JOLIET, Ill. (June 28) — Because of persistent rain and the potential for dangerous lightning in the area, Wednesday’s FVP Outlaw Clay Classic at Dirt Oval Route 66 Raceway in Joliet, Ill., was postponed as the Late Model feature began to pull onto the track.

With the field already set for the $10,000-to-win feature, the program will now conclude on Oct. 13 as part of the Chi-Town Showdown doubleheader, which is set to continue with another feature event on Oct. 14.

Tickets for Wednesday's postponed program will be honored at face value for the Oct. 13 portion of the event. Those purchasing a June 28 pay-per-view package from DirtonDirt.com will have access to watch the program in full when it is made up on Oct. 13.

Preliminary lineups and results:

Feature lineup

Row 1: Devin Moran, Brandon Sheppard
Row 2: Chris Madden, Dennis Erb Jr.
Row 3: Donny Schatz, Shane Clanton
Row 4: Chad Simpson, Kyle Bronson
Row 5: Frank Heckenast Jr., Rick Eckert
Row 6: Chub Frank, Chase Junghans
Row 7: Jason Feger, Eric Wells
Row 8: Mike Spatola, Curtis Roberts
Row 9: Moran Bagley, Kolby Vandenbergh
Row 10: Tom Smith, Tyler Erb
Row 11: Brandon Willams, Don Hammer
Row 12: Joey Coulter, Robert Kupsik
Row 13: Doug Hayes

Heat race results

First heat finish: Chris Madden, Devin Moran, Chad Simpson, Rick Eckert, Jason Feger, Curtis Roberts. Scratched: Tom Smith, Don Hammer, Doug Hammer

Second heat finish: Brandon Shepaprd, Shane Clanton, Kyle Bronson, Chub Frank, Eric Wells, Morgan Bagley, Tyler Erb, Joey Coulter. Scratched: Doug Hayes

Third heat finish: Donny Schatz, Dennis Erb Jr., Frank Heckenast Jr., Chase Junghans, Mike Spatola, Kolby Vandenbergh, Brandon Willams, Robert Kupsik

Heat race lineups

First heat
Row 1: Chris Madden, Chad Simpson
Row 2: Devin Moran, Curtis Roberts
Row 3: Rick Eckert, Jason Feger
Row 4: Tom Smith, Don Hammer
Row 5: Doug Hammer
Second heat
Row 1: Brandon Sheppard, Kyle Bronson
Row 2: Shane Clanton, Chub Frank
Row 3: Eric Wells, Joey Coulter
Row 4: Tyler Erb, Doug Hayes
Row 5: Morgan Bagley
Third heat
Row 1: Frank Heckenast Jr., Donny Schatz
Row 2: Dennis Erb Jr., Chase Junghans
Row 3: Mike Spatola, Kolby Vandenbergh
Row 4: Brandon Williams, Robert Kupsik

Qualifying

In his first-ever visit to Route 66, Chris Madden of Gray Court, S.C., was Wednesday’s overall fast qualifier, tripping the clock with a time of 16.459.Suffering engine problems, Morgan Bagley of Longview, Texas, did not qualify and will pull out a backup car for the remainder of the program. Tyler Erb of New Waverly, Texas, will also go to a backup car after experiencing carburetor issues during time trials.

Because of incoming weather, the decision was made to scrap the consolation and start all 26 cars in the main event. Heat races and the redraw will set the starting lineup for the $10,000-to-win feature.

Pre-race notes

Rain starting falling around 5 p.m. Central, delaying the program by a couple of hours. Hot laps took the track shortly after 8 p.m. … This makes the second straight year that the Outlaw Clay Classic has been hampered by weather. Last year’s program at Rockford (Ill.) Speedway was also delayed because of rain. … The World of Outlaws tour makes the first of two scheduled stops at Route 66 on the 2017 season. The series is slated to return on Oct. 13-14. … Frank Heckenast Jr. of Frankfort, Ill., and Mike Spatola of Manhattan, Ill., are among driver’s making the shortest drive for Wednesday’s event, traveling less than a half-hour to the Joliet oval. … After taking a few nights off from UMP Summernationals action, Jason Feger of Bloomington, Ill., is in the pits at Route 66. … Donny Schatz of Fargo, N.D., was the winner of Tuesday’s World of Outlaws Sprint show at Route 66. He is piloting a Late Model on Wednesday. … Former series winners Kyle Bronson of Brandon, Fla., and Curtis Roberts of Coleman, Mich., have also joined World of Outlaws competitors in Joliet.

Pre-race setup

The World of Outlaws Craftsman Late Model Series invades Dirt Oval Route 66 Raceway on Wednesday for it’s first-ever visit to the Joliet, Ill., racetrack. The FVP Outlaw Clay Classic pays $10,000-to-win.

After sitting idle for more than a dozen years, Route 66 reopened in 2017 under the promotion of Sherri Heckenast, sister to World of Outlaws regular Frank Heckenast Jr. of Frankfort, Ill.

While Brandon Sheppard of New Berlin, Ill., enters Wednesday’s event atop the WoO standings, Tyler Erb of New Waverly, Texas, and Dennis Erb Jr. of Carpentersville, Ill., are among the most recent winners in the Route 66 pit area, grabbing UMP DIRTcar Summernationals victories at Tri-State Speedway and Clarksville Speedway, respectively.

Wednesday’s program will include time trials, heat races, consolations (if needed) and the 50-lap main event. Modifieds are among other divisions that will be in action. DirtonDirt.com is offering live pay-per-view coverage of the event.

Time trial results

Driver (car no.), hometown, time
Chris Madden (44), Gray Court, S.C., 16.459
Brandon Sheppard (1), New Berlin, Ill., 16.49
Chub Frank (1*), Bear Lake, Pa., 16.651
Frank Heckenast Jr. (99jr), Frankfort, Ill., 16.67
Chad Simpson (25), Mount Vernon, Iowa, 16.676
Kyle Bronson (40B), Brandon, Fla., 16.813
Donny Schatz (15), Fargo, N.D., 16.813
Devin Moran (9), Dresden, Ohio, 16.825
Shane Clanton (25), Zebulon, Ga., 16.91
Curtis Roberts (9r), Coleman, Mich., 16.942
Dennis Erb Jr. (28), Carpentersville, Ill., 16.963
Chase Junghans (18), Manhattan, Kan., 16.972
Rick Eckert (7E), York, Pa., 17.179
Eric Wells (18), Hazard, Ky., 17.248
Mike Spatola (89), Manhattan, Ill., 17.287
Jason Feger (25), Bloomington, Ill., 17.341
Joey Coulter (2), Concord, N.C., 17.361
Kolby Vandenbergh (15), Ashland, Ill., 17.592
Tom Smith (27), Tinley Park, Ill., 18.041
Tyler Erb (91), New Waverly, Texas, 18.093
Brandon Williams (83), Kouts, Ind., 18.276
Don Hammer (45H), Clinton, Ill., 18.497
Doug Hayes (2H), Frankfort, Ill., 18.497
Robert Kupsik (42T), Crestwood, Ill., 19.997
Morgan Bagley (14m), Longview, Texas, no time
Doug Hammer (45) LeRoy, Ill., no time