DIRTcar Summer Nationals
Wilmot Raceway
June 15, 2014
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Eckert Goes Back-to-Back with Dominating DIRTcar Summer Nationals Win at Wisconsin’s Wilmot Raceway



by Jordan Morris
WILMOT, Wis. - June 15, 2014 - Rick Eckert didn't wait long after securing his first DIRTcar Summer Nationals victory on Friday night at Cedar Lake Speedway, following it up by leading flag-to-flag and capturing the victory on Sunday night at Wilmot Raceway.

Eckert, of York, Pa., started from the pole position with Ryan Unzicker on his outside. Eckert, the 2011 World of Outlaws Late Model Series champion racing the defending series champion's Rocket Chassis car, held off Unzicker on the start of the race and after two early cautions.

Eckert finally pulled away from Unzicker after the third and final caution when a hard-charging Shannon Babb, coming from his ninth-place starting position, challenged Unzicker for second. Babb cleared Unzicker, but Eckert was already out to a sizeable lead. Eckert wound up lead all 40 laps, defeating Babb by more than one second, capturing his second checkered flag in as many events.

"Anytime I get to race is fun, and I love racing tracks that I've never been to," said an excited Eckert in victory lane. "We were only going to hit a handful [of events] but now every day I get in the truck, I go wherever they set the GPS to, and they've been setting it for the next track. So we will probably see them at the next one."

Unzicker, Brian Shirley and Mike Spatola rounded out the top five. Heat race winners included Eckert, Unzicker and Brandon Sheppard.

The DIRTcar Summer Nationals continues on Tuesday night at Farley Speedway in Farley, Iowa

A-Main    
1 1E Rick Eckert York, PA 40
2 18 Shannon Babb Moweaqua, IL 40
3 24 Ryan Unzicker El Paso, IL 40
4 81 Brian Shirley Chatham, IL 40
5 89 Mike Spatola Manhattan, IL 40
6 22 Gregg Satterlee Rochester Mills, PA 40
7 b5 Brandon Sheppard New Berlin, IL 40
8 96 Tanner English Benton, KY 40
9 10s Scott Schmitt Tonica, IL 40
10 74 Mitch McGrath Neosho, WI 40
11 21jr Billy Moyer Jr Batesville, AR 40
12 81jr Jason Riggs Harrisburg, IL 40
13 1cj Gary Christian Broken Bow, OK 40
14 1M Jim Moon Indianapolis, IN 23
15 D7 Jim Letizia Milwaukee, WI 22
16 32 Bobby Pierce Oakwood, IL 15
17 8R Bill Rezutek Big Bend, WI 15
18 5m Mike Fryer Freeport, IL 13
19 21b Rich Bell Sheffield, IL 6

Heat #1  
1 1E Rick Eckert York, PA
2 81 Brian Shirley Chatham, IL
3 22 Gregg Satterlee Rochester Mills, PA
4 96 Tanner English Benton, KY
5 21jr Billy Moyer Jr Batesville, AR
6 1M Jim Moon Indianapolis, IN
7 5m Mike Fryer Freeport, IL

Heat #2  
1 24 Ryan Unzicker El Paso, IL
2 21b Rich Bell Sheffield, IL
3 74 Mitch McGrath Neosho, WI
4 32 Bobby Pierce Oakwood, IL
5 1cj Gary Christian Broken Bow, OK
6 D7 Jim Letizia Milwaukee, WI

Heat #3  
1 b5 Brandon Sheppard New Berlin, IL
2 89 Mike Spatola Manhattan, IL
3 18 Shannon Babb Moweaqua, IL
4 10s Scott Schmitt Tonica, IL
5 81jr Jason Riggs Harrisburg, IL
6 8R Bill Rezutek Big Bend, WI

Qualifying Results

Group #1    
1 1E Rick Eckert York, PA 15.087
2 96 Tanner English Benton, KY 15.198
3 81 Brian Shirley Chatham, IL 15.214
4 22 Gregg Satterlee Rochester Mills, PA 15.285
5 21jr Billy Moyer Jr Batesville, AR 15.650
6 5m Mike Fryer Freeport, IL 15.655
7 1M Jim Moon Indianapolis, IN 15.714

Group #2    
1 32 Bobby Pierce Oakwood, IL 15.229
2 24 Ryan Unzicker El Paso, IL 15.247
3 21b Rich Bell Sheffield, IL 15.474
4 74 Mitch McGrath Neosho, WI 15.505
5 1cj Gary Christian Broken Bow, OK 15.911
6 D7 Jim Letizia Milwaukee, WI 16.240

Group #3    
1 b5 Brandon Sheppard New Berlin, IL 15.335
2 89 Mike Spatola Manhattan, IL 15.372
3 18 Shannon Babb Moweaqua, IL 15.427
4 10s Scott Schmitt Tonica, IL 15.467
5 81jr Jason Riggs Harrisburg, IL 15.543
6 8R Bill Rezutek Big Bend, WI 15.884