Dirt on Dirt - Foes' demise opens door for Moran at Deer Creek

July 6

Deer Creek Speedway,

Spring Valley, MN

Sanction: Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series (NAPA Auto Parts Gopher 50 Prelim) - $5,000

Information provided by: Kevin Kovac, series and track reports (last updated July 7, 11:20 am)

Foes' demise opens door for Moran at Deer Creek

NAPA Auto Parts Gopher 50 Prelim

Devin Moran
Jonathan Davenport
Brandon Sheppard
Tim McCreadie
Tyler Erb
Chris Madden
Hudson O'Neal
Max Blair
Dustin Sorensen
Spencer Hughes
Garrett Alberson
Chris Simpson
Jake Timm
Mike Marlar
Brandon Overton
Earl Pearson Jr.
Chad Simpson
Dillon McCowan
Daulton Wilson
Garrett Smith
Bobby Pierce
Shane Clanton
Stormy Scott
Ricky Thornton Jr.

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Devin Moran celebrates his NAPA Auto Parts Gopher 50 prelim victory.

What won the race: Going from third to first after the departure of two frontrunners, fifth-starting Devin Moran of Dresden, Ohio, led the final 14 laps Thursday at Deer Creek Speedway for a $5,000 prelim victory in the NAPA Auto Parts Gopher 50 on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series. Daulton Wilson led laps 2-11 but fell from contention with a flat tire while first-lap leader and polesitter Bobby Pierce, who inherited the lead, retired on the next restart with a broken right-rear axle. Moran took the checkers 2.663 seconds ahead of runner-up Jonathan Davenport.

Quotable: “This Deer Creek, it’s owed me a win since about 2017,” Moran said. “I about had one then. I really haven’t been back but one time since then. What a phenomenal racetrack, a phenomenal facility. it’s going to be a lot of run racing all weekend."

Key notes: Lucas Oil points leader Ricky Thornton Jr. crossed the finish line ninth but was disqualified for making contact with Hudson O'Neal's car after the checkered flag. ... In the pits after the race, Thornton and his Anthony Burroughs-led SSI Motorsports crew were involved in a heated exchange with O'Neal's Rocket Chassis team; another driver, Chris Madden, also visited the Rocket1 pit stall and wasn't shy about voicing displeasure with team member Cody Mallory regarding an off-track incident before the start of the feature. ... Devin Moran notched his second Lucas Oil Series victory of the season and eighth of his career. ... Third-finishing Brandon Sheppard made his first start in the Rumley Engineering developmental Longhorn Chassis. ... The most serious of three slowdowns came on the ninth lap for a red flag when Shane Clanton's car climbed the turn-three wall and departed the racetrack; he wasn't injured. ... A lap-12 yellow flag appeared for Chad Simpson's flat tire and leader Bobby Pierce, who hit the turn-four wall hard as the lap-12 yellow flew, failed to come up to speed on the ensuing restart for another quick caution. ... The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series and Lucas Oil Midwest LateModel Racing Association co-sanction the three-day event with Thursday and Friday’s $5,000-to-win preliminary features. All drivers will accumulate points each preliminary night, with the top 16 locking themselves into Saturday’s 75-lap, $50,000-to-win finale.

On the move: Tim McCreadie of Watertown, N.Y., started 17th and finished fourth.

Winner's sponsors: Moran’s Double Down Motorsports Longhorn Chassis carries a Cornett Race Engine and sponsorship from Lazydays RV, Big River Steel, McHugh Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Ram Fiat, CarSourceAuto.com, Red Oak Pub, C&W Trucking & Sons, Inc., VP Race Fuels, Eibach Springs, Bilstein Shocks, Accu-Force Dynos, Lucas Oil Products, Smoky Mountain Speedway, Haulin’ Haskel’s, Lincoln Smith Racing, GE Auto Sales and WME Detailing.

Points chase: Before Deer Creek: 1. Ricky Thornton Jr. (4,160); 2. Hudson O’Neal (3,915); 3. Brandon Overton (3,710); 4. Tim McCreadie (3,585); 5. Devin Moran (3,510); 6. Jonathan Davenport (3,495); 7. Max Blair (3,325); 8. Daulton Wilson (3,320); 9. Tyler Erb (3,300); 10. Spencer Hughes (3,200); 11. Earl Pearson Jr. (3,180); 12. Garrett Alberson (2,950).

Current weather: Scattered Clouds, 68°F

Car count: 38

Fast qualifier: Bobby Pierce

Time: 14.587 seconds

Polesitter: Bobby Pierce

Heat race winners: Bobby Pierce, Spencer Hughes, Daulton Wilson, Jonathan Davenport

Consolation race winners: Tim McCreadie, Max Blair

Next series race: July 7, Deer Creek Speedway (Spring Valley, MN) $5,000

Editor's note: Results and race details are unofficial.

From staff reports

SPRING VALLEY, Minn. — Live updates from Thursday’s $5,000-to-win preliminary program for the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series-sanctioned NAPA Auto Parts Gopher 50 at Deer Creek Speedway (results unofficial):

Feature

Going from third to first after the departure of two frontrunners, fifth-starting Devin Moran of Dresden, Ohio, led the final 14 laps Thursday at Deer Creek Speedway for a $5,000 prelim victory in the NAPA Auto Parts Gopher 50 on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series. Daulton Wilson led laps 2-11 but fell from contention with a flat tire while first-lap leader and polesitter Bobby Pierce, who inherited the lead, retired on the next restart with a broken right-rear axle. Moran took the checkers 2.663 seconds ahead of runner-up Jonathan Davenport.

Feature lineup

Row 1: Bobby Pierce, Daulton Wilson
Row 2: Spencer Hughes, Jonathan Davenport
Row 3: Devin Moran, Mike Marlar
Row 4: Brandon Sheppard, Brandon Overton
Row 5: Chad Simpson, Chris Madden
Row 6: Tyler Erb, Garrett Alberson
Row 7: Shane Clanton, Jake Timm
Row 8: Earl Pearson Jr., Garrett Smith
Row 9: Tim McCreadie, Max Blair
Row 10: Ricky Thornton Jr., Chris Simpson
Row 11: Hudson O'Neal, Dillon McCowan
Row 12: Dustin Sorensen, Stormy Scott

Consolation results

(10 laps; top four transfer)

First consolation: Tim McCreadie, Ricky Thornton Jr., Hudson O’Neal, Dustin Sorensen, Nick Anvelink, Johnny Scott, Boom Briggs, Lance Hofer, Paul Parker. Scratched: Terry Casey, Ross Robinson.

Second consolation: Max Blair, Chris Simpson, Dillon McCowan, Stormy Scott, Tyler Bruening, Jordan Yaggy, Justin Duty, Daniel Hilsabeck, Trevor Gundaker, Chad Mahder. Scratched: Lance Matthees.

Heat results

(Eight laps; top four transfer)

First heat: Bobby Pierce, Devin Moran, Chad Simpson, Shane Clanton, Ricky Thornton Jr., Dustin Sorensen, Terry Casey, Paul Parker, Hudson O’Neal, Ross Robinson.

Second heat: Spencer Hughes, Brandon Sheppard, Tyler Erb, Earl Pearson Jr., Tim McCreadie, Nick Anvelink, Johnny Scott, Boom Briggs, Lance Hofer.

Third heat: Daulton Wilson, Mike Marlar, Chris Madden, Jake Timm, Max Blair, Tyler Bruening, Stormy Scott, Chris Simpson, Daniel Hilsabeck, Trevor Gundaker.

Fourth heat: Jonathan Davenport, Brandon Overton, Garrett Alberson, Garrett Smith, Dillon McCowan, Jordan Yaggy, Chad Mahder, Justin Duty, Lance Matthees.

Time trials

First group
Pos. Driver (car no.), hometown, unofficial time
1. Bobby Pierce (32), Oakwood, Ill., 14.587
2. Brandon Sheppard (B5), New Berlin, Ill., 14.759
3. Devin Moran (99), Dresden, Ohio, 14.764
4. Spencer Hughes (11H), Meridian, Miss., 14.776
5. Shane Clanton (25), Zebulon, Ga., 14.790
6. Earl Pearson Jr. (46), Jacksonville, Fla., 14.827
7. Chad Simpson (25), Mount Vernon, Iowa, 14.931
8. Tyler Erb (1), New Waverly, Texas, 14.960
9. Ricky Thornton Jr. (20RT), Chandler, Ariz., 14.961
10. Tim McCreadie (39), Watertown, N.Y., 14.964
11. Ross Robinson (7R), Georgetown, Del., 15.062
12. Nick Anvelink (15), Bonduel, Wis., 15.069
13. Hudson O’Neal (1), Martinsville, Ind., 15.081
14. Johnny Scott (1ST), Las Cruces, N.M., 15.147
15. Terry Casey (42), New London, Wis., 15.167
16. Boom Briggs (99B), Bear Lake, Pa., 15.284
17. Dustin Sorenson (28), Rochester, Minn., 15.329
18. Lance Hofer (11L), Cochrane, Wis., 15.331
19. Paul Parker (10), Kaukauna, Wis., 15.802
Second group
1. Daulton Wilson (18D), Fayetteville, N.C., 14.820
2. Jonathan Davenport (49), Blairsville, Ga., 14.937
3. Mike Marlar (157), Winfield, Tenn., 14.976
4. Garrett Alberson (58), Las Cruces, N.M., 15.036
5. Chris Madden (44), Gray Court, S.C., 15.046
6. Brandon Overton (76), Evans, Ga., 15.112
7. Max Blair (111B), Centerville, Pa., 15.244
8. Justin Duty (15J), Mulino, Ore., 15.299
9. Jake Timm (49T), Winona, Minn., 15.361
10. Jordan Yaggy (77), Rochester, Minn., 15.384
11. Tyler Bruening (16), Decorah, Iowa, 15.499
12. Chad Mahder (55C), Eau Claire, Wis., 15.504
13. Chris Simpson (32), Oxford, Iowa, 15.545
14. Garrett Smith (10), Eatonton, Ga., 15.596
15. Trevor Gundaker (14G), St. Charles, Mo., 15.675
16. Dillon McCowan (8), Urbana, Mo., 15.808
17. Daniel Hilsabeck (22H), Adel, Iowa, 15.849
18. Lance Matthees (90), Winona, Minn., 16.416
19. Stormy Scott (2s), Las Cruces, N.M., no time

Thursday’s schedule

(All times local)

2:30 p.m. - Pits open
3 p.m. - Grandstands open
6 p.m. - Drivers' meeting
6:30 p.m. - On-track activity
- Modified hot laps
- Late Model hot laps
- Late Model time trials (2 laps)
Opening ceremonies
- Late Model heat races (8 laps)
- Modified heat races (8 laps)
- Late Model consolations (10 laps)
- Modified consolations (10 laps)
Feature races
- Late Models (25 laps)
- Modifieds (25 laps)