Tyler Erb won on Saturday following a Friday DQ
The Wrisco Winter Nationals portion of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series schedule wound down on Saturday night at East Bay Raceway Park. After being benched by the series on Friday night after a run-in with Mason Zeigler, it was Tyler Erb who bounced back to score a victory of redemption. The New Waverly, TX driver pocketed $15,000 for the triumph.
Brandon Overton paced Group A qualifying with a lap of 14.544 seconds around the third-mile clay oval to beat out Tim McCreadie, Jimmy Owens, Kyle Bronson, and Billy Moyer Jr.
Brandon Sheppard proved to be quickest in Group B time-trials with a time of 14.644 seconds to top Tyler Erb, Mike Marlar, Brian Shirely, and Tanner English.
Kyle Bronson claimed the pole position for the feature when he bested Devin Moran and Hudson O’Neal in the first heat of the night while Tim McCreadie outran Boom Briggs and Billy Moyer Jr. in the second preliminary.
It was Mark whitener who claimed the third heat ahead of John Baker and Blair Nothdurft.
Brandon Sheppard earned the right to start the main event from the outside of the front row by winning the fourth heat ahead of Dennis Erb Jr. and Josh Richards then Tyler Erb won out in the fifth heat against Tanner English and Bobby Pierce.
Jonathan Davenport took the sixth and final heat over Mike Marlar and Frank Heckenast Jr.
Brandon Overton, Gregg Stterlee and Johnny Scott won the three B-main races used to set the remainder of the starting lineup for the main event.
At the start of the 50-lap feature it was Sheppard who jetted to the early lead ahead of Bronson, McCreadie, Tyler Erb and Whitener. A lap 2 caution for a crash involving title hopefuls Marlar and Richards slowed the action briefly.
On the lap 2 restart Erb began to move toward the front of the field as he took the runner-up spot from Bronson but a lap 5 caution for the slowing car of Colton Flinner again restacked the field.
Erb blasted to second on the lap 5 restart. The No. 1 Best Performance Motorsports took the lead away from Sheppard on lap 14 despite slight contact with the outside wall that did a small amount of body damage to the machine. Shortly afterward, Bronson and McCreadie would shuffle Sheppard further back in the top-5.
McCreadie took the lead on a lap 19 restart and looked as if he might get away from his pursuers while Sheppard went to the high side of the track and regained the third position as he fought with Bronson and Davenport.
Erb took the lead back on a lap 32 restart while O’Neal made his presence known by jumping up to fourth in the running order.
Davenport moved to third behind Erb and Sheppard on a lap 35 restart. He then got by Sheppard for second on lap 38 and set out after Erb and his first series win of the season. Although the No, 49 closed on the leader, Erb would ultimately sail under the checkered flag for his second Lucas Oil win of 2021.
Feature Finish: 1. Tyler Eb, 2. Jonathan Davenport, 3. Brandon Sheppard, 4. Tim McCreadie, 5. Hudson O’Neal, 6. Bobby Pierce, 7. Boom Briggs, 8. Brandon Overton, 9. Josh Richards, 10. Ricky Thornton Jr., 11. Earl Pearson Jr., 12. Tanner English, 13. John Baker, 14. Kyle Bronson, 15. Dennis Erb Jr., 16. Johnny Scott, 17. Billy Moyer Jr., 18. Colton Flinner, 19. Gregg Satterlee, 20. Tyler Bruening, 21. Jimmy Owens, 22. Blake Spencer, 23. Blair Nothdurft, 24. Frank Heckenast Jr., 25. Mark Whitener, 26. Devin Moran, 27. Shane Clanton, 28. Stormy Scott, 29. Brian Shirley, 30. Mike Marlar
