BRL Dirt Shootout Recap

16 September 2022
Bootleg Racing League | 2nd Annual Dirt Shootout
Dirt Street Stock Series | I-55 Speedway
Sim Racing Software: iRacing

Thomas Vickers with Richard Murtaugh Racing took the checkered flag tonight in the 2nd Annual Bootleg Racing League Dirt Shootout presented by Senneker Steel Erectors Inc. at the I-55 Speedway ahead of Brandyn Proudfoot and William Hargreaves. Vickers commented on the pressure of having Proudfoot chasing him down throughout the 40-lap feature event, “You just gotta stay focused on what’s ahead not really worry about what’s behind you or you’ll start missing marks and stuff like that.”

Thomas Vickers threw down the fastest lap of the night at 11.912 in qualifying before leading the first heat race to the green flag and was able to maintain the lead all the way to take the win over Stephen Spies. John Heyn held off J R Shepherd to take the checkered flag in the 2nd heat and Brandyn Proudfoot pulled away to take the final heat win of the night. Justin Morton and William Hargreaves won their respective consolation races leading into the 40-lap feature event at the I-55 Speedway.

Vickers took the green to the inside of Heyn and was able to quickly clear into the lead off the jump. The opening laps were rough for several drivers having their night ended early to include Jeffrey Hardin and Jason Menda after being caught out from various incidents around the track. After the first 10 laps, Vickers still had control of the field, but Proudfoot had moved up into 2nd and was closing in on the leader. Shepherd and Heyn were running side by side battling over 3rd place with Heyn ultimately holding the position. Hargreaves was up to 5th and pressuring Shepherd for 4th as the drivers crossed the halfway point of the night.

Hargreaves dove low with Billy Northcutt directly behind him forcing Shepherd back to 6th in the end. Proudfoot continued to chase Vickers around the track as the leaders pulled away from the rest of the field building over a 3 second gap ahead of Heyn in 3rd. Morton and Spies caught the rear of Shepherd and started challenging Shepherd for 7th place as Jason Dill overtook into 6th. Kenny Kibbey climbed back into the top 10 after being caught in two separate incidents early in the run. Morton and Spies came together with 8 laps remaining bringing out the caution and reducing the gap to the leaders back to zero for a single file restart.

Vickers had a great jump as the green came out with Proudfoot struggling to match his pace. Hargreaves had gotten around Heyn for 3rd but wasn’t able to keep up with the leaders who again started to pull away. Proudfoot threw everything he had at the track, but it proved to be not enough in the end as Thomas Vickers took the checkered flag tonight with Brandyn Proudfoot, William Hargreaves, John Heyn, and J R Shepherd rounding out the top 5 finishers tonight in the 2nd Annual Senneker Steel Shoot at the I-55 Speedway.