DIRTcar Summer Nationals
Brushcreek Motorsport Complex
July 17, 2014
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Zeigler Captures First DIRTcar Summer Nationals Win by Dominating Brushcreek Motorsports Complex



by Jordan Morris
PEEBLES, Ohio. (July 17) - Mason Zeigler became the twelfth different winner in 2014 DIRTcar Summer Nationals action after capturing the $5,000 checkered flag on Thursday night at Brushcreek Motorsports Complex for his first career DIRTcar Summer Nationals victory.

Zeigler, a 17-year-old from Chalk Hill, Pa., started the 40-lap feature event on the outside of pole-sitter Ryan Unzicker. Zeigler quickly shot around Unzicker for the top spot on the opening lap, as Unzicker fell back through the field, eventually settling for a eighth place finish.

Zeigler was never seriously challenged, as third-place starter R.J Conley worked his way to second but could never catch Zeigler to capture the lead. R.J Conley ran second for much of the race but fell to fourth after allowing his dad, Rod Conley, and championship-leader Shannon Babb to slip by him.

Rod Conley had a chance to overtake Zeigler following a late-race restart, but fell just short as the leader rocketed away from the field after a couple of laps. Rod Conley eventually finished a distant 3.298 seconds behind Zeigler, who became just the second Pennsylvania native driver to win in DIRTcar Summer Nationals action, joining Rick Eckert on that exclusive list.

Zeigler, who runs a family-owned Longhorn Chassis car, led from the drop of the green-flag to the checkers, easily capturing his first DIRTcar Summer Nationals victory in his first career start at Brushcreek Motorsports Complex.

“We’ve been trying so hard and working so hard at the shop just to get everything dialed in,” said Zeigler, whose win will likely allow him to continue in DIRTcar Summer Nationals action on Friday night at Attica Raceway Park. “We got this new Longhorn earlier this year and we struggled a little bit, but we’ve been really good overall with it. I think we’re finally getting to the point where we can really dial it in and get it how we like it.”

The 2014 DIRTcar Summer Nationals championship standings took another substantial turn Thursday night. After closing to within 26-points of championship-leader Shannon Babb, Ryan Unzicker started from the pole-position and looked to carry over the momentum. He was joined at the front of the field by Brian Shirley, who started fourth and sat third in the points just 45-markers behind Babb.

Unfortunately for both Unzicker and Shirley, their cars were never in contention. Babb, on the other-hand, marched from his seventh starting position to pass both drivers, who finished eighth and seventh respectively, en route to a third place finish. Babb increased his points-lead back to 45-points over Unzicker with just two races to go.  

A-Main
1 2 25Z Mason Zeigler Uniontown, PA
2 6 71R Rod Conley Wheelersburg, OH
3 7 18 Shannon Babb Moweaqua, IL
4 3 71C RJ Conley Wheelersburg, OH
5 5 20 Doug Drown Wooster, OH
6 8 20C Duane Chamberlain Richmond, IN
7 4 81 Brian Shirley Chatham, IL
8 1 24 Ryan Unzicker El Paso, IL
9 9 B5 Brandon Sheppard New Berlin, IL
10 12 99M Devin Moran Dresden, OH
11 13 31 Nick Latham Winchester, OH
12 10 55 Jeep Van Wormer Pinconning, MI
13 18 1B Jeff Babcock Wayne, OH
14 14 21M Jason Montgomery Jackson, OH
15 16 96 Tanner English Benton, KY
16 20 32J Jason Jaggers Wyanet, IL
17 21 51 Jamie Oldfield Morley, PA
18 19 25L Steve Lance Jr Cuba, IL
19 17 5M Ryan Markham Ashland, OH
20 15 81JR Jason Riggs Harrisburg, IL
21 11 71 Delmas Conley Portsmouth, OH
22 22 77K Steve Kester Holland, OH



B-Main
1 1 5M Ryan Markham
2 4 1B Jeff Babcock
3 3 51 Jamie Oldfield
4 5 33 Kevin Wagner
5 9 19 Chad Smith
6 7 18E Ethan Burgess
7 6 71J Jt Conley
8 12 316 Joe Brewer
9 14 42* Bob Mayer
10 17 25L Steve Lance Jr
11 2 32J Jason Jaggers
12 13 9 Chris Shannon
13 8 77K Steve Kester
14 10 2D Don Stone
15 11 29K Garrett Krummert
16 15 6T Tim Dohm
17 16 40 Mike Taylor

Heat #1
1 1 81 Brian Shirley
2 2 20 Doug Drown
3 4 B5 Brandon Sheppard
4 3 31 Nick Latham
5 5 5M Ryan Markham
6 6 33 Kevin Wagner
7 7 19 Chad Smith
8 9 9 Chris Shannon
9 8 25L Steve Lance Jr

Heat #2
1 2 24 Ryan Unzicker
2 3 71R Rod Conley
3 1 55 Jeep Van Wormer
4 5 21M Jason Montgomery
5 4 32J Jason Jaggers
6 7 71J JT Conley
7 6 2D Dan Stone
8 8 42* Bob Mayer

Heat #3
1 1 71C RJ Conley
2 2 18 Shannon Babb
3 4 71 Delmas Conley
4 7 81JR Jason Riggs
5 6 51 Jamie Oldfield
6 3 18E Ethan Burgess
7 5 29K Garrett Krummert
8 8 6T Tim Dohm

Heat #4
1 2 25Z Mason Zeigler
2 1 20C Duane Chamberlain
3 3 99M Devin Moran
4 6 96 Tanner English
5 4 1B Jeff Babcock
6 5 77K Steve Kester
7 7 316 Joe Brewer
8 8 40 Mike Taylor

unofficial qualifying results

Group #1
1 81 Brian Shirley 14.006
2 55 Jeep Van Wormer 14.023
3 20 Doug Drown 14.064
4 24 Ryan Unzicker 14.192
5 31 Nick Latham 14.251
6 71R Rod Conley 14.259
7 B5 Brandon Sheppard 14.267
8 32J Jason Jaggers 14.278
9 5M Ryan Markham 14.307
10 21M Jason Montgomery 14.415
11 33 Kevin Wagner 14.589
12 2D Dan Stone 14.640
13 19 Chad Smith 14.675
14 71J JT Conley 14.790
15 25L Steve Lance Jr 15.125
16 42* Bob Mayer 15.568
17 9 Chris Shannon 15.891

Group #2
1 71C RJ Conley 14.120
2 20C Duane Chamberlain 14.221
3 18 Shannon Babb 14.298
4 25Z Mason Zeigler 14.309
5 18E Ethan Burgess 14.441
6 99M Devin Moran 14.447
7 71 Delmas Conley 14.455
8 1B Jeff Babcock 14.539
9 29K Garrett Krummert 14.581
10 77K Steve Kester 14.602
11 51 Jamie Oldfield 14.612
12 96 Tanner English 14.880
13 81JR Jason Riggs 14.920
14 316 Joe Brewer 15.637
15 6T Tim Dohm no time











Event photos courtesy of Jim Denhamer