The Federated DIRTcar Nationals completed its run on Saturday night, February 15th at the Volusia Speedway Park located near Barberville and De Leon Springs Florida. Wrapping up their run this week were the World of Outlaws Late Models and the DIRTcar Big Block Modifieds. Both classes were running their longest and richest races of the week with fifty lap mains in both classes.
The weather has been spectacular all week here in central Florida and Saturday night was no exception as partial sunshine and temperatures in the eighties greeted another big crowd of fans from near and far to see the two classes wrap up their week of racing and see "Big Gator" champions crowned.
Jonathan Davenport has been in victory lane many times here at VSP and he earned another win after a hard fought battle with both Drake Troutman and the track over the fifty lap distance.
In the Big Blocks, Erick Rudolph, who has shown lots of speed all week, finally put it together at just the proper time to make a midrace pass and then pull away at the end for his first win during Speed Weeks
Another strong field of drivers were on hand in both classes although the numbers in each of the classes were down slightly after a week of attrition took its toll. Fifty two Late Models signed in to race with their race format unchanged while the biggest news of the night for the Big Blocks was the addition of Stewart Friesen in a back up car for Alex Yankowski. Friesen's truck duties at the "Big Track" are now completed and even though he blew up his Big Block on Wednesday night, with Yankowski's help he was still able to make an appearance on the final night. Remarkable too was the fact that Friesen later turned the quickest time and was the only Mod in the sixteen second bracket at 16.966.Friesen later ran in the top five through the first half of the feature until fading slightly at the end.
Twenty eight drivers would see the green flag for the fifty lap Modified feature, twenty more laps than for any race earlier this week. Larry Wight and Rick Laubach battled on the first lap before Wight would claim the early lead. Larry was riding the top side of the track and making it work although Laubach was having a good run and keeping close to the leader. Matt Williamson, Jack Lehner and Friesen filled out the top five as the first yellow flew when Matt Caprara slowed on the track.
At this point, Rudolph had not yet cracked the top five after starting eleventh but this was the point when he made his strong move. In the next ten laps, he moved up to challenge for the lead with a spectacular "two for one" pass of Williamson and Laubach further elevating his position.
As the halfway signal came out from Dave Farney, Rudolph powered past Wight down the front chute and he took over the lead. Rudolph was on a joy ride after that as he pulled away from Wight and Laubach. The yellow flew with forty three laps complete and unfortunately for Wight, he triggered a second yellow right after when he blew a tire and his potential fine finish was a thing of the past.
The last seven laps saw Rudolph pull away from the field as his win was a strong one without challenges. Laubach stumbled in the last few laps with Williamson driving into second while Matt Sheppard came from tenth to complete the top three. Only two drivers failed to complete the distance and all were on the lead lap at the end.
Yankowski drove a conservative race, starting ninth and never cracking the top five but his strong and consistent finishes all week including one win, earned him the Big Gator as the point champion in the class.
Nick Hoffman and Ryan Gustin topped the speed charts for the Late Models wit Hoffman quickest overall and over a second faster than the Big Blocks. Hoffman, however, almost ended his night very early when in his efforts to "Whoa Up" his car after completing his two laps before he missed the driveway to the pits which would have resulted in his lap being taken away from him, he it the driveway "hot" and slammed into a protection barrier but fortunately, did most cosmetic damage to his car as he was able to continue racing without having to break out a back up car.
Provisionals were doled out like cookies and Christmas day and thirty one drivers were allowed to start the Late Model fifty lap main. The first half of the race belonged to Drake Troutman as the Pennsylvania driver got the jump on Bobby Pierce to take the early lead. Pierce was off his game on this night as he slipped back in the pack with Hoffman, Brandon Overton and Devin Moran moving in behind Troutman who continued to maintain a healthy lead over the field. Davenport, however, was the driver to watch as he tore to the front after starting twelfth on the grid.
Just as the drivers reached the halfway point of the race, the track started to take rubber and quickly the drivers all migrated down to the bottom lane. That is however, except for Davenport who boldly hammed the high side of the track and gained a number of positions as many of the leaders settled for just following each other around the track with their speed being reduced as they tail gated each other.
But somehow was able to keep his speed up and he continued picking off contenders, one by one and sometimes two at a bite. As the second half of the race continued, he tail tailgated leader Troutman on a single file restart, called for due to track conditions, after Dustin Walker blew a tire and ended the green flag run.
Davenport aggressively continued to move the track with several attempts close but not quite good enough to get past Troutman. Finally, Jonathan got a good run off turn four, pulled up beside Troutman down the front chute, caught a streak of rubber in turn two and accelerated away from Troutman.
One more late restart bunched the field but Davenport was gone on the green, with all others settling for their positions on the track. Troutman finished a disappointing to him second with Hoffman, Overton and Moran completing the top five. Again, the race was an easy one of the drivers and cars with only four not finishing the event.
Ricky Thornton Jr didn't have his best night but he still won the Late Model Gator for the first time in his Late Model career.
In every aspect, the final week of the DIRTcar Nationals was a very successful venture. There were very good car counts in both classes and many of the most talented drivers in the sport were on hand. Crowds were exceptional all week, as was the weather.
For me personally, this event wraps up my Winter racing adventure. From New Mexico to Arizona and then on to Florida, it was a spectacular time. We saw lots of great racing at many fine tracks. We saw lots of familiar faces and made friends with many new people, both in the pits and in the grandstands. And of all the races, there was only one cancelation and that was the snow event at Vado. Otherwise, all races scheduled were held and I even caught one new track during the journey. We are very blessed and lucky to be able to do this kind of trip and all the promoters, track workers and officials were great to work with. Thanks much to all of them. We leave Florida with temperatures in the eighties and should return home just in time to be met by some double digit below zero temps. What fun!
What will be next on the racing calendar? That's a good question that depends on the weather, the checkbook and other factors. We'll see what develops as there are several interesting possibilities but no certainties. Stay tuned.
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