Thirty-six Summit Racing Equipment DIRTcar UMP Modifieds returned to The Dirt Track at Charlotte Friday night for Heat Race action in the seventh annual World Short Track Championship. Sixteen have since earned their way into Saturday’s Championship Feature and are ready to contend for the $4,000 grand prize.
Taylor Cook, Kyle Strickler, Mike McKinney and Justin Haley all emerged victorious in their respective Heat Races and now face the redraw for Saturday’s Feature lineup. The top-four finishers in each eight-lap sprint also advanced to the main event, while everyone else went to the Last Chance Showdown.
Heat 1 (8 Laps) | 00:03:32.442 – Taylor Cook
Facing the pressure of Thursday’s All-Star Feature winner Ethan Dotson to his inside as the green flag dropped, Taylor Cook got the jump he needed to zoom past the Longhorn Chassis house car driver on the initial start and grab the lead. With Dotson on his tail the entire distance, Cook’s unwavering execution in every corner propelled him to the win as he held off the hard-charging Californian.
Jacy Norgaard Photo
1. 21-Taylor Cook[2]; 2. 00-Ethan Dotson[1]; 3. 5-Jonathan Taylor[4]; 4. 77-George Dixon[3]; 5. 44-Jeff Parsons[5]; 6. 12R-Ty Rhoades[6]; 7. 74-Mike Franklin[9]; 8. 463-Daniel Sanchez[8]; 9. (DNS) 7T-Drake Troutman
Heat 2 (8 Laps) | 00:07:20.163 – Kyle Strickler
He’s one of only two winners of the UMP Modified division in six years of the World Short Track Championship, and he’s looking like a strong contender to do it again on Saturday. Kyle Strickler jumped out to the lead from the outside pole and led all eight laps en route to the win, handling the pressure of Dan Davies and Kenny Shaw behind him with ease.
Strickler won the Championship Feature in 2016, 2017 and 2020. (Jacy Norgaard Photo)
1. 8S-Kyle Strickler[2]; 2. 71D-Chris Madden[1]; 3. 21S-Kenny Shaw[4]; 4. 95J-Justin Cullum[9]; 5. 99-Cole Hilton[7]; 6. 72-Todd Neiheiser[6]; 7. 52-Colin Green[5]; 8. 55-Alyssa Rowe[8]; 9. (DNS) 5CS-Curt Spalding
Heat 3 (8 Laps) | 00:03:54.802 – Mike McKinney
With the way he drove from fifth to the lead in the first seven laps of Heat 3, it seemed as though Mike McKinney had hundreds of previous laps around The Dirt Track. The Plainfield, IL-native, making his World Short Track debut, ripped the high line around the 4/10-mile oval and made the pass for the lead on outside polesitter Austin Holcombe coming to the white flag to score the victory and a spot in Saturday’s redraw.
Jacy Norgaard Photo
1. 96M-Mike McKinney[5]; 2. 8-Austin Holcombe[2]; 3. 7-Evan Taylor[3]; 4. 79D-John DeMoss[6]; 5. T2-Greg Hauger[7]; 6. 35-David Stremme[1]; 7. 814-Samuel Lamborgini[9]; 8. 6-Ryan Ayers[4]; 9. 9T-Mason Canter[8]
Heat 4 (8 Laps) | 00:05:07.394 – Justin Haley
Scoring another win for drivers making their first laps around The Dirt Track this weekend, NASCAR Cup Series driver Justin Haley made the most of his debut World Short Track Heat appearance by jumping out to the lead at the drop of the green. He wheeled his brand-new Elite Chassis around the track in swift fashion, building his lead up to 1.5 seconds over runner-up Chris Arnold as the checkered waved.
Jacy Norgaard Photo
1. 99H-Justin Haley[1]; 2. 99W-Chris Arnold[2]; 3. 11-Troy Loomis[3]; 4. 25-Jason Altiers[4]; 5. 18-Brandon Kinzer[5]; 6. 88-Matt Crafton[6]; 7. 12-Skylar Marlar[9]; 8. 22-Donnie Levister[8]; 9. 4M-Tim Monroe[7]
Last Chance Showdown 1 8 Laps | 00:03:14.100 – Jeff Parsons
Jeff Parsons, the three-time World Short Track champion of the Pro Modified division from Union Grove, NC, won the Last Chance event, leading all 10 laps and taking Brandon Kinzer, Ty Rhoades, Cole Hilton, Matt Crafton and Greg Hauger with him into Saturday’s main event.
1. 44-Jeff Parsons[1]; 2. 18-Brandon Kinzer[4]; 3. 12R-Ty Rhoades[5]; 4. 99-Cole Hilton[2]; 5. 88-Matt Crafton[8]; 6. T2-Greg Hauger[3]; 7. 74-Mike Franklin[9]; 8. 12-Skylar Marlar[12]; 9. 4M-Tim Monroe[20]; 10. 9T-Mason Canter[19]; 11. 22-Donnie Levister[16]; 12. 814-Samuel Lamborgini[11]; 13. 55-Alyssa Rowe[14]; 14. 463-Daniel Sanchez[13]; 15. (DNS) 6-Ryan Ayers; 16. (DNS) 52-Colin Green; 17. (DNS) 72-Todd Neiheiser; 18. (DNS) 5CS-Curt Spalding; 19. (DNS) 35-David Stremme; 20. (DNS) 7T-Drake Troutman
UP NEXT
The UMP Modified action from The Dirt Track continues with the World Short Track Championship Feature on Saturday night – don’t miss a moment. Buy a ticket at the gate, or stream all the action live on DIRTVision.
