UMP Summer Nationals
Oakshade Raceway
July 14, 2012
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Unzicker Best at Oakshade; Shirley Wins First Hell Tour Championship

by Kellen Burns
WAUSEON, Ohio (July 14) - Defending DIRTcar Late Model National Champion Ryan Unzicker of El Paso, Ill., bested a tour-high 56 DIRTcar Late Models Saturday night at Oakshade Raceway in Wauseon, Ohio, winning the $10,000 finale of the DIRTcar Summer Nationals Hell Tour.

Unzicker started eighth and methodically worked his way to the front using the low groove to chase down leader Brandon Sheppard of New Berlin, Ill., who set a blistering pace after taking the lead.

"Everything went well early tonight," Unzicker said. "With all the cars here I Just feel lucky that I only had to start eighth after our heat because the second place finisher of heat six has to start the main event in 12th. I didn't realize we could win it but it's definitely a great way to end the Summer Nationals because the whole deal has been a struggle and just to get the last win is pretty cool."

Unzicker made the pass for the lead on lap 56 as lapped traffic impeded Sheppard's progress on the top.

"I can run up top, but the bottom has always been good for me, and to be honest I was going to be happy for second," Unzicker said. "We just tried to keep our nose clean and the bottom just suited our style. All and all I'm just glad to get a win. We have high hopes going forward. The car is really balanced right now and with the great help I have it just kind of makes you want to keep going."

Unzicker stretched his lead the final four circuits. Sheppard settled for second in the 60-lap main event. Homestate driver Matt Miller of Whitehouse, Ohio, finished third. Jeep Van Wormer of Pinconning, Mich., made a charge from seventh to finish fourth but the night truly belonged to fifth-place finisher Brian Shirley of Chatham, Ill.

Shirley, the tour's winningest driver in 2012, captured his first DIRTcar Summer Nationals crown on the strength of five feature wins.

"It's always nice to have the most wins," Shirley said. "I would have liked to have won tonight or last night, but we were racing on the conservative side because of the big picture, even the two previous nights. It's a tough way to race. It was so easy for weeks but last night and tonight just made things more emotional and made my stomach a little upset. But, you play the cards you're dealt to the best of your ability."

Shirley's 66-point average was the best over the course of the grueling month-long tour.

"It's a relief that it's over, it kind of feels like it was starting to turn into a soap opera," Shirley said. "I'm just be proud of my crew and the effort that everyone put into this. The run that we did, to be that consistent, to win the races we did, makes me really proud and makes me realize how blessed I am. I was never worried because we had to race tonight. It put the exclamation point on it tonight because it erases all doubt, we were ahead tonight no matter what and we left here tonight ahead.

"I think next week when my wife and I go on vacation I'll be able to look back and appreciate how hard we worked."

Shirley's strong run was more difficult this year than in years past due to Shirley's new role as husband and father.

"It's weird, I feel a little different with racing," he said. "It makes clear to me what the objective is when we go racing. It's not just me anymore, it's my family and there's a bigger picture so we try and come to the races and make sure we do our job. It helps me focus on the right things and it helps me not get distracted with things I shouldn't be there for. I knew that if I was going to have to be away from my family, I need to do what I'm out here to do."

A-Main
1 24U Ryan Unzicker
2 1 Brandon Sheppard
3 3M Matt Miller
4 55 Jeep Van Wormer
5 3S Brian Shirley
6 99JR Frank Heckennast
7 49R Brian Ruhlman
8 18 Shannon Babb
9 25 Jason Feger
10 89 Mike Spatola
11 1B Jeff Babcock
12 6M Dona Marcoullier
13 77 Justin Mcbride
14 51S Devin Shiels
15 77K Steve Kester
16 15JH Jon Henry
17 27 Nick Bartel
18 1N Casey Noonan
19 1S Rusty Schlenk
20 117 Kevin Reeve
21 OX Zack Olger
22 75 Dusty Moore

B-Main
1 49R Brian Ruhlman
2 OX Zack Olger
3 77K Steve Kester
4 117 Kevin Reeve
5 27 Nick Bartels
6 75 Dusty Moore
7 34H Ky Harper
8 15JH Jon Henry
9 50Y Ryan Missler
10 28S Rody Schroyer
11 88 Andrew Reaume
12 34V Alan Vochaska
13 56 B J Gregory
14 00K Chris Keller
15 B4 Brad Eitniear

C-Main #1
1 56 B J Gregory
2 1S Rusty Schlenk
3 1N Casey Noonan
4 15B Mike Bores
5 2D Curtis Deisenroth
6 53 Hillard Miller
7 49ML Matt Lindsey
8 33SF Steve Frantom
9 4US Jim Scout
10 77 Justin McBride
11 42* Bob Mayer

C-Main #2
1 00K Chris Keller
2 35 Ron Miller
3 30JS Josh Scott
4 3F Brian Fisher
5 7L Jerry Lierly
6 8A Rob Anderzack
7 74D Craig Dippman
8 71E Pat Ehlert
9 316 Tim Murphy
10 555 Justin Coulter
11 X3 Dan Wallace

C-Main #3
1 B4 Brad Eitniear
2 81JR Jason Riggs
3 20 Jerry Bowersock
4 7H Cody Houston
5 36I Matt Irey
6 15A Phil Ausra
7 30J Kathy Jarvis
8 80S Linc Stevens
9 53D Pete Dotson
10 5* Bryant Dickinson

Heat #1
1 25 Jason Feger
2 55 Jeep Van Wormer
3 OX Zack Olger
4 34H Ky Harper
5 56 B J Gregory
6 49ML Matt Lindsey
7 42* Bob Mayer
8 53 Hillard Miller
9 1S Rusty Schlenk
10 77 Justin McBride

Heat #2
1 3S Brian Shirley
2 24U Ryan Unzicker
3 117 Kevin Reeve
4 50Y Ryan Missler
5 7L Jerry Lierly
6 3F Brian Fisher
7 71E Pat Ehlert
8 74D Craig Dippman
9 555 Justin Coulter
10 X3 Dan Wallace

Heat #3
1 51S Devin Shiels
2 89 Mike Spatola
3 49R Brian Ruhlman
4 27 Nick Bartels
5 81 JR Jason Riggs
6 20 Jerry Bowersock
7 15A Phil Ausra
8 30J Kathy Jarvis
9 53D Pete Dotson

Heat #4
1 1 Brandon Sheppard
2 3M Matt Miller
3 75 Dusty Moore
4 88 Andrew Reaume
5 1N Casey Noonan
6 15B Mike Bores
7 2D Curtis Deisenroth
8 4US Jim Scout
9 33SF Steve Frantom

Heat #5
1 18 Shannon Babb
2 99JR Frank Heckennast
3 77K Steve Kester
4 28S Rody Schroyer
5 00K Chris Keller
6 35 Ron Miller
7 30JS Josh Scott
8 8A Rob Anderzack
9 316 Tim Murphy

Heat #6
1 6M Dona Marcoullier
2 1B Jeff Babcock
3 15JH Jon Henry
4 34V Alan Vochaska
5 B4 Brad Eitniear
6 7H Cody Houston
7 36I Matt Irey
8 80S Linc Stevens
9 5* Bryant Dickinson