Shane Clanton
The World of Outlaws Late Model Series completed its season opening two-day run at Screven Motor Speedway on Saturday with a $10,000 feature event. Shane Clanton scored the win in his home state of Georgia after leading all 50 laps of the feature race.
Jason Covert set fast time in Group A qualifying and overall by touring the 3/8 mile clay oval in 14.588 seconds to beat out Shane Clanton, Brandon Sheppard, Chris Madden and Darrell Lanigan.
Kyle Hardy led the way in Group B time-trials with a lap of 14.622 to better the efforts of Chase Junghans, Michael Norris, Cade Dillard and Brian Shirley.
Jason Covert won the first heat race of the night ahead of Ivedent Lloyd, Jr., Darrell Lanigan and Chris Madden while Shane Clanton took the second preliminary over Brandon Sheppard, John Henderson and Chub Frank.
Kyle Hardy was the victor in the third heat as he beat out Michael Norris, Brian Shirley and Ricky Weiss just before Chase Junghans outran Cade Dillard, Brent Dixon and Dennis Erb, Jr. in the fourth and final heat race of the night.
Brandon Overton and Mike Marlar won the two Last Chance Showdown races used to set the remainder of the starting grid for the main event.
The World of Outlaws redraw may well have been the race winning move as it put Clanton on the pole in the feature.
At the start of the 50-lap feature Clanton bolted to the lead with Covert, Hardy, Dillard and Junghans trailing. Sheppard made an early move as he took sixth away from Norris on the second circuit. Hardy moved by Covert on lap 12 to seize the runner-up position.
For most of the race’s middle section Clanton led the field around in single-file order as drivers kept their cars stuck to the bottom lane of the track. The race leader was able to keep his closest rivals at bey even as he negotiated his way through slower traffic.
But after the race passed its halfway point, Hardy began to close in on Clanton and waited for his opportunity to pounce should the leader bobble. But the veteran Clanton seemingly never put a wheel wrong as kept Hardy a safe distance behind.
Just when it looked as if Clanton was about to cruise to victory a lap 46 caution flag was unfurled for the slowing car of Lloyd. And just two laps after the restart, Covert and Dillard tangled while disputing third to bring out another yellow.
The car of Cade Dillard and Jason Covert(72) tangle as Chase Junghans(18) narrowly misses
But in the end, it was Clanton who would not be denied as he steered his way to the checkered flag ahead of the competition.
Feature Finish: 1. Shane Clanton, 2. Kyle Hardy, 3. Chase Junghans, 4. Brandon Sheppard, 5. Michael Norris, 6. Brian Shirley, 7. Darrell Lanigan, 8. John Henderson, 9. Chris Madden, 10. Brent Dixon, 11. Dennis Erb, Jr., 12. Brandon Overton, 13. Frank Heckanast, Jr., 14. Chub Frank, 15. Ricky Weiss, 16. Billy Moyer, 17. Brent Larson, 18. Jason Covert, 19. Cade Dillard, 20. Blake Spencer, 21. Tyler Carpenter, 22. Mike Marlar, 23. G.R. Smith, 24. Ivendent Lloyd, Jr. 25. Boom Briggs
Clanton and crew celebrate their win
