DIRTcar Summer Nationals
Florence Speedway
July 8, 2014
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Jamison Outduels Shirley in 2014 DIRTcar Summer Nationals Thriller at Florence Speedway



by Jordan Morris
UNION, Ky. (July 8) - Jason Jameson scored his first career DIRTcar Summer Nationals victory in exciting fashion, as he passed 2012 DIRTcar Summer Nationals champion Brian Shirley with less than 10 laps to go, then held him off on a late-race restart en route to scoring the $5,000 checkered flag at Florence Speedway.

Jameson, of Lawrenceburg, Ind., started the 40-lap feature event from the pole-position but failed to secure the top spot on lap one as Shirley, who started to Jameson’s outside, jumped out to an early lead.

Shirley looked to have the car to beat as he led a race-high 31 circuits, but started fading late as Jameson caught back up to the leader and slid around him to claim the lead on lap 32. Jameson quickly extended his lead and looked as if he would cruise to the victory with only eight laps remaining.

That was before a late-race caution brought a hungry Brian Shirley, who hasn’t won since Clayhill Motorsports Park on June 26, back to the leader’s back bumper on lap 38. On both of the final remaining laps Shirley dove his car under Jameson in turn two, both times capturing the lead, before handing it back over to Jameson who crossed back under him on the backstretch.

Jameson recaptured the top spot from Shirley on each of the final two laps, eventually pulling away from Shirley coming to the checkered flag as he was passed by Eric Wells for the second position. Jameson fought hard with the 2012 DIRTcar Summer Nationals champion, but eventually came away with his first career victory in the grueling six-week long tour.

“Shirley, he was driving the wheels off that thing, and I was just chasing him the whole time,” said Jameson, who also crews for two-time World of Outlaws Late Model Series champion Darrell Lanigan. “His car, seemed like the longer the race went, the tighter it got. I could rotate the center better than he could, so I figured it was a matter of time when I could run him off [turn] two and get him in three and four, and that’s kind of what happened.



A-Main
1 1 29 Jason Jameson Lawrenceburg, IN
2 3 18W Eric Wells Hazard, KY
3 2 81 Brian Shirley Chatham, IL
4 4 7R Kent Robinson Bloomington, IN
5 5 16 Justin Rattliff Campbellsville , KY
6 8 18 Shannon Babb Moweaqua, IL
7 10 91P Jason Papich Nipomo, Ca
8 19 24 Ryan Unzicker El Paso, IL
9 6 C9 Steve Casebolt Richmond, TN
10 20 1B Jeff Babcock Wayne, OH
11 21 1M Jim Moon New Florence, Mo
12 7 21 Robby Hensley Walton, KY
13 18 11R James Rice Verona, KY
14 17 81JR Jason Riggs Harrisburg, IL
15 9 157 Mike Marlar Winfield, TN
16 12 63 Jesse Lay Union, KY
17 13 19 Chad Smith Miamisburg, OH
18 16 3 Austin Dillon Welcome, NC
19 14 B5 Brandon Sheppard New Berlin, IL
20 11 18E Ethan Burgess Sharonville, OH
21 15 77K Steve Kester Holland, OH

B-Main
1 3 Austin Dillon
2 81JR Jason Riggs
3 11R James Rice
4 15 Greg Johnson
5 1M Jim Moon
6 42* Bob Mayer
7 18L Steve Landrum
8 1B Jeff Babcock
9 25R Dennis Roberson
10 78 Jeff Alsip
11 83 Scott James
12 71R Rod Conley
13 1ZR Curt Addison
14 91T Tony Toste
15 24 Ryan Unzicker
16 16N Brad Neat
17 20C Duane Chamberlain
18 75 John Gill

Heat #1
1 81 Brian Shirley
2 7R Kent Robinson
3 21 Robby Hensley
4 91P Jason Papich
5 19 Chad Smith
6 1M Jim Moon
7 11R James Rice
8 42* Bob Mayer
9 18L Steve Landrum
10 1ZR Curt Addison
11 16N Brad Neat

Heat #2
1 29 Jason Jameson
2 16 Justin Rattliff
3 18 Shannon Babb
4 18E Ethan Burgess
5 B5 Brandon Sheppard
6 81JR Jason Riggs
7 1B Jeff Babcock
8 3 Austin Dillon
9 15 Greg Johnson
10 91T Tony Toste
11 20C Duane Chamberlain

Heat #3
1 18W Eric Wells
2 C9 Steve Casebolt
3 157 Mike Marlar
4 63 Jesse Lay
5 77K Steve Kester
6 25R Dennis Roberson
7 78 Jeff Alsip
8 83 Scott James
9 71R Rod Conley
10 24 Ryan Unzicker
11 75 John Gill