Dillon Double: Ty Wins Title, Austin Wins Finale at UNOH DIRTcar Nationals by Summit

Photo Credit: Chris Dolack

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Wisconsin’s Mike Wedelstadt, West Virginia’s Tyler Carpenter Pick Up Triple 20 wins

BARBERVILLE, Fla. – Feb. 21, 2012 – A lot of racing families dream of the success the Dillon family experienced Tuesday night at Volusia Speedway Park as Austin Dillon raced to a Triple 20 feature victory and younger brother Ty claimed the overall UNOH DIRTcar Nationals Presented by Summit Racing Equipment DIRTcar UMP Modified points championship.

“It feels great,” said Ty Dillon, the 19-year-old grandson of Richard Childress. “Me and Austin and Team Dillon Racing have been coming down here for quite a few years in our young racing career. We fought so hard. We’ve won a couple of races. This year it finally paid off. Me and Austin got a win and we finally got the Gator championship.”

Ty, last year’s “Gator Championship” race winner, earned his first overall UNOH DIRTcar Nationals Presented by Summit points title on the strength of seven top-10 finishes – four of which saw him finish inside the top three.  Ty Dillon’s victory came during the Friday makeup race, which was held Sunday afternoon during the first week of competition.

“It’s tough,” he said. “There are some awesome racers out here and the level of competition gets harder and harder every year we come back. We didn’t run as good as we wanted to at the beginning of the week, but we worked hard, we didn’t have any DNFs and we finished out races. Our worst finish (in seven events) was seventh. We were solid every night.”

Older Brother Austin started the final event a row in front of his brother and made quick work of Kyle Bronson and Dave Hess Jr. of Waterford, Penn.  Dillon broke into the top three on the fifth lap of the main event and reeled in leader Devin Gilpin of Columbus, Ind., making the winning pass just before the midpoint. Ty worked past Kyle Bronson of Brandon, Fla., on lap 18 and then swept past Gilpin on the final lap to earn runner-up honors.  Gilpin finished third, Bronson crossed the line fourth and NASCAR veteran Kenny Schrader rounded out the top five.

“It was cool because it was the top 20 in points in that race,” said Austin Dillon, the 2011 NASCAR Truck Series champion. “That was the toughest competition out here. Starting eighth it makes it even better. We were really able to drive up through there and was able to move around. We gained constantly all week on the car and how it drove. Tonight it really showed. I think going into next year we got something to go after these guys with.”

Mike Wedelstadt of Fremont, Wis., started ninth and overtook Garrett Stewart of Leesburg, Fla., on lap 11 of the second DIRTcar UMP Modified Triple 20. Wedelstadt led the remaining laps to earn his first UNOH DIRTcar Nationals Presented by Summit feature event win. Stewart finished second after getting the early jump on Collin Thirlby of Traverse City, Mich.  Kody Weisner of Muskegon, Mich., finished third.  Richard Michael Jr., of Ischau, N.Y., rallied from eighth to finish fourth and Tony Anderson of Lima, Ohio, rounded out the top five.

Tyler Carpenter of Parkersburg, W.V., got his first ever DIRTcar UMP Modified feature win, claiming the first Triple 20 feature event of the evening.  Carpenter, who just started his DIRTcar UMP Modified career this week at Volusia Speedway Park, passed Matt Goulden of Springfield, Ill., on a lap-three restart. He maintained a comfortable cushion over the remaining 17 circuits en route to victory.  Wayne Hammond of Riverview, Fla., drove from seventh to second in 20 laps. UNOH driver Chris Puskas rallied from the sixth starting spot to finish third.  Goulden held on to finish fourth ahead of Peeples, Ohio, driver Dave Jamison.

There were 42 DIRTcar UMP Modifieds on hand for the final night of competition.  A total of 97 DIRTcar UMP Modified earned points toward the overall UNOH DIRTcar Nationals Presented by Summit UMP Modified Championship.

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Triple 20 #1 Finish (20 Laps) – 1. 8C – Tyler Carpenter; 2. 66H – Wayne Hammond; 3. ’01 – Chris Puskas; 4. 41G – Matt Goulden; 5. d4 – Dave Jamison; 6. 1F – Travis Fleshman; 7. 66 – Dale Murray; 8. 10 – Scott Mooers; 9. 11P – Charlie Phillips; 10. d48 – Derek Groomer; 11. 15R – Rich Robinson Jr; 12. 6b – Dave Baldwin; DNS 77g – Gavin Landers; DNS 81 – Lawrence Sprague.

Triple 20 #2 Finish (20 Laps) – 1. 77 – Mike Wedelstadt; 2. 67 – Garrett Stewart; 3. ’00 – Kody Weisner; 4. 17X – Richard Michael Jr; 5. 22T – Tony Anderson; 6. ’05 – Dave Wietholder; 7. 15b – Dave Baker; 8. 26 – Bob Gierke; 9. 16 – Travis Dickson; 10. 92 – Joel Watson; 11. 35 – David Stremme; 12. 2 – Josh Ulrich; 13. 47 – Collin Thirlby; 14. 11 – Richie Tosh.

Triple 20 #3 Finish (20 Laps) – 1. 3 – Austin Dillon; 2. 41 – Ty Dillon; 3. 1G – Devin Gilpin; 4. 40b – Kyle Bronson; 5. 9 – Kenny Schrader; 6. 36 – Kenny Wallace; 7. 90 – Jason Beaulieu; 8. 44 – Dave Hess Jr; 9. 7b – Jeff Babcock; 10. 18M – David McWilliams; 11. ‘0 – Mark Dickson; 12. 115 – Brandon Smith; 13. 18C – Matt Cooper; 14. 65 – Todd Sherman.

University of Northwestern Ohio DIRTcar Nationals presented by Summit Racing Equipment 

DIRTcar UMP Modified Point Standings – Top 5

The DIRTcar UMP Modified portion of the University of Northwestern Ohio DIRTcar Nationals by Summit Racing Equipment is brought to fans by several sponsors and partners including Summit Racing Equipment, Hoosier Racing Tires, GM Performance Parts, University of Northwestern Ohio, Aero Race Wheels, ASI Racewear, Auto Meter, Bell Helmets, Beyea Custom Headers, Bilstein Shocks, Dominator Race Products, Fast Shafts, Intercomp, Racing Electronics, Vicci, KSE Racing Products, MSD Ignition, Quarter Master, R2C Competition Series Air Filters, XS Power Racing Batteries, VP Racing Fuels.