DIRTcar Summer Nationals Headed to Lincoln Speedway for July 4th Race
Graue Chevrolet Showdown to Feature Top Super Late Model Stars

[July 03, 2021] 

The DIRTcar Summer Nationals are now into week #3 of this year’s “Hell Tour” and that means the top Super Late Model stars in the country are on their way to Lincoln Speedway this coming Sunday, July 4 for the Graue Chevrolet Showdown. Modifieds, 305 Sprint Cars, and fireworks are also on the Independence Day Holiday schedule.

The Super Late Model portion of the event will headline the night of action, as fans will pack the stands to see some of the best drivers in the country. The competitors will race in the “Graue Chevrolet Showdown”, a 40-lap feature event paying $5,000 to the winner.

Over the first 2+ weeks of the tour, Oakwood, IL driver, Bobby Pierce, a three-time former champion with the series, has been the one to beat. Pierce won the first two races of this year’s schedule (Brownstown and Peoria) and started Independence week off on the right foot with a win on Wednesday night at Beaver Dam. His three wins gave him a point lead over Tanner English, Brian Shirley, Ashton Winger, and Jason Feger.

Last year’s Lincoln Summer National winner, Brandon Sheppard, has joined the tour this week and is expected to battle Pierce, Shirley, Feger, Unzicker, and many others for Sunday’s top prize. Former Lincoln Speedway winners include Sheppard (4), Shirley (3), Pierce (2), Feger (1), Shannon Babb (1), Don O’Neal (1), Brady Smith (1), and Randy Korte (1).

When it comes to the Summit Modified National tour, Nick Hoffman has been unbeatable. Hoffman has started the schedule going 7-for-7 with wins at Brownstown, Peoria, Kankakee, Tri-City, Fairbury, LaSalle, and Sycamore. The Mods will be running Dirt Oval at Route 66 on Friday and Fayette County Speedway on Saturday before the Lincoln Speedway appearance Sunday. There is a chance Hoffman could enter Sunday’s race still unbeaten.

Topping the list of drivers who could keep Hoffman from victory lane at Lincoln is current track point leader and national point runner-up Ray Bollinger of Kewanee, IL. Bollinger has won four of the first seven Lincoln Speedway events. Second place Lincoln point-man, Tommy Sheppard, of New Berlin, IL is another who could step up to do it. Sheppard has also been strong on this year’s Summit National Modified tour. Rounding out the favorites is Mayfield, KY teenager, Hunt Gossum who is 2-for-2 in his Lincoln visits this year. Add in Tyler Nicely, Ken Schrader, Kenny Wallace, Brian and Austin Lynn, Allen Weisser and many others, the Modified race should be a real treat Sunday.
 

Rounding out Sunday’s action will be the 305 Winged Sprint cars. It will be the second visit for the Sprints this season. On the first visit, a wild crash took out three cars during heat #1 in turn one on the first lap. Typically, the 305 Sprint Cars put on a great show at the ¼-mile dirt oval.

The evening will be capped off by a fireworks display celebrating the Independence Day holiday.

Pit gates will open Sunday at 3:00, grandstands at 4:00, hotlaps will begin at 6:00, and racing will take the green at 7:00 PM. Grandstand admission is $30, while kids 11 and under are $5.

About Lincoln Speedway:

For more information on the track, follow Lincoln Speedway online at www.lincolnspeedwayil.com,  Updates are also available by calling the Track Enterprises office at 217-764-3200.

Lincoln Speedway is located at the Logan County Fairgrounds, in Lincoln, IL. The physical address is 1408 Short 11th St., Lincoln, IL 62656. Lincoln Speedway races a number of DIRTcar UMP classes as well as specials on a near bi-weekly schedule of Friday and Sunday evenings. The track is also home to the DIRTcar Fall Nationals.

[Adam Mackey]