Peoria Speedway
Van Wormer picks up $6,000 with Peoria win
By Todd Turner
DirtonDirt.com chief writer
Jeep Van Wormer (55) gets a good start on the first lap. (Rich Edwards Jr.)
PEORIA, Ill. (July 1) — Third-starting Jeep Van Wormer of Pinconning, Mich., slipped under series points leader Dennis Erb Jr. of Carpentersville, Ill., at the flagstand on the second lap and led the rest of the 14th leg of the UMP DIRTcar Summernationals event at Peoria Speedway. Van Wormer, who earned $6,000 for his second series victory of 2008, built a comfortable lead midway through the 40-lapper and stayed just ahead of a closing Kevin Weaver of Gibson City, Ill., in the final laps. | Postrace notebook | Slideshow
"We wanted to be on the bottom," Van Wormer said. "It worked out that the car worked perfect and it just played out that Dennis and those guys stayed in the middle. It was perfect for us."
Weaver, recording his best series finish of the year, was second in the race slowed by a single first-lap caution that caused a complete restart following a spin by Jordan Bland. After that, the 40 laps ran caution-free as fast qualifier Wes Steidinger of Fairbury, Ill., advanced two spots to finish third. Brian Shirley of Chatham, Ill., trimmed Erb's points lead by edging him for fourth in the final laps at the quarter-mile oval.
The track with a reputation for low-groove racing allowed racing all over the surface. Polesitter Randy Korte and Erb, the front-row starters, ran higher on the track in the early laps, allowing Van Wormer to sneak underneath. He got alongside Erb on the second lap and nipped Erb at the start-finish line before edging ahead further on the third lap. The fourth-starting Weaver dropped Erb to third on the fifth lap and began a race-long chase of Van Wormer.
Van Wormer had a half-straightaway lead by the eighth lap and within a few laps, Weaver had the same margin on Erb, who had his hands full with a low-running Steidinger and a high-running Shirley. Van Wormer began lapping slower cars on the 15th lap and a pack of cars slowed his progress near the race's midpoint with Weaver, Erb, Stiedinger, Shirley, Korte, Don O'Neal, Ryan Dauber, Ryan Unzicker and Will Vaught holding down spots in the top 10.
Van Wormer split the slower cars of Tim Lance and Scott Bull on the 24th lap to get a brief cushion on Weaver, but Weaver worked under both cars a few laps later and stayed within a half-straightaway of the leader the next 10 laps as Steidinger began edging closer to Erb. Weaver cut Van Wormer's lead to five lengths with five laps remaining, three lengths with two laps remaining and just a few lengths at the finish, but he never took a serious crack at Van Wormer, whose previous series victory came June 22 at Vermilion County Speedway in Danville, Ill.
UMP @ Peoria: (1) Jeep Van Wormer, (2) Kevin Weaver, (3) Wes Steidinger, (4) Brian Shirley, (5) Dennis Erb Jr., (6) Don O'Neal, (7) Will Vaught, (8) Ryan Unzicker, (9) Steve Lance Jr., (10) Jesse Stovall, (11) Steve Sheppard Jr., (12) Jason Feger, (13) Tim Lance, (14) Jordan Bland, (15) Todd Bennett, (16) Rich Bell, (17) Ryan Dauber, (18) Randy Korte, (19) Scott Bull, (20) Shane Allen, (21) Donny Walden. Fast qualifier (among 40 cars): Steidinger, 12.522 seconds. Heat race winners: Korte, Erb, Van Wormer, Weaver. C-Main winner: S. Lance. B-Main winner: S. Sheppard. Provisional starters: Vaught, Bull, Allen.
B-Main
Polesitter Steve Sheppard Jr. cruised to an easy victory over fellow-front row starter Todd Bennett to lead a parade of six cars transferring to the feature event. Jordan Bland survived a squirrelly first lap to finish third while Donny Walden, Rich Bell and Steve Lance Jr. got the other transter spots. Lance had the rare Summernationals feat of rallying from the C-Main through the B-Main to the main event. Kyle Steffen finished seventh. Walden rebounded from a heat race wreck that heavily damaged the front of his car.
Finish: Steve Sheppard Jr., Todd Bennett, Jordan Bland, Donny Walden, Rich Bell, Steve Lance Jr., Kyle Steffen, Mark Burgtorf, Shane Allen, Mike Mullvain, Matt Murphy, Cory Daugherty, Brandon Sheppard, Rick Standridge. Scratch: Will Vaught.
C-Main
Steve Lance Jr. started outside the front row and led every lap for a victory, using the high side to outrun low-running Mark Burgtorf. Front-row starter Jason McBride was running third when he dropped out with two laps remaining. Shane Allen and Mike Mullvain got the other two transfer spots as Rick O'Brien started smoking in the final laps and ended up fifth.
Finish: Steve Lance Jr., Mark Burgtorf, Shane Allen, Mike Mullvain, Rick O'Brien, Joe Janowski, Gerry Reeder Jr., Greg Longfellow, Jason McBride, Russ Adams, Joey Markle, Dawn Mennell, Brandon Thirlby.
Fourth heat
Becoming the only heat race polesitter to win, Jeep Van Wormer dominated the 10-lapper, pulling out to a straightaway lead after laps and cruising the rest of the way. Fellow front-row starter Ryan Unzicker finished second while high-running Tim Lance, who started fifth, got the third and final transfer spot. Rich Bell was fourth, just ahead of Brandon Sheppard in the caution-free affair.
Finish: Jeep Van Wormer, Ryan Unzicker, Tim Lance, Rich Bell, Brandon Sheppard, Scott Bull, Mark Burgtorf, Greg Longfellow, Joe Janowski.
Third heat
Sixth-starting Kevin Weaver got the high groove working and overtook leader Donny Walden with three laps remaining for a stirring heat race victory. Walden, who stuck with the low groove after starting outside the front row, was battling Jesse Stovall for second on the final lap when he got into an infield tire barrier, heavily damaging the front of his car and limping across the finish line sixth. Stovall got second ahead of seventh-starting Don O'Neal, who for the third and final transfer spot. Polesitter Jordan Bland finished fourth.
Finish: Kevin Weaver, Jesse Stovall, Don O'Neal, Jordan Bland, Will Vaught, Donny Walden, Shane Allen, Mike Mullvain, Gerry Reeder Jr.
Second heat
Randy Korte became the second straight driver to win from outside the front row as he led the whole way. Polesitter Jason McBride ran second early before second-row starters Ryan Dauber and then Brian Shirley worked around him.� McBride lost the fourth spot when he got sideways exiting turn two, briefly slowing in the infield before getting back up to speed. Dauber and Shirley, who got out of shape in turn four heading for the checkered flag, got the second and third transfer spots. Todd Bennett was fourth The first start was called back when Shirley spun in turn four after getting into McBride; there weren't any other cautions.
Finish: Randy Korte, Ryan Dauber, Brian Shirley, Todd Bennett, Rick Standridge, Matt Murphy, Jason McBride, Russ Adams, Brandon Thirlby, Joey Markle.
First heat
Dennis Erb Jr. got the jump on polesitter Wes Steidinger and led all 10 laps of the caution-free event. Steidinger cut down Erb's half-straightaway lead in the closing laps but settled for second. Jason Feger outdueled Steve Sheppard Jr. for the third and final transfer spot.
Finish: Dennis Erb Jr., Wes Steidinger, Jason Feger, Steve Sheppard Jr., Cory Daugherty, Kyle Steffens, Steve Lance Jr., Rick O'Brien, Bryant Dickinson, Dawn Mennel.
Qualifying
Wes Steidinger of Fairbury, Ill., a former special event winner at Peoria Speedway, was fastest among 40 entries for the 14th leg of the UMP DIRTcar Summerntaionals at the quarter-mile oval. Steidinger, who posted a lap of 12.522 seconds, will start on the pole of the first heat race.
Other heat race polesitters, according to group qualifying: Jason McBride of Carbondale, Ill., Jordan Bland of Campbellsville, Ky., and Jeep Van Wormer of Pinconning, Mich. The top three finishers from each of the four heat races will transfer to the feature with finishers 4-6 going to the B-Main; everyone else will transfer to the C-Main. The 21-car starting field will battle for a $6,000 winner's purse in the richest race in track history.
Pre-race notes
Dennis Erb Jr. of Carpentersville, Ill., enters the event leading the Summernationals title chase with 1,012 points, eight more than Brian Shirley of Chatham, Ill., who won the previous series race Sunday night at Lincoln (Ill.) Speedway. Erb won last year's Summernationals race at Peoria. ... Jordan Bland broke a driveshaft in hot laps. ... Among series newcomers at Peoria: Mike Mullvain of Bartonville, Ill., former Peoria champion Todd Bennett of Peoria, Jay Sparks of Metamora, Ill., and 23-year-old Kyle Steffens of St. Charles, Mo. ... After missing a couple of series events, Jason Feger is back in action with an engine loaned by his car builder Bob Pierce. ... The Peoria track record of 12.465 seconds is held by Don O'Neal of Martinsville, Ind. ... Russ Adams broke on his qualifying lap. ... Mark Burgtorf shut his car down midway through his lap.
