Hudson O’Neal recorded the win in Saturday night’s World of Outlaws CASE Late Model Series event at Volusia Speedway Park. Photo: WoO LMS/Twitter
Hudson O’Neal commanded the field on Saturday night at Volusia Speedway Park in Barbervile, Florida to score the victory in World of Outlaws CASE Late Model Series action.
O’Neal’s space in victory lane was shared with Devin Moran, who won the Sunshine Nationals Championship after a third-place finish in Saturday’s feature.
Moran and O’Neal led the field to the green flag of the 40-lap, $15,000-to-win event, racing side-by-side before O’Neal drove away with the lead on the high line.
With lap traffic to manage, O’Neal utilized the top and bottom lanes to escape Moran and the leaders that closed in.
That was until Moran passed O’Neal on lap 15 for the race lead. The two battled intensely with each driver using both lanes to maneuver lap traffic and pass each other.
O’Neal regained the lead on lap 20 until a bad turn saw Moran take back the lead from O’Neal two laps later.
On lap 28, O’Neal claimed the lead once more from Moran by using the bottom lane through the first two turns.
Multiple cautions in the final seven laps gave opportunities for drivers to have a chance at catching O’Neal and Moran, including Kyle Bronson, Bobby Pierce, and Brandon Sheppard.
On the final restart with four laps to go, O’Neal was able to blast away from the competition and score the win.
“It’s ironic,” O’Neal said. “If anybody remembers my first outing with Rocket1 and how bad it was at Sunshine Nationals one year ago. Then, to turn around and come back and have a good showing like we did (tonight). I think we had a critical test session here last year, came back and got to make a lot of laps and it helped a lot. I don’t know, I think I’ve found something that I’m comfortable with and something that this place likes. We’re just happy to be in contention and we are so far ahead of where we started last year and hopefully we can go to Speedweeks and win a few more.”
Bronson finished second. Moran’s third place finish allowed him to clinch the Sunshine Nationals overall championship after winning Friday’s race.
“It’s really cool,” Moran said. “It was a bummer I couldn’t get a caution when I was out in the lead. I felt like I could’ve maintained the race a little better, I just wasn’t good enough in traffic like (O’Neal) was and he did a good job. All in all, a good weekend and we’ll be back in a couple of weeks.”
Ricky Thornton, Jr. finished in fourth, with Sheppard in fifth.
The World of Outlaws CASE Late Model Series returns to Volusia Speedway Park on February 15-17. For more information, visit WorldofOutlaws.com.
World of Outlaws CASE Late Model Series
Volusia Speedway Park – Barberville, FL
Race Results – January 20, 2024
1. 1-Hudson O’Neal
2. 40B-Kyle Bronson
3. 99-Devin Moran
4. 20RT-Ricky Thornton, Jr.
5. B5-Brandon Sheppard
6. 32-Bobby Pierce
7. 28-Dennis Erb Jr
8. 97-Cade Dillard
9. 44-Chris Madden
10. 9-Nick Hoffman
11. 12W-Ashton Winger
12. 10-Garrett Smith
13. 16-Tyler Bruening
14. 19R-Ryan Gustin
15. 39-Tim McCreadie
16. 96V-Tanner English
17. 18D-Daulton Wilson
18. 7-Drake Troutman
19. 97C-Cody Overton
20. 111-Max Blair
21. 174-Ethan Dotson
22. 3S-Brian Shirley
23. B1-Brent Larson
24. 14W-Dustin Walker
25. 20-Jimmy Owens
26. 30-Todd Cooney
27. 19-Dustin Sorensen
28. 157-Mike Marlar
29. 17M-Dale McDowell
30. 54-David Breazeale
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