HIGHLAND, Ill. — Defending DIRTcar Summit Racing Equipment Modified Nationals Champion Mike Harrison put away another field of 26 other cars on Saturday night at the Highland Speedway to earn his third tour victory of the year.
Put simply, Harrison dominated. Leading all 25 laps, he put the distractions of the fireworks behind him and dazzled his hometown crowd for the win over Chad Sellers and Robbie Eilers.
As for the rest of Harrison’s competition, the podium may have included the likes of Tyler Nicely and Tyler Deibert if it weren’t for a bit of controversy on lap 16…
Heading into turn three after a restart, Nicely and Deibert were battling for the second spot when they made contact that sent Nicely spinning around in front of the field, collecting Jacob Steinkoenig and bringing out the caution.
On the ensuing pace lap, Nicely waited for Deibert to pass him on the frontstretch, and cut Deibert off into the wall.
Sellers got around Deibert on the next restart and maintained the runner-up spot to the checkered flag, but a big spotlight shone on the man who completed the podium when all was said and done – Robbie Eilers, who came all the way from the 17th starting spot.
Eilers finished sixth in his heat race, which set him up for a second-place result in the Last Chance Showdown. When the green flag dropped in the Feature, Eilers was patient, gaining just five spots of position through the first 15 laps. But by lap 21, he was staring at only three cars in front of him – one of which he was able to get around before 25 laps were complete.
The finish:
Feature (25 Laps)Â – 1. 24H-Mike Harrison [2]; 2. E55-Chad Sellers [4]; 3. 3E-Robbie Eilers [17]; 4. 84-Tyler Deibert [3]; 5. 148-Gabe Menser [13]; 6. MB4-Marty Lindeman [6]; 7. 36-Kenny Wallace [9]; 8. 99-Hunt Gossum [11]; 9. 15-Chris Smith [12]; 10. 5T-TJ Frazier [18]; 11. 59R-Jacob Rexing [20]; 12. 88-Rob Lee [15]; 13. 54-Shaun Hortsmann [16]; 14. 12T-David Thornton [21]; 15. J1-Roger Jackson [19]; 16. 87Z-Zeb Moake [7]; 17. 25-Jacob Steinkoenig [5]; 18. 3-Ryan Eilers [8]; 19. 7T-Blake Thompson [14]; 20. 77-Ray Bollinger [10]; 21. 22P-Wil Prater [22]; 22. 25N-Tyler Nicely [1]; Hard Charger: 3E-Robbie Eilers[+14]