(Peoria, IL) Chatham’s Brian Shirley picked up his 2nd Budweiser UMP Late Model Series win of the season at Peoria Speedway Sunday night, winning the “Don Bohlander Tribute” and the $4,000 top prize. The race was co-sanctioned by UMP and the Corn Belt Clash Series.
Rains wreaked havoc with the racing program, settling in as the UMP Modified feature was ending and causing a 90 minute rain delay. Shirley had won the $500 Quick 6 Dash for Cash, but drew a 5 and started 5th. As the green dropped, pole sitter Steve Lance, Jr shot to the lead on a lightning fast but rough race track. Billy Drake scooted past Lance, Jr. on lap 6 and Shirley began to run the high side of the track.
On lap 13, Shirley jumped to the top in turns 1 and 2 and got a run on the leaders in 3 and 4, passing both Drake and Lance, Jr to take the lead. Jason Feger moved into 2nd on lap 14, before a 3-car pileup on lap 15 slowed the action. Shirely and Feger would dice through lapped traffic, but the race would go green the rest of the 50 lap distance and Feger could never get past Shirley and had to settle for 2nd. Drake finished 3rd, with Chris Simpson and Tim Isenberg completing the top 5.
“First off, I want to thank all the fans who sat through all the rain”, Shirley said in victory lane. “They did as good as they could do with the track but it was a little rough. I got a great run on the top and was able to get the lead past Drake. It’s been a rough week for us, so its good to get this win.”
Controversy reigned in the UMP Modified feature event. Track points leader Billy Tuckwell started on the outside of row one and took the lead at the beginning of the race, but was challenged by Gary Cook, Jr. on lap 7. Cook and Tuckwell raced side-by-side until Cook took over the lead coming out of turn 2 on the high side of the track. Cook looked like he would cruise to the victory, but rains began to fall on lap 14 and the track started getting slick.
With a heavier rain falling, the white flag came out as cars slid all over the quarter-mile, with Dan Turner spinning out right in front of the judges’ stand. Cook, Jr. checked up, and Erik Bruce sailed by as the checkered flag flew. Peoria officials ruled that the yellow light had come out before the checkered flag had flow, and with persistent rains not allowing a restart, scoring went back to the last completed lap, giving Cook the win. Bruce, Tuckwell, Ray Bollinger and Derrick Doerr rounded out the top 5.
Brian Crebo survived 6 caution periods, but won the Limited Late Model feature flag-to-flag for his first win of the year at Peoria Speedway. Kenny Egan chased Crebo all 15 laps and ended up 2nd. Carl Feger, Tony Fisher and Mike Reeder rounded out the top 5.
“We’ve been trying for 8 years now”, Crebo said in victory lane. “Bob Pierce gave us a new setup to try and it worked out great.”
With all of the weather delays, it was decided that the Speedway Motors Illinois Lightning Sprint feature would be made up next Saturday, June 9. The Lightning Sprints will run double features next weekend.
Action returns to Peoria Speedway next Saturday, June 9 with round 4 of the “Budweiser Super Late Model Series”, paying $2,000 to-win. UMP Modifieds, Limited Late Models, Street Stocks, Hornets and Illinois Lightning Sprints will also be on the program.
31 Entries
Feature:
1. Brian Shirley
2. Jason Feger
3. Billy Drake
4. Chad Simpson
5. Tim Isenberg
6. Ryan Unzicker
7. Bobby Pierce
8. Todd Bennett
9. Kevin Weaver
10. Steve Lance Jr.
11. Kyle Logue
12. Wes Steidinger
13. Matt Taylor
14. Jon Rogers
15. Bob Gardner
16. Rich Bell
17. John Gardner
18. Russ Adams
19. Kelly Meyer
20. Chris Simpson
21. Scott Schmitt
Heat race winners: Pierce Shirley Chris Simpson
Dash winner: Shirley