January 17
Volusia Speedway Park,
Barberville, FL
Sanction: Rogers Dabbs Crate Racin’ USA Winter Shootout (Sunshine Nationals) - $2,000
Information provided by: Series and track reports (last updated January 17, 10:21 pm)
Bronson stays perfect in Sunshine Nationals
Sunshine Nationals
- Kyle Bronson
- Randy Weaver
- Max Blair
- Jake Knowles
- Nevin Gainey
- Trever Taylor
- Corey Almond
- Brandon Williams
- Trynt Lloyd
- Devin Dixon
- Todd Cooney
- David Whitener
- Jamie Carter
- John Baker
- Cruz Skinner
- Jeff Mathews
- Jason Fitzgerald
- Walker Arthur
- Trey Pearson
- Pierce McCarter
- Sam Halstead
- Mark Whitener
- Dillon Brown
- Michael Page
- Clay Harris
- Jadon Frame
What won the race: Kyle Bronson of Brandon, Fla., survived a lap-four restart scrape with Jadon Frame to assume command for good on his way to capturing Friday night’s 25-lap DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals feature. The home-state standout beat Randy Weaver to the finish line by 1.260 seconds as he took the checkered flag for the second consecutive evening in the inaugural event co-sanctioned by the Newsome Raceway Parts Crate Racin’ USA Winter Shootout and DIRTcar.
Quotable: “I felt terrible there when me and (Frame) got into it,” Bronson said of the lap-four restart contact that doomed Frame. “He was up there sliding and dicing with us and that’s the way we race, so I was like, I hit the brakes for them guys and unfortunately he didn’t hit the brakes. Overall, my guys were telling me I had a big lead and I was just kind cruising there at the end. I felt like we had a little more left in the tank.”
Key notes: After kicking off the weekend with a $1,500 triumph on Thursday, Bronson will go for a Sunshine Nationals sweep in Saturday's $10,000-to-win finale. ... Weaver overtook Max Blair for second on lap 17 but couldn't come closer than about three car lengths to Bronson. ... Blair settled for third place, closing out the same podium finishers for the second straight night. ... Jadon Frame led laps 2-4 before his restart scrape with Bronson resulted in him smacking the turn two wall. The Tennessee driver’s car was carted off the track between two wreckers. … Other caution flags flew on lap four for Dillon Brown slapping the turn-four wall; lap 10 when Clay Harris slowed with nose damage; lap 11 for seventh-place Michael Page falling off the pace in turn two; and lap 17 for Mark Whitener, who spun off turn two just five circuits after pitting to change a right-rear tire while running fourth. ... Whitener also led the race's first lap before slipping backward. ... Walker Arthur was fifth when he pitted with a flat left-rear tire on lap 12. ... Bud Chauncey won the 602 Crate feature and David Showers Jr. topped the Florida Late Model A-main.
On the move: Devin Dixon of Apollo Beach, Fla., advanced from the 22nd starting spot to finish 10th.
Winner's sponsors: Bronson’s Rocket Chassis is sponsored by Brandon Ford, Brandon Collision, All Florida Real Estate Group, Racecar Engineering and Valvoline.
Points chase: Entering the Newsome CUSA Winter Series weekend, Jimmy Elliott of Cleveland, Tenn., led Ronnie Johnson, Pierce McCarter, Chase Walls and Cory Hedgecock.
Current weather: Cloudy, 66°F
Car count: 43
Fast qualifier: Kyle Bronson
Time: 17.058 seconds
Polesitter: Jake Knowles
Heat race winners: Kyle Bronson, Mark Whitener, Jake Knowles, Walker Arthur
Consolation race winners: Jeff Mathews, Devin Dixon
Provisional starters: Cruz Skinner, Jason Fitzgerald
Next series race: January 18, Volusia Speedway Park (Barberville, FL) $10,000
Editor's note: Results and race details are unofficial.