UMP DIRTcar Summer Nationals Race 16: Van Wormer Dominates Highland

HIGHLAND, IL (July 1, 2009) - A night after playing runner up, Jeep Van Wormer said no more as he cruised to the UMP DIRTcar Summer Nationals win at Highland (Ill.) Speedway Wednesday night.

The Pinconning, Mich., driver used his pole position starting spot for the 40-lap race to jump to an early lead over local competitors Mark Faust and Mark Voigt.

"We had a good car even in our heat race," explained Van Wormer who swept all three parts of the evening's program in which he was involved. "It was a tough call on tires tonight so we were jumping back and forth; we finally found the right combination."

The win was Van Wormer's third on the 2009 "Hell Tour", all three of which have come on tracks a quarter-mile in size. "The car was perfect, honestly it was just amazing," Van Wormer said. "It's really good just to go out there and concentrate on winning races."

Track regular Mark Faust held off a multiple attempts by the likes of Rodney Melvin and Mark Voigt to capture second place during his only UMP DIRTcar Summer Nationals appearance to date.

"We were happy with starting in front because it would have been really tough if we would have had to come from any further back," Faust said. "There aren't any slouches in a UMP DIRTcar Summer Nationals field that's for sure."

Mark Voigt claimed the third spot, his best "Hell Tour" finish of 2009. "Once things started going we were alright because the car was really good, it just took it awhile to get going," said Voigt. "We'll take it, I'm not complaining."

Rodney Melvin of Logan, Ill., was fourth and defending "Hell Tour" champion Dennis Erb Jr. of Carpentersville, Ill., finished fifth.

A-Main Finish - 40 Laps
1. 55-Jeep Van Wormer
2. 51-Mark Faust
3. 30-Mark Voigt
4. 27-Rodney Melvin
5. 28-Dennis Erb
6. 00-Randy Korte
7. 18-Shannon Babb
8. 24-Ryan Unzicker
9. B12-Kevin Weaver
10. 91-Rusty Schlenk
11. 78-Chad Zobrist
12. 25-Jason Feger
13. 1c-Duane Chamberlain
14. 99jr-Frank Heckenast Jr.
15. B5-Brandon Sheppard
16. 81-Paul Bailey
17. 1w-Donny Walden
18. 10s-Rick Standridge
19. 6K-Michael Kloos
20. 33-Tim Manville
21. 49-Steve Leach

HELL TOUR NOTES
39 UMP DIRTcar Late Models rolled into the Highland Speedway pits to take their shot at the $6,000 winner's prize. Four groups of qualifying time trials blazed the quarter-mile facility with Shannon Babb collecting fast time in group three and fast time overall with a lap of 13.487 seconds around the Madison County Ill., oval. Other fast time honors were collected by Mark Voigt in group one, Randy Korte in group two, and Jeep Van Wormer in group four.

Voigt of Marine, Ill., used the pole in heat one to get a jump on the field and led the entire way to claim the win. Heat race two saw current UMP DIRTcar Summer Nationals point leader Randy Korte not be able to make the call due to engine woes after time trials allowing Mark Faust to start on the pole. Faust battled with Rusty Schlenk of for most of the race as Faust nipped Schlenk at the line to claim the win.

Heat three saw Babb claim the win ahead of a myriad of others all battling for second place including Ryan Unzicker, Kevin Weaver, Frank Heckenast Jr., and Jason Feger. Jeep Van Wormer checked out from the drop of the green flag to take the win in the fourth heat race that produced some on-track drama when Steve Sheppard Jr. and Dennis Erb Jr. came together out of turn four, with Sheppard not being allowed to return to the racing surface for the remainder of the night.

Duane Chamberlain captured the evenings B-Main with Jason Feger in tow. The two earned transfer positions in the night's 40-lap main event. Provisionals were given to Randy Korte, Michael Kloos (via Steve Sheppard Jr.'s disqualification), and Paul Bailey.

For more information on the UMP DIRTcar Summer Nationals Tour fans can visit www.thehelltour.com.