Davenport Strikes at 300 Raceway

Davenport Strikes at 300 Raceway

Story By: Jeremy Shields/LOLMDS

Photos By: Heath Lawson/LOLMDS

FARLEY, IOWA (May 17, 2019) – Jonathan Davenport dominated the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series event on Friday night at 300 Raceway, leading all 50 laps and collecting $12,000 for the effort.

Davenport survived a late-race charge from Tyler Erb to claim his sixth Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series win of the season. Devin Moran trailed Davenport and Erb to the finish line, passing Josh Richards on the final lap to take third. Richards came home fourth, followed by Tim McCreadie who crossed the finish line in fifth after starting in 20th.

Davenport took the lead at the start of the Truck Country 50, with polesitter Brian Birkhofer settling into the second spot. In only his second race of the 2019 season, Birkhofer set the Miller Welders Overall Fast Time and went on to earn the PFC Brakes Pole Award.

Throughout the race, various drivers challenged for the top spot. Along with Birkhofer and Erb, Moran and Richards also made a bid for the lead. Erb closed the gap on Davenport in the final laps but came up just short at the finish line.

The win marks Davenport’s 42nd-career Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series victory. He emerged from his car to the cheers of a large crowd. “I wasn’t going to let another race slip away this weekend. Hudson did a great job last night. Hats off to my crew, I tore the car up last night, not on purpose. They worked hard on this car today and everything was spot-on tonight.”

“We were really close to fast time tonight,” Davenport added. “We were second overall in time trials and won our heat. This new car has been on a rail. We’ve been saving it a little bit; I don’t think we need to change a thing on it. They farmed the track, but we had the right set-up on it. Our car was so balanced. Thanks to Jack Cornett for giving us all that horsepower. Hats off the 300 Raceway staff and all of the fans that came out tonight.”

Erb was happy with his runner-up finish in the Best Performance Motorsports, Rocket. “I didn’t think I could get by him [Davenport] at the end. We had a bad night last night. Our car has been fast, but we just haven’t had any luck. I got to JD’s right rear and chased him down at the end. The tires would come and go. You just had to make good decisions out there. I could see under caution that he [Davenport] had tread left on the right rear. I was worried about the left rears with all the tire spin in the last 10-15 laps.”

Moran reached a well-deserved podium finish with his last lap pass of Richards in the Big River Steel, Dunn-Benson Ford, Rocket. “I wish I hadn’t picked the bottom on the restart. We had a good car tonight. To come from 16th to get third was a good finish for the team. The track cleaned up near the end and got really wide. It was a lot of fun out there for sure. It was kind of a tire game tonight. I was trying to conserve my tires the whole race. I didn’t want to get a flat tire like some of the others did.”

The winner’s Lance Landers Motorsports, Longhorn Chassis is powered by a Cornett Racing Engine and is sponsored by: Nutrien Ag Solutions, ASC Warranty, Penske Racing Shocks, Valvoline, Mega Plumbing of the Carolinas, and Spartan Mowers.

Completing the top ten were Earl Pearson Jr., Shannon Babb, Billy Moyer Jr., Chad Simpson, and Chris Simpson.

Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Race Summary
Friday, May 17, 2019
Truck Country 50
300 Raceway – Farley, Iowa

Miller Welders Time Trials
Fast Time Group A: Jonathan Davenport / 15.587 seconds
Fast Time Group B: Brian Birkhofer / 15.561 seconds (overall)

Penske Race Shocks Heat Race #1 Finish (10 Laps, Top 6 Transfer): Brian Birkhofer, Tyler Erb ®, Hudson O’Neal, Shanon Buckingham, Shannon Babb, Devin Moran ®, Jason Jameson ®, Chad Holladay, Tim Simpson

FK Rod Ends Heat Race #2 Finish (10 Laps, Top 6 Transfer): Jonathan Davenport, Earl Pearson, Jr., Chad Simpson, Don O’Neal, Tyler Bruening, Billy Moyer, Jr., Stormy Scott, Allen Murray, Joel Callahan

Simpson Race Products Heat Race #3 Finish (10 Laps, Top 6 Transfer): Kyle Bronson, Jimmy Owens, Josh Richards, Jeremiah Hurst, Chris Simpson, Spencer Diercks, Tim McCreadie, Mike Fryer

FAST Shafts B-Main Finish (12 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Jason Jameson ®, Tim McCreadie, Chad Holladay, Stormy Scott, Joel Callahan, Allen Murray, Tim Simpson, Mike Fryer-DNS

Lucas Oil Feature Finish (50 Laps):
FINISH
START
CAR #
DRIVER NAME
HOMETOWN
EARNING
1
2
49
Jonathan Davenport
Blairsville, GA
$13,100
2
4
1T
Tyler Erb ®
New Waverly, TX
$6,300
3
16
1M
Devin Moran ®
Dresden, OH
$4,200
4
9
14
Josh Richards
Shinnston, WV
$3,550
5
20
39
Tim McCreadie
Watertown, NY
$2,950
6
5
1
Earl Pearson, Jr.
Jacksonville, FL
$2,600
7
13
18
Shannon Babb
Mowequa, IL
$1,500
8
17
21
Billy Moyer, Jr.
Batesville, AR
$2,000
9
8
1s
Chad Simpson
Mt. Vernon, IA
$1,200
10
15
32S
Chris Simpson
Oxford, IA
$1,100
11
6
20
Jimmy Owens
Newport, TN
$1,875
12
19
12J
Jason Jameson ®
Lawrenceburg, IN
$1,050
13
12
58
Jeremiah Hurst
Dubuque, IA
$1,025
14
7
71
Hudson O’Neal
Martinsville, IN
$1,700
15
3
40B
Kyle Bronson
Brandon, FL
$1,700
16
22
2s
Stormy Scott
Las Cruses, NM
$1,000
17
10
50
Shanon Buckingham
Morristown, TN
$1,700
18
24
40
Joel Callahan
Dubuque, iA
$1,000
19
14
16T
Tyler Bruening
Decorah, IA
$1,000
20
18
29d
Spencer Diercks
Davenport, IA
$1,000
21
23
17
Tim Simpson
Iowa City, IA
$1,000
22
1
OU812
Brian Birkhofer
Muscatine, IA
$1,000
23
11
5
Don O’Neal
Martinsville, IN
$1,900
24
21
32c
Chad Holladay
Muscatine, IA
$1,000

Race Statistics
Entrants: 26
Lap Leaders: Jonathan Davenport (Laps 1 – 50)
Wrisco Feature Winner: Jonathan Davenport
Margin of Victory: 1.090 seconds
Cautions: Spencer Diercks (Lap 9); Don O’Neal (Lap 17); Tyler Bruening (Lap 19); Chad Simpson (Lap 24); Tim McCreadie (Lap 26); Joel Callahan (Lap 35); Kyle Bronson (Lap 37)
Miller Welders Fast Time Provisionals: Tim Simpson, Joel Callahan
Optima Batteries Hard Charger of the Race: Tim McCreadie (Advanced 15 Positions)
Midwest Sheet Metal Spoiler Challenge Point Leader: Jonathan Davenport
Allstar Performance Power Move of the Race: Billy Moyer Jr.
Sunoco Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Tyler Erb
Eibach Springs Rookie of the Race: Tyler Erb
COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Race: Cornett Racing Engines
Ohlins Shocks Chassis Builder of the Race: Longhorn Chassis
Outerwears Crew Chief of the Race: Jason Durham (Jonathan Davenport)
Dirty Girl Racewear Fastest Lap of the Race: Jonathan Davenport (Lap #3 – 15.5213 seconds)
Hot Rod Processing Tough Break of the Race: Don O’Neal
STEEL-IT Most Laps Led: Jonathan Davenport (50 Laps)
PFC Brakes Pole Award: Brian Birkhofer
Time of Race: 37 minutes 22 seconds