Lincoln, IL — June 28, 2009 – There was one thing missing on Randy Korte’s Hell Tour resume when he rolled through the pit gates at Lincoln, (Ill.), Speedway Sunday Night. Korte changed all of that in winning his first UMP DIRTcar Summer Nationals main event at the quarter-mile track.
Korte, who started eighth in the 40-lap feature charged through the field to pass polesitter Shannon Babb by lap eight and never looked back. Working his way through the fields has been a common theme for Korte as of late, but the absence of a win was wearing on the Highland,Ill., driver.
“It’s killing me not to have won a race,” he said after a feature event charge fell short at Tri-City, (Ill.) Speedway.
Korte, who earned his first “Hell Tour” win of the year, also currently leads the UMP DIRTcar Summer Nationals Points Rankings on the strength of nine top-ten finishes in the tour’s frist 13 races.
Babb, who set the pace for the initial seven laps, mounted a late charge of his own only to settle for second. It was his second runner up finish of the 2009 version of the “Hell Tour”, one that’s been anything but reminiscent of his 2005-06 triumphs.
Jason Feger, of Bloomington, Ill., who recently captured his first ever UMP DIRTcar Summer Nationals win ended up third ahead of champion Dennis Erb, and early tour winner Eric Smith.
Randy Korte
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Heat 1
1. Brian Shirley
2. Dennis Erb
3. Jeep Van Wormer
4. Eric Smith
5. Mark voigt
6. Richie Hedrick
7. Donnie Walden
8. Wes Steidinger
9. Jimmy Dehm
Heat 2:
1. Bill Frye
2. Rodney Melvin
3. Frankie Heckenast
4. Steve Sheppard
5. Eric Chandler
6. Charley Hess
7. Jeremy Conaway
8. Ryan Little
9. Shane Allen
Heat 3:
1. Jason Feger
2. Duane Chamberlin
3. Tim Lance
4. Kyle Logue
5. Daren Friedman
6. Rusty Schlenk
7. Scott Schmitt
8. Gerry Reeder
9. Terry Casey
Heat 4:
1. Shannon Babb
2. Randy Korte
3. Kevin Weaver
4. Ryan Unzicker
5. Scott Bull
6. Brandon Thirlby
7. Russ Adams
DNS. Brandon Sheppard
B Main:
1. Mark Voigt
2. Scott Bull
3. Derek Chandler
4. Daren Friedman
5. Rusty Schlenk
6. Richie Hedrick
7. Donnie Walden
8. Ryan Little
9. Shane Allen
10. Scott Schmitt
11. Russ Adams
Feature:
1. Randy Korte
2. Shannon Babb
3. Jason Feger
4. Dennis Erb
5. Eric Smith
6. Brian Shirley
7. Duane Chamberlin
8. Steve Sheppard
9. Frankie Heckenast
10. Mark Voigt
11. Ryan Unzicker
12. Rodney Melvin
13. Scott Bull
14. Kevin Weaver
15. Wes Steidinger
16. Tim Lance
17. Richie Hedrick
18. Jeep Van Wormer
19. Kyle Logue
20. Terry Casey
21. Bill Frye
35 UMP DIRTcar Late Models entered the Lincoln, (Ill.), Speedway grounds attempting to make the UMP DIRTcar Summer Nationals main event. Defending “Hell Tour” Champion Dennis Erb captured group one quick time honors with an overall quick lap of 13.210 seconds. Other fast time honors went to former MARS DIRTcar Series champion Bill Frye, Wisconsin driver Terry Casey, and two-time UMP DIRTcar Summer Nationals champion Shannon Babb.
Four heat races were contested on the night as both Frye and Babb claimed the second and fourth heat race wins from the pole. The first heat race saw Brian Shirley dispose of Carpentersville, Ill., driver Dennis Erb using the outside groove to claim the win. Heat three saw outside row one starter Jason Feger use the same line as Shirley in powering to the heat win.
Mark Voigt used a B-Main win to transfer to the main event along with Scott Bull. Provisionals on the night went to Terry Casey, Wes Steidinger, and Richie Hedrick.
For more information on the UMP DIRTcar Summer Nationals Tour fans can visit http://www.thehelltour.com
Fans can now receive news, updates and other behind-the-scenes information about the UMP DIRTcar Summer Nationals by following the tour’s official feed on Twitter, the internet’s fast-growing social-networking and micro-blogging website.
Fans can view the latest text posts and subscribe as “followers” of the Summer Nationals at http://twitter.com/SummerNationals .
2009 UMP DIRTcar Summer Nationals Schedule
Date/Track/Location/Purse/Winner/Cars
06/11/09
Brownstown Speedway – Brownstown, IN – $6,000 (Jeep VanWormer – 43)
06/12/09
Kankakee Motor Speedway – Kankakee,IL – $10,000 (Billy Moyer – 51)
06/13/09
Kamp Motor Speedway – Boswell, IN – $10,000 (Eric Smith – 44)
06/14/09
Quad City Raceway – East Moline, IL – $6,000 (Dennis Erb – 31)
06/16/09
Highland Speedway – Highland, IL – $6,000 (RAIN)
06/17/09
Belle-Clair Speedway – Belleville, IL – $6,000 (Dennis Erb – 47)
06/18/09
Charleston Speedway – Charleston, IL – $6,000 (RAIN)
06/19/09
Farmer City Raceway – Farmer City, IL – $10,000 (RAIN)
06/20/09
Clarksville Speedway – Clarksville, TN – $10,000 (Billy Moyer – 44)
06/21/09
Tri-State Speedway – Haubstadt, IN – $6,000 (Jeep Van Wormer – 43)
06/23/09
Charleston Speedway – Charleston, IL $6,000 (Rodney Melvin – 26)
06/24/09
Tri-City Speedway – Pontoon Beach, IL $6,000 (Jason Feger – 34)
06/25/09
Clay Hill Motorsports Park – Atwood, TN – $6,000 (Billy Moyer – 38)
06/26/09
Paducah International Raceway – Paducah, KY – $10,000 (Billy Moyer – 41)
06/27/09
Fairbury Speedway – Fairbury, IL – $10,000 (Billy Moyer – 34)
06/28/09
Lincoln Speedway – Lincoln, IL – $6,000 (Randy Korte – 35)
06/29/09
Farmer City Raceway – Farmer City,IL $6,000
06/30/09
Peoria Speedway – Peoria, IL – $6,000
07/01/09
Highland Speedway – Highland, IL – $6,000
07/02/09
Macon Speedway – Macon, IL – $6,000
07/03/09
Quincy Raceway – Quincy, IL – $10,000
07/04/09
I-55 Raceway – Pevely, MO – $10,000
07/05/09
Vermillion County Speedway – Danville, IL – $6,000
07/07/09
Shepp Speedway – Alexandria, IL – $6,000
07/08/09
Spoon River Speedway – Canton,IL $6,000
07/09/09
LaSalle Speedway – LaSalle, IL – $6,000
07/10/09
Waynesfield Motorsports Park – Waynesfield, OH – $10,000
07/11/09
Oakshade Raceway – Wauseon, OH – 10,000
The UMP DIRTcar Summer Nationals is brought to race fans by many important sponsors and partners, including: VP Racing Fuels, CJ Rayburn Race Cars, Hoosier Racing Tire, Quarter Master, Just Plugs, Special Olympics, Wrisco Aluminum, Eibach Springs, and Integra Racing Shocks.