Devin Moran on his way to a Summer Nationals victory at Illinois’ Kankakee County Speedway Thursday night. (Stan Kalwasinski Photo)
Devin Moran on his way to a Summer Nationals victory at Illinois’ Kankakee County Speedway Thursday night. (Stan Kalwasinski Photo)
Other Dirt Series

Devin Moran Goes The Distance At Kankakee

June 18, 2021

KANKAKEE, Ill. — Devin Moran jumped into the lead at the start and never looked back as the Dresden, Ohio, racer captured the $5,000-to-win, 40-lap DIRTcar Summer Nationals main event at the Kankakee County Speedway Thursday night.

Moran wheeled his Tye Twarog Racing-owned No. 9 late model to the win, ending Bobby Pierce’s early two-race winning streak during the opening rounds of the 36-race Hell Tour.

The 26-year-old Moran, son of Hall of Fame dirt track racer Donnie Moran, battled with Tanner English and Brian Shirley during the opening lap at the third-mile dirt oval, securing the top spot as the trio completed lap one.  Moran quickly came up on slower traffic within the first seven laps or so with English pressing Moran for the top spot with about 10 laps complete. 

Two caution flags slowed the action with a charging Ryan Unzicker keeping the pressure on Moran during the last 10 laps.  Moran took the checkered flag with a .551-second margin in front of Unzicker and Shirley.  Shirley was disqualified for failing to weigh in after the race.  Rounding out the top six finishers were Pierce, English, Frank Heckenast Jr. and Mike Spatola.   

“Luckily, the track (surface) began rubbering and I kept moving down a little bit,” said Moran after the race.  “I probably should have moved all the way to the bottom (groove) but I felt I was carrying a little bit more speed being up a little.”

The race’s first yellow flag came with 27 laps complete with Mike Provenzano getting into the wall in turn four.  Just prior to the yellow, Moran and English got together with Shirley shooting into the lead with the lead exchange wiped out by the caution flag. 

The victory was only Moran’s second career Summer Nationals win with the first coming at Terre Haute, Ind., in June of 2018.  Moran was the event’s fastest qualifier with a lap of 14.238 seconds as he paced a field of 31 entries, 23 of which answered the bell for the 40-lap feature. 

The finish:

Devin Moran, Ryan Unzicker, Bobby Pierce, Tanner English, Frank Heckenast Jr., Mike Spatola, Kevin Weaver, Billy Moyer Jr., Ashton Winger, Jason Feger, Cody Bauer, Jeffrey Ledford, Joe Godsey, Bob Gardner, Tim Lance, Torin Mettille, Glen Thompson, Mike Provenzano, Allen Murray, Rusty Griffaw, Taylor Scheffler, Paul Parker, Brian Shirley.Â