{"id":6023,"date":"2024-02-10T14:30:04","date_gmt":"2024-02-10T18:30:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/volusiaspeedwaypark.com\/uncategorized\/sunshine-steals-one-tyler-courtney-sneaks-by-abreu-in-final-corner-for-volusia-victory\/"},"modified":"2024-02-10T14:39:57","modified_gmt":"2024-02-10T18:39:57","slug":"sunshine-steals-one-tyler-courtney-sneaks-by-abreu-in-final-corner-for-volusia-victory","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/volusiaspeedwaypark.com\/news\/sunshine-steals-one-tyler-courtney-sneaks-by-abreu-in-final-corner-for-volusia-victory\/","title":{"rendered":"SUNSHINE STEALS ONE: Tyler Courtney Sneaks by Abreu in Final Corner for Volusia Victory"},"content":{"rendered":"
By Alex Nieten<\/em><\/p>\n You can\u2019t ever give up in Sprint Car Racing. Action happens so fast all over the track that a driver\u2019s outlook can change in an instant. And that\u2019s exactly what happened on Friday night to send Tyler Courtney to World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Victory Lane.<\/p>\n Courtney chased after race-long leader Rico Abreu for nearly all 25 laps at Volusia Speedway Park. He\u2019d come close to Abreu multiple times, but the chance at a win appeared gone as the checkered flag began to wave. But in the final corner Abreu tripped on the huge cushion, and Courtney capitalized on the bottom to roll right on by.<\/p>\n The wild drag race to the finish brought the massive crowd to its feet as Courtney claimed night three of the Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals. \u201cSunshine\u201d himself stole one in the \u201cSunshine State.\u201d<\/p>\n The win moved Courtney\u2019s total with The Greatest Show on Dirt <\/em>to three. The entire trio have come on three of the country\u2019s fastest half miles \u2013 Eldora Speedway, Port Royal Speedway, and now Volusia. The Indianapolis, IN native became the 21st different driver to top a World of Outlaws race at \u201cThe World\u2019s Fastest Half Mile.\u201d Friday was Courtney\u2019s 15th Sprint Car appearance at Volusia.<\/p>\n \u201cI saw the double checkers, and I didn\u2019t know if we\u2019d already gone another lap or that was actually the end of the race,\u201d Courtney said. \u201cAnd I looked at the board and saw the #7 (BC) was number one. It\u2019s just awesome man.\u201d<\/p>\n Bringing the field to green was 16-year-old Landon Crawley on the pole with Abreu to his outside. Crawley attempted to slide in front of Abreu in Turns 1 and 2, but the St. Helena, CA native ripped by the teenager on the top to take the early lead. Courtney, who started third, also slipped by Crawley on the opening lap to grab second.<\/p>\n A caution and then a red flag for a huge pileup on the front straightaway interrupted the flow of action in the first half of the race.<\/p>\n On a restart with 19 laps to go, another contender began to assert himself while Abreu and Courtney maintained the top spots up front. After starting 10th, Brad Sweet powered by both Giovanni Scelzi and Landon Crawley to rise into fourth with plenty of time remaining. Another yellow with 15 to go opened the door for Sweet to power ahead of David Gravel for the third spot.<\/p>\n Disaster nearly struck Abreu with 10 laps remaining. After clearing two lapped cars, Abreu stumbled on the cushion in Turn 4 and got sideways, leaving Brenham Crouch nowhere to go. Crouch slammed into Abreu\u2019s side and spun to bring out the yellow. Fortunately for Abreu, his car left the scene unharmed allowing him to maintain the lead.<\/p>\n On the restart Abreu darted ahead of Courtney who found himself having to fend off Sweet. \u201cThe Big Cat\u201d began to work the bottom and showed Courtney a nose, which wound up benefitting Courtney. He quickly adjusted the Clauson Marshall Racing\/NOS Energy Drink #7BC to prevent Sweet from passing him and found speed on the low line in Turns 1 and 2.<\/p>\n \u201cI knew I was getting tight behind him (Abreu) in traffic on the top of (Turns) 3 and 4,\u201d Courtney said. \u201cLuckily Brad showed me the bottom, and so I moved down there. I knew I was making ground up in (Turns) 1 and 2, but in (Turns) 3 and 4 I just started going to the bottom to see if I could do something different. Honestly, I didn\u2019t know how many laps were left, but I knew if I could get him to mess up or let him mess up somehow, running the bottom was going to be much safer.\u201d<\/p>\n Safer is exactly what the bottom turned out to be. Courtney closed in on Abreu\u2019s tail tank in traffic as the white flag flew. Abreu opted to protect the bottom in Turns 1 and 2 which worked as he pulled ahead down the back straightaway. But in Turns 3 and 4 he returned to the cushion and went slightly above it leaving the lane for Courtney to steal the victory.<\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t know it was that exciting until I realized what we did there at the end,\u201d Courtney said. \u201cThat was fun. It was non-stop the whole time. Even though we were just running around the top, it\u2019s a lot harder than people think. That top was real treacherous. You get your right-rear (tire) just over it a little bit, it sucks you over.\u201d<\/p>\n For the second straight night Abreu was forced to settle for the runner-up spot. He admitted he could\u2019ve driven a little more reserved in the final set of corners but also acknowledged you can\u2019t ever let up in a Sprint Car race.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s just tough racing, just trying to process keeping your momentum up in traffic and hitting your marks,\u201d Abreu said. \u201cIt\u2019s the last lap, and you\u2019re still racing hard. We\u2019re Sprint Car Racing here, so we\u2019re racing as hard as we can for 25 laps on a demanding and technical track. I felt pretty sporty on the cushion. I knew I was good off of (Turn) 2, but I never ran the bottom all race in (Turns) 3 and 4. I should\u2019ve just drove a little bit more secure on the white flag lap, but you never know who is behind you and how close they are.\u201d<\/p>\n Rounding out the podium after his charge from 10th was Brad Sweet. The five-time World of Outlaws champion came away a little disappointed with himself after a small mistake cost him a chance to potentially be the one driving by Abreu coming to the finish line.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m a little disappointed in myself,\u201d Sweet admitted. \u201cI felt like I had kind of found the groove on the bottom of (Turns) 1 and 2 and put myself in a good position, but then got in the grease just a little bit and overdrove (Turn) 3 just a little bit and got out. And Tyler got back by me, but then once he knew where the line was he covered it really well and ultimately won the race.\u201d<\/p>\n Giovanni Scelzi and David Gravel completed the top five.<\/p>\n Gravel\u2019s effort allowed him to maintain his lead in the Big Gator standings. Courtney sits second eight points back. Giovanni Scelzi (-14), Rico Abreu (-16), and Donny Schatz (-18) complete the top five with one night to go.<\/p>\n Donny Schatz earned the KSE Racing Hard Charger with a drive from 18th to sixth.<\/p>\n Brent Marks claimed his fourth career Simpson Quick Time in Sea Foam Qualifying.<\/p>\n NOS Energy Drink Heats One, Three, and Four were topped by Brent Marks, Brian Brown, and Rico Abreu. Giovanni Scelzi claimed Milton Hershey School Heat Two.<\/p>\n Landon Crawley won the Toyota Racing Dash.<\/p>\n Corey Day won the Micro-Lite Last Chance Showdown.<\/p>\n UP NEXT: <\/strong>The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars wrap up their portion of the Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals with a $20,000-to-win, $1,500-to-start finale on Saturday, Feb. 10. For tickets, CLICK HERE.<\/a><\/p>\n If you can\u2019t make it to the track, catch all of the action live on DIRTVision<\/a>.<\/p>\n RESULTS: By Alex Nieten You can\u2019t ever give up in Sprint Car Racing. Action happens so fast all over the track that a driver\u2019s outlook can change in an instant. And that\u2019s exactly what happened on Friday night to send Tyler Courtney to World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Victory Lane. Courtney chased after … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":223,"featured_media":6024,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,506],"tags":[92,102,3,103,476,507,138,181,48,113],"class_list":["post-6023","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","category-sprint-cars","tag-brad-sweet","tag-david-gravel","tag-dirtcar-nationals","tag-donny-schatz","tag-landon-crawley","tag-rico-abreu","tag-sprint-cars","tag-tyler-courtney","tag-volusia-speedway-park","tag-world-of-outlaws"],"yoast_head":"\n
\n<\/strong>NOS Energy Drink Feature (25 Laps): 1. 7BC-Tyler Courtney[3]; 2. 24-Rico Abreu[2]; 3. 49-Brad Sweet[10]; 4. 18-Giovanni Scelzi[6]; 5. 2-David Gravel[4]; 6. 15-Donny Schatz[18]; 7. 1S-Logan Schuchart[16]; 8. 19-Brent Marks[5]; 9. 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr[9]; 10. 39M-Anthony Macri[14]; 11. 21-Brian Brown[8]; 12. 26-Zeb Wise[7]; 13. 3Z-Brock Zearfoss[12]; 14. 14-Corey Day[21]; 15. 48-Danny Dietrich[24]; 16. 41-Carson Macedo[11]; 17. 83-Michael Kofoid[17]; 18. 22-Riley Goodno[20]; 19. 7S-Landon Crawley[1]; 20. 17B-Bill Balog[27]; 21. 1-Brenham Crouch[22]; 22. 88-Austin McCarl[13]; 23. 13-Justin Peck[15]; 24. 5-Spencer Bayston[19]; 25. 17-Sheldon Haudenschild[25]; 26. 0-Justin Whittall[23]; 27. 6-Bill Rose[26]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"