FAIRBURY, Ill. — Updates and results from Friday’s Prairie Dirt Showdown featuring four 25-lap, $5,000-to-win semifeatures for the World of Outlaws Real American Beer Late Model Series at Fairbury Speedway (results unofficial):
Fourth semifeature
(25 laps; top four to Prairie Dirt Classic)
Leading all 25 laps from outside the front row, Hudson O'Neal dominated for a $5,000 victory in the K&L Rumley Enterprises No. 6 in becoming the only non-Illinois winner of a semifeature. O'Neal took the checkers 5.152 seconds ahead of third-starting Max Blair while polesitter Gordy Gundaker took the third spot. Tanner English made a stirring rally from his 17th starting spot for the final transfer spot. Three cautions slowed the action, the last one on the 16th lap when Brenden Smith shredded a tire. The second caution appeared on the eighth lap when Tyler Bruening spun in turn one trying to dig under the fifth-running Blair. A lap-two caution flew when Mike Spatola and Ryan Gustin's cars got hooked together on the backstretch (Lyle Zanker also had issues and retired).
Finish: Hudson O'Neal, Max Blair, Gordy Gundaker, Tanner English, Justin Duty, Clay Harris, McKay Wenger, Ryan Gustin, Tyler Bruening, Mike Spatola, Brent Larson, Chase Junghans, Brent Larson, Brody Smith, Jake Little, Jason Riggs, Tristan Chamberlain, Brenden Smith, Brock Morris, Lyle Zanker.
Third semifeature
(25 laps; top four to Prairie Dirt Classic)
Polesitter Brandon Sheppard cruised to a 25-lap victory, earning $5,000 in taking the checkers 0.824 of a second ahead of fellow front-row starter Jason Jameson. Nick Hoffman, who started 13th, made a late charge in rallying to third while Chris Simpson got the final transfer spot, surviving a late scrape with the turn-four wall that helped Hoffman slip by. Three caution flags fell, the first the ninth lap for Mike Harrisom's backstretch spin and again on the 15th lap when Hunter Kohn spun tangling with Donny Walden. The final yellow came on lap 24 when Walden tried to exit the track and collected Timmy Dick inside turn four.
Finish: Brandon Sheppard, Jason Jameson, Nick Hoffman, Chris Simpson, Shannon Babb, Shane Clanton, Allen Weisser, Drake Troutman, Ryan Unzicker, Jake O'Neil, Chub Frank, Billy Moyer, Kayden Clatt, Dustin Sorensen, Michael Leach, Timmy Dick, Dillon McCowan, Donny Walden, Hunter Kohn, Mike Harrison.
Second semifeature
(25 laps; top four to Prairie Dirt Classic)
Last year's PDC winner Bobby Pierce dominated the 25-lapper from the pole, cruising to a $5,000 victory by 2.005 seconds over runner-up Mike Marlar, who rallied from eighth. Sixth-starting Jason Feger finished third, leaving outside front-row starter Daulton Wilson with the fourth and final transfer spot. The lone caution appeared on the fifth lap for Jeffrey Ledford's right-front flat after contact with Jason Feger.
Finish: Bobby Pierce, Mike Marlar, Jason Feger, Daulton Wilson, Tim McCreadie, Brandon Overton, Tyler Erb, Boom Briggs, Doug Drown, Myles Moos, Trevor Gundaker, Jeffrey Ledford, Ethan Dotson, Frank Heckenast Jr., Jake Timm, Austin Howes, Thomas Hunziker, Alex Wilson. Scratched: David Payne.
First semifeature
(25 laps; top four to Prairie Dirt Classic)
Winning a back-and-forth battle with Jonathan Davenport, third-starting Brian Shirley led the last 12 of 25 laps for a $5,000 victory. Davenport was 0.373 of a second behind as the runner-up with fifth-starting Dennis Erb Jr. third. Josh Rice rallied from seventh for the fourth and final transfer spot. Polesitter and fast qualifier Garrett Alberson settled for fifth. Rookie Braiden Keller's lap-12 turn-four rollover draw a red flag after he climbed the outside wall; he was uninjuired. A lap-eight caution appeared for Austin Smith's spin and the final slowdown came on the 23rd lap for when Daryn Klein slowed with a flat tire.
Finish: Brian Shirley, Jonathan Davenport, Dennis Erb Jr., Josh Rice, Garrett Alberson, Jadon Frame, Ricky Thornton Jr., Matt Furman, Caden McWhorter, Brayton Wallace, Kyle Hammer, Blaze Burwell, Austin Smith, Cody Overton, Daryn Klain, Doug Carls, Chase Osterhoff, Braiden Keller, Jerry Bowersock. Scratched: Mike Provenzano.
Semifeature lineups
(25 laps; top four transfer)
First semifeature
Row 1: Garrett Alberson, Jonathan Davenport
Row 2: Brian Shirley, Caden McWhorter
Row 3: Dennis Erb Jr., Jadon Frame
Row 4: Josh Rice, Austin Smith
Row 5: Matt Furman, Brayton Wallace
Row 6: Ricky Thornton Jr., Kyle Hammer
Row 7: Cody Overton, Braiden Keller
Row 8: Daryn Klein, Jerry Bowersock
Row 9: Blaze Burwell, Chase Osterhoff
Row 10: Doug Carls, Mike Provenzano
Second semifeature
Row 1: Bobby Pierce, Daulton Wilson
Row 2: Brandon Overton, Boom Briggs
Row 3: Myles Moos, Jason Feger
Row 4: Jeffrey Ledford, Mike Marlar
Row 5: Tim McCreadie, Jake Timm
Row 6: Trevor Gundaker, Tyler Erb
Row 7: Ethan Dotson, Frank Heckenast Jr.
Row 8: Austin Howes, Doug Drown
Row 9: Alex Wilson, Thomas Hunziker
Row 10: David Payne
Third semifeature
Row 1: Brandon Sheppard, Jason Jameson
Row 2: Chris Simpson, Shannon Babb
Row 3: Allen Weisser, Drake Troutman
Row 4: Shane Clanton, Dillon McCowan
Row 5: Chub Frank, Ryan Unzicker
Row 6: Jake O’Neil, Mike Harrison
Row 7: Nick Hoffman, Billy Moyer
Row 8: Dustin Sorensen, Michael Leach
Row 9: Kayden Clatt, Timmy Dick
Row 10: Donny Walden, Hunter Kohn
Fourth semifeature
Row 1: Gordy Gundaker, Hudson O'Neal
Row 2: Max Blair, Brenden Smith
Row 3: Clay Harris, McKay Wenger
Row 4: Tristan Chamberlain, Justin Duty
Row 5: Tyler Bruening, Chase Junghans
Row 6: Mike Spatola, Brent Larson
Row 7: Ryan Gustin, Jason Riggs
Row 8: Lyle Zanker, Jake Little
Row 9: Tanner English, Brock Morris
Row 10: Brody Smith
Time trials
Group A
Driver (car no.), hometown
- Garrett Alberson (58), Las Cruces, N.M., 12.893
- Bobby Pierce (32), Oakwood, Ill., 13.042
- Jonathan Davenport (49), Blairsville, Ga., 13.052
- Daulton Wilson (18D), Fayetteville, N.C., 13.054
- Brian Shirley (3s), Chatham, Ill., 13.094
- Brandon Overton (76), Evans, Ga., 13.125
- Caden McWhorter (14), Fairbury, Ill., 13.133
- Boom Briggs (99B), Bear Lake, Pa., 13.152
- Dennis Erb Jr. (28), Carpentersville, Ill., 13.154
- Myles Moos (26m), Lincoln, Ill., 13.163
- Jadon Frame (81f), Decherd, Tenn., 13.180
- Jason Feger (25), Bloomington, Ill., 13.189
- Josh Rice (11), Crittenden, Ky., 13.298
- Jeffrey Ledford (8L), Pontiac, Ill., 13.314
- Austin Smith (11), Cedartown, Ga., 13.320
- Mike Marlar (157), Winfield, Tenn., 13.345
- Matt Furman (51), Iowa City, Iowa, 13.433
- Tim McCreadie (9), Watertown, N.Y., 13.452
- Brayton Wallace (T2), Peoria, Ill., 13.475
- Jake Timm (49), Winona, Minn., 13.503
- Ricky Thornton Jr. (20rt), Chandler, Ariz., 13.511
- Trevor Gundaker (11T), St. Charles, Mo., 13.511
- Kyle Hammer (5s), Clinton, Ill., 13.515
- Tyler Erb (1), New Waverly, Texas, 13.539
- Cody Overton (2), Evans, Ga., 13.541
- Ethan Dotson (74x), Bakersfield, Calif., 13.564
- Braiden Keller (K67), West Lebanon, Ind., 13.614
- Frank Heckenast Jr. (99jr), Frankfort, Ill., 13.689
- Daryn Klein (10), Fairview Heights, Ill., 13.700
- Austin Howes (17a), Lewiston, Mo., 13.745
- Jerry Bowersock (95j), Wapakoneta, Ohio, 13.776
- Doug Drown (12), Wooster, Ohio, 13.954
- Blaze Burwell (44), Mount Vernon, Ill., 14.020
- Alex Wilson (z61), Chenoa, Ill., 14.062
- Chase Osterhoff (130), Kankakee, Ill., 14.287
- Thomas Hunziker (38), Bend, Ore., 14.351
- Doug Carls (14c), Flanagan, Ill., 14.721
- David Payne (7), Cabot, Ark., no time
- Mike Provenzano (M27), Marseilles, Ill., no time
Group B
- Brandon Sheppard (1), New Berlin, Ill., 13.452
- Gordy Gundaker (11), St. Charles, Mo., 13.532
- Jason Jameson (12), Lawrenceburg, Ind., 13.545
- Brenden Smith (17ss), Dade City, Fla., 13.566-x
- Hudson O’Neal (6), Martinsville, Ind., 13.575
- Chris Simpson (32), Oxford, Iowa, 13.597
- Max Blair (111), Centerville, Pa., 13.640
- Shannon Babb (18), Moweaqua, Ill., 13.645
- Allen Weisser (25w), Peoria, Ill., 13.698
- Clay Harris (6), Jupiter, Fla., 13.700
- Drake Troutman (22*), Hyndman, Pa., 13.707
- McKay Wenger (42), Fairbury, Ill., 13.713
- Shane Clanton (25), Zebulon, Ga., 13.763
- Tristan Chamberlain (20tc), Richmond, Ind., 13.779
- Dillon McCowan (75), Urbana, Mo., 13.781
- Justin Duty (15), Molalla, Ore., 13.787
- Chub Frank (1*), Bear Lake, Pa., 13.790
- Tyler Bruening (16), Decorah, Iowa, 13.791
- Ryan Unzicker (24), El Paso, Ill., 13.802
- Chase Junghans (18), Manhattan, Kan., 13.817
- Jake O’Neil (0), Tucson, Ariz., 13.880
- Mike Spatola (89), Manhattan, Ill., 13.915
- Mike Harrison (33), Highland, Ill., 13.943
- Brent Larson (B1), Lake Elmo, Minn., 13.978
- Nick Hoffman (9), Mooresville, N.C., 13.978
- Ryan Gustin (19r), Marshalltown, Iowa, 13.978
- Billy Moyer (21), Batesville, Ark., 14.026
- Jason Riggs (81r), College Grove, Tenn., 14.041
- Dustin Sorensen (19), Rochester, Minn., 14.046
- Lyle Zanker (9z), Rockford, Ill., 14.071
- Michael Leach (09), Sun River, Mont., 14.102
- Jake Little (38j), Springfield, Ill., 14.124
- Kayden Clatt (50), Edina, Mo., 14.274
- Tanner English (96), Benton, Ky., 14.307
- Timmy Dick (122), Monticello, Ill., 14.415
- Brock Morris (1kn), Charleston, W.Va., 14.513
- Donny Walden (1w), Towanda, Ill., 14.560
- Brody Smith (17sr), Dade City, Fla., 14.709
- Hunter Kohn (48), Mooresville, N.C., 14.849
x-Brenden Smith docked two positions for deck-height violation.
Friday’s schedule
(All times local; updated Friday)
7-11 a.m. - VFW Post PDC breakfast (VFW Building on Locust Street)
Noon - Cornhole tournament (north beer stand)
5 p.m. - Drivers’ meeting (WoO command center)
5:30 p.m. - On-track activity
- Late Model hot laps
- Modified hot lap qualifying (3 laps)
- Late Model group A qualifying (2 laps, 2 cars per session)
- Late Model group B qualifying (2 laps, 2 cars per session)
Opening ceremonies
- Late Model preliminary feature (25 laps)
- Late Model preliminary feature (25 laps)
- Late Model preliminary feature (25 laps)
- Late Model preliminary feature (25 laps)
- Modified preliminary feature (20 laps)
- Modified preliminary feature (20 laps)
- Modified preliminary feature (20 laps)
- Modified preliminary feature (20 laps)