BROWNSTOWN, Ill. (July 3) — It was only a matter of time before five-time series champion Billy Moyer of Batesville, Ark., returned to UMP DIRTcar Summernationals victory lane. The veteran driver did so in a dominating fashion Friday night at Fayette County Speedway, leading flag-to-flag to collect a $10,000 victory.

Starting on the pole, Moyer began to pull away from second-running Billy Moyer Jr., also of Batesville, by the fifth circuit, lapping all but six cars en route to his first Summernationals victory of the season and 90th career series triumph.

“We’ve just had some terrible luck,” Moyer said of his Summernationals run. “We come out at Brownstown pretty good and lapped cars kind of cost us. And then we had a couple flat tires, broke the transmission at Fairbury. We was running good at a lot of them and then there’s a few nights that we haven’t been good. This track … I don’t know, I like this place. It’s a little bullring, but it’s racy and it’s fun and we just hit everything right tonight.”

Moyer, who captured his first victory since February’s Georgia-Florida Speedweeks, commanded the 50-lapper by as much as a straightaway’s distance.

“I was really abusing my car way harder than I should have,” Moyer said. “Steve was giving me signals there and I knew I had some room, but I didn’t know how much. And then you go a couple laps and the thing didn’t feel all that good in the slick spots, so I didn’t want to get too lazy in the seat. Lapped cars were just hectic and I was just trying to go where they wasn’t.”

Behind the race leader, a battle ensued for the runner-up spot, with Moyer Jr., Bobby Pierce of Oakwood, Ill., and Brian Shirley of Chatham, Ill., fighting for position. Moyer Jr. held on to his second-place starting position, with fourth-starting Pierce advancing one spot to finish third. Sixth-starting Shirley finished fourth, with rookie Late Model driver Matt Westfall of Pleasant Hill, Ohio, rounding out the top five.

“I told my guys when we come in … we were pretty dang good and absolutely got our butt kicked and ran second,” Moyer Jr. said. “I led the first little bit and then when Dad got by me, he passed me so fast, I was like, ‘Man we’re not very good, we’re probably going to go backwards here. I’m going to give her all I have.’ We just kept running, never seen anybody and had a little room on people. I couldn’t see (Moyer) from halfway on. He was gone.”

While Pierce, who currently sits atop the Summernationals points standings, was pleased with his third-place finish, he said he wished he would have ran the race a bit differently.

“The top was really fast … if I could just stay up there,” Pierce said. “My dad was giving me signals, and I wanted to try the bottom too. I just couldn’t really get it to work. I was almost just as fast as Little Billy (Moyer Jr.) and (Brian) Shirley. Moyer was just pulling away in the middle there. I just I would have stayed up top and tried that out for the whole race.”

Preliminary notes and results:

B-main

Finish (top two transfer): Tanner English, Jason Riggs, Jim Moon, Levi Kissinger, Jason Suhre, Scott Weber, Ben Nicastri, Adam Tischhauser

B-main lineup

(12 laps; top two transfer)
Row 1: Jason Riggs, Levi Kissinger
Row 2: Tanner English, Adam Tischhauser
Row 3: Jason Suhre, Daryn Klein
Row 4: Daniel Jacober, Paul Stubber
Row 5: Scott Weber, Jeremy Sneed
Row 6: Jim Moon, Jason Zobrist
Row 7: Ben Nicastri, Gordy Gundaker
Row 8: Chad Zobrist, Mark Voigt

C-main

Finish (top four transfer to B-main): Ben Nicastri, Gordy Gundaker, Chad Zobrist, Mark Voigt, Richard Frost, Richie Standridge, John Hahler, Mike Hammerlee, Brent McKinnon

Fourth heat

Sailing around the top side, Bobby Pierce led all 10 laps of the fourth heat race. Ryan Unzicker challenged Shannon Babb for the second-place spot in the early running, but slipped to settle for third in the final laps. A charging Babb nearly overtook Pierce at the checkers, but finished runner-up at the line. With the top-three pulling away from the rest of the field, Brian Diveley finished fourth to transfer to the feature.

Finish (top four transfer): Bobby Pierce, Shannon Babb, Ryan Unzicker, Brian Diveley, Adam Tischhauser, Paul Stubber, Jason Zobrist, Brent McKinnon

Third heat

Polesitter Billy Moyer charged ahead of the field at the drop of the green, pulling away from second-running Hunter Rasdon to win the third head. Rasdon held on to the runner-up spot, with Michael Kloos finishing third. A tight side-by-side battle ensued between Timothy Culp and Tanner English, with the drivers sliding back and forth throughout the final laps in attempt to grab the final transfer spot. Culp edged ahead of English to finish fourth and make the feature lineup.

Finish (top four transfer): Billy Moyer, Hunter Rasdon, Michael Kloos, Timothy Culp, Tanner English, Daniel Jacober, Jim Moon, Mark Voight, Chad Zobrist

Second heat

Polesitter Billy Moyer Jr. led all 10 laps to pick up a win in the second heat race, distancing himself from the rest of the field at the checkers. Brian Shirley grabbed the runner-up spot, with Rodney Melvin finishing third. After a close battle for the fourth and final transfer spot, Kolby Vandenbergh pulled ahead of Levi Kissinger to qualify for the main event.

Finish (top four transfer): Billy Moyer Jr., Brian Shirley, Rodney Melvin, Kolby Vanderbergh, Levi Kissinger, Daryn Klein, Jeremy Sneed, Gordy Gundaker, Richard Frost, John Hahler

First heat

Second-starting Jason Feger jumped to the lead, with the field slowing for a caution on the second lap when Ben Nicastri spun in turns one and two. Feger led the remaining eight laps, with runner-up finisher Matt Westfall on his heels. Tim Manville challenged Dan Schlieper for the third-place spot, but it wouldn’t be enough, with Schlieper finishing third and Manville running fourth.

Finish (top four transfer): Jason Feger, Matt Westfall, Dan Schlieper, Tim Manville, Jason Riggs, Jason Suhre, Scott Weber, Ben Nicastri, Mike Hammerlee, Richie Standrigde

Heat race lineups

(10 laps; top four transfer)
First heat
Row 1: Matt Westfall, Jason Feger
Row 2: Tim Manville, Dan Schlieper
Row 3: Jason Riggs, Jason Suhre
Row 4: Scott Weber, Ben Nicastri
Row 5: Mike Hammerlee, Richie Standrige
Second heat
Row 1: Billy Moyer Jr., Brian Shirley
Row 2: Rodney Melvin, Kolby Vanderbergh
Row 3: Daryn Klein, Levi Kissinger
Row 4: Gordy Gundaker, Jeremy Sneed
Row 5: Richard Frost, John Hahler
Third heat
Row 1: Billy Moyer, Hunter Rasdon
Row 2: Tanner English, Michael Kloos
Row 3: Timothy Culp, Chad Zobrist
Row 4: Jim Moon, Mark Voigt
Row 5: Daniel Jacober
Fourth heat
Row 1: Shannon Babb, Bobby Pierce
Row 2: Ryan Unzicker, Adam Tischauser
Row 3: Jason Zobrist, Brian Diveley
Row 4: Paul Stubber, Claude Walker
Row 5: Brent McKinnon

Pre-race setup

With Chris Simpson of Oxford, Iowa, capturing his second career UMP DIRTcar Summernationals victory in Thursday’s stop at La Salle (Ill.) Speedway, the tour moves to Fayette County Speedway in Brownstown, Ill., on Friday night for a $10,000-to-win program.

Only nine events remain on the tour’s 2015 schedule, with Ryan Unzicker of El Paso, Ill., still looking for his first series victory of the season. Unzicker, who finished runner-up in last year’s Summernationals points standings, is a former series winner at Fayette County. Brandon Sheppard of New Berlin, Ill., was the winner of last year’s tour stop at the Brownstown oval, but will not be on hand for Friday’s event as he travels to Muskingum County Speedway in Zanesville, Ohio, with the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series.

Friday's program will be made up of hot laps, time trials, heat races consolation races and a 22-car main event. Modifieds, B-mods, pure stocks and hornets will also in action, with a fireworks show taking place during intermission.

Pre-race notes

The Fayette County Speedway pit area is jam packed for Friday’s holiday weekend event, with more than 80 modifieds on hand between the UMP and B-mod divisions, along with Late Models, pure stocks and hornets. … Levi Kissinger, who captured his first career Summernationals victory and first career Late Model victory last Thursday at Clarksville (Tenn.) Speedway, has rejoined the Hell Tour field at Fayette County. … Along with Kissinger, Tanner English of Benton, Ky., and Jason Riggs of Harrisburg, Ill., are among other drivers rejoining the tour. … Hunter Rasdon of Jonesboro, Ark., is a surprise entrant in the Fayette County pit area. … Former Summernationals winners on hand for Friday’s $10,000-to-win event include Ryan Unzicker of El Paso, Ill., Brian Shirley of Chatham, Ill., and Jason Feger of Bloomington, Ill. ... Chris Simpson of Oxford, Iowa, captured a victory in Thursday's series stop at La Salle (Ill.) Speedway, but is not on hand for Friday's action.

Time trial results

Driver (car no.), hometown
Group 1
Matt Westfall (54), Pleasant Hill, Ohio., 12.870
Jason Feger (25), Bloomington, Ill., 13.072
Tim Manville (33X), Troy, Ill., 13.099
Dan Schlieper (8), Oak Creek, Wis., 13.335
Jason Riggs (81JR), Harrisburg, Ill., 13.339
Jason Suhre (4), Highland, Ill., 13.628
Scott Weber (92W), Festus, Mo., 13.642
Ben Nicastri (99), Camden, NS, 13.667
Mike Hammerlee (16H), St. Charles, Mo., 13.902
Richie Standridge (12), Caseyville, Ill., 14.091
Group 2
Billy Moyer Jr. (21JR), Batesville, Ark., 13.022
Brian Shirley (3S), Chatham, Ill., 13.129
Rodney Melvin (27M), Benton, Ill., 13.287
Kolby Vanderbergh (15), Ashland, Ill., 13.381
Daryn Klein (10), Fairview Heights, Ill. , 13.537
Levi Kissinger (7K), Mount Vernon, Ind., 13.692
Gordy Gundaker (11), St. Charles, Mo. , 13.700
Jeremy Sneed (24S), Bluford, Ill., 13.806
Richard Frost (15X), Clarksville, Tenn., 13.922
John Hahler (124), New Florence, Mo., 14.849
Group 3
Billy Moyer (21), Batesville, Ark., 12.842
Hunter Rasdon (R5), Jonesboro, Ark., 13.214
Tanner English (96), Benton, Ky., 13.438
Michael Kloos (6K), Trenton, Ill., 13.468
Timothy Culp (C8), Sheridan, Ark., 13.554
Chad Zobrist (78), Highland, Ill., 13.892
Jim Moon (1M), New Florence, Mo., 13.944
Mark Voigt (30V), Marine, Ill., 13.944
Daniel Jacober (22), Highland, Ill., 14.271
Group 4
Shannon Babb (18), Moweaqua, Ill., 13.144
Bobby Pierce (32), Oakwood, Ill., 13.273
Ryan Unzicker (24), El Paso, Ill., 13.396
Adam Tischauser (T4), Greenville, Ill., 13.967
Jason Zobrist (87), Highland, Ill., 13.991
Brian Diveley (11D), Springfield, Ill., 14.012
Paul Stubber (31), Bunbury, Wis., 14.083
Claude Walker (32W), Moro, Ill., no time
Brent McKinnon (26M), Carlyle, Ill., no time