Fairbury, IL (Saturday, August 31, 2019) – On Saturday, August 31st, the American Ethanol Late Model Tour rolled into Fairbury Speedway for their first ever appearance, and their final stop in Illinois in 2019.  Nearly 40 drivers joined the roughly 60 DIRTcar UMP Modifieds on hand for the Casey’s General Store Modified Nationals. For the AELMT, Frank Heckenast, Jr battled drivers, and the weather, to bank his first career Tour win.

Over the course of 40 laps, drivers jockeyed for position, hoping to be the one to take home the $5,000 prize at the end of the main event.  Heckenast lead the field to green alongside local favorite, Brian Shirley. For the first ten laps, Heckenast and Shirley were the show of the field, running side-by-side flawlessly as they reeled in back markers.  While the field was slicing and dicing, and some minor errors were made, the race felt like it could go all the way, caution free – until Mother Nature, again, showed herself.

With rain falling on the Speedway, Touring officials elected to slow the field down with the first caution flag of the evening.  After just over a 10 minute interruption, during which all drivers stayed on the surface to help keep it in raceable condition, the field was restacked, and ready to do battle for 28 more laps.  Just one lap later, the field was slowed again, when fifth place running Tim Manville suffered mechanical failures, and spun in the middle of the field, in turn two – somehow, everyone avoided him.

On the next restart, Heckenast again jumped out to the lead, but something was clearly off with the Chatham, Illinois driver’s 3s machine.  Shirley struggled to hold his position in the top five, when suddenly he went off the pace exiting the fourth turn with just 20 laps to go. The caution flew as he continued around the Speedway at a slow pace, with what turned out to be a flat right rear tire.  The issue would eventually end his night.

On what would be the final restart of the night, Heckenast held of a charge from Jimmy Mars and Jason Feger.  Mars and Feger would wage war on each other for the runner up position until Feger’s car fell off slightly. Suddenly a four car battle for the top five was on, and it was soon Bobby Pierce who used the extreme outside of the Speedway to find himself another top five finish.  Heckenast would hold on for the win ahead of Mars, Feger, Pierce, and Donny Walden rounded out the top five.

The next event for the AELMT is Saturday, September 14th from Hartford Speedway, the only track where Brandon Thirlby has a win with the Tour in 2019.  For more on the Tour, log onto aelmt.com, or find them on social media, including Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Unofficial Results:

POET 40

99Jr. Frank Heckenast Jr

28M Jimmy Mars

25F Jason Feger

32 Bobby Pierce

1W Donny Walden

25W Allen Weisser

M14 Brandon Thirlby

21B Rich Bell

77M Jay Morris

2 Travis Stemler

42 Mkay Wenger

89 Mike Spatola

21A Logan Arntz

15V Kolby Vandenbergh

13 David Jaeger

3s Brian Shirley

33 Tim Manville

10A Scott Schmitt

21M Billy Moyer

1M Mike Mataragas

B12 Kevin Weaver

Allstar Performance Heat Race 1

2 Travis Stemler

28M Jimmy Mars

33 Tim Manville

21B Rich Bell

1M Mike Mataragas

15 Dave Baker

30 Mike Glasscock

76  Titus Sneed

20 Dustin Vandermeir

44 Mike McGuire

American Ethanol Heat Race 2

3s Brian Shirley

B12 Kevin Weaver

10A Scott Schmitt

13 David Jeager

77M Jay Morris

12 Ashton Winger

12C Jeff Curl

6M Dona Marcoullier

11 Rachel Carpenter

19X Cody Bauer

CHS Heat Race 3 

89 Mike Spatola

25F Jason Feger

M14 Brandon Thirlby

32 Bobby Pierce

10S Taylor Scheffler

7 Jay Sparks

15V Kolby Vandenbergh

28 Ron Donaldson

9 Lyle Zanker

One Ethanol Heat Race 4

99JR Frank Heckenast Jr.

1W Donny Walden

21 Billy Moyer

42 Mkay Wegner

25W Allen Weisser

21A Logan Arntz

6K Michael Kloos

10 Brett Miller

DUPONT Last Chance Qualifier 1

1M Mike Mataragas

15V Kolby Vandenbergh

28 Ron Donaldson

10s Taylor Scheffler

9 Lyle Zanker

76 Titus Sneed

7 Jay Sparks

15 Dave Baker

20 Dustin Vandermeir

30 Mike Glasscock

Lane Automotive Last Chance Qualifier 2 

25W Allen Weisser

77M Jay Morris

12 Ashton Winger

6K Michael Kloos

6M Dona Marcoullier

12C Jeff Curl

10 Brett Miller

11 Rachel Carpenter

19X Cody Bauer

21A Logan Arntz

Motul Motor Oil and Lubricants Fast Qualifier: 3s Brian Shirley

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Zach Hiser

Motor City Racing Promotions