By Michelle Petroff
CHATHAM, IL (September 20, 2005) – Regional racing standout, Brian Shirley, has captured many headlines in the short time since switching from the professional motorcycle ranks to dirt late models but the young throttle-stomper once again outshined some of the best in the business. Shirley, 24, of Chatham, IL, and his #3s team outranked 36 of the nation’s best dirt late model competitors when I-55 Raceway hosted the World of Outlaws’ Late Model Series for the annual “Pepsi Nationals 55”.
Shirley wheeled his JAYCO Construction/Petroff Towing #3s Brian Shirley Motorsports’ CJ Rayburn Race Cars/Pro Power Racing Chevrolet Monte Carlo around the 3/8-mile high-banks with the eighth quickest qualifying effort of the night before sealing the deal with a heat race win and runner-up performance in the dash. Starting alongside World of Outlaws’ Dirty Dozen member Darrell Lanigan, Shirley battled fellow Petroff Towing/CJ Rayburn driver Shannon Babb in the early laps before falling back after a repeat encounter with a hole that developed courtesy of heavy rains the week of the event.
Shirley soon rallied from as far back as seventh to regain third place before another Petroff Towing/CJ Rayburn driver, Billy Moyer, set sail to the front. Moyer made a dramatic three-wide move for the lead over Babb in the closing laps of the event and Lanigan and Shirley soon followed suit as Babb struggled with no power steering. Moyer earned his sixth “Pepsi Nationals” victory while Shirley crossed the stripe in third place and was the highest non-contracted World of Outlaws finisher. This event marked his second World of Outlaws start and highest finish to date on the national tour as his first performance yielded a respectable tenth place finish earlier in the month at Twin Cities Raceway.
“To be able to come home third running with these guys is really, really good. I couldn’t have asked for any better night,” commented an ecstatic Shirley. “This group of guys we’re racing against are the best in the business. Hopefully we’ll get good enough soon to be able to beat them. I’ve just got to thank everybody involved with us for making this happen. Petroff Towing, JAYCO Construction, B Auto Parts, CJ Rayburn Race Cars, Capitol Storage – all of my awesome product sponsors – I can’t thank them enough. We also had Sunoco Race Fuels sign with us this week so this is a great way to welcome them on board with a strong run at a televised race. They are all the ones that make this happen.”
The #3s team will compete with the World of Outlaws’ Late Model Series once again this week at Kentucky Lake Motor Speedway on Friday before venturing to Crown Point Speedway’s $15,000 to win “Kevin Roderick Memorial”. The team will then prepare for their first trek to the famed Knoxville Raceway for the “Lucas Oil Knoxville Late Model Nationals”. The latest team news, results and schedules can be found online at http://www.brianshirley.com.
Brian Shirley’s #3s dirt late model’s sponsors include CJ Rayburn Race Cars – The Only Chassis Proven To Be Stronger Than Dirt!; Petroff Towing; B Auto Parts; JAYCO Construction; Capitol Storage; Sunoco Race Fuels; Capitol Machine Shop; Skateland South; Kentucky Lake Motor Speedway; Charlie Parker’s Diner; Budda Enterprises; Hoosier by Smash; Michelle Petroff Promotions; AXR2/raceXR.com; JFR Graphics; Dinker; “The Concrete Crusher”; Ridings Plumbing; Giganti & Giganti Jewelers; Rob & Carol Shirley; DoubleJ; Pro Power Racing Engines; Allstar Performance; Peterson Fluid Systems; Performance Rod & Custom; Koni Shocks; Weld Wheel; Bert Transmission; Afcoils; Taco Carburetors; MSD Ignition and Sweet Manufacturing.
CHATHAM, IL (September 20, 2005) – Regional racing standout, Brian Shirley, has captured many headlines in the short time since switching from the professional motorcycle ranks to dirt late models but the young throttle-stomper once again outshined some of the best in the business. Shirley, 24, of Chatham, IL, and his #3s team outranked 36 of the nation’s best dirt late model competitors when I-55 Raceway hosted the World of Outlaws’ Late Model Series for the annual “Pepsi Nationals 55”.
Shirley wheeled his JAYCO Construction/Petroff Towing #3s Brian Shirley Motorsports’ CJ Rayburn Race Cars/Pro Power Racing Chevrolet Monte Carlo around the 3/8-mile high-banks with the eighth quickest qualifying effort of the night before sealing the deal with a heat race win and runner-up performance in the dash. Starting alongside World of Outlaws’ Dirty Dozen member Darrell Lanigan, Shirley battled fellow Petroff Towing/CJ Rayburn driver Shannon Babb in the early laps before falling back after a repeat encounter with a hole that developed courtesy of heavy rains the week of the event.
Shirley soon rallied from as far back as seventh to regain third place before another Petroff Towing/CJ Rayburn driver, Billy Moyer, set sail to the front. Moyer made a dramatic three-wide move for the lead over Babb in the closing laps of the event and Lanigan and Shirley soon followed suit as Babb struggled with no power steering. Moyer earned his sixth “Pepsi Nationals” victory while Shirley crossed the stripe in third place and was the highest non-contracted World of Outlaws finisher. This event marked his second World of Outlaws start and highest finish to date on the national tour as his first performance yielded a respectable tenth place finish earlier in the month at Twin Cities Raceway.
“To be able to come home third running with these guys is really, really good. I couldn’t have asked for any better night,” commented an ecstatic Shirley. “This group of guys we’re racing against are the best in the business. Hopefully we’ll get good enough soon to be able to beat them. I’ve just got to thank everybody involved with us for making this happen. Petroff Towing, JAYCO Construction, B Auto Parts, CJ Rayburn Race Cars, Capitol Storage – all of my awesome product sponsors – I can’t thank them enough. We also had Sunoco Race Fuels sign with us this week so this is a great way to welcome them on board with a strong run at a televised race. They are all the ones that make this happen.”
The #3s team will compete with the World of Outlaws’ Late Model Series once again this week at Kentucky Lake Motor Speedway on Friday before venturing to Crown Point Speedway’s $15,000 to win “Kevin Roderick Memorial”. The team will then prepare for their first trek to the famed Knoxville Raceway for the “Lucas Oil Knoxville Late Model Nationals”. The latest team news, results and schedules can be found online at http://www.brianshirley.com.
Brian Shirley’s #3s dirt late model’s sponsors include CJ Rayburn Race Cars – The Only Chassis Proven To Be Stronger Than Dirt!; Petroff Towing; B Auto Parts; JAYCO Construction; Capitol Storage; Sunoco Race Fuels; Capitol Machine Shop; Skateland South; Kentucky Lake Motor Speedway; Charlie Parker’s Diner; Budda Enterprises; Hoosier by Smash; Michelle Petroff Promotions; AXR2/raceXR.com; JFR Graphics; Dinker; “The Concrete Crusher”; Ridings Plumbing; Giganti & Giganti Jewelers; Rob & Carol Shirley; DoubleJ; Pro Power Racing Engines; Allstar Performance; Peterson Fluid Systems; Performance Rod & Custom; Koni Shocks; Weld Wheel; Bert Transmission; Afcoils; Taco Carburetors; MSD Ignition and Sweet Manufacturing.
