{"id":8750,"date":"2011-07-09T00:53:44","date_gmt":"2011-07-09T05:53:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/100.24.212.105\/?p=8750"},"modified":"2012-02-01T17:29:19","modified_gmt":"2012-02-01T23:29:19","slug":"dirtcar-ump-weekly-points-update-unzicker-late-models-allen-ump-modifieds-remain-atop-national-points-standings-after-week-23","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dirtcar.com\/divisions\/late-models\/dirtcar-ump-weekly-points-update-unzicker-late-models-allen-ump-modifieds-remain-atop-national-points-standings-after-week-23\/","title":{"rendered":"DIRTcar UMP Weekly Points Update: Unzicker (Late Models) & Allen (UMP Modifieds) Remain Atop National Points Standings After Week 23"},"content":{"rendered":"
CONCORD, NC \u2013 July 8, 2011 \u2013 Ryan Unzicker of El Paso, Ill. (Late Models) and Nick Allen of Wheatfield, Ind. (UMP Modifieds) maintained their leads in the DIRTcar UMP national points standings following Week 23 of the circuit\u2019s 2011 season.<\/p>\n
Unzicker, 28, saw his fortunes on the grueling DIRTcar Summer Nationals \u2018Hell Tour\u2019 go from good to bad during Week 23, which counted DIRTcar UMP-sanctioned events run through July 3. He started the stretch of Summer Nationals action with a third-place finish on June 28 at Lincoln Park Speedway in Putnamville, Ind., and a runner-up performance on June 29 at Belle-Clair Speedway in Belleville, Ill., but he failed to finish better than 12th<\/sup> in his next four starts.<\/p>\n Nevertheless, Unzicker expanded his national points lead from 263 to 352 points (2,057-1,705) over Jason Feger of Bloomington, Ill., who moved up to second in the standings despite experiencing a decidedly rough week on the Summer Nationals trail. Feger finished second on June 28 at Lincoln Park but placed between 10th<\/sup> and 16th<\/sup> in his other five starts during Week 23.<\/p>\n Unzicker did become the first driver to hit the 35-race threshold, the point at which DIRTcar UMP Late Model drivers can begin replacing their worst finishes\/points nights. Feger was at 30 starts through July 3.<\/p>\n Teenager Brandon Sheppard of New Berlin, Ill., whose Week 23 results on the Summer Nationals featured the biggest win of his career on July 3 at Lincoln (Ill.) Speedway, sat third in the national standings while defending national champ Rusty Schlenk of Jackson, Mich., fell to fourth after a week that saw him score a win and third-place finish on July 1 at Kankakee (Ill.) County Speedway and finish 21st<\/sup> in Lincoln\u2019s Summer Nationals event on July 3.<\/p>\n Allen, meanwhile, remained atop the DIRTcar UMP Modified national standings, though his edge shrunk from 53 to 26 points (1,668-1,642) over defending national titlist Mike Harrison of Highland, Ill.<\/p>\n Allen made two starts during Week 23, winning on July 2 at Shadyhill Speedway in Medaryville, Ind., and finishing third on July 1 at Kankakee. Harrison surged forward with a powerful week, winning DIRTcar Summit Racing Equipment Modified Nationals events on June 28 at Lincoln Park, July 1 at Paducah (Ky.) International Raceway and July 2 at I-55 Raceway in Pevely, Mo.<\/p>\n Other national points leaders after Week 23 in UMP-sanctioned divisions included Nick Baumann of New Berlin, Ill. (Pro Late Models), Troy Clark of North Vernon, Ind. (Sportsman); Kentucky\u2019s Jeff Lawson (Limited Modifieds); Nate Zimmer of Mattoon, Ill. (Stock Cars); Jake Hewitt of Troy, Ill. (Factory Stocks); and Kenny Butterfield of Glassford, Ill. (Sport Compacts).<\/p>\n