Kyle Bronson took advantage of some late race misfortune on lap 30 and went on to lead the final ten laps on Wednesday Night at Golden Isles Speedway. The win marks his fourth career Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series victory.
Bronson was running third when leader Devin Moran broke in turn four and made contact with second-place running Josh Richards. Richards’ car sustained a flat right front tire which forced him to the hot pit for a tire change. Moran went to the pits as his night was done.
Bronson then pulled away from second-place running Tyler Erb to pick-up his first Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series win of the season and become the seventh different driver to win in ten events for 2020. Bronson’s winning margin over Erb was 1.939 seconds. Tuesday’s race winner at Golden Isles, Jimmy Owens, saw his streak of wins end with a third-place finish. Shane Clanton came home in fourth and the hard charger of the race, Tim McCreadie was fifth.
The 29-year-old Florida racer started 11th in a stout field of entrants. “It was kind of tough out there tonight. I hate what happened when Moran broke and Josh got into him. It was one of those days when we had a pretty good car, and everything fell our way. I felt like we lost a bunch of races during Speedweeks in February when we had really good cars and things didn’t go our way and I felt like today everything just fell in place.”Tyler Erb’s runner-up finish moved him to third in the championship points standings behind leader Brandon Sheppard and Tim McCreadie. “It was tough out there. The top was so fast at the beginning. I made up some time on the bottom. All those guys were just flirting with disaster on that top and Kyle is really good at running the top. Once he got ahead of me on that last restart I knew I was in trouble. You have to get those guys on the restart. We are just really happy to finish second tonight.
“Entering the race night Owens had won six out of his last seven starts overall and came home third behind Bronson and Erb. “I am pretty happy with third tonight. We tried some stuff to make the car a little better and I think we made it worse. With all of that rainwater on it, it never got slick. It was probably faster tonight than it has been since we got here. We just missed it. We expected it to be a lot slicker than it was. It was just hammer down all night long.”
The winner’s Rocket Chassis is powered by a Durham Racing Engine and sponsored by Brandon Ford, Brandon Collision, Lucas Oil Products, Borchers Equipment, Race Car Engineering, Earnhardt Technologies, VP Fuels, Hoosier Tires, and Swift Springs.
Completing the top ten were Steven Roberts, Jonathan Davenport, Mason Zeigler, Brandon Sheppard and Rick Eckert.
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Race Summary
Optima Batteries Golden Isles Nationals – presented by Bilstein
Wednesday, May 20th, 2020
Golden Isles Speedway – Waynesville, GA
Lucas Oil Time Trials
Fast Time Group A: Jonathan Davenport / 15.158 seconds
Fast Time Group B: Devin Moran / 15.020 seconds (overall)
Penske Race Shocks Heat Race #1 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 14-Josh Richards[2]; 2. 49-Jonathan Davenport[1]; 3. 111B-Max Blair[3]; 4. 76-Brandon Overton[4]; 5. 3S-Brian Shirley[5]; 6. 39-Tim McCreadie[8]; 7. 2S-Stormy Scott[7]; 8. KB0-Kerry King[9]; 9. 1B-Ross Bailes[6]; 10. (DNS) 89-GR Smith
FK Rod Ends Heat Race #2 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 20-Jimmy Owens[1]; 2. 1T-Tyler Erb[3]; 3. 40B-Kyle Bronson[4]; 4. 81E-Tanner English[6]; 5. 0E-Rick Eckert[5]; 6. 6S-Blake Spencer[8]; 7. 25DC-Donnie Chappell[7]; 8. 0R-Ryan Scott[9]; 9. 22F-Chris Ferguson[2]; 10. (DNS) 8B-Mike Benedum
Simpson Race Products Heat Race #3 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 9-Devin Moran[1]; 2. 25-Shane Clanton[3]; 3. 50-Shanon Buckingham[5]; 4. 25Z-Mason Zeigler[4]; 5. 1S-Brandon Sheppard[2]; 6. 72-Michael Norris[6]; 7. 71-Hudson O’Neal[7]; 8. 5T-John Tweed[8]; 9. 311-Ken Monahan[9]
Ohlins Shocks Heat Race #4 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 16-Tyler Bruening[1]; 2. 111-Steven Roberts[2]; 3. 5B-John Baker[3]; 4. 28E-Dennis Erb Jr[6]; 5. 21-Billy Moyer Jr[5]; 6. 2W-Pearson Williams[4]; 7. 1G-Ryan King[10]; 8. 7F-Jason Fitzgerald[8]; 9. 1-Earl Pearson Jr[7]; 10. F15-Jeremy Conaway[9]
Tiger Rear Ends B-Main #1 Finish (10 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 0E-Rick Eckert[2]; 2. 39-Tim McCreadie[3]; 3. 3S-Brian Shirley[1]; 4. 25DC-Donnie Chappell[6]; 5. 6S-Blake Spencer[4]; 6. KB0-Kerry King[7]; 7. 89-GR Smith[11]; 8. 22F-Chris Ferguson[10]; 9. 0R-Ryan Scott[8]; 10. (DNS) 2S-Stormy Scott; 11. (DNS) 1B-Ross Bailes; 12. (DNS) 8B-Mike Benedum
FAST Shafts B-Main #2 Finish (10 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 1S-Brandon Sheppard[1]; 2. 21-Billy Moyer Jr[2]; 3. 72-Michael Norris[3]; 4. 71-Hudson O’Neal[5]; 5. 2W-Pearson Williams[4]; 6. F15-Jeremy Conaway[11]; 7. 1G-Ryan King[6]; 8. 5T-John Tweed[7]; 9. 1-Earl Pearson Jr[10]; 10. 311-Ken Monahan[9]; 11. (DNS) 7F-Jason Fitzgerald
Lucas Oil Feature Finish (40 Laps):
| Pos | Start | Car # | Competitor | Hometown | Pay |
| 1 | 11 | 40B | Kyle Bronson | Brandon, FL | $7,000 |
| 2 | 7 | 1T | Tyler Erb | New Waverly, TX | $3,500 |
| 3 | 3 | 20 | Jimmy Owens | Newport, TN | $2,500 |
| 4 | 6 | 25 | Shane Clanton | Zebulon, GA | $2,000 |
| 5 | 19 | 39 | Tim McCreadie | Watertown, NY | $1,500 |
| 6 | 8 | 111 | Steven Roberts | Sylvester, GA | $1,400 |
| 7 | 5 | 49 | Jonathan Davenport | Blairsville, GA | $1,300 |
| 8 | 14 | 25Z | Mason Zeigler | Chalk Hill, PA | $1,200 |
| 9 | 18 | 1S | Brandon Sheppard | New Berlin, IL | $1,150 |
| 10 | 17 | 0E | Rick Eckert | York, PA | $1,100 |
| 11 | 23 | 71 | Hudson O’Neal | Martinsville, IN | $1,050 |
| 12 | 16 | 28E | Dennis Erb Jr | Carpentersville, IL | $1,000 |
| 13 | 20 | 21 | Billy Moyer Jr | Batesville, AR | $975 |
| 14 | 25 | 1 | Earl Pearson Jr | Jacksonville, FL | $250 |
| 15 | 21 | 3S | Brian Shirley | Chatham, IL | $925 |
| 16 | 1 | 14 | Josh Richards | Shinnston, WV | $900 |
| 17 | 10 | 50 | Shanon Buckingham | Morristown, TN | $875 |
| 18 | 24 | 89 | G.R. Smith | Statesville, NC | $850 |
| 19 | 15 | 81E | Tanner English | Benton, KY | $825 |
| 20 | 12 | 5B | John Baker | Norman Park, GA | $800 |
| 21 | 13 | 76 | Brandon Overton | Evans, GA | $800 |
| 22 | 4 | 16 | Tyler Bruening | Decorah, IA | $800 |
| 23 | 2 | 9 | Devin Moran | Dresden, OH | $800 |
| 24 | 9 | 111B | Max Blair | Centerville, PA | $800 |
| 25 | 22 | 72 | Michael Norris | Sarver, PA | $800 |
| 26 | 26 | 2S | Stormy Scott | Las Cruces, NM | $100 |
Race Statistics
Entrants: 39
Lap Leaders: Devin Moran (Laps 1 – 30); Kyle Bronson (Laps 31 – 40)
Wrisco Feature Winner: Kyle Bronson
Margin of Victory: 1.939 seconds
Cautions: Tanner English (Lap 25); Max Blair (Lap 26); Devin Moran (Lap 30); Brandon Overton, Tyler Bruening (Lap 30)
Series Provisionals: Hudson O’Neal, G.R. Smith
Fast Time Provisional: n/a
Series Emergency Provisionals: Earl Pearson Jr., Stormy Scott
Big River Steel Podium Top 3: Kyle Bronson, Tyler Erb, Jimmy Owens
Optima Batteries Hard Charger of the Race: Tim McCreadie (Advanced 14 Positions)
Midwest Sheet Metal Spoiler Challenge Point Leader: Brandon Sheppard
Allstar Performance Most Laps Led: Devin Moran (30 Laps)
Sunoco Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Tyler Erb
Eibach Springs Rookie of the Race: n/a
Engine Builder of the Race: Durham Racing Engines
Miller Welders Chassis Builder of the Race: Rocket Chassis
Outerwears Crew Chief of the Race: Tanner Birdwell (Kyle Bronson)
Dirty Girl Racewear Fastest Lap of the Race: Josh Richards (Lap #30 – 14.965 seconds)
Hot Rod Processing Tough Break of the Race: Josh Richards
PFC Brakes Pole Award: Josh Richards
Time of Race: 36 minutes 02 seconds
Lucas Oil Championship Point Standings:
| Pos | Car # | Competitor | Hometown | Points | Pay |
| 1 | 1s | Brandon Sheppard | New Berlin, IL | 1535 | $40,000 |
| 2 | 39 | Tim McCreadie | Watertown, NY | 1525 | $32,250 |
| 3 | 1T | Tyler Erb | New Waverly, TX | 1475 | $20,675 |
| 4 | 49 | Jonathan Davenport | Blairsville, GA | 1455 | $25,450 |
| 4 | 9 | Devin Moran | Dresden, OH | 1455 | $22,732 |
| 6 | 20 | Jimmy Owens | Newport, TN | 1445 | $21,800 |
| 7 | 40B | Kyle Bronson | Brandon, FL | 1415 | $24,175 |
| 8 | 25 | Shane Clanton | Zebulon, GA | 1360 | $13,850 |
| 9 | 14 | Josh Richards | Shinnston, WV | 1305 | $15,075 |
| 10 | 21 | Billy Moyer Jr | Batesville, AR | 1260 | $12,075 |
| 11 | 3s | Brian Shirley | Chatham, IL | 1240 | $11,025 |
| 12 | 28E | Dennis Erb Jr | Carpentersville, IL | 1175 | $6,675 |
| 13 | 71 | Hudson O’Neal | Martinsville, IN | 1150 | $7,425 |
| 14 | 50 | Shanon Buckingham | Morristown, TN | 1045 | $9,775 |
| 15 | 81E | Tanner English | Benton, KY | 1040 | $5,600 |
| 15 | 16 | Tyler Bruening | Decorah, IA | 1040 | $4,375 |
| 17 | 157 | Mike Marlar | Winfield, TN | 1025 | $14,200 |
| 18 | 1 | Earl Pearson Jr | Jacksonville, FL | 1005 | $7,500 |
| 19 | 89 | G.R. Smith | Statesville, NC | 990 | $5,600 |
| 20 | 2S | Stormy Scott | Las Cruces, NM | 880 | $5,050 |
| 21 | 25z | Mason Zeigler | Chalk Hill, PA | 770 | $21,300 |
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series PR
