BANNER, Ill. (June 20) — Updates from the sixth round of the DIRTcar Summer Nationals at Spoon River Speedway, an event highlighted by a 30-lap, $5,000-to-win feature for Super Late Models (results unofficial):
Feature
Taking advantage of race-long leader Tyler Erb's turn-four spin after Jason Feger's bold slide job on lap 27, Ryan Unzicker of El Paso, Ill., led the final four laps Thursday at Spoon River Speedway for a $5,000 DIRTcar Summer Nationals victory. Unzicker took the checkers 1.045 seconds ahead of Feger, who dove between Unzicker and Erb entering turn three on the 27th lap, making contact that sent Erb spinning. Because Unzicker was ahead of Feger on the previously scored lap, he restarted ahead of Feger for the race's lone restart and raced to his 14th career series victory.
Feature lineup
(30 laps)
Row 1: Tyler Erb, Unzicker
Row 2: Jason Feger, Rodney Melvin
Row 3: Tanner English, Garrett Smith
Row 4: Daniel Adam, Trevor Gundaker
Row 5: Clay Stuckey, Kye Blight
Row 6: Billy Moyer, Dillon McCowan
Row 7: Austin Howes, Bob Gardner
Row 8: Kolby Vandenbergh, Allen Weisser
Row 9: Will Roland, Dylan Thompson
Row 10: Mark Voigt, Daryn Klein
Row 11: Tyler Clem, Thomas Hunziker
Pre-feature notes
Tyler Erb, winner of the first four Summer Nationals features, cruised to victory in the third heat and drew the pole position for the 30-lap feature. He'll start alongside second-heat winner Ryan Unzicker with first-heat winner Jason Feger starting third. ... Unzicker is gunning for victory at the track where he won his first Summer Nationals race in 2010. ... Feger, the track record-holder, won 2014's Hell Tour race at Spoon River. ... A last-lap pass gave Allen Weisser a consolation race victory over Will Roland. .... Austin Howes of Lewiston, Mo., transferred through the first heat to make his first career Summer Nationals feature lineup and just his third feature of the season. The Lewiston, Mo., driver has never finished better than 10th in a Late Model touring event. ... Frank Heckenast Jr. was running fourth in the opening heat when a flat tire knocked him out of a transfer spot. He scratched for the night. ... In the second heat, Daryn Klein spun into turn one battling for third on the second lap after contact with Will Roland. ... Billy Moyer slipped over the turn-three banking midway through the second heat but recovered to finish fourth.
Consolation race results
(8 laps; top three transfer)
B-main: Allen Weisser, Will Roland, Dylan Thompson, Tyler Clem, Carson Brown, Mark Voigt, Thomas Hunizker, Rich Bell, Brandon Eskew, Cody Maguire, Tucker Finch. Scratched: Frank Heckenast Jr., Daryn Klein, Russ Adams, Kayden Clatt.
Heat race results
(8 laps; top five transfer)
First heat: Jason Feger, Rodney Melvin, Daniel Adam, Kye Blight, Austin Howes, Carson Brown, Thomas Hunziker, Cody Maguire, Frank Heckenast Jr. Scratched: Russ Adams.
Second heat: Ryan Unzicker, Tanner English, Trevor Gundaker, Billy Moyer, Bob Gardner, Will Roland, Tyler Clem, Brandon Eskew, Daryn Klein, Mark Voigt.
Third heat: Tyler Erb, Garrett Smith, Clay Stuckey, Dillon McCowan, Kolby Vandenbergh, Allen Weisser, Dylan Thompson, Tucker Finch, Rich Bell, Kayden Clatt.
Time trials
First group
Driver (car no.), hometown, time (unofficial)
- Kye Blight (31aus), Bunbury, W. Australia, 13.284
- Jason Feger (25), Bloomington, Ill., 13.353
- Rodney Melvin (27), Benton, Ill., 13.500
- Daniel Adam (75), Wade, N.C., 13.530
- Frank Heckenast Jr. (99jr), Frankfort, Ill., 13.712
- Thomas Hunziker (38), Bend, Ore., 13.801
- Austin Howes (17a), Lewiston, Mo., 13.858
- Cody Maguire (32M), Carlinville, Ill., 13.868
- Carson Brown (28), New London, N.C., 13.904
- Russ Adams (74), Princeville, Ill., 14.384
Second group
- Billy Moyer (21), Batesville, Ark., 13.464
- Ryan Unzicker (24), El Paso, Ill., 13.483
- Daryn Klein (10), Fairview Heights, Ill., 13.500
- Will Roland (22), Jasper, Ga., 13.590
- Tanner English (96), Benton, Ky., 13.632
- Tyler Clem (58), St. Petersburg, Fla., 13.634
- Brandon Eskew (11), Ashland, Il., 13.825
- Trevor Gundaker (11T), St. Charles, Mo., 13.834
- Bob Gardner (26m), Washington, Ill., 13.855
- Mark Voigt (30), Marine, Ill., 13.943
Third group
- Tyler Erb (1), New Waverly, Texas, 13.557
- Clay Stuckey (15), Shreveport, La., 13.655
- Dylan Thompson (99), Paducah, Ky., 13.673
- Kayden Clatt (50k), Edina, Mo., 13.738
- Garrett Smith (10), Eatonton, Ga., 13.785
- Dillon McCowan (8), Urbana, Mo., 13.794
- Kolby Vandenbergh (15), Ashland, Ill., 13.853
- Tucker Finch (25), Jacksonville, Ill., 14.048
- Allen Weisser (25w), Peoria, Ill., 14.076
- Rich Bell (21B), Sheffield, Ill., 14.246
Thursday’s schedule
(All times local)
3 p.m. - Pits open
4 p.m. - Grandstands open
6 p.m. - Drivers’ meeting
6:30 p.m. - On-track activity
- Late Model hot laps
- Modified group qualifying (3 laps)
- Late Model time trials (2 laps)
Opening ceremonies
- Modified heats (8 laps)
- Late Model heats (8 laps)
- Modified consolation (8 laps)
- Late Model C-main (8 laps)
- Late Model B-main (10 laps)
Intermission/track prep
- Modified feature (25 laps)
- Late Model feature (30 laps)