FORT WORTH, Texas — Winning at Texas Motor Speedway will always be special to Cade Dillard. Winning six days after his grandfather died made Friday's victory even more special.

The 30-year-old Robeline, La., driver led all the way from his third starting spot in the opening Super Late Model event at the Texas Dirt Nationals to grab $10,000 and stamp himself as a favorite for Saturday's $50,000-to-win finale at the 4/10-mile oval in the shadow of one of NASCAR's showplace tracks.

In celebrating in victory lane with the track's traditional cowboy hat award, a trophy and $10,000 check, Dillard's voice broke up as he dedicated the victory to Euel "Doc" Dillard, who died Sunday at his Robeline home. He was 94.

"I lost my grandpa this week and I know he was riding with me," Dillard said haltingly. "He loved racing and to do this for him means the world to me."

Dillard kept Devin Moran in check the first half of the 25-lapper, fought off Chris Madden and then repelled Hall of Famer Billy Moyer of Batesville, Ark., by 0.295 of a second in the unsanctioned special. Fast qualifier Stormy Scott of Las Cruces, N.M., was third followed by 10th-starting Brandon Overton of Evans, Ga., and 14th-starting Bobby Pierce of Oakwood, Ill.

Dillard blitzed front-row starters Devin Moran and Billy Moyer Jr. to take command at the outset with Moran giving chase over the first 17 laps, pressure Dillard amid traffic. Madden took his shot from the second spot after the race's first restart and Moyer chased the winner the rest of the way as Dillard rode the high side to victory.

"This is probably one of the coolest places to win at. I won the mod race here in '14, and I feel like that kind of really set my career up to be where I'm at today, you know?" Dillard said. "Like I said, to get one of these cowboy hats at a facility like this and these fans, it's pretty cool.

"We've been struggling a lot here lately and we've been changing a ton on the car. I had some friends in the pits helping me and the crew. I hope my car owner (Shane Sprinkle) is watching. He's been under the weather and I'm happy to get this for them. I owe all this to him. He gave me these opportunities."

Three cautions slowed the action, including a pair of multicar incidents, one that ended the race of fifth-running Chris Madden of Gray Court, S.C., on the 20th lap.

Madden and Brandon Overton got together on the frontstretch and Madden's spinning car collected an onrushing Billy Moyer Jr. with five laps remaining, knocking both drivers out of the race.

The other multicar caution came shortly after a lap-17 restart when Kyle Beard, Scott Bloomquist, Sam Seawright, Johnny Scott, Timothy Culp, Max Blair and Jon Mitchell all got a piece of the mess in turn two. Blair and Scott retired with front-end damage and Culp pulled to the infield with a flat left-rear tire.

The only other caution appeared a lap earlier for a slowing Joe Godsey.

The same drivers are expected back Saturday to chase a whopping $50,000 payday on the final night of the Texas Dirt Nationals, which also features several other divisions.

Notes: Dillard notched his fourth overall victory of the season and first since an Aug. 3 World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Model Series triumph at Outagamie Speedway in Seymour, Wis. ... Dillard last month announced he was ending his full-time pursuit of the WoO circuit during his third season on the national tour. ... Fourteen of 24 starters completed 25 laps and 15 were running at the finish.

Feature lineup

Row 1: Devin Moran, Billy Moyer Jr.
Row 2: Cade Dillard, Chris Madden
Row 3: Stormy Scott, Scott Bloomquist
Row 4: Billy Moyer, Johnny Scott
Row 5: Timothy Culp, Brandon Overton
Row 6: B.J. Robinson, Max Blair
Row 7: Michael Arnold, Bobby Pierce
Row 8: Kyle Beard, Payton Looney
Row 9: Joe Godsey, Sam Seawright
Row 10: Jon Mitchell, Rodney Sanders
Row 11: Boom Briggs, Morgan Bagley
Row 12: Luke Bennett, Ray Allen Kulhanek

Consolation race results

(10 laps; top four transfer)

Finish: Boom Briggs, Morgan Bagley, Luke Bennett, Ray Allen Kulhanek, Robbie Stuart, David Ashley, Steven Whiteaker Jr., Alex Ashley, Jason Miles, Travy Denby Sr., Manny Falcon, Kent Rosevear.

Heat race results

(Eight laps; top five transfer)

First heat: Devin Moran, Stormy Scott, Timothy Culp, Michael Arnold, Joe Godsey, Luke Bennett, Manny Falcon, Jason Miles, Alex Ashley.

Second heat: Billy Moyer Jr., Scott Bloomquist, Brandon Overton, Bobby Pierce, Sam Seawright, Robbie Stuart, Tracy Denby Sr., Morgan Bagley.

Third heat: Cade Dillard, Billy Moyer, B.J. Robinson, Kyle Beard, Jon Mitchell, Boom Briggs, David Ashley, Kent Rosevear.

Fourth heat: Chris Madden, Johnny Scott, Max Blair, Payton Looney, Rodney Sanders, Ray Allen, Kulhanek, Steven Whiteaker Jr.

Time trials

First group
Driver (car no.), hometown, time

1. Stormy Scott (2s), Las Cruces, N.M., 16.291
2. Devin Moran (9), Dresden, Ohio, 16.595
3. Scott Bloomquist (0), Mooresburg, Tenn., 17.031
4. Joe Godsey (14G), Edinburgh, Ind., 17.070
5. Billy Moyer Jr. (21jr), Batesville, Ark., 17.074
6. Timothy Culp (c8), Prattsville, Ark., 17.126
7. Sam Seawright (16), Rainsville, Ala., 17.199
8. Jason Miles (503), Glenwood, Ark., 17.212
9. Robbie Stuart (6R), DeRidder, La., 17.256
10. Luke Bennett (3), Ethel, La., 17.295
11. Bobby Pierce (32), Oakwood, Ill., 17.341
12. Manny Falcon (995), Pine Grove, La.,, 17.447
13. Morgan Bagley (14m), Longview, Texas, 17.470
14. Michael Arnold (4),  Hattiesburg, Miss., 17.506
15. Brandon Overton (76), Evans, Ga., 17.648
16. Tracy Denby Sr. (22), Vidor, Texas, 17.648
17. Alex Ashley (31), Zachary, La., 17.742

Second group

1. Billy Moyer (21), Batesville, Ark., 16.726
2. Max Blair (111), Centerville, Pa., 16.784
3. B.J. Robinson (1), Bossier City, La., 16.813
4. Payton Looney (15), Republic, Mo., 16.838
5. Cade Dillard (97), Robeline, La., 16.850
6. Chris Madden (44), Gray Court, S.C., 16.859
7. Kyle Beard (86), Trumann, Ark., 16.892
8. Johnny Scott (1st), Las Cruces, N.M., 16.896
9. Jon Mitchell (5), Texarkana, Texas, 16.984
10. Rodney Sanders (20), Happy, Texas, 17.058
11. Boom Briggs (99B), Bear Lake, Pa., 17.091
12. Ray Allen Kulhanek (33), Montgomery, Texas, 17.434
13. Kent Rosevear (02), Yuma, Ariz., 17.473
14. Steven Whiteaker Jr. (89c), Corpus Christi, Texas, 17.592
15. David Ashley (2), Zachary, La., 17.765
16. Erik Thorne (260), Baytown, Texas, 17.894