Dirt on Dirt - Moyer outduels Harrison for 101st Hell Tour win

June 10

Brownstown Bullring,

Brownstown, IL

Sanction: DIRTcar Summer Nationals - $5,000

Information provided by: Todd Turner, series and track reports (last updated June 11, 3:51 pm)

Moyer outduels Harrison for 101st Hell Tour win

Billy Moyer
Mike Harrison
Shannon Babb
Brandon Sheppard
Tanner English
Drake Troutman
Jose Parga
Jason Feger
Tyler Erb
Dillon McCowan
Joseph Joiner
Jackson Hise
Kyle Bronson
Frank Heckenast Jr.
Clay Stuckey
Dennis Erb Jr.
Michael Kloos
Matt Bailey
Christian Hanger
Thomas Hunziker
Rusty Griffaw
Rodney Melvin

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Tyler Carr

Billy Moyer (21) outdueled Mike Harrison (33) to win at Brownstown.

What won the race: Outdueling polesitter Mike Harrison, second-starting Billy Moyer of Batesville, Ark., led 25 laps, including the final 13, to win Tuesday's 30-lap DIRTcar Summer Nationals opener at Brownstown Bullring. Moyer regained control on lap 18 when Harrison bobbled in the turn-four cushion and stretched his advantage to 0.772 of a second at the checkers for the $5,000 payday, his 101st career Summer Nationals victory.

Quotable: “They’re all good when you win. It don’t matter if it’s in your backyard or it’s the World 100, I guess, it’s just nice to win them all,” Moyer said. “We’ve had such a rough start to this year after some things happened. We lost our trailer a couple weeks ago, the tongue broke off of it and went down through the ditch and totaled everything out. We’ve been completely rebuilding everything and changed a bunch of stuff on this old hotrod, man we got her back pretty good now.”

Key notes: Moyer, who finished the race without brakes, captured his first Summer Nationals win since July 11, 2018, at Thunderbird Raceway in Muskegon, Mich. ... His 101st career series victory ties Shannon Babb for the most all-time on the tour's win list; Babb held the third spot for all 30 laps, but never truly challenged Moyer or Harrison. ... Harrison had won two of three starts entering Tuesday night. ... Brandon Sheppard slipped as low as sixth on the start, then passed Drake Troutman and Tanner English between laps 19-22 to finish fourth. ... Dillon McCowan finished 10th aboard the Adam family-owned No. 75 Longhorn after they fought a fuel leak in preliminary action. ... Rodney Melvin was the race's only retiree after he pulled off on the 10th lap. ... The green-to-checkered feature lasted 14 minutes, with 16 starters completing 30 laps. ... Brian Shirley lost power steering while leading the fourth heat race, then pulled off; his Bob Cullen Racing team fixed the issue, but scratched for the night. It was the maiden voyage for a brand-new Longhorn after the team skipped Eldora.

On the move: Tyler Erb of New Waverly, Texas, started 13th and finished ninth.

Winner's sponsors: Moyer’s Keith and Elia Lawson-owned Longhorn Chassis is powered by a Clements Racing Engine and carries sponsorship from Karl Chevrolet Auto Group, Mesilla Valley Transportation, West Logging, Stevens Stone Supply, Just 4 Play Fabrication, Henderson Motorsports, 51Fifty Motorsports, Ultra Force Machines, Wehrs Machine, Hellraizer Jacks, Out-Pace, Sunoco Race Fuels, Penske Racing Shocks and Midwest Sheet Metal.

Points chase: After Brownstown: 1. Billy Moyer (80); 2. Mike Harrison (75); 3. Shannon Babb (70); 4. Brandon Sheppard (65); 5. Tanner English (60).

Current weather: Clear, 61°F

Car count: 44

Fast qualifier: Mike Harrison

Time: 12.709 seconds

Polesitter: Mike Harrison

Heat race winners: Mike Harrison, Billy Moyer, Shannon Babb, Drake Troutman

Consolation race winners: Josh Boller, Frank Heckenast Jr.

Provisional starters: Clay Stuckey, Dennis Erb Jr., Rusty Griffaw, Thomas Hunziker

Next series race: June 11, Kankakee County Speedway (Kankakee, IL) $5,000

Editor's note: Corrects McCowan's number to 75 (sted 8); updates Moyer's sponsor list.

From staff reports

BROWNSTOWN, Ill. — Updates from Tuesday's first round of the DIRTcar Summer Nationals at Brownstown Speedway, an event highlighted by a 30-lap, $5,000-to-win feature for DIRTcar Super Late Models (results unofficial):

Feature

Outdueling polesitter Mike Harrison, second-starting Billy Moyer of Batesville, Ark., led 25 laps, including the final 13, to win Tuesday's 30-lap DIRTcar Summer Nationals opener at Brownstown Bullring. Moyer regained control on lap 18 when Harrison bobbled in the turn-four cushion and stretched his advantage to 0.772 of a second at the checkers for the $5,000 payday, his 101st career Summer Nationals victory.

Feature lineup

(30 laps)

Row 1: Mike Harrison, Billy Moyer
Row 2: Shannon Babb, Drake Troutman
Row 3: Brandon Sheppard, Tanner English
Row 4: Christian Hanger, Jose Parga
Row 5: Dillon McCowan, Jason Feger
Row 6: Kyle Bronson, Joseph Joiner
Row 7: Tyler Erb, Rodney Melvin
Row 8: Michael Kloos, Jackson Hise
Row 9: Frank Heckenast Jr., Matt Bailey
Row 10: Clay Stuckey, Denns Erb Jr.
Row 11: Rusty Griffaw, Thomas Hunziker

Consolation race results

(10 laps; top two transfer)

B-main finish: Frank Heckenast Jr., Matt Bailey, Trey Mills, Dennis Erb Jr., Michael Leach, Tyler Millwood, Brenden Smith, Clay Stuckey, Guy Taylor, Carson Brown, Josh Boller, Oakley Johns, Chad Zobrist, Austin Howes, Thomas Hunziker, Rusty Griffaw.

(Eight laps; top four transfer)

C-main finish: Josh Boller, Austin Howes, Chad Zobrist, Thomas Hunziker, Brody Smith, Mark Whitener, Zach Taylor, Adam Tischauser, Matthew Larson, Claude Walker, Eli Johnson, Doug Tye, Chuck Southard, Mark Pflueger, Dan Jacober. Scratched: Brian Shirley.

Heat race recap

Mike Harrison led all eight laps from the pole to win the first heat race by 0.563 of a second over second-starting Brandon Sheppard. ... Dillon McCowan needed a push back to the pits after finishing third in the No. 75 Adam family-owned Longhorn; it was a loose fuel line and his crew is confident they have executed necessary repairs. Fifth-starting Tyler Erb finished fourth, punching his ticket into Tuesday’s 30-lap feature. … Billy Moyer prevailed after an early race back-and-forth battle with Christian Hanger, leading the final seven laps and winning by 1.434 seconds. Kyle Bronson and Michael Kloos held serve in third and fourth, securing their spots in the $5,000-to-win Summer Nationals season opener. … Shannon Babb narrowly avoided Brian Shirley as he slowed with apparent engine failure, then led the final five laps to win the third heat by 0.911 of a second over fourth-starting Tanner English. Fifth-starting Jason Feger finished third, with seventh-starting Rodney Melvin taking the fourth and final transfer spot. After the race’s initial start was called back, the second yellow flag flew on lap four when race leader Shirley slowed. … The third caution came on the fifth lap when Chuck Southard slowed from ninth with a broken driveshaft. … Second-starting Drake Troutman led all nine laps to win the fourth and final heat race by 1.015 seconds over pole-starting Jose Parga, who traded sheet metal with Joseph Joiner and took second on the race’s two-lap dash to the checkers. The lone stoppage came at the start of the final lap when Mark Whitener banged wheels with Parga and spun into the frontstretch infield, as they battled for third; Whitener continued but could only rebound to 10th.

Heat results

(10 laps; top five transfer)

First heat: Mike Harrison, Brandon Sheppard, Dillon McCowan, Tyler Erb, Frank Heckenast Jr., Tyler Millwood, Rusty Griffaw, Thomas Hunziker, Chad Zobrist, Claude Walker, Mark Plfueger.

Second heat: Billy Moyer, Christian Hanger, Kyle Bronson, Michael Kloos, Dennis Erb Jr., Brenden Smith, Clay Stuckey, Josh Boller, Zach Taylor, Eli Johnson, Doug Tye.

Third heat: Shannon Babb, Tanner English, Jason Feger, Rodney Melvin, Matt Bailey, Michael Leach, Oakley Johns, Austin Howes, Dan Jacober, Chuck Southard, Brian Shirley.

Fourth heat: Drake Troutman, Jose Parga, Joseph Joiner, Jackson Hise, Trey Mills, Guy Taylor, Carson Brown, Brody Smith, Adam Tischauser, Mark Whitener, Matthew Larson.

Time trials

Group A
Driver (car no.), hometown, time (unofficial)
1. Mike Harrison (33), Highland, Ill., 12.709
2. Billy Moyer (21), Batesville, Ark., 12.927
3. Brandon Sheppard (B5), New Berlin, Ill., 12.930
4. Christian Hanger (29), Winchester, Tenn., 12.973
5. Dillon McCowan (75), Urbana, Mo., 12.983
6. Kyle Bronson (40B), Brandon, Fla., 13.035
7. Tyler Millwood (31), Kingston, Ga., 13.054
8. Michael Kloos (6k), Trenton, Ill., 13.098
9. Tyler Erb (1), New Waverly, Texas, 13.152
10. Clay Stuckey (15), Shreveport, La., 13.172
11. Frank Heckenast Jr. (99jr), Frankfort, Ill., 13.185
12. Brenden Smith (17ss), Dade City, Fla., 13.395
13. Rusty Griffaw (16), Festus, Mo., 13.396
14. Dennis Erb Jr. (28), Carpentersville, Ill., 13.469
15. Claude Walker (35), Moro, Ill., 13.492
16. Eli Johnson (55), Clewiston, Fla., 13.514
17. Thomas Hunziker (38), Bend, Ore., 13.536
18. Zach Taylor (ZT1), Springfield, Ill., 13.645
19. Chad Zobrist (78), Highland, Ill., 13.743
20. Josh Boller (05B), Greencastle, Ind., 14.378
21. Mark Pflueger (46), Wood River, Ill., , 14.550
22. Doug Tye (4D), Troy, Ill., no time
Group B
1. Brian Shirley (3s), Chatham, Ill., 12.944
2. Jose Parga (6p), New Berlin, Ill., 13.049
3. Shannon Babb (18), Moweaqua, Ill., 13.075
4. Drake Troutman (22*), Hyndman, Pa., 13.108
5. Michael Leach (09), Sun River, Mont., 13.235
6. Trey Mills (14jr), St. Augustine, Fla., 13.306
7. Tanner English (96), Benton, Ky., 13.307
8. Guy Taylor (GT1), Springfield, Ill., 13.362
9. Jason Feger (25F), Bloomington, Ill., 13.369
10. Jackson Hise (388), Ocala, Fla., 13.447
11. Austin Howes, (17A), Lewsitown, Mo., 13.506
12. Mark Whitener (5), Middleburg, Fla., 13.521
13. Rodney Melvin (27m), Benton, Ill., 13.529
14. Carson Brown (28B), New London, N.C., 13.606
15. Matt Bailey (52), Highland, Ill., 13.715
16. Adam Tischauser (T4), Mulberry Grove, Ill., 13.831
17. Oakley Johns (c6), Hohenwald, Tenn., 13.905
18. Joseph Joiner (10), Milton, Fla., 13.924
19. Chuck Southard (108), Franklin, N.C., 14.029
20. Matthew Larson (8), Lake Elmo, Minn., 14.185
21. Dan Jacober (22), Highland, Ill., 14.253
22. Brody Smith (17sr), Dade City, Fla., no time

Tuesday’s schedule

(All times local)
Noon - Pits open
4:30 p.m. - Grandstands open
6 p.m. - Drivers’ meeting
6:30 p.m. - On-track activity
- Late Model hot laps
- Modified group qualifying
- Late Model time trials (2 laps)
- B-mod hot laps
- Factory stock hot laps
Opening ceremonies
- Late Model heats (8 laps)
- Modified heats (8 laps)
- B-mod heats (8 laps)
- Factory stock heats (8 laps)
- Late Model C-main (8 laps)
- Modified consolations (8 laps)
- Late Model consolations (10 laps)
- B-mod consolations (8 laps)
Intermission/track prep
- Late Model feature (30 laps)
- Modified feature (25 laps)
- B-mod feature (20 laps)
- Factory stock feature (20 laps)