Fairbury American Legion Speedway
By Kellen Burns/DIRTcar Racing P.R.
FAIRBURY, IL (July 5) When the UMP DIRTcar Summer Nationals tour
visits Fairbury American Legion Speedway, Jimmy Mars is at the top of his
game.
The 36-year-old driver from Menomonie, Wis., showed his mastery of the
quarter-mile oval once again on Saturday night, racing to victory in the
tracks 50-lap Summer Nationals event for the third time in the last four
years.
A winner of Fairburys Summer Nationals A-Main in 2005 and 2006, this years
tour date turned out to be no different for Mars.
Mars, who started third, drove by Steve Sheppard Jr. of New Berlin, Ill.,
for second early in the feature. He then set his sights on Chatham, Ill.s
Brian Shirley, the races polesitter.
Mars and Shirley waged a great battle for the top spot, with Mars trying low
and high to get around. Mars finally found something in the middle groove of
turns three and four and overtook Shirley on lap five, but a caution flag
for a slowing Jordan Bland of Campbellsville, Ky., negated the move.
Mars instantly applied pressure to Shirley again on the restart. Shirley
repelled the bids until lap 11, when Mars drove his No. 28 to the inside of
Shirley and gained command for good.
I had a feeling (the track surface) was going to rubber, so I was trying to
get to the front to get the lead as soon as I could, said Mars. It worked
out twice!
Mars was in control for the remainder of the distance, building as much as a
full straightaway lead before lapped traffic slowed him. A caution flag on
lap 27 gave him clear track and he had no trouble during the races second
half.
Mars attributed the dominant run in part to how well his machine responded
to race conditions.
The car was excellent, it was flawless, said Mars, who made his first
visit to the Summer Nationals RacingJunk.com Victory Lane in his second tour
appearance of 2008. I could run on the inside of (Shirley) and the outside
of him. It was a good race.
Mars, who earned $10,000 for his seventh career Summer Nationals triumph,
was followed to the finish line by Shirley. The driver known as Squirrel
held off a charging Darren Miller of Milledgeville, Ill., to place second.
After starting from the pole, however, Shirley wasnt happy with a
bridesmaid finish.
It was a tough one to swallow because you dont want to lose, said
Shirley. All and all, it wasnt a bad night.
Shirley was strong on the low side of the track early in the event, but he
couldnt find a groove to stay out front of Mars in the end.
He had a better car, Shirley said of Mars. I tried to momentum his line
and just couldnt do it. Well take it and well move on.
The runner-up finish did move Shirley into the UMP DIRTcar Summer Nationals
points lead after 16 events. He unofficially grabbed a four-point edge over
defending champion Dennis Erb Jr. of Carpentersville, Ill., who lost five
positions on the final lap due to engine woes and finished 12th.
Miller, who started fifth, made some moves early but found it difficult to
move around late in the race. He settled for third.
It just rubbered up a one-lane deal, said Miller. I about had Shirley
(for second). I got clear up beside him. I would have had to go into one and
bang pretty bad (to complete the pass). Im not really into doing that when
its rubbered up like that.
Miller knew, however, that Mars was certainly the class of the field.
We werent near as good as Jim was, said Miller.
Ryan Dauber of Tonica, Ill., scored an 08 Summer Nationals-best finish of
fourth, while Sheppard completed the top five.
Forty-eight cars entered the event, which saw Erb set fast time in the group
qualifying session with a lap of 13.41 seconds.
Heat winners were Shirley, Sheppard, Mars, Miller and Bland. Mark Burgtorf
of Quincy, Ill., and Don O'Neal of Martinsville, Ind., captured the C-Mains,
and Billy Moyer of Batesville, Ark., topped the B-Main.
The UMP DIRTcar Summer Nationals continues on Sunday night (July 6) with a
$6,000-to-win event at Quad City Raceway in East Moline, Ill.
For more information on the Summer Nationals, visit www.dirtcar.com.
UMP DIRTcar Summer Nationals Feature Finish (40 laps):
1. Jimmy Mars
2. Brian Shirley
3. Darren Miller
4. Ryan Dauber
5. Steve Sheppard Jr.
6. Billy Moyer
7. Eric Smith
8. Derek Chandler
9. Ryan Unzicker
10. Will Vaught
11. Wes Steidinger
12. Dennis Erb Jr.
13. Daren Friedman
14. Jeep VanWormer
15. Jordan Bland
16. Joe Harlan
17. Randy Korte
18. Jason Feger
19. Scott Bull
20. Kevin Weaver
21. Brian Birkhofer
B-Main Finish: Billy Moyer, Wes Steidinger, Joe Harlan, Jeep Van Wormer,
Jesse Stovall, Kevin Weaver, Tim Lance, Scott Bull, Jimmy Dehm, Mark
Burgtorf, Don O'Neal, Jason McBride, Jim Felker Jr., Justin Shaw, Rocky
Griffin, Mike Provenzano
2008 UMP DIRTcar Racing Summer Nationals Schedule
(Date/Day/Track/Location/To Win/Winner Car Count):
June 12 Thurs. - Kentucky Lake Motor Speedway/Calvert City, KY - $7,500
(Brad Neat - 40)
June 13 Fri. - Brownstown (IN) Speedway - $10,000 (Rain postponed to
July 11)
June 14 Sat. - Kamp Motor Speedway/Boswell, IN - $10,000 (Wes Steidinger -
36)
June 15 Sun. Tri-State Speedway/Haubstadt, IN - $6,000 (Dennis Erb Jr.
39)
June 16 Mon - OFF
June 17 Tues. Highland Speedway/Highland, IL - $6,000 (Terry English
47)
June 18 Wed. Belle Clair Speedway/Belleville, IL - $6,000 (Will Vaught
41)
June 19 Thurs. I-57/I-64 Raceway/Mt. Vernon, IL - $6,000 (Darren Miller
37)
June 20 Fri. Farmer City Raceway/Farmer City, IL - $10,000 (Darren
Miller 50)
June 21 Sat. I-55 Raceway/Pevely, MO - $10,000 (CANCELED flooding)
June 22 Sun. Vermilion Co. Speedway/Danville, IL - $6,000 (Jeep
VanWormer 43)
June 23 Mon. - OFF
June 24 Tue. Sedalia State Fair Speedway/Sedalia, MO - $6,000 (Brian
Shirley 27)
June 25 Wed. Lake Ozark Speedway/Eldon, MO - $6,000 (Billy Moyer 31)
June 26 Thurs. Paducah Intl Raceway/Paducah, KY - $6,000 (Kevin
Claycomb 35)
June 27 Fri. Lawrenceburg Speedway/Lawrenceburg, IN - $10,000 (Dennis
Erb Jr. 36)
June 28 Sat. Clarksville Speedway/Clarksville, TN - $10,000 (Rain
postponed to July 19)
June 29 Sun. Lincoln Speedway/Lincoln, IL - $6,000 (Brian Shirley 46)
June 30 Mon. - OFF
July 1 Tue. Peoria Speedway/Peoria, IL - $6,000 (Jeep VanWormer 40)
July 2 Wed. Morgan Co. Speedway/Jacksonville, IL - $6,000 (Rain
postponed to Aug. 15)
July 3 Thurs. Macon Speedway/Macon, IL - $6,000 (Rain postponed to
Aug. 16)
July 4 Fri. Tri-City Speedway/Pontoon Beach, IL - $10,000 (Billy Moyer
51)
July 5 Sat. Fairbury American Legion Speedway/Fairbury, IL -$10,000
(Jimmy Mars - 48)
July 6 Sun. Quad City Raceway/East Moline, IL - $6,000
July 7 Mon. - OFF
July 8 Tue. Quincy (IL) Speedway - $6,000
July 9 Wed. Spoon River Speedway/Canton, IL - $6,000
July 10 Thurs. La Salle Speedway/La Salle, IL - $6,000
July 11 Fri. Brownstown (IN) Speedway - $10,000 (Rescheduled date)
July 12 Sat. Oakshade Raceway/Wauseon, OH - $10,000
July 19 Sat. Clarksville Speedway/Clarksville, TN - $10,000 (Rescheduled
date)
Aug. 15 Fri. Morgan Co. Speedway/Jacksonville, IL - $6,000 (Rescheduled
date)
Aug. 16 Sat. Macon Speedway/Macon, IL - $6,000 (Rescheduled date)
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