PEORIA, Ill. — July 15, 2013 — Mike Harrison extended his DIRTcar Summit Racing Equipment Modified Nationals points lead over Rusty Griffaw after he turned leader Kenny Wallace in the final corner and drove to the checkers to claim his fourth win of the 2013 tour on Monday night at Peoria Speedway.

The top two in final points of the 2012 series championship, Harrison, of Highland, Ill., and Wallace, of St. Louis, Mo., shared the front row. Wallace got the jump on Harrison in the high groove and pulled out to an early lead before an early race caution bunched the field.

Wallace again started quickly and tried to hold off Harrison, who could get to Wallace’s bumper but could never get a nose under him. Harrison finally got position on Wallace as Milo Veloz Jr. joined the battle for the lead. Harrison and Wallace raced side-by-side for the next handful of laps with Veloz lurking behind them, but Wallace maintained the top spot in the faster outside line. (more…)

PEORIA, Ill. — July 15, 2013 — Defending Summer Nationals champion Brian Shirley claimed his first victory of the six week-long tour Monday night after completing a daring last-lap pass on leader Mike Spatola exiting turn two en route to capturing the checkered flag at Peoria Speedway.

Shirley, of Chatham, Ill., started on the pole of the 40-lapper alongside Spatola and charged out to an early lead, but the quarter-mile track proved to be tricky, as Shirley hopped the cushion on lap 16 letting Spatola around him for the lead.

Shirley and Spatola continued to swap the lead back-and-forth for most of the race before Spatola finally pulled away on lap 30. Once again, though, the track bit the leader, this time getting Spatola and allowing Shirley and points-leader Brandon Sheppard to join the battle for the win. (more…)

DANVILLE, Ill. — July 14, 2013 — Ryan Thomas scored his second victory of the 2013 Summit Racing Equipment Modified Nationals in dominating fashion on Sunday night, leading every lap but the first one at Vermilion County Speedway.

Thomas, of Martinsville, Ind., becomes only the third repeat winner of the six-week 2013 season. Thomas started on the outside of Steven Brooks, of New Lenox, Ill., on the front row as the field thundered to the green flag. Brooks got the early jump on Thomas before surrendering the lead on lap 2 to Thomas, who made his move to the front in the low groove.

Thomas quickly extended his lead over Brooks, who had his hands full with Brian Lynn and Nick Allen. Brooks allowed Lynn by him for a few laps before finally recapturing the second position, but no one could catch Thomas, who had extended his lead over the field. Eventually Brooks had a chance to pass Thomas with two to go but could not pull even with him as Thomas held him off to capture the $1,000 checkered flag. (more…)

KANKAKEE, Ill. — July 12, 2013 — Jeff Curl passed race-long leader Nick Allen with six laps remaining and then held on to the checkered flag to secure his first win of the 2013 Summit Racing Equipment Modified Nationals season at Kankakee County Speedway.

Curl, of Forrest, Ill., started sixth and found the early-going a challenge to find room to make a pass, leaving him stuck outside the top five. A restart near the midway point gave him the opportunity he needed and with the field bunched up he moved to the outside line. Not many drivers chose to get off of the bottom of the track, giving Curl enough room to pass and catch Allen, who had dominated the entire race from his pole-position.

Allen, seeing Curl cutting into his lead, moved up to the high side to try and hold off Curl, but Curl was too strong as he got to the corner of Allen’s car and slipped by him going into turn three with six laps remaining. Curl then held off Kenny Wallace en route to scoring the $1,000 checkered flag, his first of the six-week long tour. (more…)

MACON, Ill. — July 11, 2013 — In a season that has proven difficult for any driver to score more than one win, Mike Harrison now has three in the 2013 DIRTcar Summit Racing Equipment Modified Nationals as he claimed the victory Thursday night at 1/5th-mile Macon Speedway.

Harrison, of Highland, Ill., started the race from the outside of row two, just behind the front row of Brian Divley and Kenny Wallace. Staying glued to the bottom, Harrison passed Wallace within the first five laps and set his sights on leader Divley. With a restart coming on lap 9, Harrison was right on Divley’s tail. Harrison changed his line and moved to the top of the track to try and get around Divley, who did his best to hold his line but on lap 13 Harrison got a nose under Divley’s right corner and make the pass in turn one on lap 14. (more…)

MACON, Ill. – July 11, 2013 – Shannon Babb continued his mid-season dominance Thursday night at Macon Speedway as he rallied from the ninth starting position to lead the second half of the 33rd Annual Herald & Review 100, capturing his fifth checkered flag of the 2013 DIRTcar Summer Nationals “Hell Tour” season.

Babb, of Moweaqua, Ill., has proven why the three time champion should never be counted out. After starting the season relatively slow by his standards, Babb has scored four wins in seven races since the start of July and was just 50 points behind Brandon Sheppard entering the night.

Babb’s most recent victory would not be handed to him as he started from the inside of row five. Sheppard secured the pole-position but handed the lead over to Brian Shirley early in the feature. Babb reached Shirley and second-place running Kevin Weaver by the race’s halfway point. Shirley was glued to the top and Weaver glued to the bottom, so the faster Babb made the middle lane work for him as he split the two leaders in a daring three-wide pass for the lead. Babb secured the top spot and led the rest of the way to score the $5,000 checkered flag. Sheppard worked his way back to second as he continues to hold onto the points lead. (more…)

HAUBSTADT, Ind. — July 7, 2013 — Shannon Babb scored his fourth win of the 2013 “Hell Tour” season in dominating fashion Sunday night, as he lead all 40-laps from his second starting position to capture the checkered flag at Tri-State Speedway.

Babb, of Moweaqua, Ill., started from the outside of row one with teenager Bobby Pierce grabbing the pole. Babb took advantage of his starting position and pulled out to an early lead as he rode the outside line. Babb led every lap, but Pierce challenged him as the race wore on. Pierce pulled to Babb’s inside multiple times but couldn’t complete a pass. Babb held him off over the final two laps and pulled away to secure the $5,000 checkered flag. With the victory Sunday night, Shannon Babb is now only two wins shy of Billy Moyer’s record of 82 Summer National career wins.

“The track was excellent,” said Babb, a three-time Summer Nationals champion. “I just think I got the right draw — front row outside was hard to beat tonight. It worked out perfect for me. We’re just happy we’ve won the race. It’s been getting tough. These guys — little Bobby was right there — and these guys are making me step up my program a little bit.” (more…)