Tempers and ill will always eventually develop on the UMP DIRTcar Summernationals, and we’re right on schedule to hear a little griping after eight series events.

First there was rumblings of the Dennis Erb Jr.-Jason Feger rivalry after a few on-track incidents early in the series. Shannon Babb thought Erb edged up into his groove prematurely on Wednesday to take the lead in his victory at Belle-Clair Speedway. And the Billy Moyer Jr.-Rodney Melvin battle at Belle-Clair — you can’t miss MORE

The most relaxed, happiest drivers in the Brownstown (Ind.) Speedway pits on June 16 seemed to be racers who don’t plan on following the entire 29-race UMP DIRTcar Summernationals tour. And not just because they don’t face the dread of daily racing through July 17.

Several series interlopers finished up front in Brownstown’s series opener, while the top drivers from last year’s tour simply weren’t a factor. | Complete Summernationals coverage

At last year’s Brownstown opener, four of MORE

Some random thoughts about Dream XVI after spending five days at Eldora Speedway with 29 UMP DIRTcar Summernationals races just 48 hours away:

The winner: Was that Billy Moyer's voice cracking a tiny bit in victory lane? And then quivering just a little during the postrace press conference? That shows how much Sunday's $100,000 victory meant to the 52-year-old driver who has accomplished virtually everything you could ask in Dirt Late Model racing. Moyer sometimes takes success in stride, but MORE