Week 1: DIRTcar Summer Nationals

After a Saturday night marred by misfortune and a bit of destruction, Brian Shirley was looking for an opportunity to bounce back. Sunday night at Sycamore Speedway, he got exactly what he came for – his third Feature win of the week and an extra $10,000 check as Week 1 champion of the 38th annual DIRTcar Summer Nationals.

Shirley, the four-time Hell Tour champion from Chatham, IL, endured a rough go of things Saturday at Fairbury Speedway – blowing a tire while running in a transfer spot in his Heat Race, then getting into a wreck early in the Feature, leaving him with a 14th-place finish as he watched one of his Illinois rivals drive off with another big payday.

“Last night, Bobby [Pierce] did what he does at Fairbury, and for us it was just a rough night,” Shirley said. “It knocked the wind out of my sails, I’m not gonna lie. I was definitely a little bummed today, but as I’ve always said, you just can’t stop fate.”