Dirt on Dirt - Babb snags win No. 103 in Summer Nat'ls opener

June 9

Brownstown Bullring,

Brownstown, IL

Sanction: DIRTcar Summer Nationals - $5,000

Information provided by: Todd Turner, series and track reports (last updated June 10, 11:36 am)

Babb snags win No. 103 in Summer Nat'ls opener

Shannon Babb
Tanner English
Frank Heckenast Jr.
Michael Leach
Daryn Klein
Jason Feger
Bob Gardner
Jackson Hise
Jake Little
Jordan Bauer
Brody Smith
Todd Brennan
Rich Bell
Daniel Adam
Clay Stuckey
Mitch McGrath
Adam Tischhauser
Cody Maguire
Brandon Carpenter
Kayden Clatt
Tyler Leach
Mike Harrison

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Shannon Babb celebrates his 103rd career Summer Nationals victory.

What won the race: Second-starting Shannon Babb of Moweaqua, Ill., earned a dominant flag-to-flag victory in winning Tuesday's 30-lap DIRTcar Summer Nationals opener at Brownstown (Ill.) Bullring. Babb beat Tanner English by 1.979 seconds to collect $5,000, his second feature win of the season and 103rd career tour victory, extending his all-time series lead.

Quotable: “It’s worked out good for me (running the Summer Nationals) just because it’s kind of a ‘let your hair down’ type of racing. You don’t have to be here early and you don’t have to look so good, so you just kinda come here and race,” Babb said. “I think that just fits the Midwest guys pretty well. Brownstown, Illinois has always been very special to me, just got a lot of fans and family here. My wife and my girls are here tonight.”

Key notes: Babb earned his second win of the season in consecutive feature starts after failing to make a main event at Eldora Speedway's Dream XXXII last weekend, adding to his May 24 victory at Spoon River Speedway in Banner, Ill., worth $5,000 on the MARS Late Model Championship Series. ... It's his third career Summer Nationals win at Brownstown (2002, '22) and first since last July 5 at Tri-State Speedway in Haubstadt, Ind. ... Tanner English took second from polesitter Frank Heckenast Jr. on a lap-14 restart, but never truly challenged Babb over the race's second half. ... Heckenast settled for third with heavy right side damage from the track's treacherous cushion. ... Jason Feger was forced to utilize a provisional starting position after slamming the turn-two wall on the second lap of the night's third heat race and failing to finish; the reigning Hell Tour champ stormed to finish sixth. ... Bob Gardner improved eight spots to place seventh. ... The race was slowed by three cautions, the first coming on the second lap and necessitating a 10-minute red flag for cleanup when third-starting Tyler Leach made contact with Jackson Hise as they battled for fifth, sending Leach spinning in front of the field, collecting Mike Harrison and Clay Stuckey, among others; the younger Leach, making his Super Late Model debut, and Harrison were eliminated, while Stuckey soldiered to 15th, the final starter running at the finish. ... Adam Tischauser slowed on lap 14 and retired before Daniel Adam slowed on the 22nd circuit; Adam was credited in 14th as the final starter to complete 30 laps. ... The season opener lasted just shy of 22 minutes. ... Brian Shirley opted to prepare for Wednesday's Shale Crescent Dirt Cup at Ohio's Muskingum County Speedway after suffering a flat tire and failing to finish the first heat race. ... Chris Simpson loaded up after hot laps.

On the move: Provisional starter Jason Feger of Bloomington, Ill., started 19th and finished sixth.

Winner's sponsors: Babb’s Longhorn Chassis is powered by a Vic Hill Racing Engine and sponsored by Petroff Towing, Dynagro Seed, Nutrien Ag Solutions, CJI Piping & Fabrication, Donley Trucking, Getty Landscaping, Douglas Dodge Ram, Kuebler Ultra Oil, VP Racing Fuels and Penske Racing Shocks.

Points chase: After Brownstown Bullring: 1. Shannon Babb (79); 2. Tanner English (74); 3. Frank Heckenast Jr. (69); 4. Michael Leach (64); 5. Daryn Klein (59).

Current weather: Broken Clouds, 84°F

Car count: 29

Fast qualifier: Michael Leach

Time: 12.375 seconds

Polesitter: Frank Heckenast Jr.

Heat race winners: Shannon Babb, Tyler Leach, Frank Heckenast Jr.

Consolation race winners: Todd Brennan

Provisional starters: Jason Feger, Rich Bell, Cody Maguire, Brody Smith

Next series race: June 10, Kankakee County Speedway (Kankakee, IL) $5,000

Editor's note: Results and race details are unofficial.

From staff reports

BROWNSTOWN, Ill. — Updates from Tuesday’s opening round of the 40th annual DIRTcar Summer Nationals at Brownstown Bulling, an event highlighted by a 30-lap, $5,000-to-win feature for DIRTcar Super Late Models (results unofficial):

Feature

Second-starting Shannon Babb of Moweaqua, Ill., earned a dominant flag-to-flag victory in winning Tuesday's 30-lap DIRTcar Summer Nationals season opener at Brownstown (Ill.) Bullring. Babb beat Tanner English by 1.979 seconds to collect $5,000, his second feature win of the season and 103rd career Summer Nationals victory, extending his all-time series lead.

Feature lineup

(30 laps)

Row 1: Frank Heckenast Jr., Shannon Babb
Row 2: Tyler Leach, Tanner English
Row 3: Brandon Carpenter, Michael Leach
Row 4: Daryn Klein, Jackson Hise
Row 5: Daniel Adam, Mike Harrison
Row 6: Clay Stuckey, Jordan Bauer
Row 7: Kayden Clatt, Adam Tischauser
Row 8: Bob Gardner, Todd Brennan
Row 9: Jake Little, Mitch McGrath
Row 10: Jason Feger, Rich Bell
Row 11: Cody Maguire, Brody Smith

Consolation race results

(Eight laps; top three transfer)

B-main finish: Todd Brennan, Jake Little, Mitch McGrath, Mark Voigt, Rich Bell, Matthew Larson, Cody Maguire, Jack Franklin, Brody Smith. Scratched: Jake Rainey, Brian Shirley, Jason Feger, Chris Simpson, Blaze Burwell.

Heat race results

(Eight laps; top five transfer)

First heat: Shannon Babb, Tanner English, Daryn Klein, Mike Harrison, Kayden Clatt, Jake Little, Mitch McGrath, Cody Maguire, Brian Shirley. Scratched: Chris Simpson.

Second heat: Tyler Leach, Brandon Carpenter, Jackson Hise, Clay Stuckey, Adam Tischauser, Todd Brennan, Brody Smith, Jake Rainey, Rich Bell, Blaze Burwell.

Third heat: Frank Heckenast Jr., Michael Leach, Daniel Adam, Jordan Bauer, Bob Gardner, Mark Voigt, Jack Franklin, Matthew Larson, Jason Feger.

Time trials

Group A
Driver (car no.), hometown, time (unofficial)
1. Shannon Babb (18), Moweaqua, Ill., 12.383
2. Tanner English (96), Benton, Ky., 12.391
3. Daryn Klein (10k), Fairview Heights, Ill., 12.479
4. Kayden Clatt (50k), Edina, Mo., 12.681
5. Mitch McGrath (74), Waukesha, Wis., 12.727
6. Mike Harrison (33), Highland, Ill., 12.731
7. Jake Little (38J), Springfield, Ill., 12.754
8. Brian Shirley (3s), Chatham, Ill., 12.947
9. Cody Maguire (32m), Carlinville, Ill., 13.777
10. Chris Simpson (32s), Oxford, Iowa, no time
Group B
1. Brandon Carpenter (51B), Coldwater, Miss., 12.601
2. Tyler Leach (05), Sun River, Mont., 12.616
3. Brody Smith (17sr), Dade City, Fla., 12.632
4. Jackson Hise (388), Ocala, Fla., 12.768
5. Clay Stuckey (15), Shreveport, La., 12.842
6. Rich Bell (21B), Sheffield, Ill., 12.966
7. Adam Tischauser (T4), Mulberry Grove, Ill., 13.041
8. Jake Rainey (87), Powder Springs, Ga., 13.107
9. Todd Brennan (20B), Zanesville, Ohio, 13.120
10. Blaze Burwell (44), Mount Vernon, Ill., disqualified
Group C
1. Michael Leach (09), Sun River, Mont., 12.375
2. Frank Heckenast Jr. (99jr), Frankfort, Ill., 12.394
3. Jordan Bauer (10J), St. Jacob, Ill., 12.504
4. Daniel Adam (75A), Peru, Ill., 12.533
5. Bob Gardner (4G), East Peoria, Ill., 12.626
6. Jason Feger (25F), Bloomington, Ill., 12.662
7. Jack Franklin (12), Murfreesboro, Tenn., 12.808
8. Mark Voigt (30), Marine, Ill., 12.873
9. Matthew Larson (8), Lake Elmo, Minn., disqualified

Tuesday’s schedule

(All times local)
4 p.m. - Pits open
5 p.m. - Grandstands open
5:30 p.m. - Drivers’ meeting
6 p.m. - On-track activity
- Late Model hot laps
- Modified group qualifying
- Late Model time trials (2 laps)
Opening ceremonies
- Late Model heats (8 laps)
- Modified heats (8 laps)
- B-mod heats (8 laps)
- Factory stock heats (8 laps)
- 4-cylinder heats (8 laps)
Intermission/track prep
- Modified consolation (8 laps)
- Late Model consolation (10 laps)
Feature events
- Late Models (30 laps)
- Modifieds (25 laps)
- B-mods (20 laps)
- Factory stocks (15 laps)
- 4-cylinders (12 laps)