Brian Shirley is Surprise Winner of Knoxville's Late Model Nationals
Saturday, September 30, 2006
By Bob Wilson
KNOXVILLE, Iowa - Brian Shirley of Chatham, Illinois fooled 'em all as he captured the 3rd annual Lucas Oil Late Model Nationals at Knoxville Raceway Saturday night. After being sent to the rear of the 31-car field early, he picked his way back to take the lead late in the race and grabbed the $35,000 first place payoff. NASCAR star Tony Stewart was the second story of the race as he scored a $17,500 runner-up finish.
The third story of the event was the dominance of Darren Miller throughout most of the 100-lap race. From his pole position start, Miller led virtually all of the first half of the race and most would have said at that point that he was the odds on favorite. But, he never won it so that is yet another part of this story.
With only two laps in the books, Shirley spun his car onto the berm in turn two bringing out the first of many caution flags. He restarted on the tail.
Miller continued his dominance when the race was restarted and by lap seven his main challenger, Brian Birkhofer, was running in second. By lap ten Miller could count on a six car-length advantage but as he entered into lap traffic two laps later Birkhofer was right on his tail. Lap fifteen saw what would be only one of many laps where Miller and Birkhofer ran side by side throughout most of the half-mile circuit.
A yellow was displayed on lap eighteen as row one starter Steve Shaver stopped on the track. It was learned later that a fuel pump had gone bad. Eddie Carrier, Jr. also exited at that time.
With the race once again green, the Miller-Birkhofer battle picked up right where it had left off. Lap after lap saw side by side racing between the two especially in turns one and two and down the backstretch. Birkhofer was content to use the bottom line in turns one and two while Miller slung his late model low in three and four. Only once during these laps did Birkhofer manage to claim a lap.
The caution was displayed on lap 28 for a Billy Drake miscue which saw him strike the turn two fence. At this point in the race the scoring showed Miller, Birkhofer, Rick Eckert, Darrell Lanigan and Steve Francis as the top runners.
When the race resumed it was still a battle between Miller and Birkhofer. During this portion of the race Miller utilized the top of the big half-mile oval while Birkhofer was content to take the bottom line as there were definitely two major lines on the race track.
A yellow on lap thirty-three for Tim McCreadie turned into a red as race officials ruled that too many laps had been run under caution. Teams were then allowed a fuel only stop.
On lap 35 after the restart a yellow was thrown for defending event champion Scott Bloomquist who had backed his mount into the turn three wall. He was able to drive back to the pits but he did not restart.
Miller found a new line once the race went green as he seemed to create a run right through the middle of the turns. Birkhofer stayed on the bottom and heroically challenged for the lead but every lap at this point fell in the Miller column. From lap forty to the half-way point fans witnessed a continued nose to tail or side by side race for the lead. On top of that, Lanigan and Steve Francis were able to catch the front-running twosome.
With the race now running beyond fifty laps, the leaders began to hit lap traffic on most every circuit. That is also when Josh Richards came into the mix and grabbed fourth place. At 58 laps Miller had a miscue and jumped the cushion allowing Birkhofer to finally make a pass for the lead. The next circuit saw Birkhofer suddenly slow with smoke out of his rear and stall in turn four. He was able to re-enter the race at the rear but was never again a factor.
With 18 cars still running, Miller again led them to the green. Four laps later fourth-running Richards struck the fence in one and two forcing the West Virginian to the sidelines. At that same time, Eric Jacobs and Scott James came together on the front stretch and spun into the infield fence. At this juncture in the race the top five looked like Miller, Donnie Moran, Lanigan, Eckert and Shirley; the same Brian Shirley who had been sent to the tail just after two laps had been completed at the start of the event.
Miller again led the field back to green having led sixty-four of the seventy laps. At this point, the story of Tony Stewart began to be written as he moved into sixth spot after starting seventeenth. Quietly, Stewart had clawed his way through the pack and the backmarkers to gain that spot.
In the meantime, Miller began to extend his lead so that by lap 75 he had roared to a full straightaway advantage. By lap 80 it was even more so. As the race went past the forty-mile mark the battle on the track was for the runner-up spot and that was between Moran and Shirley. Shirley garnered that position on lap 85 as Moran trailed him. Eckert and Stewart followed but another yellow slowed down the action.
Shirley can point to lap 86 as the golden lap as that is when he came low out of turn four and took the top spot away from Miller. With only twelve cars on the lead lap, very few backmarkers inhibited the front running cars.
Lap 89 can be counted as Miller's undoing as that is when the second running driver bumped the cushion and seemed to be pulled into the turn four fence. The incident forced Miller to the sidelines and a sixteenth place finish.
The final resumption of the race saw Stewart make a pass of Moran for second. Stewart and Moran would contest the spot to the end with Stewart finally settling the issue on lap 97.
With the race hitting the century mark in lap count, 25-year-old Brian Shirley came across the finish line as Stewart exited turn four. Clearly the Illinois driver had answered the headline written in a regional race paper: "Who the Heck is Brian Shirley?"
KNOXVILLE RACEWAY, Knoxville, IA
September 30, 2006
3rd annual Lucas Oil Late Model Knoxville Nationals Results:
C Feature, 15 laps, No Time: 1. Jay Johnson, West Burlington IA; 2. Johnny Johnson, West Burlington IA; 3. Mitch Johnson, Hickson ND; 4. Matt Aukland, Fargo ND; 5. Andrew McKay, Edina MN; 6. Alonzo Grosse, Council Bluffs IA; 7. Curt Schroeder, Des Moines IA; 8. John Seitz, Bemidji MN; 9. Jason Conoyer, Ursa IL;
B Feature, 20 laps, No Time: 1. Justin Fegers, Mound MN; 2. Eddie Carrier Jr, Salt Rock WV; 3. Chub Frank, Bear Lake PA; 4. Todd Shute, Des Moines IA; 5. Curt Martin, Independence IA; 6. Chris Smyser, Lancaster MO; 7. Jeff Aikey, Cedar Falls IA; 8. Tim McCreadie, Avon NY; 9. Andy Eckrich, Iowa City IA; 10. Denny Woodworth, Mendon IL; 11. Johnny Spaw, Cedar Rapids IA; 12. Jackie Boggs, Grayson KY; 13. Mitch Johnson, Hickson ND; 14. Matt Aukland, Fargo ND; 15. John Seitz, Bemidji MN; 16. Alonzo Grosse, Council Bluffs IA; 17. Nick Marolf, Moscow IA; 18. Kerry Hansen, Spencer WI; 19. Mike Balcaen, Winnipeg, MB, Can. ; 20. Curt Schroeder, Des Moines IA; 21. Johnny Johnson, West Burlington IA; 22. John Blankenship, Williamson WV; 23. Andrew McKay, Edina MN;
A Feature, 100 laps, No Time: 1. Brian Shirley, Chatham IL; 2. Tony Stewart, Rushville IN; 3. Donnie Moran, Dresden OH; 4. Rick Eckert, York PA; 5. Darrell Lanigan, Union KY; 6. Billy Moyer, Batesville AR; 7. Shannon Babb, Moweaqua IL; 8. Dan Schlieper, Sullivan WI; 9. Brian Birkhofer, Muscatine IA; 10. Brady Smith, Solon Springs WI; 11. Chub Frank, Bear Lake PA; 12. Steve Francis, Ashland KY; 13. Eric Jacobsen, Santa Cruz CA; 14. Steve Kosiski, Papillion NE; 15. Darren Miller, Chadwick IL; 16. Jimmy Mars, Menomonie WI; 17. Josh Richards, Shinnston WV; 18. Scott James, Lawrenceburg IN; 19. Jeep Van Wormer, Pinconning MI; 20. Tim McCreadie, Avon NY; 21. Chris Madden, Gaffney SC; 22. Scott Bloomquist, Mooresburg TN; 23. Matt Furman, Iowa City IA; 24. Chris Smyser, Lancaster MO; 25. Billy Drake, Bloomington IL; 26. Todd Shute, Des Moines IA; 27. Curt Martin, Independence IA; 28. Justin Fegers, Mound MN; 29. Steve Shaver, Vienna WV; 30. Eddie Carrier Jr, Salt Rock WV; 31. Bart Hartman, Zanesville OH. Lap Leaders: Miller 1-22; Birkhofer 23; Miller 24-48; Birkhofer 49; Miller 50; Birkhofer 51-53; Miller 54-57; Birkhofer 58; Miller 59-85; Shirley 86-100
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