BANNER, Ill. — Updates from Wednesday’s 18th round of the DIRTcar Summer Nationals at Spoon River Speedway, an event highlighted by a 30-lap, $5,000-to-win feature for DIRTcar Super Late Models (results unofficial):
Feature
Second-starting Tyler Erb of New Waverly, Texas, fired off from the outside front-row and dominated Wednesday's 30-lap DIRTcar Summer Nationals feature at Spoon River Speedway. Terbo took the checkers 0.890 of a second ahead of Bob Gardner for the $5,000 payday, his fifth Summer Nationals win of the season and 20th of his career.
Feature lineup
(30 laps)
Row 1: Rodney Melvin, Tyler Erb
Row 2: Bob Gardner, Mark Whitener
Row 3: Tyler Millwood, Haiden Cowan
Row 4: Jason Feger, Christian Hanger
Row 5: Shannon Babb, Carson Brown
Row 6: Brody Smith, Brenden Smith
Row 7: Mike Harrison, Eli Johnson
Row 8: Trey Mills, Mike Spatola
Row 9: Dylan Thornton, Dillon McCowan
Row 10: Clay Stuckey, Blaze Burwell
Row 11: A.J. May, Jackson Hise
Consolation race results
(10 laps; top three transfer)
B-main: Mike Spatola, Dylan Thornton, Dillon McCowan, Kyle Hammer, Blaze Burwell, Brian Rickman, Jason Riggs, Clay Stuckey, Thomas Hunziker, Cam Harris, A.J. May, Jadon Frame, Neil Baggett. Scratched: Toby Massie, Jackson Hise.
Heat race recap
Rodney Melvin overcame a late-race restart to lead all eight laps en route to winning the first heat race by 1.028 seconds over third-starting Mark Whitener. Second-starting Jason Feger finished third, with sixth-starting Carson Brown taking fourth and Mike Harrison hanging on for the fifth and final transfer spot into Wednesday’s 30-lap main event. The race’s lone stoppage came on the sixth lap when Blaze Burwell spun out of turn four; he continued, but could not improve his position in the closing laps and settled for 10th. … Bob Gardner overcame multiple restarts and commanded the second heat, winning by 2.162 seconds over third-starting Tyler Millwood. Christian Hanger finished third leaving the turn-one racing surface and spinning to a stop for an opening-lap caution. Eighth-starting Brody Smith finished fourth, with Eli Johnson claiming the fifth and final transfer position. The second stoppage came on the second lap when Neil Baggett slowed from fourth with a flat left-rear tire and retired. … Tyler Erb led all eight laps largely unchallenged, winning the third and final heat race by 1.062 seconds over second-starting Haiden Cowan, who prevailed after a back-and-forth battle with Shannon Babb, who settled for third. Seventh-starting Brenden Smith finished fourth, with Trey Mills rounding out the top-five finishers. A yellow flew on the second lap for a multicar incident involving Jackson Hise, Clay Stuckey and Thomas Hunziker, while Cam Harris spun to avoid contact; Hunziker finished seventh, Stuckey in eighth and Harris ninth, while Hise did not continue.
Heat race results
(Eight laps; top five transfer)
First heat: Rodney Melvin, Mark Whitener, Jason Feger, Carson Brown, Mike Harrison, Mike Spatola, Dillon McCowan, Brian Rickman, Jadon Frame, Blaze Burwell.
Second heat: Bob Gardner, Tyler Millwood, Christian Hanger, Brody Smith, Eli Johnson, A.J. May, Jason Riggs, Neil Baggett, Toby Massie. Scratched: Kyle Hammer.
Third heat: Tyler Erb, Haiden Cowan, Shannon Babb, Brenden Smith, Trey Mills, Dylan Thornton, Thomas Hunziker, Clay Stuckey, Cam Harris, Jackson Hise.
Time trials
Group A
Driver (car no.), hometown, time (unofficial)
1. Rodney Melvin (27m), Benton, Ill., 13.284
2. Jason Feger (25F), Bloomington, Ill., 13.388
3. Mark Whitener (5), Middleburg, Fla., 13.473
4. Mike Harrison (33), Highland, Ill., 13.485
5. Mike Spatola (89), Manhattan, Ill., 13.561
6. Carson Brown (28B), New London, N.C., 13.573
7. Dillon McCowan (75), Urbana, Mo., 13.639
8. Jadon Frame (81F), Winchester, Tenn., 13.770
9. Blaze Burwell (44), Mount Vernon, Ill., 13.787
10. Brian Rickman (90), Columbus, Miss., 13.980
Group B
1. Bob Gardner (4G), East Peoria, Ill., 13.242
2. Christian Hanger (29), Winchester, Tenn., 13.277
3. Tyler Millwood (31), Kingston, Ga., 13.623
4. Neil Baggett (21xxx), Columbus, Miss., 13.749
5. A.J. May (A9), Creve Coure, Ill., 13.763
6. Jason Riggs (81), College Grove, Tenn., 13.769
7. Brody Smith (17sr), Dade City, Fla., 13.794
8. Eli Johnson (55), Clewiston, Fla., 13.891
9. Kyle Hammer (5s), Clinton, Ill., no time
10. Toby Massie (22), Hindsboro, Ill., no time
Group C
1. Tyler Erb (1), New Waverly, Texas, 13.499
2. Haiden Cowan (14), Rincon, Ga., 13.548
3. Shannon Babb (18), Moweaqua, Ill., 13.587
4. Trey Mills (14jr), St. Augustine, Fla., 13.684
5. Jackson Hise (388), Ocala, Fla., 13.821
6. Clay Stuckey (15), Shreveport, La., 13.902
7. Brenden Smith (17ss), Dade City, Fla., 13.944
8. Thomas Hunziker (38), Bend, Ore., 13.968
9. Cam Harris (32xxx), Columbus, Miss., 14.111
10. Dylan Thornton (13), Orcutt, Calif., no time
Wednesday’s schedule
(All times local)
2 p.m. - Pits open
4 p.m. - Grandstands open
5:30 p.m. - Drivers’ meeting
6 p.m. - On-track activity
- Late Model hot laps
- Modifieds group qualifying
- Late Model time trials (2 laps)
- B-mod group qualifying
- 604 Crate group qualifying
- Sport compact group qualifying
Opening ceremonies
- Late Model heats (8 laps)
- Modified heats (8 laps)
- Late Model B-main (10 laps)
- 604 Crate heats (8 laps)
- Sport compact heats (5 laps)
Intermission/track prep
- Late Model feature (30 laps)
- Modified feature (25 laps)
- B-mod feature (20 laps)
- 604 Crate feature (20 laps)
- Sport compact feature (15 laps)
