January 18
Volusia Speedway Park,
Barberville, FL
Sanction: Rogers Dabbs Crate Racin’ USA Winter Shootout (Sunshine Nationals) - $10,000
Information provided by: Series and track reports (last updated January 21, 5:47 pm)
Bronson completes Sunshine Nationals sweep
Sunshine Nationals
- Kyle Bronson
- Michael Page
- Walker Arthur
- Mark Whitener
- Jason Fitzgerald
- Max Blair
- Randy Weaver
- Cory Hedgecock
- Trynt Lloyd
- Dillon Brown
- Nevin Gainey
- Corey Almond
- Pierce McCarter
- Cruz Skinner
- Mike Franklin
- Trey Pearson
- Jeff Mathews
- Sam Halstead
- Brandon Williams
- Jake Knowles
- Ashton Winger
- Jadon Frame
- Drew Kennedy
- Trever Taylor
- Justin Litchford
- Jody Knowles
Mitchell Jenkins
Kyle Bronson picks up the $10,000 check at Volusia.
What won the race: Turning back several sliders from Michael Page, fifth-starting Kyle Bronson of Brandon, Fla., won Saturday’s Sunshine Nationals finale at Volusia Speedway Park, completing a three-race weekend sweep. After taking the lead from Page with a turn-four slider on lap 10, Bronson repeatedly repelled Page’s challenges over the final 20 laps for $10,000 triumph in the event co-sanctioned by the Newsome Raceway Parts Crate Racin’ USA Winter Shootout and DIRTcar.
Quotable: “We got together there. He got into me … probably hit the slime down there … and it bent the left-rear wheel,” Bronson said of early contact with Page. “Which, I slid him pretty early. I wanted to get out in that clean air. Hopefully it wasn’t too bad it wasn’t too bad of a slide job. That (left rear) tire had been going flat ever since that first restart there and (the car’s handling) was getting a little looser and a little looser and a little looser. I was like, ‘C'mon baby, a couple more laps.’ ”
Key notes: Michael Page, who started third, led the first 10 laps. … Eighteen drivers finished with 17 completing 30 laps. … Bronson, whose left-rear tire was flat by the time he crossed the scales, finished 0.330 of a second in front of Page. … The race was slowed by five cautions, the worst of which was a four-car crash on lap 14 in turn two that resulted in Ashton Winger going for a wild flip. Winger appeared a bit shaken up, but walked to the ambulance under his own power. … Second-running Brandon Williams slowed with fuel pump issues on lap 20. … Jason Fitzgerald rallied to finish fifth after being part of a lap-13 caution. … Colton Leyendecker won the 602 Crate Late Model feature. … Dusty Sparkman won the Limited Late Model main event. … Officials announced at the drivers' meeting the Sunshine Nationals would return Jan. 14-16, 2021, according to Speed51.com; it was also announced that Florida resident James Sawyer will serve as Volusia's general manager.
On the move: Cory Hedgecock of Loudon, Tenn., started 23rd and finished eighth.
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 weekend, Jimmy Elliott of Cleveland, Tenn., led Newsome CUSA Winter Series over Ronnie Johnson, Pierce McCarter, Chase Walls and Cory Hedgecock.
Current weather: Mostly Cloudy, 66°F
Car count: 43
Fast qualifier: Trever Taylor
Time: 17.018 seconds
Polesitter: Walker Arthur
Heat race winners: Michael Page, Corey Almond, Dillon Brown, Randy Weaver
Consolation race winners: Mark Whitener, Ashton Winger
Provisional starters: Jody Knowles, Justin Litchford
Next series race: January 14, Volusia Speedway Park (Barberville, FL) $1,500
Editor's note: Corrects name of new Volusia general manager.