomb, (5) Rodney Melvin, (6) Jason Feger, (7) Kevin Cole, (8) Steve Sheppard Jr., (9) Wes Steidinger, (10) Terry English, (11) Brian Shirley, (12) Patrick Sheltra, (13) Frankie Martin, (14) Kevin Weaver, (15) Will Vaught, (16) Ryan Unzicker, (17) Jordan Bland, (18) Brian Diveley, (19) Mike Hammerle, (20) Rick Salter, (21) Jeep Van Wormer. Fast qualifier (among 37 cars): Cole, 13.88 seconds. Heat race winners: Van Wormer, Erb, Claycomb, Miller. C-Main winner: Salter. B-Main winner: Steidinger. Provisional starters: Vaught, Hammerle, Salter.

B-Main

Polesitter Wes Steidinger led all 12 laps for an easy victory over fellow front-row starter Jason Feger in a race where the top six cars transferred to the feature. Jordan Bland was third, Ryan Unzicker fourth, Patrick Sheltra fifth and Brian Diveley sixth as the top six starters all held on to their positions. Michael Kloos nearly took the sixth spot from Diveley before the halfway point, but he fell back and eventually spun in turn two on the final lap.

Finish: Wes Steidinger, Jason Feger, Jordan Bland, Ryan Unzicker, Patrick Sheltra, Brian Diveley, Danny Jolly, Mark Voigt, George Scheffler, Tim Lance, Dewayne Kiefer, Rick Salter, Brandon Sheppard, Jason McBride, Jason Riggs, Michael Kloos.

C-Main

Rick Salter easily won the 12-lapper from outside the front row while fourth-starting Dewayne Kiefer finished a few lengths behind in second. Polesitter Jason McBride was a distant third and Jason Riggs got the fourth and final transfer spot, holding off a late challenge from Jeremy Sneed and Bobby Dauderman. Last night's Belle-Clair feature winner Will Vaught, guaranteed a series provisional, scratched.

Finish: Rick Salter, Dewayne Kiefer, Jason McBride, Jason Riggs, Bobby Dauderman, Mike Hammerle, Jeremy Sneed, Steve Karnes, Ryan Dauber. Scratched: Will Vaught, Steven Unterbrink.

Fourth heat

Darren Miller outran polesitter Randy Korte for a victory in the final heat. Miller finished five lengths in front of Korte while Steve Sheppard Jr., debuting a new Pierce Race Car, was third. Will Vaught, last night's winner at Belle-Clair, was battling Jordan Bland for fourth when he clipped an infield tire barrier and spun in turn one on the sixth lap; Vaught spun again on the restart in turn three and he was sent to the pits.

Finish: Darren Miller, Randy Korte, Steve Sheppard Jr., Jordan Bland, Danny Jolly, George Scheffler, Dewayne Kiefer, Jeremy Sneed.

Third heat

Dennis Erb Jr. went around the polesitter English on the third lap and grabbed his first heat race victory of the 2008 series. English settled for second in the caution-free event while fourth-starting Kevin Weaver was third, transferring to his first feature in the past three nights.

Finish: Dennis Erb Jr., Terry English, Kevin Weaver, Ryan Unzicker, Michael Kloos, Brandon Sheppard, Scott Riggs, Mike Hammerle.

Second heat

Outside front-row starter Kevin Claycomb pulled away from polesitter Rodney Melvin to capture the second heat. Melvin and Frankie Martin got the other two transfer spots in a race slowed by a single caution when Brent Kreke slowed on the fourth lap.

Finish: Kevin Claycomb, Rodney Melvin, Frankie Martin, Jason Feger, Brian Diveley, Tim Lance, Rick Salter, Steven Unterbrink, Brent Kreke.

First heat

Jeep Van Wormer's outside move down the frontstretch on the sixth lap gave him the lead and the victory over polesitter Kevin Cole. Brian Shirley got past Wes Steidinger to grab the third and final transfer spot in the caution-free event.

Finish: Jeep Van Wormer, Kevin Cole, Brian Shirley, Wes Steidinger, Patrick Sheltra, Mark Voigt, Jason McBride, Steve Karnes, Ryan Dauber.

Qualifying

Kevin Cole of Christopher, Ill., was the fastest among 37 qualifiers for the fifth leg of the UMP DIRTcar Summernationals at I-57/I-64 Raceway. He'll start on the pole of the first heat race at the $6,000-to-win event. Other heat race polesitters: former track champion Rodney Melvin of Benton, Ill., Terry English of Benton, Ky. (still driving the Scott Riggs-owned No. 81) and another former track champion, Randy Korte of Highland, Ill.

The top three finishers in each of four heat races will transfer to the feature event. Finishers 4-6 will go to the B-Main with the remainder of the 37 entrants going to a C-Main. Heat races start straightup according to qualifying times.