HEAD TO STEVIE DIRT FOR MORE ON THE AREA RACING SCENE

By STEVE EIGHINGER

Herald-Whig Staff Writer

Everyone is excited, even the boss.

"Coming from a longtime fan, and now a promoter, I'm excited," said Tony Rhinberger, co-owner of Quincy Raceways and site of Friday's UMP Summernationals late model tour stop.

"It's the biggest race in track history, and I'm excited to be a part of it," Rhinberger said.

The much bally-hooed event is expected to attract some of the biggest names connected with dirt-track racing in the Midwest and beyond, including six-time Summernationals champ and winner of more than 700 lifetime features, Billy "Mr. Smooth" Moyer of Batesville, Ark., a member of the Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame.

The Summernats will offer a $10,000 first-prize check and total purse of almost $40,000, both track records. Also on the lineup are stock cars and hobby stocks. The stock cars will also be running for a record first-place check of $1,000.

Gates open at 5 p.m., with racing starting at 7:30. Time trials for late models are scheduled for 7.

"There are no guarantees, but I'm hoping to see between 40 and 60 late models here Friday night, many of them big, national names like Moyer, Shannon Babb and Brian Birkhofer," Rhinberger said.

This will be third stop for the UMP "Hell Tour" in Quincy. Babb (2007) and Randy Korte (2006) are previous winners. Those two races each paid $6,000 to win, which is the tour minimum.

The 2008 race was rained out and unable to be rescheduled.

Korte is the current Summernats points leader over two-time defending tour champion Dennis Erb Jr., who will also be on hand Friday in search of a third win at Quincy. Erb won Northern All Stars races in 2005 and 2006 at the Bullring.

Moyer (5), Erb Jr. (3) and Jeep Van Wormer (2) are the multiple winners so far on the 27-day, 31-city tour.

Jason "The Highside Hustler" Feger, Kevin "The Flatland Flash" and Terry Casey are the only drivers to run all tour events, according to UMP statistics released Monday.

Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for seniors 65 and older, $10 for kids 11-15 and no charge for youngsters 10 and under.

A family pass (two adults, two teens) is $50 and a pit pass $30.

Rhinberger said fans attending are reminded to save their ticket stubs for a $3 discount off Sunday night's program that will feature the midseason championships.

-- seighinger@whig.com / 221-3377