Dirt on Dirt - J.D. rules Lucas Oil's opener at Golden Isles

March 4

Golden Isles Speedway,

Brunswick, GA

Sanction: Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series (Wieland Winternationals) - $7,000

Information provided by: Kevin Kovac, series and track reports (last updated March 4, 11:11 pm)

J.D. rules Lucas Oil's opener at Golden Isles

Wieland Winternationals

Jonathan Davenport
Hudson O'Neal
Brandon Sheppard
Devin Moran
Max Blair
Tyler Erb
Brian Shirley
Mark Whitener
Garrett Alberson
Brandon Overton
Clay Harris
Cody Overton
Ricky Thornton Jr.
Garrett Smith
Brenden Smith
Dennis Erb Jr.
Blair Nothdurft
Dallon Murty
Carson Ferguson
Daniel Hilsabeck
Benji Hicks
Dan Ebert
Kyle Bronson
Ross Bailes

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Jonathan Davenport (49) clears Brian Shirley (3s) and Devin Moran (99) on the opening lap.

What won the race: Clearing Brian Shirley with a turn-four slide job on the opening lap, polesitter Jonathan Davenport of Blairsville, Ga., held off a late-race surge by Hudson O'Neal to win Wednesday's 30-lap Wieland Winternationals opener at Golden Isles Speedway. Davenport beat the fast-closing O'Neal by 1.194 seconds for the $7,000 payday, his first feature victory of the season and 85th career full-field Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series triumph.

Quotable: “Hell that’s my first laps led of the year, feels like we just never could get no air on the front of this car,” Davenport said. “Even though we’d start on the front row out in Arizona, just never could get the start and just never had the car to come back to the front. But my guys gave me an awesome car today, this is for them, for sure.”

Key notes: Davenport notched his first Golden Isles victory since 2016's Edwin Coggins Memorial, worth $7,000. ... He also topped 2015's $10,000 weekend finale there. ... Davenport captured his 23rd career Georgia-Florida Speedweeks victory, his first since last year's DIRTcar Nationals finale at Florida's Volusia Speedway Park, worth $20,000. ... Eighth-starting Hudson O'Neal made a bold fifth-to-second move when he slid in the middle of three-wide entering turn three, narrowly clearing Brandon Sheppard and beating him back to the line to the complete the 19th lap. O'Neal cut nearly two and a half seconds off of Davenport's lead in the closing laps. ... Sheppard, who trailed Davenport on lap 18, settled for third. ... Tyler Erb improved five spots to finish sixth. ... Second-starting Brian Shirley faded to seventh. ... The green-to-checkered non-points race lasted eight minutes with 14 starters completing 30 laps and 22 running at the finish. ... Kyle Bronson (lap 19) and Ross Bailes (lap 13) were the race's only two retirees. ... Mike Marlar scratched after a qualifying crash. ... Cory Lawler scratched from heat race action after engine trouble in his primary car during hot laps; Lawler unloaded his backup for the night's second consolation race. ... Preston Luckman scratched after a broken jackshaft in hot laps. ... Series points will begin to be awarded in Thursday's 40-lap, $10,000-to-win second round.

On the move: Max Blair of Centerville, Pa., started 12th and finished fifth.

Winner's sponsors: Davenport’s Double L Motorsports Longhorn Chassis was powered by a Cornett Racing Engine and carries sponsorship from Ace Doran, Nutrien Ag Solutions, ASC Warranty, Mark Martin Automotive, Mega Plumbing of the Carolinas, Mount Airy Polaris, Bilstein Shocks, VP Racing Fuels, Dyer’s Top Rods, Go Lithium Batteries and Midwest Sheet Metal.

Points chase: Before Golden Isles Thursday: 1. Hudson O’Neal (1,185); 2. Devin Moran (1,135); 3. Brandon Overton (1,045); 4. Brandon Sheppard (945); T5. Clay Harris (920); T5. Kyle Bronson (920); 7. Carson Ferguson (900); 8. Ricky Thornton Jr. (890); 9. Max Blair (870); 10. Dan Ebert (865).

Current weather: Clear Mist, 63°F

Car count: 40

Fast qualifier: Ricky Thornton Jr.

Time: 15.189 seconds

Polesitter: Jonathan Davenport

Heat race winners: Jonathan Davenport, Devin Moran, Brian Shirley, Brandon Sheppard

Consolation race winners: Carson Ferguson, Dennis Erb Jr.

Next series race: March 5, Golden Isles Speedway (Brunswick, GA) $10,000

Editor's note: Results and race details are unofficial.

From staff reports

BRUNSWICK, Ga. — Updates from Wednesday’s Wieland Winternationals opener at Golden Isles Speedway, highlighted by a 30-lap, $7,000-to-win feature for Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series-sanctioned Super Late Models (results unofficial):

Feature

Clearing Brian Shirley with a turn-four slide job on the opening lap, polesitter Jonathan Davenport of Blairsville, Ga., held off a late-race surge by Hudson O'Neal to win Wednesday's 30-lap Wieland Winternationals opener at Golden Isles Speedway. Davenport beat the fast-closing O'Neal by 1.194 seconds for the $7,000 payday, his first feature victory of the season and 85th career full-field Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series triumph.

Feature lineup

(30 laps)

Row 1: Jonathan Davenport, Brian Shirley
Row 2: Devin Moran, Brandon Sheppard
Row 3: Brandon Overton, Garrett Alberson
Row 4: Mark Whitener, Hudson O'Neal
Row 5: Brenden Smith, Clay Harris
Row 6: Tyler Erb, Max Blair
Row 7: Ricky Thornton Jr., Cody Overton
Row 8: Blair Nothdurft, Garrett Smith
Row 9: Carson Ferguson, Dennis Erb Jr.
Row 10: Benji Hicks, Ross Bailes
Row 11: Daniel Hilsabeck, Kyle Bronson
Row 12: Dallon Murty, Dan Ebert

Consolation race results

(10 laps; top four transfer)

First consolation: Carson Ferguson, Benji Hicks, Daniel Hilsabeck, Dallon Murty, Ross Robinson, Trent Ivey, Michael Leach, Tyler Bruening, Dillon McCowan, Josh Rice. Scratched: Cory Hedgecock, Mike Marlar.

Second consolation: Dennis Erb Jr., Ross Bailes, Kyle Bronson, Dan Ebert, Jadon Frame, Jackson Hise, Cory Lawler, Trey Mills, Freddie Carpenter, Brock Pinkerous, Tripp Gerrald. Scratched: Preston Luckman.

Heat race recap

Fifth-starting Jonathan Davenport charged to take the lead from Ricky Thornton Jr. with a turn-four slide job on the fifth lap before pacing the final four laps in winning the night’s first heat race by 0.918 of a second over sixth-starting Brandon Overton. Second-starting Brenden Smith slipped by polesitter Thornton as they raced to the checkers, relegating Thornton to claim the fourth and final transfer spot into Wednesday’s 30-lap Golden Isles opener after leading the opening four laps. Trent Ivey pulled into the pits before taking the green and failed to complete a lap. … Fourth-starting Devin Moran drove by race-long leader Mark Whitener out of turn two on the final lap, beating Whitener by 0.390 of a second to win the second heat; Whitener led the opening seven laps before settling for second. Second-starting Tyler Erb settled for third while Blair Nothdurft improved three spots for the fourth and final transfer position into the night’s $7,000-to-win feature. … Third-starting Brian Shirley was moved to start on the outside front row and led all eight laps in winning the third heat by 0.964 of a second over polesitter Garrett Alberson. Clay Harris overcame an opening lap penalty to finish third with fourth-starting Cody Overton rounding out the top-four finishers. The race’s lone caution came when Harris was called for jumping the original start and penalized a starting row. … Brandon Sheppard led all eight laps from the pole to win the fourth and final heat race in dominating fashion, taking the checkers 0.911 of a second ahead of Hudson O’Neal, who trailed Sheppard the entire way. Fifth-starting Max Blair finished third while third-starting Garrett Smith held on for fourth. The first caution flew on the third lap when fourth-running Trey Mills backed hard into the turn-four wall and slowed down the frontstretch; Mills was credited with ninth after getting a push back to the pits. Sixth-running Brock Pinkerous spun on the ensuing restart and retired.

Heat race results

(Eight laps; top four transfer)

First heat: Jonathan Davenport, Brandon Overton, Brenden Smith, Ricky Thornton Jr., Benji Hicks, Daniel Hilsabeck, Josh Rice, Michael Leach, Cory Hedgecock. Scratched: Trent Ivey.

Second heat: Devin Moran, Mark Whitener, Tyler Erb, Blair Nothdurft, Carson Ferguson, Dillon McCowan, Ross Robinson, Tyler Bruening, Dallon Murty. Scratched: Mike Marlar.

Third heat: Brian Shirley, Garrett Alberson, Clay Harris, Cody Overton, Dennis Erb Jr., Kyle Bronson, Dan Ebert, Tripp Gerrald, Freddie Carpenter. Scratched: Cory Lawler.

Fourth heat: Brandon Sheppard, Hudson O'Neal, Max Blair, Garrett Smith, Ross Bailes, Jackson Hise, Jadon Frame, Brock Pinkerous, Trey Mills. Scratched: Preston Luckman.

Time trials

Group A
Driver (car no.), hometown, time (unofficial)
1. Ricky Thornton Jr. (20rt), Chandler, Ariz., 15.189
2. Mark Whitener (5), Middleburg, Fla., 15.305
3. Brenden Smith (19m), Dade City, Fla., 15.316
4. Tyler Erb (1T), New Waverly, Texas, 15.362
5. Trent Ivey (88), Union, S.C., 15.516
6. Ross Robinson (7), Georgetown, Del., 15.539
7. Michael Leach (09), Sun River, Mont., 15.559
8. Devin Moran (99), Dresden, Ohio, 15.586
9. Jonathan Davenport (49), Blairsville, Ga., 15.590
10. Dallon Murty (13), Chelsea, Iowa, 15.622
11. Brandon Overton (76), Evans, Ga., 15.634
12. Carson Ferguson (93), Lincolnton, N.C., 15.648
13. Josh Rice (11), Crittenden, Ky., 15.721
14. Blair Nothdurft (76n), Renner, S.D., 15.818
15. Daniel Hilsabeck (22), Earlham, Iowa, 15.828
16. Tyler Bruening (16), Decorah, Iowa, 15.836
17. Cory Hedgecock (79), Loudon, Tenn., 15.842
18. Dillon McCowan (8), Urbana, Mo., 15.906
19. Benji Hicks (55), Mount Airy, N.C., 16.001
20. Mike Marlar (157), Winfield, Tenn., no time
Group B
1. Garrett Alberson (58), Las Cruces, N.M., 15.380
2. Brandon Sheppard (1), New Berlin, Ill., 15.408
3. Clay Harris (6), Jupiter, Fla., 15.422
4. Hudson O’Neal (71), Martinsville, Ind., 15.426
5. Brian Shirley (3s), Chatham, Ill., 15.435
6. Garrett Smith (10), Madison, Ga., 15.499
7. Cody Overton (97), Evans, Ga., 15.528
8. Trey Mills (14), St. Augustine, Fla., 15.549
9. Kyle Bronson (40B), Brandon, Fla., 15.575
10. Max Blair (111), Centerville, Pa., 15.774
11. Dan Ebert (60), Lake Shore, Minn., 15.901
12. Jackson Hise (388), Ocala, Fla., 15.920
13. Dennis Erb Jr. (28), Carpentersville, Ill., 15.940
14. Ross Bailes (16B), Clover, S.C., 15.974
15. Tripp Gerrald (4G), Versailles, Ky., 15.991
16. Jadon Frame (81F), Winchester, Tenn., 16.001
17. Freddie Carpenter (c4), Parkersburg, W.Va., 16.082
18. Brock Pinkerous (555), Ellenville, N.Y., 16.150
19. Cory Lawler (93L), Hanover, Pa., 16.193
20. Preston Luckman (77), Coos Bay, Ore., no time

Wednesday’s schedule

(All times local)
1:30 p.m. - Pits closed and cleared
2 p.m. - Pits reopen
2 p.m. - Tech and registration open
3 p.m. - Grandstands open
4:45 p.m. - Tech and registration close
5 p.m. - Drivers’ meeting
5:30 p.m. - On-track activity
- Late Model hot laps
- Late Model time trials (2 laps)
- Crown Vic group qualifying
Opening ceremonies
- Late Model heats (8 laps)
- Crown Vic heats (8 laps)
Intermission/track prep
- Late Model consolations (10 laps)
Feature events
- Late Models (30 laps)
- Crown Vics (15 laps)