BARBERVILLE, Fla. - Michael Long opened up the 2020 DIRTcar Nationals with a win in the UMP Modified Feature Tuesday night at Florida’s Volusia Speedway Park.
The Fowler, Illinois racer surged to the lead on the opening lap, and then held off Kyle Strickler to the checkered flag for the first Gator Trophy of the 12-night event.
Long used the high side in turns 1 and 2 to keep Strickler pinned to the bottom and unable to maximize his horsepower. After a couple of cautions seven laps into the race, a 12-lap green-flag run forced Long to negotiate heavy lapped traffic on the high-speed half-mile dirt oval.
“Luckily, they went to the bottom,” Long said of the lapped cars. “When you see the No. 8 of Strickler on the board it makes you nervous on restarts, especially going into turn 1. I knew once I got rolling I was good. He had to out-motor me and I knew if I hit the restarts right I was going to be alright.”
Ryan Cripe wound up third, with defending DIRTcar Nationals champion Nick Hoffman in fourth and Zeke McKenzie in fifth.
Action continues on Wednesday night, as the All Star Circuit of Champions Sprint Cars join the DIRTcar UMP Modifieds. For more information, visit DIRTcarNationals.com.
Volusia Speedway Park – Barberville, FL
DIRTcar Nationals – February 4, 2020
DIRTcar UMP Modifieds
1. 18L-Michael Long
2. 8KS-Kyle Strickler
3. 23-Ryan Cripe
4. 2-Nick Hoffman
5. 24-Zeke McKenzie
6. 5-Curt Spalding
7. 2A-Donnie Moran
8. 49-Brian Ruhlman
9. 36-Kenny Wallace
10. 7-Drake Troutman
11. 99M-Mike Mullen
12. 90-Jason Beaulieu
13. 77-Ray Bollinger
14. 7A-Shane Sabraski
15. 95-Michael Altobelli
16. 45J-Johnny Broking
17. 22-Dale Kelley
18. 2J-Troy Johnson
19. O5-Dave Wietholder
20. 7F-Bryan Foy
21. 35-David Stremme
22. 17TE-Tyler Evans
23. 11JH-Justin Haley
24. 7CT-Christian Thomas
25. 8A-Austin Holcombe
26. K19-Will Krup
27. 75-Terry Phillips
28. 65-Todd Sherman
http://accesswdun.com/article/2020/2/873904/long-charges-to-dirtcar-nationals-opener-win-at-volusia