BARBERVILLE, Fla. (Feb. 14) — Updates and results from Wednesday’s Triple 20s night of the 53rd annual Federated DIRTcar Nationals, featuring three 20-lap, $5,000-to-win semifeatures for DIRTcar-sanctioned Super Late Models (results unofficial):

Semifeature

Inheriting the point after leaders Devin Moran and Ricky Thornton Jr. tangled on lap 19, third-starting Brandon Sheppard of New Berlin, Ill., led the final two laps to steal Wednesday's third $5,000 DIRTcar Nationals Triple 20s semifeature at Volusia Speedway Park. Sheppard secured his 22nd career Georgia-Florida Speedweeks triumph. Fourth-starting Ryan Gustin followed Sheppard by Thornton on the late-race restart and finished second, 1.007 seconds back.

Semifeature lineup

(20 laps)
Row 1: Ricky Thornton Jr., Devin Moran
Row 2: Brandon Sheppard, Ryan Gustin
Row 3: Daulton Wilson, Tyler Bruening
Row 4: Drake Troutman, Dennis Erb Jr.
Row 5: Hudson O'Neal, Jimmy Owens
Row 6: Brian Shirley, Cody Overton
Row 7: Mike Spatola, Cory Lawler
Row 8: Todd Cooney, Chris Madden

Pre-race notes

Wednesday’s final night of DIRTcar-sanctioned Super Late Model action — featuring three $5,000-to-win, 20-lap semifeatures plus Monday’s postponed $7,000-to-win, 25-lap A-main — comes on a sunny day that saw the high temperature reach the upper 60s. … A week-high 48 cars are signed in; there are also 48 DIRTcar big-block modifieds entered for the Northeast-based division’s first of four programs. … Hudson O’Neal of Martinsville, Ind., is planning to compete in Wednesday’s show despite injuring his right hand in Tuesday’s multi-car feature wreck. He visited a hospital for evaluation of his hand and bo broken bones or fractures were found but his hand is tender around the webbing near his thumb. The Rocket1 car that the 23-year-old crashed is sidelined for the remainder of the week due to a bent lower frame rail so he’s running the machine he drove to a victory in last month’s Sunshine Nationals at Volusia. … Jimmy Owens of Newport, Tenn., is making his first start of the week after sticking to his plan to skip the first two programs. … Ryan Gustin of Marshalltown, Iowa, is also a first-time entrant this week, joining his car owner and teammate Todd Cooney of Des Moines, Iowa, in the field. Gustin spent the past two days in Daytona Beach with his wife and kids. … Bobby Pierce of Oakwood, Ill., has two cars unloaded: he’ll run the makeup feature with the machine he raced in Tuesday’s feature (he’s replaced the distributor that caught fire on the lap-17 restart) and pilot his other Longhorn in the 20-lap semifeature. … Nick Hoffman of Mooresville, N.C., is also planning to run two cars, reserving the vehicle he repaired after Tuesday’s major crash for the held-over feature and his primary World of Outlaws Longhorn for his 20-lapper. … Mike Marlar’s Skyline Motorsports crew was up until 3 a.m. replacing the rearend and other suspension parts that were damaged in Tuesday’s feature melee. … Ashton Winger of Hampton, Ga., has opted to switch to his second Jeff Mathews-owned Rocket Chassis after the car he drove on Tuesday sustained light frame damage in the feature tangle. … Teenager Tristan Chamberlain of Richmond, Ind., was knocked from contention while contending for a transfer spot in a Tuesday B-main due to a broken rearend. … Tyler Erb of New Waverly, Texas, posted a photo on social at 5:34 a.m. showing his car repaired from the damage it sustained in Tuesday's big wreck. ... Matt Cosner of Ridgeley, W.Va., is still sore from the bruised ribs he suffered last Thursday at East Bay Raceway Park in Gibsonton, Fla., so he’s calling in a replacement to drive his No. 66c: Mason Zeigler of Chalk Hill, Pa., who had previously discussed racing some Speedweeks events in Cosner’s second car. Cosner’s father said Zeigler wasn’t able to make it down for Wednesday’s action but is scheduled to fly to Florida on Thursday morning to finish out the week.

Time trials

Driver (car no.), hometown, time (unofficial)
1. Ricky Thornton Jr. (20rt), Chandler, Ariz., 15.439
2. Devin Moran (99), Dresden, Ohio, 15.587
3. Brandon Sheppard (B5), New Berlin, Ill., 15.612
4. Ryan Gustin (19R), Marshalltown, Iowa, 15.680
5. Daulton Wilson (18D), Fayetteville, N.C., 15.685
6. Tyler Bruening (16), Decorah, Iowa, 15.715
7. Drake Troutman (7T), Hyndman, Pa., 15.801
8. Dennis Erb Jr. (28), Carpentersville, Ill., 15.818
9. Hudson O’Neal (1), Martinsville, Ind., 15.904
10. Jimmy Owens (20), Newport, Tenn., 16.023
11. Brian Shirley (3s), Chatham, Ill., 16.115
12. Cody Overton (97c), Evans, Ga., 16.138
13. Mike Spatola (89), Manhattan, Ill., 16.189
14. Cory Lawler (93), Hanover, Pa., 16.268
15. Todd Cooney (30), Des Moines, Iowa, 16.339
16. Chris Madden (44), Gray Court, S.C., no time

Wednesday’s schedule

(All times local)
Noon - Ticket sales, will call, pit pass sales begin
1 p.m. - Pits open
3 p.m. - Pits cleared and re-open
4 p.m. - Grandstands open
4:45 p.m. - Drivers’ meeting
5:30 p.m. - On-track activity begins
- Late Model hot laps
- Modified hot laps
- Late Model group qualifying (2 laps)
- Modified group qualifying (2 laps)
Opening ceremonies
- First Late Model semifeature (20 laps)
- Modified heats (8 laps)
- Second Late Model semifeature (20 laps)
- Modified consolation (10 laps)
- Third Late Model semifeature (20 laps)
- Modified feature (30 laps)
Postponed from Monday, Feb. 12
- Late Models (30 laps)