Davenport Stops Richards at East Bay

Davenport Stops Richards at East Bay

Story By: Jeremy Shields/LOLMDS

Photos By: Heath Lawson/LOLMDS

TAMPA, FL (February 9, 2018) – Jonathan Davenport passed Josh Richards on lap 47 and then held him off for the win on Friday night at East Bay Raceway Park during the 42nd Annual Wrisco Industries Winternationals – presented by E3 Spark Plugs. Gregg Satterlee came home in third, followed by Billy Moyer Jr., and Mason Zeigler.

Davenport picked up his 29th career Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series win and his fourth ever at “The Clay by the Bay.” Davenport started sixth in the field, and never ran outside the top three during the 50-lap main event. Richards stayed glued to the bottom of the track for most of the latter half of the race as Davenport swept to the outside of the 1/3-mile oval. Davenport dove down low for a few laps but eventually came back to the top soon enough so that he was able to get around Richards.

“It’s going to be a hard battle all year long on this series,” said Davenport who was congratulated by Richards in victory lane after the race. “I knew I was going to be in tire conservation mode the entire race. He [Richards] ran down on the bottom for most of the race. There was some traction from the middle to the top that I noticed during the caution flag. My car just wouldn’t handle on the bottom. I thought I was hurting my tires for most of the race, but fortunately they held up.”

“I told myself I needed to man up out there and go to the top. The car went real good coming into and off the corners and then I got that run on him near the end and took the lead. Man, I am out of breath. I hoped the fans enjoyed that one. I got a feeling its is going to be like this all year.”

Richards was looking to win his third straight points-earning event this season but saw his win streak come to an end at the hands of Davenport. “I wish now I had moved up on the race track. I was trying to defend around the bottom. We had a pretty good lead I think before that caution. Congratulations to him on the win. He earned it. We fell short just a little bit tonight. He [Davenport] did a great job tonight. I should have stayed in the middle or went the top of the track earlier. The bottom was starting to take black and was slowing up.”

Satterlee, racing in front of his family came home with a third-place finish in the Satterlee Petroleum Distributors, Rocket Chassis. “We made a big change before the feature and it paid off,” said Satterlee, who started tenth on the grid. “We got off to a good start and we definitely have made great strides this week. This track is so tough to figure out, but we will work some more on the car and hopefully get it just a little bit better for tomorrow night. All of family is down here today. It’s rare that they get to see me race in person.”

Davenport pilots the Double L Motorsports, Longhorn Chassis powered by a Durham Racing Engine and is sponsored by: Crop Production Services, Spartan Mowers, Valvoline, ASC Warranty, Penske Racing Shocks, and Mega Plumbing of the Carolinas.

Completing the top ten were Brandon Sheppard, Jimmy Owens, Brandon Overton, Don O’Neal, and Earl Pearson Jr.

Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Race Summary
Friday, February 9, 2018
Wrisco Industries Winternationals – presented by E3 Spark Plugs
East Bay Raceway Park – Tampa, FL

Miller Welders Fast Time Group A: Billy Moyer Jr. / 14.393 seconds
Miller Welders Fast Time Group B: Josh Richards / 14.520 seconds
Eibach Springs Heat Race #1 Finish (10 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): Billy Moyer, Jr., Devin Moran, Allen Murray, Tyler Millwood, Travis Stemler, Shanon Buckingham, Rance Garlock, Freddie Carpenter, Blake Spencer

FK Rod Ends Heat Race #2 Finish (10 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): Earl Pearson, Jr., Tyler Erb, Boom Briggs, Chub Frank, Ryan King, Chase Junghans, Jonathan Rowan, Joey Moriarty, Austin Hubbard

Simpson Performance Products Heat Race #3 Finish (10 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): Bobby Pierce, Tim McCreadie, Dustin Mitchell, Brandon Sheppard, Jimmy Owens, Nick Davis, Tim Dohm , Shane Tankersley, Bob Gardner

QA1 Heat Race #4 Finish (10 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): Josh Richards, Dennis Erb, Jr., Mason Zeigler, Brandon Overton, Jason Jameson, Brent Larson, Hudson O’Neal, Michael Maresca, Craig Wolford

Wrisco Industries Heat Race #5 Finish (10 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): Kyle Bronson, Gregg Satterlee, Scott Bloomquist, Jeff Mathews, Morgan Bagley, Doug Drown, Rusty Schlenk, Coleby Frye, Bob Geiger

E3 Spark Plugs Heat Race #6 Finish (10 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): Jonathan Davenport, Darrell Lanigan, Don O’Neal, Timothy Culp, Jesse Stovall, Matt Cosner, Mike Benedum, Corey Conley , Drake Meeks

Penske Racing Shocks B-Main #1 Finish (12 Laps, Top 2 Transfer): Chub Frank, Brandon Sheppard, Tyler Millwood, Chase Junghans, Shanon Buckingham, Travis Stemler, Tim Dohm , Ryan King, Jonathan Rowan, Nick Davis, Shane Tankersley, Rance Garlock, Bob Gardner, Blake Spencer, Freddie Carpenter, Jimmy Owens, Joey Moriarty-DNS, Austin Hubbard-DNS

Fast Shafts B-Main #2 Finish (12 Laps, Top 2 Transfer): Brandon Overton, Jason Jameson, Hudson O’Neal, Morgan Bagley, Jesse Stovall, Brent Larson, Mike Benedum, Timothy Culp, Coleby Frye, Doug Drown, Michael Maresca, Rusty Schlenk, Jeff Mathews, Bob Geiger, Matt Cosner, Corey Conley, Craig Wolford, Drake Meeks

DirtOnDirt.com Strawberry Dash Finish (8 Laps): Chase Junghans, Morgan Bagley, Tyler Millwood, Shanon Buckingham, Travis Stemler, Michael Maresca, Doug Drown, Brent Larson, Nick Davis, Ryan King, Mike Benedum, Jonathan Rowan

Race Statistics
Entrants: 54
Lap Leaders: Josh Richards (Laps 1 – 5); Billy Moyer Jr. (Laps 6 – 8); Josh Richards (Laps 9 – 32); Jonathan Davenport (Laps 33); Josh Richards (Laps 34 – 46); Jonathan Davenport (Laps 47 – 50)
Cautions: Kyle Bronson (Lap 11); Chase Junghans (Lap 32)
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Provisionals: Jimmy Owens, Hudson O’Neal
Wrisco Industries Winternationals Provisional: Matt Cosner
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Emergency Provisionals: N/A
Wrisco Feature Winner: Jonathan Davenport
Optima Batteries Hard Charger of the Race: Jimmy Owens (Started: 23rd; Finished: 7th; Advanced 16 Positions)
Midwest Sheet Metal Spoiler Challenge Point Leader: Josh Richards
Allstar Performance Power Move of the Race: Jonathan Davenport
Sunoco Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Jonathan Davenport
Hot Rod Processing Rookie of the Race: N/A
COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Race: Durham Racing Engines
Ohlins Shocks Chassis Builder of the Race: Longhorn Chassis
Outerwears Crew Chief of the Race: Jason Durham (Jonathan Davenport)
Fastest Lap of the Race: Josh Richards (Lap #13 – 15.1122 seconds)
Most Laps Led: Josh Richards (42 Laps)
Dirty Girl Racewear Farthest Traveler: Joey Moriarty
PFC Brakes Pole Award: Billy Moyer Jr.
Time of Race: 21 minutes 53 seconds

Feature Finish (50 Laps):