TAMPA, Fla. - A pair of Georgia racers won big this week in Lucas Oil Dirt Late Model Series action at East Bay Raceway Park in Tampa, Florida.
Jonathan Davenport of Blairsville, Georgia scored the opening night win on Monday, while Brandon Overton of Evans, Georgia took back-to-back victories on Tuesday night and Wednesday night.
On Monday night, Davenport – the defending series champion – raced form the fifth starting spot record the win. He bypassed fellow Peach State racer Shane Clanton of Zebulon, Georgia on lap 31 for the lead, and drove away for his eight career East Bay victory.
Clanton led 29 laps of the 40 lap event and appeared poised to pick up his first ever win at East Bay, but Davenport slid under him with nine laps to go to grab the top spot. Clanton finished in the runner-up position, with Tim McCreadie coming home in third. Jimmy Owens finished in fourth with Tyler Erb in fifth.
“I didn’t really know where to go in the corners of the track tonight,” Davenport said. “It was so slick in the center I had to wait a long time to take off, because I didn’t think running the ring around the cushion was the way to take off. Drivers kept piling up behind me. I was just trying to keep the car in the right position. It’s been a struggle the last few weeks.”
On Tuesday night, Brandon Overton held the lead for the first 12 laps of the 40-lap main event. Davenport shot around him on a restart and led for three circuits, but Overton never gave up and recaptured the lead on lap 16 as he went on for his first series win of 2020.
Davenport had to fight off repeated challenges from Jimmy Owens to hold on to the second spot at the end. Owens came home third, with Shane Clanton stayed in fourth, while Kyle Bronson crossed the finish line in fifth.
“I was definitely concerned about lapped traffic at the end,” said Overton. “That is the problem about leading here, (Davenport) rolled me on that restart, but you just don’t know where to go. It just all worked out for me near the end and they (lap traffic) were where I needed to be, and I was just trying to be patient. I tried to get as close to them as I could without hitting them and I just held on. Thanks to crew for working all day on the racecar after it was torn up last night. My car owner David Wells is here. It’s always good to get a Lucas Oil win for David and Eric (Wells).”
On Wednesday night, Overton squeezed by race-leader Tyler Erb coming off turn four to close out the three-night stint at East Bay with his second straight victory.
Overton came out of nowhere to edge Erb, denying the Erb his first series win of the season. Mason Zeigler made it a three-car tussle in the closing laps as he finished third after regaining the lead momentarily, until Erb got back around him after the two made contact coming out of turn four on the final lap.
Jimmy Owens and Devin Moran rounded out the top five.
Overton was elated in his third trip to in Lucas Oil Victory Lane in his career at East Bay and his sixth career series win, in what turned out to be a fast and furious race.
“When I got into third, I saw Tyler and Mason racing each other so hard,” said Overton after recording his sixth career series win. “I was trying to bide my time and I figured let them burn their stuff up and maybe I would come back to them.
“That strategy worked out in our favor, I got to move around a lot when I was behind them. That is what helped me win the race in three and four when I got back under Tyler. That was a heck of a race. My crew busted their tails all week and we have a really good car under us. Thanks to David and Eric Wells for putting me in top notch equipment. I just want to make them proud.”
For more information on the Lucas Oil Dirt Late Model Series, visit LucasDirt.com.
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
East Bay Raceway Park – Tampa, FL
Race Results – May 25, 2020
| Pos | Start | Car # | Competitor | Hometown | Pay |
| 1 | 5 | 49 | Jonathan Davenport | Blairsville, GA | $7,000 |
| 2 | 1 | 25 | Shane Clanton | Zebulon, GA | $3,500 |
| 3 | 3 | 39 | Tim McCreadie | Watertown, NY | $2,500 |
| 4 | 4 | 20 | Jimmy Owens | Newport, TN | $2,000 |
| 5 | 6 | 1T | Tyler Erb | New Waverly, TX | $1,500 |
| 6 | 11 | 3S | Brian Shirley | Chatham, IL | $1,400 |
| 7 | 9 | 40B | Kyle Bronson | Brandon, FL | $1,300 |
| 8 | 7 | 81E | Tanner English | Benton, KY | $1,200 |
| 9 | 16 | 0E | Rick Eckert | York, PA | $1,150 |
| 10 | 22 | 9 | Devin Moran | Dresden, OH | $1,100 |
| 11 | 17 | 21 | Billy Moyer Jr | Batesville, AR | $1,050 |
| 12 | 10 | 25Z | Mason Zeigler | Chalk Hill, PA | $1,000 |
| 13 | 14 | 5W | Mark Whitener | Middleburg, FL | $975 |
| 14 | 18 | 7 | Ross Robinson | Georgetown, DE | $950 |
| 15 | 8 | 14 | Josh Richards | Shinnston, WV | $925 |
| 16 | 20 | 1 | Earl Pearson, Jr. | Jacksonville, FL | $900 |
| 17 | 24 | 16 | Tyler Bruening | Decorah, IA | $875 |
| 18 | 19 | 33J | Jeff Mathews | Brandon, FL | $850 |
| 19 | 21 | 89 | G.R. Smith | Statesville, NC | $825 |
| 20 | 15 | 111 | Steven Roberts | Sylvester, GA | $800 |
| 21 | 23 | 71 | Hudson O’Neal | Martinsville, IN | $800 |
| 22 | 13 | 50 | Shanon Buckingham | Morristown, TN | $800 |
| 23 | 2 | 76 | Brandon Overton | Evans, GA | $800 |
| 24 | 12 | 2S | Stormy Scott | Las Cruces, NM | $800 |
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
East Bay Raceway Park – Tampa, FL
Race Results – May 26, 2020
| Pos | Start | Car # | Competitor | Hometown | Pay |
| 1 | 1 | 76 | Brandon Overton | Evans, GA | $7,000 |
| 2 | 3 | 49 | Jonathan Davenport | Blairsville, GA | $3,500 |
| 3 | 2 | 20 | Jimmy Owens | Newport, TN | $2,500 |
| 4 | 5 | 25 | Shane Clanton | Zebulon, GA | $2,000 |
| 5 | 18 | 40B | Kyle Bronson | Brandon, FL | $1,500 |
| 6 | 4 | 39 | Tim McCreadie | Watertown, NY | $1,400 |
| 7 | 13 | 14 | Josh Richards | Shinnston, WV | $1,300 |
| 8 | 19 | 1 | Earl Pearson Jr | Jacksonville, FL | $1,200 |
| 9 | 15 | 9 | Devin Moran | Dresden, OH | $1,150 |
| 10 | 8 | 81E | Tanner English | Benton, KY | $1,100 |
| 11 | 9 | 50 | Shanon Buckingham | Morristown, TN | $1,050 |
| 12 | 20 | 2S | Stormy Scott | Las Cruces, NM | $1,000 |
| 13 | 14 | 33J | Jeff Mathews | Brandon, FL | $975 |
| 14 | 16 | 21 | Billy Moyer, Jr. | Batesville, AR | $950 |
| 15 | 10 | 111 | Steven Roberts | Sylvester, GA | $925 |
| 16 | 22 | 89 | G.R. Smith | Statesville, NC | $900 |
| 17 | 6 | 16 | Tyler Bruening | Decorah, IA | $875 |
| 18 | 23 | 71 | Hudson O’Neal | Martinsville, IN | $850 |
| 19 | 21 | 7 | Ross Robinson | Georgetown, DE | $825 |
| 20 | 7 | 0E | Rick Eckert | York, PA | $800 |
| 21 | 12 | 6S | Blake Spencer | St Augustine, FL | $800 |
| 22 | 24 | 20B | Todd Brennan | Zanesville, OH | $800 |
| 23 | 11 | 1T | Tyler Erb | New Waverly, TX | $800 |
| 24 | 17 | 3S | Brian Shirley | Chatham, IL | $800 |
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
East Bay Raceway Park – Tampa, FL
Race Results – May 27, 2020
| Pos | Start | Car # | Competitor | Hometown | Pay |
| 1 | 2 | 76 | Brandon Overton | Evans, GA | $7,000 |
| 2 | 3 | 1T | Tyler Erb | New Waverly, TX | $5,700 |
| 3 | 5 | 25Z | Mason Zeigler | Chalk Hill, PA | $2,500 |
| 4 | 1 | 20 | Jimmy Owens | Newport, TN | $9,300 |
| 5 | 9 | 9 | Devin Moran | Dresden, OH | $3,700 |
| 6 | 4 | 0E | Rick Eckert | York, PA | $1,400 |
| 7 | 6 | 39 | Tim McCreadie | Watertown, NY | $3,800 |
| 8 | 11 | 81E | Tanner English | Benton, KY | $3,400 |
| 9 | 12 | 2S | Stormy Scott | Las Cruces, NM | $2,650 |
| 10 | 22 | 71 | Hudson O’Neal | Martinsville, IN | $3,300 |
| 11 | 13 | 21 | Billy Moyer Jr | Batesville, AR | $3,250 |
| 12 | 15 | 40B | Kyle Bronson | Brandon, FL | $3,200 |
| 13 | 16 | 1 | Earl Pearson Jr | Jacksonville, FL | $2,475 |
| 14 | 7 | 25 | Shane Clanton | Zebulon, GA | $3,150 |
| 15 | 20 | 50 | Shanon Buckingham | Morristown, TN | $2,425 |
| 16 | 17 | 49 | Jonathan Davenport | Blairsville, GA | $3,400 |
| 17 | 19 | 89 | G.R. Smith | Statesville, NC | $2,375 |
| 18 | 8 | 14 | Josh Richards | Shinnston, WV | $3,150 |
| 19 | 21 | 33J | Jeff Mathews | Brandon, FL | $825 |
| 20 | 24 | 311 | Ken Monahan | Lakeland, FL | $800 |
| 21 | 10 | 6S | Blake Spencer | St Augustine, FL | $800 |
| 22 | 14 | 16 | Tyler Bruening | Decorah, IA | $2,300 |
| 23 | 23 | 3S | Brian Shirley | Chatham, IL | $3,000 |
| 24 | 18 | 7 | Ross Robinson | Georgetown, DE | $800 |
