DirtonDirt.com Dispatches

Dispatches: Robinson scouts Arrowhead victory

September 14, 2024, 1:17 pm

From series staff, team, track and contributor reports

B.J. Robinson and crew in victory lane. (Millie Tanner/Turn 3 Images)

Among the latest notes and quotes from around Dirt Late Model racing over the mid-September weekend as special events try to dodge the aftereffects of Hurricane Francine that wiped out events including World of Outlaws Case Late Model Series action (look for Lawrenceburg Speedway stories separately). Also find a listing of live-streaming video from specials around the country:

Hard work pays off

Would B.J. Robinson have won Saturday’s 35-lap Comp Cams Super Dirt Series feature at Arrowhead Speedway in Colcord, Okla., if Logan Martin hadn’t relinquished the lead to a soft right-rear tire during a lap-27 caution period?

That’s a question no one can answer. But whatever the circumstances, there’s certainly no doubt that Robinson and his DP Motorsports team were deserving victors of the race’s $5,000 top prize.

The veteran driver from Bossier City, La., drove his heart out just to be in position to benefit from Martin’s misfortune, hustling forward from the 11th starting spot (he moved up one row after Charlie Cole pitted during the pace laps) to surge ahead of Billy Moyer for second place just before the caution flag flew for the second time on lap 27. As a result, he led the field to the restart green flag following Martin’s pit stop.

Robinson led the rest of the way, easily outdistancing Jon Kirby to win by 3.608 seconds and snap a 16-month winless slump on the Comp Cams circuit.

“I was just trying to bide my time on the bottom, and finally the top slowed down enough to where I could make a move and try to take Billy’s line away in one and two,” Robinson said. “And I felt like I was better in (turns) three and four where I was running.

“I knew whenever I got a decent run there on Billy down the back straightaway (on a lap-27) and I seen him slide in there, I felt like I was gonna take the lead anyway. But obviously (Martin’s flat tire) helped … I was able to start in the lead and that was all it took.”

The victory was a great relief for Robinson, whose only previous triumph this season came in a Mississippi State Championship Challenge Series event on March 23 at Jackson Motor Speedway in Byram, Miss. He last captured a Comp Cams checkered flag on May 5, 2023, at Batesville Motor Speedway in Locust Grove, Ark.

Robinson’s 2024 results on the Comp Cams tour haven’t been as successful as he would like — his only other top-five runs were a third in March 9’s season opener at Boothill Speedway in Greenwood, La., and a fifth on March 15 at Arrowhead — but he showed the resilience in him and his team with a strong run in his return to Arrowhead.

“That’s one thing about it — there’s no quit in us, none of these guys here with me, or Black Diamond (his chassis builder) back at the shop,” Robinson said. “They keep working hard.”

Robinson’s victory also kept alive his hopes for a first-ever Comp Cams championship. He sits third in the standings, 61 points behind leader Martin, who finished 10th after leading laps 7-27, and 46 points behind second-place Morgan Bagley. — Series reports

Bouncing back

Garrett Alberson couldn’t overcome Tyler Erb in Thursday’s Lucas Oil Midwest LateModel Association feature at Cedar County Raceway in Tipton, Iowa. One night later the 35-year-old native of Las Cruces, N.M., finished the job — albeit against a different Erb.

Passing veteran Dennis Erb Jr. of Carpentersville, Ill., for the lead with four circuits remaining, Alberson emerged triumphant in Friday’s 30-lap A-main that kicked off the inaugural MLRA-sanctioned Corn State Classic at Davenport (Iowa) Speedway.

More aggressiveness than Alberson displayed in falling short at Cedar County to Tyler Erb — the 27-year-old unrelated to Dennis Erb Jr. — helped him grab Davenport’s $5,000 winner’s prize. On the final lap, in fact, Alberson found himself behind the slower Steve Stultz on the extreme inside of the homestretch with the checkered flag waving and Dennis Erb bearing down on the outside, but he stayed on the gas despite getting into the rear of Stultz’s car and held on to beat Erb by 0.250 of a second.

It was hairy, though, as Alberson’s Ken Roberts-owned Longhorn car lurched sideways to the right as he crossed the start-finish line.

“It was a close race,” Alberson said. “It got a little wild with lapped cars there at the end.

“That’s what I did wrong last night,” he continued. “I just didn’t work that lapped traffic quite well enough, and I was a little afraid of it (again) when we got going there.”

Alberson was nearly three seconds behind Erb, who was back in his Rocket Chassis after spending recent weeks driving a Barry Wright Race Car, midway through the race before gradually drawing closer. Surprisingly, he made his rally on the inside of the quarter-mile oval as the 52-year-old Erb — normally the guy running the hub — was ringing the outer edge of the track.

“It was kind of a different race than I would’ve expected,” Alberson said of the opening race of a doubleheader that concludes with a $10,000-to-win feature on Saturday. “Usually you’d think it would be the other way around — I’d be up there burnin’ the top down and Dennis on the bottom.

“Dennis was so good on that top at first, but I didn’t know if he was gonna use his tires up or if he was really just that good. I knew I needed to kind of pace myself and take care of my tires. It’s really easy to kind of overdo your tires there, so when I felt like I had a good car I just kind of like paced myself and let it come to me and I’m glad I did because it gave me a lot of options there at the end.”

Alberson moved to the top lane with five laps to go as Erb switched to the bottom, but the very next circuit, as the pair rounded turns three and four, Erb moved back high. With the inside line open, Alberson immediately dived low and pulled off the winning pass.

“Once I started getting close to him I knew it was time to make some stuff happen,” said Alberson, who recorded his seventh overall victory of 2024 and the third MLRA triumph of his career. “I really wanted to win this place. This place has been tough for me, but it’s a great track and they did a good job with it tonight, it had multiple grooves.” — Series reports

Finish line in sight

With five races remaining until the World of Outlaws Case Late Model Series championship finale during Nov. 6-9’s World Finals at The Dirt Track at Charlotte in Concord, N.C., Max McLaughlin of Mooresville, N.C., sits second in the MD3 Rookie of the Year points as he focuses on finishing each night with something new to learn and grow his skillset.

“I think we’re the only true rookie on the World of Outlaws season and it’s been wild,” the 24-year-old McLaughlin said. “My (second Late Model) race was at Volusia (in January). It’s been a lot of fun in any case.

“I didn’t know if I could be a Late Model driver at the start of the year with its challenges. I know that I can do it. It’s been about learning about these tracks we go to and having a setup that works to have results with some changes here and there. We’ve had our ups and downs. It’s awesome to get some wins, battle with these guys, and run towards the front, so I am having fun.”

Driving for veteran racer G.R. Smith’s Team 22 Inc., McLaughlin had made his presence known with a prelim WoO semifeature win at Talladega Short Track in Eastaboga, Ala., on April 19, his first DIRTcar Summer Nationals victory on June 19 at Adams County Speedway in Quincy, Ill., and his first WoO points podium run on June at River Cities Speedway in Grand Forks, N.D.

“Consistency is everything,” McLaughlin said. “Once you (win), you know you can contend to beat good people, get a podium with the Outlaws, and have a shot to win every time. It feels great and you wanna do it all the time. But, when you can’t, you get pissed.”

Having to learn a new way of driving a Late Model compared to the big-block modified division where he cut his racing teeth, McLaughlin was tasked with adjusting the Late Model to his liking and understanding the aerodynamics that he never needed to rely much on outside of his limited starts from the World of Outlaws NOS Sprint Car Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series and ARCA Menards Series.

“The race craft is so much different with a Late Model compared to a big-block,” McLaughlin said. “Big-blocks don’t really teach you much about air. I ran a few Sprint Car races that helped and did good at. I kind of forgot about the aerodynamics earlier in my career outside of the NASCAR stuff. They’re so different.

“I didn’t really figure out about taking someone’s air or to work through dirty air until the midpoint of the year, then we got to clicking off some good runs. Tyler Murray, one of my best friends, we’ve learned a lot this year with the Late Model, so we’ll see how the year ends and hopefully return with the World of Outlaws in 2025.”

Before he wraps up his WoO campaign, McLaughlin is sneaking in some returns to his roots with big-block modified action. His homecoming began this weekend: sensing that the WoO doubleheader scheduled for Saturday and Sunday Senoia (Ga.) Raceway and Talladega Short Track might fall to rain from the remnants of Hurricane Francine — and it was indeed canceled on Thursday — he accepted an offer from Nelson Motorsports to compete in the Short Track Super Series-sanctioned Fonda 200 at Fonda (N.Y.) Speedway.

McLaughlin readjusted quickly to the big-block, winning a 33-lap preliminary feature on Thursday at the half-mile oval and adding a victory in a Friday heat race to lock into Saturday’s $53,000-to-win Fonda 200. His only previous big-block action this season was a fifth-place finish in a Super DIRTcar Series event at Weedsport (N.Y.) Speedway.

More big-block racing is on McLaughlin’s agenda when he tackles the divison’s marquee Super DIRT Week on Oct. 7-12 at Oswego (N.Y.) Speedway. He will be back in the No. 8H car he previously drove for Al Heinke, whose Mohawk Northeast company sponsors McLaughlin’s Late Model efforts.

“Murray and I already have our camping spots ready for Oswego,” McLaughlin said. “We’re excited to go back. It’s something I feel like, I never say I should’ve won, but we’ve had a few shots to win (the 200-lap headliner) the past couple of years. Before that, I led a lot of laps in my career there, probably more than anyone who hasn’t won at Super DIRT Week, honestly.” — Series and staff reports

Bullring survivor

After a lap-37 caution Friday at the Brownstown (Ill.) Bullring, Brian Shirley's car wasn't feeling as good as it had been when he overtook polesitter Shannon Babb for the lead on the 13th lap. The 43-year-old Chatham, Ill., driver wasn't sure he'd be around at the finish, but he fought off Babb's late challenge for a 50-lap victory in the Late Model portion of the Brownstown 100 on the MARS Championship Series.

"I was super worried," said Shirley, who immediately climbed from his car and checked the right-rear tire and his right-rear suspension before his victory lane interview. "I don't know what happened (after) that restart. My car started laying over real bad and I definitely didn't think he was gonna make it to the end of the race. So, by the good Lord, he let us finish the race."

Shirley pocketed $10,000 for his second MARS victory of the season and 23rd of his career. Overall it was the sixth victory of the season for Shirley, whose campaign is highlighted by his four World of Outlaws Case Late Model Series checkered flags.

The WoO circuit was scheduled to race at Senoia (Ga.) Raceway and Talladega Short Track in Eastaboga, Ala., on Saturday and Sunday, but rainouts allowed Shirley to stay closer to home — and grab a victory. Not that he didn't feel the pressure in the final laps with his fellow front-row starter closing in.

"I could see Babb there because my crew guy started showing that (he) was getting closer and closer, and then, I truthfully, honestly, didn't think I was gonna be able to hang on the win," he said. "But luckily I seen the white flag and I knew I just had to hit a decent lap on the bottom."

Shirley was able to use the middle groove to work around the lower-running Babb early in the race, but he never got too far away from the early leader.

"I was really happy with the car," Babb said. "Brian was excellent tonight and I feel like we were just as good. I feel like that they had the track absolutely perfect. I mean, you could race all over this thing. So, hats off to (promoter) Josh Carroll and all the guys that's working here at Brownstown."

With the remnants of Hurricane Francine affecting inland weather in several states, Carroll was sweating it out a bit earlier in the day.

"We got some rain this morning," he said. "I was really worried about it, but the track's great." — Series reports

Driver schedules

With no Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series nor World of Outlaws Case Late Model Series in action this weekend, we’ve rounded up a list of where you might find Dirt Late Model racing’s best drivers for Sept. 13-14.

Five of DirtonDirt.com's Top 25 drivers — No. 1 Bobby Pierce, No. 3 Devin Moran, No. 5 Ryan Gustin, No. 22 Drake Troutman and No. 25 Gregg Satterlee — have plans to race at Muskingum Speedway’s $15,000-to-win event on Saturday in Zanesville, Ohio.

Reigning DirtonDirt.com Driver of the Year in Ricky Thornton Jr. is crossing an endeavor off his life-long bucket list by making his 410 sprint car debut with High Limit Racing at Lernerville Speedway in Sarver, Pa., racing Bernie Stuebgen’s often-fast No. 71rt machine. Action begins with Friday’s preliminaries ahead of Saturday’s $50,000-to-win finale, all live on FloRacing.

Brandon Sheppard and Jason Feger are sticking around their Midwest headquarters by racing with the MARS Championship Series on Friday at Brownstown (Ill.) Bullring and Kentucky’s Paducah International Speedway.

Garrett Alberson and Tyler Erb, meanwhile, are at Davenport (Iowa) Speedway this weekend for its Friday-Saturday program on the Lucas Oil Midwest Latemodel Racing Association. Max Blair, the No. 18 driver in DirtonDirt.com's poll, is scheduled to race Friday at New York’s Outlaw Speedway on the Jay’s Automotive United Late Model Series and Saturday’s Super Late Model event at New York’s Freedom Motorsports Park.

The fifth-ranked Gustin, of Marshalltown, Iowa, announced he'll open his weekend racing Friday's Super Late Model event at 191 Speedway, the Campton, Ky., track that's running its first race of the season.

Among Top 25 drivers expected to remain idle: No. 2 Jonathan Davenport, No. 7 Tim McCreadie, No. 10 Dale McDowell, No. 11 Nick Hoffman, No. 12 Brandon Overton, No. 15 Daulton Wilson, and No. 24 Carson Ferguson.

McCreadie is scheduled to make an autograph-signing appearance from 6-7 p.m. Friday at Outlaw Speedway with ULMS on the main event card. — Kyle McFadden