Ross Bailes took the lead with a half-lap to go
The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series swung back into action on Friday night at the Cherokee Speedway as part of a two-race weekend. At the end of the night, Ross Bailes left the Gaffney, SC facility with a $12,000 payout after taking the lead for the final time just a half lap from the finish line.
Ross Bailes was quickest in Group A qualifying by turning a lap in 15.170 seconds around the 3/8 mile clay oval to beat out Brandon Overton, Kyle Bronson, Tim McCreadie, Jimmy Owens, and Josh Richards.
Group B time-trials were led by Chris Ferguson when he toured the track in 15.306 seconds to top Kyle Bronson, Tyler Bruening, Zack Mitchell, Brandon Sheppard, and Billy Moyer, Jr.
Ross Bailes won the first heat race of the evening by outrunning Jimmy Owens, Shane Clanton and Kyle Bronson while Brandon Overton took the second preliminary over Tim McCreadie, Josh Richards and Jonathan Davenport.
Chris Ferguson earned the win in the third heat ahead of Brandon Sheppard, Hudson O’Neal and Tyler Bruening just before Kyle Strickler grabbed the fourth and final heat by beating out Zack Mitchell, Earl Pearson, Jr., and Billy Moyer, Jr.
Tyler Erb and Christian Thomas won the two B-main races used to fill out the remainder of the starting lineup for the main event.
At the start of the 50-lap feature it was Bailes who bolted to the lead with Overton, Owens, Ferguson and Strickler trailing. Five laps into the event the best battle was between Strickler, McCreadie and Sheppard for positions 5-7.
Sheppard got by McCreadie to claim 6th on lap 7 while Overton took a look under Bailes for the lead one laps later. However, a caution for the slowing car of Christian Thomas slowed the action on lap 8.
Strickler slowed to bring out the second yellow flag of the night on lap 11.
Bailes appeared to be poised to break away from the pack when the race returned to green flag action. However, Overton began to cut into the lead as the feature neared the halfway mark.
Overton would seize the top spot on the leader board on lap 22 with Bailes, Owens, Ferguson and Sheppard following in tight formation. But it was Bailes who took the lead back from Overton on lap 28. Owens also moved around Overton for the second position.
Overton regained second from Owens on lap 38 then closed back in on Bailes to challenge for the lead as those cars fought through slower traffic. Sheppard moved up on lap 42 when he raced around Owens for the third spot.
Overton took advantage of a decision by Bailes to go by a slower car on the outside and went back to first in the race on lap 45.
But there would be more drama to come when LOLMDS points leader McCreadie slowed from a top-10 spot in the running order to bring out a caution on lap 49. On the ensuing restart, Overton bolted out to what appeared to be a solid lead but his car slowed off of turn two with a flat tire.
At that point, Bailes shot by Overton for the lead and beat the pack back to the checkered flag for his second career Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series victory.
Feature Finish: 1. Ross Bailes, 2. Brandon Sheppard, 3. Jimmy Owens, 4. Brandon Overton, 5. Chris Ferguson, 6. Josh Richards, 7. Zack Mitchell, 8. Tyler Erb, 9. Jonathan Davenport, 10. Earl Pearson, Jr., 11. Tyler Bruening, 12. Billy Moyer, Jr., 13. Shane Clanton, 14. Kyle Hardy, 15. Shanon Buckingham, 16. Devin Moran, 17. Kyle Bronson, 18. Tanner English, 19. Hudson O’Neal, 20. Tim McCreadie, 21. Stormy Scott, 22. G.R. Smith, 23. Michael Brown, 24. Kenny Collins, 25. Kyle Strickler, 26. Christain Thomas
