Brian Shirley Battles for a Second Place Finish
Fayetteville, N.C. – April 30, 2016 – Former Hope Mills, N.C. resident Willie Milliken has logged thousands of laps at Fayetteville Motor Speedway. But the 50 laps he led during Saturday night’s World of Outlaws Craftsman® Late Model Series Tarheel 100 met something more to him.
“We have a good piece,” said Milliken about his No. 1M MJ Price Construction Co./ Longhorn Chassis car. “We don’t get to showcase it all the time. [The win] was just getting on the gas, the car would take it and it would go.”
This win was Milliken’s seventh late model start ever – his first with the Outlaws. He takes home not only the $10,000 purse, but also the pleasure of finishing first in each of his events. Milliken was the Fast Timer of the night (16.740), won his heat race, pulled the No. 1 on the redraw and led every lap of the A-Main.
Brian Shirley, who finished runner-up to Milliken, said there was no stopping him. Shirley used the two-car-lengths between him and Milliken to remain in the lower groove until Milliken made a mistake late in the race; it was not the case here.
“I don’t know the guy who won, but congratulations to him,” Shirley said. “I know how cool it is to win a race this big.”
Shirley favored the lower groove throughout the race, but secured second-place on Lap 17 when he battled side-by-side with Earl Pearson Jr.’s No. 1P Dunn Benson Motorsports/ Longhorn Chassis car from the middle groove of the track on Turn 1.
“I was lucky just to duck down and get by Jr.,” Shirley said. “Racing like that is really tough. It’s nerve-racking. You’re fighting side-by-side for the same position. I was glad when we went single-file.”
When the 25-car field began to run single-file, Shirley waited for the time to make his move into first place. But, Milliken maintained a consistent distance away from Shirley, beating the No. 3s Bob Cullen Racing, LLC/ Longhorn Chassis machine by a 1.184 margin.
Rounding-out the podium was Earl Pearson Jr., who spent the majority of the race in a battle with Shirley. Pearson said he was “glad to be in front of the standing room only crowd,” battling for the win.
“Milliken did a great job getting out front, and he never made a mistake,” Pearson said. “Me and Shirley got together on Turn 1 on the restart and once we went single-file, that’s all we had.”
Unlike Milliken, Shirley and Pearson said they do not get to compete at Fayetteville Motor Speedway as often. But the full-capacity crowds coupled with the fast racing conditions make this stop worth looking forward to on the Outlaws series schedule.
The World of Outlaws will travel to Ponderosa Speedway (5/6) and Smoky Mountain Speedway (5/7) next weekend.
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World of Outlaws Craftsman® Late Model Series Statistical Report; April 30, 2016; Fayetteville Motor Speedway; Fayetteville, N.C.
A-Main (50-laps): 1. 1M- Willie Milliken [1][$10,600], 2. 3s- Brian Shirley [4][$5,700], 3. 1P- Earl Pearson Jr. [3][$3,000], 4. 1- Josh Richards [5][$3,350], 5. 21JR- Billy Moyer Jr. [2][$3,050], 6. 6-Jonathan Davenport [11][$1,700], 7. 7- Rick Eckert [13][$2,200], 8. 93- Donald Bradsher [7][$1,350], 9. 25- Shane Clanton [12][$2,050], 10. 2F- Dennis Franklin [17]$1,150] 11. C9- Steve Casebolt [19][$1,600]; 12. 18- Eric Wells [18][$1,550]; 13. ’09- Johnny Pursley [6][$950]; 14. 91- Tyler Erb [20][$1,000]; 15. 18c- Chase Junghans [24][$1,350]; 16. 76- Brandon Overton [8][$1,350]; 17. 99jr- Frank Heckenast Jr. [23][$1,320]; 18. 89- Dustin Mitchell [15][$750]; 19. 77- Jordan Yaggy [9][$730]; 20. 14M- Morgan Bagley [21][$1,250]; 21. 1*- Chub Frank [22][$1,250]; 22. 1A- Austin Hubbard [14][$700]; 23. 10- Scott Shirey [25][$700]; 24. 16- Ben Watkins [16][$725]; 25. 72- Jason Covert [10][$700]
Last-Chance Showdown (10 laps – Top 4 Transfer): 1. C9- Steve Casebolt, 2.- Tyler Erb, 3. 14M-Morgan Bagley, 4. 1*- Chub Frank, 5. 2- Joey Coulter, 6. 10- Scott Shirey, 7. 18c Chase Junghans, 8. 4L- Brian Ligon, 9. 618- Kevin Ligon, 9. 618- Kevin Wilson, 10. 78- Will Long, 99jr- Frank Heckenast Jr.
Qualifying: 1. 1M- Willie Milliken, 16.740; 2. 1- Josh Richards, 16.942; 3. 77- Jordan Yaggy, 17.103; 4. 16- Ben Watkins, 17.118; 5. 76- Brandon Overton, 17.103; 6. 21JR- Billy Moyer Jr., 17.139; 7. 93- Donald Bradsher, 17.170; 8. 1P- Earl Pearson Jr., 17.190; 9. 3s- Brian Shirley, 17.196; 10. 72- Jason Covert, 17.270; 11. 6- Jonathan Davenport, 17.289; 12. 89- Dustin Mitchell, 17.293; 13. ’09- Johnny Pursley, 17.298; 14. 1A- Austin Hubbard, 17.301; 15. 18- Eric Wells, 17.318; 16. 18c- Chase Junghans, 17.391; 17. 4L- Brian Ligon, 17.425; 18. 25- Shane Clanton, 17.431; 19. 7- Rick Eckert, 17.453; 20. 2F- Dennis Franklin, 17.498; 21. 1*- Chub Frank, 17.519; 22. C9- Steve Casebolt, 17.590; 23. 99jr- Frank Heckenast Jr., 17.628; 24. 14M- Morgan Bagley, 17.646; 25. 91- Tyler Erb, 18.145; 25. 618- Kevin Wilson, 18.523; 27. 79- Roger Lucas, 18.725; 28. 78- Will Long, 18.810; 29. 10- Scott Shirey, 19.167
Heat No. 1 (10 laps – Top 6 Transfer): 1. 1M- Willie Milliken, 2. ’09- Johnny Pursley, 3. 93. Donald Bradsher, 4. 72- Jason Covert, 5. 7- Rick Eckert, 6. 16- Ben Watkins, 7. C9- Steve Casebolt, 8. 91- Tyler Erb, 9. 18c- Chase Junghans, 10. 78- Will Long
Heat No. 2 (10 laps – Top 6 Transfer): 1. 1-Josh Richards, 2. 1P- Earl Pearson Jr., 3. 76- Brandon Overton, 4. 6- Jonathan Davenport, 5. 1A- Austin Hubbard, 6. 2F- Dennis Franklin, 7. 99jr- Frank Heckenast Jr., 8. 4L- Brian Ligon, 9. 10- Scott Shirey, 10. 618- Kevin Wilson
Heat No. 3 (10 laps – Top 6 Transfer): 1. 21JR- Billy Moyer Jr., 2. 3s- Brian Shirley, 3. 77- Jordan Yaggy, 4. 25- Shane Clanton, 5. 89- Dustin Mitchell, 6. 18- Eric Wells, 7. 14M- Morgan Bagley, 8. 2c- Joey Coulter, 10. 79- Roger Lucas
World of Outlaws Craftsman Late Model Series Contingency Award Winners (awards presented to noted finisher/qualifier or next highest displaying decal):
Comp Cams – $50 Product certificate : Brian Shirley
MSD – $50 Cash: Josh Richards
QuarterMaster – $100 Product certificate: Brian Shirley
Wrisco Aluminum – 3 Sheets of aluminum: Brian Shirley
Penske Shocks – TBD Product certificate: Billy Moyer Jr.
JE Pistons – $50 Cash: Billy Moyer Jr.
VP Racing Fuels – $50 Cash: Donald Bradsher
Edelbrock – $50 Cash: Shane Clanton
Comp Cams – $50 Cash: Dennis Franklin
Morton Buildings – $50 Cash: Steve Casebolt
Cometic Gasket – $50 Cash: Eric Wells
JRI Shocks – $50 Cash: Tyler Erb
SuperFlow – $50 Cash: Tyler Erb
QuarterMaster – $25 Product certificate: Brandon Overton
JE Pistons – Set of rings: Brandon Overton
QuarterMaster – $50 Product certificate: Jordan Yaggy
Arizona Sport Shirts – $100 Product certificate: Morgan Bagley
JE Pistons – Set of rings: Chub Frank
MSD – $25 Cash: Ben Watkins
QA1 – $50 Cash: Billy Moyer Jr.
Bonus Bucks – $500 Cash: Willie Milliken
Rookie Bonus – $250 Cash: Billy Moyer Jr.
Craftsman Bonus – $100 Cash: Willie Milliken
Craftsman Bonus – $200 Cash: Brian Shirley
Craftsman Bonus – $200 Cash: Josh Richards
Craftsman Bonus – $200 Cash: Billy Moyer Jr.
Craftsman Bonus – $200 Cash: Rick Eckert
Craftsman Bonus – $200 Cash: Shane Clanton
2016 World of Outlaws Craftsman Late Model Series Point Standings as of April 30 – 10 A-Mains completed (rank/driver/residence/points/deficit to leader):
Pos. Car Driver Residence Points
Trail By
1 1 Josh Richards Shinnston, WV 1462 0
2 25 Shane Clanton Zebulon, GA 1332 130
3 7 Rick Eckert York, PA 1320 142
4 3s Brian Shirley Chatham, IL 1320 142
5 76 Brandon Overton Evans, GA 1238 224
6 C9 Steve Casebolt Richmond, IN 1234 228
7 1* Chub Frank Bear Lake, PA 1232 230
8 14M Morgan Bagley Longview, TX 1230 232
9 21JR Billy Moyer Jr. Batesville, AR 1222 240
10 99Jr Frank Heckenast Jr. Frankfort, IL 1198 264
11 18c Chase Junghans Manhattan, KS 1172 290
12 18 Eric Wells Hazard, KY 1154 308
13 91 Tyler Erb New Waverly, TX 1024 438
14 2 Joey Coulter Moorseville, NC 944 518
15 77 Jordan Yaggy Rochester, MN 888 574
16 2 Dennis Franklin Gaffney, SC 834 628
17 99B Boom Briggs Bear Lake, PA 770 692
18 25F Jason Feger Bloomington, IL 668 794
19 B1 Paul Wilmoth Jr. Clarksburg, WV 640 822
20 38 Kenny Pettyjohn Millsboro, DE 576 886
The World of Outlaws Craftsman® Late Model Series is brought to fans across the country by many important sponsors and partners, including: Arizona Sport Shirts (Official Apparel Company), Hoosier Racing Tire (Official Tire), Bad Boy Buggies (Official Side-by-Side Vehicle), The Kenny Wallace Dirt Racing Experience (Official Racing Experience), VP Racing Fuels (Official Racing Fuel), Morton Buildings (Official Building) and DirtonDirt.com (Hard Charger Award); in addition to contingency sponsors, including: Cometic Gasket, Comp Cams, Edelbrock, JE Pistons, JRI Shocks, Mobil 1, MSD, Ohlins Shocks, Penske Shocks, QA1, QuarterMaster, Superflow Dynos and Wrisco Aluminum; along with manufacturer sponsors, including: Capital Race Cars, Integra Shocks, Impact Racing Products, Intercomp, Racing Electronics, Rocket Chassis and TNT Rescue.