Babb Wins at Macon Speedway

sn Macon

 

 

Babb Captures Third Victory of 2014 DIRTcar Summer Nationals Season at Hometown Macon Speedway

 

By Jordan Morris

 

MACON, Ill. July 10, 2014 — Shannon Babb, from nearby Moweaqua, Ill., traded the lead back-and-forth with championship rival Ryan Unzicker for most of the race before Babb finally claimed the top spot just past halfway en route to capturing his third win of the season and fifth Herald & Review 100 at his hometown Macon Speedway.

 

Bobby Pierce, who started from the pole-position, jumped out to an early lead and controlled the first four circuits. Babb, who started just behind Pierce in the third position, easily made his way around second-place starter Brian Shirley, as he stayed close to the leader’s back bumper.

 

Babb captured the lead from Pierce on lap five and was not seriously challenged for almost the next 30 laps. Babb held the lead until lap 34 when lapped traffic helped a hard-charging Ryan Unzicker, who started in the seventh position, squeeze past Babb and claim the top spot.

 

Unzicker held the lead for the next 22 laps but could not hold off Babb, who found the high-line just past halfway in the event and charged back to the front to retake the lead. Babb pulled away from Unzicker and easily led the final 45 laps of the 100-lap feature event, claiming the $5,000 checkered flag at Macon Speedway. Unzicker settled for his sixth runner-up finish of the season without capturing a victory yet.

 

“We’ve growed up here and raced here a lot, so it means a lot to win this thing,” said three-time series champion Shannon Babb, who received a loud ovation upon winning in front of his hometown crowd. “You know, it’s tough running 100 laps here and staying out of trouble.”

 

In another back-and-forth battle, Babb returned his name to atop the series all-time wins list as he tied Billy Moyer at 86 DIRTcar Summer Nationals career victories, just one night after Moyer won at Terre Haute Action Track and took the outright lead.

 

Brian Shirley, Dennis Erb Jr. and Matt Taylor rounded out the top five.

 

Heat race winners were Pierce, Gary Christian, Babb and Shirley.

 

The DIRTcar Summer Nationals continues on Friday night as they join the DIRTcar Summit Racing Equipment Modified Nationals at Farmer City Raceway in Farmer City, Ill.

 

DIRTcar Summer Nationals Statistical Report; Macon Speedway; Macon, Ill.;

July 10, 2014; A-Main (100-laps): 1. 18-Shannon Babb ($5,000), 2. 24-Ryan Unzicker, 3. 81-Brian Shirley, 4. 28E-Dennis Erb  Jr, 5. 24T-Matt Taylor, 6. 12B-Kevin Weaver, 7. 42-MCKay Wenger, 8. 25L-Steve Lance Jr, 9. 4T-Guy Taylor, 10. 38L-Ryan Little, 11. 91-Kyle Logue, 12. 7T-Steve Thorsten, 13. 30V-Mark Voigt, 14. 27K-Greg Kimmons, 15. 1M-Jim Moon, 16. 28B-John Beck, 17. B5-Brandon Sheppard, 18. 1CJ-Gary Christian, 19. 36-Andrew Barnes, 20. 32-Bobby Pierce, 21. 33H-Billy Hough, 22. 21B-Rich Bell.

 

 

2014 DIRTcar Summer Nationals Schedule

Date

Day

Track

Location

Win

June 11

Wed

Brownstown Speedway

Brownstown, Ind.

RAIN

June 12

Thur

Kankakee Co. Speedway

Kankakee, Ill.

Billy Moyer

June 13

Fri

Cedar Lake Speedway

Somerset, Wis.

Rick Eckert

June 14

Sat

Cedar Lake Speedway

Somerset, Wis.

RAIN

June 15

Sun

Wilmot Raceway

Wilmot, Wis.

Rick Eckert(2)

June 16

Mon

Off

   

June 17

Tue

Farley Speedway

Farley, Iowa

Shannon Babb

June 18

Wed

Spoon River Speedway

Canton, Ill.

Jason Feger

June 19

Thur

Quincy Raceways

Quincy, Ill.

RAIN

June 20

Fri

Tri-City Speedway

Pontoon Beach, Ill.

Billy Moyer(2)

June 21

Sat

Fairbury Speedway

Fairbury, Ill.

RAIN

June 22

Sun

I-96 Speedway

Ionia, Mich.

Brian Shirley

June 23

Mon

Peoria Speedway

Peoria, Ill.

Brandon Sheppard

June 24

Tue

Off

   

June 25

Wed

Clarksville Speedway

Clarksville, Tenn.

Shannon Babb(2)

June 26

Thur

Clayhill Motorsports

Atwood, Tenn.

Brian Shirley (2)

June 27

Fri

Paducah Int. Raceway

Paducah, Ky.

RAIN

June 28

Sat

Federated Auto Parts Raceway

Pevely, Mo.

Brian Birkhofer

June 29

Sun

Lincoln Speedway

Lincoln, Ill.

Brady Smith

June 30

Mon

Off

   

July 1

Tue

Belle Clair Speedway

Belleville, Ill.

Bobby Pierce

July 2

Wed

Jacksonville Speedway

Jacksonville, Ill.

Jason Feger(2)

July 3

Thur

LaSalle Speedway

LaSalle, Ill.

Brian Birkhofer(2)

July 4

Fri

Fayette Co. Speedway

Brownstown, Ill.

Brandon Sheppard(2)

July 5

Sat

Highland Speedway

Highland, Ill.

Tyler Reddick

July 6

Sun

Tri-State Speedway

Haubstadt, Ind.

Billy Moyer(3)

July 7

Mon

Off

   

July 8

Tue

Florence Speedway

Union, Ky.

Jason Jameson

July 9

Wed

Terre Haute Action Track

Terre Haute, Ind.

Billy Moyer(4)

July 10

Thur

Macon Speedway

Macon, Ill.

Shannon Babb(3)

July 11

Fri

Farmer City Raceway

Farmer City, Ill.

$10,000

July 12

Sat

34 Raceway

Burlington, Iowa

$10,000

July 13

Sun

Vermilion Co. Speedway

Danville, Ill.

$5,000

July 14

Mon

Off

   

July 15

Tue

TBA

   

July 16

Wed

Atomic Speedway

Chillicothe, Ohio

$5,000

July 17

Thur

Brushcreek Motorsports Complex

Peebles, Ohio

$5,000

July 18

Fri

Attica Raceway Park

Attica, Ohio

$5,000

July 19

Sat

Oakshade Raceway

Wauseon, Ohio

$10,000

 

The DIRTcar Summer Nationals “Hell Tour” is brought to fans across the country by many important partners including: Arizona Sport Shirts (Official Apparel Company), Hoosier Racing Tires (Official Racing Tires), Racing Electronics (Official Communication), Velocita (Official Uniform), VP Racing Fuel (Official Racing Fuel); in addition to these fine Contingency Partners: Beyea Headers, Cometic Gasket, Comp Cams, Dominator Race Products, Edelbrock, Fox Shocks, JE Pistons, JRI Shocks, Mobil 1, MSD, Quartermaster, Superflow Dynos, Summit Racing Equipment and Wrisco Aluminum; Promotional Partners include: Chevy Performance Parts, Indiana Decal, Intercomp and Petroff Towing.