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Shannon Babb is back on track.
The two-time UMP DIRTcar Racing Summernationals champion ended an uncharacteristic slump on Sunday night, winning the dirt Late Model tour’s 40-lap A-Main at Quad City Raceway.
It was the first Summernationals triumph of 2007 for Moweaqua , Ill. ’s Babb, who last month relinquished his two-year stranglehold on the tour championship to continue racing with the World of Outlaws Late Model Series. He ultimately dropped out of contention for the WoO LMS title when he missed three events to regroup his struggling racing program, but the break has apparently paid off.
Since debuting a new Billy Moyer Sr.-owned Rayburn car one week ago, Babb, 33, has regained his customary form. His $6,000 victory on Sunday night was the 52nd of his career in UMP DIRTcar Racing Summernationals action – second on the alltime win list behind Billy Moyer of Batesville , Ark. (62) – and marked the ninth consecutive year that he’s captured at least one A-Main on the series.
Babb, who has entered seven of the 19 Summernationals events to date, passed Jeep VanWormer of Pinconning, Mich. , for the lead just after the race’s halfway point and never looked back. He repelled a late charge by 2004 Summernationals champ Don O’Neal of Martinsville , Ind. , to take the checkered flag.
O’Neal had to settle for second place, but the finish inched him closer to the top of the Summernationals points standings. With Dennis Erb Jr. of Carpentersville , Ill. , registering a ninth-place finish, his points lead over O’Neal shrunk from 28 to 14 points.
VanWormer, who led the A-Main’s first half, finished third, followed by Rob Toland of Bettendorf , Iowa , and Steve Sheppard Jr. of New Berlin , Ill.
Babb was the ninth different winner on this year’s Summernationals trail.
Twenty-six dirt Late Models were entered in the first UMP DIRTcar Racing Summernationals event since 2000 at the quarter-mile oval.
Heat winners were VanWormer, O’Neal and Toland, and Ryan Dauber of Tonica , Ill. , captured the B-Main.
UMP DIRTcar Racing Summernationals A-Main Finish (40 laps)
1. Shannon Babb
2. Don O’Neal
3. Jeep VanWormer
4. Rob Toland
5. Steve Sheppard Jr.
6. Eddie Kirchoff
7. Billy Moyer
8. Wes Steidinger
9. Dennis Erb Jr.
10. Kevin Weaver
11. Mike Marlar
12. A.J. Diemel
13. Ryan Dauber
14. Scott Dedwylder
15. Scott Bull
16. Fred Remey
17. Jason Feger
18. Jason Jaggers
19. Eric Gustaf
20. Jason McBride
21. Billy Moyer Jr.
DNQ: Ray Guss, Chris Smyser, Rich Bell, Hershel Roberts, Gerry Reeder |
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