TAMPA, Fla. (February 9, 2024) – Jonathan Davenport became the seventh different winner in the first eleven Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series events of 2024. The three-time series champion picked up his 74th career series win during the 48th Annual Wieland Winternationals – Presented by Lucas on Friday night at East Bay Raceway Park.
Hudson O’Neal, the defending Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series National Champion finished in second followed by Daulton Wilson, Garrett Alberson, and Ashton Winger completed the top five drivers.
Davenport jumped to the lead at the start of the 50-lap main event and led until he got too high in turn two, turning the lead over to Tyler Erb. Erb then led the next 16 circuits until Davenport was able to catch back up to Erb, retaking the lead for good on lap 28 despite being challenged by the ninth place starting O’Neal who briefly pulled even with Davenport at one point in the closing laps.
Davenport in Lucas Oil Victory for the first time this season led 34 of the 50 laps to claim the victory. “It’s a great car all my guys give me for sure. I thought I gave it away when I messed up in one and two. We made one little shock adjustment before the feature that made this thing a bear to handle. We know not to do that no more. I just kept trying to be patient when I lost the lead, I just tried to stay in his [Tyler Erb’s] tire tracks and just know that I was probably running a little wide on the throttle than he was just trying to save my tires. When I got back to him, I thought I had a good run and at the last second, I kind of slowed up. I don’t know if went over the cushion or not, because I figured he would go right back by me on the outside there. We rubbed a little bit.”
“This place is so tricky. The black is so black and then like there is a lot of grip in the brown and if you get too far in the brown like it’s slimy. I would get to high down there and wheel-spin too much. When I moved down to get more grip the car started to push.”
O’Neal, who was looking for his fourth series win of the young season came home in second. “I tried every inch of this racetrack trying to get by him [Davenport]. I thought it was a great race. We raced all over it. I started to keep pace a little bit there at the end and I thought I had some hope to run that bottom and just by the end of it we had a right rear tire so hot there from running around that top that it was hard to move around and get off the cushion. Man, what a race track East Bay gave us tonight and hopefully we can put on another great show tomorrow night for all the fans.”
Jimmy Owens – Dennis Erb, Jr. – Clay Harris — Jim DenHamer photo
Wilson rounded out the Big River Steel Podium for the third time this season. “We didn’t want to see a caution for sure. We needed ten more laps. We had a really good car tonight. We kind of went forward and then fell back. We put on a charge there towards the end. Once we got to move around the racetrack a little bit I had a really good car like I said.”
The winner’s Lance and Darla Landers-owned, Longhorn Chassis is powered by a Clements Racing Engine and sponsored by Nutrien Ag Systems, Dyno Gro Seed, Lucas Oil Products, Bilstein Shocks, ASC Warranty, Mark Martin Automotive, VP Fuels, and Mega Plumbing of the Carolinas.
Completing the top ten were Ricky Thornton Jr., Brandon Sheppard, Clay Harris, Jimmy Owens, and Dennis Erb Jr.
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Race Summary
48th Annual Wieland Winternationals | Night 5
Friday, February 9, 2024
East Bay Raceway Park – Tampa, FL
Allstar Performance Time Trials
Fast Time Group A: Blair Nothdurft | 14.167 seconds (overall)
Fast Time Group B: Jonathan Davenport | 14.170 seconds
