Eldora Speedway
On a roll, Shirley earns $5,000 at UMP Nationals
This damage knocked J.R. Hotovy out of the UMP Nationals. (Jim DenHamer)
ROSSBURG, Ohio (Oct. 9) — Call him Mr. October. Winning a major event for the second straight weekend, Brian Shirley of Chatham, Ill., came from his fourth starting spot Saturday at Eldora Speedway to win the Late Model portion of the UMP DIRTcar Nationals. | Slideshow
Shirley earned $5,000 for the 40-lap victory at the half-mile oval as he took the checkers ahead of 11th-starting Jeep Van Wormer of Pinconning, Mich., and 10th-starting Matt Miller of Waterville, Ohio. Frank Heckenast Jr. of Orland Park, Ill., and Ben Adkins of West Portsmouth, Ohio, rounded out the top five. Rusty Schlenk of Jackson, Mich., who wrapped up the overall UMP points title a week earlier, was 13th.
Shirley's victory comes on the heels of a $9,000 victory on Oct. 1 in Kankakee County (Ill.) Speedway's Triple Crown Clash. The runner-up Van Wormer piloted Ken Schrader's Late Model after breaking a powerplant; Schrader won the night's modified feature.
Shirley started fourth in the main event, grabbing second early in the race when early leader Jon Henry of Ada, Ohio, brushed the outside wall. Shirley then tracked down Adkins to take a lead he'd never give up. Van Wormer pressured Shirley but ended up settling for second.
UMP Nationals: (1) Brian Shirley, (2) Jeep Van Wormer, (3) Matt Miller, (4) Frank Heckenast Jr., (5) Ben Adkins, (6) Jeff Babcock, (7) Jason Feger, (8) Scott James, (9) Brian Ruhlman, (10) Keith Berner, (11) Dennis Erb Jr., (12) Curt Spalding, (13) Rusty Schlenk, (14) Dillan White, (15) Curtis Roberts, (16) Rick Delong, (17) Phil Ausra, (18) Brandon Thirlby, (19) Dona Marcoullier, (20) Richie Hedrick, (21) Scott Orr, (22) Andrew Reaume, (23) Kennie Compton Jr., (24) Ryan Vanderveen, (25) Jeff Walston, (26) Jon Henry, (27) J.R. Hotovy, (28) Scott Schmitt. Fast qualifier (among 53 cars): Erb, 15.909 seconds. Heat race winners: Shirley, Berner, Henry, Adkins, Compton, Heckenast. Consolation race winners: White, Ruhlman, Long. Race of Champions winner: Feger.
