Macon Speedway
Babb tops Macon field for 10th series victory
Shannon Babb (18) outran Brandon Sheppard (B5) at Macon. (stlracingphotos.com)
MACON, Ill. (July 21) — Shannon Babb's third UMP DIRTcar Summernationals victory has long been wrapped up, but his victory tour keeps on rolling.
The 37-year-old from Moweaqua, Ill., captured Thursday's Herald & Review 100 at Macon Speedway, earning $5,000 and his 10th series victory at the fifth-mile track where he first started racing. The race was a non-points makeup of a July 7 rainout on the month-long summer tour. | Slideshow
Babb started seventh and steadily worked his way to the front, making his winning move on the 87th lap in overtaking runner-up Brandon Sheppard of New Berlin, Ill., who started third and led most of the race.
Third-starting Brian Shirley of Chatham, Ill., who led early in Tim Lance's backup car, was third while Jason Feger of Bloomington, Ill., rallied from his 16th starting spot for fourth. Dennis Erb Jr. of Carpentersville, Ill., advance six positions to round out the top five.
Jack Sullivan of Greenbrier, Ark., started outside the front row and duked it out with Shirley early in the race, but he was listed 16th in the final rundown. Four cautions slowed the race, including a lap-85 yellow that set up Babb's winning pass.
Notes: Babb's Victory Circle Chassis is sponsored by Petroff Towing, Donley Trucking and B Auto Parts. ... The victory marked Babb's third Herald & Review 100 victory at Macon in a race that's long been part of the series. ... One more rain makeup remains on the series Saturday at Fairbury (Ill.) American Legion Speedway for a $10,000-to-win event rained out June 25.
UMP @ Macon: (1) Shannon Babb, (2) Brandon Sheppard, (3) Brian Shirley, (4) Jason Feger, (5) Dennis Erb Jr., (6) Ryan Unzicker, (7) Steve Sheppard Jr., (8) Frankie Martin, (9) Donny Walden, (10) Chris Dick, (11) Tim Lance, (12) Matt Taylor, (13) Mike Spatola, (14) Brian Diveley, (15) Cory Daugherty, (16) Jack Sullivan, (17) Don Cisco, (18) Kyle Logue, (19) Kevin Weaver, (20) Terry Reed, (21) Mark Voigt, (22) Rodney Standerfer. Fast qualifier (among 31 cars): Shirley, 10.849 seconds. Heat race winners: Walden, Sullivan, Shirley, B. Sheppard. C-main winner: Voigt. Provisional starters: Spatola, Weaver, Standerfer, Lance.
Correction: Fixes lap of winning pass.
