Contact: World Racing Group

Kevin Kovac, UMP DIRTcar Racing Public Relations

MT. VERNON, IL – June 19, 2008 – By Kellen Burns/DIRTcar PR –

The UMP DIRTcar Summer Nationals experienced a thrill show for the second night in a

row – only this time it was ‘The Thriller’ Darren Miller claimed the 40-lap A-Main at I-

57/I-64 Raceway.

One night after young Will ‘The Thrill’ Vaught registered a career-first Summer

Nationals victory, Miller pulled the same trick. Miller’s first-ever triumph on the grueling

tour was worth $6,000.

Miller, 31, of Milledgeville, Ill., started the main event from the pole, but that didn’t

mean he had it easy. Second-starter Kevin Claycomb of Vincennes, Ind., claimed the lead

on the first circuit and Miller was relegated to third a few laps later when a charging

Randy Korte of Highland, Ill., used the high lane to reach second after starting eighth.

Korte was in the process of passing Claycomb for the lead on lap eight when a caution

flag flew for the slowing Jeep VanWormer of Pinconning, Mich., allowing Claycomb to

restart at the front of the field.

Miller, meanwhile, was a model of patience and consistency. He moved to the middle

groove to get by Korte after a lap-12 restart and quickly catch Claycomb, commencing a

battle for the top spot.

“We had a good race car down in the middle of the racetrack,” said Miller.

Miller took the lead by inches on lap 17, but Claycomb reclaimed it for laps 18-19.

Finally, on lap 20, Miller’s perseverance paid off as he drove low around Claycomb to

assume command for good.

“I just kept working it and kept getting better and better,” Miller said after his first visit to

RacingJunk.com Victory Lane on the Summer Nationals tour. “Finally we got it done.”

Defending Summer Nationals champion Dennis Erb Jr. of Carpentersville, Ill., had a

strong effort yet again, starting fourth and claiming a second-place finish behind Miller.

Erb saw Miller making his move on the low side of the track and used the same line to

get past Claycomb and Korte in the final laps.

Shirley of Chatham, Ill., to grab the Summer Nationals points lead (458-441). “I was

following right there with him. The top kind of went away, the bottom and middle came

in, and that was it.”

Korte, the 2006 UMP DIRTcar Super Late Model national champion settled for a thirdplace

finish after his early bid for the lead was negated by a caution flag.

“I think I should have got down early,” Korte said of his groove choice, “and I think the

caution killed me too.”

Thirty-seven UMP DIRTcar Super Late Models participated in the group time-trial

session on the high-banked, quarter-mile oval, with Kevin Cole of Christopher, Ill.,

turning the overall fastest lap (13.88 seconds).

Heat winners were VanWormer, who brought out the A-Main’s two caution flags with

flat tires (he was black-flagged after the second for the event’s two-caution rule),

Claycomb, Erb and Miller. The C-Main was captured by Rick Salter of Albers, Ill., and

the B-Main went to Wes Steidinger of Fairbury, Ill.

Provisional starting positions for the feature were awarded to previous night’s winner

Will Vaught, current UMP DIRTcar Super Late Model national points leader Mike

Hammerle of St. Charles, Mo., and Salter.

The UMP DIRTcar Summer Nationals continues on Friday night (June 20) with a

$10,000-to-win event at Farmer City (Ill.) Raceway.

Be sure and stay tuned to www.umpracing.com for all the latest news and results from

the 20th edition of the UMP DIRTcar Summer Nationals.

1. Darren Miller

2. Dennis Erb Jr.

3. Randy Korte

4. Kevin Claycomb

5. Rodney Melvin

6. Jason Feger

7. Kevin Cole

8. Steve Sheppard Jr.

9. Wes Steidinger

10. Terry English

11. Brian Shirley

12. Patrick Sheltra

13. Frankie Martin

14. Kevin Weaver

15. Will Vaught

16. Ryan Unzicker

17. Jordan Bland

18. Brian Diveley

19. Mike Hammerle

20. Rick Salter

21. Jeep Van Wormer

B-Main Finish: Wes Steidinger, Jason Feger, Jordan Bland, Ryan Unzicker, Patrick

Sheltra, Brian Diveley, Danny Jolly, Mark Voigt, George Scheffler, Tim Lance,

Dewayne Kiefer, Rick Salter, Brandon Sheppard, Jason McBride, Jason Riggs, Michael

Kloos

B-Main Finish: Rick Salter, Dewayne Kiefer, Jason McBride, Jason Riggs, Bobby

Dauderman, Mike Hammerle, Jeremy Sneed, Steve Karnes, Ryan Dauber. Scratched:

Will Vaught, Steven Unterbrink

1. Dennis Erb Jr. 458

2. Brian Shirley 441

3. Will Vaught 429

4. Wes Steidinger 412

5. Jeep VanWormer 387

6. Jason Feger 360

7. Randy Korte 328

8. Steve Sheppard Jr. 326

9. Kevin Claycomb 304

10. DeWayne Keifer 297

11. Rodney Melvin 259

12. Kevin Cole 258

13. Darren Miller 253

14. Kevin Weaver 238

15. Billy Moyer 235

June 12 – Thurs. - Kentucky Lake Motor Speedway/Calvert City, KY - $7,500 (Brad Neat - 40)

June 13 – Fri. - Brownstown (IN) Speedway - $10,000 (Rain – postponed to July 11)

June 14 – Sat. - Kamp Motor Speedway/Boswell, IN - $10,000 (Wes Steidinger - 36)

June 15 – Sun. – Tri-State Speedway/Haubstadt, IN - $6,000 (Dennis Erb Jr. – 39)

June 16 – Mon - OFF

June 17 – Tues. – Highland Speedway/Highland, IL - $6,000 (Terry English – 47)

June 18 – Wed. – Belle Clair Speedway/Belleville, IL - $6,000 (Will Vaught – 41)

June 19 – Thurs. – I-57/I-64 Raceway/Mt. Vernon, IL - $6,000 (Darren Miller -

June 20 – Fri. – Farmer City Raceway/Farmer City, IL - $10,000

June 21 – Sat. – I-55 Raceway/Pevely, MO - $10,000 (CANCELED – flooding)

June 22 – Sun. – Vermilion Co. Speedway/Danville, IL - $6,000

June 23 – Mon. - OFF

June 24 – Tue. – Sedalia State Fair Speedway/Sedalia, MO - $6,000

June 25 – Wed. – Lake Ozark Speedway/Eldon, MO - $6,000

June 26 – Thurs. – Paducah Int’l Raceway/Paducah, KY - $6,000

June 27 – Fri. – Lawrenceburg Speedway/Lawrenceburg, IN - $10,000

June 28 – Sat. – Clarksville Speedway/Clarksville, TN - $10,000

June 29 – Sun. – Lincoln Speedway/Lincoln, IL - $6,000

June 30 – Mon. - OFF

July 1 – Tue. – Peoria Speedway/Peoria, IL - $6,000

July 2 – Wed. – Morgan Co. Speedway/Jacksonville, IL - $6,000

July 3 – Thurs. – Macon Speedway/Macon, IL - $6,000

July 4 – Fri. – Tri-City Speedway/Pontoon Beach, IL - $10,000

July 5 – Sat. – Fairbury American Legion Speedway/Fairbury, IL -$10,000

July 6 – Sun. – Quad City Raceway/East Moline, IL - $6,000

July 7 – Mon. - OFF

July 8 – Tue. – Quincy (IL) Speedway - $6,000

July 9 – Wed. – Spoon River Speedway/Canton, IL - $6,000

July 10 – Thurs. – La Salle Speedway/La Salle, IL - $6,000

July 11 – Fri. – Brownstown (IN) Speedway - $10,000 (Rescheduled date)

July 12 – Sat. – Oakshade Raceway/Wauseon, OH - $10,000