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Pair of Top-5's to Start Summer Nationals Tour

Brian Shirley kicked off the 2020 edition of the DIRTcar Summer Nationals tour on Wednesday night. (Todd Healy Photo) Shirley was one of 22 Super Late Models that converged at Brownstown (Ind.) Speedway for the tour's opener. After qualifying third in his group, Brian locked into the $5,000-to-win A-Main via a second-place finish in his heat race. Starting fifth in 40-lapper, mechanical issues on his No. 3s forced Shirley to retire from the race on lap 22.

Shifting to Peoria (Ill.) Speedway on Thursday, Brian qualified second in his group and charged to a heat race win to earn the pole position for the A-Main. Unfortunately, thunderstorms moved in before the start of the $5,000-to-win feature, forcing officials to postpone the remainder of the event to July 21.

Tri-City Speedway in Granite City, Ill. was the destination on Friday night. To start the night, Brian set the overall fast time among the 34 entrants in qualifying before racing to a third-place finish in his heat race. Earning the ninth starting spot for the $10,000-to-win feature, Shirley advanced four spots in the 40-lapper to register a fifth-place finish behind Bobby Pierce, Ryan Unzicker, Rick Eckert, and Chris Simpson.

On Saturday, the Bob Cullen Racing team traveled to Fairbury (Ill.) Speedway for Round No. 4 of the DIRTcar Summer Nationals. With 37 entries on hand, Shirley once again set the overall fast time and charged to a convincing heat race win. Drawing the second spot on the grid for the $10,000-to-win A-Main, Shirley went on to finish fourth behind Gordy Gundaker, Rick Eckert, and Shannon Babb. Ryan Unzicker rounded out the Top-5 finishers.

Sunday's event at The Bullring at RICo Fairgrounds in East Moline, Ill. was nixed by rain.

For full results from these events, please visit www.DIRTcarSummerNationals.com.

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