DirtonDirt Dispatches

Dispatches: Feger's surge continues at Red Hill

May 30, 2026, 9:54 pm

From series, staff, track and other reports

Jason Feger celebrates at Red Hill Raceway. (joshjamesartwork.com)

Among the latest notes and quotes from Dirt Late Model action, including a variety of Late Model specials during May 28-31 action (look for World of Outlaws Late Model Series action from Ohio’s Mansfield Speedway elsewhere):

Picking up steam

Jason Feger didn’t get off to a fast start in 2026. The final weeks of May, however, have seen him come alive.

With a $5,000 victory in Saturday night’s 30-lap MARS Late Model Championship Series feature at Red Hill Raceway in Sumner, Ill., the 48-year-old veteran from Bloomington, Ill., won for the second time in as many weekends and rekindled his hopes for a fourth straight MARS title.

“Can’t say enough about my crew busting their butt,” Feger said. “Like I said, we’ve had a tough season so far, but we’re righting the ship here.”

Feger entered Memorial Day weekend with only a single triumph on North American soil this year — a weekly show on May 2 at Farmer City (Ill.) Raceway — and wasn’t even in the top-five of the MARS points standings through the season’s first four events. But then he was triumphant on May 22 at Davenport (Iowa) Speedway, placed a close second the next night at Fairbury (Ill.) Speedway and ran fifth on Sunday at Spoon River Speedway in Banner, Ill., to close the MARS tour’s holiday tripleheader.

Add in Saturday’s score at Red Hill, and Feger suddenly sits second in the MARS standings, trailing leader Ryan Unzicker of El Paso, Ill., by 93 points. The circuit now takes off until mid-July for the DIRTcar Summer Nationals but 17 events remain on the schedule for Feger to rally.

The 4/10-mile Red Hill oval proved once again to be a perfect place for Feger to pick up some momentum. There’s something about the track that agrees with him.

Feger’s victory gives him two wins and three runner-up finishes in his last five visits to Red Hill over the past two-plus seasons, including a $10,000 Summer Nationals triumph last year. His previous two appearances at the track, in 2022 and ’23, produced fifth-place finishes, so he hasn’t placed outside the top-five in his last seven starts.

What’s Feger’s secret to Red Hill success? Just a comfort level enhanced by his equipment.

“I had a brand new, big Clements (engine) in there today, and some Speedworks headers and a Stealth carburetor — can’t say enough about them guys — and the thing ran really strong,” said Feger, who will head to Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio, next for June 3-6’s Dream action. “We’ve been really good at Red Hill here the last four or five times we've been here, so it’s a lot of fun. Being out front is really important, but the car was really good.

“It’s the first time we've been here on the Ohlins (Shocks), with Longhorn Dynamics there, and, man, the car just felt so stable here at this place. They definitely suit this place really well and the car was a joy to drive. Can't wait to come back for Summer Nationals (on July 3).” — Series and staff reports