Brandon Overton celebrates after winning Saturday night’s World of Outlaws CASE Late Model Series race at Talladega Short Track. Photo: Jacy Norgaard
Brandon Overton pocketed a big $50,000 payday with the win in the inaugural Alabama Gang 100 for the World of Outlaws CASE Late Models on Saturday night at Talladega Short Track in Eastaboga, Alabama.
The Evans, Georgia racer inherited the lead with 18 laps to go when then leader Bobby Pierce suffered a broken wheel and brake failure, taking him out of the race. That opened the door for Overton to move to the point and run away with a needed win.
“I saw real quick how mental (this sport) is,” Overton said. “You get in your feelings and in your head, and you start doubting everything you ever done. It feels good to get it back on your side and I just want to thank my crew. They’ve been busting their butt and it’s been miserable the last couple of weeks.”
Overton was strong all weekend, winning one of three Prelim Features Friday night, locking himself into Saturday’s main event, and then finished second to Tanner English in the CASE Dash to start on the outside pole for the 60-lap feature.
English jumped to the early lead, with Overton hanging on to his tail. The early portion of the feature was hindered by multiple cautions with Overton and Kyle Bronson taking shots at the lead but having them halted by a yellow flag.
When the race found its rhythm, English led, but was given little breathing room with Overton, Bronson and Pierce keeping him in their crosshairs.
At the halfway point of the race, English found himself in lap traffic, but navigated through the slower cars with ease, putting about a two car-length gap between he and Overton – who was also trying to keep Bronson behind him.
And while Overton and Bronson argued over second, Pierce was on a charge, finding himself in fourth at that point after starting 14th.
Ripping the top of the track, Pierce timed his moves, pulling back the hammer on the entrance into the turn and squeezing the trigger by the exit to rocket around the outside of everyone he came across. In doing so, he made quick work of getting by Bronson, Overton and English to steal the lead with 18 laps to go.
However, his moment of glory was short lived. After a brief caution and another full speed trip around the track, Pierce suffered the part failures and saw his night come to an end.
His misfortune became Overton’s chance for victory. With the lead in hand, Overton pulled ahead by half a straightaway when the race resumed.
At the checkered flag, Overton had a 2.6 second lead over English.
“We needed this,” Overton said. “I wasn’t even going to come here. It took every ounce of energy for me to pull into this gate. So, thank a lot to my good friends, my fiancé. They were keeping us pumped up.
“Like I said, we really, really needed this. We’ll take them any way we can get them.”
English finished in second, with Ryan Gustin in third, Blairsville, Georgia’s Jonathan Davenport in fourth, and Chris Madden in fifth.
Nick Hoffman, Brian Shirley, NASCAR Cup Series driver Kyle Larson, Kyle Bronson, and Garrett Alberson rounded out the top 10.
The World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Models returns to action at Mississippi Thunder Speedway in Fountain City, Wisconsin on May 4-6. Check WorldofOutlaws.com for more information.
WoO CASE Late Model Series
Talladega Short Track – Eastaboga, AL
Alabama Gang 100 – April 22, 2023
1. 76-Brandon Overton
2. 96V-Tanner English
3. 19R-Ryan Gustin
4. 49-Jonathan Davenport
5. 44-Chris Madden
6. 9-Nick Hoffman
7. 3S-Brian Shirley
8. 6-Kyle Larson
9. 40B-Kyle Bronson
10. 58-Garrett Alberson
11. 19M-Wil Herrington
12. 25-Shane Clanton
13. 1ST-Johnny Scott
14. B5-Brandon Sheppard
15. 11-Gordy Gundaker
16. 97-Cade Dillard
17. 111-Max Blair
18. B1-Brent Larson
19. 28-Dennis Erb, Jr.
20. 11H-Spencer Hughes
21. 32-Bobby Pierce
22. 22-Chris Ferguson
23. 10S-Garrett Smith
24. 2S-Stormy Scott
25. 7T-Drake Troutman
26. 30-Todd Cooney
27. 93-Carson Ferguson
28. 99B-Boom Briggs
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