HIGHLAND, IL – June 20, 2007 – It’s already been a UMP DIRTcar Racing Summernationals to remember for Dennis Erb Jr.
The Carpentersville, Ill. , star needed just six events on this year’s tour to set a personal single-season Summernationals victory high, winning for the third time on Wednesday night at Highland Speedway.
Erb, 34, captured the first two events of the 2007 UMP DIRTcar Racing Summernationals, then failed to finish among the top five in the next three shows. He righted his ship in Highland ’s 40-lap A-Main, outdueling 2004 Summernationals champion Don O’Neal of Martinsville , Ind. , for the $6,000 top prize.
O’Neal grabbed the lead early in the event as Erb worked his way forward from the seventh starting spot. Soon Erb had his Petroff Towing/Thomason Transportation Rayburn within striking distance of O’Neal, and the battle was on.
Erb made his move in lapped traffic with 10 laps remaining, slipping by the ‘Real Deal’ to gain command. He held off O’Neal’s repeated attempts to regain the lead during the race’s closing stages.
The victory was the sixth of Erb’s career in UMP DIRTcar Racing Summernationals competition. His previous best single-season win total was two, in 2006.
O’Neal, who is third on the alltime Summernationals win list with 32 victories, settled for second. He has yet to reach Victory Lane in his return as a Summernationals regular after a two-year absence.
Rodney Melvin of Benton , Ill. , finished third, followed by Mike Marlar of Winfield , Tenn. , and Wes Steidinger of Fairbury , Ill.
Melvin survived a run-in with hometown favorite Randy Korte of Highland , Ill. , that sent him spinning with five laps remaining. After UMP officials sent Korte to the rear of the field for his part in the incident and Melvin restarted in third place, Korte opted to pull out of the race.
Marlar’s sixth top-five finish in as many events kept him in the UMP DIRTcar Summernationals points lead after six events. He leads O’Neal by 12 markers.
With 36 cars on hand, heat winners were Mark Faust of Breese, Ill. , Steidinger, Marlar and O’Neal, and the B-Mains were captured by Chad Zobrist of Highland, Ill., and A.J. Diemel of Navrino , Wis.
UMP DIRTcar Racing Summernationals Feature Finish (40 laps):
1. Dennis Erb Jr.
2. Don O’Neal
3. Rodney Melvin
4. Mike Marlar
5. Wes Steidinger
6. A.J. Diemel
7. Mark Faust
8. Steve Sheppard Jr.
9. Kevin Weaver
10. Chad Zobrist
11. Jeep VanWormer
12. Billy Laycock
13. Mark Voigt
14. Eddie Kirchoff
15. Mike Schulte
16. Jason Feger
17. Rusty Schlenk
18. Randy Korte
19. Ted Loomis
20. Kerry Gaultney
21. Terry Casey
DNQ: Ron Bartells, Jason Bohnenstiehl, Bill Bartells, Joe Garson, Kevin Cole, Matt Weidner, Rick Salter, Clay Baumann, Brandon Sheppard, Chad Jones, Tim Manville, Jordon Bland, Michael Kloos, Frankie Martin, Billy Faust
Unofficial UMP DIRTcar Racing Summernationals Point Standings (after 6 events):
1. Mike Marlar 443
2. Don O’Neal 431 (-12)
3. Dennis Erb Jr. 419 (-24)
4. Randy Korte 397 (-46)
5. Rodney Melvin 395 (-48)
6. Wes Steidinger 381 (-62)
7. Steve Sheppard 379 (-64)
8. Jeep VanWormer 335 (-108)
9. Terry Casey 329 (-114)
10. Kevin Weaver 317 (-126)
11. Jason Feger 301 (-142)
12. Rusty Schlenk 283 (-160)
13. Eddie Kirchoff 251 (-192)
14. Greg Johnson 222 (-221)
15. A.J. Diemel 206 (-237)
2007 UMP DIRTcar Racing Summernationals Schedule
6/15 – Fri. – Kankakee Motor Speedway/Kankakee, IL (Dennis Erb Jr.)
6/16 – Sat. – Kamp Motor Speedway/Boswell, IN (Dennis Erb Jr.)
6/17 – Sun. – Tri-State Speedway/Haubstadt, IN (Randy Korte)
6/18 – Mon. – Jefferson County Raceway/ Mt. Vernon , IL (Randy Korte)
6/19 – Tues. – Lebanon I-44 Speedway/Lebanon, MO (Mike Marlar)
6/20 – Wed. – Highland Speedway/Highland, IL (Dennis Erb Jr.)
6/21 – Thurs. – Morgan County Speedway / Jacksonville , IL
6/22 – Fri. – Farmer City Raceway/Farmer City, IL
6/23 – Sat. – I-55 Raceway/Pevely, MO
6/24 – Sun. – Lincoln Speedway/Lincoln, IL
6/25 – Mon. – Peoria Speedway/Peoria, IL
6/26 – Tues. – Poplar Bluff Speedway/Poplar Bluff, MO
6/27 – Wed. – Lake Ozark Speedway / Eldon , MO
6/28 – Thurs. – Paducah International Raceway/Paducah, KY
6/29 – Fri. – Western Kentucky Speedway/Nebo, KY
6/30 – Sat. – Clarksville Speedway/Clarksville, TN
7/1 – Sun. – Vermilion County Speedway / Danville , IL
7/2 – Mon. – Midway Speedway/Crooksville, OH
7/3 – Tues. – Lawrenceburg Speedway/Lawrenceburg, IN
7/4 – Wed. – Day Off
7/5 – Thurs. – Macon Speedway/Macon, IL
7/6 – Fri. – Tri-City Speedway / Pontoon Beach , IL
7/7 – Sat. – Fairbury American Legion Speedway/Fairbury, IL
7/8 – Sun. – Quad City Speedway/East Moline , IL
7/9 – Mon. – C.J. Raceway/Columbus Junction, IA
7/10 – Tues. – Quincy Raceway/Quincy, IL
7/11 – Wed. – Spoon River Speedway/Canton, IL
7/12 – Thurs. – LaSalle Speedway/LaSalle, IL
7/13 – Fri. – Day Off
7/14 – Sat. – Oakshade Raceway/Wauseon, OH
