Dirt on Dirt - Unzicker leads all the way for Kankakee victory

June 14

Kankakee County Speedway,

Kankakee, IL

Sanction: DIRTcar Summer Nationals - $5,000

Information provided by: Todd Turner (last updated June 15, 8:59 am)

Unzicker leads all the way for Kankakee victory

Ryan Unzicker
Bobby Pierce
Dennis Erb Jr.
Drake Troutman
Jason Feger
Payton Freeman
Billy Moyer Jr.
Brian Shirley
Curtis Roberts
Tommy Sheppard Jr.
Logan Martin
Mike Spatola
Joe Godsey
Hunt Gossum
Mike Provenzano
Preston Luckman
Mark Voigt
Jeff Roth
Glen Thompson
Frank Heckenast Jr.
Kevin Weaver
Paul Parker

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Jim DenHamer

Ryan Unzicker emerges in victory lane for his 11th career DIRTcar Summer Nationals victory.

What won the race: Polesitter Ryan Unzicker of El Paso, Ill., led all 40 laps of Tuesday's DIRTcar Summer Nationals opener at Kankakee County Speedway, earning $5,000 for his 11th career tour victory. On a one-laned oval with passing at a premium, runner-up Bobby Pierce and third-place finisher Dennis Erb Jr. each made outside runs on Unzicker in turns one and two that cost them the second spot.

Quotable: “It just feels good to be back in victory lane,” said Unzicker, who notched his first tour victory since 2018. “It’s been a long time for the Summer Nationals.”

Key notes: Ryan Unzicker clipped an infield tire barrier in turn two on the 16th lap, but it didn't cause any damage. ... Bobby Pierce was running second when he tried the outside on Unzicker and the slower car of Jeff Roth, dropping him back to third behind Dennis Erb Jr. ... Erb also took a shot at getting outside Unzicker entering turn one on lap 38, but he slid high exiting turn two and returned the second spot to Pierce. ... Pierce wheel-hopped Erb's car in turn two on the 27th lap, his car briefly bounding into the air. He gathered it up and rolled on. ... The track's main power went out when Paul Stubber's hauler clipped a line near the pit entrance; because the water pumps were down, the track wasn't able to start watering the track until after 6 p.m., causing a delay in the start of the program. ... The series is reverting to a previous format where drivers that draw in groups will qualify and heat race against all the same drivers. Heat winners will draw for starting spots while second-, third- and fourth-place heat transferrees will be staggered in the feature lineup as usual.

Winner's sponsors: Unzicker’s MB Customs Race Car has a Pro Power Racing Engine and carries sponsorship from RJR Transportation, Brucker Farms, Mosquito Hero, Fairbury Fastener & Supply, Varsitee Screenprinting, V1 Comfort Solutions, Larimer Cows & Calves, Mayer Automotive, Absolute Home Repair & Remodeling, Gary Miller’s Classic Auto, El Paso Outdoor Center, Unzicker Equipment, Renegade Fuels and Aftershock Decals & Design.

Points chase: Kankakee opens the 32-race tour.

Current weather: Clear, 81°F

Car count: 36

Fast qualifier: Bobby Pierce

Time: 15.407 seconds

Polesitter: Ryan Unzicker

Heat race winners: Bobby Pierce, Payton Freeman, Ryan Unzicker, Drake Troutman

Consolation race winners: Paul Parker, Rich Dawson

Next series race: June 15, Peoria Speedway (Peoria, IL) $5,000

Editor's note: Results and race details are unofficial.

From staff reports

KANKAKEE, Ill. — Updates and results from Tuesday’s first round of the 32-race DIRTcar Summer Nationals at Kankakee County Speedway, which hosts a $5,000-to-win Super Late Model program (results unofficial):

Feature

Ryan Unzicker of El Paso, Ill., led all 40 laps of Tuesday's DIRTcar Summer Nationals opener at Kankakee County Speedway, earning $5,000 for his 11th career tour victory. On a one-laned oval with passing at a premium, runner-up Bobby Pierce and third-place finisher Dennis Erb Jr. each made outside runs on Unzicker in turns one and two that cost them the second spot.

Feature lineup

(40 laps)

Row 1: Ryan Unzicker, Payton Freeman
Row 2: Bobby Pierce, DrakeTroutman
Row 3: Dennis Erb Jr., Brian Shirley
Row 4: Jason Feger, Billy Moyer Jr.
Row 5: Tommy Sheppard Jr., Frank Heckenast Jr.
Row 6: Curtis Roberts, Mike Spatola
Row 7: Logan Martin, Hunt Gossum
Row 8: Mike Provenzano, Kevin Weaver
Row 9: Paul Parker, Preston Luckman
Row 10: Joe Godsey, Mark Voigt
Row 10: Glen Thompson, Jeff Roth

Consolation race results

B-main (12 laps; top two transfer): Paul Parker, Preston, Luckman, Joe Godsey, Justin Duty, Glen Thompson, Jeff Roth, Nick Allen, Jake Miller, Bob Gardner, Brent McKinnon, Rich Dawson, Paul Stubber, Brandon Lance, Deshawn Gingerich, Mark Voigt. Scratched: Herb Reich.

C-main (10 laps; top four transfer): Rich Dawson, Bob Gardner, Herb Reich, Mark Voigt, Doug Tye, Tim Gauntt, Dan Richardson, Mick Quin.

Heat race results

(10 laps; top four transfer)

First heat: Bobby Pierce, Dennis Erb Jr., Tommy Sheppard Jr., Logan Martin, Jake Miller, Justin Duty, Paul Stubber, Herb Reich, Doug Tye.

Second heat: Payton Freeman, Brian Shirley, Frank Heckenast Jr., Hunt Gossum, Paul Parker, Joe Godsey, Nick Allen, Rich Dawson, Bob Gardner.

Third heat: Ryan Unzicker, Jason Feger, Curtis Roberts, Mike Provenzano, Preston Luckman, Glen Thompson, Brent McKinnon, Tim Gauntt, Mick Quin.

Fourth heat: Drake Troutman, Billy Moyer Jr., Mike Spatola, Kevin Weaver, Jeff Roth, Brnadon Lance, Deshawn Gingerich, Dan Richardson, Mark Voigt.

Time trials

(Heat races start straightup by qualifying times)

Driver (car no.), hometown
First group
Bobby Pierce (32), Oakwood, Ill., 15.407
Paul Stubber (31aus), Bunbury, Australia, 15.561
Dennis Erb Jr. (28), Carpentersville, Ill., 15.578
Logan Martin (36), West Plains, Mo., 15.831
Tommy Sheppard Jr (T6), New Berlin, Ill., 16.457
Jake Miller (28m), Mendota, Ill., 16.506
Justin Duty (15), Mulino, Ore., 16.562
Doug Tye (4D), Collinsville, Ill., 16.761
Herb Reich (34), Ann Arbor, Mich., 23.522
Second group
Frank Heckenast Jr. (99jr), Frankfort, Ill., 15.638
Payton Freeman (F1), Commerce, Ga., 15.856
Joe Godsey (14G), Edinburgh, Ind., 15.987
Nick Allen (21A), Wheatfield, Ind., 16.183
Bob Gardner (4G), East Peoria, Ill., 16.190
Hunt Gossum (99), Mayfield, Ky., 16.192
Brian Shirley (3s), Chatham, Ill., 16.226
Paul Parker (10), Kaukauna, Wis., 16.291
Rich Dawson (80), Lowell, Ind., 16.463
Third group
Ryan Unzicker (24), El Paso, Ill., 15.858
Curtis Roberts (9r), Coleman, Mich., 16.217
Jason Feger (25), Bloomington, Ill., 16.250
Preston Luckman (77), Coos Bay, Ore., 16.367
Mike Provenzano (M27), Marseilles, Ill., 16.444
Brent McKinnon (26M), Carlyle, Ill., 16.649
Glen Thompson (14), Buckingham, Ill., 16.980
Tim Gauntt (T8), Brighton, Ill., 17.722
Mick Quin (23nz), Hawks Bay, New Zealand, no time
Fourth groupMike Spatola (89), Manhattan, Ill., 15.934
Drake Troutman (7T), Hyndman, Pa., 16.121
Kevin Weaver (B12), Gibson City, Ill., 16.347
Billy Moyer Jr. (21), Batesville, Ark., 16.435
Jeff Roth (14R), Bentonville, Ark., 16.648
Mark Voigt (30), Marine, Ill., 16.761
Deshawn Gingerich (0), Dover, Pa., 17.462
Brandon Lance (248), Brimfield, Ill., 17.706
Dan Richardson (8), Macy, Ind., 18.464

Tuesday’s schedule

5:30 p.m. - Drivers’ meeting
6 p.m. - On-track activity
- Super Late Model hot laps
- Modified hot lap/time trials
- Super Late Model time trials
- Crate Late Model hot laps/time trials
- Stock car hot laps/time trials
Opening ceremonies
- Crate Late Model heats (8 laps)
- Modified heats (8 laps)
- Super Late Model heats (10 laps)
- Stock car heats (8 laps)
- Super Late Model C-main (10 laps if needed)
- Modified consolation (10 laps if needed)
- Super Late Model B-main (12 laps if needed)
Feature events
- Crate Late Models (20 laps)
- Modifieds (25 laps)
- Super Late Models (40 laps)
- Stock cars (15 laps)