Fairbury Speedway
Back-to-back Shirley wins ALMS at FALS
Brian Shirley takes a victory lap around Fairbury. (Jim DenHamer)
FAIRBURY, Ill. (Aug. 10) — Brian Shirley of Chatham, Ill., survived a late-race scare with a lapped car to win Saturday’s Sunoco American Late Model Series event at Fairbury American Legion Speedway, earning $2,000 for his second victory in as many nights during the Ohio-based tour’s tripleheader weekend.
Shirley led wire-to-wire to back up his win in Friday’s weekend opener at nearby Kankakee (Ill.) County Speedway. | Slideshow
Frank Heckenast Jr of Frankfurt, Ill., and Brandon Sheppard of New Berlin, Ill., both looked under Shirley at times during the second half of Saturday’s race, but Shirley's top-side momentum was too dominant.
Heckenast settled for second with Sheppard third. Kevin Weaver of Gibson City, Ill., notched his second top five of the weekend in the fourth spot, with fast qualifier and hometown driver Scott Bull rounding out the top five finishers.
Notes: Shirley’s Pierce Race Car has a Pro Power Engine and is sponsored by Jayco Construction, Skateland South, Box Seat Productions, Allstar Performance, Kim’s Auto Body, and JFR Graphics. ... Shirley earned the fifth series victory of his career and his fourth overall win of the season. ... ALMS points leader Brandon Thirlby was seventh. ... Making his first appearance of the season at Fairbury, third-starting Jason Feger brought out a caution just a couple laps in with an apparent broken rear end. ... Phil Ausra brought out a lap-5 caution after suffering engine issues. ... Ryan Unzicker was the race’s hard charger with his run from 16th to eighth. ... The ALMS tour wraps up its Illinois tripleheader Sunday at Quincy (Ill.) Raceway.
Sunoco ALMS @ Fairbury: (1) Brian Shirley, (2) Frank Heckenast Jr., (3) Brandon Sheppard, (4) Kevin Weaver, (5) Scott Bull, (6) Joe Harlan, (7) Brandon Thirlby, (8) Ryan Unzicker, (9) Eric Smith, (10) Daren Friedman, (11) Torin Mettille, (12) Jay Morris, (13) Steve Thorsten, (14) Glen Thompson, (15) Eric Vaughan, (16) Brian Dunn, (17) Bill Hough, (18) McKay Wenger, (19) Mike Mullvain, (20) Phil Ausra, (21) Aaron Ricketts, (22) Jason Feger. Fast qualifier (among 26 cars): Bull, 12.955 seconds. Heat winners: Shirley, Heckenast, Feger. Consolation winner: Unzicker.
