Story By: NICK GRAZIANO / DIRTCAR – BARBERVILLE, FL – Chris Madden was victorious in the final of three feature events during the final night of DIRTcar Late Models during the 2023 Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals on Wednesday and took the $5,000 top prize in the process.
Brandon Overton & Tim McCreadie also claimed victories.
The 52 drivers in the field drew numbers to determine which Feature they would be in. Then, Qualifying and a redraw set the field for each.
Overton started the night by setting Quick Time for Feature #1 and McCreadie set Quick Time for Feature #2. There was no change in the starting lineup after the re-draw for both Features. Then, Madden set the quickest lap in Feature #3 but the #4 pill was drawn, inverting the top-four qualifiers.
The theme of polesitters walking away with the win was thrown out the window in Feature #3 with a multitude of lead changes throughout the 20-lap race.
Blair Nothdurft stole the lead from Tyler Bruening on the first lap. Two laps later, Madden also slid by Bruening to take second.
Brent Larson brought out the caution on Lap 4 and parked it for the night. When the race resumed, Madden tried to throw his #44 into the first turn under Nothdurft but nearly found himself at a 90-degree angle as he slid up the track. Nothdurft pulled ahead while Madden fell to sixth.
As Nothdurft led, Hudson O’Neal was making moves around the high side of the track, sliding across Bruening’s nose off Turn 4 to steal second on Lap 7. The Rocket1 Racing house car began its hunt for the lead and Madden was also finding his way forward again, moving into third on Lap 10.
Another caution flew on Lap 11 due to Ricky Thornton Jr. suffering a flat right rear.
Nothdurft chose the bottom lane upon his entry into Turn 1 on the restart and chose wrong. O’Neal threw his car against the cushion on the top lane and propelled himself ahead of the #76N car off Turn 2 to take the lead.
However, his moment of glory was short lived when another caution fell on Lap 15. Frank Heckenast Jr. suffered a flat right rear tire, and he wasn’t alone. Due to a piece of sharp debris on the track, he, along with O’Neal, Nothdurft, Thornton again, and Jimmy Owens, saw their chance at the win taken away by cut tires.
Their misfortune became Madden’s benefit as he inherited the lead. When the race resumed, he launched ahead of second-place Boom Briggs and pulled away by over two seconds to claim his first win of the week – fourth overall at DIRTcar Nationals.
“We had a great race car,” Madden said. “I screwed up there in (turns) one and two and jumped the cushion trying to go for the lead. But we had a great race car…
“It got really technical there at the end. It was really slick. There was a grip spot leaving (turn) four. My tires got a little hot there at the end. We got a little push. Overall, we’ll take this win and work on it and keep pushing.”
Feature 3 Results (20 Laps): 1. 44-Chris Madden[4]; 2. 99B-Boom Briggs[8]; 3. 1-Hudson O’Neal[3]; 4. 28-Dennis Erb Jr[11]; 5. 18-Chase Junghans[12]; 6. 20-Jimmy Owens[13]; 7. 30-Todd Cooney[14]; 8. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr[6]; 9. 16-Tyler Bruening[1]; 10. 76N-Blair Nothdurft[2]; 11. B2-Brian Booze[16]; 12. 22*-Payton Freeman[7]; 13. 99JR-Frank Heckenast Jr[15]; 14. 54-David Breazeale[17]; 15. 40B-Kyle Bronson[5]; 16. 17M-Dale McDowell[9]; 17. B1-Brent Larson[10]
