(June 27, 2024) Macon, IL – “It’s Macon,” said Jason Feger, summing up the DIRTcar Summer Nationals main event. “Nothing surprises me here. I’ve seen so many crazy races over the years, and to me, that’s what makes this place special.”
On Thursday night, the 46-year-old former Hell Tour champion from Bloomington, IL, secured his second career victory in the prestigious Herald & Review 100 at Macon Speedway. Feger took the lead in the final stages of the 100-lap main event and held on to claim the $7,500 grand prize, marking his 28th career Summer Nationals win.
A Hard-Fought Victory
Feger, who had previously conquered the 1/5-mile oval in 2022, found this victory particularly challenging. Starting fifth on the grid, he initially fell back to seventh but clawed his way up to fourth by the halfway point, utilizing the low side of the track. By the three-quarter mark, he had moved into third place.
As the race approached the final quarter, leader Tyler Clem, who had led 71 of the first 76 laps, encountered traffic. Attempting to lap Tyler Erb coming out of Turn 2, Clem found himself trapped behind Erb on the narrow track. This led to a four-car pileup involving Clem, second-place Ashton Winger, and Feger, sending all three to the end of the lead-lap line.
Navigating the Chaos
“I was behind those lap cars, and [Erb] was in front of me, going so slow that I was even slower trying to follow him, which stalled the motor out just around the bottom,” Clem explained. “When it stalled, Winger and Feger were right there with nowhere to go.”
Clem stressed that no one was at fault for the incident, calling it an unfortunate racing situation. “If anything, [Erb] was doing the right thing by staying at the bottom. This place is so small you’re going to get stacked up quickly. It’s nobody’s fault in particular. It’s just racing.”
Feger’s Determination
Following the restart, Texas racer Morgan Bagley inherited the lead, with Clem, Winger, and Feger shuffled back. Undeterred, Feger began his climb back to the front. Utilizing every inch of the high-banked oval, he moved up to third by a caution on Lap 82. On the restart, he took the runner-up spot from Dillon McCowan and set his sights on Bagley.
With momentum on his side, Feger passed Bagley at the start/finish line on Lap 86 and led the remaining laps unchallenged, securing his second Summer Nationals win of 2024.
A Special Victory
“Growing up an hour down the road, this has always been a special race,” Feger said. “I’ve looked forward to this race my whole life every year as a kid. It was can’t-miss. This definitely holds a special place for me. I love getting to come here to race. I love getting to win here.”
Upcoming Events
The DIRTcar Summer Nationals will continue at Farmer City Raceway on Friday, June 28, alongside the Summit Racing Equipment Modified Nationals. Tickets will be available at the gate, and fans can catch all the action live on DIRTVision.
Feature (100 Laps):
- Jason Feger [5]
- Tyler Clem [2]
- Ashton Winger [8]
- Tommy Sheppard Jr [15]
- Tyler Erb [3]
- Clayton Stuckey [16]
- Dillon McCowan [1]
- Morgan Bagley [6]
- Daniel Adam [10]
- Garrett Smith [9]
- Mark Voigt [4]
- Braden Johnson [20]
- Carson Brown [13]
- Greg Kimmons [17]
- Rusty Griffaw [22]
- Todd Rehg [19]
- Dakota Ewing [11]
- Ryan Unzicker [7]
- David Payne [18]
- Cody Maguire [14]
- Jake Little [12]
- Doug Tye [23]
- Thomas Hunziker [21]
