PADUCAH , KY – Aug. 24, 2007 – Bill Frye’s ‘Drive for Five’ is alive.
The veteran from Greenbrier, Ark. , continued putting a slow start on this year’s MARS DIRTcar Series in his rearview window, capturing Friday night’s ‘USA World 50’ at Paducah International Raceway.
Frye’s $5,000 victory in the MARS/UMP DIRTcar Racing Late Model Shootout gave him three wins in the last four MARS events. He also regained the points lead in his quest for a second straight and record fifth overall MARS championship, overtaking his 20-year-old protégé Will Vaught of Crane, Mo., who finished eighth.
After going winless through the first eight races of the 2007 MARS schedule, Frye broke out with back-to-back victories on Aug. 4-5 and Springfield ( Mo. ) Raceway and Monett ( Mo. ) Speedway . He finished third on Aug. 22 at Tri-City Speedway in Pontoon Beach , Ill. , before returning to the spotlight at the three-eighths-mile Paducah oval, which is co-owned by NASCAR stars Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kenny Schrader and Tony Stewart and veteran promoter Bob Sargent.
Frye, 47, took the green flag from the fifth starting position and quickly began contending for the lead in his GRT No. 66. He passed two-time UMP DIRTcar Racing Summernationals champion Shannon Babb of Moweaqua , Ill. , for the top spot on lap 28 and never looked back en route to his 32nd career MARS triumph.
Babb, who started from the front row and led the race’s first 27 laps, settled for runner-up money in an A-Main that was slowed by only one caution flag.
Three-time MARS titlist Terry Phillips of Springfield, Mo., finished third two nights after recording his first MARS victory of 2007, moving him to second in the tour’s points standings, 19 markers behind Frye. Phillips and Frye are the only champions in the seven-year history of the MARS DIRTcar Series.
Completing the top five was Randy Korte of Highland , Ill. , and John Tindal of Fulton , Ky.
A field of 32 dirt Late Models was signed in for the program.
Heat winners were Korte, Babb, Phillips and Tindal, and the B-Mains were captured by Jack Sullivan of Greenbrier, Ark. , and Jeff Sloan of East Prairie, Mo.
The MARS DIRTcar Series completes its busy swing with a 40-lap event on Saturday night (Aug. 25) at I-55 Raceway in Pevely , Mo.
Friday night’s scheduled MARS/UMP Shootout at Poplar Bluff ( Mo. ) Speedway was canceled due to lighting malfunctions at the facility. The event will not be rescheduled.
For more information on the MARS DIRTcar Series, visit www.midamericaracingseries.com.
MARS DIRTcar Series/UMP DIRTcar Racing Late Models Shootout A-Main Finish (50 laps):
1. Bill Frye
2. Shannon Babb
3. Terry Phillips
4. Randy Korte
5. John Tindal
6. Peyton Taylor
7. Terry English
8. Will Vaught
9. Dennis Erb Jr.
10. Kevin Cole
11. Jeremy Payne
12. Brent Kreke
13. Jack Sullivan
14. Michael Steele
15. Jason McBride
16. Brandon McCormick
17. Joe Mike III
18. Chris Shelton
19. Michael Kloos
20. Brian Shirley
21. Rusty Griffaw
22. Jason Riggs
23. Mike Hammerle
24. Jeff Sloan
MARS DIRTcar Series Points Standings (as of Aug. 24):
1. Bill Frye 1,075
2. Terry Phillips 1,056 (-19)
3. Will Vaught 1,051 (-24)
4. Jack Sullivann 972 (-103)
5. Jeremy Payne 967 (-108)
6. Brandon McCormick 839 (-236)
7. Steve Rushin 768 (-307)
8. Al Purkey 750 (-325)
9. Gary Stolba 337 (-738)
10. Justin Wells 323 (-752)
The veteran from Greenbrier, Ark. , continued putting a slow start on this year’s MARS DIRTcar Series in his rearview window, capturing Friday night’s ‘USA World 50’ at Paducah International Raceway.
Frye’s $5,000 victory in the MARS/UMP DIRTcar Racing Late Model Shootout gave him three wins in the last four MARS events. He also regained the points lead in his quest for a second straight and record fifth overall MARS championship, overtaking his 20-year-old protégé Will Vaught of Crane, Mo., who finished eighth.
After going winless through the first eight races of the 2007 MARS schedule, Frye broke out with back-to-back victories on Aug. 4-5 and Springfield ( Mo. ) Raceway and Monett ( Mo. ) Speedway . He finished third on Aug. 22 at Tri-City Speedway in Pontoon Beach , Ill. , before returning to the spotlight at the three-eighths-mile Paducah oval, which is co-owned by NASCAR stars Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kenny Schrader and Tony Stewart and veteran promoter Bob Sargent.
Frye, 47, took the green flag from the fifth starting position and quickly began contending for the lead in his GRT No. 66. He passed two-time UMP DIRTcar Racing Summernationals champion Shannon Babb of Moweaqua , Ill. , for the top spot on lap 28 and never looked back en route to his 32nd career MARS triumph.
Babb, who started from the front row and led the race’s first 27 laps, settled for runner-up money in an A-Main that was slowed by only one caution flag.
Three-time MARS titlist Terry Phillips of Springfield, Mo., finished third two nights after recording his first MARS victory of 2007, moving him to second in the tour’s points standings, 19 markers behind Frye. Phillips and Frye are the only champions in the seven-year history of the MARS DIRTcar Series.
Completing the top five was Randy Korte of Highland , Ill. , and John Tindal of Fulton , Ky.
A field of 32 dirt Late Models was signed in for the program.
Heat winners were Korte, Babb, Phillips and Tindal, and the B-Mains were captured by Jack Sullivan of Greenbrier, Ark. , and Jeff Sloan of East Prairie, Mo.
The MARS DIRTcar Series completes its busy swing with a 40-lap event on Saturday night (Aug. 25) at I-55 Raceway in Pevely , Mo.
Friday night’s scheduled MARS/UMP Shootout at Poplar Bluff ( Mo. ) Speedway was canceled due to lighting malfunctions at the facility. The event will not be rescheduled.
For more information on the MARS DIRTcar Series, visit www.midamericaracingseries.com.
MARS DIRTcar Series/UMP DIRTcar Racing Late Models Shootout A-Main Finish (50 laps):
1. Bill Frye
2. Shannon Babb
3. Terry Phillips
4. Randy Korte
5. John Tindal
6. Peyton Taylor
7. Terry English
8. Will Vaught
9. Dennis Erb Jr.
10. Kevin Cole
11. Jeremy Payne
12. Brent Kreke
13. Jack Sullivan
14. Michael Steele
15. Jason McBride
16. Brandon McCormick
17. Joe Mike III
18. Chris Shelton
19. Michael Kloos
20. Brian Shirley
21. Rusty Griffaw
22. Jason Riggs
23. Mike Hammerle
24. Jeff Sloan
MARS DIRTcar Series Points Standings (as of Aug. 24):
1. Bill Frye 1,075
2. Terry Phillips 1,056 (-19)
3. Will Vaught 1,051 (-24)
4. Jack Sullivann 972 (-103)
5. Jeremy Payne 967 (-108)
6. Brandon McCormick 839 (-236)
7. Steve Rushin 768 (-307)
8. Al Purkey 750 (-325)
9. Gary Stolba 337 (-738)
10. Justin Wells 323 (-752)
