CONCORD, NC — June 16, 2018 — The 2018 DIRTcar Summer Nationals and Summit Racing Equipment Modified Nationals kick off today, Wednesday, June 16th, at Peoria Speedway in Peoria, IL. The event is the first of five races during the Northern Kick Off Week and will mark the first time Peoria Speedway has hosted the opening event of the DIRTcar Summer Nationals and Summit Modified Nationals.
The great state of Illinois will host an outstanding contingency of drivers led by four-time Summer Nationals Champion Shannon Babb, 2012 Champion Brian Shirley, 2010 Champion Jason Feger, defending DIRTcar Super Late Model National Champion Ryan Unzicker, and 2014 World of Outlaw Craftsman Late Model Series Rookie of The Year Frank Heckenast Jr. Babb is currently eight wins away from the coveted one hundredth win.
Hall of Fame driver Billy Moyer of Batesville, AR will also be attendance. Moyer is a six-time tour champion with 96 race wins to his name. Moyer has managed to win at least one Summer Nationals event a season since 2007. The legendary driver of the 21 car has previous wins at three of the five Northern Kick Off tracks (Peoria Speedway, Kankakee County Speedway and Sycamore Speedway).
Stepping out of his UMP Modified and into a Super Late Model, 2016 Summit Modified Nationals Champion Nick Hoffman will make a run at the 2018 DIRTcar Summer National title for the first time ever. The Mooresville, NC standout will look to become the second driver ever to win a feature in both the Super Late Models and UMP Modifieds. If the driver, originally from Bellevue, IL, does so, he would join Levi Kissinger on that list. Kissinger has one win on the Hell Tour (2015) and two victories with the Summit Modified Nationals (2017 & 2016).
Rusty Schlenk of McClure, OH will join the Ultimate Race-cation in 2018. The driver of the the CJ1 has two Summer Nationals victories to his name from 2010 at his home track of Oakshade, OH and Jackson, MI. Schlenk will be be starting the tour during Northern Kick Off Week.
A pair of Australians will join the DIRTcar Summer Nationals Hell Tour in 2018. Bunbury, West Australia’s Paul Stubber, who finished eleventh in 2017, will be joined by fellow Aussie Ben Nicastri, from Camden, New South Wales. Both competitors, two of the top drivers in the West Australia dirt Late Model racing circuit, look to make their mark on the most grueling dirt Super Late Model tour in the world.
Following the tour’s opening event at Peoria Speedway, the Northern Kick Off Week will continue on to Kankakee, IL on June 14 and a pair of $10,000-to-win events at Sycamore Speedway (IL) on Friday, June 15 and the Dirt Oval at Route 66 Raceway (IL) on Saturday, June 16. The Northern Kick Off Week will conclude at Plymouth Speedway (IN) on Sunday, June, 17 before the first free Monday in preparation for Legends Week, which begins on Tuesday, June 19 at Belle-Clair Speedway (IL). See the complete schedule at thehelltour.com/schedule
Follow @SummerNationals on Twitter or Facebook for updates during and between race seasons. The DIRTcar Late Models will be joined by the DIRTcar UMP Modifieds as the Summit Racing Equipment Modified Nationals runs parallel to the DIRTcar Summer Nationals. Information on the Modifieds can be found modifiednationals.com.