MATTOON, Ill. — Winning never gets old, but winning the DIRTcar Summer Nationals’ debut at an Illinois bullring makes it so much sweeter.
Third time was the charm for Jason Feger Friday night at Coles County Speedway as the Hell Tour invaded the eighth-mile oval for the first time. The two-time series champion had two past starts at Coles County, both netting him top-10 finishes, and Friday was his night to punch through to victory lane after winning a thrilling battle for the lead with fellow Illinois DIRTcar hero, Ryan Unzicker.
The green flag dropped with Ryan Unzicker pacing the field early in the No. 24. Lapped traffic was in play by Lap 6, allowing second place Mitch McGrath and third place Brody Smith to quickly close in.
Unzicker maneuvered through traffic well until Clay Stuckey drew the caution flag on Lap 14. The restart is where things went sideways for third place Smith, as contact sent the Dade City, Fla.,-driver into the wall causing a chain-reaction pileup in turns one and two.
After a second Lap-14 restart, a three-car race ensued for the lead between Unzicker, Billy Moyer, who took second on the restart, and third place McGrath. Moyer took multiple peeks under the Unzicker machine, pulling even multiple times as Moyer worked the inside berm all around Coles County.
Unzicker continued to rail the cushion and fended off multiple challenges by Moyer’s No. 21 before a Lap 18 caution derailed Moyer’s run. Sheet metal rubbing against the tire forced him to head to the pit area, relinquishing second to Tanner English.
The Lap-18 restart is where things got very entertaining as another three-car race for the lead began between Unzicker, Feger and English.
Feger quickly disposed of English and set his set his sights on race-long leader Unzicker. Feger worked the inside lap-after-lap as the lead duo went side-by-side multiple times in the closing 15 laps.
Unzicker played defense the best he could as Feger was relentless in pursuit of the win. Feger threw a slide job that cleared the Unzicker No. 24 in turn four to lead Lap 35 — the first lap he had led all race.
Unzicker battled back to the inside, but Feger was not to be denied, picking up his first win at Coles County Speedway.
“I love bullring racing, we know this is our third time getting to come here — the track’s been getting better and better,” Feger said. “I just got a really good jump on the restarts and then I was just able to get the pressure on Ryan (Unzicker). I just don’t think he knew where to go. It’s hard to be in that position, it’s easier being in second, the hole opened up and I took it. I knew we were getting close to him, so I just powered it in there and took it.”
Unzicker held onto second, English charged from eighth to finish third, Bob Gardner finished fourth and Daniel Adam rounded out the top five.
The finish:
Feature (40 Laps): 1. 25-Jason Feger[7]; 2. 24-Ryan Unzicker[1]; 3. 96-Tanner English[8]; 4. 4G-Bob Gardner[6]; 5. 75A-Daniel Adam[13]; 6. 89-Mike Spatola[10]; 7. 15-Clay Stuckey[11]; 8. 74-Mitch McGrath[2]; 9. 30-Mark Voigt[20]; 10. 122-Timmy Dick[9]; 11. 7S-Morgan Staggs[15]; 12. 21B-Rich Bell[17]; 13. 21-Billy Moyer Sr[3]; 14. 87-Jake Rainey[18]; 15. 10J-Jordan Bauer[22]; 16. 17SR-Brody Smith[4]; 17. 09-Michael Leach[5]; 18. 3S-Brian Shirley[16]; 19. BK3-Billy Knippenberg III[12]; 20. 05-Tyler Leach[21]; 21. 99JR-Frank Heckenast Jr[14]; 22. 18-Shannon Babb[19]
