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Highland Speedway
Highland, IL.
by: Terry Young
With a full house of fans on hand to see if Shannon Babb could break Summer National history after winning the 6 previous nights consecutively, Rodney Melvin, 4 time and reigning UMP National Champion was the spoiler, bringing Babb’s roll to an end.
Melvin jumped to the point from his outside front row starting berth and led every lap in a 40 lap event where most of the passing took place to and from the track. The first win for Melvin on the “06 summer nationals came aboard his C.J. Rayburn Race Cars, FOKUS, Exit 83 CB Shop, Rick’s Towing, Hoosier Racing Tire, Thomason Trucking, STLRacing.com #27. Melvin would become the 7th driver to etch his name into the 2006 Summer Nationals record book in winning the event.
The feature event, pretty uneventful as all cars chose to follow in a line on the top of the track seen Melvini take the checkers ahead of Van Wormer, Korte, Babb, Wallace, Sheppard, Jr., Zobrist, Erb, Faust and Shirley rounding out the top 10.
The evening began with the 30 cars touring the track in time trials and Shannon Babb emerged with a new track record turning in a time of 12.595.
Heat races were won by Randy Korte over Steve Sheppard, Jr. and Brian Shirley, Rodney Melvin over Babb and Billy faust, Jeep Van Wormer over Chad Zobrist and Scott Schulte and Wendell Wallace over Dennis Erb and Frankie Martin.
The trophy dash was captured by Van Wormer over Melvin, Wallace and Korte.
Consi action transferred 6 additional drivers as NEXTEL Cup star Ken Schrader topped the first over Jack Sullivan and Kevin Weaver and Matt Weidner topped the second over Michael Kloos and Troy Hudson.
Tomorrow night the UMP Summer Nationals traveling group goes down the road to the Spoon Rver Speedway in Canton, Illinois for a $6,000.00 to win 40 lap A-Main event.
SUMMARY
Fast Time: Shannon Babb 12.595 New Track Record
Heat 1: Korte, Sheppard, Jr., Shirley, Sullivan, Jordan Bland, Patrick Sheltra, Don Cisco III, Frank Heckenast, Jr.
Heat 2: Melvin, Babb, B. Faust, Schrader, Weaver, Mark Faust, Mark Gansman
Heat 3: Van Wormer, Zobrist, Scott Schulte, Weidner, Charlie Bingham, Dick Taylor, Tom Carson
Heat 4: Wallace, Erb, Martin, Hudson, Billy Moyer, Jr., Jason Cleaver, Michael Kloos
Dash: Van Wormer, Melvin, Wallace, Korte
Consi 1: Schrader, Sullivan, Weaver, M. Faust, Gansmann, Bland, Cisco III
Consi 2: Weidner, Kloos, Hudson, Taylor, Bingham, Cleaver, Moyer, Jr.
FEATURE
40 Lap A-Main Event
Starting Position in Parenthesis
1. (2) Rodney Melvin
2. (1) Jeep Van Wormer
3. (4) Randy Korte
4. (6) Shannon Babb
5. (3) Wendell Wallace
6. (5) Steve Sheppard, Jr.
7. (7) Chad Zobrist
8. (8) Dennis Erb
9. (10) Billy Faust
10. (9) Brian SHirley
11. (13) Ken Schrader
12. (16) Michael Kloos
13. (11) Scott Schulte
14. (18) Troy Hudson
15. (21) (P) Frank Heckenast, Jr. DNF
16. (17) Kevin Weaver DNF
17. (14) Jack Sullivan DNF
18. (12) Frankie Martin DNF
19. (20) (P) Mark Faust DNF
20. (14) Matt Weidner DNF
21. (19) (P) Patrick Sheltra DNF
UMP Modified – 16 cars
Fastest Qualifier – 4J Scott Weber
Heat 1
1. 70 Brian Bielong
2. 4J Scott Weber
3. 44 Jim Werner, Jr
4. 56 Dave Thornton
Heat 2
1. 48 Bobby Martintoni
2. 21S Tommy Seets, Jr
3. 25 Brett Korves
4. 29 Roger Fohne
Dash
1. 48 Bobby Martintoni
2. 70 Brian Bielong
3. 4J Scott Weber
4. 44 Jim Werner, Jr
Feature
1. 70 Brian Bielong
2. 4J Scott Weber
3. 44 Jim Werner, Jr
4. 48 Bobby Martintoni
5. 21S Tommy Seets, Jr
6. 29 Roger Fohne
7. 56 Dave Thornton
8. 19 Jimmy Cummins
9. E55 Chad Sellers
10. 69 Scott Sugg
11. 3L Mark Leuck
12. 23 Corey Carriker
13. 25 Brett Korves
14.00 Steve Ellison
15. E55X Dan Blumenstien
Also in attendance:
15 Kenny Collier
Sportsman – 12 cars
Heat 1
1. 15 Jason Bohnenstiehl
2. 41 Jerry Kaufman
3. 27 Adam Haas
4. 441 Aaron Melton
Heat 2
1. 52 Billy Knebel, Jr
2. M41 Steve Maisel
3. 3E Robbie Eilers
4. 47 Klye Roberts
Feature
1. 15 Jason Bohnenstiehl
2. 52 Billy Knebel, Jr
3. M41 Steve Maisel
4. 3E Robbie Eilers
5. 88 Justin Ketrow
6. 23 Dennis Wernle
7. 441 Aaron Melton
8. 27 Adam Haas
9. 2C Pete Cory
10. 41 Jerry Kaufman
11. 47 Kyle Roberts
Also in attendance: 23B Mark Bohnenstiehl
Hornets – 25 cars
Heat 1
1. 99 Bob Zbinden
2. 3E Robbie Eilers
3. 11G Eric Gilomen
4. 266 Aaron Wood
Heat 2
1. 8E Russell Eilers
2. 01 Josh James
3. 2X Ryan Kress
4. 11L Rob Lee
Heat 3
1. 3 Ryan Eilers
2. 13 Matt Hamblin
3. 52 Nick Knebel
4. 18J Justin Shaw
Consi
1.20 Tracy VonRohr
2. 7D Dave Zbinden
3. 52R Kory Riegel
4. 77 Chad Burgess
5. 00 Dan Ricklefs, Jr
6. 13D Mitch Denison
7. 421 Nathan Rakers
8. 199 Tony Hanlon
Feature
1. 99 Bob Zbinden
2. 3 Ryan Eilers
3. 13 Matt Hamblin
4. 11G Eric Gilomen
5. 8E Russell Eilers
6. 3E Robbie Eilers
7. 18J Justin Shaw
8. 52 Nick Knebel
9. 266 Aaron Wood
10. 11L Rob Lee
11. 10 Adam Pate
12. 7D Dave Zbinden
13. 01 Josh James
14. 2X Ryan Kress
15. 52E Kory Riegel
16. 20 Tracy VonRohr
17. 8T TJ Eilers
18. 18W Chris Williams