WAUSEON, OH – July 17 – There was no catching Rusty Schlenk Saturday Night at Oakshade Raceway during the finale of the DIRTcar Summer Nationals Hell Tour.
Fourth starting Schlenk followed outside polesitter Dennis Erb Jr., of Carpentersville Ill., on the initial start of the 60-lap main event as the duo led the field on the initial lap. Schlenk, the current DIRTcar Late Model National point leader would then dispose of Erb just before the races midpoint and build over a full straight away lead on his closest competitor to capture the $10,000 winner’s check.
Greenbriar, Ark., driver and Hell Tour traveler Jack Sullivan climbed from his ninth-place starting spot to claim the runner up position just ahead of Ryan Unzicker of El Paso Ill., who himself rallied from a 14th starting spot to claim third. Dennis Erb Jr., of Carpentersville, Ill., would finish fourth and home state hero Donnie Moran of Dresden, Ohio would round out the top five.
2009 DIRTcar Late Model National Champion Jason Feger of Bloomington, Ill., would officially add DIRTcar Summer Nationals Champion to his resume with his ninth place finish at Oakshade. Feger had wrapped up the title a night earlier when he claimed the win at Attica Raceway Park in nearby Attica, Ohio putting an exclamation point on a furious late tour charge.
Feger’s championship comes on the strength of 18 top five finishes along with an impressive 22 top ten showings. The 32-year old driver had last finished outside the top ten at I-55 Raceway on July 3rd where he finished 15th. Since that day, Feger went on an impressive stretch run scoring two wins, four runner-up finishes, a third, and two fourth place finishes before the finale at Oakshade.
In total the Hell Tour traveled more than 5,000 miles in the course of 32 nights. From here the stars of the DIRTcar Summer Nationals tour will switch their focus to the DIRTcar Late Model National point standings and competition at the vast array of DIRTcar sanctioned tracks throughout the country. Drivers will also have an array of major events still to compete in as well including the World 100 and DIRTcar UMP Nationals at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio and the second edition of the Party In Pevely at I-55 Raceway in Pevely, Mo.
For more on the DIRTcar Summer Nationals Hell Tour, visit http://www.thehelltour.com
First group
Dennis Erb Jr. (28), Carpentersville, Ill., 14.998
Devin Shiels (51), Britton, Mich., 15.040
Brian Ruhlman (49), Clarklake, Mich., 15.056
Jason McBride (77), Carbondale, Ill., 15.062
Jeep Van Wormer (55), Pinconning, Mich., 15.169
Josh Scott (30), Weston, Ohio, 15.266
Matt Lindsey (49), Adrian, Mich., 15.614
Tom Ordway (55), Stryker, Ohio, 15.630
Mike Miller (72), Delta, Ohio, 15.804
Pete Dotson (53), Bryan, Ohio, 16.966
Second group (fixes Houston’s time)
Doug Drown (12), Wooster, Ohio, 14.991
Dusty Moore (40wd), Swanton, Ohio, 15.050
Shannon Babb (18), Moweaqua, Ill., 15.225
Andrew Reaume (88), Blenheim, Ontario, 15.383
Brandon Sheppard (B5), New Berlin, Ill., 15.587
Tim Sabo (84), Toledo, Ohio, 15.809
Zac Davis (01), Adrian, Mich., 16.398
Cody Houston (7H), Bryan, Ohio, 16.526
Donny Walden (1w), Towanda, Ill., no time
Casey Noonan (1), Sylvania, Ohio, no time
Third group (Fixes times of Vosbergen, Perry)
Scott Schmitt (10), Tonica, Ill., 15.211
Jack Sullivan (1), Greenbrier, Ark., 15.418
Rusty Schlenk (91), Jackson, Mich., 15.568
Jamie Oldfield (55x), Perth, Western Australia, 15.599
Brandon Thirlby (m14), Traverse City, Mich., 15.858
Curtis Deisenroth (2D), Oak Harbor, Ohio, 15.890
Brian Fisher (3F), Adrian, Mich., 15.901
Ron Miller (35), Lambertville, Mich., 15.932
Craig Vosbergen (8), Perth, Western Australia, 16.252
Kyle Perry (06), Perrysburg, Ohio, 16.423
Fourth group
Jason Feger (25), Bloomington, Ill., 15.390
Jon Henry (15), Ada, Ohio, 15.397
Jeff Babcock (1B), Wayne, Ohio, 15.770
Ryan Unzicker (24), El Paso, Ill., 16.109
Rick Delong (3D), Whitehouse, Ohio, 16.195
Hillard Miller (53), Defiance, Ohio, 16.493
Lewis Miller (86), Battle Creek, Mich., 16.528
Wayne Miller (12), Montpelier, Ohio, 16.723
Michael Jantz (T4), Inkster, Mich., 16.886
Mark Pollock (171), Oregon, Ohio, 17.016
Fifth group
Donnie Moran (99), Dresden, Ohio, 15.299
Matt Miller (7), Waterville, Ohio, 15.326
Brad Eitniear (B4U), Defiance, Ohio, 15.461
Rob Anderzack (8A), Metamora, Ohio, 15.763
Chris Keller (67), Adrian, Mich., 15.794
Mike Bores (15B), Bellevue, Ohio, 16.037
Dan Wallace (x3), Toledo, Ohio, 16.162
Kevin Reeve (117), Hanover, Mich., 16.248
Bryant Dickinson (5*), Ionia, Mich., 16.350
Sixth group
Curtis Roberts (9r), Coleman, Mich., 15.256
Russ King (56), Bristolville, Ohio, 15.462
Chuck Hummer (85), Ottawa Lake, Mich., 16.336
Kris Patterson (0), St. John’s, Mich., 16.410
Chuck Desgrange (95), McClure, Ohio, 16.567
Kevin Mack (21r), Defiance, Ohio, 16.599
Steve Kester (77), Holland, Ohio, 16.759
Carl Ries (6R), Blanchard, Mich., no time
John Caldwell (31), Swanton, Ohio, no time
Heat 1:
Dennis Erb Jr., Brian Ruhlman, Devin Shiels, Jason McBride, Matt Lindsey, Tom Ordway, Josh Scott, Pete Dotson, Jeep Van Wormer, Mike Miller
Heat 2:
Doug Drown, Shannon Babb, Andrew Reaume, Brandon Sheppard, Dusty Moore, Donny Walden, Casey Noonan, Tim Sabo, Cody Houston, Zac Davis
Heat 3:
Rusty Schlenk, Jack Sullivan, Jamie Oldfield, Scott Schmitt, Craig Vosbergen, Curtis Deisenroth, Ron Miller, Brandon Thirlby, Brian Fisher, Kyle Perry
Heat 4:
Jon Henry, Jason Feger, Ryan Unzicker, Rick Delong, Hillard Miller, Jeff Babcock, Wayne Miller, Mark Pollock, Michael Jantz, Lewis Miller
Heat 5:
Donnie Moran, Matt Miller, Brad Eitniear, Mike Bores, Dan Wallace, Chris Keller, Rob Anderzack, Kevin Reeve, Bryant Dickinson
Heat 6:
Curtis Roberts, Russ King, Kris Patterson, Steve Kester, Kevin Mack, Chuck Hummer, Chuck Desgrange. Scratched: Carl Ries, John Caldwell
C-Main #1:
Chris Keller, Tom Ordway, Ron Miller, Matt Lindsey, Dan Wallace
C-Main #2:
Casey Noonan, Dusty Moore, Donny Walden, Zac Davis, Jeff Babcock
B-Main:
Devin Shiels, Ryan Unzicker, Brad Eitniear, Casey Noonan, Rick Delong, Kris Patterson, Steve Kester, Jason McBride, Brandon Sheppard, Chris Keller, Andrew Reaume, Dusty Moore, Scott Schmitt, Mike Bores, Tom Ordway, Jamie Oldfield
Feature:
(1) Rusty Schlenk, (2) Jack Sullivan, (3) Ryan Unzicker, (4) Dennis Erb Jr., (5) Donnie Moran, (6) Jeep Van Wormer, (7) Doug Drown, (8) Matt Miller, (9) Jason Feger, (10) Russ King, (11) Casey Noonan, (12) Shannon Babb, (13) Rick Delong, (14) Devin Shiels, (15) Brian Ruhlman, (16) Brad Eitniear, (17) Brandon Sheppard, (18) Jon Henry, (19) Curtis Roberts, (20) Kris Patterson, (21) Kevin Reeve
