Four WISSOTA drivers make Mod final at Volusia

© 2009 All The Dirt! Racing News, Inc.

BARBERVILLE, FL (Feb. 8) - Jared Landers started dead last and charged all the way through the 28-car field to win the Gator Championship for DIRTcar UMP Modifieds on Monday night during the 39th Annual DIRTcar Nationals By University of Northwestern Ohio at Volusia Speedway Park on Monday, February 8.

“I’ve been off here the first three nights,” lamented Landers, who collected the $5,000 top prize. “I don’t know what to say, I just have to thank all the guys in the pits who have stuck with me.”

Four drivers from WISSOTA country qualified for the 30-lap main event, which was set up by preliminary action for half the field on Saturday night, the same for the remainder of the field on Sunday and four B features on Monday night, from which only the winners advanced.

Steven Pfeifer of West Fargo, ND finished fifth in Saturday night’s preliminary feature, while Jason Schill of Centuria, WI and Bob Broking of Grand Rapids, MN qualified with top 10 finishes in Sunday night’s preliminary race. Dale Mathison of Clearwater, MN qualified Monday for the big show with a victory in the second B feature ahead of NASCAR driver Clint Bowyer.

WISSOTA drivers that also ran B features but failed to make the show were Jeremy Kerzman of Grey Eagle, MN; Bob Gierke of Villard, MN; Curt Myers of Cameron, WI, and Jason Gross of Cushing, WI.

Pfeifer led the way Monday night with a 14th place finish in the final rundown. Schill, who finished fourth in Sunday night’s feature, started Monday’s main event on the pole and finished 15th. Mathison finished 19th and Broking was scored 20th in the 28-car field.

Landers, of Batesville, AR, had been quiet in this DIRTcar Nationals campaign after winning five of seven feature races in 2009, but he slowly crept forward after UMP Regional Director Sam Driggers relegated Landers to the tail of the field for being late to staging. By lap 25, Landers had caught leader Stormy Scott, of Las Cruces, NM, and stormed past on the outside for the lead. Landers led the final five laps unchallenged on his way to his second Gator Championship in as many years.

Scott settled for second, the second time he had been overtaken in the closing laps during the DIRTcar Nationals By UNOH to finish as a runner-up. Scott outdistanced previous night winner Austin Dillon, of Welcome, NC, who fought off challenges from fourth finishing Jacob Hawkins of Fairmont, WV. Hawkins and Ken Schrader rounded out the top five in the field.

Four last chance B features preceded The Gator Championship in which only winners transferred into the main event.

SUMMARY

Modifieds:

Feature - Jared Landers, Stormy Scott, Austin Dillon, Jared Hawkins, Kenny Schrader, Denny Schwartz, Ty Dillon, David McWilliams, Dave Hess, Jr., Peyton Taylor, Jacob Hawkins, Jammie Wilson, Tommy Seets, Steven Pfeifer, Jason Schill, Mike Spatola, Jason Hughes, Devin Gilpin, Dale Mathison, Bob Broking, Kenny Wallace, Paul Miles, Stephen Schnapf, Jesse Stovall, Jeff Leka, Jeff Babcock, Clint Bowyer, Rob Underwood

B Feature 1 - Jason Hughes, Scott Martin, Jason Gross, Jeremy Kerzman, Jeremy Newberry, Charlie Phillips, Jim Ransom, Devin Gilpin, Jeff Babcock

B Feature 1 - Dale Mathison, Clint Bowyer, Denny Schwartz, Dave Wietholder, Matt Goulden, Bob Gierke, Joe Carr, Scotty Kincaid, Schuyler Nahre, Scotty Owens

B Feature 1 - Ty Dillon, Ben Adkins, Scott Green, Jason Wheatley, Curt Myers, Rob Penny, Kent Corbin, Darrell George, Todd Sherman, Randle Sweeney

B Feature 1 - Peyton Taylor, Buzzie Reutimann, Tommy Seets, J.E. Stalder, Tony Anderson, Chad Evans, Rob Underwood, Jeff Thomas, Todd Neiheiser