Dirt on Dirt - Simpson Bros. win West Liberty heats

June 16

West Liberty Raceway,

West Liberty, IA

Sanction: DIRTcar Summer Nationals - $5,000

Information provided by: Series and track reports (last updated June 16, 9:58 pm)

Simpson Bros. win West Liberty heats

presented by

Mike Ruefer/mikerueferphotos.photoreflect.com

Chris Simpson rolls to a track-record lap at West Liberty.

Key notes: Series points leader Tanner English slowed leading the third heat when he shredded a right-rear tire entering turn three. ... Chris Simpson's 18.165-second lap lowered the track record (unofficially, the previous track record was held by Dave Eckrich with an 18.424-second lap in 2009). ... The lone half-mile on the DIRTcar Summer Nationals schedule, West Liberty opens its 2026 season with Tuesday’s 30-lap, $5,000-to-win event. … It’s the sixth round of the 40th year of the Hell Tour and second race of the second week with racing every night through July 12. ... A $150,000 points fund will be paid out weekly with $10,000 to each week’s champion. … It’s the first Summer Nationals race at West Liberty since July 10, 1995, a race won by Rick Aukland of Fargo, N.D. (a 30-car starting field with 14 Hall of Famers) … Aukland led the final nine laps, the fourth of four leaders following Ray Guss Jr., Bill Frye and Billy Moyer, who led laps 20-31. ... Jason Feger of Bloomington, Ill., led all 30 laps in dominating fashion to win Monday’s $5,000 second week opener at Wilmot (Wis.) Raceway. ... Moyer won the last major Super Late Model event at West Liberty on June 14, 2020, worth $5,000 on the MLRA. ... IMCA modifieds, sport mods, stock cars and vintage are on the undercard. … Pits open at 3:30 p.m. and grandstands open at 5 with hot laps at 6:30. ... Watch live on DIRTVision.

Who to watch: Jason Feger of Bloomington, Ill., eyes his second straight Summer Nationals victory and third of the season.

Points chase: Week 2 before West Liberty: 1. Jason Feger (75); 2. Tanner English (70); 3. Frank Heckenast Jr. (65); 4. Cade Dillard (60); 5. Mitch McGrath (55). Overall before West Liberty: 1. Tanner English (356); 2. Jason Feger (341); 3. Frank Heckenast Jr. (272); 4. Daniel Adam (261); 5. Clay Stuckey (254).

Current weather: 68°F, partly cloudy

Car count: 27

Fast qualifier: Chris Simpson

Time: 18.165 seconds

Polesitter: Chris Simpson

Heat race winners: Chris Simpson, Chad Simpson, Dallon Murty

Consolation race winners: Jonathan Brauns

Provisional starters: Tanner English, Mark Voigt, Curt Schroeder, Matthew Larson

Next series race: June 17, Davenport Speedway (Davenport, IA) $5,000

Editor's note: Corrects fast qualifier (and record-holder) to Chris Simpson.

From staff reports

WEST LIBERTY, Iowa — Updates from Tuesday’s sixth round of the 40th annual DIRTcar Summer Nationals at West Liberty Raceway, an event highlighted by a 30-lap, $5,000-to-win feature for DIRTcar Super Late Models (results unofficial):

Feature lineup

(30 laps)
Row 1: Chris Simpson, Dallon Murty
Row 2: Chad Simpson, Dylan Thornton
Row 3: Michael Leach, Billy Moyer
Row 4: Derrick Steward, Daniel Adam
Row 5: Cade Dillard, Brody Smith
Row 6: Jason Feger, Nick Marolf
Row 7: Jake Rainey, Frank Heckenast Jr.
Row 8: Kayden Clatt, Jonathan Brauns
Row 9: Tyler Millwood, Clay Stuckey
Row 10: Mitch McGrath, Tyler Leach
Row 11: Tanner English, Mark Voigt
Row 12: Curt Schroeder, Matthew Larson

Consolation race results

(Eight laps; top five transfer)

Consolation: Jonathan Brauns, Tyler Millwood, Clay Stuckey, Mitch McGrath, Tylier Leach, Matthew Larson, Mark Voigt, Matt Furman, Curt Schroeder, Steve Stultz, Doug Tye. Scratched: Tanner English.

Heat race results

(Eight laps; top five transfer)

First heat: Chris Simpson, Dylan Thornton, Derrick Stewart, Brody Smith, Jake Rainey, Matthew Larson, Curt Schroeder, Tyler Leach, Doug Tye.

Second heat: Chad Simpson, Michael Leach, Daniel Adam, Jason Feger, Frank Heckenast Jr., Jonathan Brauns, Clay Stuckey, Mitch McGrath, Steve Stultz.

Third heat: Dallon Murty, Billy Moyer, Cade Dillard, Nick Marolf, Kayden Clatt, Tyler Millwood, Tanner English, Matt Furman, Mark Voigt.

Time trials

Group A
Driver (car no.), hometown, time (unofficial)
Chris Simpson (32), Oxford, Iowa, 18.165
Brody Smith (17sr), Dade City, Fla., 18.261
Derrick Stewart (43), Ainsworth, Iowa, 18.561
Dylan Thornton (38t), Orcutt, Calif., 18.597
Tyler Leach (05), Sun River, Mont., 18.770
Matthew Larson (8), Lake Elmo, Minn., 18.793
Jake Rainey (87), Powder Springs, Ga., 18.997
Curt Schroeder (15c), Newton, Iowa, 19.705
Doug Tye (4D), Troy, Ill., 19,993
Group B
Michael Leach (09), Sun River, Mont., 18.623
Chad Simpson (25), Mount Vernon, Iowa, 18.736
Daniel Adam (75), Peru, Ill., 19.010
Frank Heckenast Jr. (99jr), Frankfort, Ill., 19.070
Mitch McGrath (74), Waukesha, Wis., 19.157
Jason Feger (25), Bloomington, Ill., 19.195
Clay Stuckey (15), Shreveport, La., 19.381
Jonathan Brauns (22B), Muscatine, Ill., 19.674
Steve Stultz (78s), Peoria, Ariz., 20.115
Group C
Tanner English (96), Benton, Ky., 18.720
Billy Moyer (21), Batesville, Ark., 18.748
Dallon Murty (13), Chelsea, Iowa, 18.830
Cade Dillard (97), Robeline, La., 19.288
Nick Marolf (33), Moscow, Iowa, 19.391
Tyler Millwood (31), Kingston, Ga., 19.445
Mark Voigt (30), Marine, Ill., 19.515
Kayden Clatt (50k), Edina, Mo., 19.536
Matt Furman (51), Iowa City, Iowa, 19.695

Tuesday’s schedule

(All times local)
3:30 p.m. - Pits open
4 p.m. - Tech and registration open
5 p.m. - Grandstands open
5:30 p.m. - Tech and registration close
6 p.m. - Drivers’ meeting
6:30 p.m. - On-track activity
- Late Model hot laps
- Stock car hot laps
- Sport mod hot laps
- Modified hot laps
- Late Model time trials (2 laps)
- Vintage hot laps
Opening ceremonies
- Stock car heats (6 laps)
- Late Model heats (8 laps)
- Sport mod heats (6 laps)
- Modified heats (8 laps)
- Vintage heats (6 laps)
Intermission/track prep
- Late Model consolation (10 laps)
Feature events
- Stock cars (20 laps)
- Sport mods (20 laps)
- Late Models (30 laps) 
- Modifieds (25 laps)
- Vintage (15 laps)