Glasgow, KY-November 1, 2014- The Summit Racing Equipment American Modified Series has completed its fifth season of competition and Jeff Curl of Forrest, IL is the 2014 series champion in the tour’s most successful season to date. Sixteen of eighteen events scheduled were completed (two rainouts) and the tour had ten different winners in those sixteen events, had five different drivers lead the points at various times throughout the season, and averaged 35 entries per event for the 2014 campaign.
Jeff Curl scored the 2014 series title by being a mark of consistency throughout the season. He raced in thirteen A-Main events, but did not score an event win. However, he did finish in the top ten a total of ten times and finished in the top five six times on his way to the series title. His best finish of the season came at his home track, Fairbury’s American Legion Speedway, with his second place finish in the 2nd Annual Casey’s Modified Nationals on August 30, along with four third place showings.
Victor Lee of Danville, KY would finish second in series points, making fourteen A-Main events along the way, but was not able to get an event win. Lee did score seven top ten finishes, with his best finish being a second at Western Kentucky Speedway on September 13. Brian Shaw of Robinson, IL would take third in the final points, making eleven A-Mains along the way and sweeping the season’s events at Cedar Ridge Speedway on July 26 and September 27. Roy Bruce, Jr. of Bloomington, IN claimed the fourth position in points, starting in thirteen A-Mains during the season, but not able to score a victory. Bruce, Jr. did have five top ten finishes, with his best coming at his home track, Bloomington Speedway, at the J.B. Robinson Memorial on April 25. Completing the top five in series points would be David McWilliams of Bethel, OH, who started thirteen A-Main events, but wasn’t able to reach victory lane, but manage two top ten finishes, both sixth places, at Moler Raceway Park on April 11 and at Brownstown Speedway on April 26.
The 2014 UMP Modified national champion, Devin Gilpin of Columbus, IN, would finish sixth in tour points, making seven A-Mains along the way and picking up four event wins during the season (Moler Raceway Park on April 11, Bloomington Speedway’s J.B. Robinson Memorial on April 25, Brownstown Speedway on April 26, and Vermillion County Speedway’s Kim Henderson Memorial on May 25). Jacob Poel of Spring Lake, MI finished seventh in series points by starting six series events and not finishing worse than sixth in any of those events and scored three event wins in the process (Farmer City Raceway on May 23, Fairbury’s American Legion Speedway’s Gary Cook, Jr. Memorial on May 24, and Spoon River Speedway’s 24th Annual Modified Fall Nationals on August 31). Brandon Green of Walton, KY ended up eighth in final tour points, scoring one event win at Florence Speedway on June 22 and starting six A-Mains along the way, with two other top five finishes. Matt Mevert of Steeleville, IL wound up ninth in series points, making five A-Main starts and four top five finishes, with his best being a pair of second place efforts (FALS on May 24 and Vermilion County Speedway on May 25). Rick Weekly of Steeleville, IL would round out the top ten in final points, making six A-Main events, with his best effort being an 11th place showing at Farmer City Raceway on May 23.
The tour presented sixteen events in 2014. The season started in March at Clarksville Speedway in Clarksville, TN where Lucas Lee of Paris, TN scored the race win. The month of April began at Smoky Mountain Speedway in Maryville, TN and Kyle Strickler of Mooresville, NC to the win in the 2nd Annual Spring Nationals. Moler Raceway Park in Williamsburg, OH would be next on the docket and Devin Gilpin began a string of three straight wins as he captured this event, along with back-to-back win at Bloomington Speedway in Bloomington, IN and Brownstown Speedway in Brownstown, IN. Roy Bruce, Jr. would take over the series points lead after the Moler Raceway Park event.
The tour would be off until Memorial Day weekend in May with a trip to Illinois and Jacob Poel would take back-to-back wins at Farmer City Raceway in Farmer City, IL and the 1st Annual Gary Cook, Jr. Memorial at Fairbury’s American Legion Speedway in Fairbury, IL. Devin Gilpin would finish the weekend with his fourth series win of the year by winning the 1st Annual Kim Henderson Memorial at Vermilion County Speedway in Danville, IL, with Victor Lee becoming the new series points leader after this event.
The month of June had two events scheduled, however a date at Moler Raceway Park would fall to Mother Nature and would not be rescheduled. The other June event would be at Florence Speedway in Union, KY and would see Brandon Green of Walton, KY take the win.
The month of July featured two events, with Trent Young of Hopkinsville, KY winning the tour’s first ever visit to Western Kentucky Speedway in Nebo, KY and Brian Shaw taking the win in the 2nd Annual Hope for Harlie Rumble at Cedar Ridge Speedway in Morgantown, KY. Jeff Curl assumed the series points lead after the event at Western Kentucky Speedway, while David McWilliams took over the series points lead after the Cedar Ridge Speedway race.
The series would take a rest until Labor Day weekend in August and the tour returned to Illinois for three scheduled events, with the first event at Farmer City Raceway falling victim to rain and not able to be rescheduled. The middle event of the weekend saw Mike Harrison of Highland, IL claim the win in the 2nd Annual Casey’s Modified Nationals at FALS, while Jacob Poel picked up his third series win of the year in the 24th Annual Modified Fall Nationals at Spoon River Speedway in Canton, IL, with Curl retaking the points lead for good after this event.
Two September contests saw Clayton Miller of Elkton, KY tops at Western Kentucky Speedway, while Brian Shaw would win his second series event of the season by topping the field at Cedar Ridge Speedway.
The series concluded its 2014 season at Florence Speedway in Union, KY with the 5th Annual Summit Racing Equipment Season Championship event and Josh Rice of Verona, KY would take the win to become the tenth different series winner for the season and the youngest event winner in tour history at 16 years, four months of age.
Jeff Curl would take the most All Star Performance Hard Charger of the Race awards with three, while Josh Harris of Owensboro, KY would collect the most Quick Car Racing Products top qualifier awards with three. In manufacturer’s challenge competition, Impressive Race Cars would win the chassis competition, with Mullins Race Engines winning the engine competition, while Bilstein would win the Shock competition.
The Summit Racing Equipment American Modified Series presents UMP DirtCar Modified sanctioned dirt track entertainment at racing venues throughout Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, and Tennessee. For more information concerning the Summit Racing Equipment American Modified Series, contact series race director Shane Mugavin at (270) 576-6474 or by email at shane@mugavin.com or by visiting the series social media outlets at www.americanmodifiedseries.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/pages/American-Modified-Series, and on Twitter @AmericanModSeri.
Summit Racing Equipment American Modified Series FINAL 2014 Top Ten Point Standings
1. Jeff Curl (Forrest, IL)- 2,545
2. Victor Lee (Danville, KY)- 2,340
3. Brian Shaw (Robinson, IL)- 2,325
4. Roy Bruce, Jr. (Bloomington, IN)- 2,195
5. David McWilliams (Bethel, OH)- 2,065
6. Devin Gilpin (Columbus, IN)- 1,675
7. Jacob Poel (Spring Lake, MI)- 1,495
8. Brandon Green (Walton, KY)- 1,155
9. Matt Mevert (Steeleville, IL)- 1,115
10. Rick Weekly (Buffalo, IL)- 1,100
Summit Racing Equipment American Modified Series 2014 Racing Events March 15- Clarksville Speedway (Clarksville, TN)- $1,500 to win- 10th Annual Tuckasee Toilet Bowl Classic: Lucas Lee-Paris, TN (44 entries) April 5- Smoky Mountain Speedway (Maryville, TN)- $3,000 to win- 2nd Annual Spring Nationals: Kyle Strickler-Mooresville, NC (25 entries) April 11- Moler Raceway Park (Williamsburg, OH)- $1,500 to win: Devin Gilpin- Columbus, IN (21 entries) April 25- Bloomington Speedway (Bloomington, IN)- $2,000 to win- 1st Annual J.B. Robinson Memorial: Devin Gilpin- Columbus, IN (31 entries) April 26- Brownstown Speedway (Brownstown, IN)- $1,500 to win: Devin Gilpin-Columbus, IN (29 entries) May 23- Farmer City Raceway (Farmer City, IL)- $1,500 to win: Jacob Poel-Spring Lake, MI (35 entries) May 24- Fairbury’s American Legion Speedway (Fairbury, IL)- $2,064 to win- 1st Annual Gary Cook, Jr. Memorial: Jacob Poel-Spring Lake, MI (37 entries) May 25- Vermillion County Speedway (Danville, IL)- $4,000 to win- 1st Annual Kim Henderson Memorial: Devin Gilpin-Columbus, IN (54 entries) June 20- Moler Raceway Park (Williamsburg, OH)- $1,500 to win: RAINOUT June 21- Florence Speedway (Union, KY)- $1,500 to win: Brandon Green- Walton, KY (43 entries) July 12- Western Kentucky Speedway (Nebo, KY)- $5,000 to win: Trent Young-Hopkinsville, KY (33 entries) July 26- Cedar Ridge Speedway (Morgantown, KY)- $1,500 to win- 2nd Annual Hope for Harlie Rumble: Brian Shaw-Robinson, IL (20 entries) August 29- Farmer City Raceway (Farmer City, IL)- $3,000 to win: RAINOUT August 30- Fairbury’s American Legion Speedway (Fairbury, IL)- $5,000 to win- 2nd Annual Casey’s Modified Nationals: Mike Harrison-Highland, IL (36 entries) August 31- Spoon River Speedway (Canton, IL)- $5,000 to win- 24th Annual Modified Fall Nationals: Jacob Poel- Spring Lake, MI (45 entries) September 13- Western Kentucky Speedway (Nebo, KY)- $5,000 to win: Clayton Miller- Elkton, KY (23 entries) September 27- Cedar Ridge Speedway (Morgantown, KY)- $1,500 to win: Brian Shaw- Robinson, IL (14 entries) October 25- Florence Speedway (Union, KY)- $5,000 to win- 5th Annual Summit Racing Equipment American Modified Series Championship: Josh Rice-Verona, KY (70 entries)
Summit Racing Equipment American Modified Series 2014 Official Sponsors *Summit Racing Equipment (www.summitracing.com)- “Title Sponsor for the American Modified Series and Sponsor of Heat Race #1”
*All Star Performance (www.allstarperformance.com)- “Official Hard Charger of the Race” Award Sponsor at all Summit Racing Equipment American Modified Series events *Crane Cams Ignition Systems- (www.cranecams.com) “Official Ignition System” of the Summit Racing Equipment American Modified Series *KBC Graphics- (www.kbcgraphix.com) “Official Graphics Company” of the Summit Racing Equipment American Modified Series (www.kbcgraphix.com) *Maxima Racing Oil- (www.maximausa.com) “Official Oil” of the Summit Racing Equipment American Modified Series and Tough Fifth Place Finish Sponsor *Quick Car Racing Products- (www.quickcar.net) “$100 Fast Qualifier Award” at all Summit Racing Equipment American Modified Series events *Something Inked- (www.somethinginked.com) “Official Merchandise Vendor” of the Summit Racing Equipment American Modified Series *VP Racing Fuels (www.vpracingfuels.com)- “Official Race Fuel” of the Summit Racing Equipment American Modified Series
Summit Racing Equipment American Modified Series 2014 Marketing Partners *AFCO Racing Shocks (www.afcoracing.com) *Bad Fast Race Chassis (www.734dirt.com) *Bandit Race Cars (www.banditracecars.net) *Bilstein (www.bilsteinus.com) *Bob Pierce Race Cars (www.bobpierceracecars.com) *Bob Poynter GM (www.bobpoynter.com) *Boknecht Trucking *Dale Meers Race Engines *DASCO Racing Supply *Dyers Top Rods (www.dyersrods.com) *Fox Shocks (www.ridefox.com) *Frankland Racing Equipment (www.franklandracing.com)- “Sponsor of Heat Race #4”
*Hypercoils (www.hypercoils.com)- “Sponsor of Heat Race #3”
*Impressive Race Cars (www.impressiveracecars.com) *Integra Shocks (www.integrashocksprings.com) *Jay Dickens Race Engines (www.jaydickens.com) *Lightning Chassis (www.lightningchassis.com) *Maximum Energy Development *Mullins Race Engines (www.mullinsraceengines.com) *PRO Shocks (www.proshocks.com) *RACEceiver (www.raceceiver.com) *Stealth Racewear (www.stealthracesuits.com)- “Sponsor of B-Mains”
*Tennessee RV Sales and Services (www.tennesseerv.com)- “Bicycle Sponsor for children’s bicycle giveaway at each event”
*UMP Dirt Car (www.umpracing.com)
*Wick Oil Company (www.wickoil.com)
*Wiles Driveshafts (www.wilesdriveshafts.com)- “Sponsor of Heat Race #2”
*Williams Precision Engines (www.wpespeedshop.com)
(Media Relations: Michael Despain-mgdespain@windstream.net, @MichaelDespain-Twitter, Michael Despain- Facebook)