MATTOON — Winning never gets old, but winning your DIRTcar Summer Nationals debut at an Illinois bullring makes it so much sweeter.
The third time was the charm for Jason Feger on Friday night at the Coles County Speedway. The “Hell Tour” invaded the 1/8-mile oval for the first time. The two-time series champion had two past starts at Coles County, both netting him top-10 finishes and Friday was his night to punch through to victory lane after winning a thrilling battle against fellow Illinois DIRTcar hero Ryan Unzicker.
The green flag dropped with Unzicker pacing the field early in his No. 24 car. The tight confines of the Mattoon bullring meant lap traffic was in play by the sixth lap, allowing second-place Mitch McGrath and third-place Brody Smith to close in.
Unzicker maneuvered through lap traffic well until Clay Stuckey drew the caution flag on the 14th lap.
The restart was where things went sideways for Smith as contact sent the Dade City, Fla., driver into the wall, causing a chain-reaction pileup in the first and second turns.
After the second 14th-lap restart, a three-car race ensued for the lead between Unzicker, Billy Moyer — who took second on the restart — and the third-place McGrath. Moyer took multiple peeks under the Unzicker machine, pulling even multiple times as Moyer worked the inside berm all around Coles County.
Unzicker continued to rail the cushion and fended off multiple challenges by Moyer’s No. 21 car before an 18th-lap caution derailed Moyer’s run.
Sheet metal rubbing against the tire forced him to head to the pit area, where he then relinquished second place to Tanner English.
The 18th-lap restart is where the race got entertaining.
Another three-car race for the lead began between Unzicker, Feger and English.
Feger quickly disposed of English and set his sights on race-long leader Unzicker.
Feger worked the inside lap-after-lap as the lead duo went side-by-side multiple times in the closing 15 laps.
Unzicker played defense as best he could, but Feger was relentless in pursuit of the win. Feger threw a slide job that cleared Unzicker’s car in turn four, resulting in Feger leading at the 35th lap. It was the first lap that Feger led the whole race.
Unzicker continued to battle back, moving to the inside, but Feger was not to be denied as the Bloomington, Ill., native sped away and picked up his first career win at Coles County Speedway.
“I love bullring racing. We know this is our third time getting to come here and the track’s been getting better and better,” said Feger in a press release sent by DIRTcar Series and Sanctioning Specialist Jordan DeLucia. “I just got a really good jump on the restarts and then I was able to get pressure on Ryan. I just don’t think he knew where to go. It’s hard to be in that position, but it’s easier being in second. The hole opened up and I took it.
“I knew we were getting close to him, so I just powered it in and took it.”
Unzicker finished second, English third, Bob Gardner fourth and Daniel Adam fifth.