Kankakee, IL — Billy Moyer put on another clinic that he’s so well known for on Friday night at Kankakee County Speedway.
The Batesville, Ark., legend started the 40 Lap main event from the pole and quickly shot to the lead ahead of Matt Miller and Dennis Erb Jr. “Car was real good tonight,” said Moyer. “We set up to run the bottom and pretty much hit it right on tonight.”
Moyer’s main challenge was from Miller, who on lap 15 nosed out Moyer at the line. On the next circuit, Moyer was back out front, and with 10 to go had extended his lead to nearly 4 seconds.
“I saw him out there, but I knew we were all on the same tires,” remarked the Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame driver. “I thought he was going to use his tires out there a little more. I was going to let him do his deal and if he got me, he got me.”
Miller settled for 2nd place after claiming a heat race win earlier in the evening. “I knew Billy wasn’t coming off the bottom and I knew he wasn’t going to make a mistake,” said Miller. “When I passed him that’s about all I had. The harder I drove it the slower I got so I had to settle myself down.”
Brian Birkhofer rebounded from a night gone awry to capture a third-place finish behind Moyer and Miller. “Right place at the right time,” said Birkhofer, of Muscatine, Iowa, in reference to gaining positions after contact relegated Dennis Erb Jr. and Scott James to the tail of the field.
“I didn’t really feel stellar but I thought if I could hang out and not make a mistake I could run top 5,” said Birkhofer. “I had to be at the top, the problem was you could only be as fast as the person in front of you.”
51 UMP DIRTcar Super Late Models took qualifying time trials at Kankakee County Speedway. Five sets of qualifying time trials saw Ohio native Matt Miller, night one winner Jeep Van Wormer, home state driver Ryan Unzicker, Scott James, and track standout Aaron Ricketts capture quick time for their respective groups.
Matt Miller outdueled Brian Birkhofer to win heat race while in Heat 2 Dennis Erb Jr. showed packed grandstands why he’s won back to back UMP DIRTcar Summer Nationals crowns as he slipped past Jeep Van Wormer in the heats closing laps to take the win.
Billy Moyer started third in Heat 3 and quickly powered his way into the lead down the Kankakee backstretch to claim the heat race win over Illinois drivers Ryan Unzicker and Kevin Weaver. Scott James never took a second glance at the Heat 4 contenders as he captured his heat race in dominant fashion. Will Vaught used his row one starting position in Heat 5 to hold off UMP DIRTcar hotshoe Jason Feger and former UMP DIRTcar Summer Nationals Champion Shannon Babb.
Next up for “The Hell Tour” is the super fast Kamp Motor Speedway in Boswell,IN Saturday June 13th where the best UMP DIRTcar Late Model drivers will once again wage war on the dirt for a cool $10,000 top prize.
Heat 1:
1. Matt Miller
2. Brian Birkhofer
3. Steve Sheppard Jr.
4. Brian Shirley
5. Donny Walden
6. Mike Provenzano
7. Jay Morris
8. Bret Sievert
9. Steve Dimmick
10. Jimmy Dehm
11. Bryant Dickinson
Heat 2:
1. Dennis Erb Jr.
2. Jeep Van Wormer
3. Ted Loomis
4. Justin Rattliff
5. Shawn Toczek
6. Scott Bull
7. Rusty Pleasant
8. Pete Parker
9. George Scheffler
10. Alan Gendusa
DNS. Bill Reineche
Heat 3:
1. Billy Moyer
2. Kevin Weaver
3. Ryan Unzicker
4. Wes Steidinger
5. Mark Voigt
6. Daren Friedman
7. Jason McBride
8. Derek Chandler
9. Russ Adams
DNS. Scott Schmitt
Heat 4:
1. Scott James
2. Terry Casey
3. Rodney Melvin
4. Eric Smith
5. Kyle Logue
6. Dick Potts
7. Brandon Sheppard
8. Brent Kreke
9. Frank Heckenast Jr.
10. Joe Harlan
Heat 5:
1. Will Vaught
2. Jason Feger
3. Shannon Babb
4. Randy Korte
5. Duane Chamberlain
6. Aaron Ricketts
7. Cory Daugherty
8. Mike Mataragas
9. Don Hilleary
10. Richie Hedrick
C-Main 1:
1. Jason McBride
2. Bret Sievert
3. Brent Kreke
4. Mike Mataragas
5. Jay Morris
6. Frank Heckenast Jr.
7. Russ Adams
C-Main 2:
1. Brandon Sheppard
2. Steve Dimmick
3. Jimmy Dehm
4. Rusty Pleasant
5. Don Hilleary
B-Main:
1. Randy Korte
2. Brian Shirley
3. Wes Steidinger
4. Duane Chamberlain
5. Eric Smith
6. Brandon Sheppard
7. Donny Walden
8. Scott Bull
9. Daren Friedman
10. Jason McBride
11. Dick Potts
Feature:
1. Billy Moyer
2. Matt Miller
3. Brian Birkhofer
4. Shannon Babb
5. Rodney Melvin
6. Jason Feger
7. Will Vaught
8. Brian Shirley
9. Randy Korte
10. Kevin Weaver
11. Terry Casey
12. Dennis Erb Jr.
13. Scott James
14. Ryan Unzicker
15. Jeep Van Wormer
16. Aaron Ricketts
17. Justin Rattliff
18. Eric Smith
19. Wes Steidinger
20. Ted Loomis
21. Steve Sheppard Jr.