Tyler Erb scored his second LOLMDS win of 2020
The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series went back into action on Friday night in an event at Tri-City Speedway. In the end it was Tyler Erb who emerged from a mid-race battle with Billy Moyer Jr. and came away from the Granite City, IL facility with the winner’s trophy. The New Waverly, TX driver earned $12,000 for his victory in a race broadcast live by Lucas Oil Racing TV.
Kolby Vandenbergh was fastest in Group A qualifying with a lap of 14.186 seconds around the 3/8 mile clay oval by beating out Earl Pearson Jr., Kyle Strickler, Tyler Erb and Shane Clanton.
Jonathan Davenport proved to be the quickest in Group B time-trial with a time of 14.193 seconds outperforming Stormy Scott, Billy Moyer Jr., Chad Simpson and Josh Richards.
Kyle Strickler would start the feature from the pole after he defeated Shane Clanton, Kolby Vandenbergh and Cody Laney in the first heat race of the night while Tyler Erb topped Earl Pearson Jr., Rodney Melvin and Tanner English in the second preliminary.
Billy Moyer Jr. earned the right to start on the outside of the front row by being first to the finish line in the third heat ahead of Jonathan Davenport, Rick Eckert and Josh Richards just before Devin Moran won the fourth and final heat over Tyler Bruening, Tony Toste and Stormy Scott.
Jimmy Owens and Johnny Scott won the two B-main races used to set the remainder of the starting lineup for the main event.
At the start of the 50-lap feature Moyer bolted to the front of the field with Strickler, Erb, Davenport and Moran. Four laps into the race Moyer looked to slip away. However, Strickler and Erb closed in as the lead cars fought through slower traffic.
On lap 6, Moyer, Erb and Strickler went three-wide for the lead as they worked in traffic. Strickler spun to bring out a caution as a result of the action.
On the ensuing restart, Davenport moved to third as Moyer and Erb continued to run first and second. By lap 12 Erb appeared poised to make his move as he looked inside of Moyer for the lead of the race.
Further back, Clanton, Bruening and Moran fought over positions 4-6 as the lead duo worked in traffic.
Lap 22 saw Erb move around Moyer to put himself on the top of the leader board. The No. 1 then began to pull away from his pursuers as the race moved past halfway.
Series points leader Owens moved up to the fifth spot by lap 28 after starting from the 18th positions. However, the No. 20 spun one lap later while racing with Clanton.
Once the race went back to green flag conditions Erb would not be challenged as he pulled away from Moyer and Davenport all the way to the checkered flag.
Feature Finish: 1. Tyler Erb, 2. Billy Moyer Jr., 3. Jonathan Davenport, 4. Shane Clanton, 5. Tyler Bruening, 6. Rick Eckert, 7. Devin Moran, 8. Johnny Scott, 9. Tim McCreadie, 10. Josh Richards, 11. Earl Pearson Jr., 12. Tanner English, 13. Hudson O’Neal, 14. Kyle Bronson, 15. Jimmy Owens, 16. Gordy Gundaker, 17. Shanon Buckingham, 18. Doug Drown, 19. Kolby Vandenbergh, 20. Cody Laney, 21. Mike Marlar, 22. Tony Toste, 23. Rodney Melvin, 24. Billy Laycock, 25. Stormy Scott, 26. Kyle Strickler, 27. Daryn Klein
