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Highland, Ill. – (June 20, 2012) – Rodney Melvin has won a few DIRTcar Summer Nationals races in his day, but maybe none more thrilling than his last lap victory at Highland Speedway on Wednesday night that netted him a nice $5,000 payday.

Melvin, of Benton, Ill., meticulously battled his way from a seventh-place starting spot over the 40-lap main event to put himself in a three-way battle for the lead in the last five laps with then leader Randy Korte of Highland, Ill., and 2010 Hell Tour champion Jason Feger of Bloomington, Ill. Melvin worked the low side and moving past Feger with two to go and then grabbed the lead from Korte exiting turn two on the final lap Korte, a former UMP DIRTcar Late Model National Champion finished second with Feger third. Current Hell Tour point leader Shannon Babb crossed the line fourth. Brian Shirley of Chatham, Ill., who is Babb’s closest contender in the point standings, rounded out the top five.

Chad Zobrist, one of only two Highland regulars in the field who won his way into the tuff 22 car stating field through qualifying heats finished 12th. “Fast” Frankie Martin was placed into the starting grid on a track provisional, Martin finished 20th.

Defending Summit Racing Equipment Modified Nationals Champion Mike Harrison of Highland, Ill., made his first start on the 2012 edition of the tour a good one claiming the 20-lap main event at the Highland Speedway on Wednesday night and placing the 24H into the Casey’s General Stores Victory Lane, the win was worth a nice $1,000.

Harrison held off NASCAR driver Kenny Wallace originally from Arnold, Mo., over 20 laps after starting side-by-side at the drop of the green flag to become the seventh different winner in as many races in 2012. Wallace, the only non-Illinois native in the top five, would finish second while running his fastest lap on the final circuit. Steve Lach of Brownstown, Ill., finished third. Gabe Menser of Ashmore, Ill, and Chad Sellers of Breese, Ill., rounded out the top five.

UMP Late Models
Heat 1
Finish Car No Driver
1 25 Jason Feger
2 24 Ryan Unzicker
3 81C Kevin Cole
4 15H Jon Henry
5 96 Tanner English
6 22 Dan Jacober
7 25L Steve Lance, Jr
8 81JR Jason Riggs
9 33M Tim Manville
10 77 Clay Baumann
11 54 Dillon White

Heat 2
Finish Car No Driver
1 35 Brian Shirley
2 32P Bobby Pierce
3 77M Jason McBride
4 78 Chad Zobrist
5 7E Dennis Erb, Jr
6 11K Shannon Kuhn
7 27S Mike Schulte
8 30V Mark Voigt
9 27 Nick Bartels
10 7L Jerry Lierly
11 30J Kathy Jarvis

Heat 3
Finish Car No Driver
1 18 Shannon Babb
2 27M Rodney Melvin
3 99JR Frank Heckenast, Jr
4 15B Mark Burgtorf
5 6K Michael Kloos
6 32 Chad Stapleton
7 25 Frankie Martin
8 16S Chris Shelton
9 7T Steve Thorsten
10 61 Caleb Asby

Heat 4
Finish Car No Driver
1 0 0 Randy Korte
2 6M Wendell Wallace
3 12B Kevin Weaver
4 1 Brandon Sheppard
5 89 Mike Spatola
6 91 Rusty Schlenk
7 87 Jason Zobrist
8 21JR Billy Moyer, Jr
9 16H Mike Hammerlee
10 T4 Adam Tischhauser

C Main 1
1 81JR Jason Riggs
2 33M Tim Manville
3 16S Chris Shelton
4 77 Clay Baumann
5 7T Steve Thorsten
6 61 Caleb Asby
7 54 Dillon White

C Main 2
1 30V Mark Voigt
2 16H Mike Hammerlee
3 7L Jerry Lierly
4 27 Nick Bartels
5 21JR Billy Moyer, Jr
6 T4 Adam Tischhauser
7 30J Kathy Jarvis

B Main
1 7E Dennis Erb, Jr
2 96 Tanner English
3 89 Mike Spatola
4 6K Michael Kloos
5 11K Shannon Kuhn
6 25L Steve Lance, Jr
7 25 Frankie Martin
8 16H Mike Hammerlee
9 27S Mike Schulte
10 87 Jason Zobrist
11 81JR Jason Riggs
12 30V Mark Voigt
13 33M Tim Manville
14 91 Rusty Schlenk
15 22 Dan Jacober
16 32 Chad Stapleton

Feature
Finish Car No Driver
1 27M Rodney Melvin
2 0 0 Randy Korte
3 25 Jason Feger
4 18 Shannon Babb
5 3S Brian Shirley
6 32P Bobby Pierce
7 24 Ryan Unzicker
8 6M Wendell Wallace
9 12B Kevin Weaver
10 1 Brandon Sheppard
11 89 Mike Spatola
12 78 Chad Zobrist
13 15H Jon Henry
14 96 Tanner English
15 7E Dennis Erb, Jr
16 99JR Frank Heckenast, Jr
17 77M Jason McBride
18 81C Kevin Cole
19 21JR Billy Moyer, Jr
20 25 Frankie Martin
21 15R Mark Burgtorf
22 91 Rusty Schlenk

UMP Modifieds
Heat 1
Finish Car No Driver
1 24H Mike Harrison
2 11 Chad Sellers
3 16 Rusty Griffaw
4 84 Tyler Deibert
5 0 5 Steven Brooks
6 19 Jimmy Cummins
7 55V Brad Venhaus
8 25 Brett Korves
9 32 Donovan Lodge DNS

Heat 2
Finish Car No Driver
1 36 Kenny Wallace
2 13 Aaron Kleine
3 6 Justin Ketrow
4 79D John DeMoss
5 6 Brock Bauman
6 55 Marty Smith, Jr
7 72 Brian Lynn
8 2M Michael Meyer
9 66S Tommy Sheppard, Jr

Heat 3
Finish Car No Driver
1 G1 Gabe Menser
2 42 Steve Lach
3 12 Jeff Curl
4 6B Dave Baldwin
5 24J Jacob Steinkoenig
6 66T Tommy Sheppard, Sr
7 25T Denny Tribout, Jr
8 71 Lynn Tidwell

Semi
Finish Car No Driver
1 19 Jimmy Cummins
2 55 Marty Smith, Jr
3 66T Tommy Sheppard, Sr
4 72 Brian Lynn
5 25 Brett Korves
6 66S Tommy Sheppard, Jr
7 25T Denny Tribout, Jr
8 55V Brad Venhaus
9 71 Lynn Tidwell
10 2M Michael Meyer
11 32 Donovan Lodge

Feature
Finish Car No Driver
1 24H Mike Harrison
2 36 Kenny Wallace
3 42 Steve Lach
4 G1 Gabe Menser
5 11 Chad Sellers
6 13 Aaron Kleine
7 12 Jeff Curl
8 84 Tyler Deibert
9 6B Dave Baldwin
10 16 Rusty Griffaw
11 6BA Brock Bauman
12 79D John DeMoss
13 6 Justin Ketrow
14 0 5 Steven Brooks
15 24J Jacob Steinkoenig
16 66T Tommy Sheppard, Sr
17 55 Marty Smith, Jr
18 55V Brad Venhaus
19 19 Jimmy Cummins
20 72 Brian Lynn
21 32 Donovan Lodge
22 25 Brett Korves

UMP Factory Stocks (Bombers)
Heat 1
Finish Car No Driver
1 6I Austin Isaak
2 66 Jason Worley
3 54 Shaun Hortsmann
4 30* Wade Carson
5 32T Jacob Tompkins
6 59 Dave Kuehn
7 T24 Travis Raterman

Heat 2
Finish Car No Driver
1 6 Jake Hewitt
2 29 Stephen Fohne
3 9X Trevor Isaak
4 8T T J Eilers
5 36 Eric Harris
6 29H Cale Hartnagel
7 441 Cody Ventimiglia

Feature
Finish Car No Driver
1 66 Jason Worley
2 6I Austin Isaak
3 6 Jake Hewitt
4 8T T J Eilers
5 29 Stephen Fohne
6 9X Trevor Isaak
7 54 Shaun Hortsmann
8 32T Jacob Tompkins
9 29H Cale Hartnagel
10 36 Eric Harris
11 441 Cody Ventimiglia
12 30* Wade Carson
13 59 Dave Kuehn
14 T24 Travis Raterman

UMP Sport Compacts (Hornets)
Heat 1
Finish Car No Driver
1 19* Josh Bauer
2 128 Zach Schantz
3 0 Chris Dicken
4 9T Travis Horner
5 WHO2 Eldon Hemken
6 63 Brett Eilerman
7 8B Robbie Bindrim
8 21J Kerry Kehrer
9 81LE Lacey Egbert

Heat 2
Finish Car No Driver
1 17R Jacob Rexing
2 97 Bobby Funderburk
3 18 Kenny Elliott
4 47R Robert Shaw
5 95 Calvin Robke
6 35R Rickey Carriker
7 51 Jeff Santel
8 47L Christian Lee
9 55J James Southers

Feature
Finish Car No Driver
1 18 Kenny Elliott
2 19* Josh Bauer
3 47R Robert Shaw
4 17R Jacob Rexing
5 0 Chris Dicken
6 WHO2 Eldon Hemken
7 128 Zach Schantz
8 95 Calvin Robke
9 81LE Lacey Egbert
10 9T Travis Horner
11 21J Kerry Kehrer
12 97 Bobby Funderburk
13 35R Rickey Carriker
14 51 Jeff Santel
15 63 Brett Eilerman
16 8B Robbie Bindrim DNS
17 47L Christian Lee DNS
18 55J James Southers DNS