MAPLE PARK, Ill. (June 18) — Updates from the fifth round of the DIRTcar Summer Nationals at Sycamore Speedway, an event highlighted by a $5,000-to-win feature for Super Late Models (results unofficial):
Feature
Pole-starting Brian Shirley of Chatham, Ill., led all 40 laps for the third time this week, collecting Sunday's $5,000 DIRTcar Summer Nationals victory at Sycamore Speedway. Shirley secured his third tour win this season and his third straight at Sycamore, collecting more than $20,000 in race winnings there since 2021. Shirley's Summer Nationals triumph is the 41st of his career as he clinches the $10,000 opening-week points championship.
Tenth-starting Jason Feger moved into second on a lap-25 restart and pressured Shirley in the closing laps, finishing 0.720 of a second back. ... Chad Finley primarily utilized the low line to advance 13 positions, finishing third. ... Dennis Erb Jr. ran as high as second in the opening laps, before fading to finish fourth. ... Tyler Erb started and finished fifth in his 2023 Summer Nationals debut. ... Mike Spatola gained four spots and finished 10th.
Feature lineup
(40 laps)
Row 1: Brian Shirley, Dennis Erb Jr.
Row 2: Ashton Winger, Ethan Dotson
Row 3: Tyler Erb, Drake Troutman
Row 4: Bob Gardner, Frank Heckenast Jr.
Row 5: Dale Markham, Jason Feger
Row 6: Rich Bell, Tyler Clem
Row 7: Cody Bauer, Mike Spatola
Row 8: Kye Blight, Chad Finley
Row 9: Tommy Sheppard Jr., Chase Osterhoff
Row 10: Forrest Trent, Mark Voigt
Row 11: Titus Sneed, Doug Tye
Consolation race results
B-main (top two transfer): Tommy Sheppard Jr., Chase Osterhoff, Curtis Roberts, Mark Voigt, Jaden Fryer, Taylor Scheffler, Brenden Smith, Thomas Hunziker, Titus Sneed, Doug Tye, Corey Trump, Dan White, Lyle Zanker, Mick Quin, Forrest Trent. Scratched: David Webster.
Heat race notes
Fourth-starting Dennis Erb Jr. took the lead with an inside move on lap four and paced the final seven circuits to win the first heat race, narrowly holding off Tyler Erb in the middle stages. Dale Markham led the first three laps from the pole before fading to finish third. Doug Tye had a solo spin to draw a caution. … Ethan Dotson repelled Bob Gardner and Rich Bell in the early laps to lead the entire distance of heat two; Gardner and Bell followed to finish second and third. … Ashton Winger used the high line to take the point on the fourth circuit and led the final seven laps to win heat three. Drake Troutman led the first three laps and kept pace with Winger, finishing 0.388 of a second back at the line. … Brian Shirley led green-to-checkered to win the fourth and final heat race, narrowly repelling Frank Heckenast Jr. in the closing laps. Tyler Clem overcame contact with Taylor Scheffler to take third, finishing without a right front fender.
Heat race results
(Top four transfer)
First heat: Dennis Erb Jr., Tyler Erb, Dale Markham, Cody Bauer, Jaden Fryer, Thomas Hunziker, Corey Trump, Doug Tye.
Second heat: Ethan Dotson, Bob Gardner, Rich Bell, Kye Blight, Brenden Smith, Titus Sneed, David Webster, Mick Quin.
Third heat: Ashton Winger, Drake Troutman, Jason Feger, Mike Spatola, Chase Osterhoff, Tommy Sheppard Jr., Mark Voigt, Forrest Trent.
Fourth heat: Brian Shirley, Frank Heckenast Jr., Tyler Clem, Chad Finley, Curtis Roberts, Taylor Scheffler, Dan White, Lyle Zanker.
Time trial results
Driver (car no.), hometown, time (unofficial)
Group A
Dale Markham (3), Maple Park, Ill., 15.014
Ethan Dotson (174), Bakersfield, Calif., 15.034
Tyler Erb (1t), New Wavery, Texas, 15.048
Rich Bell (21B), Sheffield, Ill., 15.056
Thomas Hunziker (38), Bend, Ore., 15.105
Bob Gardner (4G), East Peoria, Ill., 15.198
Dennis Erb Jr. (28), Carpentersville, Ill., 15.279
Kye Blight (31aus), Bunbury, W. Australia, 15.333
Cody Bauer (19x), Farwell, Mich., 15.546
Brenden Smith (17ss), Dade City, Fla., 15.640
Doug Tye (4D), Collinsville, Ill., 15.833
Titus Sneed (76), Justice, Ill., 15.993
Jaden Fryer (8), Freeport, Ill., 16.044
David Webster (44w), Monroe, Wis., 16.194
Corey Trump (4t), Clare, Ill., 16,364
Mick Quinn (23NZ), Hawes Bay, New Zealand, 16.529
Group B
Drake Troutman (7), Hyndman, Pa., 14.982
Brian Shirley (3s), Chatham, Ill., 14.987
Ashton Winger (12), Hampton, Ga., 15.223
Chad Finley (42), St. Johns, Mich., 15.258
Jason Feger (25), Bloomington, Ill., 15.277
Frank Heckenast Jr. (99jr), Frankfort, Ill., 15.353
Mike Spatola (89), Manhattan, Ill., 15.512
Taylor Scheffler (10s), Waukesha, Wis., 15.539
Forrest Trent (101), Morristown, Tenn., 15.619
Tyler Clem (58), St. Petersburg, Fla., 15.706
Chase Osterhoff (130), Kankakee, Ill., 15.803
Curtis Roberts (9r), Coleman, Mich., 15.817
Tommy Sheppard Jr. (T6), New Berlin, Ill., 15.876
Lyle Zanker (9), Rockford, Ill., 15.920
Mark Voigt (30), Marine, Ill., 15.978
Dan White (03), Elgin, Ill., 16.412
Sunday’s schedule
(All times local)
2 p.m.: Pits open
5 p.m.: Drivers’ meeting
5:30 p.m.: Hot laps/qualifying
- Super Late Models
- Street stock (qualifying)
- Super Late Models (qualifying)
- Vintage car
6:30 p.m.: Opening ceremonies
On-track activity
- Street stock heat races (8 laps)
- Super Late Model heat races (10 laps)
- Super Late Model consolation (10 laps)
- Vintage car heat races (8 laps)
- Super Late Models last chance (12 laps)
Intermission/track prep
Features
- Super Late Models (40 laps)
- Street Stocks (25 laps)
- Vintage cars (12 laps)