6/15/2025
Brian Shirley
Brian Shirley pockets $10,000 in Hell Tour triumph at Fairbury Speedway
Bob Cullen Racing Prepares for Busy Week Ahead
CHILTON, Wis. (06/16/25) – Brian Shirley took a page out of Jason Feger’s playbook Saturday night, using a high-side charge to score a $10,000 DIRTcar Summer Nationals victory—overtaking the “Highside Hustler” himself in the closing laps.
The four-time Hell Tour champion powered past Feger on lap 38 and led the remainder of the 50-lap feature at Fairbury Speedway to secure his second win of the season and the 43rd Summer Nationals triumph of his career. He wheeled the Bob Cullen Racing / Thomason Express No. 3s J&J Ventures & Gaming / Longhorn Chassis Super Late Model to the checkers.
“Feger was just really good on that hub again, and then I just didn’t realize I needed to slow down and just try and get by them (slower) guys (to lap them),” Shirley said. “Like he just had a little better patience being behind me and not seeing, you know, where everybody was. But once we went down there, I felt like we wasn’t as good as him on the bottom, but boy, when we got on top, the old right foot went.”
The 2025 DIRTcar Summer Nationals campaign kicked off Tuesday at Brownstown Bullring, where 44 competitors converged on the quarter-mile oval. Shirley missed the $5,000-to-win opener but bounced back with a podium finish Wednesday night at Kankakee County Speedway, finishing third behind Jason Feger and Dillon McCowan in the 30-lap main event.
On Thursday at Peoria Speedway, Shirley appeared poised for victory, leading the first 21 circuits of the feature. However, a flat left-rear tire derailed his efforts, forcing him to retire early and ultimately settle for 20th.
With Friday’s event at Tri-City Speedway rained out, Shirley turned his attention to Saturday’s $10,000-to-win showdown at Fairbury Speedway. After a heat race win and a thrilling lead-swapping battle with Feger in the main event, Shirley surged to the front on lap 38 and never looked back, collecting his second win of the season and 43rd career Hell Tour triumph.
In Sunday’s Week One finale at Sycamore Speedway, Shirley rolled off from the front row and again found himself in a fierce battle with Feger. This time, he settled for a runner-up finish, with Dennis Erb Jr. rounding out the podium. Shirley closed out the opening week fifth in the standings.
Full results from the first week can be viewed at www.DIRTcarSummerNationals.com.
Shirley is set for another action-packed week on the DIRTcar Summer Nationals trail, with his primary focus shifting to the World of Outlaws Real American Beer Late Model Series doubleheader in Missouri over the weekend. The team’s tentative schedule is outlined below and remains subject to change based on how the week progresses.
June 16: Wilmot Raceway – DIRTcar Summer Nationals
June 17: Davenport Speedway – DIRTcar Summer Nationals
June 18: Quincy Raceway – DIRTcar Summer Nationals
June 19: Lee County Speedway – DIRTcar Summer Nationals
June 20-21: Federated Raceway at I-55 – World of Outlaws
June 22: Lincoln Speedway – DIRTcar Summer Nationals
Full event details can be found at www.DIRTcarSummerNationals.com and www.WorldofOutlaws.com.
Brian Shirley and Bob Cullen Racing would like to thank all of their marketing partners which include: Bob Cullen Racing, Thomason Express LLC, Hoker Trucking LLC, J&J Ventures and Gaming, KBC Graphix, Allgaier Performance, Hoosier Tire Midwest, Inc., Durham Racing Engines, Inc., Ted Brown's Quality Paint and Body Shop, Midwest Sheet Metal Company, Bass Livestock, Longhorn Chassis, VP Racing Fuels, Race Ranch, CHEAP Cars, VG Performance, Swift Springs, ProFabrication, Inc., Bell Helmets, AfterBurner Performance, and MyRacePass Marketing Services.
Article Credit: Tyler Carr Photo
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