TWO-TIME TERBO: Erb Scores Win #2 at Plymouth

PLYMOUTH, IN – The gap was over three years between his first and second DIRTcar Summer Nationals victories, but it took him just six days to win his third.

Tyler Erb led all 40 laps en route to a $5,000 victory Tuesday night at Plymouth Speedway – his third career Summer Nationals victory and second on the 2020 tour.

Lining up on the outside pole beside Bobby Pierce, a reverse of last Wednesday’s front row at the Brownstown Speedway in which Erb was victorious, Terbo jumped out to the early lead after a botched original start that saw Pierce go spinning in Turn 2, collecting Rusty Schlenk.

Terry Page Photo

“I didn’t mean to get into Bobby there,” Erb said of the incident in Victory Lane. “I really thought he was going to drive in and slide across my nose there at the start. He kinda parked as I parked. I barely hooked him there, so that was my bad on that part.”

Pierce, of Oakwood, IL, was able to rejoin the field in his original starting spot, and the green flag waved once again. Erb, of New Waverly, TX, soon led the head of the field into lapped traffic and was slicing through rapidly with Pierce and Frank Heckenast Jr. following closely.

Pierce gave up the second spot to Heckenast, of Frankfort, IL, on Lap 23 after a brief scrub of the outside Turn 2 wall, but soon found himself inheriting the spot back after a restart on Lap 27.

Pierce attempted a big slide job on Heckenast in Turns 1-2, but the two ended up coming together, leaving Heckenast stopped in the outside wall and bringing out another caution. Heckenast needed the hook back to the pits as Pierce inherited the runner-up spot for the final restart.

Terry Page Photo

Three-time and defending champion Brian Shirley got a big jump on the ensuing restart, took second away from Pierce and held it through the final 13 laps as Erb cruised across the finish line for his first Hell Tour victory at the Plymouth Speedway.

“I was excited those last 10 laps. I knew [Shirley] was beneath me and I was just trying to stay as smooth as I could. Man, this [track] was slick tonight, it didn’t rubber, so hats off to Plymouth Speedway,” Erb said.

Devin Moran rounded out the podium with the Hard Charger of the race, Jason Feger, right behind him in fourth. Feger was smooth all race long, as he made several passes on his way up from 16th on the starting grid. Kyle Bronson completed the top-five while Pierce slipped back a bit, settling for sixth at the checkers.

UP NEXT

The DIRTcar Summer Nationals action continues Thursday, July 16 at Spoon River Speedway with another 40-lap, $5,000-to-win Feature, live on DIRTVision presented by Drydene. The tour’s visit to LaSalle Speedway, originally scheduled for Wednesday, July 15, has been postponed due to impending inclement weather. A reschedule date will be announced when determined.

ABBREVIATED RESULTS (click for full results)

Feature (40 Laps) 1. 1T-Tyler Erb [2]; 2. 3S-Brian Shirley [3]; 3. 9-Devin Moran [10]; 4. 25-Jason Feger [16]; 5. 40B-Kyle Bronson [7]; 6. 32-Bobby Pierce [1]; 7. 11-Gordy Gundaker [11]; 8. 2S-Stormy Scott [9]; 9. 15H-Jon Henry [6]; 10. 28-Tyler Carpenter [14]; 11. 1ST-Johnny Scott [21]; 12. 4G-Bob Gardner [15]; 13. 25W-Allen Weisser [13]; 14. 48-Tim Lance [17]; 15. 48L-Tim Lance, Jr. [19]; 16. 84-Myles Moos [18]; 17. 99JR-Frank Heckenast, Jr. [4]; 18. 3-Matt Miller [8]; 19. 111L-Matt Lux [12]; 20. 51-Devin Shiels [20]; 21. 11T-Trevor Gundaker [22]; 22. 91-Rusty Schlenk [5] Hard Charger: 25-Jason Feger[+12]