Simpson turns back Pierce for Summer Nationals victory

FAIRBURY — Chris Simpson got the fast jump on a restart with nine laps to go and outran the field to capture the DIRTcar Summer Nationals stop at Fairbury Speedway Saturday.

The Oxford, Iowa, pilot scored the $10,000 payday with his second win in the first five events of the annual late model series. This race was sponsored by Rhino Ag.

Nick Hoffman from Mooresville, N.C., continued his domination by winning the Summit Modified National race and Pontiac’s Tanner Sullivan came out ahead in the stock car feature.

Payton Freeman of Commerce, Ga., ripped off a blistering lap time of 12.702 seconds to take honors as 49 drivers took part. Simpson was one of six drivers to claim heat races, joining rookie late model driver Nick Allen, Brian Shirley, last week’s feature winner Tanner English, Max Blair and Mike Mataragas. Trevor Gundaker and Shannon Babb were the two consolation race winners and Jason Feger took the Last Chance Showdown.

In the main event, Allen got the jump on Simpson at the start of the 50-lap race. English, Blair and Shirley also trailed but were in the hunt. Allen was able to hold a half of a straight away lead over the competition as English took over second.

Bobby Pierce, who started in the 22nd position, charged through the field and was in fifth as the field slowed because of a yellow flag on the 23rd lap.

On the restart, Simpson and English went three wide with Allen on the front stretch that saw Simpson emerge as the race leader with English and Dennis Erb Jr. following. Simpson led for three laps, before Erb took over to lead laps 28 and 29.

Simpson and Erb raced side by side for the lead while Pierce and English went toe to toe for third. Simpson, Erb, Pierce and English began to distance themselves from fifth-place running Shirley.

English’s night came to an end on the 41st circuit as he made contact with the backstretch wall. The restart had Simpson getting the lead on Pierce, Erb, Ryan Unzicker and Blair. Simpson held a five-car length advantage over Pierce during the waning laps and took his second Summer National win of the week.

“I knew Pierce would charge to the front,” Simpson said. “They said at Davenport (Ia.) that I didn’t earn that win. Tonight I earned this one.”

Pierce had to settle for second with Erb in third and Unzicker following in fourth. The remainder of the top 10 saw Blair, Shirley, Ryan Gustin, McKay Wenger, Derek Chandler and Kevin Weaver cross the line.

Forrest driver Austin Friedman was the fast qualifier for the 25-lap Summit Modified National race. Kyle Steffens, point leader Nick Hoffman and Michael Long were the winners in the heat events.

Hoffman took the lead on the green flag as Long, Steffens, Michael Ledford and Chad Bauer followed. Hoffman would open a lead but the caution flag came out to effectively erase his advantage.

Following a yellow on the 11th lap, Long looked to the inside of Hoffman for the lead, but the defending Summit champion closed the door and pulled away.

Fairbury’s Ethan Weber experienced mechanical problems in time trials and his heat race that had him start last in the 22 car field. But in the feature, Weber had the fans cheering wildly by running the bottom of the track. He moved into the top five with 10 laps to go, and event though Weber came closest, there was no catching Hoffman, who went on to remain unbeaten on the tour as he snared the $2,000 prize.

“The car was pretty good,” Hoffman said. “The track began to rubber up toward the end of the late model race. I started playing the lane where the rubber was at until it started to rinse off. Once it did, I was able to charge pretty hard.”

Debuting a new car and engine, Weber had a career-best second-place finish. Steffens finished in third, with Ledford in fourth and Trevor Neville, who picked up the win the previous night at Farmer City, finished fifth. Friedman, Bauer, Bob Pohlman Jr., Alan Stipp and Eric Vaughan completed the top 10.

The night ended with a 15-lap, $500-to-win stock car feature. Zane Reitz took quick-time honors with trip of 15.693 seconds. Reitz and Ian Keller won their heat races.

Keller put his car in the lead for the first four laps before Tanner Sullivan took over and began to distance himself from the field. Sullivan went on to snap a long drought and take the win.

“I have been struggling lately,” Sullivan said. “I like it when the track has a nice cushion and dry slick track.”

Reitz held off Braiden Keller for second. Ian Keller was fourth with Devin Hoskins, Don Hilleary, Brice Slavens, Brandon Tracy, Eric Legner and Jeff Czemske completed the top 10.

This article originally appeared on Pontiac Daily Leader: Simpson turns back Pierce for Summer Nationals victory