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The Dillon Brothers wrapped up the UMP DIRTcar Modified portion of the Alltel DIRTcar Nationals By UNOH at Volusia Speedway Park with a 1-2 finish while Earl Pearson Jr. charged to the front of the UMP DIRTcar Super Late Model main event and won the second of six consecutive nights of Dirt Late Model racing.
Dillon, who also won the Night 3 of the UMP DIRTcar Modified action, and Pearson are eligible for voting in the Alltel All-Star competition. Fans can vote via text message to 247253 and enter their favorite driver’s letter code, or by visiting AlltelAllStar.com and casting a ballot. Votes will be tallied daily until Feb. 28. The overall winner as determined by fan votes will receive the $10,000 grand prize, while the top vote-getter in the other three divisions will earn $1,000. Over 12 consecutive nights from Feb. 3 to Feb. 14, 410 Sprint Cars, UMP DIRTcar Modifieds, Dirt Late Models and Big-Block Modifieds will all compete.
Austin Dillon led his younger brother, Ty, to the checkered flag after both worked around Gary Cook Jr. and Darrell Nelson. Jared Landers, who won five of the UMP DIRTcar Modified features during the Alltel DIRTcar Nationals By UNOH, was in contention to win Tuesday night when his car finally gave up with 17 of the 25 laps complete. Still, Landers wound up as the UMP DIRTcar Modified overall champion on the strength of his handful of victories, including the inaugural Gator Championship.
Should the fans vote Austin Dillon as the Alltel All-Star, he said in Victory Lane he would give some of the $10,000 grand prize to Tim McCreadie to help with medical bills incurred during a race last month. “I’m a big fan of his,” Dillon said.
Landers, who helped to build the Team Dillon UMP DIRTcar machines, still found a way to climb the Victory Lane stage, thanks to his event title.
“I’ve had a great week,” said Landers, of Batesville, Ark. “I’m so glad I’ve won this. I’m glad that Alltel gave us the opportunity to be a part of the Alltel All-Star contest. They’re helping our sport and making it a big deal to come down here.”
World of Outlaws Late Model Series rookie of the year contender Brady Smith led the UMP DIRTcar Super Late Model field to the green flag and kept it at bay until the 12th of 30 laps in the feature event. Pearson jumped from eighth to third in the first three laps, then worked past World 100 winner Shane Clanton and Smith for the checkered flag, and finally wrapped up the night signing autographs for fans as they left the main gate.
“The fans make our paycheck, so anytime we have an autograph session like this I’m always up here to meet the fans and the kids,” said Pearson, of Jacksonville, Fla. “I always try to be a nice guy to the fans because we need them to support us, so hopefully they’ll vote for me in the Alltel All-Star contest.”
Through eight nights of competition at the Alltel DIRTcar Nationals By UNOH, the Alltel All-Star contenders and their text message Letter Codes (in parenthesis) include:
Sprint Cars — Donny Schatz, Fargo, N.D. (b); Stevie Smith, Broken Arrow, Okla. (d); Joey Saldana, Brownsburg, Ind. (f).
UMP DIRTcar Modifieds — Jared Landers, Batesville, Ark. (a); Austin Dillon, Lewisville, N.C. (c); Randy Hall, Olean, N.Y. (e).
Dirt Late Models — Darren Miller, Chadwick, Ill. (g); Earl Pearson Jr. (h).
