News – Volusia Speedway Park

Bronson Declared Sunshine Nationals Pro Late Model Feature Winner, McCarter Determined Champion After Page’s Disqualification at Volusia

January 17, 2021 by Jordan DeLucia

McCarter goes 20th-to-second to win title by 5 points, Bronson collects another $10k for finale victory

Kyle Bronson’s dominance at Volusia Speedway Park’s Sunshine Nationals continued Saturday night with an unexpected win.

Michael Page was initially declared the winner of the DIRTcar Pro Late Model Feature, beating everyone to the checkered flag first, but faced a disqualification following a post-race technical inspection.

It was determined by DIRTcar and Crate Racin’ USA officials that Page’s car had a valve spring installation height infraction, nullifying his victory. Upon a passing inspection of Bronson’s engine, Bronson was awarded the $10,000 check and declared the Feature winner.

“Anytime you can make some money, it’s always good. You hate to win ‘em that way, but we all know how these deals are going in. You’ve got to be 100 percent right,” Bronson said.

Mack McCarter was determined the overall Sunshine Nationals mini-series champion of the Pro Late Model division after back-to-back second-place finishes, beating Bronson 140 to 135 points over the two contested races.

Bronson began his charge to the front from outside the third row, using the early caution flags to his advantage by doing some of his passing work on the restarts. By Lap 6, he had cracked the top-three and was hot on the trail of second-place Joseph Joiner and leader Page.

Bronson was able to get by Joiner on Lap 13, setting him up for a charge through lapped traffic in pursuit of Page, who was a few car-lengths ahead. Bronson was able to close the gap to just over .3 seconds before Page pulled away again, and a final yellow was displayed with just eight laps remaining.

When the checkered fell, Bronson was unable to get ahead of Page at the stripe, leaving him with a runner-up finish but only for a few hours. Page’s technical inspection wrapped up after midnight on Sunday; Bronson passed his and was declared the winner in the early morning hours.

This victory now makes four Feature wins in five starts for the Brandon, FL-native in Sunshine Nationals Pro Late Model competition after sweeping all three Features last year, and two total on the weekend after his World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Model Series triumph Thursday night.

“We won $10,000, motor got torn down and was 100 percent right and everything passed. So, I’m more than happy with it. We won two races this week for $20,000 and it’s going to help us pay for Speedweeks a little bit,” Bronson said.

Outside of Victory Lane was another unsung hero, making his Sunshine Nationals and Volusia Speedway Park debut, and he did not disappoint. Twenty-seven-year-old Mack McCarter put on a dazzling display of passing on both nights in his first-ever appearance, coming all the way from 20th to cross the line in third Saturday. He was later awarded a second-place finish following Page’s disqualification.

McCarter, of Gatlinburg, TN, was awarded Hard Charger honors on both nights, passing 17 cars Thursday en route to his runner-up finish and 18 cars (17 on-track) Saturday. As impressive as the run was, he knew he may have had something for the leader had he started farther forward.

“Our racecar is really good when [the track] blows off and gets kinda dirty,” McCarter said. “We qualified really well but the invert put us behind in the Heat and we didn’t tighten-up enough. I think if we would have started up front, I would’ve had a good shot to run, and possibly have won.”

Overall, McCarter was pleased with his performance and that of his crew and car builder. Considering he made his first-ever laps on the track just two days prior, coming out of the weekend with two runner-up finishes and an overall mini-series title wasn’t too shabby.

“Just to come down here and run with these guys like Kyle Bronson, outrun him Thursday night and then finish behind him tonight, it just speaks volumes to where our team is,” McCarter said.

Feature (30 Laps) 1. 40B-Kyle Bronson [6][$10,000]; 2. 51-Mack McCarter [20][$5,000]; 3. 23-Cory Hedgecock [13][$3,000]; 4. O1-Jason Welshan [19][$2,000]; 5. 10-Joseph Joiner [3][$1,500]; 6. 385-Mark Whitener [4][$1,200]; 7. 14JR-John Baker [14][$900]; 8. 97-Cody Overton [18][$700]; 9. 66-Jake Knowles [25][$600]; 10. 30-Todd Cooney [8][$550]; 11. 83-Jensen Ford [10][$500]; 12. 121-Pearson Lee [22][$400]; 13. 7T-Trever Taylor [5][$400]; 14. 87R-Jake Rainey [7][$400]; 15. 5-John Collins [23][$400]; 16. 44C-Curtis Cline [24][$400]; 17. 33-Jeff Mathews [9][$400]; 18. 66K-Dylan Knowles [1][$400]; 19. K37-Drew Kennedy [26][$400]; 20. 2-Trynt Lloyd [12][$400]; 21. 7A-Corey Almond [17][$400]; 22. 6-Clay Harris [16][$400]; 23. OO-Richie Stephens [15][$400]; 24. T8-Steve Banal [11][$400]; 25. 66JK-Jody Knowles [21][$400] DQ – 18X-Michael Page [2] Hard Charger: 51-Mack McCarter [+18]

Qualifying Flight-A 1. 121-Pearson Lee, 17.391; 2. 51T-Chad Tuten, 17.541; 3. O1-Jason Welshan, 17.622; 4. 10-Joseph Joiner, 17.625; 5. 87R-Jake Rainey, 17.644; 6. OO-Richie Stephens, 17.7; 7. 7T-Trever Taylor, 17.821; 8. 7H-Jeremy Holtzclaw, 17.871; 9. 69X-Carder Miller, 17.872; 10. 33-Jeff Mathews, 18.011; 11. 87A-Walker Arthur, 18.06; 12. 72S-Chase Washington, 18.111; 13. 42-Steve Stratton, 18.225; 14. 40S-Cody Smith, 18.234; 15. 23-Cory Hedgecock, 18.278; 16. OO7-Dusty Sparkman, 18.408; 17. 26C-Von Casey, 18.551; 18. 39X-Zack Shelton, 18.578; 19. N59-Chad Evans, 18.792; 20. 87-Jarrod Carey, 19.128; DQ. 6JR-Cole Exum, 17.894

Qualifying Flight-B 1. 51-Mack McCarter, 17.52; 2. 18X-Michael Page, 17.528; 3. 7A-Corey Almond, 17.53; 4. 515-David Markham, 17.531; 5. T8-Steve Banal, 17.576; 6. 5-John Collins, 17.611; 7. 385-Mark Whitener, 17.684; 8. 30-Todd Cooney, 17.742; 9. K37-Drew Kennedy, 17.743; 10. 14JR-John Baker, 17.802; 11. 92-Joseph Brown, 17.879; 12. 55-Matt Long, 17.88; 13. 14M-Trey Mills, 17.934; 14. 2021-Jeff Provenzino, 17.985; 15. 40-Joel Callahan, 18.025; 16. 3R-Ryan Van, 18.101; 17. 26-Jimmy Sharpe, 18.22; 18. 9-Jimmy Waldrop, 18.275; 19. 6H-Jimmy Halford, 18.431; 20. 11-Daniel Dial, 18.63; 21. 16-Tom Egner, 18.839

Qualifying Flight-C 1. 83-Jensen Ford, 17.549; 2. 97-Cody Overton, 17.62; 3. 6-Clay Harris, 17.665; 4. 80-Ben Scott, 17.671; 5. 388-Jackson Hise, 17.681; 6. 2-Trynt Lloyd, 17.701; 7. 40B-Kyle Bronson, 17.741; 8. 66K-Dylan Knowles, 17.759; 9. 66-Jake Knowles, 17.774; 10. 95-Brandon Williams, 17.826; 11. 44-John Ruggerio, 17.86; 12. 7F-Jason Fitzgerald, 17.979; 13. 44C-Curtis Cline, 18.011; 14. 66JK-Jody Knowles, 18.058; 15. 32-Curtis Clover, 18.105; 16. 23P-Ahnna Parkhurst, 18.124; 17. 27-Garrett Llyod, 18.221; 18. 14-Jerry Green, 18.234; 19. 3-Raymond Folwell, 18.241; 20. 301-Shawn Cooney, 18.339; 21. 39-Troy Dixon, 18.921; 22. 4-Trey Davis, 19.208

Heat #1 – Flight (A) (8 Laps) – Top 3 Transfer 1. 7T-Trever Taylor [1]; 2. 87R-Jake Rainey [2]; 3. 23-Cory Hedgecock [8]; 4. 69X-Carder Miller [5]; 5. 87A-Walker Arthur [6]; 6. 121-Pearson Lee [4]; 7. O1-Jason Welshan [3]; 8. 42-Steve Stratton [7]; 9. 26C-Von Casey [9]; 10. N59-Chad Evans [10]; 11. 6JR-Cole Exum [11]

Heat #2 – Flight (A) (8 Laps) – Top 3 Transfer 1. 10-Joseph Joiner [3]; 2. 33-Jeff Mathews [5]; 3. OO-Richie Stephens [2]; 4. 40S-Cody Smith [7]; 5. 51T-Chad Tuten [4]; 6. 7H-Jeremy Holtzclaw [1]; 7. 72S-Chase Washington [6]; 8. 87-Jarrod Carey [10]; 9. OO7-Dusty Sparkman [8]; 10. 39X-Zack Shelton [9]

Heat #3 – Flight (B) (8 Laps) – Top 3 Transfer 1. 385-Mark Whitener [1]; 2. T8-Steve Banal [2]; 3. 7A-Corey Almond [3]; 4. 51-Mack McCarter [4]; 5. K37-Drew Kennedy [5]; 6. 14M-Trey Mills [7]; 7. 40-Joel Callahan [8]; 8. 92-Joseph Brown [6]; 9. 6H-Jimmy Halford [10]; 10. 16-Tom Egner [11]; 11. 26-Jimmy Sharpe [9]

Heat #4 – Flight (B) (8 Laps) – Top 3 Transfer 1. 18X-Michael Page [4]; 2. 30-Todd Cooney [1]; 3. 14JR-John Baker [5]; 4. 5-John Collins [2]; 5. 55-Matt Long [6]; 6. 2021-Jeff Provenzino [7]; 7. 515-David Markham [3]; 8. 3R-Ryan Van [8]; 9. 9-Jimmy Waldrop [9]; 10. 11-Daniel Dial [10]

Heat #5 – Flight (C) (8 Laps) – Top 3 Transfer 1. 40B-Kyle Bronson [1]; 2. 83-Jensen Ford [4]; 3. 6-Clay Harris [3]; 4. 44C-Curtis Cline [7]; 5. 44-John Ruggerio [6]; 6. 27-Garrett Llyod [9]; 7. 388-Jackson Hise [2]; 8. 66-Jake Knowles [5]; 9. 3-Raymond Folwell [10]; 10. 32-Curtis Clover [8]; 11. 39-Troy Dixon [11]

Heat #6 – Flight (C) (8 Laps) – Top 3 Transfer 1. 66K-Dylan Knowles [1]; 2. 2-Trynt Lloyd [2]; 3. 97-Cody Overton [4]; 4. 66JK-Jody Knowles [7]; 5. 80-Ben Scott [3]; 6. 95-Brandon Williams [5]; 7. 7F-Jason Fitzgerald [6]; 8. 14-Jerry Green [9]; 9. 23P-Ahnna Parkhurst [8]; 10. 301-Shawn Cooney [10]; 11. 4-Trey Davis [11]

Last Chance Showdown 1 (10 Laps) – Top 2 Transfer 1. O1-Jason Welshan [7][-]; 2. 121-Pearson Lee [5][-]; 3. 69X-Carder Miller [1][-]; 4. 87A-Walker Arthur [3][]; 5. 72S-Chase Washington [8][]; 6. 51T-Chad Tuten [4][]; 7. N59-Chad Evans [13][]; 8. 42-Steve Stratton [9][]; 9. 7H-Jeremy Holtzclaw [6][]; 10. 26C-Von Casey [11][]; 11. 87-Jarrod Carey [10][]; 12. 39X-Zack Shelton [14][]; 13. 40S-Cody Smith [2][]; 14. OO7-Dusty Sparkman [12][]; 15. 6JR-Cole Exum [15][]

Last Chance Showdown 2 (10 Laps) – Top 2 Transfer 1. 51-Mack McCarter [1][-]; 2. 5-John Collins [2][-]; 3. K37-Drew Kennedy [3][-]; 4. 14M-Trey Mills [5][]; 5. 55-Matt Long [4][]; 6. 40-Joel Callahan [7][]; 7. 2021-Jeff Provenzino [6][]; 8. 92-Joseph Brown [9][]; 9. 6H-Jimmy Halford [11][]; 10. 515-David Markham [8][]; 11. 3R-Ryan Van [10][]; 12. 16-Tom Egner [13][]; 13. 9-Jimmy Waldrop [12][]; 14. 26-Jimmy Sharpe [15][]

Last Chance Showdown 3 (10 Laps) – Top 2 Transfer 1. 66JK-Jody Knowles [2][-]; 2. 44C-Curtis Cline [1][-]; 3. 44-John Ruggerio [3][-]; 4. 7F-Jason Fitzgerald [8][]; 5. 80-Ben Scott [4][]; 6. 3-Raymond Folwell [11][]; 7. 27-Garrett Llyod [5][]; 8. 66-Jake Knowles [9][]; 9. 14-Jerry Green [10][]; 10. 388-Jackson Hise [7][]; 11. 32-Curtis Clover [13][]; 12. 301-Shawn Cooney [14][]; 13. 39-Troy Dixon [15][]; 14. 4-Trey Davis [16][]; 15. 95-Brandon Williams [6][]; 16. 23P-Ahnna Parkhurst [12][]

Rain showers force cancellation of night two of the Sunshine Nationals

January 25, 2021January 15, 2021 by DIRTcar Racing

Persistent rain showers creating saturated grounds at Volusia Speedway Park have forced World of Outlaws, DIRTcar and track officials to cancel Friday’s event at the speedway. It will not be made up.

Those who purchased a ticket in advance to Friday’s event at Volusia will receive a face-value credit to their MyDirtTickets.com account to be used towards any World of Outlaws event available at WorldofOutlaws.com/tix. If a credit to your account does not work for you, CLICK HERE to be taken to the refund request page.

You have the option to exchange your Friday only ticket for a Saturday only ticket and your Friday only pit pass for a Saturday only pit pass at the Speedway gate on Saturday.

If you purchased a three-day pit pass, Friday only pit pass, or a Friday only ticket, you’ll need to mail your wrist band or ticket back to the office at 7575 West Winds Blvd. Concord, NC 28027. You must include all wrist bands and/or tickets and a return mailing address.

Fans can look forward to the Sunshine Nationals finale at Volusia Saturday, Jan. 16, featuring the World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Models, DIRTcar Late Models, 602 Late Models and Florida Late Models.

For the latest on the World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Models and DIRTcar, make sure to follow on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. Also at www.WorldofOutlaws.com and DIRTcar.com.

STREAK SNAPPER: Page Wins Pro Late Model Sunshine Nationals Opener at Volusia, Denies Bronson of Four-Peat

January 15, 2021January 15, 2021 by Jordan DeLucia

McCarter soars from 19th-to-second, Bronson finishes fourth right after World of Outlaws win

The last time Kyle Bronson and Michael Page went head-to-head in DIRTcar Pro Late Model action at Volusia Speedway Park, Bronson got the upper-hand in a furious battle for the inaugural DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals finale victory. On Thursday night, it was Page’s turn to shine.

Page, of Douglasville, GA, led all 25 laps en route to his first victory in the event, snapping Bronson’s three-race win streak that be built in last year by sweeping the weekend and winning all three Pro Late Model Features and clinching the overall event championship.

A big move at the drop of the opening green flag really set Page out front quickly and gave him the advantage he needed over his competition. After redrawing sixth upon winning his Heat Race earlier in the evening, Page came out of Turn 4 considerably lower than the two cars in front of him on the original start and zoomed into third-place, full-bore into Turn 1. By the time he entered Turn 3, Page was the race leader.

The +5-spot differential in one lap made for quite an exciting sequence of passes, showing off the alive-and-well strength of a new power plant under the hood of 2003 MasterSbilt Race Cars chassis that Page used in his runner-up finish in this event last year.

“It’s a new motor, a Matt Bishop racing engine, a local guy around where we live, and that thing ran better than anything I’ve ever drove Crate-wise. And for an old MasterSbilt, that thing will get around the racetrack as good as anything,” Page told DIRTVision pit reporter Ruben Mireles in Victory Lane.

Beyond a few restarts in the second half of the race, not much else gave Page a serious challenge for the top spot. Bronson, however, was stopped just a bit short of his quest to continue his winning streak.

After winning the World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Model Series Feature just one hour before, Bronson hopped into his Pro Late Model and went from the pole but did not look as strong as he did with the Outlaws.

Bronson had faded back to sixth at one point but was able to rebound on the late restarts and lock up a fourth-place finish.

One of the race’s biggest highlights outside of the Page-Bronson storylines was the climb of young Tennessean Mack McCarter. He and his #51 came all the way from 19th to finish second in the Feature. McCarter had passed 15 cars in 10 laps and made the most of his time in the podium, even making up a little distance on leader Page in the closing circuits.

But there just was no catching Page and his #18x. His start was just too great, and the car was just too stable for any worthy challengers.

“I just tried to do something; to go where they couldn’t,” Page said. “The car just took off immediately. Sometimes doing whatever they don’t do is the right thing to do, but sometimes it’ll kick you in the butt. But it worked out tonight.”

Magic Man Mark Whitener crossed the stripe in third after a solid run inside the top-six the entire distance. Driving for Dale Mosley Racing this weekend, he really had a handle on his Pro Late Model ride, setting a new personal-best finish in the event.

The Sunshine Nationals action continues Friday night with more Pro Late Model, World of Outlaws, 602 Late Model and Florida Late Model action from Volusia Speedway Park on night #2 of the DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals. Catch all the action live on DIRTVision!

Feature (25 Laps) 1. 18X-Michael Page [6]; 2. 51-Mack McCarter [19]; 3. 385-Mark Whitener [7]; 4. 40B-Kyle Bronson [1]; 5. 23-Cory Hedgecock [10]; 6. 66-Jake Knowles [2]; 7. 14JR-John Baker [4]; 8. 66K-Dylan Knowles [9]; 9. 10-Joseph Joiner [14]; 10. 6-Clay Harris [11]; 11. 14M-Trey Mills [3]; 12. 97-Cody Overton [15]; 13. 121-Pearson Lee [24]; 14. O1-Jason Welshan [22]; 15. 92-Joseph Brown [12]; 16. 87A-Walker Arthur [13]; 17. 30-Todd Cooney [26]; 18. 7A-Corey Almond [16]; 19. 66JK-Jody Knowles [25]; 20. 5-John Collins [5]; 21. 40-Joel Callahan [17]; 22. 55-Matt Long [23]; 23. 69X-Carder Miller [20]; 24. OO-Richie Stephens [18]; 25. 2-Trynt Llyod [21]; 26. OO7-Dusty Sparkman [8] Hard Charger: 51-Mack McCarter[+17]

Qualifying Flight-A 1. 30-Todd Cooney, 17.224; 2. 3-Raymond Folwell, 17.557; 3. 18X-Michael Page, 17.71; 4. 66K-Dylan Knowles, 17.819; 5. 51-Mack McCarter, 17.871; 6. 515-David Markham, 17.933; 7. 87A-Walker Arthur, 17.978; 8. 40B-Kyle Bronson, 17.986; 9. 51T-Chad Tuten, 18.001; 10. 3R-Ryan Van, 18.017; 11. 385-Mark Whitener, 18.023; 12. 97-Cody Overton, 18.049; 13. O1-Jason Welshan, 18.078; 14. 7F-Jason Fitzgerald, 18.152; 15. 44-Curtis Cline, 18.166; 16. 95-Brandon Williams, 18.214; 17. 9-Jimmy Waldrop, 18.555; 18. 7T-Trever Taylor, NT; DQ. 33-Jeff Mathews, 17.969

Qualifying Flight-B 1. 6-Clay Harris, 17.619; 2. 69X-Carder Miller, 17.998; 3. 5-John Collins, 18.089; 4. 23P-Ahnna Parkhurst, 18.179; 5. 55-Matt Long, 18.185; 6. 80-Ben Scott, 18.218; 7. 40-Joel Callahan, 18.22; 8. 14M-Trey Mills, 18.227; 9. 42-Steve Stratton, 18.26; 10. OO7-Dusty Sparkman, 18.271; 11. K37-Drew Kennedy, 18.298; 12. 10-Joseph Joiner, 18.348; 13. 87-Jarrod Corey, 18.481; 14. 7H-Jeremy Holtzclaw, 18.529; 15. 27-Garrett Llyod, 18.614; 16. 26-Jimmy Sharpe, 18.633; 17. 14-Jerry Green, 18.848; 18. 39X-Zack Shelton, 18.98

Qualifying Flight-C 1. 23-Cory Hedgecock, 17.65; 2. OO-Richie Stephens, 17.814; 3. 2021-Jeff Provenzano, 17.827; 4. 92-Joseph Brown, 17.908; 5. 14JR-John Baker, 17.955; 6. 66-Jake Knowles, 18.03; 7. 7A-Corey Almond, 18.112; 8. 388-Jackson Hise, 18.119; 9. 2-Trynt Llyod, 18.186; 10. 121-Pearson Lee, 18.213; 11. 66JK-Jody Knowles, 18.329; 12. 6H-Jimmy Halford, 18.461; 13. 32-Curks Clover, 18.485; 14. 72S-Chase Washington, 18.582; 15. 11-Daniel Dial, 18.661; 16. 301-Shawn Cooney, 19.316; 17. 16-Tom Egner, 19.428; 18. 39-Troy Dixon, 19.513; 19. T8-Steve Bonal, NT

Heat #1 – Flight (A) (8 Laps) – Top 3 Transfer 1. 18X-Michael Page [3]; 2. 385-Mark Whitener [6]; 3. 87A-Walker Arthur [1]; 4. 51-Mack McCarter [2]; 5. O1-Jason Welshan [7]; 6. 30-Todd Cooney [4]; 7. 44-Curtis Cline [8]; 8. 51T-Chad Tuten [5]; 9. 9-Jimmy Waldrop [9]; 10. 33-Jeff Mathews [10]

Heat #2 – Flight (A) (8 Laps) – Top 3 Transfer 1. 40B-Kyle Bronson [1]; 2. 66K-Dylan Knowles [3]; 3. 97-Cody Overton [6]; 4. 3-Raymond Folwell [4]; 5. 3R-Ryan Van [5]; 6. 7F-Jason Fitzgerald [7]; 7. 515-David Markham [2]; 8. 95-Brandon Williams [8]; 9. 7T-Trever Taylor [9]

Heat #3 – Flight (B) (8 Laps) – Top 3 Transfer
1. 5-John Collins [3]; 2. 6-Clay Harris [4]; 3. 40-Joel Callahan [1]; 4. 55-Matt Long [2]; 5. K37-Drew Kennedy [6]; 6. 14-Jerry Green [9]; 7. 27-Garrett Llyod [8]; 8. 87-Jarrod Corey [7]; 9. 42-Steve Stratton [5]

Heat #4 – Flight (B) (8 Laps) – Top 3 Transfer 1. 14M-Trey Mills [1]; 2. OO7-Dusty Sparkman [5]; 3. 10-Joseph Joiner [6]; 4. 69X-Carder Miller [4]; 5. 23P-Ahnna Parkhurst [3]; 6. 7H-Jeremy Holtzclaw [7]; 7. 39X-Zack Shelton [9]; 8. 80-Ben Scott [2]; 9. 26-Jimmy Sharpe [8]

Heat #5 – Flight (C) (8 Laps) – Top 3 Transfer 1. 14JR-John Baker [2]; 2. 23-Cory Hedgecock [4]; 3. 7A-Corey Almond [1]; 4. 2-Trynt Llyod [5]; 5. 66JK-Jody Knowles [6]; 6. 2021-Jeff Provenzano [3]; 7. 32-Curks Clover [7]; 8. 11-Daniel Dial [8]; 9. 16-Tom Egner [9]; 10. T8-Steve Bonal [10]

Drydene Heat #6 – Flight (C) (8 Laps) – Top 3 Transfer 1. 66-Jake Knowles [2]; 2. 92-Joseph Brown [3]; 3. OO-Richie Stephens [4]; 4. 121-Pearson Lee [5]; 5. 72S-Chase Washington [7]; 6. 388-Jackson Hise [1]; 7. 6H-Jimmy Halford [6]; 8. 301-Shawn Cooney [8]; 9. 39-Troy Dixon [9]

Last Chance Showdown 1 (10 Laps) – Top 2 Transfer 1. 51-Mack McCarter [1]; 2. O1-Jason Welshan [3]; 3. 30-Todd Cooney [5]; 4. 7F-Jason Fitzgerald [6]; 5. 3-Raymond Folwell [2]; 6. 3R-Ryan Van [4]; 7. 44-Curtis Cline [7]; 8. 95-Brandon Williams [10]; 9. 515-David Markham [8]; 10. 51T-Chad Tuten [9]; 11. 9-Jimmy Waldrop [11]; 12. 7T-Trever Taylor [12]; 13. 33-Jeff Mathews [13]

Last Chance Showdown 2 (10 Laps) – Top 2 Transfer 1. 69X-Carder Miller [2]; 2. 55-Matt Long [1]; 3. K37-Drew Kennedy [3]; 4. 14-Jerry Green [5]; 5. 23P-Ahnna Parkhurst [4]; 6. 7H-Jeremy Holtzclaw [6]; 7. 87-Jarrod Corey [9]; 8. 39X-Zack Shelton [8]; 9. 42-Steve Stratton [11]; 10. 27-Garrett Llyod [7]; 11. 80-Ben Scott [10]; 12. 26-Jimmy Sharpe [12]

Last Chance Showdown 3 (10 Laps) – Top 2 Transfer 1. 2-Trynt Llyod [1]; 2. 121-Pearson Lee [2]; 3. 66JK-Jody Knowles [3]; 4. 2021-Jeff Provenzano [5]; 5. 6H-Jimmy Halford [8]; 6. 32-Curks Clover [7]; 7. 11-Daniel Dial [9]; 8. 39-Troy Dixon [12]; 9. 301-Shawn Cooney [10]; 10. 72S-Chase Washington [4]; 11. 388-Jackson Hise [6]; 12. 16-Tom Egner [11]; 13. T8-Steve Bonal [13]

50th DIRTcar Nationals Hot Laps Moved up to 2PM on Sunday, Feb. 7

January 14, 2021 by Volusia Speedway Park

The 50th DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park on Sunday, Feb. 7, will kick off at 2pm(ET), starting with Hot Laps for the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars and DIRTcar UMP Modifieds.

With a fairly significant football game taking place that Sunday night, DIRTcar and Volusia officials will open the grandstands at 1pm before going into Hot Laps at 2pm and racing at 3pm, ensuring fans can have the best of both worlds if they choose.

The Outlaws — known as The Greatest Show on Dirt — will race in a $10,000-to-win Feature while the UMP Modifieds will be racing for a chance to qualify for The Gator Championship the following night at Volusia.

For the remainder of the event from Tuesday, Feb. 2, to Saturday, Feb. 6, and Monday, Feb. 8, to Saturday, Feb. 13, fans can enter the grandstands at the World’s Fastest Half-Mile dirt track nightly at 5pm(ET) with opening ceremonies and racing at 6:50pm.

While the best way to catch all of the action is in the track’s practically brand-new grandstands, the racing will also air around the world on DIRTVision as part of the broadcast giant’s Fast Pass.

Tickets for the 50th DIRTcar Nationals are available online, with a schedule featuring Sprint Cars, Dirt Late Models, UMP Modifieds and Big Block Modifieds:

FULL SUNDAY SCHEDULE
10:00am – Pit Pass sales begin & Will Call opens
10:45am – Pit areas secured, credentials & Pit Passes required
1:00pm – Grandstand gates open & Fan Pit Pass booth opens in Midway
2:00pm – Hot Laps followed by Qualifying
3:00pm – Opening Ceremonies, followed by Racing

FULL DIRTCAR NATIONALS SCHEDULE
Tuesday, Feb. 2 – DIRTcar UMP Modifieds/Sprint Car Hot Laps

Wednesday, Feb. 3 – Ollie’s Bargain Outlet All Star Circuit of Champions Sprint Cars presented by Mobil 1/DIRTcar UMP Modifieds

Thursday, Feb. 4 – Ollie’s Bargain Outlet All Star Circuit of Champions Sprint Cars presented by Mobil 1/DIRTcar UMP Modifieds

Friday, Feb. 5 – World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars/DIRTcar UMP Modifieds

Saturday, Feb. 6 – World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars/DIRTcar UMP Modifieds

Sunday, Feb. 7 – World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars/DIRTcar UMP Modifieds (EARLY START TIME OF 3 PM ON SUNDAY ONLY)

Monday, Feb. 8 – DIRTcar UMP Modifieds Gator Championship/DIRTcar Late Models

Tuesday, Feb. 9 – DIRTcar Late Models/Super DIRTcar Series Big Block Modifieds

Wednesday, Feb. 10 – World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Models/Super DIRTcar Series Big Block Modifieds

Thursday, Feb. 11 – World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Models/Super DIRTcar Series Big Block Modifieds

Friday, Feb. 12 – World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Models/Super DIRTcar Series Big Block Modifieds

Saturday, Feb. 13 – World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Models/Super DIRTcar Series Big Block Modifieds

WHAT TO WATCH FOR: DIRTcar Pro Late Models Return with a Strong Field for 2nd annual Sunshine Nationals

January 12, 2021January 11, 2021 by Jordan DeLucia

Bronson preps for title defense, double duty with Whitener and Matthews

A grand total of 86 Late Models filled the Volusia Speedway Park pit area last year for the Saturday night finale of the inaugural DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals.

This year promises to be even bigger with the addition of a fourth class into the mix, setting some DIRTcar Pro Late Model drivers up for a double duty weekend alongside the World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Models as they kick off their season at the event, running Jan. 14-16.

Others will be making their maiden voyage to the event, in hopes to capture the $10,000 top prize in Saturday night’s 30-lap finale. A night of practice on Wednesday will precede Thursday and Friday’s preliminary action; all three nights of racing will be broadcast live on DIRTVision. Get yourself a Fast Pass subscription today and be on the lookout for these drivers in the field to make some waves.

Here are the top storylines to follow at the Sunshine Nationals:

BRONSON EYES REPEAT – The inaugural Sunshine Nationals winner returns in 2021 to defend his DIRTcar Pro Late Model crown behind the wheel of his Racecar Engineering #40B. Last year, the Brandon, FL-native put together a complete weekend sweep, setting fast time in practice Wednesday night before winning all three Pro Late Model Features Thursday-Saturday and collecting $13,500 in first-place money for his efforts. After watching him take down headline Late Model names such as Michael Page, Randy Weaver and Max Blair in last year’s finale, Killer is the clear favorite heading into the 2nd annual event.

This year, with the addition of the World of Outlaws to the racing program, Bronson is expected to pull the double, racing in both classes while chasing after his second career Outlaws victory.

Bronson’s new Pro Late Model ride for 2021

MAGIC MAN RETURNS – Another Floridian with a chance to make it happen in this year’s event is Mark Whitener. He’ll also be pulling double duty in his Pro Late Model and Super Late Model with the Outlaws, looking for his first career victory in the event. Magic Man had a decent showing in last year’s event with the Pro Late Models with a fourth-place finish in Saturday’s finale. He struggled Friday night, dropping out early after starting on the outside pole, but is ready for redemption this time around.

Whitener has had success in the past at Volusia, landing himself a spot in the World of Outlaws redraw in three of his six DIRTcar Nationals starts last year, following a fifth-place effort in the opening night of Late Model week with the DIRTcar Late Models.

NEW YEAR, NEW CAR – It was an up-and-down kind of event for Jake Knowles in 2020. While he missed the Feature on Thursday night and placed 20th after starting sixth on Saturday, Knowles did have a solid fourth-place run on Friday night that showed he knows how to get around Volusia.

The 35-year-old from Rome, GA, will be starting the year off behind the wheel of a Jason Welshan-owned Savage Chassis house car instead of his usual red/white #66 while his own Savage Chassis is being built. Knowles already has one weekend of competition on the car, finishing 17th in Sunday’s Ice Bowl event at Talladega Short Track.

Jake Knowles’ Savage Chassis ride for the 2021 Sunshine Nationals

MACK ATTACK – The younger of the McCarter brothers, whose father Mitch owns 411 Motor Speedway in Seymour, TN, Mack McCarter comes into this weekend riding a big momentum swing from three consecutive Crate Late Model Feature wins in his last four starts. Mack swept the Crate competition at 411’s Leftover event in November, then went to Volunteer Speedway the next weekend and won the Crate portion of the Drydene Xtreme DIRTcar Series Grinch 40. Look out for this young talent as he makes his debut in the Sunshine Nationals this weekend.

TURNAROUND TIME – Another double-duty pilot from the state of Florida, Hollywood Jeff Mathews is one of the more experienced drivers in the Late Model field. As a former UMP Modified regular, Mathews knows his way around Volusia just as well as anyone else and has shown that on several occasions; most recently picking up a Modified Showdown Feature win in November at Volusia’s Reutimann Memorial.

He did not have the Sunshine Nationals results he was looking for in 2020, with finishes of 16th, 17th and 23rd, but 2021 could be different as Mathews is coming off a year that included four Features wins in his Late Model ventures.

THE BIG 5-O: Ironmen UMP Modified Drivers Take on 50th DIRTcar Nationals Feb. 2-8, 2021

January 10, 2021January 6, 2021 by Jordan DeLucia

New stars Hoffman, Nicely set to battle with veterans Wallace, Stremme and others

Jan. 6, 2021 – The DIRTcar UMP Modifieds have long been known as the “Ironmen” of the DIRTcar Nationals.

For the past several years of the iconic Florida event, they’ve competed the first seven nights alongside the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series and World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Model Series.

When the stout field rolls into Volusia Speedway Park Feb. 2-8 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the event, one hand will point to the division’s future stars while the other reaches back on the history books. Some of the division’s most exciting points chases and storylines have been produced over the past 15 years, featuring a slew of instantly recognizable names.

The 2007 DIRTcar Nationals was headlined with the success of one young Canadian, who ushered in a new level of dominance not previously seen in DIRTcar Nationals UMP Modified history. Twenty-three-year-old Steve Arpin, of Fort Frances, ON, brought his Larry Shaw Race Cars #00 into the facility and made his mark on history, winning an incredible five consecutive Features in seven nights to earn his first DIRTcar Nationals championship. It seemed as though Arpin would hold this record forever, until one man sparked a legacy of his own the following year.

When Arpin was seriously injured at Volusia in February 2008, the door swung open for another driver to step up to the plate. Jared Landers, of Batesville, AR, won two Features that year, setting him up for a memorable run in 2009 where he won five non-consecutive Features over seven nights of racing, tying Arpin’s record and crowning him DIRTcar Nationals champion for the first time in his career.

The next four years didn’t see quite the level of dominance brought on by Arpin and Landers but was made up for with a diverse group of Feature winners and champions.

Present-day Late Model veteran Dave Hess Jr., of Waterford, PA, won two Features en route to his Golden Eagle trophy in 2010, one year before Emporia, KS’s own Clint Bowyer led the charge of NASCAR-driven success at the event.

Bowyer won three Features on his way to a Golden Eagle in 2011, paving the way for fellow Richard Childress Racing teammates Ty and Austin Dillon’s three newly styled Big Gator championship trophies, collected from 2012-2015. The brothers won a combined 12 DIRTcar Nationals Features over that period, missing out on only the 2013 points championship to another NASCAR legend, Kenny Schrader.

While Austin hoisted his first Big Gator in 2015 with Ty finishing just 10 points behind in third, one driver stood between them in the points that year.

Belleville, IL-born Nick Hoffman, now residing in Mooresville, NC, has since been the one man to beat when it comes to the UMP Modifieds at the DIRTcar Nationals. He and his blue/orange Elite Chassis #2 have been tearing up Volusia in February for the past five years, winning 13 Features and five consecutive Big Gator trophies from 2016-2020.

Hoffman (2) and David Stremme (35) racing for position in the 2020 DIRTcar Nationals (Rick Neff Photo)

Armed with his second consecutive DIRTcar Summit Racing Equipment Modified Nationals championship and DIRTcar UMP Modified national championship honors that 2020 brought him, 2021 is looking brighter than ever for the reigning Big Gator champion to repeat at Volusia.

Of course, several big-name contenders in the division will be gunning for their right to hoist the Big Gator trophy as well, including former NASCAR stars David Stremme, Kenny Wallace and 2020 Reutimann Memorial winner Tyler Nicely.

Tickets for the 50th annual DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park, Feb. 2-13, are on sale now at DIRTcarNationals.com. If you can’t make it to the track, be sure to tune into DIRTVision to watch all the action live from the comfort of your home!

Previous UMP Modified Feature Winners
February 10, 2020 – Spencer Hughes
February 9, 2020 – Kyle Strickler
February 8, 2020 – Nick Hoffman
February 7, 2020 – Curt Spalding, Jason Beaulieu, Christian Thomas, David Reutimann
February 6, 2020 – Nick Hoffman
February 5, 2020 – Kyle Strickler
February 4, 2020 – Michael Long
February 11th, 2019 — Kyle Strickler
February 11th, 2019 — Kyle Strickler
February 11th, 2019 —Lucas Lee
February 8th, 2019 — R.C. Whitwell, Justin Haley, Gordy Gundaker, Brandon Green, Jesse Rupe
February 7th, 2019 — Nick Hoffman
February 6th, 2019 — Taylor Cook
February 5th, 2019 — Michael Long
February 11th, 2018 — Kyle Strickler
February 10th, 2018 — Tyler Nicely
February 9th, 2018 — Kyle Strickler, Tyler Nicely, Frank Paladino, Larry Mott
February 8th, 2018 — Nick Hoffman
February 7th, 2018 — Nick Hoffman
February 6th, 2018 — David Stremme
February 21st, 2017 — Jacob Hawkins, Jonathan Taylor, J.E. Stalder
February 20th, 2017 — Nick Hoffman
February 19th, 2017 — Nick Hoffman
February 19th, 2017 — Will Krup
February 17th, 2017 — Nick Hoffman
February 16th, 2017 — Brian Ruhlman
February 15th, 2017 — Nick Hoffman
February 14th, 2017 — Jacob Hawkins
February 16th, 2016 — Derrick Ramey, Justin Allgaier, Ray Bollinger
February 15th, 2016 — Nick Hoffman
February 14th, 2016 — Brian Ruhlman
February 13th, 2016 — Nick Hoffman
February 12th, 2016 — Trent Young
February 11th, 2016 — Tyler Nicely
February 10th, 2016 — Nick Hoffman
February 9th, 2016 — Nick Hoffman
February 16th, 2015 — Austin Dillon
February 15th, 2015 — Austin Dillon
February 14th, 2015 — Nick Hoffman
February 13th, 2015 — Ty Dillon
February 12th, 2015 — David Stremme
February 11th, 2015 — Kyle Strickler
February 10th, 2015 — Austin Dillon
February 18th, 2014 — Ty Dillon
February 18th, 2014 — Joel Ortberg
February 17th, 2014 — Ty Dillon
February 16th, 2014 — Austin Dillon
February 15th, 2014 — Ty Dillon
February 14th, 2014 — Ty Dillon
February 13th, 2014 — Kyle Bronson
February 11th, 2014 — Kyle Strickler
February 19th, 2013 — Ty Dillon
February 19th, 2013 — Jacob Poel
February 19th, 2013 — Jason Zimmer
February 18th, 2013 — Ken Schrader
February 17th, 2013 — Matt Westfall
February 16th, 2013 — Jacob Poel
February 15th, 2013 — Nick Hoffman
February 12th, 2013 — Rodney Sanders
February 21st, 2012 — Austin Dillon
February 21st, 2012 — Mike Wedelstadt
February 21st, 2012 — Tyler Carpenter
February 20th, 2012 — Nick Hoffman
February 19th, 2012 — Kenny Wallace
February 18th, 2012 — Chad Kinder
February 17th, 2012 — Ty Dillon
February 16th, 2012 — Kenny Wallace
February 15th, 2012 — Kenny Wallace
February 14th, 2012 — Dale Mathison
February 15th, 2011 — Ty Dillon
February 15th, 2011 — Kenny Schrader
February 15th, 2011 — Austin Dillon
February 14th, 2011 — Ty Dillon
February 13th, 2011 — Clint Bowyer
February 12th, 2011 — Richie Tosh
February 11th, 2011 — Ryan Gustin
February 10th, 2011 — Clint Bowyer
February 9th, 2011 — Clint Bowyer
February 8th, 2011 — Austin Dillon
February 8th, 2010 — Jared Landers
February 7th, 2010 — Austin Dillon
February 6th, 2010 — Dave Hess, Jr.
February 4th, 2010 — David McWilliams
February 3rd, 2010 — Dave Hess, Jr.
February 10th, 2009 — Austin Dillon
February 9th, 2009 — Jared Landers
February 8th, 2009 — Jared Landers
February 7th, 2009 — Randy Hall
February 6th, 2009 — Jared Landers
February 5th, 2009 — Austin Dillon
February 4th, 2009 — Jared Landers
February 3rd, 2009 — Jared Landers
February 11th, 2008 — Dave Groves
February 10th, 2008 — Tim Hancock
February 9th, 2008 — Dave Hess, Jr.
February 8th, 2008 — Jared Landers
February 7th, 2008 — Jared Landers
February 6th, 2008 — Scott Drake
February 5th, 2008 — Jesse Stovall
February 12th, 2007 — Joey Kramer
February 11th, 2007 — Steve Arpin
February 10th, 2007 — Steve Arpin
February 9th, 2007 — Steve Arpin
February 8th, 2007 — Steve Arpin
February 7th, 2007 — Steve Arpin
February 6th, 2007 — Kenny Wallace
February 12th, 2006 – Joey Kramer
February 10th, 2006 – Duke Whiseant
February 9th, 2006 – Duke Whiseant
February 8th, 2006 – Chad Ohnsted
February 7th, 2006 – Craig Thatcher
February 6th, 2006 – Blake Jetvig
February 14th, 2005 – Joey Kramer
February 13th, 2005 – Craig Thatcher
February 12th, 2005 – Joey Kramer
February 11th, 2005 – Joey Kramer
February 10th, 2005 – Craig Thatcher
February 9th, 2005 – Steve Arpin

AHEAD OF ITS TIME: The car that pushed the limits for Lasoski, Sprint Car racing

January 7, 2021January 5, 2021 by Nick Graziano

Danny Lasoski and Jerry Russell unleashed an unstoppable apex predator at Volusia Speedway Park in 2000.

They were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn’t stop to think if they should… In all honesty, they didn’t care.

The pair – Lasoski, a soon to be champion, and Russell, who recently started Eagle Chassis – engineered a car that made the rule book sweat. The frame was offset to the right, the cage was taller, the A-frame was moved back, the engine was off-center, the body was aero-focused and there were a few other features Russell said he’s “not at liberty to talk about.”

By the words of the rule book – or lack thereof – at the time, the car was legal.

“You have to understand, back in the day there was no weight rule,” Lasoski said. “What you brought to the racetrack was what you raced. Everybody was completely anal about being light. When the 1,200-pound rule came into effect (meaning all cars had to weigh a minimum of 1,200 pounds) I said, ‘If it’s going to be 1,200 pounds then I’m going to make sure it benefits me.’

Danny Lasoski’s #20 Eagle Chassis car at Easy Bay Raceway Park in 2000 / Paul Arch photo

“I like to go gray with everything. Even back in the day because (World of Outlaws founder) Ted Johnson was always on my ass about it. I was always trying to get an advantage. Every time I would come to Florida each year, I’d work all year to get an advantage. With this car, it was like, ‘Hey, man, we’ve got a clean sheet of paper. Let’s put a car together that is so obscene and so out of the box that you would never think to do that we know they’re going to scream to high heaven about doing it, but there is nothing in the rule book that says you can’t do it.’

Russell started Eagle Chassis in 1998 after spending about 10 years at Maxim Chassis. Lasoski, a long-time friend, was one of his first customers. When Lasoski teamed with Tony Stewart/Curb Agajanian Racing for the first time in 2000 to bring a car to Florida for eight nights, he and Russell concocted the idea for their mad creation.

Their first four nights with the car were at Volusia Speedway Park during the DIRTcar Nationals with the All Star Circuit of Champions. On night one, he dominated and won. Night two, he dominated and won. Night three, he dominated and won. Night four… yeah, he won.

“It was the best handling car I ever had,” said Lasoski, who has 19 wins in total at Volusia. “I couldn’t do anything wrong. That’s how superior it was. We raced against a lot of good guys.”

As expected, though, the car didn’t avoid controversy. They had to cut body panels off the first night and throughout the week, according to Russell.

“It really and truly wasn’t the body. We were just hiding other things in it that they couldn’t see,” Russell said.

After Volusia, Lasoski continued his dominance in the unique #20 car during four nights of racing at East Bay Raceway Park. He won three of the four events and finished third in the one event he didn’t win. According to Russell, the reason they didn’t win the one race was due to an engine issue.

At the end of the eight nights in Florida, Lasoski returned to his full-time World of Outlaws ride with Roth Motorsports and Russell hung the car in the ceiling of his shop. He didn’t have room on the ground for it, but mainly he didn’t want people looking at it.

Some people still tried to copy the car to Russell’s amusement. He knew they didn’t know what they were trying to copy, he said.

Danny Lasoski sits in his Eagle Chassis #20 car for TSR / Paul Arch photo

The car stayed in Russell’s ceiling for the rest of 2000 and the majority of 2001. They brought it back done for the last handful of World of Outlaws races in 2001 as Lasoski competed for his first championship with TSR.

“I took it back down, put a new body on it and he actually finished the last six or eight races with that car and ended up winning the points championship with it (beating Mark Kinser by 30 points),” Russell said. “It was a good car.

“It was more of a head game than anything. That’s why we took it out of the ceiling and put a body on it. Then, after he won the points championship, we brought it back and hung it in the ceiling again for another eight years or so.”

The car now resides as an iconic artifact in Tony Stewart’s car collection. Russell gifted Stewart the car since it brought him his first World of Outlaws championship as an owner.

By today’s standards, the car is far from legal. However, life found a way for it to live on. Elements of the car, such as the taller cage and more aero-focused body, became common-place throughout the years.

“It was way ahead of its time,” Lasoski said.

You’ll now find Lasoski going for wins during the 50th DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park as a mentor for 20-year-old Mason Daniel. You can get tickets to the event by clicking here.

If you can’t make it to the track, you can watch all the action live on DIRTVision.

HALF-CENTURY GRIND: Late Models Extending Legacy at 50th DIRTcar Nationals

January 7, 2021December 23, 2020 by Brian Walker

Late Models have long been part of the action at Volusia Speedway Park, and will continue to play a large role in 2021 when the 50th anniversary of DIRTcar Nationals takes center stage from February 2-13.

It all started in 1968 when Benny Corbin bought the property and opened “Barberville Speedway” as a quarter-mile oval. Over the years, several transformations saw the track converted to a 3/8th-mile track, then half-mile, and even paved at one time for NASCAR competition.

Since switching to the current half-mile configuration, the Barberville, FL destination has truly become a national phenomenon known for high-speed and high-action. It’s that intensity which will be fully on display when the DIRTcar UMP Late Models (Feb. 8-9) and World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Model Series (Feb. 10-13) headline six straight nights alongside the Super DIRTcar Series to close out DIRTcar Nationals.

Buck Simmons (41) and Jack Boggs (B4) race at Volusia in 1986. [David Allio]

Before The Most Powerful Late Models on the Planet were revived in 2004, Volusia welcomed a handful of different sanctioning bodies to carry the late model load at DIRTcar Nationals.

In the 1980’s, the Stars Late Model Series led the way with icons like Larry Moore, Jeff Purvis, Freddy Smith, Larry Phillips, and more, nabbing victories. Another noteworthy winner came in 1985 when a young 27-year-old buck from Batesville, AR strolled into Volusia victory lane. His name was Billy Moyer; He would become the winningest late model driver in DIRTcar Nationals history with 15 W’s to his credit.

The Northern All Stars, ALMS, and Hav-A-Tampa came into play during the 1990’s and ushered in the next generation. Eventual legends such as Rick Eckert, Chub Frank, Jimmy Mars, Dale McDowell, Earl Pearson Jr., and more, topped features. In 1994, Scott Bloomquist took a big bite out of Volusia with back-to-back triumphs. A telling sign for Black Sunshine’s success in Barberville, who is a winner of 12 different DIRTcar Nationals races.

Bloomquist’s biting of the gator is his Volusia signature. [Chris Dolack]

A new millennium began in 2000 and it became all about the DIRTcar UMP Late Models. Moyer and Bloomquist kept on winning, while others like Don O’Neal, Tim McCreadie, and Josh Richards hit their marks.

In 2004, the World of Outlaws Late Models restarted and instantly made an impact. A set of four winners in four nights kickstarted the Outlaws/Volusia relationship, which is now the most visited track in Series history.

A pair of DIRTcar triumphs and an additional World of Outlaws win in 2005 made Tim McCreadie the first man to collect three wins in a single Late Model week. In 2008, Moyer did it himself. At that point, the records were only beginning.

The World of Outlaws have been a mainstay at DIRTcar Nationals since 2004.

Shane Clanton took it a step further in 2015, sweeping the weekend by winning all three World of Outlaws Late Model shows at the half-mile and walking away with the glorious Big Gator championship. There’s no topping that, right? Think again.

In 2019, Brandon Sheppard did the unthinkable and brought a family of FIVE gators back to New Berlin, IL. The Rocket1 Racing driver swept all four World of Outlaws Late Model features, cashing in on four little gators to go along with his first-career Big Gator.

B-Shepp won his sixth consecutive Volusia race with the Outlaws to open last year’s DIRTcar Nationals, but from there the whole show was The O-Show with Jimmy Owens going back-to-back-to-back to end the week.

B-Shepp’s four-peat in 2019 will forever go down in the history books. [Chris Owens]

Since 2005, no man has tamed more DIRTcar Nationals titles than Josh Richards, who has used unrivaled consistency and ten victories to lay claim to four crowns. Moyer has three in his own right, while Sheppard and Clanton each have a pair.

Since the trophy switch in 2012, only six men have won the big golden gator:

– Brandon Sheppard (2019 & 2020)
– Shane Clanton (2015 & 2017)
– Josh Richards (2013 & 2016)
– Chris Madden (2018)
– Scott Bloomquist (2014)
– Dennis Erb Jr. (2012)

It hasn’t just been the veterans at Volusia, as eight first-time winners have also tasted their first bite of World of Outlaws Late Model glory at the DIRTcar Nationals.

In less than 50 days, we’ll write the next chapter in the milestone 50th year of DIRTcar Nationals. Late Model Week (Feb. 8-13) will be highlighted by two nights of the DIRTcar UMP Late Models on Monday-Tuesday, followed by a Wednesday-Saturday slate full of World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Models.

For tickets to the Feb. 2-13 50th DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park, BUY HERE.

If you can’t make it to the track, you can watch all the action live on DIRTVision.

Previous World of Outlaws Winners at DIRTcar Nationals:
2020: Brandon Sheppard / Jimmy Owens / Jimmy Owens / Jimmy Owens
2019: Brandon Sheppard / Brandon Sheppard / Brandon Sheppard / Brandon Sheppard
2018: Tim McCreadie / Dale McDowell / Scott Bloomquist / Brandon Sheppard
2017: Shane Clanton / Don O’Neal
2016: Josh Richards / Josh Richards / Shane Clanton
2015: Shane Clanton / Shane Clanton / Shane Clanton
2014: Casey Roberts / Kyle Bronson
2013: Scott Bloomquist / Billy Moyer Sr. / Darrell Lanigan
2012: Dennis Erb Jr. / Billy Moyer Sr.
2011: Scott Bloomquist / Scott Bloomquist
2010: Josh Richards / Brady Smith
2009: Josh Richards / Steve Francis
2008: Josh Richards / Billy Moyer Sr.
2007: Josh Richards
2006: Earl Pearson Jr. / Steve Francis
2005: Billy Moyer Sr. / Tim McCreadie
2004: Steve Francis / Bart Hartman / Shannon Babb / Scott Bloomquist

Previous UMP Late Model Winners at DIRTcar Nationals:
2020: Brandon Sheppard / Tim McCreadie
2019: Mike Marlar
2018: Jonathan Davenport
2017: Chris Madden / Brandon Sheppard
2016: Billy Moyer Jr. / Josh Richards / Scott Bloomquist
2015: Scott Bloomquist
2014: Ivedent Lloyd Jr. / Kenny Pettyjohn / Scott Bloomquist
2013: Josh Richards / Josh Richards / Tim McCreadie
2012: Steve Francis / Billy Moyer Sr. / Scott Bloomquist / John Blankenship
2011: Billy Moyer Sr. / Don O’Neal / Jimmy Mars / Billy Moyer Sr.
2010: Darrell Lanigan
2009: Darren Miller / Earl Pearson Jr. / Dan Schlieper / Josh Richards
2008: Billy Moyer Sr. / Billy Moyer Sr. / Clint Smith
2007: Earl Pearson Jr. / Shannon Babb / Darrell Lanigan
2006: Chub Frank / Darren Miller / Rick Eckert
2005: Rick Eckert / Tim McCreadie / Tim McCreadie / Billy Moyer Sr.
2004: Tim McCreadie / Don O’Neal / Rick Eckert / Greg Johnson / Jackie Boggs
2003: Don O’Neal / Don O’Neal / Brian Birkhofer / Scott Bloomquist / Earl Pearson Jr. / Don O’Neal
2002: Don O’Neal / Don O’Neal / Joe Izzo / Rick Eckert / Chub Frank
2001: Rick Eckert / Chub Frank / Donnie Moran
1998: Tom Izzo Jr. / Ronnie Johnson / Dale McDowell / David Gibson / Bart Hartman
1997: Billy Moyer Sr. / Billy Moyer Sr.
1996: Pat Doar / Jack Boggs / Billy Moyer Sr. / Billy Moyer Sr. / Steve Cornelius

Other Late Model Winners at DIRTcar Nationals:
2001: Rick Eckert / Davey Johnson / Matt Miller
2000: Donnie Barnhart / Jimmy Mars / Mike Duvall / Rick Aukland / Rick Aukland
1999: Wendell Wallace / Dale McDowell / Rick Eckert / Rick Aukland / Chub Frank / Ray Tucker
1997: Earl Pearson Jr.
1994: Jeff Smith / Ronnie Johnson / Scott Bloomquist / Scott Bloomquist
1985: Jeff Purvis / Freddy Smith / Larry Phillips / Larry Moore
1982: Larry Moore
1981: Larry Moore

Where There’s a Will, There’s a Trey!

November 15, 2020 by tzmotorsports

After a week of bad weather capped by tropical storm Eta crossing the Florida peninsula and laying down several inches of rain, there wasn’t much hope that we would get to race, but on Thursday the skies cleared, the ground dried, and the enthusiasm returned. Volusia was set to race!

The night kicked off with a salute to our Veterans and our honorary starter Wally Wallace who served for 42 years dropping the first green flag. The heats set up what would be five of the most memorable features of the year. Rookies rose to the occasion, and the old guard proved they could still hang with the young guns of the sport.

The 602 Late Models were the first feature, and likely the most talked about feature in the Southeast in the coming week. After winning his heat race Trey Mills attempted to shock the world as the 12 year old started from the inside of row 2 to demonstrate how he stacks up against the elite of his class.

Multiple feature winner Dustin Carter assumed the early lead but suffered a mechanical problem just before hallway and surrender the lead to a challenging Mills. There was no looking back after that as Mills went on to win with Brenden Smith and Mikey Kopka rounding out the top three.

The second feature of the night proved to be one to remember as well. With the Reutimann Memorial Race just one week away, Justin Allgaier was in town to shake down his ride. David and Buzzy Reutimann were ready to go as well, but local hot shoe Garret Stewart wasn’t willing to share the podium just yet.

Stewart has won every UMP Modified race this season at VSP, and tonight was no exception. Holding off challenges from David Reutimann and later Allgaier, Stewart kept his perfect record intact and cruised to yet another win in 2020 collecting the $1000 in prize money.

The next feature up, the Florida Late Models saw a familiar face biding for another win on the night. Trey Mills once again raced from the front of the pack after a second-place heat race finish and a good draw put him on the pole for the 20-lap, 27-car, $1000-to-win feature event.

Clean air was the key as multiple wrecks rendered several cars unable to finish the event. Up front Mills handled the restarts like a seasoned veteran, holding off challenges from some of the best in the business, but a restart on lap 11 left Mills the hunter instead of the hunted as Shan Smith took advantage of the high line that was starting to come in and assumed the lead that he wouldn’t give up. Smith and Mills checked out on the pack running one, two but the story book ending had to wait another week as Smith was the victor this week and went home $1000 richer.

The ¾ Modified feature saw a familiar battle up front as heat race winner Pat Vareika attempted to sweep the night but to do so had to battle Paul Shead in the feature.

The side-by-side dual in the feature was led from the beginning by pole sitter Paul Shead, who assumed the high line while Vareika worked the bottom side. Lap after lap left us wondering which one would come out on top. Right down to the checkered flag they battled with Shead pulling ahead at the line to take the victory.

In the final feature of the night a 28-car field was ready to go after the $1000 prize money in the D4R Street Stock season finale. Bruce Griffin led them to green in a race with multiple wrecks, including one between Griffin and David Showers that ended with Griffin taking the trip to the pits on the hook.

Three-wide racing was the theme early and Justin McGauley used the battles behind him to put distance between himself and the field as he pulled away to win his first feature at Volusia Speedway Park. Joe Belkey went on to finish second and David Showers Jr finished third.

The next race is the Reutimann Memorial, which begins with a Thursday Practice and racing on Friday and Saturday nights. The November 19^th -21^st event is just days away so we will be racing again before you know it!