With the United Midwestern Promoters Summernationals a dusty memory, Farmer City Raceway promoter Don Hammer has developed a mini-version of the grueling, month-long odyssey. | Motor Sports page

The Monster Midwest Tour, a six-race series for late models and modifieds, kicked off Tuesday at Peoria Speedway and Wednesday at Spoon River Speedway. Subsequent stops include LaSalle Speedway (tonight), Farmer City (Friday), Fairbury American Legion Speedway (Saturday) and Lincoln Speedway (Sunday).

The winner of each late model feature will earn $2,000 while first prize for the modifieds will be $750. The overall late model champion of the UMP-sanctioned event will earn $1,500 from a $6,000 point fund. The modified champion will receive $750.

"I put it together for our local drivers," Hammer said. "A lot of those guys can't take off a month to run the Summernationals. This way they get a week to take off work and go chase something, and they don't have to spend much on travel. It keeps it in different areas but yet not too far from the Bloomington area.

"The modifieds really don't have anything like this. It's kind of the only chance they've got to do something like this."

Two-time reigning Summernationals champion Dennis Erb Jr. of Carpentersville captured the Monster Midwest Tour opener at Peoria over a field that included four-time UMP national champion Rodney Melvin of Benton, Gibson City's Kevin Weaver and Bloomington's Jason Feger.

"We're trying to get more people out, and this gives them a reason to come out," Hammer said. "We had 27 (late model) cars at Peoria, and a lot of our local drivers were there. We're hoping the (car) count picks up toward the weekend."

The result of Wednesday's race at Spoon River was unavailable at press time.

Summernationals wrap-up

Erb finished with a 37-point cushion over runner-up Brian Shirley of Chatham in becoming only the fifth driver to win consecutive Summernationals titles, joining Rick Aukland, Shannon Babb, Scott Bloomquist and Billy Moyer.

Consistency was the key for Erb, who posted two wins, 15 top-five and 19 top-10 finishes in 20 events. His only blemish was a 12th-place finish at Fairbury where a broken oil cooler on the final lap dropped him out of the top 10. Erb finished fourth (2004), third (2005) and fifth (2006) in the Summernationals prior to his breakthrough win last season.

Here are some other highlights from the Summernationals:

- Erb amazingly completed every feature lap run during the grueling marathon in earning the $25,000 overall first prize.

- Seven of the 26 scheduled events were rained out, including the June 21 date at I-55 Raceway in Pevely, Mo., that was canceled due to flooding that covered the track's access road. Morgan County Speedway in Jacksonville (Aug. 15) and Macon Speedway (the Herald & Review 100 on Aug. 16) were rescheduled as non-points Summernationals shows.

- Shirley and Darren Miller of Milledgeville tied for the most wins with three.

- Wes Steidinger of Fairbury was one of six drivers in the top 25 of the final points standings who entered all 20 points events and one of five who competed in every A-Main feature.

- Ryan Unzicker of El Paso entered 19 of the 20 events and won the most B-Mains (three).

- The top newcomer was 21-year-old Will Vaught of Crane, Mo., who notched his first tour triumph and finished seventh in the points standings.

Funk sets national pace

Joel Funk of Dwight holds a nearly 200-point lead over his nearest competitor in the latest UMP national sportsman standings. Funk is the points leader at Farmer City and Fairbury. Jason Unzicker of El Paso ranks eighth nationally.

Erb, the defending national late model champion, leads Steidinger by 52 points in this year's battle for the $20,000 crown. Erb and Steidinger are followed by Steve Sheppard Jr. of New Berlin, Shirley, Feger and Ryan Unzicker of El Paso.

In the modified division, Farmer City front-runner Jeff Leka of Buffalo ranks third with Gary Cook Jr. of Deer Creek sixth and McKay Wenger of Fairbury seventh.