Brian Shirley Gets Emotional Victory at Highland

Brian Shirley competing at Highland Speedway in Highland, Illinois. (Photo: Emily Schwanke | World Racing Group)

HIGHLAND, Ill. — After a short break due to their sister series competing at Knoxville, the World of Outlaws Late Models went to Highland Speedway on Wednesday night to take part in the Beat The Heat 40.

Brian Shirley and Tyler Bruening led the 25-car field to the green flag to kick off the main event. Upon the initial start, Shirley jumped out to an early lead, but Bruening was right on his tail to kick off the biggest race in Highland Speedway’s history with a bang.

After a consistent battle around the track, Bruening finally took over the lead on Lap 2. For four more laps he held it, until Shirley got to his inside coming down the backstretch to enter into yet another side-by-side battle.

As they raced out of Turn 4 down the front chute, Shirley’s nose was just a pinch ahead of Bruening, but Bruening was able to hold him off going into the next corner to stay ahead of the “Squirrel.”

Lap 11 saw Cade Dillard, Dennis Erb Jr., Bobby Pierce and Kyle Bronson all going for fifth place. Dillard held the spot, but was feeling immense pressure from his three other competitors who all wanted to crack the top five.

Clayton Stuckey slowed in Turn 4, drawing a caution. On the restart, Dillard moved up to fourth, but Pierce was right in his tire tracks. Try as he might though, the “Smooth Operator” could not get around “The Killer.”

During this time, Shirley was edging closer and closer to Bruening for the lead. Almost halfway through the race, the two of them were gaining on lapped traffic and would have had to navigate it for the first time that night. However, right as that was about to happen, a caution came out.

The ensuing restart proved to be the best thing that could have happened to Shirley. Going into Turn 1, Shirley went low and Bruening went up high, but he went up too high. Shirley took over the lead as Bruening fought to get to the outside of Shirley to continue the fight.

Tyler Bruening leading his Heat Race in front of the largest crowd in Highland Speedway history. (Photo: Emily Schwanke | World Racing Group)

On Lap 24, Pierce and Dillard had made their way up to the front by taking the high side. Dillard was working the top like a boss and was in hot pursuit of Bruening when they made contact coming out of Turn 2. This caused Dillard to slow down and Pierce to get right up beside him to race for third.

With five laps to go, the race for second got heated. Shirley was clear in the lead, although he was being gained on, but it was Bruening in second who was having the trouble. With lapped traffic now a major factor in the race, Bruening was having to navigate through it with the “Smooth Operator” right there beside him. Pierce was not going to make it easy.

The two of them raced side-by-side everywhere for one lap, until Bruening got stuck behind a lapped car going into Turn 1. Pierce, however, was able to get around the car for second. Shirley managed to hold off Pierce for three more laps to win the race.

“I definitely feel like we’re getting better,” said Shirley about the race. “I’m just not 100% where I need to be in the main race because Bobby [Pierce] and [Ricky] Thornton and them know where to be more than I do, but we’re getting better. Racing’s definitely awesome, but family’s the most important thing. This [win] is for my wife. She just went into treatment on Monday and had two weeks’ worth, so I want to thank her for letting me come here and this race is for her.”