Highland Speedway
Babb grabs $5,000 MARS victory at Highland
Shannon Babb (18) battles Jason Feger (25) at Highland. (stlracingphotos.com)
HIGHLAND, Ill. (Aug. 25) — Starting outside the front row, Shannon Babb of Moweaqua, Ill., led from flag-to-flag Thursday at Highland Speedway to capture the opener on the MARS DIRTcar Series tripleheader weekend.
Babb was able to stay ahead of eighth-starting Scott James of Lawrenceburg, Ind., in the closing laps for the $5,000 victory, the second of his career on the MARS circuit.
James, a UMP DIRTcar Summernationals winner at Highland in June, got the second spot with Billy Moyer of Batesville, Ark., rallying from 14th to finish third. Jason Feger of Bloomington, Ill., and Brandon Sheppard of New Berlin, Ill., rounded out the top five finishers. MARS points leader Brad Looney of Republic, Mo., was sixth in the first-ever appearance for the Missouri-based series at Highland's quarter-mile fairgrounds oval.
Notes: Babb's Victory Circle Chassis is sponsored by Petroff Towing, Donley Trucking and B Auto Parts. ... Babb's previous MARS victory came May 3, 2008, at I-44 Speedway in Lebanon, Mo., a race co-sanctioned by the World of Outlaws Late Model Series. ... Babb has 12 victories overall in 2011. ... Billy Moyer's 14th-to-third run gave him the Rod End Supply Hard Charger award. ... A flat tire knocked heat winner Kevin Weaver of Gibson City, Ill., out of contention in Highland's feature. ... Ryan Unzicker of El Paso, Ill., exited with damage after a tangle with Moyer resulted with Unzicker getting into the wall. ... Rodney Melvin of Benton, Ill., winner of Highland's Madison County Fair Race a month ago, was 13th. .... Matt Miller of Whitehouse, Ohio, competed in a Riggs Motorsports entry, giving the Harrisburg, Ill.-based team three drivers in action (Scott James and Kevin Cole were the others). ... Up next on the MARS tripleheader is the $5,000-to-win World 50 at Paducah (Ky.) International Raceway. ... I-55 Raceway in Pevely, Mo., hosts the third $5,000-to-win event Saturday.
UMP @ Highland: (1) Shannon Babb, (2) Scott James, (3) Billy Moyer, (4) Jason Feger, (5) Brandon Sheppard, (6) Brad Looney, (7) Billy Moyer Jr., (9) Tim Manville, (10) Mike Schulte, (11) Terry Phillips, (12) R.C. Whitwell, (13) Rodney Melvin, (14) Kevin Cole, (15) Tony Jackson Jr., (16) Kevin Weaver, (17) Ryan Unzicker, (18) Chad Zobrist, (19) Matt Miller, (20) Randy Korte, (21) Rick Salter, (22) Steve Lance Jr. Heat race winners (among 37 cars): Weaver, Babb, Feger, Cole, Sheppard. Consolation winners: Korte, Schulte. Provisional starters: Stovall, Whitwell, Zobrist.
Correction: Fixes car count to 37 sted 36.
