Post by LMR on 06/29/14 at 11:58pm
Smith scores thrilling Summer Nationals victory at Lincoln Speedway
by Jordan Morris
LINCOLN, Ill. (June 29) - Brady Smith captured his second career DIRTcar Summer Nationals victory on Sunday night at Lincoln Speedway after leader Chase Junghans spun with 15 laps to go while trying to navigate through lapped traffic.
Smith grabbed the pole for the 40-lap feature with Saturday night winner, Brian Birkhofer, starting on his outside. Smith secured the lead and an early advantage on the opening lap as Birkhofer came under fire from the rest of the field. A hard charging Brian Shirley, who started in the fifth position, made his way around Birkhofer and challenged Smith for the lead early, but was unsuccessful at securing the top spot.
As Smith and Shirley battled for the lead, Chase Junghans who started in the third position, lurked behind the two leaders, staging his move for the top spot. On lap 16, Junghans took advantage of lapped traffic, making a daring pass to the inside of both Shirley and Smith for the lead. Smith held his line on the outside as the two fought for the lead, but Junghans would prove to be too tough and pulled away from Smith by the halfway point of the race.
Junghans looked to have the car to beat in his DIRTcar Summer Nationals debut, but on lap 24 he spun while trying to pass a slower Mike Spatola, handing the lead back over to Brady Smith. On lap 38, the race would be temporarily red-flagged after 2013 DIRTcar Summer Nationals champion Brandon Sheppard flipped while running in the top five. Fortunately, Sheppard escaped the wild ride without any injuries.
Following the short stoppage, Smith held off a late-race charge from Brian Birkhofer, leading the races final 15 laps en route to capturing his first DIRTcar Summer Nationals victory in seven years.
A-Main
1 1 2S Brady Smith Solon Springs, WI
2 2 15B Brian Birkhofer Muscatine, IA
3 5 81 Brian Shirley Chatham, IL
4 8 28E Dennis Erb, Jr Carpentersville, IL
5 11 24 Ryan Unzicker El Paso, IL
6 3 18J Chase Junghans Manhattan, KS
7 9 21B Rich Bell Sheffield, IL
8 12 81JR Jason Riggs Harrisburg, IL
9 14 1M Jim Moon New Florence, MO
10 19 89 Mike Spatola Manhattan, IL
11 20 91 Rusty Schlenk Weston, OH
12 21 84 Myles Moos Lincoln, IL
13 4 B5 Brandon Sheppard New Berlin, IL
14 18 25L Steve Lance Jr Cuba, IL
15 13 27K Greg Kimmons Pleasant Plains, IL
16 6 21JR Billy Moyer Jr Batesville, AR
17 15 24T Matt Taylor Springfield, IL
18 17 6K Michael Kloos Trenton, IL
19 16 75D Billy Drake Lincoln, IL
20 7 18 Shannon Babb Moweaqua, IL
21 22 42 McKay Wenger Fairbury, IL
22 10 12B Kevin Weaver Gibson City, IL
B-Main
1 6K Michael Kloos
2 25L Steve Lance Jr
3 20 Dustin Griffin
4 33H Billy Hough
5 91 Rusty Schlenk
6 82B Roger Brickler
7 T6 Tommy Sheppard Jr
8 4G Bob Gardner
9 11D Brian Divley
10 89 Mike Spatola
11 1ST Justin Reed
12 38J Jake Little
13 84 Myles Moos
14 38L Ryan Little
15 32 Bobby Pierce
16 42 McKay Wenger
17 25 Jason Feger
Heat #1
1 15B Brian Birkhofer
2 81 Brian Shirley
3 21B Rich Bell
4 27K Greg Kimmons
5 25L Steve Lance Jr
6 89 Mike Spatola
7 32 Bobby Pierce
8 11D Brian Divley
9 25 Jason Feger
Heat #2
1 2S Brady Smith
2 21JR Billy Moyer Jr
3 12B Kevin Weaver
4 1M Jim Moon
5 82B Roger Brickler
6 91 Rusty Schlenk
7 84 Myles Moos
8 38L Ryan Little
Heat #3
1 B5 Brandon Sheppard
2 18 Shannon Babb
3 24 Ryan Unzicker
4 24T Matt Taylor
5 6K Michael Kloos
6 33H Billy Hough
7 38J Jake Little
8 42 Mckay Wenger
Heat #4
1 18J Chase Junghans
2 28E Dennis Erb, Jr
3 81JR Jason Riggs
4 75D Billy Drake
5 1ST Justin Reed
6 4G Bob Gardner
7 T6 Tommy Sheppard Jr
8 20 Dustin Griffin
