The United Manual Transmission Racers (UMTR) North division is still buzzing from an electrifying weekend of racing at Dragway 42, held June 21–22. Despite the intense heat that pushed both drivers and machines to their limits, the competition exceeded expectations during the highly anticipated doubleheader event.
Both days of racing were generously sponsored by Hills and Dales Dairy Queen, whose support helped make the action-packed weekend possible. Special thanks go to Judy and the Hills and Dales Dairy Queen team for their continued dedication to grassroots racing.
Day One Recap – Quick Stick
The opening round of competition set the tone for a thrilling day. With high track temps and sticky conditions, drivers were challenged to adapt quickly. The lucky draw gave Tim Chillik a bye into round two, where he was defeated by Frank Madonia.
Round two brought standout wins: Troy Hrdlicka over Tim O’Neal, Roger Blilie over Shawn Minor, Pat Himes over Charlie Maloney, and Jack Miller advancing past Duane Kreig. The third round saw Roger Blilie outmaneuver Frank Madonia and Hrdlicka edge out Jack Miller, while a mechanical failure ended Pat Himes’ day prematurely.
In the final showdown, both Blilie and Hrdlicka launched cleanly on green, with Hrdlicka defeating the reigning champion at the stripe to take the win—an exciting finish to a standout day of racing.
Day One – Street Stick
The Street Stick category delivered its own brand of excitement, as 15 entries filled the staging lanes. Kim Murphy drew the number one chip for a bye into round two. Jeremy Murray went on a tear, defeating Tyler Tucke and later Murphy to advance. Brandon Margo eliminated reigning champ Paul Adamczyk in a key early match.
Other first-round winners included Tim Porter, Jacob Tucke, Jim Wilson, and Brian Riggle. The final came down to Riggle and Murray, with Riggle piloting his Mustang to victory.
Day Two – Quick Stick & Street Stick
Sunday’s racing wrapped up the doubleheader under continued hot and demanding conditions. A total of 26 cars—15 Quick Stick and 11 Street Stick—returned to chase victory.
In Quick Stick, Larry Kortkamp advanced past Tim O’Neal, who red-lit by just .009. Jason Summer defeated Rick Skaggs, and Hrdlicka put on a clinic against Madonia with a blazing .002 reaction time. Madonia’s comment—“I haven’t been spanked that hard since I was three!”—summed up the dominant performance.
Also advancing in round one were Tim Chillik, Roger Blilie, Paul Luchynsky, and Shawn Minor. Round two saw Kortkamp over Reidy, Hrdlicka over Minor, Summer over Blilie, and Chillik defeating Luchynsky.
In the semi-finals, all Ford-powered entries remained. Hrdlicka, unfortunately, red-lit by .009 against Kortkamp, who moved on to face Jason Summer in the final. In another clean, green launch, it was Kortkamp who powered through for the win, taking down the Hills and Dales Dairy Queen-sponsored entry.
Day Two – Street Stick
Street Stick action saw Dan Tartabini draw the bye, while Brian Riggle, the day one winner and bounty target, was defeated by Tyler Tucke. Other round one winners included Jeremy Murray, Tom Eitel, Brandon Margo, and Dave Layman.
Round two saw Layman eliminate Tartabini, while Murray got past Tucke. Eitel handed Margo a loss and received a bye into the final.
The Street Stick final paired Eitel against Murray, who had earlier defeated Layman. Both drivers launched clean and green, but it was Jeremy Murray who claimed victory in a hard-fought battle.
UMTR North extends its sincere appreciation to Hills and Dales Dairy Queen for title sponsorship of the weekend, and to supporting partners including Summit Racing Equipment, Mickey Thompson Tires & Wheels, RAM Clutches, Liberty Gears, GForce, and VP Racing Fuels. Racers and fans are encouraged to support those who support UMTR.
The series returns to action Thursday, July 3rd at Kuhnle Motorsports Park with event sponsorship from Hemly Tool.
This story was originally published on July 3, 2025. 
