---

Robinson collects first win of 2020 at Spoon River

Kent Robinson made his first-ever visit to Spoon River Speedway in Banner, Ill. on Thursday and left with his first win of the 2020 season. (Brendon Bauman photo)

Robinson piloted his JB’s Disposal Services No. 7r MB Customs/ Jay Dickens Racing Engine Super Late Model to the $5,000 victory with the DIRTcar Summer Nationals.

Drawing 32 cars for the fifth round of the miniseries, Robinson followed up the third fastest time in his group with a third place finish in his heat. Rolling off ninth for the main event, Kent worked into the Top 5 by the ninth lap and began tracking down race-long leader Brian Shirley on the low side.

Sliding underneath Shirley on the final lap, Robinson rolled to his first win of the season by 0.326 seconds over Shirley, Tyler Carpenter, Billy Drake, and Tyler Erb.

“That was a lot of fun,” said Robinson. “At the beginning — well, actually heat race time — I wasn’t so sure of what to expect. I’d never been here, and was walking around, asking (Jason) Feger and other guys what gear to run. I like that challenge, but it just adds another level of difficulty.”

“Once I figured my car out a little and saw what the tires were gonna do, I could run a little bit harder and kind of got in a rhythm there,” Robinson said. “The cautions fell our way … we got lined up on the bottom on the last one (on lap 19), and then the lapped car (that hampered Shirley late in the race) kind of worked out too.”

The following night at Farmer City Raceway (Farmer City, Ill.), Kent secured his spot into the $10,000-to-win A-Main with a 10-lap heat race victory. Starting the feature in third, Robinson faded outside the Top-10 early before retiring early from the 50-lapper on lap 44. He was credited with a 13th place outing.

Back to News