Shepp's Speedway
Weaver outduels Erb, wins $5,000 at Shepp's
Kevin Weaver (B12) gets an edge on Dennis Erb Jr. (28) at Shepp's. (stlracingphotos.com)
ALEXANDER, Ill. (May 31) — Polesitter Kevin Weaver of Gibson City, Ill., took the lead from fellow front-row starter Dennis Erb Jr. of Carpentersville, Ill., and went on to a $5,000 victory in the final event of the Northern Allstars Late Model Series-sanctioned Tri-Track Challenge at Shepp's Speedway. | Slideshow | Moyer wins at Paducah | Korte wins at I-55
Erb, the reigning Northern Allstars champion, settled for second with fifth-starting Jason Feger of Bloomington, Ill., finishing third. Derek Chandler of Pontiac, Ill., and Brandon Sheppard of nearby New Berlin, Ill., rounded out the top five in a race slowed by a handful of cautions but no serious accidents.
Notes: Weaver drives a Bill West Enterprises chassis sponsored by Jimmy John's Gourmet Sandwiches and Precision Plastic Products. ... Weaver has eight career Northern Allstars victories, the most recent also at Shepp's on May 3. ... The event drew 23 cars, but Illinois drivers Richie Hedrick of Urbana and Rodney Melvin of Logan scratched from the feature. ... Track owner Steve Sheppard Jr. of New Berlin ran among the top five early in the race but pulled to the infield with mechanical problems, finishing 18th. ... With victories in the first two Tri-Track Challenge events, Billy Moyer (Friday at Paducah International Raceway) and Randy Korte (Saturday at I-55 Raceway) were in line for a $5,000 bonus if they won at Shepp's, but neither driver showed up. ... The Northern Allstars take an extended break before returning to action July 31 at Hartford (Mich.) Motor Speedway.
Tri-Track Challenge: (1) Kevin Weaver, (2) Dennis Erb Jr., (3) Jason Feger, (4) Derek Chandler, (5) Brandon Sheppard, (6) Mike Hammerle, (7) Adam Mefford, (8) Frank Heckenast Jr., (9) Dennis Vandermeersch, (10) Chris Dick, (11) John Beck, (12) Jimmy Dehm, (13) Greg Kimmons, (14) Jayme Zidar, (15) Roben Huffman, (16) Scott Schmitt, (17) Jason McBride, (18) Steve Sheppard Jr., (19) Jim Moon, (20) Nick Bauman, (21) Kyle Logue. Fast qualifier (among 23 cars): Heckenast, 12.209 seconds. Heat race winners: Chandler, Weaver, Erb.
