Squirrel Just N U T S About Coming to USA Nationals via FANS Fund:
Brian Shirley of Chatham, Illinois confirmed that he gladly accepts the FANS Fund offer and will attend this year's USA Nationals. I caught up with “Squirrel” via phone while he was out on the road returning home after a busy week of racing. This week Brian was in Minnesota to race the Gopher 50 (I hope everyone can see the irony in a guy nicknamed ‘Squirrel’ running the Gopher 50) on Wednesday and then hustled out to Ohio to catch the last two events of the SummerNationals tour on Friday and Saturday.
“Ed (Petroff) and I were talking about the Nationals a couple weeks ago,” stated Shirley. “I know Ed said Babb would be up there and Babb really likes it up there. If it is good with Petroff, we will be making our way up there.”
Brian went on to say, “this deal with the FANS Fund really helps us make our decision as it will really help us offset costs. Sponsor funding has dropped this year and we have had to be real selective on where we race to make sure we can make money. I just think it is great that Fans thought enough of us to vote us in on these deal. That is awesome!”
“Kermit,” Brian’s lime green hauler that you cannot miss on the road or in the pits, had made a brief stop at CJ Rayburn’s shop before returning home to begin preparing Brian’s dirt late models for the coming weeks races. He will be running around home before preparing his cars and making the haul over to Cedar Lake Speedway for the USA Nationals July 30th to August 1st.
Brian has one of the most unique driver websites that you will ever find. For more information about Brian and maybe sign up for “Squirrel Trax” which is Brian’s text service, visit www.BrianShirley.com. In looking over Brian’s website, it says he carry’s the distinction of being the fourth youngest driver to ever win a Crown Jewel event. At the young age of 25 years and 5 months in 2006 he won the Knoxville Late Model Nationals. The youngest you ask, Marshall Green at 24 years and 3 months followed by Jeff Purvis and Scott Bloomquist.
In a related note, Cedar Lake Speedway is considering a rename of their pit area. Bob Kaufman, one of the owners of Cedar Lake Speedway stated, “with the Silver Shark, the Intimagator, and now the Squirrel who will be bringing ‘Kermit’ with him to the Nationals we may have to refer to the pit area as ‘The Cedar Lake Speedway Zoo.’” I myself will call it “crowded” as Cedar Lake has been getting many confirmations of drivers attending this year's Nationals. A large and stout field of late models is expected for the 22nd running of the Upper Midwest classic.
Fans, we will see you July 30th to August 1st for this year's USA Nationals. For more information and tickets, go to