Farmer City Raceway
Farmer City IL
June 23, 2006
BY Dan Stewart
The first Friday of Summer brought the UMP Summernationals to Farmer City Raceway, with a whopping 57 late models in the pits. Steve Hillard of Sadorus, IL turned in fast time overall at 13.261 seconds. Heats went to Wes Steidinger over Matt Taylor; Steve Sheppard Jr over Brian Shirley; Steve Hillard over Shannon Babb by inches; Kevin Weaver over Jeep VanWormer; Joe Harlan over Billy Drake; and Darren Miller over Dan Schlieper. The semi features went to Mike Mullvain over Jack Sullivan; Wendell Wallace over Scott James; and Ryan Dauber over Eric Smith.
The dash for the heat winners was an exciting race with the checkers going to Darren Miller over Wes Steidinger, setting up the front row for the feature, followed by Steve Hillard, Kevin Weaver, Joe Harlan and Steve Sheppard Jr. Rodney Melvin, Randy Korte, and Jr Shickel were the provisional starters.
The feature was a torrid affair, with the track taking rubber, passing was at a premium. Miller took the lead at the start and opened up a full straightaway lead over Wes Steidinger. By the time they had 14 of the 40 laps in the books, Hillard worked his way around Steidinger for second, and set his sites on Miller. After a couple more mid race cautions, lap 33 saw Hillard racing side by side with Miller. As the laps ran down, Hillard stayed the course, either directly behind or next to Miller. While the white flag was in the air, Miller got a bit out of the rubber groove, with Hillard full throttle trying to pass, contact was made, with Miller getting a bit sideways and as he collected the car, the front steering broke. Hillard went on around and held off Steidinger for the $10,000 win, the best in his career. Kevin Weaver came home a distant third followed by Shannon Babb, Matt Taylor, Dan Schlieper and Brian Shirley.
unofficial finish
start pos. in parenthesis)
34 Steve Hillard(3)
1 Wes Steidinger(2)
B12 Kevin Weaver(4)
18 Shannon Babb(9)
3L Matt Taylor(7)
s9 Dan Schlieper(WI)(12)
88 Wendell Wallace(AR)(14)
32D Darren Miller(1)
3s Brian Shirley(8)
55 Jeep VanWormer(MI)(10)
18s Jack Sullivan(AR)(16)
00 Randy Korte(20)prov
9 Eric Smith(18)
S10 Jr Shickel(21)prov
5s Steve Sheppard(6)
dnf
64 Ryan Dauber(15)
4 Mike Mullvain(13)
27 Rodney Melvin(19)prov
Z Joe Harlan(5)
9 Billy Drake(11)
83 Scott James(IN)(17)
The very stout field, along with the new line up procedures left several notables on the trailer at feature time, including Tim Lance, Richie Hedrick, Dennis Erb Jr, Roger Long, Joe Ross Jr, Johnny Johnson, Brad Neat, Jason Feger, Patrick Sheltra, Steve Lance Jr, and a host of others
In the modified division Scott Bull held off a determined Jeff Leka.
In the sportsman division, Billy Nail held off Greg Kimmons and Nick Macklin in a thriller of a race.
Farmer City IL
June 23, 2006
BY Dan Stewart
The first Friday of Summer brought the UMP Summernationals to Farmer City Raceway, with a whopping 57 late models in the pits. Steve Hillard of Sadorus, IL turned in fast time overall at 13.261 seconds. Heats went to Wes Steidinger over Matt Taylor; Steve Sheppard Jr over Brian Shirley; Steve Hillard over Shannon Babb by inches; Kevin Weaver over Jeep VanWormer; Joe Harlan over Billy Drake; and Darren Miller over Dan Schlieper. The semi features went to Mike Mullvain over Jack Sullivan; Wendell Wallace over Scott James; and Ryan Dauber over Eric Smith.
The dash for the heat winners was an exciting race with the checkers going to Darren Miller over Wes Steidinger, setting up the front row for the feature, followed by Steve Hillard, Kevin Weaver, Joe Harlan and Steve Sheppard Jr. Rodney Melvin, Randy Korte, and Jr Shickel were the provisional starters.
The feature was a torrid affair, with the track taking rubber, passing was at a premium. Miller took the lead at the start and opened up a full straightaway lead over Wes Steidinger. By the time they had 14 of the 40 laps in the books, Hillard worked his way around Steidinger for second, and set his sites on Miller. After a couple more mid race cautions, lap 33 saw Hillard racing side by side with Miller. As the laps ran down, Hillard stayed the course, either directly behind or next to Miller. While the white flag was in the air, Miller got a bit out of the rubber groove, with Hillard full throttle trying to pass, contact was made, with Miller getting a bit sideways and as he collected the car, the front steering broke. Hillard went on around and held off Steidinger for the $10,000 win, the best in his career. Kevin Weaver came home a distant third followed by Shannon Babb, Matt Taylor, Dan Schlieper and Brian Shirley.
unofficial finish
start pos. in parenthesis)34 Steve Hillard(3)
1 Wes Steidinger(2)
B12 Kevin Weaver(4)
18 Shannon Babb(9)
3L Matt Taylor(7)
s9 Dan Schlieper(WI)(12)
88 Wendell Wallace(AR)(14)
32D Darren Miller(1)
3s Brian Shirley(8)
55 Jeep VanWormer(MI)(10)
18s Jack Sullivan(AR)(16)
00 Randy Korte(20)prov
9 Eric Smith(18)
S10 Jr Shickel(21)prov
5s Steve Sheppard(6)
dnf
64 Ryan Dauber(15)
4 Mike Mullvain(13)
27 Rodney Melvin(19)prov
Z Joe Harlan(5)
9 Billy Drake(11)
83 Scott James(IN)(17)
The very stout field, along with the new line up procedures left several notables on the trailer at feature time, including Tim Lance, Richie Hedrick, Dennis Erb Jr, Roger Long, Joe Ross Jr, Johnny Johnson, Brad Neat, Jason Feger, Patrick Sheltra, Steve Lance Jr, and a host of others
In the modified division Scott Bull held off a determined Jeff Leka.
In the sportsman division, Billy Nail held off Greg Kimmons and Nick Macklin in a thriller of a race.
