OCALA, Fla. - Jonathan Davenport’s return to the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series in 2018 is off to a superb start.
The Blairsville, Georgia speedster captured his third series win of the year on Sunday night at Bubba Raceway Park in Ocala, Florida. Davenport became the third different leader of the 50-lap main event when he took the top spot for good on lap five from Tyler Erb.
Tim McCreadie and Erb started on the front row, with McCreadie leading the first two laps until Erb forged in front on lap three. When Davenport went by Erb two laps later, he never looked back, but was challenged late in the race by Earl Pearson, Jr.
“I thought I was going to turn over at the start,” Davenport said. “I didn’t know that hole was quite as big as it was. Tyler (Erb) had a harder tire on at the start and I knew it wouldn’t fire after a few restarts. Our car was really good through the middle of the race. The slime came back up just a little bit. Then the rubber came back really really hard. I was just trying to protect my right rear tire. I was grinding on the right front and then I started to feel it vibrate.
“You are always concerned about tire wear at this track. This place is so oddly-shaped. You could bounce in turn one and then in three you had to be easy. If you went in too hard, you would just slide out. There is a lot going on in the cockpit that a lot of people can’t see.”
Pearson had his best finish of the season with a runner-up position to Davenport. Pearson closed on Davenport in the final laps to make the final outcome close.
Hudson O’Neal came home in third, followed by Jimmy Owens in fourth and Kyle Bronson in fifth.
Don O’Neal, Matt Cosner, Jason Fitzgerald, Scott Bloomquist, and Chub Frank rounded out the top ten.
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Bubba Raceway Park – Ocala, FL
Race Results – February 11, 2018
| FINISH | START | CAR # | DRIVER NAME | HOMETOWN | EARNINGS |
| 1 | 3 | 49 | Jonathan Davenport | Blairsville, GA | $10,500 |
| 2 | 7 | 1 | Earl Pearson, Jr. | Jacksonville, FL | $6,800 |
| 3 | 9 | 71 | Hudson O’Neal | Martinsville, IN | $4,200 |
| 4 | 11 | 20 | Jimmy Owens | Newport, TN | $3,550 |
| 5 | 14 | 40B | Kyle Bronson | Brandon, FL | $2,750 |
| 6 | 18 | 5 | Don O’Neal | Martinsville, IN | $2,600 |
| 7 | 21 | 66c | Matt Cosner | Ridgeley, WV | $1,500 |
| 8 | 17 | 7F | Jason Fitzgerald | Middleburg, FL | $1,300 |
| 9 | 23 | 0 | Scott Bloomquist | Mooresburg, TN | $2,500 |
| 10 | 22 | 1* | Chub Frank | Bear Lake, PA | $1,100 |
| 11 | 2 | 39 | Tim McCreadie | Watertown, NY | $1,775 |
| 12 | 20 | 1s | Brandon Sheppard | New Berlin, IL | $1,550 |
| 13 | 24 | 22 | Gregg Satterlee | Indiana, PA | $1,725 |
| 14 | 15 | C02 | Doug Drown | Wooster, OH | $1,000 |
| 15 | 10 | 28 | Dennis Erb, Jr. | Carpentersville, IL | $1,650 |
| 16 | 6 | 1R | Josh Richards | Shinnston, WV | $2,525 |
| 17 | 8 | 32 | Bobby Pierce | Oakwood, IL | $2,100 |
| 18 | 12 | 14 | Darrell Lanigan | Union, KY | $1,575 |
| 19 | 16 | 14m | Morgan Bagley | Gladewater, TX | $850 |
| 20 | 19 | 33 | Jeff Mathews | Brandon, FL | $825 |
| 21 | 5 | 99B | Boom Briggs | Bear Lake, PA | $1,500 |
| 22 | 1 | 91 | Tyler Erb | New Waverly, TX | $1,400 |
| 23 | 13 | 116 | Brandon Overton | Evans, GA | $800 |
| 24 | 4 | 14T | Tyler Clem | Tampa, FL | $800 |
