By Jordan DaLucia – FAIRBURY, IL – May 15, 2021 – Tanner English knows that if he wants to be a DIRTcar national champion, he has to win at some of the country’s most popular DIRTcar-sanctioned facilities.
On Saturday night, he did just that, scoring his first career victory at Fairbury Speedway in the MARS Racing Series’ Spring Showcase.
“It’s good to finally get one here,” English said. “I’ve been close a few times.”
His road to victory at the quarter-mile bullring didn’t come easy, having to hold off both three-time DIRTcar Late Model national champions Dennis Erb Jr., of Carpentersville, IL, and Brian Shirley, of Chatham, IL, in the closing laps to pick up the $15,000 victory.
English, of Benton, KY, redrew the pole after winning his Heat Race and took off with plenty of speed at the drop of the green, opening up a nice advantage over the field in the opening laps. But it wasn’t until after a quick restart by Shirley after a Lap-15 caution that he was tested for the top spot.
Shirley was getting tremendous drive on the bottom lane in the corners, allowing him to reel-in English and pull up alongside him several times over the following 15 circuits. Side-by-side the two raced for multiple laps until Shirley was able to muscle ahead on Lap 31.
But Shirley’s lead didn’t hold for long. He maneuvered by the first set of slower cars without much issue but was forced to move off the bottom for the next pack, throwing him a curveball that ultimately cost him the lead.
“When I was in the lead and got the lead, it was like the car was underneath me, it was rolling good,” Shirley said. “With about eight-to-go, I don’t know for sure, but it felt like the right-rear started sliding on me a little bit.”
English hadn’t just settled for second once Shirley passed him for the lead – he cracked the whip and got right back on his bumper, waiting to capitalize when Shirley slipped-up in traffic.
“He left me plenty of room, and when he got by me, he kinda moved around and it opened up the door for me to make a move on him,” English said. “He started getting tight a little bit. It was just pretty awesome, a great race.”
English slipped the lead away from Shirley on the inside as they came around to complete Lap 40. Meanwhile, frontrunner Erb Jr. was moving through traffic well, glued to the bottom, and had his sights on the top-two as the race neared the home stretch.
With a fading Shirley in front of him, Erb ducked under the Bob Cullen Racing #3s and grabbed second with eight laps remaining. Sitting just under a second back from leader English, Erb put the pedal down and reached English’s rear bumper in just three laps.
But in the end, it was too little, too late. English was able to roll the middle and escape Erb’s clutches to win his 15th career MARS Racing Series event.
“I kinda set up for a little bit longer runs, and the racetrack didn’t clean-up as much as I thought it was going to. We just came up a little short in the end,” Erb said.
English spent a great deal of time making the middle groove work, which ultimately served as his getaway car with Erb breathing down his neck.
“It was just where I could carry momentum and not buzz my tires,” English said. “The top, I felt like I was gonna wear my tire out too quick, so I knew I needed to stay off that. I couldn’t really hang the bottom, so that was just kinda where I ended up.”
Now with plans to chase a national points championship and the DIRTcar Summer Nationals title this year, English appears to be coming into the zone at just the right time.
“We’re just on a roll,” English said. “Everywhere we go, it just seems like we qualify good, race good and run a Feature good. So, as long as we can keep finishing top-three, top-five, we’ll be in good shape.”
Erb crossed the stripe in second, just under a half-second behind English. Shirley was able to hang on for third but knew his car could’ve been better in traffic.
“If I would’ve had a better car like I did earlier in the race, I was able to get around those guys,” Shirley said. “When the car went away, I wasn’t hitting my marks the way that I wanted to because I had to start changing my entry into the corner.”
UP NEXT
The MARS Racing Series is back in action next Fri-Sat night, May 21-22, at Kankakee County Speedway and Shadyhill Speedway – both $5,000-to-win races.
DIRTCAR LATE MODELS A FEATURE 1
Finish | Start | # | Competitor | Hometown | +/- | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | 81E | Tanner English | Benton, KY | – | ||
2 | 6 | 28 | Dennis Erb Jr | Carpentersville, IL | 4 | ||
3 | 3 | 3S | Brian Shirley | Chatham, IL | – | ||
4 | 2 | B5 | Brandon Sheppard | New Berlin, IL | -2 | ||
5 | 4 | 24 | Ryan Unzicker | El Paso, IL | -1 | ||
6 | 7 | 19R | Ryan Gustin | Marshalltown, IA | 1 | ||
7 | 5 | 1W | Donny Walden | Bloomington, IL | -2 | ||
8 | 18 | 18 | Shannon Babb | Moweaqua, IL | 10 | ||
9 | 10 | 21JR | Billy Moyer Jr | Batesville, AR | 1 | ||
10 | 11 | 18J | Chase Junghans | Manhattan, KS | 1 | ||
11 | 19 | 11 | Gordy Gundaker | St. Charles, MO | 8 | ||
12 | 15 | 74 | Mitch McGrath | Waukesha, WI | 3 | ||
13 | 13 | 11T | Trevor Gundaker | St. Charles, MO | – | ||
14 | 9 | 15 | Kolby Vandenbergh | Ashland, IL | -5 | ||
15 | 21 | 25 | Jason Feger | Bloomington, IL | 6 | ||
16 DNF | 8 | 32 | Bobby Pierce | Oakwood, IL | -8 | ||
17 DNF | 16 | B12 | Kevin Weaver | Gibson City, IL | -1 | ||
18 DNF | 17 | 11JR | Justin Reed | Camp Point, IL | -1 | ||
19 DNF | 20 | 42 | Mckay Wenger | Fairbury, IL | 1 | ||
20 DNF | 12 | M27 | Mike Provenzano | Grand Ridge, IN | -8 | ||
21 DNF | 14 | 89 | Mike Spatola | Manhattan, IL | -7 | ||
22 DNF | 22 | 9 | Eric Smith | Bloomington, IL | – |
DIRTCAR LATE MODELSB FEATURE 1
Finish | Start | # | Competitor | Hometown | +/- | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | 11JR | Justin Reed | Camp Point, IL | – | ||
2 | 5 | 11 | Gordy Gundaker | St. Charles, MO | 3 | ||
Top 2 transfer | |||||||
3 | 7 | 116 | Torin Mettille | Cullom, IL | 4 | ||
4 | 10 | 12 | Jeff Curl | Fairbury, IL | 6 | ||
5 | 3 | 18L | Jeffrey Ledford | Poniac, IL | -2 | ||
6 | 9 | 73 | Ryan Weistart | Oglesby, IL | 3 | ||
7 | 8 | 7 | Zach Hall | Portage, IN | 1 | ||
8 DNF | 4 | 76 | Titus Sneed | Justice, IL | -4 | ||
9 DNF | 2 | 9 | Eric Smith | Bloomington, IL | -7 | ||
DNS | 6 | 3 | Dale Markham | Maple Park, IL | – |
DIRTCAR LATE MODELSB FEATURE 2
Finish | Start | # | Competitor | Hometown | +/- | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | 18 | Shannon Babb | Moweaqua, IL | – | ||
2 | 5 | 42 | Mckay Wenger | Fairbury, IL | 3 | ||
Top 2 transfer | |||||||
3 | 8 | 10S | Taylor Scheffler | Waukesha, WI | 5 | ||
4 | 4 | 35 | Derek Chandler | Pontiac, IL | – | ||
5 | 6 | 2 | Mike Chasteen Jr | Peoria, IL | 1 | ||
6 | 2 | 33 | Billy Hough | Thomasboro, IL | -4 | ||
7 | 7 | 55 | Chris Kratzer | Wichita, KS | – | ||
8 | 9 | 2M | Matt Mickelson | Keokuk, IA | 1 | ||
9 DNF | 3 | 25 | Jason Feger | Bloomington, IL | -6 |
DIRTCAR LATE MODELSHEAT 1
Finish | Start | # | Competitor | Hometown | +/- | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3S | Brian Shirley | Chatham, IL | 1 | ||
2 | 5 | 1W | Donny Walden | Bloomington, IL | 3 | ||
3 | 3 | 15 | Kolby Vandenbergh | Ashland, IL | – | ||
4 | 1 | 11T | Trevor Gundaker | St. Charles, MO | -3 | ||
Top 4 transfer | |||||||
5 | 9 | 11JR | Justin Reed | Camp Point, IL | 4 | ||
6 | 7 | 18L | Jeffrey Ledford | Poniac, IL | 1 | ||
7 | 6 | 11 | Gordy Gundaker | St. Charles, MO | -1 | ||
8 | 4 | 116 | Torin Mettille | Cullom, IL | -4 | ||
9 | 8 | 73 | Ryan Weistart | Oglesby, IL | -1 |
DIRTCAR LATE MODELSHEAT 2
Finish | Start | # | Competitor | Hometown | +/- | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | B5 | Brandon Sheppard | New Berlin, IL | – | ||
2 | 2 | 19R | Ryan Gustin | Marshalltown, IA | – | ||
3 | 3 | 18J | Chase Junghans | Manhattan, KS | – | ||
4 | 7 | 74 | Mitch McGrath | Waukesha, WI | 3 | ||
Top 4 transfer | |||||||
5 | 9 | 18 | Shannon Babb | Moweaqua, IL | 4 | ||
6 | 5 | 25 | Jason Feger | Bloomington, IL | -1 | ||
7 | 6 | 42 | Mckay Wenger | Fairbury, IL | -1 | ||
8 | 4 | 55 | Chris Kratzer | Wichita, KS | -4 | ||
9 | 8 | 2M | Matt Mickelson | Keokuk, IA | -1 |
DIRTCAR LATE MODELSHEAT 3
Finish | Start | # | Competitor | Hometown | +/- | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | 24 | Ryan Unzicker | El Paso, IL | – | ||
2 | 2 | 28 | Dennis Erb Jr | Carpentersville, IL | – | ||
3 | 4 | 21JR | Billy Moyer Jr | Batesville, AR | 1 | ||
4 | 5 | 89 | Mike Spatola | Manhattan, IL | 1 | ||
Top 4 transfer | |||||||
5 | 6 | 9 | Eric Smith | Bloomington, IL | 1 | ||
6 | 8 | 76 | Titus Sneed | Justice, IL | 2 | ||
7 | 7 | 3 | Dale Markham | Maple Park, IL | – | ||
8 | 3 | 7 | Zach Hall | Portage, IN | -5 | ||
9 | 9 | 12 | Jeff Curl | Fairbury, IL | – |
DIRTCAR LATE MODELSHEAT 4
Finish | Start | # | Competitor | Hometown | +/- | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | 81E | Tanner English | Benton, KY | – | ||
2 | 2 | 32 | Bobby Pierce | Oakwood, IL | – | ||
3 | 4 | M27 | Mike Provenzano | Grand Ridge, IN | 1 | ||
4 | 5 | B12 | Kevin Weaver | Gibson City, IL | 1 | ||
Top 4 transfer | |||||||
5 | 7 | 33 | Billy Hough | Thomasboro, IL | 2 | ||
6 | 6 | 35 | Derek Chandler | Pontiac, IL | – | ||
7 | 8 | 2 | Mike Chasteen Jr | Peoria, IL | 1 | ||
8 | 3 | 10S | Taylor Scheffler | Waukesha, WI | -5 |
DIRTCAR MODIFIEDSA FEATURE 1
Finish | Start | # | Competitor | Hometown | +/- | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | 24H | Mike Harrison | Highland, IL | – | ||
2 | 2 | 18L | Michael Long | Fowler, IL | – | ||
3 | 3 | 77 | Ray Bollinger | Kewanee, IL | – | ||
4 | 9 | 1W | Bob Pohlman | Oaklawn, IL | 5 | ||
5 | 8 | 45K | Kyle Hammer | Clinton, IL | 3 | ||
6 | 5 | 37 | Michael Ledford | Pontiac, IL | -1 | ||
7 | 4 | 242 | Brandon Bollinger | Kewanee, IL | -3 | ||
8 | 13 | 35H | Jason Hastings | Kankakee, IL | 5 | ||
9 | 10 | 22C | Nick Clubb | Coal City, IL | 1 | ||
10 | 6 | 11S | Nick Seplak | Coal City, IL | -4 | ||
11 | 12 | 88S | Alan Stipp | Forrest, IL | 1 | ||
12 | 11 | 0 | Travis Kohler | Morris, IL | -1 | ||
13 | 15 | 1 | Dave Lilja | Burr Ridge, IL | 2 | ||
14 | 14 | 14 | Caden McWhorter | Fairbury, IL | – | ||
15 | 7 | K67 | Ian Keller | West Lebanon, IN | -8 | ||
16 | 18 | 36 | Eric Vaughan | Fairbury, IL | 2 | ||
17 DNF | 16 | 96M | Mike McKinney | Plainfield, IL | -1 | ||
18 DNF | 19 | 64 | Dawson Cook | Morton, IL | 1 | ||
19 DNF | 17 | 17 | Mike Mosier | Herscher, IL | -2 | ||
20 DNF | 22 | 12 | Wyatt Harms | Fairbury, IL | 2 | ||
21 DNF | 21 | 94 | Tom Pasek | Grant Park, IL | – | ||
DNS | 20 | 35 | Ethan Weber | Fairbury, IL | – |
DIRTCAR MODIFIEDSHEAT 1
Finish | Start | # | Competitor | Hometown | +/- | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 3 | 24H | Mike Harrison | Highland, IL | 2 | ||
2 | 1 | 242 | Brandon Bollinger | Kewanee, IL | -1 | ||
3 | 5 | K67 | Ian Keller | West Lebanon, IN | 2 | ||
4 | 6 | 22C | Nick Clubb | Coal City, IL | 2 | ||
5 | 4 | 35H | Jason Hastings | Kankakee, IL | -1 | ||
6 | 2 | 96M | Mike McKinney | Plainfield, IL | -4 | ||
7 | 7 | 64 | Dawson Cook | Morton, IL | – | ||
8 | 8 | 12 | Wyatt Harms | Fairbury, IL | – | ||
All transfer |
DIRTCAR MODIFIEDSHEAT 2
Finish | Start | # | Competitor | Hometown | +/- | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | 18L | Michael Long | Fowler, IL | – | ||
2 | 2 | 37 | Michael Ledford | Pontiac, IL | – | ||
3 | 5 | 45K | Kyle Hammer | Clinton, IL | 2 | ||
4 | 3 | 0 | Travis Kohler | Morris, IL | -1 | ||
5 | 6 | 14 | Caden McWhorter | Fairbury, IL | 1 | ||
6 | 7 | 17 | Mike Mosier | Herscher, IL | 1 | ||
7 DNF | 4 | 35 | Ethan Weber | Fairbury, IL | -3 | ||
All transfer |
DIRTCAR MODIFIEDSHEAT 3
Finish | Start | # | Competitor | Hometown | +/- | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | 77 | Ray Bollinger | Kewanee, IL | – | ||
2 | 3 | 11S | Nick Seplak | Coal City, IL | 1 | ||
3 | 2 | 1W | Bob Pohlman | Oaklawn, IL | -1 | ||
4 | 5 | 88S | Alan Stipp | Forrest, IL | 1 | ||
5 | 6 | 1 | Dave Lilja | Burr Ridge, IL | 1 | ||
6 | 4 | 36 | Eric Vaughan | Fairbury, IL | -2 | ||
7 DNF | 7 | 94 | Tom Pasek | Grant Park, IL | – | ||
All transfer |
DIRTCAR MODIFIEDSQUALIFYING 1
Finish | Start | # | Competitor | Hometown | Time | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 18 | 242 | Brandon Bollinger | Kewanee, IL | 14.248 | ||
2 | 6 | 18L | Michael Long | Fowler, IL | 14.278 | ||
3 | 17 | 77 | Ray Bollinger | Kewanee, IL | 14.328 | ||
4 | 12 | 96M | Mike McKinney | Plainfield, IL | 14.382 | ||
5 | 13 | 37 | Michael Ledford | Pontiac, IL | 14.424 | ||
6 | 21 | 1W | Bob Pohlman | Oaklawn, IL | 14.431 | ||
7 | 22 | 24H | Mike Harrison | Highland, IL | 14.486 | ||
8 | 2 | 0 | Travis Kohler | Morris, IL | 14.510 | ||
9 | 15 | 11S | Nick Seplak | Coal City, IL | 14.565 | ||
10 | 19 | 35H | Jason Hastings | Kankakee, IL | 14.606 | ||
11 | 11 | 35 | Ethan Weber | Fairbury, IL | 14.673 | ||
12 | 14 | 36 | Eric Vaughan | Fairbury, IL | 14.699 | ||
13 | 20 | K67 | Ian Keller | West Lebanon, IN | 14.706 | ||
14 | 5 | 45K | Kyle Hammer | Clinton, IL | 14.768 | ||
15 | 16 | 88S | Alan Stipp | Forrest, IL | 14.800 | ||
16 | 9 | 22C | Nick Clubb | Coal City, IL | 14.809 | ||
17 | 8 | 14 | Caden McWhorter | Fairbury, IL | 14.819 | ||
18 | 3 | 1 | Dave Lilja | Burr Ridge, IL | 14.898 | ||
19 | 1 | 64 | Dawson Cook | Morton, IL | 14.912 | ||
20 | 7 | 17 | Mike Mosier | Herscher, IL | 14.973 | ||
21 | 10 | 94 | Tom Pasek | Grant Park, IL | 15.241 | ||
22 | 4 | 12 | Wyatt Harms | Fairbury, IL | 15.584 |
By Rocky Ragusa –
Fairbury,Ill. (5/15/21) Saturday night’s “ Spring Showcase” at the Fairbury Speedway lived up to its billing as a showcase. In the Late Model feature, Benton,Ky, driver Tanner English had to hold off a late race charge from Dennis Erb Jr. for the win, while Highland’s Mike Harrison dominated the Modified race.
A field of 35 Late Model competitors took time trials for their MARS series, 50 lap race. St. Charles, Mo. ‘s Trevor Gundaker led the way in group one qualifiers with a lap of 12.796. El Paso’s Ryan Unzicker paced the way in group two with a lap of 12.965.
Four heat races saw Brian Shirley taking heat one. Perennial favorite, Brandon Sheppard the winner of the second heat. Unzicker edged Dennis Erb Jr. in a photo finish for the win in heat three and Tanner English the heat four victor.
Justin Reed and Shannon Babb were the winners in the two semi-features.
English took the lead as the green flag waved for the $15,000 to win special, as Shirley and Sheppard raced side by side for second. English was able to open a five car length lead as Shirley and Sheppard continued to g, back and forth for second, as Unzicker and Erb Jr. followed. With the caution flag falling on laps 11 and 14, English ran the top and middle groove of the track trying to separate himself from the field, but Shirley drove a smooth line on the bottom to stay with English. Shirley took the lead on lap 30 as Erb Jr. moved into third. English moved back to the front on lap 41, as Erb Jr. squeezed by Shirley for second. Shirley began to fade in the closing laps,as Erb Jr. hounded English for the lead. English changed his line,moving to the bottom of the speedway, halting Erb Jr.’s bid for the lead. At the end of the race, English was able to take first place by a car length of Erb Jr. in winning the biggest race of his young career.
“ I felt like I had a pack of wolves behind me,” spoke English. “ I could feel them get underneath me, I don’t know how many times. I saw the nose of Erb’s car on the bottom. When I saw him, I moved down. I don’t know if I took his line away, but this is an awesome win”.
Erb Jr. settled for second with Shirley in third, while Sheppard and Unzicker completed the top five. Ryan Gustin finished in sixth, Donny Walden turned in a stellar performance in seventh, followed by Babb, Billy Moyer Jr., and Chase Junghans.
Kewanee’s Brandon Bollinger turned in a lap of 14.248 as 25 Modified drivers looked to take the $3000 to win special.
Mike Harrison, Michael Long, and Ray Bollinger were the night’s heat race winners.
Fowler’s Long took the lead on the start of the 30 lap race, with Harrison, Brandon Bollinger, Ray Bollinger, and Kyle Hammer following. On the seventh lap, as Long was working his way past slower traffic, Harrison was able to move into the lead and never look back.
Harrison’s 22nd career Fairbury win in the Modified division moved him into a tie with the late Gary Cook Jr., commented in victory lane.
“ We are still learning with this new car. I race with Michael Long alot. He is a tough competitor. We both race hard and to win. Brandon Bollinger is going to be a force to be reckoned with”.
Long finished in second, with Ray Bollinger, Bob Pohlman Jr,Kyle Hammer, Michael Ledford, Brandon Bollinger, Jason Hastings, Nick Clubb, and Nick Seplak completing the top ten.
Racing will return this Saturday night with a FALS Cup weekly program.