Barberville, FL — Jared Landers has been making an impressive statement all week at the 38th Annual Alltel DIRTcar Nationals by UNOH at Volusia Speedway Park.
He topped the UMP DIRTcar Modified field once again as he claimed his fourth win in six attempts, winning the inaugural Gator Championship $5,000 feature event on Sunday night. It wasn’t easy, though, as he started seventh and wasn’t able to take the lead until the final two circuits.
“I didn’t think I could do it tonight for some reason,” said Landers, 26, of Batesville, Ark. “I think we missed the setup just a little bit but it ended up we wanted it so we can’t complain.”
Landers moved quietly through the competition until announcing his arrival on a Lap 25 restart.
“I think the other guys just used their tires up because of the caution,” he said. “I don’t know what to think. I think the lapped traffic got them all out of rhythm. I used that to my advantage.”
With 5 to go Landers challenged for the lead but got pinched by lapped traffic, allowing leader Jeff Taylor to skate away. A Lap 28 yellow allowed Landers another shot at Taylor. The two traded slide jobs at both ends of the track before Landers eventually moved in front. A strong restart helped him hold off Taylor the final two circuits to claim the first ever Gator Championship.
“That wasn’t an easy race” Landers said. “It pumps me up, to wait that long to get the lead. That’s the best win I’ve had yet.”
Landers, who has dominated the Alltel All-Star competition, pleaded with supporters in Victory Lane for even more support in the online and text voting program that rewards drivers in every division competing at the Alltel DIRTcar Nationals By UNOH.
“People might not think I need it because I’ve won a few nights here,” he said. “We’re sure going to need it. It takes a lot to race here the whole week.”
Arkansas native Taylor settled once again for a podium finish. Taylor, who has claimed a podium finish on two different occasions during the Alltel DIRTcar Nationals By UNOH, fought hard.
“I think we were a tick too tight,” he said. “We were too hard on the right front tire. It took me four or five laps to really get going and we were still a little too tight.”
Like Landers, Taylor climbed through the field from a sixth starting position and overtook then leader Mike Spatola on the 23rd circuit. The lead was short-lived as Landers caught Taylor only two laps later.
“I didn’t know whether to run high or low because I knew (Landers) would run wide open no matter where I went,” Taylor said.
Lewisville, N.C., young gun Austin Dillon rounded out the top three as he claimed a podium spot for the third time. Dillon moved to third when Landers shot to second, and followed the leaders through traffic in the waning laps.
“We got in lapped traffic there and that was awesome,” Dillon said. “We were just running around the bottom hoping one of them would make a mistake but it just didn’t happen. Yeah, that was a heck of a race. I’m really happy with a 3rd place finish.”
UMP DIRTcar Modified Statistical Report – The Gator Championship
F-Main — 12 laps
Pos No. Name
1 99 Corey Partin
2 18 David McWilliams
3 23 Louie Krushansky
4 39 Kevin Gummere
5 21CZ Tim Czarneski
6 00R Tony Rowland
7 6M Terry McClintock
8 66 Dale Murry
9 40 James Smjith
10 41d Darron Smith
11 10T Tyson Turnbull
12 42 Richard Mann
13 77M Corey Mann
14 8 Charlie McNichol
15 2X Grant Junghans
16 J1JR Dale Jackson
17 9C James Coil
18 10EH Ed Turnbull
DNS 15T Erick Thiesse
DNS 88G Darrell George
DNS 45 Bob Broking
E-Main — 12 laps
Pos No. Name
1 25G Scott Green
2 37J Sean Jerovetz
3 211 Richie Ginn
4 26 Bob Gierke
5 74 Mark Noble
6 10C Rick Culpepper
7 18X Chase Junghans
8 K12 Scotty Kincaid
9 23 Louie Krushansky
10 77A Cody Agler
11 12G Jason Gross
12 15T Erick Thiesse
13 22T Tony Anderson
14 72 Todd Nieheiser
15 18 David McWilliams
16 62 Bob Newberry
17 12C Joe Carr
18 99 Corey Partin
19 39 Kevin Gummere
DNS 67 Matthew McDermid
DNS 22M Charles Milam
D-Main — 12 laps
Pos No. Name
1 20 Jacob Hawkins
2 1s Tommy Seets Jr.
3 0d Les Duellman
4 0H Tim Hancock
5 *222 Mike Knight
6 12HX Mike Hansen
7 55M Alan Mondus
8 25G Scott Green
9 #1 Terry Hull
10 12d Scott Drake
11 74 Mark Noble
12 d4 David Jamison
13 1M Julie McDermid
14 26 Bob Gierke
15 67 Matthew McDermid
16 N59 Chad Evans
17 211 Richie Ginn
18 37J Sean Jerovetz
19 51M Eddie Martin
DNS 1G Devin Gilpin
DNS 2J Blake Jegtvig
C-Main — 12 laps
Pos No. Name
1 3L Jeff Leka
2 7R Kent Robinson
3 41M Brent Mullins
4 26H Justin Houston
5 1d Chris Smith
6 12A Matt Aukland
7 1s Tommy Seets Jr.
8 17X Rich Michael
9 1G Devin Gilpin
10 0H Tim Hancock
11 20 Jacob Hawkins
12 55H Scott Hansen
13 0d Les Duellman
14 17JE J.E. Stalder
15 X Mike Wedelstadt
16 41G Matt Goulden
17 O1 Todd Sherman
18 1K Tim Karrick
19 4 Stormy Scott
B-Main — 15 laps
Pos No. Name
1 36 Kenny Wallace
2 182 Randle Sweeney
3 29 Ryan Gifford
4 9X Kenny Schrader
5 71A Ryan Aho
6 12H Jason Hughes
7 222 Dave Hess Jr
8 18H Jon Henry
9 64 Gary Cook Jr
10 T3 Dave Groves
11 70 Matt Aber
12 44N Darrell Nelson
13 24 Brad Waits
14 3L Jeff Leka
15 41M Brent Mullins
16 7R Kent Robinson
17 O7 Jeff Thomas
18 65 Michael Davis
19 26H Justin Houston
20 48 Wayne Hammond
The Gator Championship — 30 laps
Pos No. Name
1 777 Jared Landers
2 88T Jeff Taylor
3 3 Austin Dillon
4 89 Mike Spatola
5 29 Ryan Gifford
6 51W Rodney Wing
7 182 Randle Sweeney
8 222 Dave Hess Jr
9 71A Ryan Aho
10 64 Gary Cook Jr
11 12H Jason Hughes
12 18H Jon Henry
13 6T Corky Thomas
14 T3 Dave Groves
15 3L Jeff Leka
16 44N Darrell Nelson
17 41M Brent Mullins
18 9X Kenny Schrader
19 12HX Mike Hansen
20 10H Randy Hall
21 70 Matt Aber
22 2d Ty Dillon
23 36 Kenny Wallace
24 24 Brad Waits
25 7R Kent Robinson
26 *222 Mike Knight
27 8 Charlie McNichol
28 0H Tim Hancock
For more on the 38th Annual Alltel DIRTcar Nationals by UNOH visit: www.dirtcarnationals.com
Through the sixth night of competition at the Alltel DIRTcar Nationals By UNOH, the Alltel All‐Star contenders and their text message Letter Codes include:
Sprint Cars — Donny Schatz, Fargo, N.D. (b); Stevie Smith, Broken Arrow, Okla. (d); Joey Saldana, Brownsburg, Ind. (f)
UMP DIRTcar Modifieds — Jared Landers, Batesville, Ark. (a). Austin Dillon Lewisville,NC (c), Randy Hall Olean, NY (e)
Fans can vote by visiting www.AlltelAllStar.com or texting their drivers code to 247253.
