LASALLE, Ill. — After an absence from the Midwest racing scene, the Thaw Brawl dirt late model special returns to the LaSalle Speedway on March 26-27.
With the entire country suffering through the COVID-19 pandemic, the event was not held in 2020.
This year, the MARS Racing Series dirt late models, DIRTcar modifieds and street stocks are part of LaSalle’s Thaw Brawl program presented by Sixteens Race Promotions.
On Friday night, the MARS late model racing will be highlighted by twin 30-lap features, each paying $3,000-to-win. The Dirtcar modifieds and street stocks will also be in action, including main events for both divisions.
Saturday evening’s program will be highlighted by the $12,000-to-win, 60-lap main event for late model competitors. Again, modifieds and street stocks will also be in competition on the banked, quarter-mile dirt oval.
On both days, the grandstands open at 1 p.m. with hot laps at 4:30 p.m. and racing at 6:15 p.m.
The Thaw Brawl has developed a rich history since the first event was held in 2012. Dennis Erb Jr. captured the inaugural, $5,000-to-win, race, taking the checkered flag in front of Brian Birkhofer and Frank Heckenast Jr. on April 7, 2012.
Birkhofer won the race in 2013 ahead of Chris Simpson and Brandon Sheppard. Erb, a second- generation racer, came back in 2014 to score the victory – this time besting Bobby Pierce and Ryan Unzicker. Racing out of Oakwood, Ill., Pierce, son of hall of fame driver Bob Pierce, took the victory in 2015 in front of Simpson and Ricky Weiss.
Brian Shirley held off a late-race charge by Pierce to win the Thaw Brawl in 2016. Shirley and Pierce were followed by Heckenast Jr., Shannon Babb and Rusty Schlenk. 2017 saw Saturday’s main event canceled because of rain with Josh Richards winning Friday night’s 40 lapper.
Chris Simpson, from Oxford, Iowa, finally won the Thaw Brawl in 2018, besting Schlenk and Ricky Weiss. Chad Simpson and 2016 race winner Brian Shirley rounded out the top-five.
Texas racer Tyler Erb won the last Thaw Brawl – held in 2019. The program became a Sunday afternoon event after both Friday’s and Saturday’s races were canceled because of weather issues. Erb, from Waverly, Texas, raced by Pierce in the closing laps to win the 75-lap event on March 31, 2019. Erb and Pierce were chased to the finish line by Chis Simpson, Dennis Erb Jr., Ricky Weiss and Jeremiah Hurst.
Over the years, six different drivers have won the Thaw Brawl at LaSalle Speedway. Will there be a seventh?