MUSKEGON, MI — July 9, 2019 — The DIRTcar Summer Nationals Champions Week kicks off Wednesday night at Thunderbird Raceway, and it’s shaping up to be a showdown between Illinois drivers Bobby Pierce and Brian Shirley.
Pierce, a three-time series champion in 2015, ’16 and ’17, owns a slim 13-point advantage over Shirley in the championship race. It was Shirley who halted Pierce’s championship streak last year by claiming his second Summer Nationals title after winning his first one in 2012.
Two Michigan tracks will go a long way towards determining this year’s champion. The week starts Wednesday with the series’ second appearance at Thunderbird Raceway, a track that has witnessed Summer Nationals milestones before, with Billy Moyer earning his 100th series victory there one season ago. The tour then heads Thursday to I-96 Speedway in Odessa, and before moving to Ohio Friday and Saturday for the season finale at Oakshade Raceway in Wauseon.
After traveling just over an hour east, the Summer Nationals drivers will battle Thursday at I-96 Speedway, where 2010 series champion Jason Feger picked up his 19th career win in the tour’s seventh all-time race there. Shannon Babb leads all drivers at I-96 with four checkered flags.
The two Michigan events set the stage for a huge Ohio weekend at Oakshade Raceway, just south of the Michigan/Ohio state line and west of Toledo in Wauseon. After full Features on Friday and Saturday, the overall series champion will be crowned.
In 22 all-time events for the DIRTcar Summer Nationals at Oakshade, Shannon Babb and Matt Miller are tied for the lead in all-time wins with three apiece, even with Zack Dohm sweeping both nights of DIRTcar Summer Nationals action last year. A total of 16 different winners have won over the course of the 22 Summer Nationals races at the popular Buckeye State oval.
While the Late Models will wrap up their points chase on Saturday night, the DIRTcar UMP Modifieds will still have two more weekends of racing on the DIRTcar Summit Racing Equipment Modified Nationals tour before crowning their 2019 champion. Nick Hoffman is trying to close out his second championship, but Tyler Nicely isn’t going to make it easy on him.
Following the events this week in Michigan and Ohio, the first-ever appearance at Cedar Ridge Speedway in Kentucky will be next on Friday and Saturday, July 19-20, for $1,500 on that Friday and a whopping $6,000-to-win that Saturday.
Then the DIRTcar UMP Modified teams return to Lincoln (IL) Speedway on Thursday, July 25, to finish the show from June 30 that was rained out. They’ll be joined by the DIRTcar Late Models who will finish their show from June 30 with 14 laps completed, 26 laps to go, but won’t be racing for DIRTcar Summer Nationals points.
Then it’s on to the finale at Fairbury (IL) Speedway on Friday-Saturday, July 26-27, as part of the 30th annual Prairie Dirt Classic weekend with the World of Outlaws Morton Building Late Model Series.
See the championships unfold as every DIRTcar Summer Nationals and DIRTcar Summit Racing Equipment Modified Nationals event are broadcast live on DIRTVision.com. DIRTVision.com and DirtOnDirt.com have teamed up for this unprecedented exposure throughout the entire schedules for both tours. Family, friends and sponsors will be able to catch every minute of action. Check out the package and learn more at DIRTVision.com.
