Shannon Babb
UMP DIRTcar Summer Nationals Race 18: Shannon Babb Blasts to Second Straight Win at Quincy
Quincy, IL — July 3, 2009 — In a spectacle that resembled a Blue Angels-like performance on the quarter-mile Quincy, (Ill.) Raceways, Shannon Babb of Moweaqua, Ill., claimed his second win of the 2009 UMP DIRTcar Summer Nationals Tour.
Babb, a two-time “Hell Tour” champion, held off dirt late model legend Billy Moyer of Batesville, Ark., and withstood early pressure from Jeep Van Wormer of Pinconning, Mich., while running second, eventually leading the last seven laps for the win.
“When we rolled around there for pace laps I knew it was going to be fast and hard to handle,” Babb said with a large grin. “It was wide open as hard as we could go.”
On what was a lightning fast track the entire night, Babb glued his nose right to the rear quarter panel of Logan, Ill., driver Rodney Melvin for the first 33 laps of the 40-lap main event, until Melvin suffered an ignition failure giving Babb the lead and open track ahead. “Rodney was really good,” said Babb. “It was unfortunate what happened to him because I would like to have passed him the right way.”
After the inconsistencies Babb has suffered during his 2009 “Hell Tour”, things seem to be turning the corner for the driver known as “The Moweaqua Missile”. “I’m just really happy to get to victory lane tonight,” he said.
Moyer, a former Babb mentor, finished second to his former student on the night. “It was fast, muddy, and hard to see,” said Moyer of the conditions. “He (Babb) was the best car and he deserved to win the race.”
Moyer tailed Babb the closing seven laps getting within a car length at time. “We just kind of kept our nose clean,” reasoned Moyer. “We’ll be able to load it up and go to the next race.”
Terry Casey of New London, Wisc., finished third after taking a night off from the grueling “Hell Tour” to regroup during the tour’s stop at Macon (Ill.), Speedway. Casey charged from his 14th starting position to his best finish since a runner-up finish at Charleston, (Ill.) Speedway.
Defending champion Dennis Erb of Carpentersville, Ill., finished fourth, a spot he claimed for the second night in a row after a late pass of fifth place finisher Bill Frye of Greenbrier, Ark.
Heat 1:
1. Jeep Van Wormer
2. Brian Birkhofer
3. Dennis Erb Jr.
4. Ryan Unzicker
5. Frank Heckenast Jr.
6. Chris Simpson
7. Mike Hammerle
8. Russ Schoonover
DNS. Russ Adams
Heat 2:
1. Rodney Melvin
2. Donny Walden
3. Kevin Weaver
4. Terry Casey
5. Scott James
6. Roger Brickler
7. Ed Dixon
8. Bill Genenbacher
Heat 3:
1. Shannon Babb
2. Billy Moyer
3. Denny Woodworth
4. Will Vaught
5. Jason Feger
6. Chris Guerroro
7. Derek Chandler
8. Brandon Thirlby
Heat 4:
1. Bill Frye
2. Terry English
3. Randy Korte
4. Brian Shirley
5. Wes Steidinger
6. Scott Schmitt
7. Nick Ingalls
8. Jason Perry
B Main:
1. Frank Heckenast Jr.
2. Jason Feger
3. Roger Brickler
4. Wes Steidinger
5. Chris Simpson
6. Mike Hammerle
7. Derek Chandler
8. Brandon Thirlby
9. Chris Guerrero
10. Russ Schoonover
11. Russ Adams
Feature:
1. Shannon Babb
2. Billy Moyer
3. Terry Casey
4. Dennis Erb Jr.
5. Bill Frye
6. Randy Korte
7. Donny Walden
8. Terry English
9. Ryan Unzicker
10. Jason Feger
11. Frank Heckenast Jr.
12. Rodney Melvin
13. Mike Hammerle
14. Jeep Van Wormer
15. Bill Genenbacher
16. Denny Woodworth
17. Will Vaught
18. Wes Steidinger
19. Brian Shirley
20. Brian Birkhofer
21. Kevin Weaver
HELL TOUR NOTES
Thirty-three UMP DIRTcar Late Models arrived at the Quincy, Ill. quarter-mile to compete for the largest purse ever offered at the track. Brian Birkhofer of Muscatine, Iowa earned quick time honors in group one while Donny Walden of Towanda, Ill., was fastest in group two. Will Vaught of Crane, Mo., was quickest in group three and quickest overall with a lap of 12.669 seconds. Terry English of Benton, Ky., set fast time in group four to round out qualifying.
The front row was definitely the place to be during heat races on the night as all four winners came from a front row starting position to garner wins. Jeep Van Wormer of Pinconning, Mich., got a jump early on polesitter Brian Birkhofer as the lead duo screamed around the Illinois oval separated by only a few feet for the duration.
Heat two saw Rodney Melvin beat Donny Walden into turn one and claim a heat win. Quick timers Babb and Frye both won their respective heat races from the pole with Babb claiming heat three and Frye the fourth heat race.
Scott James led early in the night’s B-Main before slipping over what was a very treacherous cushion in turns one and two giving his lead to young Frank Heckenast Jr. of Orland Park, Ill. Jason Feger of Bloomington, Ill., followed Heckenast to the line for the final transfer spot.
Provisionals for the evening went to Wes Steidinger of Fairbury, Ill., long-time UMP DIRTcar competitor Mike Hammerle of St. Charles, Mo., and local Bill Genenbacher of Camp Point, Ill.
For more information on the UMP DIRTcar Summer Nationals Tour fans can visit http://www.thehelltour.com
Fans can now receive news, updates and other behind-the-scenes information about the UMP DIRTcar Summer Nationals by following the tour’s official feed on Twitter, the internet’s fast-growing social-networking and micro-blogging website.
Fans can view the latest text posts and subscribe as “followers” of the Summer Nationals at http://twitter.com/SummerNationals .
2009 UMP DIRTcar Summer Nationals Schedule
Date/Track/Location/Purse/Winner/Cars
06/11/09 Brownstown Speedway – Brownstown, IN – $6,000 (Jeep VanWormer – 43)
06/12/09 Kankakee Motor Speedway – Kankakee,IL – $10,000 (Billy Moyer – 51)
06/13/09 Kamp Motor Speedway – Boswell, IN – $10,000 (Eric Smith – 44)
06/14/09 Quad City Raceway – East Moline, IL – $6,000 (Dennis Erb – 31)
06/16/09 Highland Speedway – Highland, IL – $6,000 (RAIN)
06/17/09 Belle-Clair Speedway – Belleville, IL – $6,000 (Dennis Erb – 47)
06/18/09 Charleston Speedway – Charleston, IL – $6,000 (RAIN)
06/19/09 Farmer City Raceway – Farmer City, IL – $10,000 (RAIN)
06/20/09 Clarksville Speedway – Clarksville, TN – $10,000 (Billy Moyer – 44)
06/21/09 Tri-State Speedway – Haubstadt, IN – $6,000 (Jeep Van Wormer – 43)
06/23/09 Charleston Speedway – Charleston, IL $6,000 (Rodney Melvin – 26)
06/24/09 Tri-City Speedway – Pontoon Beach, IL $6,000 (Jason Feger – 34)
06/25/09 Clay Hill Motorsports Park – Atwood, TN – $6,000 (Billy Moyer – 38)
06/26/09 Paducah International Raceway – Paducah, KY – $10,000 (Billy Moyer – 41)
06/27/09 Fairbury Speedway – Fairbury, IL – $10,000 (Billy Moyer – 34)
06/28/09 Lincoln Speedway – Lincoln, IL – $6,000 (Randy Korte – 35)
06/29/09 Farmer City Raceway – Farmer City,IL $6,000 (Dennis Erb Jr. – 34)
06/30/09 Peoria Speedway – Peoria, IL – $6,000 (Jason Feger – 39)
07/01/09 Highland Speedway – Highland, IL – $6,000 (Jeep Van Wormer – 39)
07/02/09 Macon Speedway – Macon, IL – $6,000 (Shannon Babb – 34)
07/03/09 Quincy Raceway – Quincy, IL – $10,000 (Shannon Babb – 33)
07/04/09 I-55 Raceway – Pevely, MO – $10,000 (RAIN)
07/05/09 Vermillion County Speedway – Danville, IL – $6,000
07/07/09 Shepp Speedway – Alexandria, IL – $6,000
07/08/09 Spoon River Speedway – Canton,IL $6,000
07/09/09 La Salle Speedway – La Salle, IL – $6,000
07/10/09 Waynesfield Motorsports Park – Waynesfield, OH – $10,000
07/11/09 Oakshade Raceway – Wauseon, OH – 10,000
The UMP DIRTcar Summer Nationals is brought to race fans by many important sponsors and partners, including: VP Racing Fuels, CJ Rayburn Race Cars, Hoosier Racing Tire, Quarter Master, Just Plugs, Special Olympics, Wrisco Aluminum, Eibach Springs, and Integra Racing Shocks.