1/30/2023
Brian Shirley
Eighth in Super Bowl of Racing opener at Golden Isles
Bob Cullen Racing and Brian Shirley rolled into Golden Isles Speedway (Brunswick, Ga.) on Thursday afternoon as the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series (LOLMDS) kicked off the 2023 season with the Super Bowl of Racing.
Drawing a stout field of 50 cars for the three-day event, Shirley followed up the second-fastest lap in his 25-car time trial group with an eight-lap heat race victory. With $10,000 on the line in the feature, Shirley dropped four spots in the 40-lapper to register an eighth-place finish.
For another $10,000-to-win A-Main on Friday, Brian rebounded after mechanical issues in qualifying with an eighth-to-third run in his heat. Retiring on lap 24 of the 40-lap feature, Shirley was credited with a 25th-place outing.
On Saturday, Shirley secured his spot into the $25,000-to-win Super Bowl of Racing finale with a runner-up performance in his heat race. Despite an early tangle on the second botched start, Brian raced to a 12th-place finish in the 60-lap affair.
In a field of 39 LOLMDS entries on Sunday afternoon at Bubba Raceway Park (Ocala, Fla.) for the BRP Winter Nationals, Brian missed a transfer spot by one car in his heat with a fifth-place finish, relegating him into a consolation event. Taking the top-three, Shirley cut down a right-rear tire while leading the 10-lapper that brought a disappointing end to his night.
The five-day stint with the LOLMDS concluded on Monday with Shirley qualifying for the $10,000-to-win A-Main via the fourth-and-final transfer spot in his heat. Starting in 15th, Brian clawed forward four positions to place 11th.
Full results from the weekend are available at www.LucasDirt.com.
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