Shane Clanton won his first Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series event since September of 2019 on Tuesday Night at Bubba Raceway Park. He wrapped up the win in the finale of the K&N Filters Winter Nationals – Presented by OPTIMA Batteries. The event also marked the conclusion of the 2021 Florida Speedweeks for the series. Clanton took the lead on lap 22 of the 40-lap main event from Bobby Pierce and went on for his fifth career series victory. Pierce finished in second followed by Tanner English, Tim McCreadie, and Jimmy Owens.
The race saw three different leaders as Owens, the reigning National Champion, bolted from his pole starting spot to lead the first seven laps of the race. Pierce caught Owens in heavy traffic, passing him for the lead on the eighth circuit. Owens tried to get back by Pierce but made contact with the backstretch wall. Clanton started to use the outside line as he passed Owens for second on lap 21. A lap later he got by Pierce for the lead, which he held the rest of the way.
The win for Clanton made him the eighth different winner in the first nine series races of 2021. “Our hats are off to Bubba and his guys, they gave us two grooves and a great track tonight. The top took a while to get run in. It was a little greasy up there, but at the end it came alive. We worked hard to get by Bobby. I just made the right move at the right time I think.”
Pierce’s best LOLMDS finish of the season was just .568 seconds behind Clanton at the finish. “To run second at this track is great. This is just the third time I have ever raced on this track, it’s pretty good. I probably needed to move up there. It is hard to see your guys here in the corner, on where they’re telling you to run. I think overall Shane was just a little bit better. He’s always good racing these kinds of race tracks.”
English took his best finish of 2021 with a third-place showing. “You have just got to be up front at end of the race. Last year I ran the series for the first-time, and I learned that these guys don’t mess up. You have to be smooth and you have to take advantage of situations when you can. I passed a few cars that slipped up in turn two, but not enough to get the win. We will take this finish happily after the speedweeks we’ve had.”
The winner’s Greg Bruening-owned Skyline Motorsports Capital Race Cars is powered by a Clements Racing Engine and is sponsored by Skyline Materials, Bennett Explosives, Truck Country, Freeman Plumbing, Super K Express, and Olson Explosives.
Completing the top ten were Jonathan Davenport, Stewart Friesen, Tyler Erb, Brandon Sheppard, and Ricky Thornton Jr.
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Race Summary
K&N Filters Winter Nationals – Presented by OPTIMA Batteries
Tuesday, February 2nd, 2021
Bubba Raceway Park – Ocala, FL
Allstar Performance Time Trials
Fast Time Group A: Jimmy Owens / 13.951 seconds (overall)
Fast Time Group B: Shane Clanton / 14.127 seconds
Penske Race Shocks Heat Race #1 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 20-Jimmy Owens[1]; 2. 81E-Tanner English[3]; 3. 1T-Tyler Erb[5]; 4. 1S-Brandon Sheppard[2]; 5. 14-Josh Richards[4]; 6. 56JR-Tony Jackson Jr[8]; 7. 6H-Clay Harris[11]; 8. 14G-Joe Godsey[12]; 9. 6S-Blake Spencer[10]; 10. 71-Hudson O’Neal[6]; 11. 26JR-Jimmy Sharpe Jr[7]; 12. (DNS) 14B-John Baker
Summit Racing Equipment Heat Race #2 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 32-Bobby Pierce[1]; 2. 39-Tim McCreadie[2]; 3. 27X-Jadon Frame[3]; 4. 157-Mike Marlar[4]; 5. 49-Jonathan Davenport[5]; 6. 76-Brandon Overton[8]; 7. 1ST-Johnny Scott[7]; 8. 2D-Dan Stone[9]; 9. 4S-Danny Snyder[10]; 10. 48-Colton Flinner[6]; 11. 14R-Jeff Roth[11]
Simpson Race Products Heat Race #3 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 25-Shane Clanton[1]; 2. 3S-Brian Shirley[2]; 3. 8-Kyle Strickler[4]; 4. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr[3]; 5. 0E-Rick Eckert[6]; 6. 2X-Devin Dixon[7]; 7. 21-Billy Moyer Jr[8]; 8. 2S-Stormy Scott[5]; 9. 385-Mark Whitener[10]; 10. 20B-Todd Brennan[11]; 11. 27J-Joe Denby[12]; 12. 33-Jeff Mathews[9]
Ohlins Shocks Heat Race #4 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 44-Stewart Friesen[1]; 2. 28E-Dennis Erb Jr[2]; 3. 9-Devin Moran[4]; 4. 66C-Matt Cosner[3]; 5. 7R-Ross Robinson[5]; 6. 40B-Kyle Bronson[6]; 7. 99JR-Frank Heckenast Jr[8]; 8. 1-Earl Pearson Jr[7]; 9. 1G-Ryan King[9]; 10. 16-Tyler Bruening[10]; 11. 76B-Blair Nothdurft[11]
LINE-X B-Main #1 Finish (10 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 49-Jonathan Davenport[2]; 2. 14-Josh Richards[1]; 3. 76-Brandon Overton[4]; 4. 56JR-Tony Jackson Jr[3]; 5. 6H-Clay Harris[5]; 6. 2D-Dan Stone[8]; 7. 1ST-Johnny Scott[6]; 8. 14G-Joe Godsey[7]; 9. 48-Colton Flinner[12]; 10. 6S-Blake Spencer[9]; 11. 14R-Jeff Roth[14]; 12. 4S-Danny Snyder[10]; 13. 71-Hudson O’Neal[11]; 14. (DNS) 26JR-Jimmy Sharpe Jr; 15. (DNS) 14B-John Baker
UNOH B-Main #2 Finish (10 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 0E-Rick Eckert[1]; 2. 2X-Devin Dixon[3]; 3. 7R-Ross Robinson[2]; 4. 40B-Kyle Bronson[4]; 5. 2S-Stormy Scott[7]; 6. 99JR-Frank Heckenast Jr[6]; 7. 16-Tyler Bruening[12]; 8. 21-Billy Moyer Jr[5]; 9. 385-Mark Whitener[9]; 10. 1-Earl Pearson Jr[8]; 11. 1G-Ryan King[10]; 12. 27J-Joe Denby[13]; 13. 76B-Blair Nothdurft[14]; 14. 33-Jeff Mathews[15]; 15. 20B-Todd Brennan[11]
Lucas Oil Feature Finish (40 Laps):
| Pos | Start | Car # | Competitor | Hometown | Pay |
| 1 | 2 | 25 | Shane Clanton | Zebulon, GA | $10,700 |
| 2 | 3 | 32 | Bobby Pierce | Oakwood, IL | $5,500 |
| 3 | 5 | 81E | Tanner English | Benton, KY | $4,700 |
| 4 | 7 | 39 | Tim McCreadie | Watertown, NY | $3,950 |
| 5 | 1 | 20 | Jimmy Owens | Newport, TN | $3,250 |
| 6 | 17 | 49 | Jonathan Davenport | Blairsville, GA | $2,600 |
| 7 | 4 | 44 | Stewart Friesen | Sprakers, NY | $1,500 |
| 8 | 9 | 1T | Tyler Erb | New Waverly, TX | $2,500 |
| 9 | 13 | 1S | Brandon Sheppard | New Berlin, IL | $1,700 |
| 10 | 14 | 20RT | Ricky Thornton Jr | Adel, IA | $1,100 |
| 11 | 6 | 3S | Brian Shirley | Chatham, IL | $1,075 |
| 12 | 8 | 28E | Dennis Erb Jr | Carpentersville, IL | $1,050 |
| 13 | 18 | 0E | Rick Eckert | York, PA | $1,025 |
| 14 | 23 | 40B | Kyle Bronson | Brandon, FL | $2,200 |
| 15 | 15 | 157 | Mike Marlar | Winfield, TN | $950 |
| 16 | 12 | 9 | Devin Moran | Dresden, OH | $2,125 |
| 17 | 26 | 71 | Hudson O’Neal | Martinsville, IN | $700 |
| 18 | 11 | 27X | Jadon Frame | Winchester, TN | $875 |
| 19 | 21 | 76 | Brandon Overton | Evans, GA | $1,550 |
| 20 | 16 | 66C | Matt Cosner | Ridgeley, WV | $825 |
| 21 | 22 | 7R | Ross Robinson | Georgetown, DE | $800 |
| 22 | 28 | 385 | Mark Whitener | Middleburg, FL | $100 |
| 23 | 24 | 1 | Earl Pearson Jr | Jacksonville, FL | $1,600 |
| 24 | 27 | 16 | Tyler Bruening | Decorah, IA | $800 |
| 25 | 25 | 21 | Billy Moyer Jr | Batesville, AR | $800 |
| 26 | 19 | 14 | Josh Richards | Shinnston, WV | $1,600 |
| 27 | 10 | 8 | Kyle Strickler | Mooresville, NC | $800 |
| 28 | 20 | 2X | Devin Dixon | Apollo Beach, FL | $800 |
Race Statistics
Entrants: 46
Lap Leaders: Jimmy Owens (Laps 1 – 8); Bobby Pierce (Laps 9 – 21); Shane Clanton (Laps 22 – 40)
Wrisco Feature Winner: Shane Clanton
Arizona Sport Shirts CJC – Presented by DirtOnDirt Feature Winner: n/a
Brandon Ford TV Challenge Feature Winner: Shane Clanton
Margin of Victory: 0.569 seconds
Cautions: Devin Dixon (Lap 15); Kyle Strickler (Lap 18)
Series Provisionals: Kyle Bronson, Earl Pearson Jr.
Fast Time Provisional: n/a
Series Emergency Provisionals: Billy Moyer Jr., Hudson O’Neal, Tyler Bruening, Mark Whitener
Track Provisionals: n/a
Big River Steel Podium Top 3: Shane Clanton, Bobby Pierce, Tanner English
Penske Shocks Top 5: Shane Clanton, Bobby Pierce, Tanner English, Tim McCreadie, Jimmy Owens
Optima Batteries Hard Charger of the Race: Jonathan Davenport (Advanced 11 Positions)
Midwest Sheet Metal Spoiler Challenge Point Leader: Brandon Overton
Hot Rod Processing Most Laps Led: Shane Clanton (19 Laps)
Sunoco Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Jimmy Owens
Eibach Springs Rookie of the Race: n/a
Dirty Girl Racewear Fastest Lap of the Race: Brandon Sheppard (Lap #40 – 15.022 seconds)
Fast Shafts Tough Break of the Race: Kyle Strickler
Outerwears Crew Chief of the Race: Corey Richman (Shane Clanton)
ARP Engine Builder of the Race: Clements Racing Engines
Miller Welders Chassis Builder of the Race: Capital Race Cars
Dirt Draft Fastest in Hot Laps: Dennis Erb Jr.
Time of Race: 19 minutes 28 seconds
Lucas Oil Point Standings:
| Pos | Car # | Competitor | Hometown | Points | Pay |
| 1 | 76 | Brandon Overton | Evans, GA | 1155 | $28,700 |
| 2 | 71 | Hudson O’Neal | Martinsville, IN | 1090 | $17,125 |
| 3 | 9 | Devin Moran | Dresden, OH | 1065 | $20,925 |
| 4 | 39 | Tim McCreadie | Watertown, NY | 1050 | $17,675 |
| 5 | 1s | Brandon Sheppard | New Berlin, IL | 1045 | $15,050 |
| 6 | 40B | Kyle Bronson | Brandon, FL | 1015 | $15,050 |
| 7 | 20RT | Ricky Thornton Jr | Adel, IA | 1005 | $16,300 |
| 8 | 157 | Mike Marlar | Winfield, TN | 1000 | $14,500 |
| 9 | 14 | Josh Richards | Shinnston, WV | 990 | $17,475 |
| 10 | 3s | Brian Shirley | Chatham, IL | 985 | $9,725 |
| 11 | 81E | Tanner English | Benton, KY | 980 | $13,800 |
| 12 | 25 | Shane Clanton | Zebulon, GA | 960 | $19,300 |
| 13 | 1T | Tyler Erb | New Waverly, TX | 955 | $29,050 |
| 14 | 49 | Jonathan Davenport | Blairsville, GA | 925 | $16,400 |
| 15 | 20 | Jimmy Owens | Newport, TN | 920 | $13,875 |
| 16 | 99JR | Frank Heckenast Jr | Frankfort, IL | 870 | $6,500 |
| 17 | 1 | Earl Pearson Jr | Jacksonville, FL | 865 | $9,275 |
| 18 | 16 | Tyler Bruening | Decorah, IA | 860 | $9,775 |
| 19 | 56JR | Tony Jackson Jr | Lebanon, MO | 820 | $4,675 |
| 20 | 21 | Billy Moyer Jr | Batesville, AR | 795 | $8,325 |
Wrisco Winternationals Point Standings:
| Pos | Car # | Competitor | Hometown | Points |
| 1 | 76 | Brandon Overton | Evans, GA | 1855 |
| 2 | 71 | Hudson O’Neal | Martinsville, IN | 1715 |
| 3 | 9 | Devin Moran | Dresden, OH | 1685 |
| 4 | 1s | Brandon Sheppard | New Berlin, IL | 1665 |
| 5 | 1T | Tyler Erb | New Waverly, TX | 1600 |
| 6 | 40B | Kyle Bronson | Brandon, FL | 1600 |
| 7 | 39 | Tim McCreadie | Watertown, NY | 1585 |
| 8 | 81E | Tanner English | Benton, KY | 1560 |
*Results are unofficial until Close of Business on the Tuesday following Race Day*
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series PR
