Post by robbiandcoysayles on Jul 8, 2009 12:04:38 GMT -5
Quincy, IL — July 3, 2009 — In a spectacle that resembled a Blue Angels-like performance on the quarter-mile Quincy, (Ill.) Raceways, Shannon Babb of Moweaqua, Ill., claimed his second win of the 2009 UMP DIRTcar Summer Nationals Tour.
Babb, a two-time “Hell Tour” champion, held off dirt late model legend Billy Moyer of Batesville, Ark., and withstood early pressure from Jeep Van Wormer of Pinconning, Mich., while running second, eventually leading the last seven laps for the win.
“When we rolled around there for pace laps I knew it was going to be fast and hard to handle,” Babb said with a large grin. “It was wide open as hard as we could go.”
On what was a lightning fast track the entire night, Babb glued his nose right to the rear quarter panel of Logan, Ill., driver Rodney Melvin for the first 33 laps of the 40-lap main event, until Melvin suffered an ignition failure giving Babb the lead and open track ahead. “Rodney was really good," said Babb. “It was unfortunate what happened to him because I would like to have passed him the right way.”
After the inconsistencies Babb has suffered during his 2009 “Hell Tour”, things seem to be turning the corner for the driver known as “The Moweaqua Missile”. “I'm just really happy to get to victory lane tonight,” he said.
Moyer, a former Babb mentor, finished second to his former student on the night. “It was fast, muddy, and hard to see,” said Moyer of the conditions. “He (Babb) was the best car and he deserved to win the race.”
Moyer tailed Babb the closing seven laps getting within a car length at time. “We just kind of kept our nose clean,” reasoned Moyer. “We'll be able to load it up and go to the next race.”
Terry Casey of New London, Wisc., finished third after taking a night off from the grueling “Hell Tour” to regroup during the tour's stop at Macon (Ill.), Speedway. Casey charged from his 14th starting position to his best finish since a runner-up finish at Charleston, (Ill.) Speedway.
Defending champion Dennis Erb of Carpentersville, Ill., finished fourth, a spot he claimed for the second night in a row after a late pass of fifth place finisher Bill Frye of Greenbrier, Ark.
Heat 1:
1. Jeep Van Wormer
2. Brian Birkhofer
3. Dennis Erb Jr.
4. Ryan Unzicker
5. Frank Heckenast Jr.
6. Chris Simpson
7. Mike Hammerle
8. Russ Schoonover
DNS. Russ Adams
Heat 2:
1. Rodney Melvin
2. Donny Walden
3. Kevin Weaver
4. Terry Casey
5. Scott James
6. Roger Brickler
7. Ed Dixon
8. Bill Genenbacher
Heat 3:
1. Shannon Babb
2. Billy Moyer
3. Denny Woodworth
4. Will Vaught
5. Jason Feger
6. Chris Guerroro
7. Derek Chandler
8. Brandon Thirlby
Heat 4:
1. Bill Frye
2. Terry English
3. Randy Korte
4. Brian Shirley
5. Wes Steidinger
6. Scott Schmitt
7. Nick Ingalls
8. Jason Perry
B Main:
1. Frank Heckenast Jr.
2. Jason Feger
3. Roger Brickler
4. Wes Steidinger
5. Chris Simpson
6. Mike Hammerle
7. Derek Chandler
8. Brandon Thirlby
9. Chris Guerrero
10. Russ Schoonover
11. Russ Adams
Feature:
1. Shannon Babb
2. Billy Moyer
3. Terry Casey
4. Dennis Erb Jr.
5. Bill Frye
6. Randy Korte
7. Donny Walden
8. Terry English
9. Ryan Unzicker
10. Jason Feger
11. Frank Heckenast Jr.
12. Rodney Melvin
13. Mike Hammerle
14. Jeep Van Wormer
15. Bill Genenbacher
16. Denny Woodworth
17. Will Vaught
18. Wes Steidinger
19. Brian Shirley
20. Brian Birkhofer
21. Kevin Weaver
Babb, a two-time “Hell Tour” champion, held off dirt late model legend Billy Moyer of Batesville, Ark., and withstood early pressure from Jeep Van Wormer of Pinconning, Mich., while running second, eventually leading the last seven laps for the win.
“When we rolled around there for pace laps I knew it was going to be fast and hard to handle,” Babb said with a large grin. “It was wide open as hard as we could go.”
On what was a lightning fast track the entire night, Babb glued his nose right to the rear quarter panel of Logan, Ill., driver Rodney Melvin for the first 33 laps of the 40-lap main event, until Melvin suffered an ignition failure giving Babb the lead and open track ahead. “Rodney was really good," said Babb. “It was unfortunate what happened to him because I would like to have passed him the right way.”
After the inconsistencies Babb has suffered during his 2009 “Hell Tour”, things seem to be turning the corner for the driver known as “The Moweaqua Missile”. “I'm just really happy to get to victory lane tonight,” he said.
Moyer, a former Babb mentor, finished second to his former student on the night. “It was fast, muddy, and hard to see,” said Moyer of the conditions. “He (Babb) was the best car and he deserved to win the race.”
Moyer tailed Babb the closing seven laps getting within a car length at time. “We just kind of kept our nose clean,” reasoned Moyer. “We'll be able to load it up and go to the next race.”
Terry Casey of New London, Wisc., finished third after taking a night off from the grueling “Hell Tour” to regroup during the tour's stop at Macon (Ill.), Speedway. Casey charged from his 14th starting position to his best finish since a runner-up finish at Charleston, (Ill.) Speedway.
Defending champion Dennis Erb of Carpentersville, Ill., finished fourth, a spot he claimed for the second night in a row after a late pass of fifth place finisher Bill Frye of Greenbrier, Ark.
Heat 1:
1. Jeep Van Wormer
2. Brian Birkhofer
3. Dennis Erb Jr.
4. Ryan Unzicker
5. Frank Heckenast Jr.
6. Chris Simpson
7. Mike Hammerle
8. Russ Schoonover
DNS. Russ Adams
Heat 2:
1. Rodney Melvin
2. Donny Walden
3. Kevin Weaver
4. Terry Casey
5. Scott James
6. Roger Brickler
7. Ed Dixon
8. Bill Genenbacher
Heat 3:
1. Shannon Babb
2. Billy Moyer
3. Denny Woodworth
4. Will Vaught
5. Jason Feger
6. Chris Guerroro
7. Derek Chandler
8. Brandon Thirlby
Heat 4:
1. Bill Frye
2. Terry English
3. Randy Korte
4. Brian Shirley
5. Wes Steidinger
6. Scott Schmitt
7. Nick Ingalls
8. Jason Perry
B Main:
1. Frank Heckenast Jr.
2. Jason Feger
3. Roger Brickler
4. Wes Steidinger
5. Chris Simpson
6. Mike Hammerle
7. Derek Chandler
8. Brandon Thirlby
9. Chris Guerrero
10. Russ Schoonover
11. Russ Adams
Feature:
1. Shannon Babb
2. Billy Moyer
3. Terry Casey
4. Dennis Erb Jr.
5. Bill Frye
6. Randy Korte
7. Donny Walden
8. Terry English
9. Ryan Unzicker
10. Jason Feger
11. Frank Heckenast Jr.
12. Rodney Melvin
13. Mike Hammerle
14. Jeep Van Wormer
15. Bill Genenbacher
16. Denny Woodworth
17. Will Vaught
18. Wes Steidinger
19. Brian Shirley
20. Brian Birkhofer
21. Kevin Weaver