Tempers and ill will always eventually develop on the UMP DIRTcar Summernationals, and we’re right on schedule to hear a little griping after eight series events.

First there was rumblings of the Dennis Erb Jr.-Jason Feger rivalry after a few on-track incidents early in the series. Shannon Babb thought Erb edged up into his groove prematurely on Wednesday to take the lead in his victory at Belle-Clair Speedway. And the Billy Moyer Jr.-Rodney Melvin battle at Belle-Clair — you can’t miss MORE

The most relaxed, happiest drivers in the Brownstown (Ind.) Speedway pits on June 16 seemed to be racers who don’t plan on following the entire 29-race UMP DIRTcar Summernationals tour. And not just because they don’t face the dread of daily racing through July 17.

Several series interlopers finished up front in Brownstown’s series opener, while the top drivers from last year’s tour simply weren’t a factor. | Complete Summernationals coverage

At last year’s Brownstown opener, four of MORE

It's a joke I throw out often to drivers as I stroll through the pits, and did so with Dale McDowell as I was leaving Eldora Speedway on Sunday.

"See you at the Summernationals!" I joked, knowing full well that McDowell, and most of the other drivers leaving Dream XVI, had no intention of following the aptly described Hell Tour that features 29 races over the next month.

"You think I'm crazy?" McDowell shouted back. 

No, but I wish he was. Because make no mistake, be it driver or media, and MORE

Some random thoughts about Dream XVI after spending five days at Eldora Speedway with 29 UMP DIRTcar Summernationals races just 48 hours away:

The winner: Was that Billy Moyer's voice cracking a tiny bit in victory lane? And then quivering just a little during the postrace press conference? That shows how much Sunday's $100,000 victory meant to the 52-year-old driver who has accomplished virtually everything you could ask in Dirt Late Model racing. Moyer sometimes takes success in stride, but MORE

With Father’s Day rapidly approaching, I can’t help but think about some of the recent news-making father-son duos in Dirt Late Model racing. It's no secret that I worshipped my dad, so I can only imagine the pride and admiration that these guys have to feeling when it comes to their dad’s success. I'm also a dad and I well with pride and take care to announce it to the world when my daughter passes a spelling test. So what a delight it must be for some of the dads out there to see their MORE