Story By: JEREMY PETERS / BOB CULLEN RACING – CHILTON, WI – Brian Shirley added his seventh win of the season over the weekend with a flag-to-flag triumph in Saturday’s Texas Torpedo 50 at Rocket Raceway Park aboard his Bob Cullen Racing / Thomason Express No. 3s J&J Ventures & Gaming/ Hoker Trucking / Longhorn Chassis / Durham Racing Engine Super Late Model.
The $15,000 victory marked Shirley’s fifth World of Outlaws (WoO) Case Late Model Series win of the season and the 12th of his career.
“It was huge being able to pick your line,” Shirley said. “I could tell, I was reading the numbers up here on the restarts, and it was in my mind. I was playing to see if anybody would get a good restart on the top. Everybody I noticed on the restarts, the bottom line always went well. All in all, it was huge to (draw the pole) and make up for last night. I was so embarrassed for my car owner … I let them down on a respectable finish.”
Shirley’s doubleheader WoO weekend kicked off on Friday night with a visit to Boothill Speedway (Greenwood, La.) for the inaugural Bayou Classic.
Aboard his Bob Cullen Racing No. 3s Late Model, Shirley topped his 21-car group in time trials before picking up a heat race win over Ethan Dotson. Lined up second for the $15,000-to-win A-Main via the redraw, Brian set the pace early in the 50-lapper but couldn’t keep his momentum as the race continued. The Chatham, Illinois driver settled with a 10th-place finish at the checkers.
For the World of Outlaws debut at Rocket Raceway Park (Petty, Texas) on Saturday, Brian raced into the Texas Torpedo 50 main event with a convincing heat win. Receiving the pole, Shirley led flag-to-flag in the 50-lap affair to claim his seventh victory of the season and the $15,000 top prize.
“Truthfully, finding the middle line was the biggest thing,” Shirley added. “They were running the preferred bottom line. I knew if I was going to put some distance between me and Cade, I had to try it, and it all worked out. At the end of the day, winning races is the most important thing. Right now, after the hole we dug in when we left (Volusia), winning these races makes these long hauls and tough nights makes up for it.”
Shirley is currently seventh in the latest WoO point standings.
Shirley is set to return to his home-state of Illinois this weekend for the FALS Frenzy at Fairbury Speedway. The MARS Late Model Championship doubleheader kicks off with a $5,000-to-win preliminary on Friday followed by Saturday’s finale which pays $12,000 to the victor.