Highland Speedway
English outruns Korte for UMP win at Highland
By Todd Turner
DirtonDirt.com chief writer
Terry English and his crew celebrate. (erikgrigsbyphotos.com)
HIGHLAND, Ill. (June 17) — When engine problems struck during the UMP DIRTcar Summernationals opener, it appeared Terry English's series run was over before it started. But a chance to run a borrowed car from former car owner Scott Riggs has given the Benton, Ky., driver new life. | Pre-race notebook | Slideshow
Starting on the pole at Highland Speedway in the blue-and-white No. 81, English overtook fellow front-row starter Randy on the ninth lap and fought off repeated challenges from Korte the rest of the way for a $6,000 victory in the fourth leg of the Summernationals. English picked up his fifth career series victory and first since July 10, 2004, at his home track, Kentucky Lake Motor Speedway.
Korte, a hometown driver and former track champion, finished second in a race that turned follow-the-leader after a pair of cautions on laps 13 and 16. Fifth-starting Will Vaught of Crane, Mo., was third for his second top-three finish while Jeep Van Wormer of Pinconning, Mich., and 14th-starting Brian Shirley of Chatham, Ill., rounded out the top five. Shirley's finish moved him into the series points lead over reigning champ Dennis Erb Jr.
Korte jumped into the lead on the high side, but English stuck with the low groove and reeled him in over the first several laps. The frontunners went under the flagstand in a dead heat on the eighth lap, then English nosed ahead on lap nine. Following the two cautions over the next seven laps, the field filtered down into a low groove that picked up a rubber strip in the corners as Korte abandoned his high-side efforts.
“I probably should have got to the bottom when I was in front of Terry,” said Korte, who finished second two nights earlier at Tri-State Speedway in Haubstadt, Ind., when Erb overtook him on the last lap. "But I actually thought the top would get better sooner or later and it never did.”
English, making just his third career start in a Rocket Chassis, said he was fortunate to choose the right groove. "You didn't really know where the track was going to rubber-up at," he said. "It could've just as well rubber-up at the top. ... It was just a guess where to be at."
Korte banged English's quarterpanel a few times the rest of the 40-lapper, but English tucked his car down low and was fortunate he didn't have any serious problems with lapped cars. "He could've taken me out at anytime," English said. "I was making sure, just staying on the bottom. The motor was stumbling a bit toward the end."
The race was slowed by two cautions. Tim Lance and Mark Faust were part of a skirmish exiting turn two on the 13th lap. A lap-16 caution appeared when Wes Steidinger and Steve Sheppard Jr. got into turn one.
Feature notes
Kevin Claycomb, who started 10th, was running fifth during a lap-16 caution when a flat left-rear tire forced him into the infield. ... Brian Shirley and Michael Kloos had an apparent disagreement and did a little fender-banging during the lap-16 caution.
UMP @ Highland: (1) Terry English, (2) Randy Korte, (3) Will Vaught, (4) Jeep Van Wormer, (5) Brian Shirley, (6) Billy Faust, (7) Kevin Cole, (8) Dennis Erb Jr., (9) Rodney Melvin, (10) Tim Manville, (11) Dewayne Kiefer, (12) Wes Steidinger, (13) Steve Sheppard Jr., (14) Tim Lance, (15) Rick Salter, (16) Ryan Unzicker, (17) Michael Kloos, (18) Mark Voigt, (19) Jason Feger, (20) Kevin Claycomb, (21) Mark Faust. Fast qualifier (among 47 cars): Lance, 13.675 seconds. Heat race winners: English, Van Wormer, Korte, Melvin. C-Main winners: John Beck, Mike Schulte. B-Main winner: Mark Faust. Provisional starters: Kiefer, Sheppard, Salter.
B-Main
Starting outside the front row, Mark Faust led all the way in a race that transferred six cars to the night's 40-lap feature. Brian Shirley, who started fourth, was a close second followed by Dennis Erb Jr., Tim Manville, Ryan Unzicker and Wes Steidinger, who overtook Jason Bohnenstiehl on the final lap. Rick Salter spun on the final lap.
Finish: Mark Faust, Brian Shirley, Dennis Erb Jr., Tim Manville, Ryan Unzicker, Wes Steidinger, Jason Bohnenstiehl, Ryan Driemeyer, Steve Sheppard Jr., Kevin Weaver, Paul Bailey, Jordan Bland, Dick Taylor, Mike Schulte, John Beck, Rick Salter.
Second C-Main
John Beck led all the way from outside the front row to advance to the B-Main along with Ryan Driemeyer, who won a tight battle for second with polesitter Mike Hammerle in a race slowed by a lap-eight caution for Michael Jacober.
Finish: John Beck, Ryan Driemeyer, Mike Hammerle, Dave Thornton, Jason Riggs, Brent Helmkamp, George Scheffler, Matt Santel, Michael Jacober, Brandon Sheppard. Scratched: Brant Kehrer.
First C-Main
Mike Schulte led all the way from his awarded pole position to transfer to the B-Main along with Jordan Bland. Former track champion Chad Zobrist finished third and failed to transfer to a Summernationals feature for the second straight event. Original front-row starters Dewayne Kiefer and Bland lost their spots after two failed attempts to get the race going. Kiefer pulled out of the race in the early laps after fading.
Finish: Mike Schulte, Jordan Bland, Chad Zobrist, Jason McBride, Dan Jacober, Rusty Schlenk, Frankie Martin, Bobby Duaderman, Dewayne Kiefer. Scratched: Patrick Sheltra.
Fourth heat
Polesitter Rodney Melvin, the 2006 Summernationals winner at Highland, was unchallenged all race long in winning the final 10-lap heat. Fellow front-row starter Michael Kloos was second ahead of third-starting Kevin Cole as they claimed the final transfer spots. Eighth-starting Brian Shirley, trying to overcome a poor qualifying effort, couldn't catch the top three but finished a strong fourth, well ahead of Jason Bohnenstiehl in the caution-free affair.
Finish: Rodney Melvin, Michael Kloos, Kevin Cole, Brian Shirley, Jason Bohnenstiehl, Dick Taylor, John Beck, Ryan Driemeyer, George Scheffler, Matt Santel, Michael Jacober.
Third heat
Polesitter Randy Korte, who lost the lead to fellow front-row starter Billy Faust early, rallied in the high groove to take the lead on the eighth lap and capture the third heat. Fourth-starting Mark Voigt followed Korte's high groove to a second-place finish while Faust, a winner last Tuesday at Highland's MS Race for a Cure, slowed in the low groove in the final laps. Faust got the third and final transfer spot while third-starting Dennis Erb Jr., who has yet to win a Summernationals heat race, couldn't keep up with the top three and finished a distant fourth. Two cautions slowed the action. A lap-two caution appeared when Brant Kehrer, driving a Crate engine car, popped the gate at the end of the backstretch, knocking it open. Another caution appeared with a few laps remaining when Brandon Sheppard spun between turns one and two.
Finish: Randy Korte, Mark Voigt, Billy Faust, Dennis Erb Jr., Tim Manville, Rick Salter, Mike Hammerle, Brent Helmkamp, Dave Thornton, Jason Riggs, Brandon Sheppard, Brant Kehrer.
Second heat
Second-starting Jeep Van Wormer moved under polesitter Kevin Claycomb on the second lap and led the rest of the way. Claycomb had problems keeping his car in the low groove and fifth-starting Jason Feger got underneath for second by the eighth lap. Claycomb got the third and final transfer spot while Mark Faust was a distant fourth in a race that took four attempts to start cleanly. The initial start was called back and the second start ended up with a turn-one pileup. Stacked up behind a spun Van Wormer and Jordan Bland were Feger, Steve Sheppard Jr. and Jason McBride. It took several minutes to disconnect the Feger and Sheppard machines. Bland, Feger and McBride were involved in another skirmish on the next attempt, forcing a single-file start.
Finish: Jeep Van Wormer, Jason Feger, Kevin Claycomb, Mark Faust, Steve Sheppard Jr., Wes Steidinger, Jordan Bland, Jason McBride, Chad Zobrist, Frankie Martin, Bobby Dauderman. Scratched: Don O'Neal.
First heat
Third-starting Terry English, driving the No. 81 normally piloted by Scott Riggs, slipped under Ryan Unzicker on the seventh lap and led the rest of the 10-lapper. Will Vaught, who twice had to restart in the back after being caught up in spins, slipped under polesitter Tim Lance exiting turn four on the final lap to get second. Lance got the third and final transfer spot over Unzicker, whose high groove went away in the closing laps. Dewayne Kiefer and Vaught spun between turns three and four to draw a second-lap caution; another caution appeared midway through the race when Patrick Sheltra got out of shape, resulting in Dan Jacober and Vaught getting caught up in turn four. Sheltra retired.
Finish: Terry English, Will Vaught, Tim Lance, Ryan Unzicker, Paul Bailey, Kevin Weaver, Dewayne Kiefer, Mike Schulte, Dan Jacober, Patrick Sheltra. Scratched: Rusty Schlenk, Brent Kreke.
Qualifying
Making just one of the first three features on the 26-race tour, Tim Lance of Brimfield, Ill., was fastest among 47 qualifiers at Highland Speedway in the fourth leg of the UMP DIRTcar Summernationals. Lance posted a time of 13.675 seconds to earn a pole position for one of four heat races. The other polesitters for the heat races: Kevin Claycomb of Vincennes, Ind. (the 1991 Summernationals winner at Highland), former track champion and hometown driver Randy Korte, and Rodney Melvin of Benton, Ill. The top three finishers in each of four heat races will earn feature transfer positions. Drivers finishing 4-6 go to the B-Main and the rest of the drivers will go to one of two C-Mains.
Pre-race notes
Brent Kreke and Don O'Neal scratched for the night. Kreke, the night's first qualifier, slowed with a smoking car just after taking the green flag; track officials delayed time trials to clean up some dropped oil. ... O'Neal suffered some apparent engine problems in hot laps and missed his spot in the qualifying order. ... Steve Sheppard Jr. brushed the turn-two wall on his qualifying lap. ... Chad Zobrist and Rusty Schlenk were among drivers far off the pace in qualifying.
Time trials (unofficial)
Tim Lance (48), Brimfield, Ill., 13.675
Ryan Driemeyer (441), hometown unavailable, 15.225
Matt Santel (92s), New Memphis, Ill., 15.650
Correction: An previous version of this story incorrectly stated Tim Lance hadn't qualified for any of the first three features; he qualified for one. Also, the UMP provisional was originally incorrect; Steve Sheppard Jr. got the UMP weekly provisional starting spot.
