Quincy, MI (Wednesday, January 27, 2021) - Tuesday night for the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series at East Bay Raceway Park featured another night of over 70 cars on the property, which lead to some minor structural changes and another caution filled main event, one that saw a caution flag wave rather than the checkered after 30 laps.
With so many cars on the property, the typical format used for Speedweeks at East Bay resulted in a pair of B-mains with nearly 30 cars each searching for four transfer spots; then the final transfer spot was filled through the Strawberry Dash. Tuesday night's format featured six heat races and three B-Mains, irradiating the Strawberry Dash. After all the racing, a full 30 car field was ready to battle for 30 laps and a shot at $5,000.
Tanner English and Brian Shirley lead the field to the green flag and like Monday, the field was immediately brought back under caution after a pile-up exiting turn two. Shane Clanton got crossed up on the exit of the corner, collecting Greg Satterlee and several other cars. Notably, Tim McCredie had nowhere to go and drilled the side of Satterlee, sending McCredie airborne before ultimately sending him into the outside wall. The incident would draw an end to the race for McCredie, Satterlee, and Dennis Erb, Jr.
The restart saw Shirley jump out to the lead before another caution was cued just three laps later when Mike Marlar slowed off the fourth turn with apparent suspension damage. Shirley maintained the lead following the lap four restart, but it wouldn't take long for him to be challenged.
Following a lap eight restart, Brandon Overton came after Shirley, building momentum on the outside of the race track, before diving to the inside of the 3S machine going into turn one, taking the lead on lap 10. As Overton was working to stretch his lead, ninth place starting, Tyler Erb was building his charge through the field.
With 10 laps to go, Erb made his presence known cracking into the top five, battling with Brandon Sheppard and Overton for the lead. With just five laps left in the event, Overton and Erb came into lapped traffic while battling side-by-side. Overton maintained the lead until lap 27 when Erb drove deep into turn three to take the lead. Overton wasn't done though, mounting his own charge on the inside of the track, while Erb drove in on the bottom and slid to the top. With the white flag in the air, Overton was there, going wheel-to-wheel with Erb. Both drivers entered turn three with a shot at the win, and as they came off of turn four they were side-by-side at the flagstand, however, the checkered flag was not waiving - in fact, no flag was waiving, as a caution was called for a slowing Sheppard who had blown a right rear tire in turn one, while the leaders were in turns three and four.
The caution set up a single-file restart and a one-lap shootout for the Tuesday night win. Erb perfected the restart, gapping Overton who didn't give up down the backstretch. Overton pulled to the inside of Erb again on the exit of turn four, but wasn't close enough, and Erb picked up the win and $5,000 for his efforts.
Tonight, the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series is back in action at East Bay Raceway Park with $7,000 on the line at the end of 40 laps. The series will look to crown it's fourth different winner in as many Winternationals' events in 2021.
Speedweeks - Results
Week 2 - Tuesday, January 26th
East Bay Raceway Park - Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
A-Main: 1. 1T Tyler Erb, 2. 76 Brandon Overton, 3. 3S Brian Shirley
B-Main: 157 Mike Marlar
B-Main: 8 Kyle Strickler
B-Main: 385 Mark Whitener
Heat 1: 81E Tanner English
Heat 2: 40B Kyle Bronson
Heat 3: 76 Brandon Overton
Heat 4: 3S Brian Shirley
Heat 5: 1S Brandon Sheppard
Heat 6: 25 Shane Clanton
Fast Qualifier: 3S Brian Shirley
Race Entries: 74
Complete Results Available at - lucasdirt.com
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Speedweeks - Racing Tonight
Week 2 - Wednesday, January 27th
East Bay Raceway Park - Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Dirt Super Late Models
🕖 Hot Laps 5:30pm
Race Highlights
Week 2 - Monday, January 25th
East Bay Raceway Park - Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series