Story By: JEREMY PETERS / BEST PERFORMANCE MOTORSPORTS – ST. MARYS, OH – Tyler Erb rolled to his second career Gumbo Nationals victory on Saturday night at Greenville Speedway aboard his Bulk Material Lift / Anthony’s Pizza No. 1 Best Performance Motorsports / Langenfelder Mechanical Contractors / First Class Septic / XR1 Rocket Chassis / Clements Racing Engine Super Late Model.
After pulling off a last-lap triumph in the 2016 Gumbo Nationals, Erb dominated the main event on Saturday night to capture his 17th win of the season and the $10,000 winner’s payday.
“The track was a lot different (than Friday) for sure, I just had to get the start when Mike (Palasini Jr.) restarted next to me on that initial start,” Erb said. “It was like ‘Man, I really don’t wanna follow him’ … you know, he got me on the first (restart). I didn’t have nothing to lose and got the top of (turns) one and two and was able to swing by there. Didn’t get tied up with the lapped cars and just tried to keep it out of the fence there … it was awesome, I love coming to Greenville.”
Erb and the Best Performance Motorsports team trekked to Greenville (Miss.) Speedway on Friday afternoon to compete in the Mississippi State Championship Challenge Series (MSCCS) sanctioned Gumbo Nationals.
With a preliminary event on Friday kicking off the doubleheader weekend, Erb got off to a strong start as he backed up the overall fast time honors with a heat race win. Chasing a $5,000 payday in the opener, Tyler lost one spot in the 30-lap affair to place second.
Seeking redemption on Saturday, Tyler advanced into the Gumbo Nationals finale with an uncontested win in his heat race. Starting on the front row, Erb charged past Friday’s winner Mike Palasini Jr. on the second circuit and paced the remainder of the 50-lapper to secure the $10,000 top prize.
The dominant victory marked Erb’s 17th of the season and his seventh career MSSCS triumph.
The team is preparing for a doubleheader weekend with the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series at Brownstown (IN) Speedway. Friday’s C.J. Rayburn Memorial is followed by the $50,000-to-win Jackson 100.