Tyler Erb has owns up to mistakes as the drama filled Speedweeks has concluded
Speedweeks has concluded for the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series. But, the near-endless tour through Florida didn’t end without drama.
On Thursday night (Jan 28) at East Bay Raceway, Tyler Erb entered East Bay Raceway Park with 1 win. He also unloaded the #1 Best Performance Motorsports machine with the orange spoiler attached, as the LOLMDS point leader.
On lap 5 of 40 in Thursday’s main event, Mason Zeigler and Tyler Erb were battling for position inside the top 5. Off turn four, Zeigler ran wide and shoved Erb into the wall as Erb was already to his outside.
Erb responded by cutting across the nose of Zeigler into turn one. At this point, Erb had the position. Zeigler then pressed the issue getting into the corner.
Zeigler got into the back of Erb, turning him in front of the field. According to Erb, Zeigler later told him this was intentional.
At the end of the night, Erb lost the point lead. But, This was far from over.
Related: East Bay Raceway Park Results: January 28, 2021 (Lucas Late Models)
Friday (Jan 29) at East Bay
The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series entered the gates of East Bay Raceway for the fifth of six nights on the bullring dirt track in Tampa, Florida. Erb was looking to reclaim the orange spoiler.
Mason Zeigler and Tyler Erb found themselves in the same heat race. As they battled, chaos ensued.
Coming to the white flag, Mason Zeigler drove it deep into turn three. He doored Tyler Erb and shoved him up the track. Zeigler went on to finish 2nd.
Meanwhile, Erb ran wide as he collected his car following the contact. As he did that, he dropped to 4th and missed a transfer spot into the main event. Only the top 3 advanced out of each heat race.
Erb was to be sent to the B Main. Yet, he would have been granted a guaranteed starting spot in the main event regardless.
However, after the checkered flag in the heat race, Erb was on a mission. He gassed it up and located Mason Zeigler on the cool down lap.
As they entered turn three, after the race was over, Tyler Erb slid into turn three and doored Mason Zeigler. It was near identical to what Zeigler did to him. However, it was far more serious this time around, as the race was already over.
Immediately, series officials made the call to park Tyler Erb for the night.
Even with being parked, Erb would have been in a decent spot in the standings. However, he was forced to take dead last points, which put him much further even further down in the standings. It was a crucial blow to his week.
Related: Tyler Erb disqualified at East Bay Raceway Park (Video)
Tyler Erb comments on the incident with Mason Zeigler
“I was just fed up that day. It wasn’t like I had a vendetta against him or anything,” Tyler Erb told RacingNews.co .
Did the night before lead into that? And was their anything prior to that?
“Yeah, for sure, he spun me the night before. He told me he did.”
“In the heat of the moment, I was mad about it. Because, that was like two or three times, in my book.”
“I don’t remember hitting him in the past. So, I was just over it, really.”
Was that on Thursday that he told you he spun you? Or did he tell you after the stuff on Friday?
“Yeah, after the fact in Friday.”
Do you have regrets?
“Oh yeah. It sucks. Because we should be leading the points, or 2nd. I probably could have handled it better.”
“It is what it is, you just gotta move on.”
I know they parked you. Did they also give you a points penalty?
“Yeah, I have to take dead last points. So, basically, I lost like 200 points. And, I have to take that night, I can’t drop it.”
What are you thoughts regarding on-track retaliation in general? I think, everyone at some point, has done it.
“I think they should have a solution. Like, maybe we could box or do something like that. That would make us all feel better,” Erb said with a smile.
Tyler Erb concluded, “You can’t retaliate on the race track. It’s just, stupid on my part.”
On Saturday, Tyler Erb returned to East Bay Raceway for the final night at the bullring short track, the day after the incident. He drove it to victory lane and claimed the $15,000 check.
With Speedweeks concluded, Erb now sits 13th in the standings.
Links
Tyler Erb | Mason Zeigler | Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series | East Bay Raceway Park
