Story By: JAMES ESSEX / LUCAS OIL LATE MODEL DIRT SERIES – FAYETTEVILLE, NC – Kyle Bronson battled to re-take the lead from Brandon Overton on lap 44 and then cruised to his second career Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series victory on Thursday night at Fayetteville Motor Speedway.
With the win, Bronson becomes the tenth different winner this season on the tour. A healthy crowd was on hand for the Dunn-Benson Ford Wayne Gray Sr. Memorial – presented by GETSCO.
Trailing Bronson and Overton across the finish line were Tyler Erb, Hudson O’Neal, and Jonathan Davenport. Bronson is also the fifth different winner in the five appearances by Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series at Fayetteville.
Erb led the first twelve laps of the race until Davenport forged ahead on the thirteenth circuit. Davenport held the lead over Bronson until lap 31 when Bronson took over the point. Overton led one lap until Bronson raced back around him for good with six laps remaining.
It was a big week for Bronson as he celebrated his 29th birthday on Tuesday and picked up the victory in his first-ever appearance at Fayetteville. “I have had a really good car the last few months, but we don’t have the results to show for it. With all the bad luck we have had, we showed how fast of a car we have tonight. I let JD [Davenport] get the lead and I was kicking myself about how I let him by.”
“It was a fun track to drive on, it had some character,” Bronson added. “I have to give a big thanks to Mark Richards, he has helped me so much. We stay at Bob Pierce’s shop when we are out on the road. This is the first time we have gotten to come here because we got rained out here last year. We have a fast race car and I knew our time was going to come to get another win. Hopefully we can ride this wave out a little longer.”
Overton in the Rum Rummer Racing, Rocket Chassis finished second as he and his team were competing with heavy hearts after the passing of crew member Billy Vacek. “It’s been a tough week with Billy’s passing. I am going to try so hard like I did tonight to get a win for him this weekend. Our hats are off to Kyle for the win. I led a lap and then he got back around me. He [Bronson] did a really good job. I really wanted to get that win for Billy. I guarantee you the fans got their money’s worth tonight. I am looking forward to Cherokee tomorrow night.”
Erb continued a string of impressive runs with his third-place finish. “We got the lead early, but the more the race went on, the crazier it got. Kyle did a good job, especially on the restarts. I think we were about three-wide for a second. We finished and I don’t know how. We have two more nights of racing so we have to work on it some more to get this car better. Congrats to Kyle, he is one of my best buddies, we travel up and down the road together and I am really happy for him.”
The winner’s Rocket Chassis is powered by a Durham Racing Engine and sponsored by: Brandon Ford, Brandon Collision, Race Car Engineering, Keyser, VP Fuels , Integra Shocks, Valvoline, and All-Florida Real Estate Group.
Completing the top ten were Josh Richards, Devin Moran, Dustin Mitchell, Jimmy Owens, and Michael Brown.
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Race Summary
Thursday, June 13, 2019
Dunn Benson Ford Wayne Gray Sr. Memorial presented by GETSCO
Fayetteville Motor Speedway – Fayetteville, N.C.
Miller Welders Time Trials
Fast Time Group A: Billy Moyer Jr. / 15.970 seconds (overall)
Fast Time Group B: Josh Richards / 15.974 seconds
Penske Race Shocks Heat Race #1 Finish (10 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Tyler Erb ®, Billy Moyer, Jr., Earl Pearson, Jr., Scott Bloomquist, Dale Arnold, Stormy Scott, James Parker, Mason Price-DNS
FK Rod Ends Heat Race #2 Finish (10 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Don O’Neal, Hudson O’Neal, Shanon Buckingham, Daulton Wilson, Corey Gordon, Kerry King, Billy Greenhill
Simpson Race Products Heat Race #3 Finish (10 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Josh Richards, Jonathan Davenport, Brandon Overton, Jimmy Owens, Willie Milliken, Devin Moran ®, Shaun Harrell, Matthew Nance-DNS
Lucas Oil Products Penetrating Oil Heat Race #4 Finish (10 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Kyle Bronson, Tim McCreadie, Chris Ferguson, Michael Brown, Dustin Mitchell, Donald Bradsher, Chris Blackwell
FAST Shafts B-Main #1 Finish (12 Laps, Top 6 Transfer): Devin Moran ®, Dustin Mitchell, Donald Bradsher, James Parker, Billy Greenhill, Dale Arnold, Corey Gordon, Kerry King, Stormy Scott, Matthew Nance, Willie Milliken, Shaun Harrell-DNS, Chris Blackwell-DNS, Mason Price-DNS
Lucas Oil Feature Finish (50 Laps):
FINISH
|
START
|
CAR #
|
DRIVER NAME
|
HOMETOWN
|
EARNINGS
|
1
|
4
|
40B
|
Kyle Bronson
|
Brandon, FL
|
$10,700
|
2
|
10
|
2
|
Brandon Overton
|
Evans, GA
|
$5,500
|
3
|
1
|
1T
|
Tyler Erb ®
|
New Waverly, TX
|
$4,300
|
4
|
7
|
71
|
Hudson O’Neal
|
Martinsville, IN
|
$3,450
|
5
|
6
|
49
|
Jonathan Davenport
|
Blairsville, GA
|
$3,350
|
6
|
2
|
14
|
Josh Richards
|
Shinnston, WV
|
$2,600
|
7
|
17
|
1M
|
Devin Moran ®
|
Dresden, OH
|
$2,200
|
8
|
18
|
D89
|
Dustin Mitchell
|
Selma, NC
|
$1,300
|
9
|
14
|
20
|
Jimmy Owens
|
Newport, TN
|
$2,000
|
10
|
16
|
79
|
Michael Brown
|
Lancaster, SC
|
$1,100
|
11
|
9
|
1
|
Earl Pearson, Jr.
|
Jacksonville, FL
|
$1,875
|
12
|
11
|
50
|
Shanon Buckingham
|
Morristown, TN
|
$1,850
|
13
|
5
|
21
|
Billy Moyer, Jr.
|
Batesville, AR
|
$1,725
|
14
|
3
|
5
|
Don O’Neal
|
Martinsville, IN
|
$1,800
|
15
|
8
|
39
|
Tim McCreadie
|
Watertown, NY
|
$1,650
|
16
|
20
|
72
|
James Parker
|
Eastover, NC
|
$925
|
17
|
23
|
2s
|
Stormy Scott
|
Las Cruses, NM
|
$900
|
18
|
12
|
22F
|
Chris Ferguson
|
Mount Holly, NC
|
$875
|
19
|
15
|
18D
|
Daulton Wilson
|
Fayetteville, NC
|
$850
|
20
|
19
|
75
|
Donald Bradsher
|
Alamance, NC
|
$825
|
22
|
21
|
00
|
Billy Greenhill
|
Fayetteville, NC
|
$800
|
21
|
22
|
22
|
Dale Arnold
|
Fayetteville, NC
|
$800
|
23
|
24
|
1W
|
Willie Milliken
|
Roanoke Rapids, NC
|
$800
|
24
|
13
|
0
|
Scott Bloomquist
|
Mooresburg, TN
|
$800
|
Entrants: 30
Lap Leaders: Tyler Erb (Laps 1 – 12); Jonathan Davenport (Laps 13 – 30); Kyle Bronson (Laps 31-42); Brandon Overton (Lap 43); Kyle Bronson (Laps 44 – 50)
Wrisco Feature Winner: Kyle Bronson
Margin of Victory: 0.722 seconds
Cautions: Billy Greenhill (Lap 8); Billy Moyer Jr. (Lap 11); Dale Arnold, Josh Richards, Daulton Wilson, Donald Bradsher, James Parker (Lap 12); Stormy Scott (Lap 17); James Parker (Lap 22); Don O’Neal (Lap 30); Shanon Buckingham (Lap 33); Michael Brown (Lap 42); Earl Pearson Jr. (Lap 44)
Series Provisional: Stormy Scott
Miller Welders Fast Time Provisional: Willie Milliken
Optima Batteries Hard Charger of the Race: Devin Moran (Advanced 10 Positions)
Midwest Sheet Metal Spoiler Challenge Point Leader: Jonathan Davenport
Allstar Performance Power Move of the Race: Dustin Mitchell
Sunoco Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Tyler Erb
Eibach Springs Rookie of the Race: Tyler Erb
COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Race: Durham Racing Engines
Ohlins Shocks Chassis Builder of the Race: Rocket Chassis
Outerwears Crew Chief of the Race: Tanner Birdwell (Kyle Bronson)
Dirty Girl Racewear Fastest Lap of the Race: Kyle Bronson (Lap #26 – 16.5161 seconds)
Hot Rod Processing Tough Break of the Race: Shanon Buckingham
STEEL-IT Most Laps Led: Kyle Bronson (19 Laps)
PFC Brakes Pole Award: Tyler Erb
Time of Race: 63 minutes 10 seconds