Dirt on Dirt - Shirley denies Freeman at Clarksville

July 2

Clarksville Speedway,

Clarksville, TN

Sanction: DIRTcar Summer Nationals - $10,000

Information provided by: Robert Holman and series reports (last updated July 3, 8:50 am)

Shirley denies Freeman at Clarksville

Brian Shirley
Payton Freeman
Josh Putnam
Bobby Pierce
Christian Hanger
Jason Feger
Joe Godsey
Tanner English
David Seibers
Mark Voigt
Jeff Roth
Paul Stubber
Thomas Hunziker
Jadon Frame
Brent McKinnon
Joe Denby
Matt Cooper
Brandon Tibaldi
Richard Frost
Billy Moyer Jr.
Mick Quin
Doug Tye

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Brian Shirley (3s) overtakes Payton Freeman (F1) with six laps remaining to grab the lead and the $10,000 victory.

What won the race: Brian Shirley of Chatham, Ill., dove under race-long leader Payton Freeman entering turn three on the 34th lap Saturday at Clarksville Speedway for a $10,000 DIRTcar Summer Nationals victory. Unhappy by contact with Freeman early in the race, Shirley won by 0.519 of a second to deny the polesitter his first tour victory in a race paused after the first attempted start by a 75-minute rain delay.

Quotable: "He's a really good kid, a really good racer, but he's got to learn a little bit of respect," winner Brian Shirley said of Payton Freeman. "To be honest, if he wouldn't have wrecked me on the start or (later on) the backstretch, I wouldn't have dove in there (on lap 34). But when he fricking knocked the left-front off the car again, it was game on then."

Key notes: Shirley, who scored his third tour victory of the season, notched his 38th career series triumph. ... Six cautions slowed the action, the first on the attempted start when Christian Hanger's turn-two spin caused a multi-car scramble. ... On the next attempted start after the rain delay, Jeff Roth got into the turn-two wall. ... On the fourth lap, Joe Denby, Paul Stubber and Mark Voigt got in a turn-two pileup. ... Brent McKinnon and Voigt tangled in turn two on the third lap after a turn-three scrambled caused a caution on the same circuit. ... Rain that picked up after the race's first attempted start caused a delay about about 75 minutes; the race resumed about 10:45 p.m. ... Clarksville hosted the series for the 26th time.

On the move: Josh Putnam of Florence, Ala., started seventh and finished third.

Winner's sponsors: Shirley’s Bob Cullen Racing Rocket Chassis is powered by an Andy Durham Racing Engine and sponsored by Thomason Express, Hoker Trucking, J&J Ventures Gaming, Kid’s Castle Learning Center, KBC Graphics, Cheap Cars, Bass Livestock Nutrition, Allgaier Motorsports, East Central Coin, Cheers and Integra Shocks.

Points chase: After Clarksville: 1. Bobby Pierce (1,004); 2. Brian Shirley (907); 3. Jason Feger (875); 4. Payton Freeman (712); 5. Ryan Unzicker (669); 6. Joe Godsey (665); 7. Dennis Erb Jr. (590); 8. Mark Voigt (536); 9. Logan Martin (511); 10. Tanner English (508).

Current weather: Overcast, Light Rain, 79°F

Car count: 26

Fast qualifier: Bobby Pierce

Time: 12.037 seconds

Polesitter: Payton Freeman

Heat race winners: Bobby Pierce, Payton Freeman, Brian Shirley

Consolation race winners: Jeff Roth

Provisional starters: Doug Tye, Richard Frost, Brandon Tibaldi, Mick Quin

Next series race: July 3, Lincoln Speedway (Lincoln, IL) $5,000

Editor's note: Corrects lap of winning pass to 34 sted 35.

From staff and series reports

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. — Updates from the 15th round of the DIRTcar Summer Nationals at Clarksville Speedway, highlighted by a $10,000-to-win event for Super Late Models (results unofficial):

Feature

Brian Shirley of Chatham, Ill., dove under race-long leader Payton Freeman entering turn three on the 34th lap Saturday at Clarksville Speedway for a $10,000 DIRTcar Summer Nationals victory. Shirley won by 0.519 of a second to deny the pole-starting Freeman his first tour victory in a race paused after the first attempted start by a 75-minute rain delay.

Rain delay

The 50-lap feature went under rain delay at about 9:30 p.m. The green flag fell a few minutes earlier but Christian Hanger spun in turn two, triggering a multicar scramble and causing a yellow. Sprinkling rain picked up during the slowdown and cars were sent off the track. After the track was reworked, the race restarted about 10:45 p.m.

Feature lineup

(50 laps)

Row 1: Payton Freeman, Brian Shirley
Row 2: Bobby Pierce, Christian Hanger
Row 3: Joe Godsey, Jadon Frame
Row 4: Josh Putnam, Jason Feger
Row 5: Tanner English, Billy Moyer Jr.
Row 6: David Seibers, Joe Denby
Row 7: Brent McKinnon, Levi Ashby
Row 8: Paul Stubber, Jeff Roth
Row 9: Mark Voigt, Matt Cooper
Row 10: Doug Tye, Richard Frost
Row 11: Brandon Tibaldi, Mick Quin

Consolation race results

(10 laps; top three transfer)

Finish: Jeff Roth, Mark Voigt, Matt Cooper, Aaron Edwards, Mick Quin, Lee Williams, Brandon Tibaldi. Scratched: Richard Frost, Michael Seibers, Doug Tye, Levi Ashby.

Heat race results

(10 laps; top five transfer)

First heat: Bobby Pierce, Christian Hanger, Josh Putnam, Billy Moyer Jr., Brent McKinnon, Mark Voigt, Jeff Roth, Matt Cooper, Brandon Tibaldi.

Second heat: Payton Freeman, Joe Godsey, Jason Feger, David Seibers, Levi Ashby, Thomas Hunziker, Richard Frost. Scratched: Michael Seibers.

Third heat: Brian Shirley, Jadon Frame, Tanner English, Joe Denby, Paul Stubber, Mick Quin, Aaron Edwards, Lee Williams.

Time trials

(Heats start straightup by qualifying times)

Driver (car no.), hometown
First group
Bobby Pierce (32), Oakwood, Ill., 12.037
Billy Moyer Jr. (21), Batesville, Ark., 12.209
Christian Hanger (15), Winchester, Tenn., 12.446
Matt Cooper (18c), McKenzie, Tenn., 12.492
Josh Putnam (212), Florence, Ala., 12.587
Brent McKinnon (26M), Carlyle, Ill., 13.110
Brandon Tibaldi (16), Almo, Ky., 13.141
Mark Voigt (30), Marine, Ill., 13.263
Jeff Roth (14R), Bentonville, Ark., 13.286
Second group
Joe Godsey (14G), Edinburgh, Ind., 12.342
Payton Freeman (F1), Commerce, Ga., 12.399
Jason Feger (25), Bloomington, Ill., 12.404
David Siebers (18), Chapel Hill, Tenn., 12.593
Richard Frost (15), Clarksville, Tenn., 12.870
Thomas Hunziker (38), Bend, Ore., 12.893
Michael Seibers (18x), Chapel Hill, Tenn., 12.901
Doug Tye (4D), Collinsville, Ill., 13.066
Levi Ashby (1S), Cumberland Furnace, Tenn., 13.219
Third group
Jadon Frame (J8), Decherd, Tenn., 12.596
Brian Shirley (3s), Chatham, Ill., 12.814
Tanner English (81E), Benton, Ky., 12.818
Joe Denby (27), Tullahoma, Tenn., 13.020
Paul Stubber (31aus), Bunbury, Australia, 13.394
Mick Quin (23nz), Hawks Bay, New Zealand, 13.542
Aaron Edwards (22), Clarksville, Tenn., 13.721
Lee Williams (17), Haubstadt, Ind., 13.800

Saturday’s schedule

(All times local)

5:30 p.m. - Drivers’ meeting
6 p.m. - On-track activity
- Late Model hot laps
- Modified hot laps/time trials
- 604 Crate hot laps/time trials
- Factory stock hot laps/time trials
- Street stock hot laps/time trials
- Late Model time trials
- Mini mod hot laps/time trials
- 602 Crate hot laps/time trials
- Pure mini hot laps/time trials
- Mod lite hot laps/time trials
Opening ceremonies
- Late Model heat races (10 laps)
- Modified heat races (8 laps)
- Mod lite consolation
- Factory stock feature
- Late Model B-main (10 laps if needed)
- Modified feature (25 laps)
- Mod lite feature (15 laps)
- Mini mod feature (12 laps)
- Late Model feature (50 laps)
- 604 Crate feature (12 laps)
- Street stock feature (12 laps)
- 602 Crate feature (12 laps)
- Pure mini feature (12 laps)