Summernationals series appeals to local racers

The United Midwestern Promoters' Summernationals series won't make any Southeast Missouri stops this year, but it will come just close enough to lure local racers to contend with some of the nation's best late-model dirt-track racers.

The series will start Friday at Western Kentucky Speedway near Madisonville, Ky., then make 26 stops at 26 different tracks in 28 days. It's a rare circuit that criss-crosses the Midwest each year and leaves racing teams weary and cars battered. In fact, few drivers endure the entire series, most electing to stop in at only the highest-paying events. But that could be changing.

UMP officials promise a $100,000 prize to the overall series champion when it wraps up July 13 in Ohio. Each event will pay at least $5,000 to its winner, with many offering up to twice as much. That's enough to get the attention of national contenders Scott Bloomquist and Billy Moyer, who say they'll follow the entire series. Bloomquist is fresh off a $100,000 win Saturday at The Dream, a 100-lap race in Ohio.

Although the Summernationals won't appear locally this season, the tour could be here as soon as next year. Local racetrack officials say they're open to the idea of booking a date with the series. It's stopped at Auto Tire and Parts Racepark near Benton, Mo., and Saint Francois County Raceway near Farmington, Mo., in the past 10 years with big crowds and big car turnouts.

"We know they'll have some heavy-hitters on that circuit this year, and that's appealing to fans and track promoters," said Malden (Mo.) Speedway owner Bill Hampton, whose track added a non-sanctioned version of the late model division to its weekly schedule this season and averages about 18 cars each Friday for events that pay $1,200 to win.

ATPR promoter Doug Friese said his track is eager to book a late-model special event, whether with UMP or another touring group.

"It's certainly something we'd look at down the road," he said.

The series' closest event this year will be at I-55 Raceway near Pevely, Mo., on June 29. The other stops in the region are June 15 at Clarksville (Tenn.) Speedway; June 22 at Kentucky Lake Motor Speedway, Calvert City, Ky.; June 27 at Mount Vernon (Ill.) Speedway; and June 28 at Paducah (Ky.) Raceway.

Terry English of Benton, Ky., continues to lead the national UMP point standings.

Odds and ends

Tim Montgomery of Fredericktown, Mo., topped a field of 27 sprints Saturday to win at ATPR. Cline Myers Jr. of Scott City, Mo., won his sixth straight pure street stock feature race; Larry Hull of Old Appleton, Mo., won in modifieds; Garrett Moll and Wesley Short of Scott City won in cruisers.

Steve Rushin of Poplar Bluff, Mo., won the 18-car late model feature Friday at Malden Speedway. Robert Powers of Campbell, Mo., won in modifieds, Richard Greenway of Bono, Ark., in hobby stocks and Nathan Rettig of Sikeston, Mo., in pure streets.

Jeff DeFew of Benton, Ky., won in micro sprints Saturday at SEMO Speedway near Sikeston, Mo. Kart winners included Joseph Henderson, Dustin Dickerson, Corbin Matthews, Kyle Oberkramer, Rusty Stagen and Casey Wright.

Ed Dixon of Washington, Mo., won Friday's late model event at Fredericktown (Mo.) Raceway. Brad Mashek won in pro streets and Pete Koenig went 3-for-3 in pure streets.

Joey Mack of Benton, Mo., taking a break from his Mid-America Racing Series rookie-of-the-year chase, took in three UMP-sanctioned events over the weekend. He finished sixth in the late model division at Paducah, Ky., Friday, ninth at Clarksville, Tenn., Saturday, and 13th at Kentucky Lake Motor Speedway on Sunday. At KLMS, Billy James of Sikeston, Mo., was seventh.

Heartland Communications Internet Services, based in Western Kentucky, says it will pay $1,000 to the first racer who can defeat English at either KLMS or Paducah. The stipulation is that English must finish.

Add another regional racetrack to the weekly mix. A dirt track in Atwood, Tenn., is scheduled to reopen in July. The track has been closed for about two years.

Coming up

The inaugural AMA U.S. Flat Track Motorcycle Grand Nationals are scheduled for Saturday at Tri-City Speedway near Granite City, Ill. Series leader and defending champion Chris Carr is among those expected to compete on the half-mile dirt oval track. More than 75 racers are entered to compete for $50,000 in prize money.

The Mid-America Racing Association midget cars will race Saturday at Saint Francois County Raceway, along with a regular program with an added purse in the sprint division. The same MARA midget series will come to SEMO Speedway next Saturday.

A demolition derby July 6 at the Pulaski County Fairgrounds will benefit the volunteer fire department there. The event is at 7 p.m. Info: 618-342-6877.