Dirt on Dirt - Mod ace nabs fendered Summer Nationals win

July 4

Tri-City Speedway,

Granite City, IL

Sanction: DIRTcar Summer Nationals - $5,000

Information provided by: Kyle McFadden, series and track reports (last updated July 5, 9:16 am)

Mod ace nabs fendered Summer Nationals win

Mike Harrison
Jason Feger
Gordy Gundaker
Ashton Winger
Kye Blight
Rusty Schlenk
Mike Spatola
Trevor Gundaker
Shannon Babb
Blaze Burwell
Billy Laycock
Clay Stuckey
Bob Gardner
Rusty Griffaw
Dean Carpenter
Thomas Hunziker
Steve Stultz
Brandon Carpenter
Mick Quin
Reid Millard
Mark Voigt
Doug Tye

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Mike Harrison takes the checkers for his flag-to-flag victory.

What won the race: A 59-time winner in the modified version of the DIRTcar Summer Nationals, polesitter Mike Harrison of Highland, Ill., notched his first in the Late Models, dominating Tuesday at Tri-City Speedway for a Fourth of July victory worth $5,000. Harrison built leads of as big as 4.6 seconds in the 30-lapper, winning from the pole position over ninth-starting Jason Feger and Gordy Gundaker, who ran second most of the way. Series points leader Ashton Winger finished fourth after starting 12th.

Quotable: "I just knew I couldn't screw up. I mean (if) you screw up one time with these guys — and like what's happened to me many a time this year — these guys are a bunch of animals, I'm telling you," Harrison said. "I've done it a long time in the modified, but I'll tell you right now, you get in (the Late Model) and they're like sharks that smell blood. If they can get in there and get alongside of you and make you lift, you're screwed."

Key notes: In three previous Summer Nationals starts this season in Steve Lampley's Late Model, Mike Harrison's best finish was seventh at Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 in Pevely, Mo. ... He's the tour's third first-time winner this season joining Logan Martin and Stormy Scott. ... Third-place finisher Gordy Gundaker's parents Kevin and Tammy Gundaker own and operate the track (his younger brother Trevor Gundaker finished eighth). ... The lone caution appeared on the 24th lap when seventh-running Rusty Schlenk spun inside turn three; he benefitted from the blend rule to restart 10th and finished sixth. ... Harrison lapped all but 10 competitors. ... The three first-time winners in a season is the most since the series had five in 2018 (Devin Moran, Gordy Gundaker, Tanner English, Chad Zobrist and Zack Dohm). ... Harrison finished third in the night's modified feature won by Tyler Nicely. ... Tri-City hosted its second series event of 2023; Bobby Pierce won June 16.

On the move: Runner-up Jason Feger started ninth; series points leader Ashton Winger of Hampton, Ga., started 12th and finished fourth.

Winner's sponsors: Harrison’s Steve Lampley-owned Rocket Chassis is powered by a Durham Racing Engine and sponsored by Midwest Excavating, Randy Korte Consulting, Aggressive Fire Prevention, Tim Logan Racing and Josh Carroll Trucking.

Points chase: After Tri-City (overall): 1. Ashton Winger (976); 2. Jason Feger (949); 3. Bob Gardner (751); 4. Kye Blight (688); 5. Tyler Clem (637). After Tri-City (Week 4): 1. Mike Harrison (79); 2. Jason Feger (74); 3. Gordy Gundaker (69); 4. Ashton Winger (64); 5. Kye Blight (59).

Current weather: Clear, 79°F

Car count: 29

Fast qualifier: Kye Blight

Time: 14.509 seconds

Polesitter: Mike Harrison

Heat race winners: Kye Blight, Gordy Gundaker, Mike Harrison

Consolation race winners: Rusty Griffaw

Provisional starters: Thomas Hunziker, Reid Millard, Mick Quin, Doug Tye

Next series race: July 5, Red Hill Raceway (Sumner, IL) $5,000

Editor's note: Corrects 16th-place finisher.

From staff reports

GRANITE CITY, Ill. (July 4) — Updates from the 16th round of the DIRTcar Summer Nationals at Tri-City Speedway, an event highlighted by a $5,000-to-win feature for Super Late Models (results unofficial):

Feature

A 59-time winner in the modified version of the DIRTcar Summer Nationals, polesitter Mike Harrison of Highland, Ill., notched his first in the Late Models, dominating Tuesday at Tri-City Speedway for a Fourth of July victory worth $5,000. Harrison built leads of as big as 4.6 seconds in the 30-lapper, winning from the pole position over ninth-starting Jason Feger and Gordy Gundaker, who ran second most of the way. Series points leader Ashton Winger finished fourth after starting 12th.

Feature lineup

(30 laps)

Row 1: Mike Harrison, Kye Blight
Row 2: Gordy Gundaker, Bob Gardner
Row 3: Trevor Gundaker, Rusty Schlenk
Row 4: Blaze Burwell, Brandon Carpenter
Row 5: Jason Feger, Clayton Stuckey
Row 6: Billy Laycock, Ashton Winger
Row 7: Steve Stultz, Dean Carpenter
Row 8: Shannon Babb, Rusty Griffaw
Row 9: Mike Spatola, Mark Voigt
Row 10: Thomas Hunziker, Reid Millard
Row 11: Mick Quin, Doug Tye

Consolation race results

B-main (top three transfer): Rusty Griffaw, Mike Spatola, Mark Voigt, Jordan Suhre, B.J. Robinson, Tucker Finch, Austin Vincent, Thomas Hunziker, Reid Millard, Mick Quin, Jason Milam, Claude Walker, Doug Tye.

Heat race results

(Top five transfer) 

First heat: Kye Blight, Bob Gardner, Blaze Burwell, Clayton Stuckey, Steve Stultz, Rusty Griffaw, Tucker French, Jason Milan, Doug Tye, Tim Gauntt.

Second heat: Gordy Gundaker, Trevor Gundaker, Brandon Carpenter, Billy Laycock, Dean Carpenter, Mark Voigt, Claude Walker, Jordan Sahre, Reid Millard, Mick Quin.

Third heat: Mike Harrison, Rusty Schlenk, Jason Feger, Ashton Winger, Shannon Babb, Mike Spatola, B.J. Robinson, Austin Vincent, Thomas Hunziker.

Time trials

Driver (car no.), hometown, time
Group A
Kye Blight (31aus), Bunbury, W. Australia, 14.509
Blaze Burwell (44), Mount Vernon, Ill., 14.656
Bob Gardner (4G), East Peoria, Ill., 14.661
Clay Stuckey (15), Shreveport, La., 14.707
Tucker Finch (25T), Jacksonville, Ill., 14.830
Jason Milam (82B), Guntown, Miss., 15.401
Steve Stultz (78s), Peoria, Ariz., 15.446
Rusty Griffaw (16), Festus, Mo., 15.618
Doug Tye (4D), Collinsville, Ill., 15.703
Tim Gauntt (T8), Brighton, Ill., no time
Group B
Gordy Gundaker (11), St. Charles, Mo., 14.847
Brandon Carpenter (51B), Coldwater, Miss., 14.876
Dean Carpenter (51), Coldwater, Miss., 15.010
Trevor Gundaker (14), St. Charles, Mo., 15.074
Billy Laycock (82), Marine, Ill., 15.187
Claude Walker (35), Moro, Ill., 15.325
Jordan Suhre (4), Alhambra, Ill., 15.331
Mark Voigt (30), Marine, Ill., 15.370
Mick Quin (23NZ), Waimarama, New Zealand, 15.763
Reid Millard (14R), Jefferson City, Mo., 16.045
Group C
Rusty Schlenk (91), McClure, Ohio, 14.605
Mike Harrison (33), Highland, Ill., 14.627
Shannon Babb (18), Moweaqua, Ill., 14.637
Jason Feger (25), Bloomington, Ill., 14.687
Ashton Winger (12), Hampton, Ga., 14.693
B.J. Robinson (1), Bossier City, La., 14.950
Austin Vincent (5), Moody, Mo., 15.162
Mike Spatola (89), Manhattan, Ill., 15.179
Thomas Hunziker (38), Bend, Ore., 15.209

Tuesday’s schedule

(All times local)
3 p.m.: Pits open
5:30 p.m.: Grandstands open
6:30 p.m.: Drivers’ meeting
7 p.m.: On-track activity
- Super Late Model hot laps
- Modified hot laps/qualifying (3 laps)
- Super Late Model qualifying (2 laps)
- B-mod hot laps
- 4-cylinder hot laps
Opening ceremonies
- Super Late Model heat races (8 laps)
- Modified heat races (8 laps)
- B-mod heat races (8 laps)
- 4-cylinder heat races (6 laps)
- Super Late Model c-main (8 laps; if needed)
- Modified consolation (8 laps; if needed)
- Super Late Model consolation (10 laps; if needed)
- B-mod consolation (10 laps; if needed)
- 4-cylinder consolation (8 laps; if needed)
Feature events
- Super Late Models (30 laps)
- Modifeds (20 laps)
- B-mods (20 laps)
- 4-cylinders (15 laps)