Devin Moran earned his second win of 2022
The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series once again took to the track in Ocala, Florida for the second of two nights in the General Tire Winter Nationals at the Bubba Raceway Park. After a thrilling feature on Monday, competitors were vying for a $10,000-to-win purse. When the dust had settled it was Devin Moran who found himself in victory lane scoring his fifth podium finish in five SpeedWeeks starts. The Longhorn Chassis driver from Dresden, Ohio hoisted the trophy and received the accolades for his success.
A total of 46 cars were signed in for competition.
Shane Clanton was fastest in Group A qualifying with a mark of 14.211 seconds around the 3/8 mile clay oval besting Ross Robinson, Kyle Bronson, Dan Stone and Chase Junghans.
Devin Moran set the quick time in Group B time-trials with a lap of 13.907 seconds to top Ashton Winger, Tim McCreadie, Stormy Scott and Brandon Sheppard.
Shane Clanton would start the feature from the pole after beating out Earl Pearson Jr. and Dan Stone in the first heat race of the evening.
Chase Junghans was the winner of the second preliminary ahead of Josh Richards and Jimmy Owens then Kyle Bronson beat out Hudson O’Neal and Dennis Erb Jr. in the third heat.
Devin Moran earned an outside front row starting position in the feature by virtue of his win in the fourth heat over Mark Whitener and Tyler Erb.
Brandon Sheppard was the victor in the fifth heat besting Ashton Winger and Ricky Thornton Jr. just before Tim McCreadie took the sixth and final heat by outrunning Garrett Alberson and Brian Shirley.
Boom Briggs and Daulton Wilson won the two B-main races used to set the remainder of the starting lineup for the main event.
When the 40-lap feature took the green flag it was Moran who took the lead over Clanton, Junghans, Sheppard and McCreadie. The leaders went into single-file formation as they clicked off high speed laps with Moran slipping away from his pursuers until a caution waved on lap 6 for a spin by Winger.
On the lap 6 restart Tyler Erb blasted up to the third spot pushing Junghans, Sheppard and Mccreadie back. On lap 13, Thornton would move up to take fourth away from Junghans. Meanwhile, leaders Moran, Clanton and Erb ran in tight formation as they worked through slower traffic.
Erb took second away from Clanton on lap 16 and set off in pursuit of Moran as the lead duo continued to work through slower cars. Sheppard re-entered the top-5 on lap 22 when he passed Junghans. However, the pace would slow again on lap 23 when Bronson slowed with a flat tire.
On the restart, Clanton, Sheppard and Thornton engaged in an intense battle for positions 3-5. Further ahead, Erb was keeping pace with Moran as they raced free of slower traffic. Another yellow flag waved on lap 30 when Richards stopped on track.
Only one lap was recorded before another caution flag was displayed when Garrett Smith slowed after contact from another car. Monday night winner McCreadie experienced trouble and slowed on the first attempt to restart.
Over the closing laps, Moran would maintain his stranglehold on the top and ultimately sailed under the checkered flag for the victory.
It was the No. 9 car’s second win of SpeedWeeks.
Feature Finish: 1. Devin Moran, 2. Tyler Erb, 3. Ricky Thornton Jr., 4. Brandon Sheppard, 5. Shane Clanton, 6. Earl Pearson Jr., 7. Hudson O’Neal, 8. Chase Junghans, 9. Garrett Alberson, 10. Daulton Wilson, 11. Jimmy Owens, 12. Ross Robinson, 13. Dennis Erb Jr., 14. Tim McCreadie, 15. Spencer Hughes, 16. Kyle Bronson, 17. Garrett Smith, 18. Josh Richards, 19. Dan Stone, 20. Brian Shirley, 21. Boom Briggs, 22. Ashton Winger, 23. Mike Marlar, 24. Stormy Scott
McCreadie and Moran offer their views of Monday’s last lap battle
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