Babb Makes It An Even Dozen Wins On UMP Summernationals Tour Wednesday At 34 Raceway
by: Kevin Kovac, DIRT MotorSports Public Relations

WEST BURLINGTON, IA  (July 12, 2006) – Shannon Babb put himself on the brink of a second consecutive UMP Summernationals title, winning Wednesday night’s 40-lap tour event at 34 Raceway.

The $10,000 triumph was Babb’s second in a row and 12th overall on DIRT MotorSports’ grueling, month-long dirt Late Model series.

But more importantly, the Moweaqua, Ill., standout extended his already commanding points lead with two races remaining in the 26-event UMP Summernationals. He can mathematically clinch the $30,000 crown in Thursday night’s stop at Quincy (Ill.) Raceway.

“We’re getting close,” said Babb, who won a series-record 15 features en route to capturing last year’s Summernationals. “But we’ve run every night like it’s a new one and we’ll continue to do that.

“We look at the Summernationals as a chance to make some good money every night for a month – and if everything works out, there’s real good money for winning the points.”

Babb, 32, started the main from the pole position and led from flag-to-flag, but the checkered flag didn’t come easily. He was threatened early by Randy Korte of Highland, Ill., who finished in the runner-up spot for the second consecutive race, and he thought he was vulnerable late in the distance.

The three-eighths-mile oval’s moist, racy track surface proved to be a challenge. Babb made myriad suspension changes to his RaceTek-powered Rocket No. 18 during the program in hopes of uncovering an optimum setup for the conditions, and he drove up-and-down the speedway to find the fast groove.

“I was searching everywhere,” said Babb. “I ran around the top at the start, but I saw Randy down there inside me a few times so I moved to the middle to try it. That’s the lane my car liked best.”

Babb was flawless racing through lapped traffic at mid-race and pulled away from Korte following the race’s second and final caution flag, on lap 29. He beat Korte to the finish line by roughly 10 car lengths – a margin that Babb wasn’t quite sure about.

“I felt like I was taking forever to get off turn four late in the race,” said Babb. “I thought for sure that Randy would be there to challenge me.”

Korte, who recorded the night’s fastest lap in time trials, never got close after his early challenge, but he held firmly to second place.

Jimmy Mars of Menomonie, Wis., was the mover-and-shaker of the closing circuits, passing Brady Smith of Salon Springs, Wis., exiting turn two on the final lap to finish third. Smith settled for fourth place and outside-polesitter Darren Miller of Milledgeville, Ill., took fifth.

Babb’s Victory Lane appearance had some special significance. It was his first-ever win at 34 Raceway, a top-notch facility that is owned by veteran dirt Late Model racer/supporter Johnny Johnson, whose J&J Steel company’s logo happens to grace the flanks of Babb’s car.

“Johnny has done a lot of stuff for us,” said Babb, who has another Iowa-based business, Car City, as a sponsor. “It means a lot to come to his track and win.”

Brian Birkhofer of Muscatine, Iowa, who entered Wednesday night’s action after winning UMP Summernationals events on July 7 at Bureau County Speedway in Princeton, Ill., and July 9 at Tri-City Speedway in Pontoon Beach, Ill., moved from the eighth starting spot to fourth by lap 11. But sheet metal that was bent in an early scrape ultimately cut down his car’s left-rear tire, forcing him out of action on lap 29.

Twenty-seven cars entered the event.

Heat winners were Korte, Babb and Miller. Wendell Wallace of Batesville, Ark., captured the B-Main and Babb topped the pole dash.

UMP Summernationals Feature Finish (40 laps): 1. Shannon Babb, 2. Randy Korte, 3. Jimmy Mars, 4. Brady Smith, 5. Darren Miller, 6. Steve Shepard, 7. Dennis Erb Jr., 8. Jeep VanWormer, 9. Wendell Wallace, 10. Mark Burgtorf, 11. Jay Johnson, 12. Todd Shute, 13. Jack Sullivan, 14. Billy Moyer Jr., 15. Brian Birkhofer, 16. Johnny Johnson, 17. Denny Woodward, 18. Jason Feger, 19. Jeff Laue, 20. Brian Harris, 21. Kevin Weaver, 22. Brian Kenning, 23. Brian Shirley, 24. Kerry Matthew.

DNQ: Steve Zakrajsek, Kevin Tomlinson, Denny Eckrich.