4th ANNUAL TRI-TRACK CHALLENGE YIELDS THREE DIFFERENT WINNERS, ELUSIVE BONUS UNCLAIMED
by: Michelle Petroff

MACON, IL (June 6, 2006) - For the third consecutive year, superb racing surfaces and stout competition yielded three different winners in the “Tri-Track Challenge” including a pair of first time tour winners. So, yet again, the $10,000 posted bonus for any competitor who can win two of the three “Tri-Track Challenge” events went unclaimed.

Thirty-four entries, which included a strong mix of national touring drivers and regional hotshoes, converged at Paducah International Raceway to kick off the “4th Annual Tri-Track Challenge”. The “master” of PIR and three-time U.M.P. National Late Model Champion, Terry English, recorded fast time honors and heat race winners included Chub Frank, Rodney Melvin, Terry English and Randy Korte. Using the Tri-Track Frisbee draw for the top 2 finishers of each heat, it was Joe Morris of Galatia, IL, who started on the pole for the 40-lap main event. Morris steadily used the low groove at Paducah International Raceway to sneak past race leader Brian Shirley with five laps to go. The $10,000 Tri-Track payday was the biggest win to date for the 2000 PIR track champion and his first national victory.

Morris then trekked to I-55 Raceway on Saturday hoping to beat out the thirty-five other entrants for Round 2 so he could capture the $10,000 bonus money. After several showers and a rain delay, the staff of I-55 diligently worked to save the track and made an awesome racing surface. The ultra-quick track provided three and four-wide racing all night long. Illinois leadfoot Randy Korte notched quick time and a heat win along with Billy Moyer, Steve Sheppard and Joe Morris. Korte had everything to lose when it was time for the Frisbee draw but his string of good luck continued as he flipped over the disc with #1 and started the feature from the pole. Korte was fast with no exception and catapulted to the lead and only faced a little heat from 6th place starting Shannon Babb before sealing the deal for his ten grand. Korte was followed to the stripe by travelers Babb, Billy Moyer, Darren Miller and Brian Shirley.

Going in to the final leg of the “Tri-Track Challenge” tour, two driver were positioned to end the night $20,000 richer if they could win the finale at Vermilion County Speedway. Morris‚ absence left the door open for Randy Korte to take top honors in his home state but the thirty-car field once again boasted some of the best names in the industry. Korte again set the bar during qualifying and won a heat race along with Shannon Babb, Ryan Dauber and Jimmy Mars. “King Kong” was positioned to become the only driver other than Babb to take the bounty but a bauble on lap one resulted in a multi-car pileup. Moyer commanded the lead but it was “The Moweaqua Missile” and Illinois powerhouse Shannon Babb that diced his way to the front from his fifth place starting spot to steal the lead from the polesitting “Mr. Smooth”. Moyer made attempts at Babb but the 33-year-old Illinoisan cruised to his sixth Tri-Track win with Moyer, Korte, Dauber and reigning U.M.P. National Champion Rodney Melvin in tow.

All of us at Paducah International Raceway, I-55 Raceway, Vermilion County Speedway and United Midwestern Promoters would like to thank all of the competitors, sponsors and spectators who joined us for the “4th Annual Tri-Track Challenge”. We are looking forward to more Tri-Track excitement in 2007 once again during the first weekend in June. We look forward to seeing you again soon during the popular Summernationals’ tour which will visit us at PIR on June 29th, I-55 Raceway on July 1st and Vermilion Co. Speedway on July 2nd.


4th Annual Tri-Track Challenge

Round 1: Paducah Int’l Rcwy - Paducah, KY (34 entries)

Fast Qualifier: Terry English
Heat Race 1: Chub Frank, Shannon Babb, John Tindal, Kevin Cole
Heat Race 2: Rodney Melvin, Joe Morris, Wendell Wallace, Kevin Weaver
Heat Race 3: Terry English, Jimmy Mars, Jimmy Owens, Billy Drake
Heat Race 4: Randy Korte, Brian Shirley, Darren Miller, Bryan Collins
B-Main: Terry Phillips, Billy James, Michael Steele, Jeff Sloan
Feature: 1. Joe Morris (1), 2. Brian Shirley (2), 3. Shannon Babb (4), 4. Darren Miller (12), 5. Jimmy Mars (5), 6. Randy Korte (3), 7. Terry English (7), 8. Terry Phillips (17), 9. Billy Drake (15), 10. Kevin Weaver (14), 11. Bryan Collins (16), 12. Billy James (18), 13. Jimmy Owens (11), 14. Michael Steele (19), 15. Chub Frank (8), 16. John Tindal (9), 17. Jeff Sloan (20), 18. Matt Liner (22), 19. Rodney Melvin (6), 20. Jarryd Holshouser (23), 21. Kevin Cole (13), 22. Wendell Wallace (10), 23. Dylan Thompson (21)

Total Positions Advanced (A-Main): 54
Most Positions Advanced: Terry Phillips (9)



Round 2: I-55 Rcwy - Pevely, MO (36 entries)

Fast Qualifier: Randy Korte
Heat 1: Billy Moyer, Tim Ratajczyk, Brian Shirley, Ed Dixon
Heat 2: Steve Sheppard, Darren Miller, Jimmy Owens, Jeff Johns
Heat 3: Randy Korte, Shannon Babb, Jimmy Mars, Dennis Erb Jr.
Heat 4: Joe Morris, Mark Voigt, Billy Faust, Danny Haynes
B-Main #1: Brian Birkhofer, Bryan Collins, Michael Kloos, Steve Shive
B-Main #2: Terry Phillips, Rodney Melvin, Kevin Weaver, Tim Manville
Feature: 1.Randy Korte (1), 2. Shannon Babb (6), 3. Billy Moyer (7), 4. Darren Miller (8), 5. Brian Shirley (9), 6. Steve Sheppard (5), 7. Jimmy Mars (11), 8. Joe Morris (2), 9. Brian Birkhofer (17), 10. Billy Faust (12), 11. Ed Dixon (13), 12. Dennis Erb Jr. (15), 13. Terry Phillips (18), 14. Bryan Collins (19), 15. Mark Oller (25), 16. Tim Manville (24), 17. Mark Voigt (3), 18. Jimmy Owens (10), 19. Danny Haynes (16), 20. Michael Kloos (21), 21. Kevin Weaver (22), 22. Steve Shive (23), 23. Tim Ratajczyk (4), 24. Rodney Melvin (20), 25. Jeff Johns (14)

Total Positions Advanced (A-Main): 64
Most Positions Advanced: Mark Oller (10)



Round 3: Vermilion Co. Speedway - Danville, IL (30 entries)

Quick Time: Randy Korte
Heat 1: Ryan Dauber, Dennis Erb Jr., Rodney Melvin, Jason Feger
Heat 2: Shannon Babb, Don O‚Neal, Steve Hillard, Joe Harlen
Heat 3: Jimmy Mars, Brian Birkhofer, Tim Lance, Brian Shirley
Heat 4: Randy Korte, Billy Moyer, Darren Miller, Michael Bradley
B-Main: Richie Hedrick, Kerry Matthew, Junior Shickel, Terry Babb
Feature: 1. Shannon Babb (5), 2. Billy Moyer (1), 3. Randy Korte (7), 4. Ryan Dauber (2), 5. Rodney Melvin (9), 6. Don O'Neal (3), 7. Jimmy Mars (6), 8. Richie Hedrick (17), 9. Brian Shirley (15), 10. Steve Hillard (10), 11. Joe Harlan (14), 12. Kerry Matthew (18), 13. Jason Feger (13), 14. Jr Shickel (19), 15. Darren Miller (12), 16. Brian Birkhofer (4), 17. Dennis Erb Jr. (8), 18. Michael Bradley (16), 19. Terry Babb (20), 20. Tim Lance (11)

Total Positions Advanced (A-Main): 41
Most Positions Advanced: Richie Hedrick (9)



2003-2006 Tri-Track Challenge Feature Winners
Shannon Babb = 6 (3 - 2003, 1 - 2004, 1 - 2005, 1 - 2006)
Don O‚Neal = 2 (1 - 2004, 1 - 2005)
Billy Moyer = 1 (2004)
Jimmy Mars = 1 (2005)
Joe Morris = 1 (2006)
Randy Korte = 1 (2006)


$10,000 Bonus Winner(s)
Shannon Babb (2003)