Story By: RYAN DELPH / DENNIS ERB RACING – CARPENTERSVILLE, IL – The Dennis Erb Racing team celebrated in victory lane for the third time in 2023 on Wednesday night, May 17 at Davenport Speedway in Davenport, Iowa! Dennis Erb, Jr. laid down the sixth fastest lap in Group B during the Castrol FloRacing Night in America Series qualifying session before securing a heat race triumph.
After starting the 50-lap main event from the outside of the second row, Dennis masterfully worked the bottom groove of the 1/4-mile oval to lead thirty circuits of the contest. At the checkers, the Carpentersville, Illinois star was out front of Hudson O’Neal, Bobby Pierce, Brandon Overton, and Ricky Thornton, Jr. to collect the $23,023 winner’s check!
In a similar Castrol FloRacing Night in America Series showdown a day earlier on Tuesday, May 16 at Marshalltown Speedway in Marshalltown, Iowa, Dennis earned Fast Time honors during the qualifying session prior to picking up another heat race victory. After starting the 50-lapper from the pole position, Dennis wound up sixth in the final finishing order behind only $23,023 victor Hudson O’Neal, Bobby Pierce, Brandon Overton, Ricky Thornton, Jr., and Tim McCreadie.
The busy week wrapped up in the Keystone State, as the World of Outlaws CASE Construction Late Model Series was slated to preside over a pair of events at Marion Center Raceway in Marion Center, Pennsylvania and Port Royal Speedway in Port Royal, Pennsylvania. In the $10,000 to win ‘Connor Bobik Memorial’ on Friday at Marion Center, Dennis unfortunately went to a backup car after time trials – due to mechanical trouble – and later utilized a series provisional before salvaging a fourteenth place effort in the 40-lap feature. Saturday’s $15,000 to win shootout at Port Royal was then washed out and won by Mother Nature.
“We’re just back where we need to be right now,” stated Erb, Jr. in Davenport victory lane last Wednesday. “It has been good to have these big paying races close to home at places where we run a lot. Our car has been working really well right now. We’ve had some good runs here as of late and a few runs where we have just been off a bit. All in all, I think our car is right back in shape!”
Another hectic stretch of racing greets the #28 team from May 23-27 in the states of New York and Ohio. Up first will be a visit to Stateline Speedway in Busti, New York tonight for a $10,000 to win World of Outlaws CASE Construction Late Model Series program. The annual three-day ‘Battle at the Border’ will then take center stage at Sharon Speedway in Hartford, Ohio. A pair of $6,000 to win preliminary nights will take place on Thursday and Friday, while Saturday’s grand finale boasts a whopping $25,000 first place prize. Dennis is ninth in the latest version of the WOOLMS point standings coming into the week.