Tyler Erb Tames Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Field At I-80-Wednesday Night
Story By: LUCAS OIL LATE MODEL DIRT SERIES – GREENWOOD, NE – Tyler Erb flexed his muscles on Wednesday Night leading all 30 laps to win the Al Belt Custom Homes I-80 Nationals at I-80 Speedway. The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series regular picked up his first series win since his two early season victories at East Bay earlier this year.
Ricky Weiss came home in second after starting in sixth. A hard-charging, wall running, Ricky Thornton Jr. came from the 13th starting spot to finish in third, earning another podium finish at I-80 Speedway. Monday night’s winner, Brandon Overton finished fourth with Stormy Scott completing the top five.
The race was slowed by three Stop-Tech Cautions as Erb held off Weiss by 1.03 seconds for the win. Stormy Scott held the second spot until Weiss got by him just before the lap 22 caution for a slowing Scott Bloomquist.
Erb had Weiss breathing down his neck before the yellow flag came out with eight laps to go, allowing Erb to pull way in the final laps for the win. “Right before they threw the caution, I saw Randall’s stick close up. I was probably going to move up the lap before the caution and it kind of made it little easier on my mind. Honestly, after last night everyone was racing for second. We worked on our car the best we could. I want to thank Brandon Overton for coming in here and whipping up on us, it makes everyone better.”
Weiss, a former Sunoco North-South 100 winner came home in second behind Erb. “We were really good on the long runs. I think he (Erb) was little bit better on the short runs. I definitely didn’t want to see that caution. I am just proud of my guys. Glad to get back up here on the podium and to be consistent again. Last night we held our heads high, and we knew we had to be better and tonight proved it. Tomorrow will be another day and hopefully we can be up here tomorrow night one spot better.”
Ricky Thornton Jr. had another impressive race at I-80 to come home in third. “That was fun. I wasn’t quite as good the middle and bottom as I wanted to be. After there was that big pile-up in three and four, we knocked the right rear off the car. I was just going to go for broke. I was going to stay around the cushion. I never felt like I was far enough ahead of Weiss that I could run my line again. To start 13th and finish third we’re definitely happy.”
The winner’s Eric and Kelly Brock Best Performance Motorsports Rocket Chassis is powered by a Clements Racing Engine and sponsored by M&W Transport, Roberts Bee Company, Posi Flow, Bazell Race Fuels, Go Lithium, Lucas Oil Products, Keyser Manufacturing, First Class Septic, and KBC Graphics.
Completing the top ten were Spencer Hughes, Chase Junghans, Jonathan Davenport, Tyler Bruening, and Jimmy Owens.
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Race Summary
Al Belt Custom Homes I-80 Nationals
Wednesday, July 21st, 2021
I-80 Speedway – Greenwood, NE
Allstar Performance Time Trials
Fast Time Group A: Jonathan Davenport / 17.242 seconds (overall)
Fast Time Group B: Jake Neal / 17.726 seconds
Penske Race Shocks Heat Race #1 Finish (8 Laps): 1. 40B-Kyle Bronson[2]; 2. 71-Hudson O’Neal[4]; 3. 49-Jonathan Davenport[6]; 4. 76-Brandon Overton[5]; 5. 24-Bill Leighton[1]; 6. 0-Scott Bloomquist[3]; 7. 3S-Brian Shirley[7]; 8. 7R-Ross Robinson[9]; 9. 7D-Dusty Leonard[8]; 10. 45-Dan Battaglia[11]; 11. 26JR-Corey Zeitner[10]
Summit Racing Equipment Heat Race #2 Finish (8 Laps): 1. 11H-Spencer Hughes[5]; 2. 20-Jimmy Owens[3]; 3. 2S-Stormy Scott[6]; 4. 16-Tyler Bruening[4]; 5. 157-Mike Marlar[7]; 6. 22H-Daniel Hilsabeck[8]; 7. 80-Allan Hopp[1]; 8. 6H-Al Humphrey[9]; 9. 14M-Reid Millard[11]; 10. 10C-Junior Coover[10]; 11. 04-Tad Pospisil[2]
Simpson Race Products Heat Race #3 Finish (8 Laps): 1. 1S-Brandon Sheppard[1]; 2. 32S-Chris Simpson[3]; 3. 22M-Charlie McKenna[2]; 4. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr[4]; 5. 1C-Chad Simpson[8]; 6. 25-Shane Clanton[5]; 7. 39-Tim McCreadie[11]; 8. 14J-Jake Neal[6]; 9. 99B-Boom Briggs[9]; 10. 99JR-Frank Heckenast Jr[10]; 11. 49T-Jake Timm[7]
Ohlins Shocks Heat Race #4 Finish (8 Laps): 1. 7W-Ricky Weiss[3]; 2. 1T-Tyler Erb[6]; 3. 66C-Matt Cosner[1]; 4. 18J-Chase Junghans[4]; 5. 14-Josh Richards[5]; 6. 98-Ben Schaller[7]; 7. 22F-Chris Ferguson[2]; 8. 1-Earl Pearson Jr[11]; 9. 3C-Mike Collins[10]; 10. 52-Brian Kosiski[8]; 11. 53-Andrew Kosiski[9]
LINE-X B-Main #1 Finish (10 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 66C-Matt Cosner[1]; 2. 1C-Chad Simpson[3]; 3. 98-Ben Schaller[4]; 4. 22H-Daniel Hilsabeck[5]; 5. 24-Bill Leighton[2]; 6. 49T-Jake Timm[10]; 7. 7D-Dusty Leonard[8]; 8. 7R-Ross Robinson[7]; 9. 99B-Boom Briggs[9]; 10. 04-Tad Pospisil[6]; 11. 14M-Reid Millard[11]; 12. 10C-Junior Coover[12]; 13. 45-Dan Battaglia[13]
UNOH B-Main #2 Finish (10 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 0-Scott Bloomquist[1]; 2. 39-Tim McCreadie[6]; 3. 157-Mike Marlar[2]; 4. 22F-Chris Ferguson[3]; 5. 1-Earl Pearson Jr[8]; 6. 3S-Brian Shirley[5]; 7. 3C-Mike Collins[10]; 8. 6H-Al Humphrey[7]; 9. 26JR-Corey Zeitner[13]; 10. 53-Andrew Kosiski[12]; 11. 52-Brian Kosiski[9]; 12. 80-Allan Hopp[4]; 13. 99JR-Frank Heckenast Jr[11]
Lucas Oil Feature Finish (30 Laps):
| Pos | Start | Car # | Competitor | Hometown | Pay |
| 1 | 2 | 1T | Tyler Erb | New Waverly, TX | $7,000 |
| 2 | 6 | 7W | Ricky Weiss | Headingley, MB | $4,000 |
| 3 | 13 | 20RT | Ricky Thornton Jr. | Adel, IA | $3,000 |
| 4 | 7 | 76 | Brandon Overton | Evans, GA | $2,000 |
| 5 | 4 | 2S | Stormy Scott | Las Cruces, NM | $1,500 |
| 6 | 1 | 11H | Spencer Hughes | Meridian, MS | $1,000 |
| 7 | 14 | 18J | Chase Junghans | Manhattan, KS | $900 |
| 8 | 3 | 49 | Jonathan Davenport | Blairsville, GA | $800 |
| 9 | 11 | 16 | Tyler Bruening | Decorah, IA | $700 |
| 10 | 8 | 20 | Jimmy Owens | Newport, TN | $600 |
| 11 | 22 | 39 | Tim McCreadie | Watertown, NY | $580 |
| 12 | 10 | 32S | Chris Simpson | Oxford, IA | $560 |
| 13 | 15 | 1S | Brandon Sheppard | New Berlin, IL | $540 |
| 14 | 21 | 1C | Chad Simpson | Mt. Vernon, IA | $520 |
| 15 | 16 | 25 | Shane Clanton | Zebulon, GA | $500 |
| 16 | 19 | 66C | Matt Cosner | Ridgeley, WV | $490 |
| 17 | 12 | 14 | Josh Richards | Shinnston, WV | $480 |
| 18 | 17 | 22M | Charlie McKenna | Ames, IA | $470 |
| 19 | 23 | 98 | Ben Schaller | Omaha, NE | $460 |
| 20 | 24 | 157 | Mike Marlar | Winfield, TN | $450 |
| 21 | 20 | 0 | Scott Bloomquist | Mooresburg, TN | $440 |
| 22 | 5 | 71 | Hudson O’Neal | Martinsville, IN | $430 |
| 23 | 9 | 40B | Kyle Bronson | Brandon, FL | $410 |
| 24 | 18 | 14J | Jake Neal | Omaha, NE | $400 |
Entrants: 44
Lap Leaders: Tyler Erb (1 – 50)
Wrisco Feature Winner: Tyler Erb
Arizona Sport Shirts CJC – Presented by DirtOnDirt Feature Winner: n/a
Brandon Ford TV Challenge Feature Winner: Tyler Erb
Margin of Victory: 1.030 seconds
Stop Tech Brakes Cautions: Kyle Bronson, Jake Neal, Josh Richards, Brandon Sheppard (Lap 5); Hudson O’Neal (Lap 9); Scott Bloomquist (Lap 22)
Series Provisionals: n/a
Fast Time Provisional: n/a
Series Emergency Provisionals: n/a
Track Provisionals: n/a
Big River Steel Podium Top 3: Tyler Erb, Ricky Weiss, Ricky Thornton Jr
Penske Shocks Top 5: Tyler Erb, Ricky Weiss, Ricky Thornton Jr, Brandon Overton, Stormy Scott
Optima Batteries Hard Charger of the Race: Tim McCreadie (Advanced 11 Positions)
Midwest Sheet Metal Spoiler Challenge Point Leader: Tim McCreadie
Hot Rod Processing Most Laps Led: Tyler Erb (50 Laps)
Sunoco Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Tyler Erb
Eibach Springs Rookie of the Race: Ricky Thornton Jr.
Dirty Girl Racewear Fastest Lap of the Race: Tyler Erb (Lap 1 – 18.677 seconds)
Fast Shafts Tough Break of the Race: Hudson O’Neal
Outerwears Crew Chief of the Race: Randall Edwards (Tyler Erb)
ARP Engine Builder of the Race: Clements Racing Engine
Miller Welders Chassis Builder of the Race: Rocket Chassis
Dirt Draft Fastest in Hot Laps: Chase Junghans (17.464 seconds)
Time of Race: 27 minutes 24 seconds
Al Belt Custom Homes I-80 Nationals A-Main Lineup (53 laps):
| Row | Car # | Inside | Car # | Outside |
| 1 | 1T | Tyler Erb – New Waverly, TX | 7W | Ricky Weiss – Headingley, MB |
| 2 | 76 | Brandon Overton – Evans, GA | 25 | Shane Clanton – Zebulon, GA |
| 3 | 11H | Spencer Hughes – Meridian, MS | 71 | Hudson O’Neal – Martinsville, IN |
| 4 | 20RT | Ricky Thornton Jr. – Adel, IA | 2S | Stormy Scott – Las Cruces, NM |
| 5 | 99JR | Frank Heckenast Jr – Frankfort, IL | 49 | Jonathan Davenport – Blairsville, GA |
| 6 | 18J | Chase Junghans – Manhattan, KS | 20 | Jimmy Owens – Newport, TN |
| 7 | 40B | Kyle Bronson – Brandon, FL | 39 | Tim McCreadie – Watertown, NY |
| 8 | 1S | Brandon Sheppard – New Berlin, IL | 32S | Chris Simpson – Oxford, IA |
| 9 | 16 | Tyler Bruening – Decorah, IA | 157 | Mike Marlar – Winfield, TN |
| 10 | B-Main #1 Winner | B-Main #2 Winner | ||
| 11 | B-Main #1 2nd Place | B-Main #2 2nd Place | ||
| 12 | B-Main #1 3rd Place | B-Main #2 3rd Place | ||
| 13 | B-Main #1 4th Place | B-Main #2 4th Place | ||
| 14 | LOLMDS Provisional #1 | LOLMDS Provisional #2 | ||
| 15 | Non-Qualifier Race Winner (choice) |
LINE-X B-Main 1 Lineup (12 laps, Top 4 Transfer):
| Row | Car # | Inside | Car # | Outside |
| 1 | 66C | Matt Cosner – Ridgeley, WV | 14 | Josh Richards – Shinnston, WV |
| 2 | 24 | Bill Leighton – Lavista, NE | 4 | Tad Pospisil – Norfolk, NE |
| 3 | 98 | Ben Schaller – Omaha, NE | 22F | Chris Ferguson – Mt. Holly, NC |
| 4 | 22H | Daniel Hilsabeck – Earlham, IA | 26JR | Corey Zeitner – Omaha, NE |
| 5 | 7D | Dusty Leonard – Marysville, KS | 7R | Ross Robinson – Georgetown, DE |
| 6 | 99B | Boom Briggs – Bear Lake, PA | 53 | Andrew Kosiski – Lavista, NE |
| 7 | 80 | Allan Hopp – Harlan, IA |
UNOH B-Main 2 Lineup (12 laps, Top 4 Transfer):
| Row | Car # | Inside | Car # | Outside |
| 1 | 3S | Brian Shirley – Chatham, IL | 1C | Chad Simpson – Mt. Vernon, IA |
| 2 | 22M | Charlie McKenna – Ames, IA | 0 | Scott Bloomquist – Mooresburg, TN |
| 3 | 14J | Jake Neal – Omaha, NE | 49T | Jake Timm – Winona, MN |
| 4 | 1 | Earl Pearson Jr – Jacksonville, FL | 3C | Mike Collins – New Orleans, LA |
| 5 | 6H | Al Humphrey – Giltner, NE | 10C | Junior Coover – Norfolk, NE |
| 6 | 52 | Brian Kosiski – Papillion, NE | 14M | Reid Millard – Jefferson City, MO |
| 7 | 45 | Dan Battaglia – Gretna, NE |
