TAMPA, Fla. - Kyle Bronson raced to the biggest victory of his career on Saturday night during the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series finale of the Winternationals at East Bay Raceway Park in Tampa, Florida.
Bronson lives only a short distance from the race track and managed to defend his home turf valiantly. He took the lead on lap 55 and then held off Blairsville, Georgia’s Jonathan Davenport for the win in front of a capacity grandstand.
Bronson scored his first career series win after charging from the tenth starting spot. The $12,000 payday was the richest in the 27-year-old’s career-to-date.
Davenport and Billy Moyer, Jr. started on the front row with Davenport grabbing the early lead. Moyer, Jr. gained the top spot from Davenport on the fourth lap. Scott Bloomquist became the third leader of the race on lap ten. Bloomquist held the top spot until Richards took charge on lap 27.
A caution with 20 laps to go bunched the field up, allowing Brandon Overton to take the lead on lap 42. Bronson began to make his move as he quickly closed in on Overton. After a lap 53 caution and restart, Bronson took just two laps to gain the lead, driving around Overton coming off turn two.
Bronson had to withstand one more caution with 57 laps complete to seal the deal. Davenport closed the gap on Bronson in the final laps but fell just short at the checkers.
Davenport finished in second, with Overton in third, Josh Richards in fourth and Earl Pearson, Jr. in fifth.
Scott Bloomquist, Devin Moran, Brandon Sheppard, Darrell Lanigan, and Gregg Satterlee rounded out the top ten.
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
East Bay Raceway Park – Tampa, FL
East Bay Winternationals – February 10, 2018
| FINISH | START | CAR # | DRIVER NAME | HOMETOWN | EARNINGS |
| 1 | 10 | 40B | Kyle Bronson | Brandon, FL | $12,000 |
| 2 | 1 | 49 | Jonathan Davenport | Blairsville, GA | $5,500 |
| 3 | 14 | 116 | Brandon Overton | Evans, GA | $3,500 |
| 4 | 3 | 1R | Josh Richards | Shinnston, WV | $3,850 |
| 5 | 5 | 1 | Earl Pearson, Jr. | Jacksonville, FL | $3,050 |
| 6 | 6 | 0 | Scott Bloomquist | Mooresburg, TN | $2,600 |
| 7 | 9 | 9 | Devin Moran | Dresden, OH | $1,500 |
| 8 | 7 | 1s | Brandon Sheppard | New Berlin, IL | $1,300 |
| 9 | 19 | 14 | Darrell Lanigan | Union, KY | $1,900 |
| 10 | 4 | 22 | Gregg Satterlee | Indiana, PA | $1,800 |
| 11 | 21 | 51M | Joey Moriarty | Phoenix, AZ | $1,075 |
| 12 | 16 | 1G | Ryan King | Seymour, TN | $1,050 |
| 13 | 13 | 71 | Hudson O’Neal | Martinsville, IN | $1,725 |
| 14 | 24 | 99B | Boom Briggs | Bear Lake, PA | $1,700 |
| 15 | 20 | 20 | Jimmy Owens | Newport, TN | $1,800 |
| 16 | 8 | 28 | Dennis Erb, Jr. | Carpentersville, IL | $1,700 |
| 17 | 12 | 7MM | Michael Maresca | Hannawa Fallls, NY | $1,000 |
| 18 | 25 | 32 | Bobby Pierce | Oakwood, IL | $1,700 |
| 19 | 2 | 21JR | Billy Moyer, Jr. | Batesville, AR | $1,100 |
| 20 | 26 | 25B | Mike Benedum | Salem, WV | $1,000 |
| 21 | 11 | 91 | Tyler Erb | New Waverly, TX | $1,000 |
| 22 | 15 | 14m | Morgan Bagley | Gladewater, TX | $1,000 |
| 23 | 22 | 5 | Don O’Neal | Martinsville, IN | $1,800 |
| 24 | 23 | 39 | Tim McCreadie | Watertown, NY | $1,700 |
| 25 | 17 | d8 | Dustin Mitchell | Selma, NC | $1,000 |
| 26 | 18 | 12J | Jason Jameson | Lawrenceburg, IN | $1,000 |
