Dirt on Dirt - Whitener rules Butler, nabs first Hell Tour win

July 10

Butler Motor Speedway,

Quincy, MI

Sanction: DIRTcar Summer Nationals - $5,000

Information provided by: Series and track reports (last updated July 11, 4:39 pm)

Whitener rules Butler, nabs first Hell Tour win

Mark Whitener
Cody Overton
Trey Mills
Dillon McCowan
Zack Mitchell
Ryan Gustin
Tyler Erb
Rod Conley
Jason Feger
Chad Finley
Rusty Schlenk
Tyler Millwood
Brenden Smith
Colin Shipley
Travis Stemler
Thomas Hunziker
Christian Hanger
Mike Vandermark
Devin Shiels
Rylee Knoll
Eric Spangler
Logan Nickerson

presented by

Photo slideshow Feature highlights Video recap Related story

Jim DenHamer

First-time Hell Tour winner Mark Whitener in victory lane.

What won the race: Pole-starting Mark Whitener of Middleburg, Fla., paced all but the opening circuit to win his inaugural DIRTcar Summer Nationals feature Thursday at Butler Motor Speedway. Whitener took the checkers 1.746 seconds ahead of Cody Overton, last night's series winner at Montpelier (Ind.) Motor Speedway, to collect the $5,000 payday.

Quotable: "I screwed up and about went over the cushion on the last lap," Whitener said. "(The spotter) was telling me to get to the top, and I was trying to get to the top ... and hell, I really don't know what he was telling me. I couldn't really tell (the) groove), so I was just balls out from the green flag to the checkers. So if they beat me, they beat me."

Key notes: Whitener becomes the 14th series winner in 2025. ... A night removed from his maiden Hell Tour victory, Cody Overton of Evans, Ga., repelled challenges from third-place finisher Trey Mills for the runner-up position. ... Dillon McCowan rallied from ninth to finish fourth. ... Zack Mitchell improved one position to round out the top-five in his Butler debut. ... Second-starting Ryan Gustin edged Whitener to lead the opening circuit before losing command a lap later, eventually fading to a sixth place result. ... Defending series winner at Butler, Tyler Erb advanced five positions to finish seventh. ... Overall series point leader, Jason Feger took the checkers ninth. ... Chad Finley of St. Johns, Mich., finished 10th, the highest of seven home-state starters. ... A spinning Thomas Hunziker brought out the first of two cautions on lap nine; he finished one lap down in 16th. ... The other yellow flag waved on lap 10 for Eric Spangler, who went over the banking in turns three and four and later retired. ... The 30-lapper lasted 13 minutes with 16 starters running at the finish.

On the move: Tyler Millwood of Kingston, Ga., started 19th and finished 12th.

Winner's sponsors: Whitener's Longhorn Chassis is sponsored by Southeast Ship Repair, Whitener's Tractor Service, Ocala Restaurant Supply, Jett Concrete Works and Boswell Oil.

Points chase: Week 5 after Butler: 1. Trey Mills (219); 2. Mark Whitener (187); 3. Cody Overton (182); 4. Zack Mitchell (176); 5. Jason Feger (169). Overall after Butler: 1. Jason Feger (1,506); 2. Tyler Erb (1,430); 3. Dillon McCowan (1,234); 4. Mark Whitener (1,229); 5. Trey Mills (1,161).

Current weather: Clear, 70°F

Car count: 35

Fast qualifier: Mark Whitener

Time: 14.888 seconds

Polesitter: Mark Whitener

Heat race winners: Mark Whitener, Trey Mills, Cody Overton, Ryan Gustin

Consolation race winners: Eric Spangler

Provisional starters: Tyler Millwood, Thomas Hunziker, Travis Stemler, Christian Hanger

Next series race: July 11, Crystal Motor Speedway (Crystal, MI) $10,000

Editor's note: Corrects that Mark Whitener's lap isn't the track record; Rusty Schlenk owns the mark at 14.522 seconds (Aug. 24, 2024)

QUINCY, Mich. — Updates and results from Thursday’s 25th round of the DIRTcar Summer Nationals at Butler Motor Speedway, an event highlighted by a 30-lap, $5,000-to-win feature for DIRTcar Super Late Models (results unofficial):

Feature

Pole-starting Mark Whitener of Middleburg, Fla., paced all but the opening circuit to win his inaugural DIRTcar Summer Nationals feature Thursday at Butler Motor Speedway. Whitener took the checkers 1.746 seconds ahead of Cody Overton, last night's series winner at Montpelier (Ind.) Motor Speedway, to collect the $5,000 payday.

Feature lineup

(30 laps)

Row 1: Mark Whitener, Trey Mills 
Row 2: Ryan Gustin, Cody Overton 
Row 3: Rod Conley, Zack Mitchell 
Row 4: Rylee Knoll, Chad Finley 
Row 5: Dillon McCowan, Jason Feger 
Row 6: Colin Shipley, Tyler Erb 
Row 7: Brenden Smith, Logan Nickerson 
Row 8: Devin Shiels, Rusty Schlenk 
Row 9: Eric Spangler, Mike Vandermark 
Row 10: Tyler Millwood, Thomas Hunziker 
Row 11: Travis Stemler, Christian Hanger

Consolation race results

(10 laps; top two transfer)

B-main finish: Eric Spangler, Mike Vandermark Jr., Travis Stemler, Carter Schlenk, Eli Johnson, Dusty Moore, Brody Smith, Steve Kester, Herb Reich, Ken Hahn, Brayden Shiels, Jacob Stuhr, Thomas Hunziker, Jamie Grochowski, Joel Morton, Bob Mayer, Jake Rendel. Scratched: Tyler Millwood, Christian Hanger.

Heat race recap

Mark Whitener dominated the opening heat race, winning by 3.591 seconds over Rod Conley. Third-starting Dillon McCowan recovered from an opening lap spin to finish third. Brenden Smith repelled eighth-starting Jake Rendel for the fourth and final transfer spot. … Trey Mills wired the second heat, taking the checkers 2.347 seconds ahead of Rylee Knoll. Colin Shipley and Devin Shiels also punched their tickets into the 30-lap feature. … Cody Overton held off Zack Mitchell to win the third heat by .422 of a second, ahead of Jason Feger and Logan Nickerson. Overton’s No. 2 suffered left-side damage after spinning on the opening circuit, collecting Nickerson and Tyler Millwood, who finished sixth. … Second-starting Ryan Gustin took command from pole sitter Chad Finley on the opening circuit and never looked back, defeating Finley to the finish line by .772 of a second to win the final heat race. Tyler Erb and Rusty Schlenk also transferred into the 30-lapper.

Heat results

(Eight laps; top four transfer)

First heat: Mark Whitener, Rod Conley, Dillon McCowan, Brenden Smith, Jake Rendel, Mike Vandermark, Steve Kester, Jacob Stuhr, Brayden Shiels.

Second heat: Trey Mills, Rylee Knoll, Colin Shipley, Devin Shiels, Travis Stemler, Christian Hanger, Dusty Moore, Bob Mayer, Jamie Grochowski.

Third heat: Cody Overton, Zack Mitchell, Jason Feger, Logan Nickerson, Eric Spangler, Tyler Millwood, Brody Smith, Ken Hahn, Joe Morton.

Fourth heat: Ryan Gustin, Chad Finley, Tyler Erb, Rusty Schlenk, Eli Johnson, Carter Schlenk, Herb Reich, Thomas Hunziker.

Time trials

Group A
Driver (car no.), hometown, time (unofficial)
1. Mark Whitener (5), Middleburg, Fla., 14.888
2. Trey Mills (14JR), St. Augustine, Fla., 15.617
3. Rod Conley (71R), Wheelersburg, Ohio, 15.827
4. Rylee Knoll (07), Lake, Mich., 15.903
5. Dillon McCowan (75), Urbana, Mo., 15.984
6. Colin Shipley (46), Weston, Ohio, 15.996
7. Jacob Stuhr (18), Harrison, Mich., 16.010
8. Christian Hanger (29), Winchester, Tenn., 16.038
9. Brenden Smith (17SS), Dade City, Fla., 16.082
10. Devin Shiels (51), Butler, Mich., 16.155
11. Mike Vandermark (41), Cedar Springs, Mich., 16.368
12. Travis Stemler (4), Ionia, Mich., 16.428
13. Steve Kester (57K), Holland, Ohio, 16.636
14. Dusty Moore (75D), Swanton, Ohio, 17.125
15. Jake Rendel (06), Adrian, Mich., 17.169
16. Jamie Grochowski (45), Toledo, Ohio, 17.401
17. Brayden Shiels (51B), Britton, Mich., 17.427
18. Bob Mayer (42*), Holland, Ohio, 17.433
Group B
1. Cody Overton (2), Thomson, Ga., 15.167
2. Chad Finley (42), St. Johns, Mich., 15.271
3. Zack Mitchell (57), Enoree, S.C., 15.355
4. Ryan Gustin (19R), Marshalltown, Iowa, 15.373
5. Logan Nickerson (21N), Vestaburg, Mich., 15.618
6. Tyler Erb (1), New Waverly, Texas, 15.678
7. Jason Feger (25F), Bloomington, Ill., 15.750
8. Rusty Schlenk (91), McClure, Ohio, 16.392
9. Tyler Millwood (31M), Kingston, Ga., 16.426
10. Herb Reich (34), Ann Arbor, Mich., 16.469
11. Brody Smith (17SR), Dade City, Fla., 16.695
12. Eli Johnson (55), Clewison, Fla., 16.724
13. Eric Spangler (27), Lake City, Mich., 16.744
14. Thomas Hunziker (38), Bend, Ore., 16.784
15. Joel Morton (36), Hudson, Mich., 16.796
16. Carter Schlenk (LIL91), McClure, Ohio, 16.919
17. Ken Hahn (27H), Gibsonburg, Ohio, 17.464

Thursday’s schedule

(All times local)
3 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
- Modified group qualifying
- Late Model time trials (2 laps)
Opening ceremonies
- Late Model heats (8 laps)
- Modified 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)