Fairbury, IL (Saturday, August 31, 2019) – On Saturday, August 31st, the American Ethanol Late Model Tour rolled into Fairbury Speedway for their first ever appearance, and their final stop in Illinois in 2019. Nearly 40 drivers joined the roughly 60 DIRTcar UMP Modifieds on hand for the Casey’s General Store Modified Nationals. For the AELMT, Frank Heckenast, Jr battled drivers, and the weather, to bank his first career Tour win.
Over the course of 40 laps, drivers jockeyed for position, hoping to be the one to take home the $5,000 prize at the end of the main event. Heckenast lead the field to green alongside local favorite, Brian Shirley. For the first ten laps, Heckenast and Shirley were the show of the field, running side-by-side flawlessly as they reeled in back markers. While the field was slicing and dicing, and some minor errors were made, the race felt like it could go all the way, caution free – until Mother Nature, again, showed herself.
With rain falling on the Speedway, Touring officials elected to slow the field down with the first caution flag of the evening. After just over a 10 minute interruption, during which all drivers stayed on the surface to help keep it in raceable condition, the field was restacked, and ready to do battle for 28 more laps. Just one lap later, the field was slowed again, when fifth place running Tim Manville suffered mechanical failures, and spun in the middle of the field, in turn two – somehow, everyone avoided him.
On the next restart, Heckenast again jumped out to the lead, but something was clearly off with the Chatham, Illinois driver’s 3s machine. Shirley struggled to hold his position in the top five, when suddenly he went off the pace exiting the fourth turn with just 20 laps to go. The caution flew as he continued around the Speedway at a slow pace, with what turned out to be a flat right rear tire. The issue would eventually end his night.
On what would be the final restart of the night, Heckenast held of a charge from Jimmy Mars and Jason Feger. Mars and Feger would wage war on each other for the runner up position until Feger’s car fell off slightly. Suddenly a four car battle for the top five was on, and it was soon Bobby Pierce who used the extreme outside of the Speedway to find himself another top five finish. Heckenast would hold on for the win ahead of Mars, Feger, Pierce, and Donny Walden rounded out the top five.
The next event for the AELMT is Saturday, September 14th from Hartford Speedway, the only track where Brandon Thirlby has a win with the Tour in 2019. For more on the Tour, log onto aelmt.com, or find them on social media, including Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Unofficial Results:
POET 40
99Jr. Frank Heckenast Jr
28M Jimmy Mars
25F Jason Feger
32 Bobby Pierce
1W Donny Walden
25W Allen Weisser
M14 Brandon Thirlby
21B Rich Bell
77M Jay Morris
2 Travis Stemler
42 Mkay Wenger
89 Mike Spatola
21A Logan Arntz
15V Kolby Vandenbergh
13 David Jaeger
3s Brian Shirley
33 Tim Manville
10A Scott Schmitt
21M Billy Moyer
1M Mike Mataragas
B12 Kevin Weaver
Allstar Performance Heat Race 1
2 Travis Stemler
28M Jimmy Mars
33 Tim Manville
21B Rich Bell
1M Mike Mataragas
15 Dave Baker
30 Mike Glasscock
76 Titus Sneed
20 Dustin Vandermeir
44 Mike McGuire
American Ethanol Heat Race 2
3s Brian Shirley
B12 Kevin Weaver
10A Scott Schmitt
13 David Jeager
77M Jay Morris
12 Ashton Winger
12C Jeff Curl
6M Dona Marcoullier
11 Rachel Carpenter
19X Cody Bauer
CHS Heat Race 3
89 Mike Spatola
25F Jason Feger
M14 Brandon Thirlby
32 Bobby Pierce
10S Taylor Scheffler
7 Jay Sparks
15V Kolby Vandenbergh
28 Ron Donaldson
9 Lyle Zanker
One Ethanol Heat Race 4
99JR Frank Heckenast Jr.
1W Donny Walden
21 Billy Moyer
42 Mkay Wegner
25W Allen Weisser
21A Logan Arntz
6K Michael Kloos
10 Brett Miller
DUPONT Last Chance Qualifier 1
1M Mike Mataragas
15V Kolby Vandenbergh
28 Ron Donaldson
10s Taylor Scheffler
9 Lyle Zanker
76 Titus Sneed
7 Jay Sparks
15 Dave Baker
20 Dustin Vandermeir
30 Mike Glasscock
Lane Automotive Last Chance Qualifier 2
25W Allen Weisser
77M Jay Morris
12 Ashton Winger
6K Michael Kloos
6M Dona Marcoullier
12C Jeff Curl
10 Brett Miller
11 Rachel Carpenter
19X Cody Bauer
21A Logan Arntz
Motul Motor Oil and Lubricants Fast Qualifier: 3s Brian Shirley