Dirt on Dirt - Peoria gives Troutman first Summer Nationals win

June 12

Peoria Speedway,

Peoria, IL

Sanction: DIRTcar Summer Nationals - $5,000

Information provided by: Series and track reports (last updated June 13, 6:24 pm)

Peoria gives Troutman first Summer Nationals win

Drake Troutman
Ryan Unzicker
Dennis Erb Jr.
Billy Moyer
Bob Gardner
Shannon Babb
Tyler Erb
Tyler Millwood
Jackson Hise
Trey Mills
Clay Stuckey
Jason Feger
Kyle Bronson
Dillon McCowan
Michael Leach
Joseph Joiner
Christian Hanger
Cody Maguire
Frank Heckenast Jr.
Brian Shirley
Cam Gardner
Jake Little

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Drake Troutman of Hyndman, Pa., races to his maiden Summer Nationals victory on Thursday at Peoria (Ill.) Speedway.

What won the race: Inheriting the top spot when race-long leader Brian Shirley slowed with a flat left-rear tire with nine laps remaining, Drake Troutman of Hyndman, Pa., repelled a hard-charging Ryan Unzicker in the closing circuits at Peoria Speedway to earn his inaugural DIRTcar Summer Nationals victory. Troutman took the checkers 0.334 of a second ahead of Unzicker to earn $5,000.

Quotable: "I hate to get one this way," Troutman said after Brian Shirley's flat tire. "Squirrel was pretty good. I felt like we might've been every bit as good as him and I think it could've gotten pretty exciting in lapped traffic. I've been leading races before and broke, too. I guess that's just part of it."

Key notes: Troutman's maiden Summer Nationals triumph was also his first win driving for car owner G.R. Smith's Team 22 Inc. ... After a hard-fought battle for the lead late in the race, seventh-starting Ryan Unzicker settled for second. ... Dennis Erb Jr. gained two positions to finish third. ... Second-running Dillon McCowan spun after contact with the lapped car of Christian Hanger at halfway; he finished 14th. ... Billy Moyer, winner of Tuesday's opener at Brownstown (Ill.) Bullring, improved six spots to finish fourth. ... Shannon Babb rallied 14 positions to finish sixth after having to take a provisional following a heat race colliision with Brenden Smith. ... Pole-starting Brian Shirley slowed with a flat left-rear tire while leading to bring out the race's final caution with nine laps remaining. The multitime series champ was credited with 20th. ... A multicar incident involving Jake Little, Cam Gardner, Cody Maguire and Trey Mills on lap four brought out the opening caution. Little and Gardner were unable to continue. ... The 30-lapper lasted 16 minutes with 16 competitors completing the distance. ... Celebrating his 17th birthday, Brody Smith of Dade City, Fla., was unable to transfer into the feature following an eight-place finish in the consolation. ... Chase Osterhoff retired for the evening following heavy contact with the turn-three wall on the second lap of the second heat. ... Rodney Melvin called it a night after slowing with a flat right-rear tire coming to the white flag while leading the first prelim. ... Transponder/scoring loop issues caused a few problems in time trials.

On the move: Shannon Babb of Moweaqua, Ill., started 20th and finished sixth.

Winner's sponsors: Troutman’s Team 22 Inc. Longhorn Chassis is powered by a Cornett Engine and sponsored by Victory Circle Auto Sales, Gambler Transport, Brick House Tavern, Armor Security, R.J.’s Excavating, Collins Signs, Sterling Lubricants and Bilstein Shocks.

Points chase: After Peoria: 1. Billy Moyer (200); 2. Drake Troutman (186); 3. Jason Feger (175); 4. Shannon Babb (169); 5. Dillon McCowan (164).

Current weather: Clear, 75°F

Car count: 44

Fast qualifier: Drake Troutman

Time: 12.135 seconds

Polesitter: Brian Shirley

Heat race winners: Dillon McCowan, Brian Shirley, Drake Troutman, Bob Gardner

Consolation race winners: Mark Whitener, Trey Mills

Provisional starters: Jason Feger, Shannon Babb, Cody Maguire, Frank Heckenast Jr.

Next series race: June 14, Fairbury Speedway (Fairbury, IL) $10,000

Editor's note: Results and race details are unofficial.

From staff reports

PEORIA, Ill. — Updates and results from Thursday’s third round of the DIRTcar Summer Nationals at Peoria Speedway, an event highlighted by a 30-lap, $5,000-to-win feature for DIRTcar Super Late Models (results unofficial):

Feature

Inheriting the top spot when race-long leader Brian Shirley slowed with a flat left-rear tire with nine laps remaining, Drake Troutman of Hyndman, Pa., repelled a hard-charging Ryan Unzicker in the closing circuits at Peoria Speedway to earn his inaugural DIRTcar Summer Nationals victory. Troutman took the checkers 0.334 of a second ahead of Unzicker to earn $5,000.

Feature lineup

(30 laps)

Row 1: Brian Shirley, Dillon McCowan
Row 2: Bob Gardner, Drake Troutman
Row 3: Dennis Erb Jr., Christian Hanger
Row 4: Ryan Unzicker, Clay Stuckey
Row 5: Michael Leach, Billy Moyer
Row 6: Tyler Millwood, Jackson Hise
Row 7: Tyler Erb, Kyle Bronson
Row 8: Cam Gardner, Jake Little
Row 9: Trey Mills, Joseph Joiner
Row 10: Jason Feger, Shannon Babb
Row 11: Cody Maguire, Frank Heckenast Jr.

Consolation race results

(10 laps: top two transfer)

B-main finish: Trey Mills, Joseph Joiner, Jason Wagner, Oakley Johns, Cole Swibold, Mark Whitener, Brody Smith, Cody Maguire, Chuck Southard, Thomas Hunziker, Carson Brown, Jason Feger, Frank Heckenast Jr., Brayton Wallace. Scratched: Allen Weisser, Austin Howes.

(Eight laps; top four transfer)

C-main finish: Mark Whitener, Oakley Johns, Austin Howes, Brody Smith, Matthew Larson, Brenden Smith, Andy Clark, Jeremy Petty, Eli Johnson, Parker Foster, Graham Fate, Paul Parker. Scratched: Brandon Lance, Rodney Melvin, Chase Osterhoff, Shannon Babb.

Heat results

(Eight laps; top four transfer)

First heat: Dillon McCowan, Dennis Erb Jr., Michael Leach, Tyler Erb, Trey Mills, Jason Wagner, Carson Brown, Austin Howes, Andy Clark, Paul Parker, Rodney Melvin.

Second heat: Brian Shirley, Ryan Unzicker, Tyler Millwood, Cam Gardner, Joseph Joiner, Brayton Wallace, Allen Weisser, Mark Whitener, Brody Smith, Matthew Larson, Chase Osterhoff.

Third heat: Drake Troutman, Christian Hanger, Billy Moyer, Kyle Bronson, Jason Fger, Frank Heckenast Jr., Thomas Hunziker, Eli Johnson, Parker Foster, Jeremy Petty, Graham Fate.

Fourth heat: Bob Gardner, Clay Stuckey, Jackson Hise, Jake Little, Cody Maguire, Cole Swibold, Chuck Southard, Oakley Johns, Brandon Lance, Brenden Smith, Shannon Babb.

Time trials

Group A
Driver (car no.), hometown, time (unofficial)
1. Rodney Melvin (27m), Benton, Ill., 12.195
2. Ryan Unzicker (24), El Paso, Ill., 12.279
3. Dillon McCowan (75), Urbana, Mo., 12.333
4. Brian Shirley (3s), Chatham, Ill., 12.393
5. Michael Leach (09), Sun River, Mont., 12.408
6. Cam Gardner (38G), East Peoria, Ill., 12.454
7. Austin Howes (17A), Lewistown, Mo., 12.470
8. Joseph Joiner (10J), Milton, Fla., 12.481
9. Dennis Erb Jr. (28), Carpentersville, Ill., 12.522
10. Brayton Wallace (T2), Peoria, Ill., 12.550
11. Jason Wagner (J12), East Peoria, Ill., 12.554
12. Tyler Millwood (31), Kingston, Ga., 12.563
13. Tyler Erb (1), New Waverly, Texas, 12.574
14. Allen Weisser (25w), Peoria, Ill., 12.608
15. Trey Mills (14jr), St. Augustine, Fla., 12.610
16. Chase Osterhoff (130), Kankakee, Ill., 12.670
17. Andy Clark (17), Mackinaw, Ill., 12.716
18. Brody Smith (17sr), Dade City, Fla., 12.752
19. Carson Brown (28B), New London, N.C., 12.780
20. Mark Whitener (5), Middleburg, Fla., 12.861
21. Paul Parker (10), Kaukauna, Wis., 12.919
22. Matthew Larson (8), Lake Elmo, Minn., 13.104
Group B
1. Drake Troutman (22*), Hyndman, Pa., 12.135
2. Bob Gardner (4G), East Peoria, Ill., 12.245
3. Christian Hanger (29), Winchester, Tenn., 12.417
4. Brenden Smith (17ss), Dade City, Fla., 12.511
5. Billy Moyer (21), Batesville, Ark., 12.551
6. Shannon Babb (18), Moweaqua, Ill., 12.572
7. Jason Feger (25F), Bloomington, Ill., 12.587
8. Clay Stuckey (15), Shreveport, La., 12.588
9. Kyle Bronson (40B), Brandon, Fla., 12.602
10. Jake Little (38J), Springfield, Ill., 12.645
11. Frank Heckenast Jr. (99jr), Frankfort, Ill., 12.686
12. Oakley Johns (c6), Hohenwald, Tenn., 12.717
13. Thomas Hunziker (38), Bend, Ore., 12.768
14. Jackson Hise (388), Ocala, Fla., 12.810
15. Eli Johnson (55), Clewiston, Fla., 12.840
16. Brandon Lance (248), Brimfield, Ill., 12.919
17. Jeremy Petty (77), Smolan, Kan., 13.158
18. Cole Swibold (98), Fairview, Ill., 13.259
19. Parker Foster (35x), Winona, Minn., 13.277
20. Cody Maguire (32m), Carlinville, Ill., 13.347
21. Graham Fate (1G), Peoria, Ill., 13.405
22. Chuck Southard (108), Franklin, N.C., 13.840

Thursday’s schedule

(All times local)
3 p.m. - Pits open
4 p.m. - Grandstands open
5:25 p.m. - Drivers' meeting
5:45 p.m. - On-track activity
- Late Model hot laps
- Modified group qualifying
- Late Model time trials (2 laps)
- B-mod hot laps
- 4-cylinder hot laps
Opening ceremonies
- Late Model heats (8 laps)
- Modified heats (8 laps)
- B-mod heats (8 laps)
- 4-cylinder heats (8 laps)
- Late Model C-main (8 laps)
- Modified consolation (8 laps)
- Late Model B-main (10 laps)
Intermission/track prep
- Late Model feature (30 laps)
- Modified feature (25 laps)
- B-mod feature (15 laps)
- 4-cylinder feature (15 laps)