DIRTcar Summer Nationals
Atomic Speedway
July 16, 2014
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Shirley collects third 2014 Summer Nationals victory at Atomic Speedway



by Scott Wolfe
CHILLICOTHE, OHIO (July 16) - Chatham, Illinois driver Brian Shirley led every lap despite pressure from all twenty-one contenders, roaring to the $5,000 win in the 40-lap UMP Summer Nationals 'Hell Tour' Late Model feature at Brad McCown's Atomic Speedway Wednesday night. In the companion Summit Modified UMP Summer Nationals 'Hell Tour' $1,000 to win 20-lap A-main, Devin Gilpin, Columbus, Indiana brought home the win after a heated battle with Late Model kingpin Jackie Boggs.  Dean Boyd, Williamsburg, Ohio claimed the Street Stock main and Flemingsburg, KY driver Mitchell Fields won the Sport Mod main.

The track was blistering fast in hot laps and qualifying, due greatly to excellent track prep and cloudy skies. The trade off for the clouds was rain in much of the area, an asterisk that took a bite out of the crowd in what was otherwise a great night in the first-ever appearance of the United Midwestern Promoters (UMP) at Atomic.

Insane Duane Chamberlain, Richmond, Indiana started off the evening with a fast time of 13:766 in the Late Models. The mark was less than .35 off the track record.

Shirley was the class of the field in the feature, however, Chamberlain gave him an early run for the money. Chamberlain dogged Shirley on each of three restarts and kept the race interesting from start to finish. After the last restart though, Shirley turned on the afterburners and won by a straight-away amid a gaggle of lapped cars. Great side-by-side racing took place throughout the line-up with plenty of passing for position, a highlight that added an exclamation to Shirley's dominance out front. Doug Drown and R.J. Conley battled 3/4 of the race for position after the father-son Conley bout ended around lap ten.



The Illinois driver said in victory lane, "I punched a hole in my radiator with about five laps to go, but I wasn't going to let that stop me. I just kept the throttle down and an eye on the gauges.  I have a lot of people to thank and would like to thank the fans for turning out tonight."

With Babb dropping out of the feature and Unzicker posting a top ten, the points battle on the "Hell Tour" has tightened.

A-Main
1 2 81 Brian Shirley Chatham, IL
2 1 20C Duane Chamberlain Richmond, IN
3 4 71C RJ Conley Wheelersburg, OH
4 6 20 Doug Drown Wooster, OH
5 13 55 Jeep Van Wormer Pinconning, MI
6 5 99M Devin Moran Dresden, OH
7 14 24 Ryan Unzicker El Paso, IL
8 19 B5 Brandon Sheppard New Berlin, IL
9 17 81JR Jason Riggs Harrisburg, IL
10 10 21M Jason Montgomery Jackson, OH
11 12 5M Ryan Markham Ashland, OH
12 7 51 Jamie Oldfield Morley, PE
13 9 96 Tanner English Benton, KY
14 20 77K Steve Kester Holland, OH
15 22 25L Steve Lance Jr Cuba, IL
16 18 19 Chad Smith Miamisburg, OH
17 8 18 Shannon Babb Moweaqua, IL
18 3 71 Delmas Conley Portsmouth, OH
19 11 29K Garrett Krummert New Castle, PA
20 16 9F Mark Frazier Chillicothe, OH
21 21 71R Rod Conley Wheelersburg, OH
22 15 33 Kevin Wagner Wheelersburg, OH

B-Main
1 9F Mark Frazier
2 81JR Jason Riggs
3 19 Chad Smith
4 71R Rod Conley
5 71J JT Conley
6 77K Steve Kester
7 6T Tim Dohm
8 1B Jeff Babcock
9 5J Josh Haynes
10 42* Bob Mayer
11 25L Steve Lance Jr
12 2D Don Stone
13 B5 Brandon Sheppard

Heat #1
1 20C Duane Chamberlain
2 71C RJ Conley
3 51 Jamie Oldfield
4 21M Jason Montgomery
5 55 Jeep Van Wormer
6 9F Mark Frazier
7 19 Chad Smith
8 5J Josh Haynes
9 71R Rod Conley
10 B5 Brandon Sheppard

Heat #2
1 71 Delmas Conley
2 99M Devin Moran
3 18 Shannon Babb
4 29K Garrett Krummert
5 24 Ryan Unzicker
6 81JR Jason Riggs
7 77K Steve Kester
8 1B Jeff Babcock
9 42* Bob Mayer

Heat #3
1 81 Brian Shirley
2 20 Doug Drown
3 96 Tanner English
4 5M Ryan Markham
5 33 Kevin Wagner
6 71J Jt Conley
7 2D Don Stone
8 6T Tim Dohm
9 25L Steve Lance Jr













Event photos courtesy of Jim Denhamer