Dirt on Dirt - Moran captures frenetic WoO opener for $12,000

January 19

Volusia Speedway Park,

Barberville, FL

Sanction: World of Outlaws Case Late Model Series (DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals) - $12,000

Information provided by: Kyle McFadden and track reports (last updated January 22, 1:02 am)

Moran captures frenetic WoO opener for $12,000

DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals

Devin Moran
Brandon Sheppard
Ricky Thornton Jr.
Bobby Pierce
Tim McCreadie
Ethan Dotson
Dale McDowell
Cade Dillard
Max Blair
Chris Madden
Nick Hoffman
Tyler Bruening
Hudson O'Neal
Ryan Gustin
Dennis Erb Jr.
Garrett Smith
Daulton Wilson
Boom Briggs
Mark Whitener
Kyle Bronson
Mike Spatola
Dustin Sorensen
Cody Overton
Brent Larson
Todd Cooney
Jimmy Owens
Dustin Walker
Drake Troutman
Mike Marlar
Brian Shirley

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Chris Anderson

Devin Moran holds the checkered flag after his $12,000 Sunshine Nationals victory on Friday night.

What won the race: Flexing his muscle again at Volusia Speedway Park, Devin Moran of Dresden, Ohio, overtook Ricky Thornton Jr. for the lead on lap 26 and turned back a late challenge from Brandon Sheppard to capture Friday night’s frenetic 35-lap World of Outlaws Case Late Model Series season opener. Moran beat Sheppard to the finish line by 0.720 of a second for the $12,000 top prize in the DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals event that was slowed by just a single caution flag and boasted four different leaders.

Quotable: “I had to drive really hard,” Moran said. “I was really determined to win tonight. My guys worked really really hard all winter on making our car run really fast and we came out of the box proving it. It was a lot of fun, and we zigged where we needed to and zagged when we had to and life was good.”

Key notes: Moran, who captured both of last year's Sunshine Nationals features, survived homestretch contact with Thornton that bent the left-front of his car's nose. ... Moran's 12th career WoO win was his first victory anywhere on American soil since an XR Super Series prelim score on July 24, 2023, at Nebraska's Off-Road Speedway. ... Other race leaders were Ethan Dotson (laps 1-6), Bobby Pierce (7-12) and Thornton (13-25). ... Sheppard reached second with less than 10 laps left and challenged Moran but lost critical ground on lap 32 when he briefly hooked the lapped Kyle Bronson's right-rear corner off turn four. ... Thornton felt he had a winning car but he didn't put enough tearoffs on his helmet, forcing him to slow down and run the bottom due to visibility woes late in the distance. He settled for third. ... Pierce slipped backward after losing the lead, finishing fourth. ... Brian Shirley brought out the feature's lone caution on lap 12 when he stopped on the backstretch. Earlier he barely held on to finish third in Heat 6 despite limping off turn four on the final lap due to a broken driveshaft. ... Dennis Erb Jr. had to fall back on a provisional to start the feature after opening-lap contact with Garrett Smith in Heat 3 caused him to spin in turn two. ... Cade Dillard finished second in Heat 3, but heavy smoke as he completed the race signaled terminal engine trouble that forced him to pull out his backup car and start at the rear of the feature. He advanced through the pack to finish eighth. ... Daniel Hilsabeck was running second on the last lap of the third B-main when a puff of smoke from under his car's hood sent him spinning out of contention. ... Saturday's Sunshine Nationals finale pays $15,000-to-win.

On the move: Brandon Sheppard of New Berlin, Ill., started 16th and finished second; Cade Dillard of Robeline, La., finished eighth after starting at the rear of the field because he changed cars.

Winner's sponsors: Moran’s Double Down Motorsports Longhorn Chassis carries a Clements Race Engine and sponsorship from Lazydays RV, Big River Steel, McHugh Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Ram Fiat, CarSourceAuto.com, Red Oak Pub, C&W Trucking & Sons, Inc., Bomag, Southeastern Equipment, VP Race Fuels, Eibach Springs, Bilstein Shocks, Accu-Force Dynos, Lucas Oil Products, Smoky Mountain Speedway, Haulin’ Haskel’s, Lincoln Smith Racing, GE Auto Sales and WME Detailing.

Points chase: After Volusia Friday: 1. Brandon Sheppard (446); 2. Bobby Pierce (442); 3. Ethan Dotson (438); 4. Cade Dillard (434); 5. Chris Madden (430); 6. Nick Hoffman (428); 7. Tyler Bruening (426); 8. Ryan Gustin (422); 9. Dennis Erb Jr. (420); 10. Kyle Bronson (410); 11. Dustin Sorensen (406); 12. Brent Larson (404).

Current weather: Broken Clouds, 57°F

Car count: 56

Fast qualifier: Bobby Pierce

Time: 15.100 seconds

Polesitter: Ethan Dotson

Heat race winners: Devin Moran, Mike Marlar, Ethan Dotson, Bobby Pierce, Ricky Thornton Jr., Dale McDowell

Consolation race winners: Hudson O'Neal, Boom Briggs, Dustin Sorensen

Provisional starters: Kyle Bronson, Dennis Erb Jr., Cody Overton, Brent Larson, Todd Cooney, Dustin Walker

Next series race: February 15, Volusia Speedway Park (Barberville, FL) $12,000

Editor's note: Fixes Moran engine to Clements from Cornett

From staff reports

BARBERVILLE, Fla. (Jan. 19) — Updates from Friday’s second night of the fifth annual DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals, featuring a 35-lap, $12,000-to-win feature for the World of Outlaws Case Late Model Series (results unofficial):

Feature

Flexing his muscle again at Volusia Speedway Park, Devin Moran of Dresden, Ohio, overtook Ricky Thornton Jr. for the lead on lap 26 and turned back a late challenge from Brandon Sheppard to capture Friday night’s frenetic 35-lap World of Outlaws Case Late Model Series season opener. Moran beat Sheppard to the finish line by 0.720 of a second for the $12,000 top prize in a race that was slowed by just a single caution flag and boasted four different leaders.

Feature lineup

Row 1: Ethan Dotson, Bobby Pierce
Row 2: Mike Marlar, Dale McDowell
Row 3: Devin Moran, Ricky Thornton Jr.
Row 4: Daulton Wilson, Max Blair
Row 5: Mike Spatola, Chris Madden
Row 6: Cade Dillard, Tim McCreadie
Row 7: Ryan Gustin, Tyler Bruening
Row 8: Nick Hoffman, Brandon Sheppard
Row 9: Garrett Smith, Brian Shirley
Row 10: Hudson O’Neal, Boom Briggs
Row 11: Dustin Sorensen, Jimmy Owens
Row 12: Drake Troutman, Mark Whitener
Row 13: Kyle Bronson, Dennis Erb Jr.
Row 14: Cody Overton, Brent Larson
Row 15: Todd Cooney, Dustin Walker

Consolation results

(10 laps; top two transfer)

First consolation finish: Hudson O’Neal, Jimmy Owens, Ross Robinson, Parker Martin, Brent Larson, Blair Nothdurft, Brenden Smith, Jackson Hise, Hayden Cowan, Jason Papp, Nick Panitzke, Mike Benedum, Mack McCarter.

Second consolation finish: Boom Briggs, Drake Troutman, Todd Cooney, Dennis Erb Jr., Carson Brown, Stacy Boles, Mitch Thomas, David Breazeale (DNS) Ashton Winger, Donnie Chappell.

Third consolation finish: Dustin Sorensen, Mark Whitener, Tristan Chamberlain, Jason Garver, Kyle Bryant, Cody Overton, Jack Riggs, Daniel Hilsabeck, Kyle Bronson, Tanner English, Dustin Walker, Max McLaughlin.

Heat race results

(Eight laps; top three transfer)

First heat finish: Devin Moran, Daulton Wilson, Ryan Gustin, Hudson O’Neal, Parker Martin, Blair Nothdurft, Mike Benedum, Hayden Cowan, Nick Panitzke, Jason Papp.

Second heat finish: Mike Marlar, Mike Spatola, Nick Hoffman, Jimmy Owens, Ross Robinson, Brenden Smith, Brent Larson, Mack McCarter, Jackson Hise.

Third heat finish: Ethan Dotson, Cade Dillard, Garrett Smith, Boom Briggs, Austin Smith, Carson Brown, Donnie Chappell, Dennis Erb Jr., Trey Mills.

Fourth heat finish: Bobby Pierce, Max Blair, Tyler Bruening, Drake Troutman, Todd Cooney, David Breazeale, Ashton Winger, Stacy Boles, Jeff Mathews, Mitch Thomas.

Fifth heat finish: Ricky Thornton Jr., Chris Madden, Brandon Sheppard, Dustin Sorensen, Max McLaughlin, Daniel Hilsabeck, Jack Riggs, Kyle Bryant, Dustin Walker.

Sixth heat finish: Dale McDowell, Tim McCreadie, Brian Shirley, Tanner English, Mark Whitener, Kyle Bronson, Tristan Chamberlain, Cody Overton, Jason Carver.

Time trials

First group
1. Devin Moran (99), Dresden, Ohio, 15.228
2. Mike Marlar (157), Winfield, Tenn., 15.394
3. Dennis Erb Jr. (28), Carpentersville, Ill., 15.424
4. Blair Nothdurft (76), Sioux Falls, S.D., 15.466
5. Jimmy Owens (20), Newport, Tenn., 15.469
6. Garrett Smith (10), Eatonton, Ga., 15.470
7. Ryan Gustin (19R), Marshalltown, Iowa, 15.494
8. Nick Hoffman (9), Mooresville, N.C., 15.494
9. Ethan Dotson (174), Bakersfield, Calif., 15.528
10. Daulton Wilson (18D), Fayetteville, N.C., 15.536
11. Mike Spatola (89), Manhattan, Ill., 15.598
12. Cade Dillard (97), Robeline, La., 15.600
13. Hudson O’Neal (1), Martinsville, Ind., 15.709
14. Brenden Smith (17SS), Dade City, Fla., 15.722
15. Boom Briggs (99B), Bear Lake, Pa., 15.734
16. Mike Benedum (25), Salem, W.Va., 15.736
17. Ross Robinson (7R), Georgetown, Del., 15.792
18. Donnie Chappell (25), St. Augustine, Fla., 15.797
19. Nick Panitzke (22P), Lonsdale, Minn., 15.820
20. Mack McCarter (51), Gatlinburg, Tenn., 15.931
21. Austin Smith (11), Cedartown, Ga., 15.956
22. Parker Martin (6Jr), Milledgeville, Ga., 15.994
23. Brent Larson (B1), Lake Elmo, Minn., 16.000
24. Trey Mills (14Jr), St. Augustine, Fla., 16.110
25. Haiden Cowan (214), Rincon, Ga., 16.173
26. Jackson Hise (388), Ocala, Fla., 16.295
27. Carson Brown (28B), New London, N.C., 16.599
28. Jason Papp (1J), Palm Bay, Fla., 18.591
Second group
1. Bobby Pierce (32), Oakwood, Ill., 15.100
2. Ricky Thornton Jr. (20RT), Chandler, Ariz., 15.330
3. Dale McDowell (17m), Chickamauga, Ga., 15.434
4. Max Blair (111), Centerville, Pa., 15.463
5. Chris Madden (44), Gray Court, S.C., 15.475
6. Tim McCreadie (39), Watertown, N.Y., 15.490
7. Drake Troutman (7), Hyndman, Pa., 15.545
8. Brandon Sheppard (B5), New Berlin, Ill., 15.556
9. Tanner English (96V), Benton, Ky., 15.598
10. Tyler Bruening (16), Decorah, Iowa, 15.600
11. Dustin Sorensen (19), Rochester, Minn., 15.608
12. Kyle Bronson (40B), Brandon, Fla., 15.611
13. Ashton Winger (12W), Hampton, Ga., 15.682
14. Jack Riggs (81J), Nolensville, Tenn., 15.818
15. Mark Whitener (5), Middleburg, Fla., 15.827
16. Todd Cooney (30), Des Moines, Iowa, 15.853
17. Max McLaughlin (22*), Mooresville, N.C., 15.856
18. Brian Shirley (3S), Chatham, Ill., 15.859
19. Stacy Boles (11B), Clinton, Tenn., 15.869
20. Daniel Hilsabeck (22H), Adel, Iowa, 15.978
21. Cody Overton (97), Evans, Ga., 16.017
22. David Breazeale (54), Four Corners, Miss., 16.017
23. Kyle Bryant (79), Navarre, Fla., 16.018
24. Tristan Chamberlain (20TC), Richmond, Ind., 16.072
25. Jeff Mathews (33), Brandon, Fla., 16.105
26. Dustin Walker (14W), Polk, Mo., 16.517
27. Jason Garver (01), Starke, Fla., 16.522
28. Mitch Thomas (97T), Oakland, Md., 17.009

Friday’s schedule

(All times local)
1 p.m. - Pits open
3:30 p.m. - Drivers’ meeting
3:45 p.m. - Grandstands open
4 p.m. - On-track activity begins
- Late Model hot laps
- CRUSA group qualifying (2 laps)
- Late Model group qualifying (2 laps)
- 602 Crate group qualifying (2 laps)
6 p.m. - Opening ceremonies
- CRUSA semifeature 1 (20 laps)
- CRUSA semifeature 2 (20 laps)
- Late Model heats (8 laps)
- 602 Crate semifeature 1 (15 laps)
- Late Model redraw
- Late Model consolations (10 laps)
- CRUSA semifeature 3 (20 laps)
- CRUSA semifeature 4 (20 laps)
- Late Model feature (35 laps)
- 602 Crate semifeature 2 (15 laps)