OCALA, FL (February 11, 2018) – Jonathan Davenport’s return to the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series in 2018 is off to a superb start, capturing his third series win of the year on Sunday night at Bubba Raceway Park. Davenport became the third different leader of the 50-lap main event when he took the top spot for good on lap five from Tyler Erb.
Tim McCreadie and Erb started on the front row, with McCreadie leading the first two laps until Erb forged in front on lap three. When Davenport went by Erb two laps later, he never looked back, but was challenged late in the race by Earl Pearson Jr.
Earl Pearson Jr.’s Lucas Oil, Black Diamond Chassis finished in second with last year’s Lucas Oil Rookie of the Year, Hudson O’Neal coming home in third. Jimmy Owens was fourth with Kyle Bronson taking fifth.
“I thought I was going to turn over at the start. I didn’t know that hole was quite as big as it was,” said the 34-year-old winner in Lucas Oil Victory Lane. “Tyler [Erb] had a harder tire on at the start and I knew it wouldn’t fire after a few restarts. Our car was really good through the middle of the race. The slime came back up just a little bit. Then the rubber came back really really hard. I was just trying to protect my right rear tire. I was grinding on the right front and then I started to feel it vibrate.”
“You are always concerned about tire wear at this track. This place is so oddly-shaped. You could bounce in turn one and then in three you had to be easy. If you went in too hard, you would just slide out. There is a lot going on in the cockpit that a lot of people can’t see.”
The Lance Landers Motorsports team’s winning car is sponsored by: Crop Production Services, Spartan Mowers, Valvoline, ACS Warranty, Penske Racing Shocks, Midwest Sheet Metal and Mega Plumbing of the Carolinas. His Longhorn Chassis is powered by a Durham Racing Engine.
Pearson had his best finish of the season with a runner-up position to Davenport. Pearson closed on Davenport in the final laps to make the final outcome close. “I knew that both of us were on soft tires,” said Pearson, who was referring to Davenport’s choice of tire as well. “I didn’t have much of a tire left. I just started riding to the end.”
Hudson O’Neal made his second podium finish of the week. “I think I had a little bit more of a tire left than those guys ahead of me. I didn’t know if anybody was closing in on me. I am very happy with this third-place finish after the week we had at East Bay. We struggled all of last week. It feels good to get back on the podium,” said the driver of the Todd Burns-owned, Dyno One, Club 29 entry.
Completing the top five were Don O’Neal, Matt Cosner, Jason Fitzgerald, Scott Bloomquist and Chub Frank.
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Race Summary
Sunday, February 11, 2018
Optima Batteries Winter Nationals – presented by GEICO
Bubba Raceway Park – Ocala, FL
Miller Welders Fast Time Group A: Tyler Erb / 14.250 seconds
Miller Welders Fast Time Group B: Tim McCreadie / 14.548 seconds
Eibach Springs Heat Race #1 Finish (10 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Tyler Erb, Boom Briggs, Hudson O’Neal, Brandon Overton, Gregg Satterlee, Jason Fitzgerald, Jeff Mathews, Drake Meeks, Mason Zeigler, Brent Larson-DNS
FK Rod Ends Heat Race #2 Finish (10 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Jonathan Davenport, Earl Pearson, Jr., Jimmy Owens, Doug Drown, Michael Maresca, Blake Spencer, Matt Cosner, Trey Beene III, Mikey Kopka
Simpson Performance Products Heat Race #3 Finish (10 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Tim McCreadie, Josh Richards, Dennis Erb, Jr., Kyle Bronson, Don O’Neal, Brandon Sheppard, Mike Benedum, Jason Jameson, Scott Bloomquist
QA1 Heat Race #4 Finish (10 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Tyler Clem, Bobby Pierce, Darrell Lanigan, Morgan Bagley, Chub Frank, Joey Coulter, Ryan King, Dale McDowell, Coleby Frye
Penske Racing Shocks B-Main #1 Finish (12 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): Jason Fitzgerald, Jeff Mathews, Matt Cosner, Mason Zeigler, Gregg Satterlee, Brent Larson, Blake Spencer, Michael Maresca, Trey Beene III, Mikey Kopka, Drake Meeks
Fast Shafts B-Main #2 Finish (12 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): Don O’Neal, Brandon Sheppard, Chub Frank, Mike Benedum, Joey Coulter, Jason Jameson, Ryan King, Scott Bloomquist, Dale McDowell, Coleby Frye
Feature Finish (50 Laps):
| FINISH | START | CAR # | DRIVER NAME | HOMETOWN | EARNINGS |
| 1 | 3 | 49 | Jonathan Davenport | Blairsville, GA | $10,500 |
| 2 | 7 | 1 | Earl Pearson, Jr. | Jacksonville, FL | $6,800 |
| 3 | 9 | 71 | Hudson O’Neal | Martinsville, IN | $4,200 |
| 4 | 11 | 20 | Jimmy Owens | Newport, TN | $3,550 |
| 5 | 14 | 40B | Kyle Bronson | Brandon, FL | $2,750 |
| 6 | 18 | 5 | Don O’Neal | Martinsville, IN | $2,600 |
| 7 | 21 | 66c | Matt Cosner | Ridgeley, WV | $1,500 |
| 8 | 17 | 7F | Jason Fitzgerald | Middleburg, FL | $1,300 |
| 9 | 23 | 0 | Scott Bloomquist | Mooresburg, TN | $2,500 |
| 10 | 22 | 1* | Chub Frank | Bear Lake, PA | $1,100 |
| 11 | 2 | 39 | Tim McCreadie | Watertown, NY | $1,775 |
| 12 | 20 | 1s | Brandon Sheppard | New Berlin, IL | $1,550 |
| 13 | 24 | 22 | Gregg Satterlee | Indiana, PA | $1,725 |
| 14 | 15 | C02 | Doug Drown | Wooster, OH | $1,000 |
| 15 | 10 | 28 | Dennis Erb, Jr. | Carpentersville, IL | $1,650 |
| 16 | 6 | 1R | Josh Richards | Shinnston, WV | $2,525 |
| 17 | 8 | 32 | Bobby Pierce | Oakwood, IL | $2,100 |
| 18 | 12 | 14 | Darrell Lanigan | Union, KY | $1,575 |
| 19 | 16 | 14m | Morgan Bagley | Gladewater, TX | $850 |
| 20 | 19 | 33 | Jeff Mathews | Brandon, FL | $825 |
| 21 | 5 | 99B | Boom Briggs | Bear Lake, PA | $1,500 |
| 22 | 1 | 91 | Tyler Erb | New Waverly, TX | $1,400 |
| 23 | 13 | 116 | Brandon Overton | Evans, GA | $800 |
| 24 | 4 | 14T | Tyler Clem | Tampa, FL | $800 |
Race Statistics
Entrants: 37
Lap Leaders: Tim McCreadie (Laps 1 – 2); Tyler Erb (Laps 3 – 4); Jonathan Davenport (Laps 5 – 50)
Cautions: Tim McCreadie (Lap 4); Tyler Erb (Lap 7); Jason Fitzgerald (Lap 10); Jeff Mathews, Tyler Erb (Lap 16); Tyler Erb (Lap 26); Chub Frank (Lap 28); Tim McCreadie (Lap 30); Doug Drown, Gregg Satterlee (Lap 31); Josh Richards, Bobby Pierce, Darrell Lanigan, Boom Briggs, Morgan Bagley (Lap 31); Brandon Overton (Lap 35)
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Provisionals: Scott Bloomquist, Gregg Satterlee
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Emergency Provisionals: N/A
Wrisco Feature Winner: Jonathan Davenport
Optima Batteries Hard Charger of the Race: Scott Bloomquist (Started: 23rd; Finished: 9th; Advanced 14 Positions)
Midwest Sheet Metal Spoiler Challenge Point Leader: Josh Richards
Allstar Performance Power Move of the Race: Kyle Bronson
Sunoco Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Jonathan Davenport
Hot Rod Processing Rookie of the Race: N/A
COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Race: Durham Racing Engines
Ohlins Shocks Chassis Builder of the Race: Longhorn Chassis
Outerwears Crew Chief of the Race: Jason Durham (Jonathan Davenport)
Fastest Lap of the Race: Jeff Mathews (Lap #47 – 14.2779 seconds)
Most Laps Led: Jonathan Davenport (46 Laps)
Dirty Girl Racewear Farthest Traveler: Brent Larson
PFC Brakes Pole Award: Tyler Erb
Time of Race: 57 minutes 04 seconds
Lucas Oil Championship Point Standings:
| POS | CAR # | DRIVER NAME | HOMETOWN | POINTS | EARNINGS |
| 1 | 49 | Jonathan Davenport | Blairsville, GA | 1160 | $39,500 |
| 2 | 1R | Josh Richards | Shinnston, WV | 1110 | $42,575 |
| 3 | 40B | Kyle Bronson | Brandon, FL | 1005 | $25,625 |
| 4 | 1 | Earl Pearson, Jr. | Jacksonville, FL | 985 | $19,050 |
| 5 | 1s | Brandon Sheppard | New Berlin, IL | 970 | $24,000 |
| 6 | 20 | Jimmy Owens | Newport, TN | 930 | $13,200 |
| 7 | 71 | Hudson O’Neal | Martinsville, IN | 875 | $15,525 |
| 8 | 22 | Gregg Satterlee | Indiana, PA | 855 | $13,325 |
| 9 | 39 | Tim McCreadie | Watertown, NY | 850 | $9,500 |
| 10 | 28 | Dennis Erb, Jr. | Carpentersville, IL | 825 | $11,750 |
| 11 | 116 | Brandon Overton | Evans, GA | 820 | $18,750 |
| 12 | 5 | Don O’Neal | Martinsville, IN | 815 | $9,725 |
| 13 | 14 | Darrell Lanigan | Union, KY | 810 | $9,075 |
| 14 | 0 | Scott Bloomquist | Mooresburg, TN | 805 | $14,425 |
| 15 | 32 | Bobby Pierce | Oakwood, IL | 795 | $11,600 |
| 16 | 91 | Tyler Erb | New Waverly, TX | 760 | $11,100 |
| 17 | 99B | Boom Briggs | Bear Lake, PA | 755 | $8,575 |
| 18 | B1 | Brent Larson | Lake Elmo, MN | 730 | $3,275 |
| 19 | 25Z | Mason Zeigler | Chalk Hill, PA | 710 | $6,350 |
| 20 | 14m | Morgan Bagley | Gladewater, TX | 630 | $5,200 |
*Points are unofficial until Close of Business on the Tuesday following Race Day*