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Brian Shirley wins Hell Tour stop at Sycamore Speedway

After a slow start to the 2022 season, Brian Shirley and Bob Cullen Racing have been steadily gaining steam over the past month. (Mike Ruefer photo)

Their hard work and determination paid off Sunday night with a $5,000 DIRTcar Summer Nationals triumph at Sycamore Speedway in the team’s Bob Cullen Racing / Thomason Express No. 3s J&J Ventures & Gaming/ Hoker Trucking / XR1 Rocket Chassis / Durham Racing Engine Super Late Model.

“It’s no big secret that it was a challenging start to the year for our team, but there’s no quit in any of us, and the Cullen family gives me amazing support with this team,” Shirley shared. “With the direction we’ve been headed I knew the wins would come soon, and now that we have the first one out of the way, hopefully there’s many more to come. There’s a lot of racing in front of us over the next several months, and we’re definitely looking forward to it. Thanks to each-and-every marketing partner, who supports our program.”

Bob Cullen Racing and Brian Shirley invaded Kankakee County Speedway (Kankakee, Ill.) on Tuesday evening to compete against a field of 36 Late Models for the DIRTcar Summer Nationals opener.

Following the seventh-fastest lap in his time trial group, Brian gained five spots in his heat race to finish second. With $5,000 on the line in the feature, Shirley dropped two positions to register an eighth-place finish.

On Wednesday afternoon at Peoria Speedway (Peoria, Ill.), Shirley topped the 31-car field in time trials before picking up a heat race win. Rolling off on the pole for the feature, Brian faded two spots in the 40-lapper to place third. He followed Bobby Pierce and Jason Feger across the line.

In a field of 39 cars on Thursday at Davenport Speedway (Davenport, Iowa), Brian locked his spot into the $5,000-to-win A-Main with a second-place finish in his heat race. Losing two positions in the 40-lap affair, Shirley recorded a seventh-place finish.

The following night at Tri-City Speedway (Granite City, Ill.), Shirley’s fourth-to-third run in his heat race placed him 10th on the starting grid for the $10,000-to-win A-Main. Improving three spots, Brian notched a seventh-place finish.

With 42 Late Models on the grounds on Saturday at Fairbury Speedway (Fairbury, Ill.), Brian topped his time trial group before picking up a heat race triumph. Carrying a steady pace in the 50-lap feature, Shirley posted a sixth-place finish.

Stopping at Sycamore Speedway (Maple Park, Ill.) on Sunday, Shirley secured his spot into the A-Main with a heat race win. Overtaking leader Max Blair late in the 40-lapper, Brian stormed to his first win of the season, which came ahead of Blair, Jason Feger, Ryan Unzicker, and Dennis Erb Jr. He earned $5,000.

With the first week in the books, Brian is currently fifth in the DIRTcar Summer Nationals point standings.

For complete results, please visit www.DIRTcarSummerNationals.com.

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