7/9/2021
RacinBoys
Pierce prevails at Macon Speedway
By Jordan DeLucia (Macon, IL) -- Shirley recovers to eighth after blown tire while leading, Unzicker second for season-best finish
It’s special just to win even one Herald & Review 100, let alone three. Bobby Pierce is now a three-time winner of the DIRTcar Summer Nationals’ most prestigious event at Macon Speedway, just one shy of tying his father Bob for second-most on the event’s all-time win list.
PHOTO CREDIT: Josh James Artwork
The points leader was faced with the ultimate test of keeping his car out front for well over half of the 100-lap race while the rest of the top-five hunted him down in traffic. But first, Pierce had to get around one last car in front of him – Brian Shirley.
Shirley, of Chatham, IL, grabbed the lead from polesitter Ryan Unzicker on Lap 3 and proceeded to open up a sizable gap over Pierce before diving head-first into lapped traffic. A few early cautions kept the field restacked and out of thick traffic as the defending Hell Tour champion continued his strong run out front. But soon, disaster struck the Bob Cullen Racing #3s.
The caution flag came out on Lap 23, but as soon as the caution lights turned on, Shirley’s right-rear tire went flat. He took the car to the work area and got it changed before the restart but was forced to start from the tail, surrendering the lead to Pierce.
“We got pretty lucky tonight with Squirrel [Shirley] having that flat,” Pierce said. “It would have been tough to get by him.”
Now with the lead for the first time in the race, Pierce immediately knew his one mission objective.
“Brian had that flat on that caution, and I was like, ‘well, here we are.’ So, just ride from there and don’t make any mistakes,” Pierce, of Oakwood, IL, said.
And that’s exactly what he did. From that point forward, it became Pierce’s race to lose. He opened up a sizable gap in traffic and began clicking off the laps. He was met with several more restarts, but denied all challengers behind him, even with slower traffic ahead of him.
“It got pretty hairy there in lapped traffic a few times. Glad we were able to keep the nose clean and hang onto it,” Pierce said.
The field sat under a temporary red flag with three laps remaining while an accident with cleaned up in Turn 1. During that stoppage, Pierce was left to cool off and think about the task ahead of him, which he could have done without.
“Sometimes you get relaxed on those cautions. It got so cool tonight, and I was really cool in the racecar. Sometimes you get relaxed, like, you’ve gotta stay up on the wheel. I didn’t really like to see a caution,” Pierce said.
Unzicker held on for second – his best finish of the season with the Summer Nationals thus far. Shannon Babb crossed in third, ahead of Myles Moos, who was later disqualified for being light at the scales. This moved Logan Martin into fourth and Gordy Gundaker into fifth. Shirley was able to climb back for an eighth-place finish.
UP NEXT
The Summer Nationals Late Models are back in action Friday night, July 9, at Farmer City Raceway for the first $10,000-to-win Feature of the week. Catch all the action live on DIRTVision presented by Drydene.
RESULTS
Feature (100 Laps) 1. 32-Bobby Pierce[3]; 2. 24-Ryan Unzicker[1]; 3. 18-Shannon Babb[7]; 4. 36-Logan Martin[9]; 5. 11-Gordy Gundaker[12]; 6. 11T-Trevor Gundaker[2]; 7. 16-Rusty Griffaw[10]; 8. 3S-Brian Shirley[4]; 9. 38J-Jake Little[18]; 10. 12-Ashton Winger[19]; 11. 74-Mitch McGrath[22]; 12. 25-Jason Feger[8]; 13. 81E-Tanner English[5]; 14. 51-Dean Carpenter[13]; 15. 27-Greg Kimmons[17]; 16. 19X-Cody Bauer[16]; 17. 11M-Ryan Miller[21]; 18. 11H-Jeff Herzog[14]; 19. 14G-Joe Godsey[15]; 20. 4- Jason Suhre[11]; 21. 30-Mark Voigt[20]; 22. (DQ) 84-Myles Moos[6]
Qualifying Group 1 (2 Laps) 1. 32-Bobby Pierce, 00:10.675[4]; 2. 18-Shannon Babb, 00:10.706[11]; 3. 81E-Tanner English, 00:10.728[8]; 4. 3S-Brian Shirley, 00:10.750[20]; 5. 36-Logan Martin, 00:10.984[5]; 6. 7-Drake Troutman, 00:11.170[15]; 7. 51-Dean Carpenter, 00:11.241[12]; 8. 4-Jason Suhre, 00:11.255[7]; 9. 22-Dan Jacober, 00:11.339[16]; 10. 14R-Jeff Roth, 00:11.342[10]; 11. 27-Greg Kimmons, 00:11.420[9]; 12. 14G-Joe Godsey, 00:11.470[14]; 13. 334-Billy Hough, 00:11.676[3]; 14. 38-Thomas Hunziker, 00:11.869[17]; 15. 148-Tim Lance Jr, 00:11.889[13]; 16. 248-Brandon Lance, 00:11.917[1]; 17. 4D-Doug Tye, 00:12.075[2]; 18. 1H-Josh Heuiser, 00:12.088[6]; 19. 16W-Tony Wolf, 00:12.305[19]; 20. 51B-Brandon Carpenter[18]
Qualifying Group 2 (2 Laps) 1. 84-Myles Moos, 00:10.582[1]; 2. 38J-Jake Little, 00:10.822[9]; 3. 24-Ryan Unzicker, 00:10.834[2]; 4. 25-Jason Feger, 00:10.915[5]; 5. 74-Mitch McGrath, 00:10.947[14]; 6. 11T-Trevor Gundaker, 00:10.970[7]; 7. 30-Mark Voigt, 00:11.067[6]; 8. 11-Gordy Gundaker, 00:11.174[8]; 9. 33H-Roben Huffman, 00:11.287[12]; 10. 35-Claude Walker, 00:11.342[15]; 11. 16- Rusty Griffaw, 00:11.361[18]; 12. 17-Todd Rehg, 00:11.398[13]; 13. 48-Tim Lance, 00:11.435[19]; 14. 19X-Cody Bauer, 00:11.460[11]; 15. 11H-Jeff Herzog, 00:11.632[16]; 16. 15-Blake McClain, 00:11.734[4]; 17. 11M-Ryan Miller, 00:11.892[3]; 18. 52-Ryan Warren, 00:12.951[10]; 19. 13-Brayton Laster, 00:14.256[20]; 20. 12-Ashton Winger[17]
Heat 1 (10 Laps) 1. 32-Bobby Pierce[1]; 2. 81E-Tanner English[2]; 3. 36-Logan Martin[3]; 4. 51-Dean Carpenter[4]; 5. 27-Greg Kimmons[6]; 6. 334-Billy Hough[7]; 7. 22-Dan Jacober[5]; 8. 4D-Doug Tye[9]; 9. 16W-Tony Wolf[10]; 10. 148-Tim Lance Jr[8]
Heat 2 (10 Laps) 1. 3S-Brian Shirley[2]; 2. 18-Shannon Babb[1]; 3. 4-Jason Suhre[4]; 4. 14G-Joe Godsey[6]; 5. 51B-Brandon Carpenter[10]; 6. 1H-Josh Heuiser[9]; 7. 38-Thomas Hunziker[7]; 8. 248-Brandon Lance[8]; 9. 7-Drake Troutman[3]; 10. 14R-Jeff Roth[5]
Heat 3 (10 Laps) 1. 24-Ryan Unzicker[2]; 2. 84-Myles Moos[1]; 3. 16-Rusty Griffaw[6]; 4. 11H-Jeff Herzog[8]; 5. 48-Tim Lance[7]; 6. 74-Mitch McGrath[3]; 7. 33H-Roben Huffman[5]; 8. 11M-Ryan Miller[9]; 9. 30-Mark Voigt[4]; 10. (DNS) 13-Brayton Laster
Heat 4 (10 Laps) 1. 11T-Trevor Gundaker[3]; 2. 25-Jason Feger[2]; 3. 11-Gordy Gundaker[4]; 4. 19X-Cody Bauer[7]; 5. 38J-Jake Little[1]; 6. 35-Claude Walker[5]; 7. 52-Ryan Warren[9]; 8. 12-Ashton Winger[10]; 9. 15-Blake McClain[8]; 10. (DNS) 17-Todd Rehg
Consolation Race (10 Laps) 1. 30-Mark Voigt[6]; 2. 4D-Doug Tye[1]; 3. 11M-Ryan Miller[2]; 4. 248-Brandon Lance[3]; 5. 148-Tim Lance Jr[9]; 6. 16W- Tony Wolf[5]; 7. 13-Brayton Laster[10]; 8. (DNS) 14R-Jeff Roth; 9. (DNS) 12-Ashton Winger; 10. (DNS) 7-Drake Troutman; 11. (DNS) 17-Todd Rehg; 12. (DNS) 15-Blake McClain
Last Chance Showdown (12 Laps) 1. 27-Greg Kimmons[1]; 2. 38J-Jake Little[4]; 3. 48-Tim Lance[2]; 4. 74-Mitch McGrath[6]; 5. 334-Billy Hough[5]; 6. 22-Dan Jacober[9]; 7. 35-Claude Walker[8]; 8. 38-Thomas Hunziker[11]; 9. 33H-Roben Huffman[10]; 10. 11M-Ryan Miller[15]; 11. 4D-Doug Tye[14]; 12. 51B-Brandon Carpenter[3]; 13. 1H-Josh Heuiser[7]; 14. 30-Mark Voigt[13]; 15. (DNS) 52-Ryan Warren; 16. (DNS) 248-Brandon Lance
https://dirtcarsummernationals.com/
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HARRISON DENIES BOLLINGER AT MACON FOR 53rd CAREER WIN
By Jordan DeLucia (Macon, IL) -- Six-time champion becomes third different winner of 2021
Mike Harrison knew he would break though for a trip to DIRTcar Summit Racing Equipment Modified Nationals Victory Lane this season. It was just a matter of time.
His time came Thursday night at Macon Speedway, where he was forced to catch, pass and then hold-off outside polesitter Ray Bollinger. Using the extreme bottom lane of the fifth-mile bullring, Harrison did it, collecting his 53rd career Summit Modified victory.
Josh James Artwork
“I hope all you fans enjoyed that – that was a hell of a race,” Harrison yelled into the DIRTVision microphone as he looked into the crowd in Victory Lane. “That’s what we call racing in the Midwest – get up on the wheel and get it done!”
The six-time Summit Modified champion did get it done, in thrilling fashion. Teenage UMP Modified sensation Drake Troutman led almost the entire first half of the race, jumping to the early lead from third on the starting grid. Bollinger got a great restart with 16-to-go and took the lead back from him three laps later.
Harrison had been in-shadow of the battle and hooked it up around the very bottom of the track to pass Troutman for second just after halfway, soon setting his sights on Bollinger. The two swapped the lead in opposite grooves for a few laps before a caution was thrown with five-to-go.
Harrison gassed it up on the bottom for the restart and swiped the lead back from Bollinger. With two-to-go, Harrison had pulled ahead by a half-straightaway and led the field back to the checkers for his first Summit Modified trophy of the season.
Harrison (24H) battling for the lead with Bollinger (77) (Josh James Artwork)
While his biggest competition, Nick Hoffman, did not bring his car to the track Thursday night, Harrison still gave him a shout-out in Victory Lane regarding his recent stretch of success.
“I knew once I kept my head and kept everything together on this car, we’d get one of these,” Harrison said. “I just wish Nick were here so all the bullshit would stop.”
UP NEXT
The Summit Modifieds are back in action Friday night, July 9, at Farmer City Raceway for a special edition of Friday Night Lights. Catch all the action live on DIRTVision presented by Drydene.
RESULTS
Feature (25 Laps) 1. 24H-Mike Harrison[4]; 2. 53-Bobby Stremme[7]; 3. 77-Ray Bollinger[2]; 4. 7-Drake Troutman[3]; 5. 77T-Guy Taylor[12]; 6. 24Z-Zeke McKenzie[1]; 7. 27X-Kyle Helmick[21]; 8. 28-Rodney Standerfer[11]; 9. 21M-Willy Myers[9]; 10. T6-Tommy Sheppard Jr[6]; 11. 11-Zach Rhodes[5]; 12. 27-Dalton Ewing[8]; 13. 28S-Joe Strawkas[18]; 14. 87C-Alan Crowder[16]; 15. 43-Ed Roley[17]; 16. 19T-Travis Thrasher[22]; 17. 19-Chad Bauer[13]; 18. 57-Tim Hamburg[14]; 19. 4G-Bill Griffith[20]; 20. 88L-Rob Lee[15]; 21. 36-Kenny Wallace[10]; 22. 45-Kyle Hammer[19]
Qualifying Group 1 (3 Laps) 1. 24H-Mike Harrison, 00:11.698[1]; 2. 53-Bobby Stremme, 00:11.729[13]; 3. 11-Zach Rhodes, 00:11.774[19]; 4. 77-Ray Bollinger, 00:11.806[9]; 5. 21M-Willy Myers, 00:11.833[2]; 6. 28-Rodney Standerfer, 00:11.875[12]; 7. 19-Chad Bauer, 00:11.975[7]; 8. 19C-Carter Sinkhorn, 00:12.138[4]; 9. 22P-Wil Prater, 00:12.141[3]; 10. 88L-Rob Lee, 00:12.177[10]; 11. 43-Ed Roley, 00:12.299[17]; 12. 9C-Russ Coultas, 00:12.354[11]; 13. 19T-Travis Thrasher, 00:12.391[8]; 14. 27X-Kyle Helmick, 00:12.398[14]; 15. J82-Treb Jacoby, 00:12.479[18]; 16. 117E-Mark Enk, 00:12.500[15]; 17. 52-Billy Knebel, 00:12.558[6]; 18. 13S-Jason Scrimpsher, 00:15.414[16]; 19. (DNS) 14C-Rick Conoyer
Qualifying Group 2 (3 Laps) 1. T6-Tommy Sheppard Jr, 00:11.613[2]; 2. 7-Drake Troutman, 00:11.631[17]; 3. 24Z-Zeke McKenzie, 00:11.655[5]; 4. 27- Dalton Ewing, 00:11.870[8]; 5. 57-Tim Hamburg, 00:11.938[10]; 6. 78-Maxx Emerson, 00:11.942[11]; 7. 87Z-Zeb Moake, 00:11.956[18]; 8. 77T-Guy Taylor, 00:11.960[14]; 9. 36-Kenny Wallace, 00:11.980[6]; 10. 87C-Alan Crowder, 00:12.001[4]; 11. 45-Kyle Hammer, 00:12.039[12]; 12. 4G-Bill Griffith, 00:12.103[13]; 13. 5T-Rob Timmons, 00:12.103[9]; 14. 18S-Jarrett Stryker, 00:12.184[3]; 15. 0-Travis Kohler, 00:12.216[7]; 16. 4M-Clint Martin, 00:12.222[16]; 17. 28S-Joe Strawkas, 00:12.316[15]; 18. 4JG-John Goveia, 00:12.831[1]
Heat 1 (8 Laps) 1. 24H-Mike Harrison[1]; 2. 11-Zach Rhodes[2]; 3. 21M-Willy Myers[3]; 4. 19-Chad Bauer[4]; 5. 43-Ed Roley[6]; 6. 22P-Wil Prater[5]; 7. J82-Treb Jacoby[8]; 8. 52-Billy Knebel[9]; 9. 19T-Travis Thrasher[7]; 10. (DNS) 14C-Rick Conoyer
Heat 2 (8 Laps) 1. 77-Ray Bollinger[2]; 2. 53-Bobby Stremme[1]; 3. 28-Rodney Standerfer[3]; 4. 88L-Rob Lee[5]; 5. 19C-Carter Sinkhorn[4]; 6. 27X-Kyle Helmick[7]; 7. 13S-Jason Scrimpsher[9]; 8. 9C-Russ Coultas[6]; 9. 117E-Mark Enk[8]
Heat 3 (8 Laps) 1. 24Z-Zeke McKenzie[2]; 2. T6-Tommy Sheppard Jr[1]; 3. 36-Kenny Wallace[5]; 4. 57-Tim Hamburg[3]; 5. 28S-Joe Strawkas[9]; 6. 87Z-Zeb Moake[4]; 7. 5T-Rob Timmons[7]; 8. 45-Kyle Hammer[6]; 9. (DNS) 0-Travis Kohler
Heat 4 (8 Laps) 1. 7-Drake Troutman[1]; 2. 27-Dalton Ewing[2]; 3. 77T-Guy Taylor[4]; 4. 87C-Alan Crowder[5]; 5. 78-Maxx Emerson[3]; 6. 18S-Jarrett Stryker[7]; 7. 4G-Bill Griffith[6]; 8. 4M-Clint Martin[8]; 9. 4JG-John Goveia[9]
Last Chance Showdown 1 (10 Laps) 1. 43-Ed Roley[1]; 2. J82-Treb Jacoby[5]; 3. 19C-Carter Sinkhorn[2]; 4. 9C-Russ Coultas[8]; 5. 52-Billy Knebel[7]; 6. 13S- Jason Scrimpsher[6]; 7. 27X-Kyle Helmick[4]; 8. 22P-Wil Prater[3]; 9. 19T-Travis Thrasher[9]; 10. (DNS) 14C-Rick Conoyer; 11. (DNS) 117E-Mark Enk
Last Chance Showdown 2 (10 Laps) 1. 28S-Joe Strawkas[1]; 2. 5T-Rob Timmons[5]; 3. 18S-Jarrett Stryker[4]; 4. 4M-Clint Martin[8]; 5. 78-Maxx Emerson[2]; 6. 4G-Bill Griffith[6]; 7. 4JG-John Goveia[10]; 8. (DNS) 87Z-Zeb Moake; 9. (DNS) 45-Kyle Hammer; 10. (DNS) 0-Travis Kohler
https://modifiednationals.com/
Submitted By: Kirk Elliott
