Brandon Overton (76) nips Ricky Thornton, Jr. (20) at the line to win Saturday night’s Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series race at Golden Isles Speedway. Photo: LOLMDS Media
Brandon Overton utilized a last lap pass coming off turn number four to barely edge Ricky Thornton, Jr. at the finish line for the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series win Saturday night at Golden Isles Speedway in Brunswick, Georgia.
Overton’s 0.056 seconds margin of victory at the finish line was one of the closest in series history. For the second night in a row, Thornton suffered a late-race heartbreak to come home in second. Tanner English finished third, with Brandon Sheppard fourth, and Hudson O’Neal fifth.
For the third night in a row Overton started from the pole and led the first 22 laps of the 60-lap event. Thornton, who started fourth, charged by Hudson O’Neal on lap 13 for second and then pursue Overton before grabbing the point from him on lap 23.
English, who started on the inside of the fourth row, moved into the runner-up slot behind Thornton on lap 33. A caution for a slowing Daulton Wilson on the frontstretch on lap 34 would bunch the field up. On the restart, Overton got back by English for second and set his sights on Thornton.
With five laps to go to Thornton was holding a precarious lead over Overton as he was battling with cars at the tail end of the field. Overton started to move to the top of the and close the gap on Thornton as they took the white flag.
Overton with the momentum on the top as the duo exited off the final corner would make the winning pass against the outside retaining wall to steal the victory from Thornton.
“I got lucky tonight,” said Overton, who hails from Evans, Georgia. “Last night I stuffed it in the fence. When I sent it in there tonight, I made sure I had the back end pointed out and on the chip. It just worked out. I hate it for Ricky, but that’s what it takes lapped traffic sometimes to play a big part of it. I knew when he (Thornton) passed me I had to stay in second and I had to do a better job of managing my tires. I knew a Hail Mary was all I had. Ricky’s run well this week. I am so happy. I love this stuff.”
Tim McCreadie, Blairsville, Georgia’s Jonathan Davenport, Mason Zeigler, Zebulon, Georgia’s Shane Clanton, and Kyle Bronson rounded out the top 10.
The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series returns to action on Sunday, January 29 at Bubba Raceway Park in Ocala, Florida. For more information, visit LucasDirt.com.
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Golden Isles Speedway – Brunswick, GA
Super Clean Super Bowl of Racing – January 28, 2023
1. 76-Brandon Overton
2. 20RT-Ricky Thornton, Jr.
3. 96V-Tanner English
4. B5-Brandon Sheppard
5. 1H-Hudson O’Neal
6. 39-Tim McCreadie
7. 49-Jonathan Davenport
8. 25Z-Mason Zeigler
9. 25C-Shane Clanton
10. 40B-Kyle Bronson
11. 46-Earl Pearson, Jr.
12. 8-Brian Shirley
13. 11-Spencer Hughes
14. 20-Jimmy Owens
15. 28-Dennis Erb, Jr.
16. 58-Garrett Alberson
17. 19M-Wil Herrington
18. 10-Garrett Smith
19. 76B-Blair Nothdurft
20. 89-Logan Roberson
21. 18D-Daulton Wilson
22. 89J-Jeff Choquette
23. 7-Ross Robinson
24. 99-Devin Moran
25. 2-G.R. Smith
26. 2X-John Henderson
27. 16-Tyler Bruening
28. 93-Carson Ferguson
29. 1T-Tyler Erb
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