Shirley makes switch to Lucas circuit
After three consecutive seasons on the World of Outlaws Late Model Series, Brian Shirley of Chatham, Ill., today announced plans to follow the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series for his Bob Cullen Racing team.
“We’re really excited about the switch,” said the 44-year-old Shirley, a 13-time WoO winner still looking for his first career Lucas Oil triumph. “We made a lot of great memories and won a lot of races with the Outlaws, but sometimes change is good. The Lucas Oil Series keeps evolving, offering new opportunities for drivers to compete for bigger purses, and it made sense for both Bob and me.”
Shirley’s 2023-25 WoO run concludes with a sixth-place finish in points (’23) and two seventh-place finishes. His 2025 victory total of five was his winningest WoO season and included a three-race winning streak.
Cullen cited Shirley's opportunity to visit new tracks and take on fresh challenges.
“The Outlaws were great to us, and Brian had tremendous success racing with them,” Cullen said. “But we were ready for something different. The Lucas Oil Series visits some of the best tracks in the country and continues to create new ways for teams to earn money. We’re looking forward to concentrating on the $250,000 title while still running a diverse schedule.”
Shirley plans to open his season during Georgia-Florida Speedweeks including Southern All Star action at Screven Motor Speedway in Sylvania, Ga. (Feb. 5-7), WoO action at Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, Fla. (Feb. 12-14) and Lucas Oil action starting Feb. 19 at All-Tech Raceway in Ellisville, Fla.
