Pennsy’s Hess Captures First-Ever Alltel DIRTcar Nationals UMP DIRTcar Modified Feature On Saturday Night

BARBERVILLE, FL – Feb. 9, 2008 – Twenty-four hours after a crash left him a non-qualifier, Dave Hess Jr. of Waterford, Pa., roared back to win Saturday night’s 20-lap UMP DIRTcar Modified feature during the 37^th annual Alltel DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park.

Hess, a young talent who competes in Super Late Model and UMP DIRTcar-type Modified action around his native western Pennsylvania, raced off the pole position to lead the race’s entire distance. He pocketed $1,500 for his first career win at the half-mile clay oval.

There was an anxious moment for Hess, however, in the event’s final moments. He received an outside challenge from Wayne Troseth of Zimmerman, Minn., racing down the homestretch with the white flag flying, but Troseth lost traction and fell to seventh in the official finish.

Hess, whose Craiger-powered Rocket Modified sustained significant damage in a heat-race accident the previous night, crossed the finish line several car lengths ahead of Webb City, Mo.’s Scott Drake. Drake, a winner earlier in the Alltell DIRTcar Nationals, started sixth.

Julie McDermid, 26, of Oconto Falls, Wis., started and finished third – her first top-five placing of the 2008 Alltel DIRTcar Nationals. Opening-night winner Jesse Stovall of Branson, Mo., charged from the 18^th starting spot to finish fourth and Jeff Mathews of Tampa, Fla., was fifth.

A week-high total of 83 cars were entered in the program.

Among the new entrants was Denny Schwartz of Ashmore, Ill., and Jeff Leka of Buffalo, Ill., the two drivers who battled for the 2007 UMP DIRTcar Modified national championship. Schwartz, who beat Leka by four points to capture the ’07 UMP crown, won the night’s first B-Main over Leka (gaining the only transfer spot to the A-Main) and went on to finish 11^th.

Heat winners were Devin Gilpin of Columbus, Ind., Hess, Brian Ruhlman of Clarklake, Mich., McDermid, Troseth, Drake, Bub Patrick of San Pierre, Ind., and Jason Miller of Osceola, Wis. The B-Mains were topped by Schwartz, Jon Henry of Ada, Ohio, Brian Strand of Bemidji, Minn., and Wayne Hammond of Tampa, Fla.

Jerod Landers of Batesville, Ark., entered the night riding a two-race win streak and leading the division’s Alltel DIRTcar Nationals by a healthy 44 points over NASCAR veteran Ken Schrader of Fenton, Mo., but his failure to qualify for the first time in five events tightened the points race considerably.

Landers remained the points leader at the end of the night, but his edge was reduced to 13 points over Drake. Austin Dillon of Welcome, N.C., the 17-year-old grandson of NASCAR team owner Richard Childress, sits third in the standings, followed by Hess and Schrader, who was absent from Saturday’s action due to his NASCAR commitments at Daytona International Speedway.

The UMP DIRTcar Modifieds continue competition as part of the Alltel DIRTcar Nationals through Feb. 12. Racing begins each evening at 7:30.

For more information on the Alltel DIRTcar Nationals, visit www.volusiaspeedwaypark.com or www.dirtcar.com.

UMP DIRTcar Modified Feature Finish (20 laps):

1. Dave Hess Jr.

2. Scott Drake

3. Julie McDermid

4. Jesse Stovall

5. Jeff Mathews

6. Tommie Seets Jr.

7. Wayne Troseth

8. Austin Dillon

9. Brad Waits

10. Brian Ruhlman

11. Denny Schwartz

12. Randle Sweeney

13. Mike Spatola

14. Wayne Hammond

15. Devin Gilpin

16. Dale Mathison

17. Joey Jensen

18. Lou Krushansky

19. Richard Michael

20. Bill Davis

21. Jason Miller

22. Bub Patrick

23. Brian Strand

24. Scott Green

25. Kenny Gaddis

26. Corky Thomas

27. Shane Sabraski

28. Kent Robinson

DNQ: Ty Dillon, Larry Moreland, Derek Groomer, Tony Anderson, Billy Boggs, Bruce Takach, Chuck Gustafson, Kurt Allison, Jake Hawkins, Matt Caruth, Frank Marshall, Dave Groves, Don Lamb, Todd Sherman, Jason Schill, Tim Hancock, Charlie McNichol, Ron Soultis, Chad Hadlick, Mike Hohlbein, Charlie Phillips, Gary Brooks, David Bumgardner, Ben Ledgerwood, Tyler Townsend, Matt Permann, Jeff Leka, Alan Mondus, Jim Ransom, Scotty Kincaid, Jared Landers, Brandon Carlson, Terry Hull, Chuck Milam, Rich Laethus, Tim Thomas, Larry Burkins, Bob Gierke, Barry Sheffield, Gary Eichler, David McWilliams, Rick Conyer, Tom Seets Sr., Justin Houston, Corey Sekerson, Tom Bowen, George Catanzano, Rick Scott, Rick Jones, Josh Butler, Ralph Groomer, Jon Henry, Mark Noble, J.E. Stadler, Greg Vandergrift

Alltel DIRTcar Nationals UMP DIRTcar Modified Points Standings (after 5 of 8 events):

1. Jared Landers 354

2. Scott Drake 341

3. Austin Dillon 316

4. Dave Hess Jr. 315

5. Ken Schrader 300

6. Tim Hancock 291

7. Mike Spatola 280

7. Jesse Stovall 280

9. Jason Miller 269

10. Kenny Gaddis 246

11. Tommie Seets Jr. 228

12. Kenny Wallace 214

13. Julie McDermid 209

14. Bob Gierke 206

15. Bruce Takach 195

16. Scott Green 192

17. Kevin Adams 190

18. George Catanzano 186

19. Jake Hawkins 182

20. Brad Waits 179