McKinney Captures $2,000 MARS Modified Win; Parga, Duncan Also Victorious

Results | Points | Pictures by Rocky Ragusa

McKinney Scores $3,000 Modified Victory

Results | Points | Story & Pictures by Rocky Ragusa

At the conclusion of time trials for Saturday’s racing program at the Fairbury Speedway, an isolated rain shower fell on the track. Roger Stryker and his track prep crew went to work and made the speedway race ready. Bobby Pierce took a hard-fought win in the Late Model feature, while Mike McKinney closed out the night with the win in the Modified race.

As part of Illinois Speedweek, the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series made their first-ever appearance at the ¼ mile dirt oval for the Spring Shootout paying $30,000 to the race winner. Driving the Rocket Chassis house car, Hudson O’Neal led the first group of qualifiers with a lap of 12.794 seconds. The “Newport Nightmare” Jimmy Owens' time of 12.870 seconds paced the second group. Four eight lap heat races had O’Neal, last year’s Dirt Track World Championship winner Garrett Smith, Fairbury’s opening night winner Shannon Babb, and a former Modified winner at Fairbury, Mississippi’s Spencer Hughes taking the wins. 2014 Prairie Dirt Classic winner and two-time Lucas Oil Series champion Tim McCreadie and second-generation driver Gordy Gundaker moved into the 60-lap main event by winning their respective semi feature.

28 drivers lined up for the Titan Industries sponsored race. Outside front row starter Babb got the jump on O’Neal and led the field as fifth starting Dennis Erb Jr. quickly moved into second. As the two Illinois wheelmen dueled for the lead, Babb got crossed up on the frontstretch giving Erb the lead on lap five. Five-time World 100 winner Jonathan Davenport brought out the first caution on lap 10 with damage to his car. On the restart, Erb opened a straightaway lead as Babb and O’Neal raced side by side for second with Bobby Pierce and Smith following. Pierce took over fourth on lap 15 and quickly joined in on the battle for second. Boom Briggs brought out the second caution on lap 25 as he tagged the frontstretch wall nearly collecting Babb. When the green flag waved, Pierce, running the top side of the track, pulled away from Hughes and moved past Babb for third on lap 28. The third yellow fell on lap 35 for Garrett Alberson as he slowed on the backstretch. Erb led on the restart with O’Neal, Pierce, Hughes, and Babb following. O’Neal broke away from Pierce and had a good run on Erb. As they approached turn one on lap 36, O’Neal dove to the inside of Erb. The two drivers made contact. Erb got sideways and Babb, with nowhere to go, got into Erb. Babb’s race was done and Erb was forced to the back of the field.

The restart moved O’Neal to the front with Pierce, Daulton Wilson, Hughes, and Brandon Overton in the top five. The top three drivers exited turn two three-wide on the restart. Pierce, on the bottom, moved into the lead. Pierce and O’Neal ran nose to tail before Erb stopped on the track with mechanical problems. Pierce led on the restart as Tar Heel state driver Wilson briefly challenged for the lead. Ricky Thornton Jr., racing in sixth, slammed the frontstretch wall to bring out a yellow on lap 46. O’Neal challenged Pierce for the lead on the restart, but the caution came out on lap 48 for debris on the track. Pierce led Wilson, O’Neal, Overton, and Brandon Sheppard on the restart. O’Neal took over second and quickly battled Pierce for the lead. Pierce changed his line to the top side of the track and halted O’Neal’s momentum. With two laps to go, O’Neal’s car climbed the wall in turn one bringing out the caution. O’Neal, the Lucas Oil Series points leader, had significant damage to his car and was done for the night. Wilson, in his first-ever appearance at Fairbury, ran the bottom and raced Pierce for the lead. Pierce turned back a strong performance from Wilson and was able to secure his 13th career Lucas Oil Series victory.

“I messed up yesterday (at Farmer City) and my team didn’t give up," said Pierce with 14 career FALS Late Model wins. “They said to get back in that car and drive it. I have to give a huge thanks to them. I went home and relaxed. They got the job done on the car.” Wilson tied his best career Lucas Oil Series finish as he took second, with Sheppard, 21^st starter Overton, and Owens completing the top five. The remainder of the top ten went to Hughes, 24^th starter Devin Moran, Gundaker, Tyler Bruening, and Max Blair.