RANDY KORTE nabs $10,000 in Event #9 of UMP Summer Nats at I-55!

By: Terry Young

Randy "King Kong" Korte of Highland, Illinois visited the romping grounds where he cut many laps in his years and showed that his laps there lead to his perfection of the slick high banked oval! Rolling into Ken Schrader and Ray Marlar's I-55 Raceway in Pevely, MO., Korte would leave with an additional $10,000 in his bank account!

Korte would make a sweep of the Missouri speedplant and capitalize on the states motto of being the "Show Me" state, doing just that, Korte would go on to win the dash and lead every lap of the A-Main 40 lap event. As the race took the green for the start, Korte spun in turns 1 and 2, but made up for ther blunder in quick fashion as the field took to the retsrat as Korte took the lead and never looked back. With passing at a premium on the slick surface, Korte was followed at the checkers by Rodney Melvin, Shannon Babb, Jeep Van Wormer, Brian Birkhofer, Jimmy Mars, Ed Dixon, Billy Faust, Dennis Erb and Kevin Weaver rounding out the top 10.

Driving a Terry Eagliln Rocket Chassis with power from RaceTek and sponsorship from Mid-Continental Fuels, TMCI, Rick's Towing, Banshee Graphics, Korte had everyone asking him "Who the heck is Bruce?"

Korte toured the track with a time of 13.418 to set fast time of the 38 entires on hand.

Winning the dash, Korte crossed the line ahead of Rodney Melvin, Brian Birkhofer, Jeep Van Wormer, Ed Dixon, Shannon Babb, Clay Baumann, Dennis Erb and Chad Zobrist.

The heat races were won by John Gill over Billy Faust, Billy Drake, Brady Smith, Tim Ratajczyk, Butch Kruckenberg, Patrick Tretter and Baumann, Jimmy Mars over Kevin Weaver, Erb, Darren Miller, Marc Oller, Brian Wolfmeier, Danny Haynes and Kevin Epperson, Brian Shirley over Terry English, Mark Voigt, Zobrist, Kyle Steffens, Dennis Woodworth, Steve Karnes and Shane Allen and Don O'Neal over Jim Shereck, Matt Taylor, Mark Gansman, Patrick Sheltra, Dave Jumper and Jordan Bland.

The consi races were won by Darren Miller and Patrick Sheltra.
 

UMP Late Models - 38 Entries

Qualifying
Randy Korte 13.418
Jeep VanWormer 13.532
Brian Birkhofer 13.563
Clay Baumann 13.623
Dennis Erb 13.64
Rodney Melvin 13.644
Mark Gansmann 13.699
Brady Smith 13.746
Jimmy Mars 13.847
Brian Shirley 13.852
Jim Shereck 13.859
Billy Faust 13.878
Mark Oller 13.89
Terry English 13.92
Don O'Neal 13.933
John Gill 14.01
Danny Haynes 14.013
Shannon Babb 14.015
Steve Karnes 14.017
Dave Jumper 14.05
Tim Ratajczyk 14.058
Kevin Weaver 14.197
Mark Voigt 14.21
Chad Zobrist 14.223
Billy Drake 14.225
Jordan Bland 14.254
Brian Wolfmeier 14.355
Kyle Steffens 14.362
Matt Taylor 14.382
Butch Kruckenburg 14.465
Darrin Miller 14.502
Denny Woodworth 14.617
Ed Dixon 14.677
Patrick Sheltra 14.763
Patrick Tretter 14.878
Kevin Epperson 15.034
Shane Allen 15.218
Steve Shive No Time

Dash
1. 00 Randy Korte
2. 27 Rodney Melvin
3. 15 Brian Birkhofer
4. 55 Jeep VanWormer
5. 16a Ed Dixon
6. 18 Shannon Babb
7. 77 Clay Baumann
8. 28 Dennis Erb
9. 78 Chad Zobrist

Heat 1 Top 3 Advance to Feature
1. 75 John Gill
2. 26 Billy Faust
3. 9 Billy Drake
4. 2 Brady Smith
5. 112 Tim Ratajczyk
6. 76 Butch Kruckenburg
7. 21t Patrick Tretter
8. 77 Clay Baumann

Heat 2
1. 28 Jimmy Mars
2. b12 Kevin Weaver
3. 28 Dennis Erb
4. 32 Darrin Miller
5. 67 Mark Oller
6. 441 Brian Wolfmeier
7. 47 Danny Haynes
8. 56 Kevin Epperson

Heat 3
1. 3s Brian Shirley
2. 96 Terry English
3. 30 Mark Voigt
4. 78 Chad Zobrist
5. 8 Kyle Steffens
6. 5 Denny Woodworth
7. 11 Steve Karns
8. 16 Shane Allen

Heat 4
1. 71 Don O’Neal
2. 7 Jim Shereck DQ’D wrong tire
3. 3L Matt Taylor
4. 20 Mark Gansmann
5. 23 Patrick Sheltra
6. 2j Dave Jumper
7. 12 Jordan Bland

Semi 1 Top 3 advance
1. 32 Darrin Miller
2. 2 Brady Smith
3. 67 Mark Oller
4. 112 Tim Ratajczyk
5. 47 Danny Haynes
6. 76 Butch Kruckeberg
7. 441 Brian Wolfmeier
8. 77 Clay Baumann
9. 21T Patrick Tretter
10. 56 Kevin Epperson

Semi 2
1. 23 Patrick Sheltra
2. 78 Chad Zobrist
3. 7 Jim Shereck
4. 8 Kyle Steffens
5. 5 Denny Woodworth
6. 2J Dave Jumper
7. 11 Steve Karnes
8. 12 Jordan Bland
9. 16 Shane Allen
DNS. 51 Steve Shive

Feature
1. 00 Randy Korte
2. 27 Rodney Melvin
3. 18 Shannon Babb
4. 55 Jeep VanWormer
5. 15b Brian Birkhofer
6. 28 Jimmy Mars
7. 16a Ed Dixon
8. 26 Billy Faust
9. 28 Dennis Erb
10. b12 Kevin Weaver
11. 71 Don O’Neal
12. 75 John Gill
13. 20 Mark Gansmann
14. 96 Terry English
15. 32 Darrin Miller
16. 2 Brady Smith
17. 23 Patrick Sheltra
18. 30 Mark Voigt
19. 67 Mark Oller
20. 3S Brian Shirley
21. 7 Jim Shereck
22. 9 Billy Drake
23. 78 Chad Zobrist
24. 12 Jordan Bland
25. 3L Matt Taylor