HAUBSTADT, IN – June 18, 2007 – Randy Korte of Highland , Ill. , pulled off a dramatic late-race pass of Martinsville, Ind.’s Don O’Neal to capture Sunday night’s 40-lap UMP DIRTcar Racing Summernationals feature at Tri-State Speedway.
Korte, 42, became the first driver to defeat Dennis Erb Jr. of Carpentersville , Ill. , who advanced from the 15th starting spot to a sixth-place finish after winning the first two Summernationals events.
O’Neal, the 2004 UMP DIRTcar Racing Summernationals champion, started from the pole position and led the race’s first 38 laps. He couldn’t repel the final assault of Korte, who dove to the bottom of the track to pass O’Neal and a lapped car in a three-wide sweep that put him in the lead as the white flag was displayed.
Korte crossed the finish line several car lengths ahead of O’Neal, who has returned fulltime to the Summernationals this season for the first time since his ’04 points crown.
The $6,000 victory was Korte’s eighth alltime in Summernationals action, tying him with Bill Frye of Greenbrier, Ark. , for ninth on the tour’s career win list.
“I was surprised that Donnie messed up over there,” Korte said in Victory Lane when asked about his winning pass. “It’s not like him. If he hadn’t messed up coming off two, I couldn’t have gotten him.”
O’Neal, who recorded the fastest overall lap of the ‘group’ qualifying session, felt fortunate to hang on for second. On lap 32 he clipped the spinning Jeep VanWormer of Pinconning, Mich. , who is struggling to duplicate his runner-up finish in the 2006 Summernationals point standings.
Kevin Cole of Harrisburg , N.C. , finished third, followed by eighth-starter Steve Sheppard Jr. of New Berlin , Ill. , and 10th-starter Mike Marlar of Winfield , Tenn. , who remained a perfect three-for-three in scoring top-five finishes.
Casualties included Greg Johnson of Bedford , Ind. , who ran as high as second before dropping out, and VanWormer, who failed to crack the top 10 after pitting and returning to the fray.
Forty cars entered UMP DIRTcar Racing Summernationals event at Tri-State, which lost its 2006 tour date to rain.
Heat winners were Kevin Cole of Harrisburg , Ill. , O’Neal, Greg Johnson of Bedford , Ind. , and VanWormer. The B-Mains went to Wes Steidinger of Fairbury , Ill. , and Michael Kloos of Trenton , Ill.
UMP DIRTcar Racing Summernationals Feature Finish (40 laps):
1. Randy Korte
2. Don O’Neal
3. Kevin Cole
4. Steve Sheppard Jr.
5. Mike Marlar
6. Dennis Erb
7. A.J. Diemel
8. Michael Kloos
9. Chad Zobrist
10. Mark Faust
11. Wes Steidinger
12. Eddie Kirchoff
13. Jeep VanWormer
14. Rusty Schlenk
15. Jason Feger
16. Rodney Melvin
17. Terry Casey
18. Kevin Weaver
19. Greg Johnson
20. Mark Voigt
DNQ: Dan Walden, Shawn Toczek, Jim Felker Jr., Ted Loomis, Rusty Pleasant, Tyler Boggs, Kerry Mathew, Jordan Bland, Frank Heckenast Jr., George Scheffler, Steve Zakrajsek, Guy Volk, Eddie Leviner, Richie Hedrick Urbana, Patrick Sheltra, Mike Matagaras, Bill Luse, Zach Carney, Michael Bradley, Matt Miller
Unofficial UMP DIRTcar Racing Summernationals Point Standings (after 3 events):
1. Dennis Erb Jr. 228
2. Don O’Neal 226
3. Mike Marlar 224
4. Randy Korte 208
5. Steve Sheppard Jr. 206
6. Wes Steidinger 196
7. Rodney Melvin 188
8. Terry Casey 184
9. Greg Johnson 176
9. Jason Feger 176
11. Kevin Weaver 158
12. Rusty Schlenk 154
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
6/19 – Tues. – Lebanon I-44 Speedway/Lebanon, MO
6/20 – Wed. – Highland Speedway/Highland, IL
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
