Devin Moran regained the lead from Jonathan Davenport on lap 24 to score the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series win on Friday night at the West Virginia Motor Speedway; the first appearance by the series since 2013 at the 5/8-mile facility promoted by Cody Watson.
Both Moran and Davenport each led 15 laps during the 30-lap, caution free main event. Gregg Satterlee came home in third followed by Ricky Thornton Jr. and Earl Pearson Jr.
Moran bolted to the lead at the start of the race with Davenport in tow. Moran led until Davenport passed him on lap ten for the race lead. Davenport extended his lead and looked to be on his way to his fourth straight win at WVMS, but Moran caught the three-time Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series champion in heavy traffic passing him on the inside on lap 24.
In Lucas Oil Victory Lane for the fourth time this season and the sixth time in his career, Moran made the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series return to WVMS a memorable one for the packed hillside. “Obviously, JD’s got his stuff rolling. His car is really good. I’ve got a lot of work to do to beat him tomorrow. Wylie (Moran) said before the race that lapped traffic was going to be important; I was hoping we would be leading at that point. He was trying to make a move around those guys and just messed up. I was able to slide underneath of him.”
The 27-year-old Ohio native’s key to victory was not to get too close to lapped traffic. “That was definitely the biggest key to us winning. I didn’t want to get too close to those lapped cars when they got bunched up, I didn’t want to do what he did. The track was a little tricky tonight, but it was really smooth. I am sure Cody (Watson) will have it awesome for tomorrow.”
Davenport, who entered the event looking for his first Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series win of the season came home with another second-place run. “It is sort of getting to be like Groundhog Day, every time we make the right move to get the lead then I lose it in lapped traffic. I was really trying to separate myself from lapped traffic. I was making some moves I really didn’t want to make there. It was really hard to get to the outside of a lapped car. Congratulations to Devin on the win and thanks to my guys for giving me another good hot-rod.”
Satterlee was in the thick of things at the end as he rounded out the podium in third. “It was a good night for us. A top three, we can’t complain about that. We learned a couple of things on the car tonight. We need to be a little bit more maneuverable in the feature. The lapped traffic was pretty tough to get by.”
The winner’s Tye Twarog Racing Longhorn Chassis is powered by a Clements Racing Engine and sponsored by C&W Trucking, CarSourceAuto.com, Bilstein Shocks, Tri-Valley Equipment Sales, Accuforce Dynos and Testers, McHugh Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram and Fiat, Igimage.com, Eibach Springs, Red Oak Pub, Tommy Pope Construction, J.R. Hall Properties LLC, and Haulin’ Haskell’s.
Completing the top ten were Kyle Strickler, Brandon Sheppard, Tyler Erb, Tim McCreadie, and Hudson O’Neal.
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Race Summary
Jan Dils Attorneys at Law “Historic 100” Presented by Arizona Sport Shirts
Friday, June 3rd, 2022
West Virginia Motor Speedway – Mineral Wells, WV
Allstar Performance Time Trials
Fast Time Group A: Devin Moran / 20.627 seconds (overall)
Fast Time Group B: Jonathan Davenport / 20.764 seconds
Penske Race Shocks Heat Race #1 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4Transfer): 1. 9-Devin Moran[1]; 2. 157-Mike Marlar[2]; 3. 8-Kyle Strickler[3]; 4. 0K-Freddie Carpenter[4]; 5. 18D-Daulton Wilson[6]; 6. 11-Spencer Hughes[5]; 7. 34C-Pete Crum[7]; 8. K11-George Klintworth[8]
Summit Racing Equipment Heat Race #2 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4Transfer): 1. 22-Gregg Satterlee[1]; 2. 46-Earl Pearson Jr[2]; 3. 39-Tim McCreadie[4]; 4. 58-Garrett Alberson[3]; 5. 12-Ryan Montgomery[5]; 6. 0-Edward Shuman[6]; 7. 16-Josh Tonkin[7]
Simpson Race Products Heat Race #3 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 49-Jonathan Davenport[1]; 2. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr[2]; 3. 76-Brandon Overton[4]; 4. 89-Ashton Winger[5]; 5. 71R-Rod Conley[7]; 6. 119-Bryan Bernheisel[3]; 7. 15-Justin Duty[8]; 8. 113-Brandon Francis[6]
Ohlins Shocks Heat Race #4 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 1-Brandon Sheppard[1]; 2. 1T-Tyler Erb[2]; 3. 71-Hudson O’Neal[3]; 4. 7-Ross Robinson[4]; 5. 12D-Doug Drown[5]; 6. 22*-GR Smith[6]; 7. 37F-Wayne Francis[8]; 8. 2A-Matt Altiers[7]
FAST Shafts B-Main #1 Finish (10 Laps, Top 6 Transfer): 1. 71R-Rod Conley[2]; 2. 18D-Daulton Wilson[1]; 3. 11-Spencer Hughes[5]; 4. 12-Ryan Montgomery[3]; 5. 12D-Doug Drown[4]; 6. 119-Bryan Bernheisel[6]; 7. 15-Justin Duty[10]; 8. 113-Brandon Francis[14]; 9. 22*-GR Smith[8]; 10. 34C-Pete Crum[9]; 11. 37F-Wayne Francis[12]; 12. 16-Josh Tonkin[11]; 13. 2A-Matt Altiers[15]; 14. 0-Edward Shuman[7]; 15. K11-George Klintworth[13]
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series PR
