Dirt on Dirt - Moran outruns Overton, grabs Knoxville prelim

September 19

Knoxville Raceway,

Knoxville, IA

Sanction: Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series (Lucas Oil Late Model Knoxville Nationals second prelim) - $10,000

Information provided by: Kevin Kovac, series and track reports (last updated September 20, 12:31 pm)

Moran outruns Overton, grabs Knoxville prelim

Lucas Oil Late Model Knoxville Nationals second prelim

Devin Moran
Brandon Overton
Jonathan Davenport
Bobby Pierce
Garrett Alberson
Ricky Thornton Jr.
Brian Shirley
Brandon Sheppard
Carson Ferguson
Ryan Gustin
Dan Ebert
Tyler Erb
Donald McIntosh
Chase Junghans
Hudson O'Neal
Chad Simpson
Joseph Joiner
Chris Simpson
Jesse Sobbing
Tad Pospisil
Cory Lawler
Clay Harris
Aaron Marrant
Daulton Wilson

presented by

Live video Photo slideshow Feature highlights Heat highlights Video recap Related story Race history

Mike Ruefer/mikerueferphotos.photoreflect.com

Devin Moran celebrates his $10,000 Knoxville victory.

What won the race: Sliding in front of race-long leader Brandon Overton exiting turn two on the 17th lap, Devin Moran of Dresden, Ohio, led the rest of Friday's 25-lap preliminary feature on the second night of action at the 21st annual Lucas Oil Late Model Knoxville Nationals. The fourth-starting Moran earned his eighth series victory of the season in taking the checkers 0.517 of a second ahead of Overton, who led 16 laps from outside the front row.

Quotable: "They did a little bit of work to the bottom of (turns) one and two, and I just hit that moisture patch right there and just kept working on him, kept working on him and then, yeah, it finally worked out," Moran said. "He got a little tight or something on top of two, and I just made my move. I probably slid up in front of him, so hopefully I was clear there, but I knew that was kind of my only chance."

Key notes: Winning for the first time at Knoxville, Devin Moran used the extreme low groove in turns one and two to find his way to the lead. ... Moran survived a tense moment among traffic with four laps remaining on the backstretch. ... Polesitter Bobby Pierce, last year's Knoxville finale winner, ran fourth virtually all race long. ... A single caution slowed the action for a slowing Hudson O'Neal with for a lap-nine yellow. ... The track surface drew praise from drivers Friday and was in far better shape than Thursday, when afternoon rain provided high-speed conditions and several wrecks in the feature. ... Daniel Adam slowed before he could complete a time trial lap and required a tow to his pit stall. ... Tyler Bruening (turn-three crash) and Dallon Murty (engine) withdrew after Thursday's opener; Andrew Kosiski, Tad Pospisil and Tim Simpson were new entrants for Friday's action. ... Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series competitors used preliminary points from Thrusday and Friday to set the lineup for Saturday’s consolations and 75-lap, $75,000-to-win (an increase from $50,000 the last four seasons) finale. … An event-record $350,000 purse received a $60,000 upgrade for 2025.

On the move: Ryan Gustin of Marshalltown, Iowa, started 21st and finished 10th.

Winner's sponsors: Moran’s Double Down Motorsports Longhorn Chassis is powered by a Clements Race Engine and sponsored by Lazydays RV, Big River Steel, McHugh Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Ram Fiat, CarSourceAuto.com, Red Oak Pub, C&W Trucking & Sons, Inc., Bomag, Southeastern Equipment, VP Race Fuels, Eibach Springs, Bilstein Shocks, Accu-Force Dynos, Lucas Oil Products, Smoky Mountain Speedway, Haulin’ Haskel’s, Lincoln Smith Racing, GE Auto Sales and WME Detailing.

Points chase: Before Knoxville: 1. Ricky Thornton Jr. (7,735); 2. Jonathan Davenport (7,695); 3. Devin Moran (7,270); 4. Hudson O’Neal (7,185); 5. Brandon Sheppard (6,965); 6. Garrett Alberson (6,910); 7. Brandon Overton (6,645); 8. Daulton Wilson (5,980); 9. Carson Ferguson (5,825); 10. Donald McIntosh (5,705); 11. Daniel Hilsabeck (5,485); 12. Dan Ebert (5,240).

Current weather: Broken Clouds, 68°F

Car count: 40

Fast qualifier: Carson Ferguson

Time: 17.195 seconds

Polesitter: Bobby Pierce

Heat race winners: Brandon Sheppard, Tyler Erb, Devin Moran, Cory Lawler

Consolation race winners: Ryan Gustin, Chad Simpson

Next series race: September 20, Knoxville Raceway (Knoxville, IA) $75,000

Editor's note: Corrects 15th-place finisher to Hudson O'Neal (sted Hudson Dick).

From staff reports

KNOXVILLE, Iowa — Live updates from Friday’s 21st annual Lucas Oil Late Model Knoxville Nationals second preliminary night, highlighted by a 25-lap, $10,000-to-win qualifying feature for Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series-sanctioned Super Late Models (results unofficial):

Feature

Sliding in front of race-long leader Brandon Overton exiting turn two on the 17th lap, Devin Moran of Dresden, Ohio, led the rest of Friday's 25-lap preliminary feature on the second night of action at the 21st annual Lucas Oil Late Model Knoxville Nationals. The fourth-starting Moran earned his eighth series victory of the season in taking the checkers 0.517 of a second ahead of Overton, who led 16 laps from outside the front row.

Feature lineup

(25 laps)

Row 1: Bobby Pierce, Brandon Overton
Row 2: Ricky Thornton Jr., Devin Moran
Row 3: Hudson O'Neal, Jonathan Davenport
Row 4: Carson Ferguson, Garrett Alberson
Row 5: Brandon Sheppard, Brian Shirley
Row 6: Daulton Wilson, Chris Simpson
Row 7: Clay Harris, Donald McIntosh
Row 8: Aaron Marrant, Chase Junghans
Row 9: Dan Ebert, Jesse Sobbing
Row 10: Tyler Erb, Cory Lawler
Row 11: Ryan Gustin, Chad Simpson
Row 12: Joseph Joiner, Tad Pospisil

Consolation race results

(varying distances based on car count; top two transfer)

First consolation: Ryan Gustin, Joseph Joiner, Blair Nothdurft, Clay Stuckey, Daniel Adam, Dylan Thornton, Jake Neal, Frank Heckenast Jr., Rich Bell, Matt Furman.

Second consolation: Chad Simpson, Tad Pospisil, Andrew Kosiski, Daniel Hilsabeck, Brandon Carpenter, Tim Simpson, Al Humphrey, Dan Battaglia, Junior Coover. Scratched: Dean Carpenter

Heat race recap

Fourth-starting Brandon Sheppard slipped by race-long leader Clay Harris on the eighth lap and paced the final five circuits to win the first heat race by 2.184 seconds over fifth-starting Ricky Thornton Jr., who passed Harris as they came to take the white flag, relegating Harris to finish third. Fast qualifier Carson Ferguson drove from sixth to finish fourth, taking the spot from Dan Ebert on the final lap, leaving Ebert to settle for the fifth and final transfer spot in Friday’s 25-lap preliminary feature. … Tyler Erb led all 12 laps from the pole to win the second heat by 3.310 seconds over second-starting Aaron Marrant, who narrowly beat Daulton Wilson by 0.211 of a second at the line for runner up. Bobby Pierce and Hudson O’Neal each improved one position to round out the top-five finishers. … Fifth-starting Devin Moran took control on the second lap and led the rest of the third heat, winning by 3.555 seconds over fourth-starting Brian Shirley, who took the runner-up spot from Jesse Sobbing as they came to take the white flag, relegating Sobbing to third. Sixth-starting Garrett Alberson finished fourth with Donald McIntosh holding on for the fifth and final transfer position into Friday’s $10,000-to-win prelim. … Second-starting Cory Lawler earned a flag-to-flag victory in the fourth and final heat race, beating sixth-starting Jonathan Davenport to the checkers by 1.696 seconds. Chase Junghans started and finished third, while Brandon Overton gained one spot to finish fourth and Chris Simpson held on to round out the top five. The night’s first caution came on the fifth lap when polesitter Brandon Carpenter slammed the turn-four wall and slowed to a stop; he required a tow back to the pits and did not continue. … All four prelims combined to last just shy of 20 minutes for the second straight night.

Heat race results

(12 laps; top five transfer)

First heat: Brandon Sheppard, Ricky Thornton Jr., Clay Harris, Carson Ferguson, Dan Ebert, Blair Nothdurft, Clay Stuckey, Dylan Thornton, Frank Heckenast Jr., Rich Bell.

Second heat: Tyler Erb, Aaron Marrant, Daulton Wilson, Bobby Pierce, Hudson O'Neal, Ryan Gustin, Joseph Joiner, Daniel Adam, Jake Neal, Matt Furman.

Third heat: Devin Moran, Brian Shirley, Jesse Sobbing, Garrett Alberson, Donald McIntosh, Chad Simpson, Daniel Hilsabeck, Andrew Kosiski, Dean Carpenter, Dan Battaglia.

Fourth heat: Cory Lawler, Jonathan Davenport, Chase Junghans, Brandon Overton, Chris Simpson, Tad Pospisil, Tim Simpson, Brandon Carpenter. Scratched: Al Humphrey, Junior Coover.

Time trials

Group A
Driver (car no.), hometown, time (unofficial)
1. Carson Ferguson (93), Lincolnton, N.C., 17.195
2. Hudson O’Neal (71), Martinsville, Ind., 17.210
3. Ricky Thornton Jr. (20rt), Chandler, Ariz., 17.290
4. Bobby Pierce (32), Oakwood, Ill., 17.291
5. Brandon Sheppard (1), New Berlin, Ill., 17.389
6. Daulton Wilson (18D), Fayetteville, N.C., 17.389
7. Blair Nothdurft (76n), Renner, S.D., 17.467
8. Joseph Joiner (19m), Milton, Fla., 17.631
9. Clay Harris (6), Jupiter, Fla., 17.639
10. Aaron Marrant (1xm), Richmond, Mo., 17.664
11. Dan Ebert (60), Lake Shore, Minn., 17.680
12. Tyler Erb (01), New Waverly, Texas, 17.783
13. Clay Stuckey (15), Shreveport, La., 17.893
14. Ryan Gustin (19R), Marshalltown, Iowa, 17.913
15. Dylan Thornton (38T), Orcutt, Calif., 17.933
16. Jake Neal (6J), Omaha, Neb., 18.040
17. Frank Heckenast Jr. (99jr), Frankfort, Ill., 18.070
18. Matt Furman (51), Iowa City, Iowa, 18.244
19. Rich Bell (21B), Sheffield, Ill., 18.591
20. Daniel Adam (75), Peru, Ill., no time
Group B
1. Garrett Alberson (58), Las Cruces, N.M., 17.236
2. Jonathan Davenport (49), Blairsville, Ga., 17.421
3. Devin Moran (99), Dresden, Ohio, 17.424
4. Brandon Overton (76), Evans, Ga., 17.523
5. Brian Shirley (3s), Chatham, Ill., 17.751
6. Chris Simpson (32s), Oxford, Iowa, 17.751
7. Donald McIntosh (79), Dawsonville, Ga., 17.866
8. Chase Junghans (18c), Manhattan, Kan., 17.948
9. Jesse Sobbing (99s), Malvern, Iowa, 17.965
10. Cory Lawler (93L), Hanover, Pa., 18.086
11. Chad Simpson (25), Mount Vernon, Ill., 18.114
12. Brandon Carpenter (51B), Coldwater, Miss., 18.211
13. Daniel Hilsabeck (22), Earlham, Iowa, 18.329
14. Tad Pospisil (04), Norfolk, Neb., 18.331
15. Dean Carpenter (51c), Coldwater, Miss., 18.612
16. Tim Simpson (17), Iowa City, Iowa, 19.333
17. Andrew Kosiski (53), La Vista, Neb., 19.391
18. Al Humphrey (6H), Giltner, Neb., 20.351
19. Dan Battaglia (45D), Gretna, Neb., 20.388
20. Junior Coover (10), Norfolk, Neb., 20.555

Friday’s schedule

(All times local)
2:30 p.m. - Pits open
2:45 p.m. - Tech and registration opens
4:30 p.m. - Suites open
5:30 p.m. - Grandstands open
5:45 p.m. - Tech and registration closes
6 p.m. - Drivers’ meeting
6:30 p.m. - On-track activity
- Late Model hot laps
- Late Model time trials (2 laps)
Opening ceremonies
- Late Model heats (12 laps)
Intermission
- Late Model consolations (15 laps)
- Late Model feature (25 laps)