KANKAKEE, Ill. — Ryan Unzicker captured the opening main event for the 37th DIRTcar Summer Nationals Hell Tour at Kankakee County Speedway Tuesday night as he drove to victory in the $5,000-to-win 40-lap dirt late model stock car special at the Illinois quarter-mile oval.
The Kankakee event kicked off the 32-race Summer Nationals schedule and was the 34th Summer Nationals visit to the speedway, which was presented by Country Chevrolet.
Racing late models since 2005, the 40-year-old Unzicker, from El Paso, Ill., started on the front row pole position in the 22-car field after winning one of 10-lap heat races that were held for the 36 entries that were on hand.
Leading from flag to flag in the non-stop contest, Unzicker, working the bottom groove of the slick track, held off the challenges of fast qualifier Bobby Pierce and Dennis Erb Jr. to score the win, his 11th career Summer Nationals win, in his RJR Transportation No. 24
Pennsylvania driver Drake Troutman finished fourth, followed by Jason Feger and Georgia’s Payton Freeman.
Both Pierce and Erb tried to pass the leader Unzicker on the outside during the run, only to lose a position in the process. Erb attempted his final move on lap 38 only to see him lose second place to Pierce.
The finish:
Feature (40 Laps) – 1. 24-Ryan Unzicker[1]; 2. 32-Bobby Pierce[3]; 3. 28-Dennis Erb Jr[5]; 4. 7-Drake Troutman[4]; 5. 25-Jason Feger[7]; 6. F1- Payton Freeman[2]; 7. 21JR-Billy Moyer Jr[8]; 8. 3S-Brian Shirley[6]; 9. 9R-Curtis Roberts[11]; 10. T6-Tommy Sheppard Jr[9]; 11. 36-Logan Martin[13]; 12. 89-Mike Spatola[12]; 13. 14G-Joe Godsey[19]; 14. 99-Hunt Gossum[14]; 15. M27-Mike Provenzano[15]; 16. 77-Preston Luckman[18]; 17. 30-Mark Voigt[20]; 18. 14R-Jeff Roth[22]; 19. 14-Glen Thompson[21]; 20. 99JR-Frank Heckenast Jr[10]; 21. B12-Kevin Weaver[16]; 22. 10-Paul Parker[17]