iRacing champ surges from 10th to victory in DIRTcar UMP Modified

By the time the simulated dust settled on the VP Racing Fuels Final Round, Matjoulis, of Ashville, NY, crossed the line ahead of Dylan Wilson and pole-sitter JD Brown in the Summit Racing Equipment Feature.

In all, 73 virtual UMP Modified drivers attempted to qualify for the final 24-car field. The top 12 from each Hoosier Racing Tire Preliminary Round Feature advanced to the VP Racing Fuels Finals, where they requalified for the final Feature of the night.

In Hoosier Racing Tire Preliminary Round action, the first COMP Cams 35-lap Feature mirrored the finale as Matjoulis finished one spot ahead of Dylan Wilson for the win. In COMP Cams Feature 2, Preston Oberle scored the win with a huge slide job. Unfortunately, he qualified poorly and was mired in the back of the pack in the finale.

With the top 12 drivers from each preliminary event advancing, Racing Electronics Qualifying once again shuffled the field for the final 50-lap race to glory.

A Mod Lite driver from Bakersfield, CA, JD Brown, had the fast-time of the night and started the finale on the pole. Eventual race-winner Matjoulis didn’t think he had a chance for the win after a slip up in qualifying placing him 10th.

“When you get into big races with these kinds of guys, qualifying is critical,” Matjoulis said. “It’s nearly everything. It keeps you out of so much trouble and takes a lot of pressure off you.”

Pole-sitter Brown led the first 30 laps, fending off challenges from Wilson throughout, but Matjoulis could not be denied.

From the drop of the green flag, Matjoulis immediately took to the bottom of the speedway.

“I really didn’t think I’d win honestly, but I figured I could get a couple of spots there,” he said. “I got to the bottom early on and never left the tires there until lap 35 or so. It’s one of the best feelings when you find a line that’s gradually faster and people aren’t mirror driving to block your lines.”

After dispatching Brown for the lead, Matjoulis began building on his advantage.

“I was just fortunate enough to make up the ground on the bottom where I was able to take the lead and just run the top from there to hold off Wilson,” said Matjoulis of his $350 winning moves in the second round of weekly DIRTcar eSports action.

Runner-up for the second week in a row, Wilson drove another fast, clean race at the front of the field. The Bakersfield, CA Hobby Stock driver gave Matjoulis all he had.

“On most laps, he [Matjoulis] was faster than me. He was pulling,” Wilson said. “Second is about all we had tonight. We have two seconds in this series and we’ll try again next week.”

Brown hung on for a hard-fought third. The Californian was impressive all night and lost the Hoosier Racing Tire Preliminary Feature to a late slider by Preston Oberle.

Richie Yost took his unsponsored UMP Modified entry through the field from 18th to 7th to earn the DIRTVision Hard Charger award.

On Saturday, May 9, DIRTcar eSports returns with another round of weekly racing, featuring DIRTcar Pro Late Models at Volusia Speedway Park. Stay tuned to social media and the new DIRTcar eSports website to learn how to register for racing.

Weekly DIRTcar eSports Shootout; May 2, 2020; Limaland Motorsports Park

SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT Feature (50 laps) — 1. 127-Blake Matjoulis [10] [$350]; 2. 80-Dylan Wilson [4] [$250]; 3. 14-JD Brown [1] [$150]; 4. 24-Daniel Cummings Jr. [6] [$100]; 5. 18-Trevor Landrum [15] [$75]; 6. 93-Zane Yost [11] [$50]; 7. 29-Richie Yost [18] [$45]; 8. 18-Kyle Sirratt [3] [$40]; 9. 57-Ryan Diatte [14] [$35]; 10. 10-Kendal Tucker [2] [$30]; 11. 105-Sheldon Oberle [22] [$20]; 12. 777-Jacob Fields [8] [$20]; 13. 38-Zach Sobotka [17] [$20]; 14. 151-Anthony Ricketts [19] [$20]; 15. 43-Jacob Hall [7] [$20]; 16. 113-George Fehrenbacher [12] [$20]; 17. 39-Ian Blanchard [23] [$20]; 18. 66-James Rotruck [13] [$20]; 19. 25-Chase Rhinerson [16] [$20]; 20. 21-Edward Farness [21] [$20]; 21. 7-Drake Troutman [9] [$20]; 22. 11-Cameron Shidler [5] [$20]; 23. 8-Coty Slawson [20] [$20]; 24. 70-Aaron Smith II [24] [$20]. Lap leaders: JD Brown 1-18, 20-32; Kendal Tucker 19; Blake Matjoulis 33-50. DIRTVision Hard Charger: Richie Yost +11.

HOOSIER RACING TIRE Preliminary Show #1

COMETIC GASKETS Qualifying — 1. 777-Jacob Fields [13.47] [$25]; 2. 127-Blake Matjoulis [13.54]; 3. 46-Cole Gajdorus [13.54]; 4. 18-Kyle Sirratt [13.558]; 5. 57-Ryan Diatte [13.595]; 6. 9-Braden Johnson [13.601]; 7. 75-Dustin Beck [13.613]; 8. 25-Chase Rhinerson [13.622]; 9. 16-Joe Burch [13.638]; 10. 29-Richie Yost [13.659]; 11. 24-Daniel Cummings Jr. [13.675]; 12. 17-Preston Oberle [13.687]; 13. 1-Jordon Cox [13.736]; 14. 367-Dalton Conner [13.755]; 15. 151-Anthony Ricketts [13.765]; 16. 61-Jonathan Lampman [13.772]; 17. 2-Kyle VanDorn [13.791]; 18. 24-Michael Harrison [13.827]; 19. 92-Caleb Kill [13.833]; 20. 25-Joseph Schlies [13.836]; 21. 12-Matthew Balthazor [13.88]; 22. 39-Ian Blanchard [13.893]; 23. 66-James Rotruck [13.931]; 24. 199-Toby Hallett [14.021]; 25. 32-Bradley Bauer [14.033]; 26. 51-Bryan Preville [14.047]; 27. 33-Luke Rakoske [14.106]; 28. 85-Andrew Forbes [14.189]; 29. 46-Jonathan Nause [14.309]; 30. 13-Charlie Mefford [14.552]; 31. 80-Dylan Wilson [NT].

DRYDENE Heat 1 (10 laps) — Top 5 Transfer — 1. 777-Jacob Fields [1] [$25]; 2. 57-Ryan Diatte [2]; 3. 16-Joe Burch [3]; 4. 46-Jonathan Nause [8]; 5. 1-Jordon Cox [4]; 6. 32-Bradley Bauer [7]; 7. 12-Matthew Balthazor [6]; 8. 2-Kyle VanDorn [5].

DART Heat 2 (10 laps) — Top 5 Transfer — 1. 127-Blake Matjoulis [1] [$25]; 2. 9-Braden Johnson [2]; 3. 29-Richie Yost [3]; 4. 367-Dalton Conner [4]; 5. 24-Michael Harrison [5]; 6. 39-Ian Blanchard [6]; 7. 13-Charlie Mefford [8]; 8. 51-Bryan Preville [7].

ARP FASTENERS Heat 3 (10 laps) — Top 5 Transfer — 1. 24-Daniel Cummings Jr. [3] [$25]; 2. 75-Dustin Beck [2]; 3. 80-Dylan Wilson [8]; 4. 66-James Rotruck [6]; 5. 151-Anthony Ricketts [4]; 6. 46-Cole Gajdorus [1]; 7. 92-Caleb Kill [5]; 8. 33-Luke Rakoske [7].

SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT Heat 4 (10 laps) — Top 5 Transfer — 1. 18-Kyle Sirratt [1] [$25]; 2. 17-Preston Oberle [3]; 3. 25-Chase Rhinerson [2]; 4. 61-Jonathan Lampman [4]; 5. 25-Joseph Schlies [5]; 6. 85-Andrew Forbes [7]; 7. 199-Toby Hallett [6].

FOX RACING SHOX Last Chance Showdown (14 laps) — Top 4 Transfer — 1. 39-Ian Blanchard [2] [$25]; 2. 32-Bradley Bauer [1]; 3. 46-Cole Gajdorus [3]; 4. 13-Charlie Mefford [6]; 5. 92-Caleb Kill [7]; 6. 51-Bryan Preville [10]; 7. 33-Luke Rakoske [11]; 8. 2-Kyle VanDorn [9]; 9. 85-Andrew Forbes [4]; 10. 12-Matthew Balthazor [5]; 11. 199-Toby Hallett [8].

COMP CAMS Feature (35 laps) — Top 12 to Finals — 1. 127-Blake Matjoulis [2] [$25]; 2. 80-Dylan Wilson [11]; 3. 18-Kyle Sirratt [4]; 4. 57-Ryan Diatte [5]; 5. 777-Jacob Fields [1]; 6. 25-Chase Rhinerson [12]; 7. 29-Richie Yost [10]; 8. 9-Braden Johnson [6]; 9. 66-James Rotruck [15]; 10. 24-Daniel Cummings Jr. [3]; 11. 151-Anthony Ricketts [19]; 12. 39-Ian Blanchard [21]; 13. 17-Preston Oberle [8]; 14. 32-Bradley Bauer [22]; 15. 1-Jordon Cox [17]; 16. 24-Michael Harrison [18]; 17. 46-Cole Gajdorus [23]; 18. 61-Jonathan Lampman [16]; 19. 16-Joe Burch [9]; 20. 25-Joseph Schlies [20]; 21. 46-Jonathan Nause [13]; 22. 13-Charlie Mefford [24]; 23. 75-Dustin Beck [7]; 24. 367-Dalton Conner [14]. Lap leaders: Blake Matjoulis 1-35. DIRTVision Hard Charger: Dylan Wilson +9.

HOOSIER RACING TIRE Preliminary Show #2

COMETIC GASKETS Qualifying — 1. 10-Kendal Tucker [13.342] [$25]; 2. 93-Zane Yost [13.453]; 3. 14-JD Brown [13.519]; 4. 113-George Fehrenbacher [13.539]; 5. 7-Drake Troutman [13.558]; 6. 70-Aaron Smith II [13.59]; 7. 18-Trevor Landrum [13.612]; 8. 52-David Mikulski [13.647]; 9. 19-Seth Smyser [13.719]; 10. 8-Coty Slawson [13.726]; 11. 105-Sheldon Oberle [13.77]; 12. 53-Dan Hoekstra [13.773]; 13. 38-Zach Sobotka [13.787]; 14. 62-Roland Johns [13.812]; 15. 31-Grant Lyde [13.82]; 16. 11-Cameron Shidler [13.837]; 17. 240-Cody Falkner [13.852]; 18. 15-Nick Sterna [13.88]; 19. 21-Edward Farness [13.885]; 20. 44-Russell Morseman III [13.888]; 21. 76-Mario Vietti [13.905]; 22. 13-Douglas Waite [14.002]; 23. 14-Brock Evans [14.047]; 24. 9-Percy Gendreau [14.068]; 25. 51-RJ Otto [14.443]; 26. 34-Ronald Hedrick [14.745]; 27. 70-Joseph Reyell [15.549]; 28. 43-Jacob Hall [NT]; 29. 100-Jason Eskridge [NT]; 30. 110-Landen Miller [NT].

COMP CAMS Heat 1 (10 laps) — 1. 10-Kendal Tucker [1] [$25]; 2. 113-George Fehrenbacher [2]; 3. 18-Trevor Landrum [3]; 4. 8-Coty Slawson [4]; 5. 11-Cameron Shidler [6]; 6. 43-Jacob Hall [10]; 7. 21-Edward Farness [7]; 8. 38-Zach Sobotka [5]; 9. 13-Douglas Waite [8]; 10. 51-RJ Otto [9].

BELL HELMETS Heat 2 (10 laps) — 1. 93-Zane Yost [1] [$25]; 2. 105-Sheldon Oberle [4]; 3. 7-Drake Troutman [2]; 4. 52-David Mikulski [3]; 5. 62-Roland Johns [5]; 6. 100-Jason Eskridge [10]; 7. 240-Cody Falkner [6]; 8. 44-Russell Morseman III [7]; 9. 14-Brock Evans [8]; 10. 34-Ronald Hedrick [9].

CHEVROLET PERFORMANCE Heat 3 (10 laps) — 1. 14-JD Brown [1] [$25]; 2. 70-Aaron Smith II [2]; 3. 19-Seth Smyser [3]; 4. 53-Dan Hoekstra [4]; 5. 31-Grant Lyde [5]; 6. 15-Nick Sterna [6]; 7. 76-Mario Vietti [7]; 8. 70-Joseph Reyell [9]; 9. 110-Landen Miller [10]; 10. 9-Percy Gendreau [8].

FOX RACING SHOX Last Chance Showdown (14 laps) — Top 4 Transfer — 1. 43-Jacob Hall [1] [$25]; 2. 110-Landen Miller [12]; 3. 38-Zach Sobotka [7]; 4. 21-Edward Farness [4]; 5. 76-Mario Vietti [6]; 6. 9-Percy Gendreau [15]; 7. 15-Nick Sterna [3]; 8. 13-Douglas Waite [10]; 9. 44-Russell Morseman III [8]; 10. 100-Jason Eskridge [2]; 11. 14-Brock Evans [11]; 12. 70-Joseph Reyell [9]; 13. 51-RJ Otto [13]; 14. 240-Cody Falkner [5]; 15. 34-Ronald Hedrick [14].

COMP CAMS Feature (38 laps) — Top 12 to Finals — 1. 105-Sheldon Oberle [5] [$25]; 2. 14-JD Brown [3]; 3. 93-Zane Yost [2]; 4. 8-Coty Slawson [10]; 5. 7-Drake Troutman [8]; 6. 113-George Fehrenbacher [4]; 7. 43-Jacob Hall [16]; 8. 10-Kendal Tucker [1]; 9. 18-Trevor Landrum [7]; 10. 70-Aaron Smith II [6]; 11. 21-Edward Farness [19]; 12. 38-Zach Sobotka [18]; 13. 53-Dan Hoekstra [12]; 14. 110-Landen Miller [17]; 15. 76-Mario Vietti [20]; 16. 31-Grant Lyde [15]; 17. 19-Seth Smyser [9]; 18. 11-Cameron Shidler [13]; 19. 13-Douglas Waite [23]; 20. 15-Nick Sterna [22]; 21. 44-Russell Morseman III [24]; 22. 9-Percy Gendreau [21]; 23. 62-Roland Johns [14]; 24. 52-David Mikulski [11]. Lap leaders: Kendal Tucker 1-9; JD Brown 10-35; Sheldon Oberle 36-38. DIRTVision Hard Charger: Jacob Hall +9.

VP RACING FUELS Finals

RACING ELECTRONICS Qualifying — 1. 14-JD Brown [13.25] [$25]; 2. 10-Kendal Tucker [13.273]; 3. 18-Kyle Sirratt [13.279]; 4. 80-Dylan Wilson [13.298]; 5. 11-Cameron Shidler [13.32]; 6. 24-Daniel Cummings Jr. [13.321]; 7. 43-Jacob Hall [13.35]; 8. 777-Jacob Fields [13.354]; 9. 7-Drake Troutman [13.374]; 10. 127-Blake Matjoulis [13.379]; 11. 93-Zane Yost [13.38]; 12. 113-George Fehrenbacher [13.382]; 13. 66-James Rotruck [13.397]; 14. 57-Ryan Diatte [13.407]; 15. 18-Trevor Landrum [13.412]; 16. 25-Chase Rhinerson [13.444]; 17. 38-Zach Sobotka [13.499]; 18. 29-Richie Yost [13.522]; 19. 151-Anthony Ricketts [13.553]; 20. 8-Coty Slawson [13.602]; 21. 21-Edward Farness [13.617]; 22. 105-Sheldon Oberle [13.643]; 23. 39-Ian Blanchard [13.668]; 24. 70-Aaron Smith II [NT].

DIRTcar Racing is brought to fans by many important sponsors and partners, including: Hoosier Racing Tire (Official Tire), SIS Insurance (Official Insurance Provider), VP Racing Fuels (Official Racing Fuel), Chevy Performance Parts, iRacing (Official Online Racing Game) and NAPA Auto Parts (SDS). Contingency sponsors include: ARP Automotive Racing Products (SDS), ASI Race Wear (SDS), Bicknell Racing Products, Billy Whittaker Cars & Trux, Cometic Gasket (SDS), COMP Cams (SDS), DART (SDS), Fox Shox (SDS), and Wrisco (Exclusive Racing Aluminum) (SDS); along with manufacturer sponsors, including: Beyea Headers, FireAde, Intercomp,Racing Electronics and TNT Rescue.