Mark Voigt

Bobby Bittle

Trey Harris

Jeff Turner

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Pevely, MO (March 27, 2010) Even with the skies threatening rain all day long and the Mississippi River out of it’s banks and quickly rising around the pit area, I-55 Raceway was still able to get their season opener completed. The racing wrapped up just in time as less than ten minutes after the final checkered flag fell, the skies opened up. Floodwaters also continued to rise had almost completely covered the pit access road in one area by the time the action had ended.

However, those who decided not to venture out and enjoy the racing action missed alot of exciting action that featured two and three wide racing on a perfectly prepared smooth racing surface. In the UMP DIRTcar Late Model division, it was Tim Ratajczyk getting off to a blazing start as he dominated his heat race and then it looked like he was going to dominate the feature event as well. Ratajczyk took the lead at the drop of the green flag and held off an early challenge from Bryan Collins. By lap six, Ratajczyk had pulled away to a comfortable lead, however, Mark Voigt had found fast line around the top was beginning to work his way toward the front from his sixth place starting spot. Around lap ten, Mark Miner and Craig Smith would move past Collins to take over second and third while Voigt would soon move into the fourth spot past Collins as well. Voigt then made short work of Miner and Smith and moved into the second position and began to chase down Ratajczyk. With seven laps remaining, Voigt moved past Ratajczyk on the high side. Ratajczyk would fight back on the low side as the two worked lapped traffic. Voigt would prove too tough as he worked the highside and would take the win. Ratajczyk would finish a strong second with Tim Manville making a late race charge to finish third. Craig Smith would take the fourth spot while Michael Kloos edged out Miner for the fifth spot. This is Mark Voigt’s 30th season of racing and he started the 2010 racing season off great with wins at I-55 Raceway and Belle-Clair Speedway.

In the UMP DIRTcar Modified division, Rusty Griffaw and Bobby Bittle reversed their fortunes from the previous night at Belle-Clair Speedway. Griffaw edged Bittle out at Belle-Clair Speedway on Friday night, while tonight it Bittle edging out Griffaw for the win. Griffaw would jump out to the early lead and would lead the first five laps before he would make a mistake in turn four as he had to take evasive action to keep from getting into the outside wall and allow Bittle to take over the top spot. Bittle would proceed to lead the final fifteen laps of the main event to take the win. Griffaw stayed glued to his bumper but couldn’t make the pass back for the lead and would settle for the second spot. Paul Bauman would finish third with Tim Hancock finishing fourth. Doug Wood rounded out the top five.

Trey Harris would pace all fifteen laps to earn the win in the UMP DIRTcar/AARA Sportsman main event. Harris seemed to have things in check throughout most of the event. However, a late race caution with four laps to go allowed Jeff Herzog to make it interesting. Herzog worked the high side trying to move past Harris and the two battled side by side for much of the final four laps. Harris would hold him off and claim the win. Herzog took second while Troy Naeger finished third. Brad Paquet would finish fourth with Kent Nations fifth.

Jeff Turner claimed his first ever feature win as he powered his UMP DIRTcar/AARA Pro 4 Stock to victory lane. Turner led flag to flag and dominated the main event. Jackie Buechting had her best ever feature finish as he took the second spot. Blake Jost would cross the line in third with Justin McCallister fourth. Justin Hall rounded out the top five.

UMP DIRTcar Late Models – 27 Entries
Heat 1
1. 112 Tim Ratajczyk
2. b5 Brandon Sheppard
3. 2j Dave Jumper
4. 33 Tim Manville
5. 7 Rich Lawson
6. 86 Jason Crump
7. 37 Danny Moser
8. d9 David Dunn
9. 3d Lou Dreimeier

Heat 2
1. 81 Craig Smith
2. 30 Mark Voigt
3. 11d Brian Diveley
4. 6k Michael Kloos
5. 87 Ken Rumble
6. 95 Jeff Johns
7. 80d Dylan Sharp
8. 13 Dewayne Keifer
9. 76 Butch Kruckeberg

Heat 3
1. 78 Mark Miner
2. 11z Bryan Collins
3. 96 Cory Daugherty
4. 1hr Ron McQuerry
5. 7 Matt Weidner
6. 27 Jeff Beyers
7. 28b John Beck
8. 16h Mike Hammerle
9. 23 Paul Roider

Semi
1. 13 Dewayne Keifer
2. 28b John Beck
3. 80d Dylan Sharp
4. 37 Danny Moser
5. 16h Mike Hammerle
6. 23 Paul Roider
7. 76 Butch Kruckeberg
8. d9 David Dunn
9. 3d Lou Dreimeier

Feature
1. (6) 30 Mark Voigt
2. (2) 112 Tim Ratajczyk
3. (8) 33 Tim Manville
4. (3) 81 Craig Smith
5. (9) 6k Michael Kloos
6. (4) 78 Mark Miner
7. (5) 2J Dave Jumper
8. (18) 27 Jeff Beyers
9. (1) 11Z Bryan Collins
10. (7) B5 Brandon Sheppard
11. (14) 87 Ken Rumble
12. (15) 7 Matt Weidner
13. (20) 28B John Beck
14. (19) 13 Dewayne Keifer
15. (11) 96 Cory Daugherty
16. (23) 16H Mike Hammerle
17. (10) 11D Brian Dively
18. (13) 7L Rich Lawson
19. (24) 23 Paul Roider
20. (22) 37 Danny Moser
21. (12) 1HR Ron McQuerry
22. (21) 80D Dylan Sharp
23. (17) 95 Jeff Johns
24. (16) 86 Jason Crump

UMP DIRTcar Modifieds – 18 Entries
Heat 1
1. 0 Tim Hancock
2. 9w Doug Wood
3. 36 Conrad Miner
4. 78c Alan Conner
5. 14 Rick Conoyer
6. 86 Steve Shive
7. 70 Josh Russell
8. c4 Chris Soutiea
9. 2 Robbie Helms

Heat 2
1. 89 Bobby Bittle
2. 16 Rusty Griffaw
3. 24 Paul Bauman
4. 17 Brad Thurston
5. 7 Mark Miner
6. 3c Coody Conner
7. 7z Matt Zimmerly
8. 10 Jim Black
9. 5w Ralph Wiltrout DNS

Feature
1. (1) 89 Bobby Bittle
2. (2) 16 Rusty Griffaw
3. (5) 24 Paul Bauman
4. (6) 0 Tim Hancock
5. (3) 9w Doug Wood
6. (4) 36 Conrad Miner
7. (10) 7 Mark Miner
8. (8) 14 Rick Conoyer
9. (12) 86 Steve Shive
10. (13) 7z Matt Zimmerly
11. (17) 2 Robbie Helms
12. (7) 17 Brad Thurston
13. (11) 3c Cody Conner
14. (14) 70 Josh Russell
15. (15) c4 Chris Soutiea
16. (9) 78c Alan Conner
17. (16) 10 Jim Black
18. 5w Ralph Wiltrout DNS

UMP DIRTcar/AARA Sportsman – 29 Entries
Heat 1
1. 57 Trey Harris
2. 12 Troy Naeger
3. 192 Mark Spraul
4. 50 Kent Nations
5. 16 Joe McCain
6. 444 Marc Roberson
7. 5h Scott Hammack
8. 6 Rick Ruch
9. 99 Chuck Adams
10. 15b Matt Brucato

Heat 2
1. 8e Steve Edgecombe
2. 49 Brad Paquet
3. 18 Buddy Lowry
4. 147 Kyle Stolzer
5. 55k Jason Keller
6. 327 Chuck Goodman
7. t2 Grant Evans
8. 10 Daryn Klein
9. 8 Eddie Lowry
10. 28 Tyson Gegg

Heat 3
1. 11 Jeff Herzog
2. 87 Gary Haynes
3. 3 Scott Hensler
4. 59 Ryan Gegg
5. 23 Kevin Mosier
6. 16 Jake Buechting
7. 65 Gary Range
8. 68 Scott Bourland
9. 54 Kevin Pontious

Semi
1. 16 Jake Buechting
2. 5h Scott Hammack
3. 99 Chuck Adams
4. 65 Gary Range
5. 10 Daryn Klein
6. 8 Eddie Lowry
7. 6 Rick Ruch
8. 15b Matt Brucato
9. 68 Scott Bourland
10. 54 Kevin Pontious DNS
11. 28 Tyson Gegg DNS

Feature
1. (2) 57 Trey Harris
2. (6) 11 Jeff Herzog
3. (3) 12 Troy Naeger
4. (4) 49 Brad Paquet
5. (5) 50 Kent Nations
6. (7) 87 Gary Haynes
7. (1) 8e Steve Edgecombe
8. (9) 3 Scott Hensler
9. (10) 18 Buddy Lowry
10. (11) 147 Kyle Stolzer
11. (13) 55K Jason Keller
12. (15) 23 Kevin Mosier
13. (19) 99 Chuck Adams
14. (14) 16M Joe McCain
15. (16) 444 Marc Roberson
16. (18) 327 Chuck Goodman
17. (23) 8L Eddie Lowry
18. (8) 192 Mark Spraul
19. (20) 5H Scott Hammack
20. (17) 16B Jake Buechting
21. (21) 10 Daryn Klein
22. (22) 65 Gary Range
23. (12) 59 Ryan Gegg
DNS. T2 Grant Evans

UMP DIRTcar/AARA Pro 4 Stocks – 12 Entries
Heat 1
1. 49 Justin McAllister
2. 667 Jackie Buechting
3. 2s Philip Stuart
4. 21 Tom Rorabacher
5. 17w Brent Weaver
6. 19 Jessica Buechting

Heat 2
1. 11 Jeff Turner
2. 7j Blake Jost
3. 28 Justin Hall
4. 18 Aron Faulkner
5. 01 Billy Lapaglia
6. 62 Kelly Hebenstreit

Feature
1. 11 Jeff Turner
2. 667 Jackie Buechting
3. 7j Blake Jost
4. 49 Justin McCallister
5. 28 Justin Hall
6. 21 Tom Rorabacher
7. 2s Philip Stuart
8. 01 Billy Lapaglia
9. 62 Kelly Hebenstreit
10. 18 Aron Faulkner
11. 19 Jessica Buechting
12. 17w Brent Weaver