Frank Heckenast, Jr. and Dennis Erb, Jr. both recorded World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Model Series victories over the weekend at Minnesota’s Jackson Motorplex.
Heckenast, Jr. took the win on Friday night, while Erb, Jr. drove to the victory on Saturday night at the 4/10th mile dirt track.
On Friday night, Heckenast Jr. got a birthday present he’ll never forget, as the Illinois driver claimed his second career series win after the center of Cade Dillard’s right rear wheel broke with 13 laps to go.
The victory was also Heckenast’s first trip to Victory Lane with the Series since 2015.
He expressed relief in Victory Lane, afraid bad luck would bite him before the race was over.
“I feel like when everything’s going right, something’s bound to happen,” Heckenast said. “I was just out there the last couple of laps just hoping nothing happened. You don’t get these all the time so we’re definitely going to enjoy this for sure.”
Before Dillard’s misfortune, Heckenast was locked in a battle with Brandon Sheppard for second place. That battle taught him what he was doing wrong and how to fix it, setting him up for the $10,000 prize.
“I was getting passed by (Sheppard) running the line I thought we should’ve been in, but then I totally changed up my driving style,” Heckenast said. “I changed the way I entered and came off the corner and changed my throttle position and the car just started taking off.”
Brandon Sheppard finished in second, with Ryan Gustin in third, Chris Madden in fourth and Brent Larson in fifth.
On Saturday night, Dennis Erb, Jr. scored his second series feature win of the season.
The Carpentersville, Illinois driver climbed to the roof of his car, throwing two fist pumps into the sky to celebrate his triumph.
But those joyful emotions quickly turned to tears in Victory Lane, as Erb was racing with a heavy heart.
“I lost my uncle a week ago there, and I lost my dog here this week that’s been going up and down the road going to all of these races with us,” Erb said. “It’s definitely a good win for us tonight.”
Erb dominated the first 40-laps of the race, but several late-race cautions kept the field close together.
Erb held off challenges from Frank Heckenast, Jr. and Brandon Sheppard on a restart with three laps to go. Sheppard tried to take the lead away but couldn’t hold on as Erb dove to the bottom to wrestle the position away for good.
“I went into the corner on that last restart and hit a hole and it turned me a little bit,” Erb said. “I slid up the track but knew I had to keep my speed up because they were going to be up top too and it all worked out for us.”
Erb’s victory is his eighth World of Outlaws win, tying Mike Marlar and Jimmy Mars for 18th all-time.
Heckenast, Jr., Sheppard, Chris Madden, and Cade Dillard rounded out the top five.
Up next, the World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Model Series is slated to return to Wisconsin for its first mid-week race of the season Tuesday, July 13 at Gondik Law Speedway in Superior, Wisconsin. For more information, visit WorldofOutlaws.com.
World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Model Series
Jackson Motorplex – Jackson, MN
Race Results – July 9, 2021
1. 99JR-Frank Heckenast
2. 1-Brandon Sheppard
3. 19R-Ryan Gustin
4. 44-Chris Madden
5. B1-Brent Larson
6. 28-Dennis Erb
7. 99B-Boom Briggs
8. 77-Jordan Yaggy
9. 25-Chad Simpson
10. 10-Paul Parker
11. 7-Ricky Weiss
12. 97-Cade Dillard
13. 22-Daniel Hilsabeck
14. 55C-Chad Mahder
15. 28M-Jimmy Mars
16. 76-Blair Nothdurft
17. 16-Tyler Bruening
18. 10C-A.J. Diemel
World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Model Series
Jackson Motorplex – Jackson, MN
Race Results – July 10, 2021
1. 28-Dennis Erb
2. 99JR-Frank Heckenast
3. 1-Brandon Sheppard
4. 44-Chris Madden
5. 97-Cade Dillard
6. 7-Ricky Weiss
7. 25-Chad Simpson
8. 22-Daniel Hilsabeck
9. 99B-Boom Briggs
10. 77-Jordan Yaggy
11. B1-Brent Larson
12. 16-Tyler Bruening
13. 10-Paul Parker
14. 76-Blair Nothdurft
15. 10C-A.J. Diemel
16. 19R-Ryan Gustin
