Dirt on Dirt - Dillard rides I-55's hub to first tour win, $10,000

June 20

I-55 Federated Raceway Park,

Pevely, MO

Sanction: DIRTcar Summer Nationals (Ray Marler Memorial) - $10,000

Information provided by: Series and track reports (last updated June 21, 1:46 am)

Dillard rides I-55's hub to first tour win, $10,000

Ray Marler Memorial

Cade Dillard
Shannon Babb
Tanner English
Michael Leach
Jason Feger
Frank Heckenast Jr.
Daryn Klein
Camaron Marlar
Luke Morey
Brody Smith
Daniel Adam
Mark Voigt
Rickey Frankel
Clay Stuckey
Tony Wolf
Mitch McGrath
Jordan Bauer
Billy Moyer
Tyler Millwood
Rusty Griffaw
Doug Tye
Adam Tischhauser
Michael Kloos

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Photo slideshow

Tim Hunt/highsideraceshots.com

Cade Dillard celebrates his first Summer Nationals victory.

What won the race: Second-starting Cade Dillard of Robeline, La., blasted around polesitter Daryn Klein then found rubber on the bottom of I-55 Federated Raceway Park and held off Shannon Babb to win Saturday's 40-lap Ray Marler Memorial. Dillard, who lost brakes the final lap, beat Babb by 0.295 of a second for the $10,000 payday and his first career DIRTcar Summer Nationals victory.

Quotable: “Honestly, my brakes were completely fine the whole race until the back straightaway on the last lap and they went completely to the floor. So, it was a miracle the race ended when it did, or I was probably about to slow down big time there,” Dillard said before adding, “There’s a lot of really talented race car drivers that have ran this (series) for years. You know one of the best right behind us, (Shannon) Babb there. I seen him on the board in second and all I could think about was years ago at Farmer City, it was rubbered and he blew by (Billy) Moyer on the cushion on the last lap, so I tried to keep watching to my right, but it got so bottom-dominant.”

Key notes: Dillard rode his brakes and stuck to the extreme inside of the track for nearly the entire distance, narrowly finishing ahead of the frontrunners (the top eight all took the checkers within 2.549 seconds of Dillard). ... Dillard reported brake loss down the backstretch on the final lap before securing his seventh feature win of the season, adding to five victories on the Comp Cams Super Dirt Series and two on the Revival Super Dirt Series. ... Polesitter Daryn Klein trailed Dillard for the opening 22 laps before trying to run the high line, dropping him to seventh. ... Fourth-starting Shannon Babb grabbed second on lap 23 and applied pressure the rest of the way, but remained in Dillard's tire tracks on the bottom line. ... Jason Feger, a two-time Summer Nationals winner this week, ran as high as third in the early going before settling in fifth. ... Luke Morey improved seven positions and placed ninth in his first Hell Tour start of the season. ... Provisional starter Billy Moyer was in position to be lapped by Dillard on lap 13 but remained on the lead lap by running the low line in front of the leaders for the final 28 circuits; Moyer soldiered to an 18th-place finish, the final starter to complete 40 laps. ... The event honored Ray Marler, the former owner and promoter of I-55 Raceway who operated the facility since 1996; Marler died on Dec. 26, 2025, at the age of 87. ... The green-to-checkered feature lasted 11 minutes with 22 starters running at the finish. ... Michael Kloos pulled off on the 16th lap as the race's only retiree. ... Jake Rainey never hit the track after lingering engine issues from Friday at Farmer City (Ill.) Raceway.

On the move: Tanner English of Benton, Ky., started 12th and finished third; Frank Heckenast Jr. of Frankfort, Ill., started 15th and finished sixth.

Winner's sponsors: Dillard’s Longhorn Chassis is powered by a Clements Racing Engine and sponsored by S&S Fishing & Rental, Joel’s Auto Sales, Strength Roofing & Siding, Jenkins Logging, Johnsville Company, Jody’s Oilfield Service, Bryan Cook Trucks, Hoosier Racing Tire, Lonestar Equipment & Repair, Mesilla Valley Transportation, Nichols, Production Jars, Integra Shocks, VP Racing Fuels and Supreme Vinyl Works.

Points chase: Week 2 before I-55: 1. Jason Feger (202); 2. Tanner English (176); 3. Cade Dillard (166); 4. Clay Stuckey (156); 5. Frank Heckenast Jr. (143). Overall before I-55: 1. Jason Feger (468); 2. Tanner English (462); 3. Clay Stuckey (360); 4. Frank Heckenast Jr. (350); 5. Daniel Adam (345).

Current weather: Clear, 75°F

Car count: 29

Fast qualifier: Shannon Babb

Time: 13.401 seconds

Polesitter: Daryn Klein

Heat race winners: Daryn Klein, Michael Leach, Cade Dillard

Consolation race winners: Luke Morey

Provisional starters: Mark Voigt, Billy Moyer, Rusty Griffaw, Doug Tye, Adam Tischhauser

Next series race: June 21, Lincoln Speedway (Lincoln, IL) $7,500

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

From staff reports

PEVELY, Mo. — Updates from Saturday’s eighth round of the 40th annual DIRTcar Summer Nationals at I-55 Federated Raceway Park, an event highlighted by a 40-lap, $10,000-to-win feature for DIRTcar Super Late Models (results unofficial):

Feature

Second-starting Cade Dillard of Robeline, La., blasted around polesitter Daryn Klein then found rubber on the bottom of I-55 Federated Raceway Park and held off Shannon Babb to win Saturday's 40-lap Ray Marler Memorial. Dillard, who lost brakes the final lap, beat Babb by 0.295 of a second for the $10,000 payday and his first career DIRTcar Summer Nationals victory.

Feature lineup

(40 laps)

Row 1: Daryn Klein, Cade Dillard
Row 2: Michael Leach, Shannon Babb
Row 3: Tony Wolf, Jason Feger
Row 4: Mitch McGrath, Rickey Frankel
Row 5: Camaron Marlar, Michael Kloos
Row 6: Clay Stuckey, Tanner English
Row 7: Tyler Millwood, Brody Smith
Row 8: Frank Heckenast Jr., Luke Morey
Row 9: Daniel Adam, Jordan Bauer
Row 10: Mark Voigt, Billy Moyer
Row 11: Rusty Griffaw, Doug Tye
Row 12: Adam Tischhauser

Consolation race results

(Eight laps; top three transfer)

Consolation: Luke Morey, Daniel Adam, Jordan Bauer, Matt Cooper, Billy Moyer, Mark Voigt, Rusty Griffaw, Cody Maguire, Adam Tischhauser, Doug Tye, Lane Ehlert, Easton Bollinger. Scratched: Mike Harrison, Jake Rainey.

Heat race results

(Eight laps; top five transfer)

First heat: Daryn Klein, Shannon Babb, Mitch McGrath, Michael Kloos, Tyler Millwood, Mike Harrison, Jordan Bauer, Mark Voigt, Rusty Griffaw, Easton Bollinger.

Second heat: Michael Leach, Tony Wolf, Rickey Frankel, Clay Stuckey, Brody Smith, Daniel Adam, Doug Tye, Lane Ehlert, Cody Maguire, Adam Tischhauser.

Third heat: Cade Dillard, Jason Feger, Camaron Marlar, Tanner English, Frank Heckenast Jr., Luke Morey, Matt Cooper, Billy Moyer. Scratched: Jake Rainey.

Time trials

Group A
Driver (car no.), hometown, time (unofficial)
1. Shannon Babb (18), Moweaqua, Ill., 13.401
2. Daryn Klein (10), Fairview Heights, Ill., 13.545
3. Jordan Bauer (10J), St. Jacob, Ill., 13.555
4. Mike Harrison (33), Highland, Ill., 13.670
5. Tyler Millwood (31), Kingston, Ga., 13.693
6. Mitch McGrath (74), Waukesha, Wis., 13.731
7. Michael Kloos (6k), Trenton, Ill., 13.862
8. Easton Bollinger (31), Bruce, Miss., 13.872
9. Rusty Griffaw (16), Festus, Mo., 13.919
10. Mark Voigt (30), Marine, Ill., 14.229
Group B
1. Michael Leach (09), Sun River, Mont., 13.537
2. Clay Stuckey (15), Shreveport, La., 13.683
3. Daniel Adam (75), Peru, Ill., 13.973
4. Brody Smith (17sr), Dade City, Fla., 14.278
5. Rickey Frankel (33F), Quincy, Ill., 14.496
6. Lane Ehlert (42L), O’Fallon, Mo., 14.640
7. Tony Wolf (16w), Highland, Ill., 14.783
8. Adam Tischhauser (T4), Mulberry Grove, Ill., 14.931
9. Cody Maguire (32m), Carlinville, Ill., 14.958
10. Doug Tye (4D), Troy, Ill., 14.981
Group C
1. Jason Feger (25), Bloomington, Ill., 13.765
2. Cade Dillard (97), Robeline, La., 13.776
3. Frank Heckenast Jr. (99jr), Frankfort, Ill., 14.017
4. Camaron Marlar (57m), Winfield, Tenn., 14.125
5. Tanner English (96), Benton, Ky., 14.130
6. Luke Morey (49), Zeeland, Mich., 14.161
7. Matt Cooper (18c), McKenzie, Tenn., 14.280
8. Billy Moyer (21), Batesville, Ark., 14.506
9. Jake Rainey (87), Powder Springs, Ga., no time

Saturday’s schedule

(All times local)
3:30 p.m. - Pits open
4 p.m. - Tech and registration open
4:30 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
- Modified group qualifying
- Late Model time trials (2 laps)
Opening ceremonies
- Late Model heats (8 laps)
- Modified heats (8 laps)
- B-mod heats (8 laps)
- Sportsman heats (8 laps)
Intermission/track prep
- Modified consolation (8 laps)
- Late Model consolation (10 laps)
Feature events
- Late Models (40 laps)
- Modifieds (25 laps)
- B-mods (20 laps)
- Sportsman (15 laps)