GIBSONTON, Fla. — Devin Moran concluded a successful Georgia-Florida Speedweeks with the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series as the 27-year-old Ohio resident claimed the final night of the Wrisco Industries Winternationals presented by Lucas Oil on Saturday at East Bay Raceway Park.
Moran made a daring move on a lap-34 restart to take the lead from Brandon Sheppard for his third win of the season.
Sheppard was looking to make East Bay history with his fourth straight win, but he was involved in an accident with two other drivers which forced him out of the race. He was credited with a 21st-place finish. Tyler Erb came home in second, followed by Mark Whitener, Tanner English and Brandon Overton.
Leading four of the five races this week at East Bay, Overton took the lead at the start of the 50-lap main event to lead the first two laps of the race. Sheppard led as a torrid battle for second was going on among four other drivers.
Sheppard continued to stretch his lead out over his competitors, opening a nearly five second advantage.
The first caution for rain on lap 28 halted the race for a few moments. When the race went back green Sheppard was still on point with Kyle Bronson and Moran trailing him.
With the lap 34-restart Moran made the pass for the lead and then held off Erb in the last five laps of the race for his fifth career Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series win.
Devin Moran in victory lane at East Bay Raceway Park. (Jim DenHamer photo)
Moran pocketed $15,000 for the win in front of a huge crowd.
“They did an awesome job on the track. I think the rain helped us because we had a softer tire on than almost everyone else,” Moran said. “I am pretty much speechless; there for a while I didn’t know if we could do it or not. Like I said the rain brought some moisture back in the track. This car has been good all season long. We have been missing here just a little bit all week long. We tried something earlier in the night and it was pretty good.”
Erb equaled his best Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series finish of the year with a second-place run. “It was the craziest race I have ever been in; a race that rained and everything that happened there,” he said. “Those last two or three cautions I didn’t need. I just wish it would have stayed green.”
Whitener’s third-place run was his best of the Georgia-Florida Speedweeks.
“We finally got the car to where I could drive it tonight,” Whitener explained. “Just glad to be on the podium for my guys. It feels like a win with this tough crowd. I have got a lot of laps around here so we will take this as a victory.”
The finish:
Devin Moran, Tyler Erb, Mark Whitener, Tanner English, Brandon Overton, Ashton Winger, Ricky Thornton Jr., Jimmy Owens, Tyler Bruening, Tim McCreadie, Kyle Bronson, Colten Burdette, Garrett Alberson, Earl Pearson Jr., Shane Clanton, Johnny Scott, Boom Briggs, Ross Robinson, Hudson O’Neal, Chase Junghans, Brandon Sheppard, Stormy Scott, Spencer Hughes, Daulton Wilson, Josh Putnam, Bob Gardner, Frank Heckenast Jr.
Keyword: Moran Grabs $15,000 East Bay Check