Kyle Strickler Owns Second Night Of UMP Modified Racing At DIRTcar Nationals

Story By: MATT PRIEUR / DIRTCAR – BARBERVILLE, FL – The “High Side Tickler” Kyle Strickler powered his UMP Modified into the lead on the second night of the DIRTcar Nationals presented by Bozard Ford on Wednesday at Volusia Speedway Park, survived several restarts and cut off defending event champion Nick Hoffman in the final corner for a hard-earned victory.

“The car was really balanced on the top or the bottom so I could move around a little bit,” said Strickler, 35, of Mooresville, NC. “But clean air is so important here, so we went up to the top like we do sometimes, and we were able to stay out front. The worst thing you want to see here at Volusia is that blue nose (Nick Hoffman) creeping up on you. But we were able to stay out front, stayed up top and here we are.”

It was the seventh DIRTcar Nationals victory of Strickler’s career, moving him into a tie for fourth all-time in career wins with 2007 champion Steve Arpin.

Opening night winner Michael Long and Strickler brought the stacked 28-car field to the green flag in the 20-lap Feature. Long maintained the momentum on the inside lane to edge out ahead of Strickler. However, Strickler never let Long stray too far out front and on Lap 5 Strickler powered to the lead. He brought David Stremme, who started third, with him and the battle was on between the two rivals.

Strickler stuck his machine on the cushion left behind by the Sprint Car Feature earlier in the evening, and as he has done so often throughout his career, utilized that top lane to his advantage and began pulling away from Stremme and the rest of the field. Four-time and defending champion Hoffman, who started eighth, was able to slip past Stremme and set his sights on Strickler, but Strickler had built up a big enough lead to keep Hoffman and the rest of the pack safely behind him.

Hoffman settled for second as Stremme was third, Long fourth and Jason Hughes in fifth. Zeke McKenzie, for the second night in a row, had to come through a Last Chance Showdown and after starting 25th, worked his way up to an eighth place showing.

Night #3 of the 49th DIRTcar Nationals on Thursday, Feb. 6, also includes the second night of racing for the Ollie’s Bargain Outlet All-Star Circuit of Champions Sprint Cars presented by Mobil 1.

RESULTS FROM VOLUSIA SPEEDWAY PARK, FEB. 5, 2020

Feature (20 Laps) — 1. 8KS-Kyle Strickler [2][$1,000]; 2. 2-Nick Hoffman [8][$600]; 3. 35-David Stremme [3][$400]; 4. 18L-Michael Long [1][$350]; 5. 12H-Jason Hughes [6][$300]; 6. 23-Ryan Cripe [15][$275]; 7. 25-Tyler Nicely [11][$250]; 8. 24-Zeke McKenzie [25][$225]; 9. 17TE-Tyler Evans [12][$200]; 10. K19-Will Krup [21][$200]; 11. 36-Kenny Wallace [10][$175]; 12. 5-Curt Spalding [16][$140]; 13. 49-Brian Ruhlman [4][$130]; 14. 67-Garret Stewart [20][$125]; 15. 6A-Ryan Ayers [13][$125]; 16. 75-Terry Phillips [28][$125]; 17. 95-Michael Altobelli [18][$125]; 18. 11H-Spencer Hughes [7][$125]; 19. 3L-Jeff Leka [24][$125]; 20. 22-Dale Kelley [9][$125]; 21. 65-Todd Sherman [22][$125]; 22. 31G-Stephen Pedulla [14][$125]; 23. 19-Chad Bauer [26][$125]; 24. 99M-Mike Mullen [19][$125]; 25. 96M-Mike McKinney [17][$125]; 26. 21-Taylor Cook [23][$100]; 27. 7JA-Justin Allgaier [27][$100]; 28. 7-Drake Troutman [5][$100]; KSE Hard Charger Award: 24-Zeke McKenzie[+17]

Qualifying Flight-A – 1. 11H-Spencer Hughes, 18.247; 2. 22-Dale Kelley, 18.39; 3. 2A-Donnie Moran, 18.553; 4. 96M-Mike McKinney, 18.556; 5. 11-Jesse Rupe, 18.564; 6. 90-Jason Beaulieu, 18.844; 7. 24-Zeke McKenzie, 19.003; 8. 11JH-Justin Haley, 19.047; 9. 4UW-Bobby Regot, 19.237; 10. 11M-Mike McGee, 19.269

Qualifying Flight-B – 1. 35-David Stremme, 18.254; 2. 36-Kenny Wallace, 18.256; 3. 95-Michael Altobelli, 18.691; 4. 20-Tyler Hendrix, 18.921; 5. O5-Dave Wietholder, 19.059; 6. 17-Rob Pitcher, 19.174; 7. 9PG-Percy Gendreau, 19.376; 8. 6-Ryan Fowler, 19.591; 9. 14J-John Baker, 19.985; 10. 89W-Rick Weitekamp, 20.49

Qualifying Flight-C – 1. 12H-Jason Hughes, 18.424; 2. 25-Tyler Nicely, 18.569; 3. 7CT-Christian Thomas, 18.573; 4. 19-Chad Bauer, 18.683; 5. 99M-Mike Mullen, 18.826; 6. 22T-Tony Anderson, 18.859; 7. 71L-Dennis Lunger, 18.882; 8. 99-Hunt Gossum, 19.223; 9. 11N-Gene Nicholas, 19.399; 10. 61-Eric Hill, 19.493

Qualifying Flight-D – 1. 8KS-Kyle Strickler, 18.185; 2. 45J-Johnny Broking, 18.338; 3. 17TE-Tyler Evans, 18.433; 4. 67-Garret Stewart, 18.441; 5. 1-Brenden Rassel, 18.99; 6. 1M-Curt Myers, 19.017; 7. 100-Scott Fritz, 19.091; 8. 5F-Jerry Foster, 19.101; 9. Z06-Larry Mott, 19.479; 10. 1S-Brian Shaw, NT

Qualifying Flight-E – 1. 18L-Michael Long, 18.14; 2. K19-Will Krup, 18.527; 3. 6A-Ryan Ayers, 18.646; 4. 82-Austin Holcombe, 18.749; 5. 97-Mitch Thomas, 18.799; 6. 7JA-Justin Allgaier, 18.82; 7. 12-Jason Gross, 18.929; 8. 2J-Troy Johnson, 18.967; 9. OO-Buzzie Reutimann, 19.221; 10. 9-Sheldon Creed, 19.652

Qualifying Flight-F – 1. 7-Drake Troutman, 18.454; 2. 31G-Stephen Pedulla, 18.64; 3. 65-Todd Sherman, 18.643; 4. 7F-Bryan Foy, 18.725; 5. 17T-Michael Tarlton, 18.768; 6. 32-Chad Roush, 18.896; 7. 52-Colin Green, 18.918; 8. O1-Bryce Nichols, 19.322; 9. 25P-Robert Poole, 19.428; 10. Z1-Zac Oedewaldt, NT

Qualifying Flight-G – 1. 2-Nick Hoffman, 18.254; 2. 23-Ryan Cripe, 18.268; 3. 21-Taylor Cook, 18.532; 4. 77-Ray Bollinger, 18.591; 5. 88-Matt Crafton, 18.808; 6. A1-Gary Bentley, 18.95; 7. 24D-Travis Dickson, 19.044; 8. 11Z-Zane Oedewaldt, 19.599; 9. 15-Rick Potter, 20.606

Qualifying Flight-H – 1. 8-Steve Stevenson, 18.211; 2. 49-Brian Ruhlman, 18.373; 3. 3L-Jeff Leka, 18.421; 4. 5-Curt Spalding, 18.507; 5. 12L-Lucas Lee, 18.568; 6. 7A-Shane Sabraski, 18.765; 7. 96-Cole Parker, 18.869; 8. 75-Terry Phillips, 19.005; 9. O7-Curtis King, 19.58