{"id":2507,"date":"2021-02-12T04:29:20","date_gmt":"2021-02-12T08:29:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/volusiaspeedwaypark.com\/uncategorized\/half-second-hero-mclaughlin-edges-decker-for-first-career-dirtcar-nationals-win\/"},"modified":"2021-02-12T13:02:35","modified_gmt":"2021-02-12T17:02:35","slug":"half-second-hero-mclaughlin-edges-decker-for-first-career-dirtcar-nationals-win","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/volusiaspeedwaypark.com\/events\/dirtcar-nationals\/half-second-hero-mclaughlin-edges-decker-for-first-career-dirtcar-nationals-win\/","title":{"rendered":"HALF-SECOND HERO: McLaughlin Edges Decker for First Career DIRTcar Nationals Win"},"content":{"rendered":"
BARBERVILLE, FL \u2013 Max McLaughlin raced home to his second Super DIRTcar Series win and his first trip to Volusia Speedway Park\u2019s confetti-filled Victory Lane on Thursday night during the 50th DIRTcar Nationals.<\/span><\/p>\n The 20-year-old pilot of the #32C Sweetener\u2019s Plus Big Block Modified was just barely able to box out future Hall of Famer Billy Decker in a wild finish where the two swapped lines on the track trying to block and slide each other at the same time. Hard charger Michael Maresca in the #7MM car cruised from 19th to third in an amazing run through the field.<\/span><\/p>\n After a lengthy rain delay, drama built quickly in the 30-lap Feature as McLaughlin made contact with seven-time Series champion Matt Sheppard on the first lap, sending Sheppard\u2019s #9S up the race track and into Peter Britten\u2019s #21A. Sheppard made his displeasure with McLaughlin known during the caution flag, but was able to recover for a fifth-place finish.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI got into the water there on lap one,\u201d said McLaughlin, of Mooresville, NC. \u201cIt was a bonehead move, I guess. They checked up and he [Matt Sheppard] started pushing and I figured I\u2019d go right below him. The left front hit the water and pushed up and I got into Matt. I hate that. That\u2019s kind of what I was thinking about the whole race.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n When the race returned to green flag action, McLaughlin had to contend with some heavy hitters. \u201cMad Max\u201d found a way around defending Series champion Mat Williamson as well as \u201cThe Baldwinsville Bandit\u201d Jimmy Phelps, who started on the outside pole.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n However, once McLaughlin took the lead on Lap 15 there was no time to relax. Decker had his Gypsum Wholesalers #91 at full song around the top side of the speedway in pursuit during the closing stages.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t really know where he was but I knew he was coming around the top,\u201d McLaughlin said. \u201cI knew I had to change something and I saw the [signal] sticks get smaller and smaller. I had to do something different.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n With an adjustment of his line, McLaughlin was able to hold Decker\u2019s crimson #91 at bay.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Decker did all he could to try and pass for the lead.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWe had to go where he wasn\u2019t,\u201d said Decker,\u00a0 of Unadilla, NY. \u201cI think we were as good as he was on the bottom, but he fired a little better on the restarts than we did. After a few laps, I think we got it rolling so it was one of those deals where he had to stick to his lane. I started hazing the outside and closing the gap. He obviously got the signal from the infield to move. If he didn\u2019t, he was going to finish where I did. He had to move and I didn\u2019t get him soon enough.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Decker will look to improve just one more position tomorrow night for a coveted 50th Anniversary DIRTcar Nationals win.<\/span><\/p>\n Michael Maresca, from Pierrepont, NY, advanced 16 positions to capture his second consecutive third-place finish. The #7MM started the night behind the eight-ball.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWe buried ourselves in a hole in qualifying,\u201d Maresca said. \u201cWe had a really good car all night. I think with it being a little bit wetter, I think it threw me off on my gear selection. We were able to capitalize on good restarts.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n A fast, widening race track gave him what he needed to work through two-thirds of the field in 30 laps. Unfortunately, for the pilot of the St. Lawrence Radiology Big Block Modified, Decker and McLaughlin were just a click faster.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cCongrats to Max and Billy,\u201d Maresca said. \u201cI couldn\u2019t keep up with them. I think I was just a little bit under-geared for that. But I know our car is good so we are just going to keep trucking and hopefully contend for a win tomorrow.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Catch all the action in person or on <\/span>DIRTVision<\/span><\/a> on Friday, February 12 at <\/span>Volusia Speedway Park<\/span><\/a> as the Super DIRTcar Series take on <\/span>The World\u2019s Fastest Half-Mile<\/span><\/i> for the fourth night in a row alongside the World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Models.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Keep up with the Super DIRTcar Series at <\/span>SuperDIRTcarSeries.com<\/span><\/a> and on social media on <\/span>Facebook<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>Twitter<\/span><\/a>, and <\/span>Instagram<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Full results available <\/span>here<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Feature (30 Laps) \u2014 <\/b>1. 32C-Max McLaughlin [5][$4,000]; 2. 91-Billy Decker [11][$2,000]; 3. 7MM-Michael Maresca [19][$1,000]; 4. 88-Mat Williamson [4][$800]; 5. 9S-Matt Sheppard [3][$700]; 6. 25-Erick Rudolph [15][$650]; 7. 98H-Jimmy Phelps [2][$600]; 8. 23-Kyle Coffey [21][$550]; 9. 21A-Peter Britten [6][$500]; 10. 1D-Tyler Dippel [10][$450]; 11. 8-Rich Scagliotta [14][$400]; 12. 7F-Tim Fuller [12][$375]; 13. 4-Billy VanInwegen [23][$350]; 14. 16X-Dan Creeden [26][$325]; 15. 118-Jim Britt [9][$300]; 16. 19M-Jessey Mueller [13][$300]; 17. 17D-Marcus Dinkins [25][$300]; 18. 1-Darwin Greene [22][$300]; 19. 20-Brett Hearn [16][$300]; 20. 14-CG Morey [29][$300]; 21. 88T-Tyler Jashembowski [17][$300]; 22. 30-Ryan Godown [8][$300]; 23. 6-Matt Stangle [1][$300]; 24. 2-Jack Lehner [7][$300]; 25. 33T-Cass Bennett [27][$300]; 26. 01W-Justin Wright [24][$300]; 27. 17-Rob Pitcher [20][$300]; 28. B52-Brandon Hightower [28][$300]; 29. 26-Derrick McGrew [18][$300]. <\/span>Hard Charger Award:<\/b> 7MM-Michael Maresca[+16].<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" BARBERVILLE, FL \u2013 Max McLaughlin raced home to his second Super DIRTcar Series win and his first trip to Volusia Speedway Park\u2019s confetti-filled Victory Lane on Thursday night during the 50th DIRTcar Nationals. The 20-year-old pilot of the #32C Sweetener\u2019s Plus Big Block Modified was just barely able to box out future Hall of Famer … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":2508,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8,40,11],"tags":[124,3,13,98,125,126,48],"class_list":["post-2507","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-dirtcar-nationals","category-recaps","category-super-dirtcar-series","tag-billy-decker","tag-dirtcar-nationals","tag-featured","tag-matt-sheppard","tag-max-mclaughlin","tag-michael-maresca","tag-volusia-speedway-park"],"yoast_head":"\n