Dirt on Dirt - O'Neal outruns Lucas Oil field for $10,000 victory

February 26

Ocala Speedway,

Ocala, FL

Sanction: Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series (Wieland Winternationals) - $10,000

Information provided by: Kyle McFadden, series and track reports (last updated February 26, 10:36 pm)

O'Neal outruns Lucas Oil field for $10,000 victory

Wieland Winternationals

Hudson O'Neal
Devin Moran
Kyle Bronson
Ricky Thornton Jr.
Tim McCreadie
Brandon Overton
Carson Ferguson
Boom Briggs
Drake Troutman
Dennis Erb Jr.
Tyler Erb
Michael Leach
Clay Harris
Dan Ebert
Max Blair
Josh Rice
Brian Shirley
Brandon Sheppard
Daniel Hilsabeck
Ross Robinson
Brenden Smith
Cory Hedgecock
Cory Lawler
Freddie Carpenter
Daulton Wilson
Dallon Murty
Garrett Alberson
Jonathan Davenport

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Hudson O'Neal in victory lane after winning Thursday's Wieland Winternationals feature at Ocala Speedway.

What won the race: Slipping by early leader Kyle Bronson in turn two on the 14th lap, ninth-starting Hudson O'Neal of Martinsville, Ind., controlled the rest of Thursday's 40-lap Wieland Winternationals third round at Ocala Speedway. O'Neal beat Devin Moran to the line by 0.924 of a second for the $10,000 payday, his second Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series victory of the season and 33rd career full-field win.

Quotable: “(The track surface) got latched up there pretty early and I was a little nervous," O'Neal said. "I just kept trying to use the right-front (tire) and not the right-rear, keep the right-rear under me. I don't know, as hard as I was going to have to run after that (lap-38) caution, if I was gonna be able to use it all and get away from them.”

Key notes: O'Neal led the final 27 laps for his fourth Georgia-Florida Speedweeks victory of the season and 15th of his career. ... His 33rd career full-field Lucas Oil victory moves him into a tie with Josh Richards for ninth on the tour's all-time win list. ... O'Neal's sixth overall feature win of the season leads all Late Model drivers thus far. ... The polesitting Bronson led the opening 13 laps before slipping to third in the finishing order with left-front damage resulting from an opening-lap tangle with Jonathan Davenport. The second-starting Davenport's left-front nose appeared to make contact with Bronson's right-rear quarter-panel entering turn one, spinning both cars with Davenport backing hard into the wall and nearly flipping; J.D. could not continue and was credited with 27th. ... Devin Moran, winner of Tuesday's $7,000 Ocala opener, passed Bronson for second on the 27th lap but never had anything for O'Neal down the stretch. ... Ricky Thornton Jr. climbed six spots to finish fourth. ... Besides the opening lap Davenport-Bronson tangle, the race was slowed by four other yellows, including lap two when Dallon Murty and Garrett Alberson both separately slammed the turn-one wall, ending their races. ... Brandon Sheppard, winner of Wednesday's $7,000 second round, slowed from seventh with a flat right-rear tire on lap five just as second-running Brian Shirley also suffered a flat tire. Both drivers continued with Shirley finishing 17th and Sheppard 18th. ... Fourth-running Daulton Wilson pulled off under the lap-five yellow with overheating issues. ... Freddie Carpenter spun in turn two on the sixth lap and 13th-running Brenden Smith spun in turn four after contact with Dan Ebert for the final stoppage on lap 38. ... The 40-lapper lasted 32 minutes with 21 starters completing the distance. ... Tyler Bruening scratched after hard turn-one wall contact in heat race action. ... Lucas Oil action continues at Ocala with Friday's 50-lap, $12,000-to-win fifth round.

On the move: Tim McCreadie of Watertown, N.Y., started 21st and finished fifth.

Winner's sponsors: O’Neal’s SSI Motorsports Longhorn Chassis was powered by a Cornett Racing Engine and carries sponsorship from Wheeler Metals, Professional Concrete, Dyno One, Sub-Surface of Indiana, Big River Steel, O'Neal's Salvage & Recycling, Merrill Bonding, Indiana USSSA Fastpitch, SevenSpursRanch.com, Lineal Inc. Contracting, Penske Racing Shocks, Sunoco Race Fuels and Midwest Sheet Metal.

Points chase: After Ocala Thursday: 1. Hudson O’Neal (935); 2. Devin Moran (905); 3. Brandon Overton (890); 4. Brandon Sheppard (790); 5. Carson Ferguson (770); 6. Clay Harris (740); 7. Kyle Bronson (730); 8. Ricky Thornton Jr. (705); 9. Dan Ebert (705); 10. Josh Rice (700).

Current weather: Clear, 66°F

Car count: 41

Fast qualifier: Dallon Murty

Time: 14.232 seconds

Polesitter: Kyle Bronson

Heat race winners: Kyle Bronson, Brian Shirley, Jonathan Davenport, Brandon Overton

Consolation race winners: Carson Ferguson, Brenden Smith

Provisional starters: Daniel Hilsabeck, Clay Harris, Cory Lawler, Ross Robinson, Freddie Carpenter, Cory Hedgecock

Next series race: February 27, Ocala Speedway (Ocala, FL) $12,000

Editor's note: Results and race details are unofficial.

From staff reports

OCALA, Fla. — Live updates from Thursday’s Wieland Winternationals third round at Ocala Speedway, highlighted by a 40-lap, $10,000-to-win feature for Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series-sanctioned Super Late Models (results unofficial):

Feature

Slipping by early leader Kyle Bronson in turn two on the 14th lap, ninth-starting Hudson O'Neal of Martinsville, Ind., controlled the rest of Thursday's 40-lap Wieland Winternationals third round at Ocala Speedway. O'Neal beat Devin Moran to the line by 0.924 of a second for the $10,000 payday, his second Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series victory of the season and 33rd career full-field win.

Feature lineup

(40 laps)

Row 1: Kyle Bronson, Jonathan Davenport
Row 2: Brian Shirley, Brandon Overton
Row 3: Dallon Murty, Daulton Wilson
Row 4: Devin Moran, Brandon Sheppard
Row 5: Hudson O'Neal, Ricky Thornton Jr.
Row 6: Garrett Alberson, Drake Troutman
Row 7: Michael Leach, Dennis Erb Jr.
Row 8: Boom Briggs, Josh Rice
Row 9: Carson Ferguson, Brenden Smith
Row 10: Dan Ebert, Max Blair
Row 11: Tim McCreadie, Tyler Erb
Row 12: Daniel Hilsabeck, Clay Harris
Row 13: Cory Lawler, Ross Robinson
Row 14: Freddie Carpenter, Cory Hedgecock

Consolation race results

(10 laps; top three transfer)

First consolation: Carson Ferguson, Dan Ebert, Tim McCreadie, Cory Hedgecock, Chase Junghans, Preston Luckman, Dillon McCowan, Blair Nothdurft, Jadon Frame, Cory Lawler, Justin Weaver, Brody Smith. Scratched: Tyler Bruening.

Second consolation: Brenden Smith, Max Blair, Tyler Erb, Ryan Montgomery, Daniel Hilsabeck, Ross Robinson, Clay Stuckey, Frank Heckenast Jr., Eli Johnson, Freddie Carpenter, Clay Harris, Cody Overton.

Heat race recap

Second-starting Kyle Bronson fired off from the outside front row and overcame a late-race restart to win the first heat race by 0.583 of a second over fast qualifier Dallon Murty. The night’s first caution flew on the final lap as Hudson O’Neal nearly spun from third down the fronstretch and appeared to continue before the yellow flag was displayed; Michael Leach took third before the yellow and O’Neal reclaimed the spot on the restart, relegating Leach to the fourth and final transfer spot into Thursday’s $10,000-to-win third round. … Polesitter Brian Shirley overcame a rash of cautions to win the second heat by 1.579 seconds over fourth-starting Devin Moran, who trailed Shirley all eight laps. Garrett Alberson overcame an early penalty to finish third with sixth-starting Boom Briggs rounding out the top-four finishers. The race was slowed by three cautions, the first came for Alberson jumping the opening start before Tyler Bruening jumped the turn-one cushion on the ensuing start attempt and backed hard into the outside wall; Bruening failed to finish. Justin Weaver spun on the next restart attempt, but continued to finish eighth. … Jonathan Davenport dominated heat three, leading all eight laps from the pole and taking the checkers 1.181 seconds ahead of Daulton Wilson, who trailed him the entire way. Ricky Thornton Jr. started and finished third while fifth-starting Dennis Erb Jr. grabbed the fourth and final position into the 30-lap main event. … Brandon Overton took advantage of an early restart and led the entire distance to win the fourth and final heat race, crossing the line by 0.367 of a second over pole-starting Brandon Sheppard. Sheppard appeared to have the early jump on Overton before an opening lap caution slowed the action. Drake Troutman held serve in third and fifth-starting Josh Rice completed the top-four finishers. The lone slowdown came on the opening lap when Freddie Carpenter slowed with a flat right-front tire; he did not continue and was credited with 10th.

Heat race results

(Eight laps; top four transfer)

First heat: Kyle Bronson, Dallon Murty, Hudson O'Neal, Michael Leach, Cory Hedgecock, Carson Ferguson, Chase Junghans, Tim McCreadie, Dillon McCowan, Jadon Frame, Cory Lawler.

Second heat: Brian Shirley, Devin Moran, Garrett Alberson, Boom Briggs, Dan Ebert, Preston Luckman, Blair Nothdurft, Justin Weaver, Brody Smith, Tyler Bruening.

Third heat: Jonathan Davenport, Daulton Wilson, Ricky Thornton Jr., Dennis Erb Jr., Brenden Smith, Max Blair, Ryan Montgomery, Clay Harris, Frank Heckenast Jr., Cody Overton.

Fourth heat: Brandon Overton, Brandon Sheppard, Drake Troutman, Josh Rice, Tyler Erb, Daniel Hilsabeck, Ross Robinson, Clay Stuckey, Eli Johnson, Freddie Carpenter.

Time trials

Group A
Driver (car no.), hometown, time (unofficial)
1. Dallon Murty (13), Chelsea, Iowa, 14.232
2. Brian Shirley (3s), Chatham, Ill., 14.285
3. Kyle Bronson (40B), Brandon, Fla., 14.308
4. Garrett Alberson (58), Las Cruces, N.M., 14.317
5. Michael Leach (09), Sun River, Mont., 14.333
6. Tyler Bruening (16), Decorah, Iowa, 14.336
7. Hudson O’Neal (71), Martinsville, Ind., 14.339
8. Devin Moran (99), Dresden, Ohio, 14.356
9. Chase Junghans (18), Manhattan, Kan., 14.420
10. Dan Ebert (60), Lake Shore, Minn., 14.426
11. Cory Hedgecock (79), Loudon, Tenn., 14.459
12. Boom Briggs (99B), Bear Lake, Pa., 14.517
13. Carson Ferguson (93), Lincolnton, N.C., 14.525
14. Blair Nothdurft (76n), Renner, S.D., 14.567
15. Tim McCreadie (9), Watertown, N.Y., 14.582
16. Preston Luckman (77), Coos Bay, Ore., 14.733
17. Jadon Frame (81F), Winchester, Tenn., 14.804
18. Brody Smith (17sr), Dade City, Fla., 14.809
19. Dillon McCowan (8), Urbana, Mo., 14.881
20. Justin Weaver (32J), Clearspring, Md., 14.931
21. Cory Lawler (93L), Hanover, Pa., 14.931
Group B
1. Jonathan Davenport (49), Blairsville, Ga., 14.448
2. Brandon Sheppard (1), New Berlin, Ill., 14.489
3. Daulton Wilson (58v), Fayetteville, N.C., 14.511
4. Brandon Overton (76), Evans, Ga., 14.512
5. Ricky Thornton Jr. (20rt), Chandler, Ariz., 14.517
6. Drake Troutman (22*), Hyndman, Pa., 14.548
7. Brenden Smith (19m), Dade City, Fla., 14.584
8. Tyler Erb (1T), New Waverly, Texas, 14.586
9. Dennis Erb Jr. (28), Carpentersville, Ill., 14.646
10. Josh Rice (11), Crittenden, Ky., 14.668
11. Ryan Montgomery (12m), Fairmont, W.Va., 14.691
12. Ross Robinson (7), Georgetown, Del., 14.712
13. Max Blair (111), Centerville, Pa., 14.716
14. Freddie Carpenter (c4), Parkersburg, W.Va., 14.720
15. Clay Harris (6), Jupiter, Fla., 14.726
16. Daniel Hilsabeck (22), Earlham, Iowa, 14.814
17. Frank Heckenast Jr. (99jr), Frankfort, Ill., 14.818
18. Clay Stuckey (15), Shreveport, La., 14.943
19. Cody Overton (15k), Evans, Ga., 15.049
20. Eli Johnson (55), Clewiston, Fla., 15.565

Thursday’s schedule

(All times local)
1:30 p.m. - Pits closed and cleared
2 p.m. - Pits reopen
2:30 p.m. - Tech and registration opens
5 p.m. - Grandstands open
5:15 p.m. - Tech and registration closes
5:30 p.m. - Drivers’ meeting
6 p.m. - On-track activity
- Late Model hot laps
- Late Model time trials (2 laps)
Opening ceremonies
- Late Model heats (8 laps)
- Late Model consolations (10 laps)
Intermission/track prep
- Late Model Feature (40 laps)