July 11, 2008
The UMP Summernationals rolled into Brownstown Speedway for the first time since 2001, and the fans were treated to one of the best races of the season. 37 UMP Super Late Models were on hand for the $10,000 to win event with overall fast qualifying honors going to Don O’Neal with a lap of 13.799 seconds. Preliminary heats went to O’Neal, Kevin Claycomb, Jeep VanWormer, and Wes Steidinger. Ryan Unzicker claimed the C-Main, with the B-Main victory going to Kevin Weaver.
The 40 lap main event would see O’Neal and VanWormer lead the field to the green flag, with O’Neal, VanWormer, and Kevin Claycomb running for the lead. Claycomb and O’Neal battled for the lead, with VanWormer right in sights. Claycomb and O’Neal would duke it out for the lead throughout the first seven laps, while VanWormer started to close in on the lead duo. O’Neal held his lead for the mid portion of the event working the bottom of the track like a surgeon. Behind O’Neal Claycomb slipped up a bit in lapped traffic, allowing VanWormer to move to second as the field took the halfway signal. At this point, the volume was turned up to 11, as things started to shape up. As O’Neal was working the lapped traffic, this was allowing VanWormer to start to move closer and closer to O’Neal. While this was happening, Brian Shirley moved around Claycomb for the third position on lap 23. The next ten laps would see VanWormer and O’Neal play cat and mouse, dicing their way through lapped traffic. Shirley used this to his advantage, sneaking up on the lead duo to make it a three way battle for the lead. With five laps to go, Shirley, VanWormer, and O’Neal would go three wide for the lead as the crowd rose to its feet. Shirley would go from third to first with three laps to go. At this point, the lead was not safe, as at any moment either O’Neal or VanWormer could take it back. Shirley would hold steadfast for the last couple of laps to take his first ever win at the track. VanWormer held off O’Neal at the line for second, Dennis Erb Jr finished fourth with Claycomb rounding out the top five.
The Group Metals Recycling NeSmith Crate Late Models combined forces with the Indiana Crate Series for a $1,000 to win main event, bringing a record 28 Crate Late Models to the Speedway. Heat winners were Justin Shaw, Steve Godsey, and Chris Streeval. The Consi went to Mark Barber.
The feature event started out with a turn one pileup, resulting in a complete restart. When the field took the green again, Justin Shaw would lead the first lap with Steve Godsey and Chris Streeval battling for second. The caution would fly for a second time as Tyler Allen spun off the backstretch. When racing resumed, a shuffle in the top five would take place, as Tanner English moved to second, Steve Barnett to third, and Mark Bechelli to fourth. This put Godsey and Streeval back to around sixth and seventh. The race would be halted on lap 11, as a scary incident involving Zak Blackwood occured on the front stretch. Contact between he and Jim Moon sent Blackwood into a series of flips down the straightaway. A lengthy red flag was needed to remove Blackwood from his car. He was transported to a local hospital, no more information was given. When the field resumed the event, Godsey started to make a run for the front, moving around English for the third spot. Barnett was up next for Godsey, as the two started to battle for the spot. They would make slight contact as they fought hard for the second position. Godsey would grab the spot with just a handful of laps remaining. Godsey then caught up to Shaw to battle for the lead with just three laps remaining. The duo would trade the lead as they took the two to go signal. Shaw would fight back, to grab the lead for good as they came down for the white flag. Shaw would go on to pick up his first win at Brownstown ahead of Godsey, Barnett, Shannon Reed, and English.
SUMMARY
UMP LATE MODEL SUMMER NATIONAL (37 Entries)
FAST TIME: Don O’Neal 13.799
HEAT ONE: Don O’Neal, Terry English, Mike Jewell, Jason Feger, Brad Neat, Brandon Sheppard, Rocky Hodges, Brian Wilhite, Joe Janowski
HEAT TWO: Kevin Claycomb, Brian Shirley, Dennis Erb Jr., Kevin Weaver, Randy Korte, Chad Stapleton, James Huff, Jason Smith, Jim Moon, Jason Mcbride
HEAT THREE: Jeep Van Wormer, Derek Fisher, Darren Miller, Shannon Reed, Steve Sheppard Jr., Justin Shaw, Glen Thompson, Tim Prince, Steve Barnett
HEAT FOUR: Wes Steidinger, Jordan Bland, Greg Johnson, Cody Mahoney, Scott Jones, Matt Miller, Ryan Unzicker, John Gill, Joe Godsey
C-MAIN: Ryan Unzicker, Tim Prince, Jim Moon, Jason Mcbride, Brain Wilhite, Jason Smith, Joe Janowski, Glen Thompson, James Huff, Steve Barnett, Rocky Hodges
B_MAIN: Kevin Weaver, Jason Feger, Brad Neat, Shannon Reed, Steve Sheppard Jr., Matt Miller, Cody Mahoney, Ryan Unzicker, Brandon Sheppard, Tim Prince, Chad Stapleton, Justin Shaw, Jason McBride, Scott Jones, Jim Moon, Randy Korte
FEATURE: Brian Shirley, Jeep Van Wormer, Don O’Neal, Dennis Erb Jr., Kevin Claycomb, Wes Steidinger, Darren Miller, Terry English, Jordan Bland, Kevin Weaver, Ryan Unzicker, Jason Feger, Brad Neat, Matt Miller, Greg Johnson, Derek Fisher, Steve Sheppard Jr., Shannon Reed, Cody Mahoney, Mike Jewell, Randy Korte
GMR CRATE LATE MODELS (28 Entires)
HEAT ONE: Justin Shaw, Tyler Allen, Scott Graham, Jeff Fields, Mike Bechelli, Chip Stitsworth, Eric Varner, Shannon Allen, John Heyn, David Daughtery
HEAT TWO: Steven Godsey, Tanner English, Mark Bechelli, Jim Moon, Shannon Reed, Mark Barber, Kevin Colsten, Shawn McIntosh, Justin Herndon
HEAT THREE: Chris Streeval, Steve Barnett, Bryan Barnhardt, Zak Blackwood, Nick Lyons, Mike Ruble, Kyle Herbert, Tony Godsey, Toby Hallett
B_MAIN: Mark Barber, Chip Stitsworth, Kevin Colsten, Eric Varner, Mike Ruble, Kyle Herbert, Shannon Allen, Toby Hallett, Shawn McIntosh
FEATURE: Justin Shaw, Steven Godsey, Steve Barnett, Shannon Reed, Tanner English, Jeff Fields, Mark Bechelli, Mark Barber, Chris Streeval, Nick Lyons, Bryan Barnhardt, Jim Moon, Scott Graham, Mike Bechelli, Chip Stitsworth, Eric Varner, Mike Ruble, Tyler Allen, Kevin Colsten, Zak Blackwood