Darren Miller Sets New One-Lap Record On
Springfield Mile Before Rain Postpones UMP
Late Model Illinois Fall Nationals Feature To Oct. 1
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Darren Miller Sets New One-Lap Record On
Springfield Mile Before Rain Postpones UMP Late Model Illinois Fall
Nationals Feature To Oct. 1
By Kevin Kovac
SPRINGFIELD , IL – Sept. 17, 2006 – Darrin Miller of Chadwick , Ill.
, blazed around the Springfield Mile to set a new dirt Late Model track
record before rain postponed Sunday afternoon’s UMP-sanctioned 15th
annual Best Western Illinois Fall Nationals.
Miller, 29, registered a lap of 27.581 seconds around the one-mile oval
at the Illinois State Fairgrounds during the 22-car time-trial session,
breaking his own record of 27.649 seconds, set on Sept. 19, 2004. He
then roared from the fourth starting spot to the lead in one lap en
route to capturing the day’s first heat.
But as Miller readied his Rocket No. 32d to start from the pole position
in the 30-lap feature, dark skies that had been building behind the
track’s covered grandstand began to drop rain. The precipitation
became progressively heavier, forcing event promoter Bob Sargent of
Track Enterprises to postpone the remainder of the program.
The Illinois Fall Nationals features for the UMP Late Models and
Modifieds will be run on Sun., Oct. 1. A tentative starting time of 2
p.m. has been established for the card.
Event officials announced that rainchecks and pit armbands from
Sunday’s show will be accepted for admission on Oct. 1.
Sargent said the postponement is the first in the history of the Fall
Nationals, which has been an annual attraction at the storied
Springfield Mile since 1992.
Miller will be looking for his first-ever victory in the Fall Nationals,
which offers a $12,000 top prize. He’ll share the front row with
fellow heat winner Brian Birkhofer of Muscatine , Iowa , a three-time
winner of the event.
Jimmy Mars of Menominee, Wis. , was the day’s other heat winner and
will start third in the feature. It was his second career start at the
Springfield Mile.
The postponement to Oct. 1 will force Miller, Birkhofer and Mars, among
others, to make an overnight haul to Springfield after competing in the
previous night’s Knoxville Late Model Nationals at Knoxville ( Iowa )
Raceway.
UMP Late Model 30-Lap Feature Lineup (Sun., Oct. 1): 1. Darren Miller,
2. Brian Birkhofer, 3. Jimmy Mars, 4. Terry Babb, 5. Jackie Boggs, 6.
Roger Brickler, 7. Dennis Erb Jr., 8. Joe Ross Jr., 9. Mark Voigt, 10.
Jayme Zidar, 11. Craig Smith, 12. Jeremy Conaway, 13. Justin Allgaier,
14. Tim Lance, 15. Butch Kruckeberg, 16. Chris Fetter, 17. Jason
Cleaver, 18. J.D. Rottler, 19. Gary Hunt, 20. Gary Wilson, 21. Mike
Fannin, 22. Kenny VanDorn.
