Photo Credit - Mike Ruefer Photo
Devin Moran used the high line from his seventh starting spot to pass Jonathan Davenport for his third series race of the year. Ricky Thornton Jr completed the Lucas Oil podium. Brandon Overton and Garrett Alberson rounded out the top five.
47 Lucas Oil Series Late Models were on hand for the finale at Ocala paying a track record $25,000. Garrett Alberson took fast time honors but Ricky Thornton Jr won the heat race to get the pole starting spot. Sheppard, Davenport, and Troutman also won their heat races.
The red flag came out in the third heat race after Freddie Carpenter made heavy contact on the right side of his race car when Ross Robinson got into the turn 2 wall. They took precautions with Freddie and happy to hear that the West Virgina racer/chassis builder is sore but okay. Ross Robinson was able to drive his damaged race car to the pits.
With a front row featuring two drivers that has multiple wins at Ocala (RTJ & JD) most people thought it would be one of those two that would take the record paying feature. Devin Moran had something to say about that though.
The feature was a race of tire survival and tire choice as several drivers had to change rubber. For Brandon Sheppard he had to change both left side tires while running in the top five.
Moran went with a harder tire choice and it came to life past halfway point of the race as the Dresden,OH driver went to the high side of the track while Davenport ( on a softer tire) was committed to the bottom. Moran would get a huge run off turn 2 carrying alot of speed down the dog leg backstretch of the speedway.
Moran stretched his lead going through the rear of the field then held on at the end as he got a little high in turn 4 coming to the checkers but not enough for Davenport to overtake "The Mailman."
Moran would say in victory lane he loves speedweeks and his finishes back up his favorite time of the racing season. He might not be at the top of the wins list but he has a bucket full of top five finishes in Georgia/Florida Speedweeks.
The series takes a break before heading to Atomic Speedway and Brownstown Speedway March 21st and 22nd. Two more tracks that Moran enjoys as he is the reigning Indiana Icebreaker champion at Brownstown Speedway.
Jonathan Davenport will leave with a slim early point lead over Moran by five points. Ricky Thornton Jr just 15 points behind Davenport as all the teams will return home and rebuild to get ready for the season. Some of the drivers will jump over to Volusia Speedway as the World of Outlaws Late Model Series will be racing there next week.
Saturday Wieland Nationals
DEVIN MORAN
Davenport
Thornton Jr
Overton
Alberson
Troutman
O'Neal
Blair
Whitener
English
Robinson
Hilsabeck
Erb Jr
Harris
Erb
Wilson
Sheppard
Smith
Ebert
McIntosh
Hughes
Owens
McCreadie
Ferguson
Briggs
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