Randy Korte, Mark Miner, Troy Medley & Andrew Wibbenmeyer take wins at Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55!

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Pevely, MO (June 16th, 2012) Randy Korte took the lead at the drop of the green flag in the UMP DIRTcar Late Model main event and proceeded to lead all twenty-five laps enroute to the victory. Ed Dixon was able to keep pace with Korte around the high side for much of the event but was unable to make a serious bid for the top spot. Disaster nearly struck for Dixon on lap seventeen when he got together with the lapped car Ron Wick coming down the front straight away. Dixon's right side tires ran over the top of Wick's left side tire sending Dixon up high on two wheels. Dixon's car would come back down on all fours and he would be able to continue on. In the closing laps, Dewayne Kiefer made a serious bid for the second spot as he and Dixon raced side by side for several laps before Dixon finally took control of the spot with a couple of laps left. Kiefer would finish third with Tim Manville crossing the line fourth. Rickey Frankel would round out the top five.

Read more: Randy Korte, Mark Miner, Troy Medley & Andrew Wibbenmeyer take wins at Federated Auto Parts...

Tim Manville, Matt Mevert, Chuck Adams, Danny Ems & Jacob Rexing earn victories at Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55!

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Pevely, MO (June 9th, 2012) - Tim Manville of Highland, Illinois earned his first UMP DIRTcar Late Model win of 2012 at Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 as he out-dueled Randy Korte for the win. Manville started on the front row and got the lead at the drop of the green flag. Manville would battle with Jeff Johns until the two reached lapped traffic on lap eight. That when Manville and Jeff Johns would make contact on the back stretch with Jeff Johns getting into the outside wall and then spinning into the inside wall and ending his night. Manville would then battle with Randy Korte for the remaining seventeen laps. The two raced side by side for several laps, swapping the lead on multiple occasions. Manville would get the edge with just a couple of laps remaining and then would hold off Korte's final charge as they exited turn four and headed to the checkered flag. Dewayne Kiefer made up several positions late in the race to finish third. Ron McQuerry had a solid run to finish fourth while Bobby Bittle rounded out the top five.

Read more: Tim Manville, Matt Mevert, Chuck Adams, Danny Ems & Jacob Rexing earn victories at Federated Auto...

Belle-Clair Speedway & Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 mourn the loss of track announcer Mike Meurer (AKA: The Talker Guy)

By Jimmy Dearing

St. Louis, MO (May 30th, 2012) Belle-Clair Speedway & Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 are mourning the loss of track announcer Mike Meurer. Mike suffered a heart attack and passed away Tuesday evening while visiting family and friends in California. Both tracks send their heart felt condolences out to Mike's family and friends. Mike and his wife Tina were considered part of the family to track promoters Don Hoener (Belle-Clair Speedway) and Ray & Sue Marler and Ken Schrader (Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55).

Many of the young racers racing today at both tracks grew up listening to Mike announce and dreamed of some day having Mike announce their name while racing. Mike had a special relationship with the fans and drivers at both tracks. His voice was unforgettable and even out of town fans looked forward to returning just to hear Mike announce a race.

Arrangements for Mike have not been set yet. Due to specific guidelines that have to be followed in California, it will be Saturday before the family can get Mike back home to southern Illinios from California. They hope set arrangements for Mike for early next week.

After special consideration and consulting with Mike's family, both tracks have decided to race their scheduled events this weekend. Mike's family stated that "Mike would want the show to go on!"

Both tracks ask fans to wear "purple" this weekend to the races as that was Mike's favorite color shirt to wear on race night.

Belle-Clair Speedway will run their full program of UMP Late Models, UMP Modifieds, UMP/AARA Sportsman, UMP/AARA Pure Stocks and UMP/AARA Pro 4 Stocks along with the Gateway Vintage Cars this Friday night. Racing starts at 7pm.

Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 will run their MARS DIRTcar vs UMP DIRTcar Late Model special event paying $5,000 to win along with UMP Modifieds, UMP/AARA Sportsman and UMP/AARA Pro 4 Stocks on Saturday. Qualifying is set to start at 6:30pm.

Shannon Babb claims Tri-State Challenge Victory at Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55!

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Pevely, MO (June 2nd, 2012) - Shannon Babb survived a relentless battle with Jesse Stovall and then held off Billy Moyer to break his 2012 winless streak. Babb and Stovall raced side by side lap after lap for the lead throughout the MARS / UMP DIRTcar Late Model event at the final leg of the Tri-State Challenge at Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55. As the two battled side by side on lap twenty-five with Stovall on the inside of Babb, Stovall's right rear quarter panel got into the left side of Babb's car. The contact resulted in Stovall's car spinning down to the inside of the track as they exited turn two. Babb would then hold off the challenges of Moyer over the final five laps to pick up his first victory in 2012. Moyer would get second. Jason Feger lived up to his nickname, The Highside Hustler, as he used the high side to charge through the field to a third place finish. 2011 Track Champion Jeff Johns would cross the line fourth while Jason McBride had an impressive run to a fifth place finish.

Read more: Shannon Babb claims Tri-State Challenge Victory at Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55!

Tyler Ratajczyk, Jeff LeBaube & Jacob Rexing take wins at Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55!

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Pevely, MO (June 2nd, 2012) - Tyler Ratajczyk would drive the race of his life and hold off some of the best in the business to win his first ever UMP DIRTcar Modified feature. Ratajczyk used the low side and fought off the challenges of Timmy Hill early on in the main event. Hill would try and make a move for the lead on lap eight as he dove under Ratajczyk exiting turn four. But as the two made contact, Hill would spin into the inside wall and his night would end. After the restart, Ratajczyk would hold off an assault from Joe Puricelli for a couple of laps and then as they got to the closing laps things really heated up for the lead. Dean Hoffman had been working the highside for the entire race and moved up from deep in the field and pulled along side Ratajczyk for the lead on lap fifteen. Rusty Griffaw had moved past Puricelli on the low side and was also challenging Ratajczyk in the low groove. As the laps were winding down, Ratajczyk and Hoffman raced side by side for the lead with Griffaw on Ratajczyk's rear bumper as they moved into serious lapped traffic. On the final lap Ratajczyk and Hoffman raced side by side down the backstretch and both dove under a lapped car. Ratajczyk and Hoffman would bang wheels as they were entering turn three. Ratajczyk would hold his line on the low side and edge Hoffman at the line for the win. Griffaw was a very close third. Steve Picou would get fourth while Puricelli rounded out the top five.

Read more: Tyler Ratajczyk, Jeff LeBaube & Jacob Rexing take wins at Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55!