Brendon Bauman photo
By Ruben Mireles
FAIRBURY, IL — June 22, 2019 — DIRTcar UMP Modified legend Mike Harrison started fourth on Saturday night in Fairbury Speedway’s DIRTcar Summit Racing Equipment Modified Nationals Feature, fought his way to the front in the 30-lap race and held off Nick Hoffman down the stretch for the $2,000 checkered flag.
Early on it looked like the battle to win would be between Mike McKinney and Nick Hoffman, who looked untouchable in the opening stages of the race before a caution erased his lead. Hoffman ran the bottom all night allowing McKinney to get by on the top, but Hoffman didn’t surrender the lead easily. Finally, Harrison joined the party to make it three-wide for the top spot.
Harrison grabbed the lead on the top while Hoffman continued to roll the bottom, where he drove to a runner-up finish. Tyler Nicely made a late surge for a top-three finish but faded just a bit after his rear quarter panel rubbed on his tire.
Harrison, the six time and defending DIRTcar Summit Racing Equipment Modified Nationals Champion, won for the first time on tour in 2019, making it the fourth different winner through four races.
“We come out and focus on our equipment, our night, and let the finishes fall into place with the points,” said Harrison, of Highland, IL.
Modified Feature (30 Laps) – 1. 24H-Mike Harrison [4]; 2. 2-Nick Hoffman [2]; 3. 96M-Mike McKinney [1]; 4. 25W-Allen Weisser [3]; 5. 18-Jeffrey Ledford [5]; 6. 25N-Tyler Nicely [6]; 7. K19-Will Krup [8]; 8. T6-Tommy Sheppard, [20]; 9. 99-Hunt Gossum [19]; 10. 27P-Brody Pompe [22]; 11. 5-Steven Brooks [18]; 12. 7R-Dan Rork [9]; 13. 57-Mark Grosvenor [15]; 14. 77-Ray Bollinger [12]; 15. 5S-Alan Stipp [11]; 16. 1A-Steve Meyer [10]; 17. 18L-Michael Long [7]; 18. 69SR-Jim Farris, Jr. [13]; 19. 22-Wade Wenthe [16]; 20. 21D-Danny Schwartz [14]; 21. 14M-AJ Meiferdt [21]; 22. 35-Jason Hastings [17]; KSE Hard Charger Award: T6-Tommy Sheppard [+12]
