By Dan Stewart
The UMP Challenge of Champions came to Farmer City Friday night, and perennial track champion Roger Long was determined to add his name to the list of champions. Long led all 30 laps of the feature, but the race was definitely exciting behind him. Jr Shickel turned in fast time of the 39 drivers in attendance. The dash went to Eric Smith over Long, Billy Drake, Jr Shickel, Jason Feger and Brian Shirley to set up the first three rows for the feature. Heat races went to Justin Allgaier, Joe Ross Jr, Bob Pierce and Kevin Weaver. Semi features went to Cody Hupp and Don Hammer. At the drop of the green flag, Long took off in the lead, holding off early challenges from Eric Smith. Late in the race, ninth place starter Bob Pierce closed in but time ran out. Dennis Erb Jr followed Pierce through the traffic, but pulled off the track late in the race while running third. This was the first big win for Long at Farmer City in over 15 years, and puts him in the season ending event at Pevely MO paying $15,000 to win.
Dash:
1. 9 Eric Smith
2. 36 Roger Long
3. 9 Billy Drake
4. S10 Jr. Shickel
Heat 1:
1. 1A Justin Allgaier
2. 28 Dennis Erb
3. 47 Steve Hillard
4. B97 Marvin Burton
Heat 2:
1. 15 Joe Ross
2. 5S Steve Sheppard
3. 4 Mike Mullvain
4. 35 Cody Hupp
Heat 3:
1. 32 Bob Pierce
2. 27 Rodney Melvin
3. 1 Kyle Logue
4. 45 Don Hammer
Heat 4:
1. B12 Kevin Weaver
2. Z Joe Harlan
3. 45X Gary May
4. 7 Butch Smith
Semi #1:
1. 35 Cody Hupp
2. 61 Jammie Wilson
3. B97 Marvin Burton
4. 78 Chad Zobrist
5. 22 Chris Dick
6. 10 George Scheffler
7. 39 Wade Logue
8. 55 Jim Loomis
9. 22X Cory Rolfe
10. 31 John Davis
11. 00 Matt Melvin
Semi #2:
1. 45 Don Hammer
2. R52 Rylan Dagg
3. 95Q Virgil Bilbrey
4. 7 Butch Smith
5. 111 Terry Worth
6. 1W Donny Walden
7. 90 Frank Shickel
8. 45J John Mehn
9. 4C Robert Colson
10. 5 Mark Alltop
Feature:
1. 36 Roger Long
2. 32 Bob Peirce
3. 9 Billy Drake
4. 9 Eric Smith
5. S10 Jr. Shcikel
6. 3S Brian Shirley
7. B12 Kevin Weaver
8. 5s Steve Sheppard
9. 27 Rodney Melvin
10. 25 Jason Feger
11. 47 Steve Hillard
12. 1a Justin Allaiger
13. 35 Cody Hupp
14. 15 Joe Ross
15. 61 Jammie Wilson
16. 45 Don Hammer
17. R52 Rylan Dagg
18. z Joe Harlan
19. 28 Dennis Erb
20. 45x Gary May
21. 1 Kyle Logue
22. 4 Mike Mullvain
The modified feature was a very exciting event with Kyle Byerline holding off Kelli Kouski, semi feature winner Jeff Leka, Roger Drake and Rocky Griffin. Roben Huffman led a big part of the race, but was taken out with a smoking engine.
The UMP Challenge of Champions came to Farmer City Friday night, and perennial track champion Roger Long was determined to add his name to the list of champions. Long led all 30 laps of the feature, but the race was definitely exciting behind him. Jr Shickel turned in fast time of the 39 drivers in attendance. The dash went to Eric Smith over Long, Billy Drake, Jr Shickel, Jason Feger and Brian Shirley to set up the first three rows for the feature. Heat races went to Justin Allgaier, Joe Ross Jr, Bob Pierce and Kevin Weaver. Semi features went to Cody Hupp and Don Hammer. At the drop of the green flag, Long took off in the lead, holding off early challenges from Eric Smith. Late in the race, ninth place starter Bob Pierce closed in but time ran out. Dennis Erb Jr followed Pierce through the traffic, but pulled off the track late in the race while running third. This was the first big win for Long at Farmer City in over 15 years, and puts him in the season ending event at Pevely MO paying $15,000 to win.
Dash:
1. 9 Eric Smith
2. 36 Roger Long
3. 9 Billy Drake
4. S10 Jr. Shickel
Heat 1:
1. 1A Justin Allgaier
2. 28 Dennis Erb
3. 47 Steve Hillard
4. B97 Marvin Burton
Heat 2:
1. 15 Joe Ross
2. 5S Steve Sheppard
3. 4 Mike Mullvain
4. 35 Cody Hupp
Heat 3:
1. 32 Bob Pierce
2. 27 Rodney Melvin
3. 1 Kyle Logue
4. 45 Don Hammer
Heat 4:
1. B12 Kevin Weaver
2. Z Joe Harlan
3. 45X Gary May
4. 7 Butch Smith
Semi #1:
1. 35 Cody Hupp
2. 61 Jammie Wilson
3. B97 Marvin Burton
4. 78 Chad Zobrist
5. 22 Chris Dick
6. 10 George Scheffler
7. 39 Wade Logue
8. 55 Jim Loomis
9. 22X Cory Rolfe
10. 31 John Davis
11. 00 Matt Melvin
Semi #2:
1. 45 Don Hammer
2. R52 Rylan Dagg
3. 95Q Virgil Bilbrey
4. 7 Butch Smith
5. 111 Terry Worth
6. 1W Donny Walden
7. 90 Frank Shickel
8. 45J John Mehn
9. 4C Robert Colson
10. 5 Mark Alltop
Feature:
1. 36 Roger Long
2. 32 Bob Peirce
3. 9 Billy Drake
4. 9 Eric Smith
5. S10 Jr. Shcikel
6. 3S Brian Shirley
7. B12 Kevin Weaver
8. 5s Steve Sheppard
9. 27 Rodney Melvin
10. 25 Jason Feger
11. 47 Steve Hillard
12. 1a Justin Allaiger
13. 35 Cody Hupp
14. 15 Joe Ross
15. 61 Jammie Wilson
16. 45 Don Hammer
17. R52 Rylan Dagg
18. z Joe Harlan
19. 28 Dennis Erb
20. 45x Gary May
21. 1 Kyle Logue
22. 4 Mike Mullvain
The modified feature was a very exciting event with Kyle Byerline holding off Kelli Kouski, semi feature winner Jeff Leka, Roger Drake and Rocky Griffin. Roben Huffman led a big part of the race, but was taken out with a smoking engine.
