BARBERVILLE, Fla. (Feb. 16) — Updates and results from Friday’s fifth round of the 53rd annual Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals, featuring a 40-lap, $16,000-to-win feature for World of Outlaws Case Late Model Series-sanctioned Super Late Models (results unofficial):

Feature

Fighting off a mid-race challenge from early leader Cade Dillard, second-starting Devin Moran of Dresden, Ohio, led the final 26 laps to claim Friday's $16,000 fifth round of the 53rd annual Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park. Moran earned his third career gator trophy at the Barberville, Fla., oval — his second this week — along with his 13th career World of Outlaws Case Late Model Series full-field feature victory. Moran's third victory of the fledgling season marks his 10th career Georgia-Florida Speedweeks triumph, with six of those coming at Volusia; Friday's $16,000 payday is his most lucrative, as he boosts his total race winnings to more than $60,000 there.

Feature lineup

(40 laps)
Row 1: Cade Dillard, Devin Moran
Row 2: Mike Marlar, Chris Madden
Row 3: Nick Hoffman, Tyler Bruening
Row 4: Bobby Pierce, Ricky Thornton Jr.
Row 5: Brandon Sheppard, Jordan Koehler
Row 6: Mark Whitener, Hudson O'Neal
Row 7: Blair Nothdurft, Daulton Wilson
Row 8: Dennis Erb Jr., Max Blair
Row 9: Cody Overton, Jimmy Owens
Row 10: Brian Shirley, Ryan Gustin
Row 11: Mason Zeigler, Dale McDowell
Row 12: Brent Larson, Todd Cooney
Row 13: Dustin Walker, Dustin Sorensen
Row 14: Max McLaughlin, Parker Martin

Consolation results

(10 laps; top three transfer)

First consolation finish: Cody Overton, Brian Shirley, Mason Zeigler, Chase Junghans, Dylan Thompson, Mike Spatola, Daniel Hilsabeck, Dustin Sorensen, Tyler Erb, Jason Fitzgerald, Mike Benedum, Austin Smith. Scratched: Kyle Bronson, Parker Martin, Drake Troutman, Ashton Winger

Second consolation finish: Jimmy Owens, Ryan Gustin, Dale McDowell, Tim McCreadie, Max McLaughlin, Brent Larson, David Breazeale, Seth Zacharias, Tristan Chamberlain, Logan Zarin, Todd Cooney, Ethan Dotson, Brian Booze, Amanda Robinson. Scratched: Dustin Walker.

Heat race recap

Chris Madden led all eight laps to win the first heat race by 1.321 seconds over Tyler Bruening. Fourth-starting Brandon Sheppard and Blair Nothdurft will join them in Friday’s $16,000-to-win DIRTcar Nationals fifth round. The first caution flew on the second lap when Parker Martin slowed and pulled off. The second and final yellow was displayed when Kyle Bronson slowed from fourth on the final lap. … Cade Dillard dominated the second heat, leading all eight laps and winning by 1.277 seconds over Thursday’s winner, Nick Hoffman. Mark Whitener and Dennis Erb Jr. both held serve, finishing third and fourth, and grabbing the final two transfer spots into Friday’s 40-lapper. … Second-starting Devin Moran used a last-lap, last-corner slider to pass Bobby Pierce and win the third heat by 0.207 of a second. The pole-starting Pierce led the first seven laps before giving way to Moran on the final lap when he attempted to lap Logan Zarin. Jordan Koehler and Daulton Wilson completed the top-four finishers. The lone stoppage came on the opening lap when David Breazeale slowed abruptly in traffic; he avoided heavy damage and continued to finish eighth. … Mike Marlar led green-to-checkered to win the fourth and final heat race by 0.717 of a second over third-starting Ricky Thornton Jr. Hudson O’Neal finished third over fifth-starting Max Blair, who claimed the fourth and final transfer position.

Heat race results

(Eight laps; top four transfer)

First heat finish: Chris Madden, Tyler Bruening, Brandon Sheppard, Blair Nothdurft, Cody Overton, Mason Zeigler, Mike Spatola, Mike Benedum, Jason Fitzgerald, Kyle Bronson, Drake Troutman, Parker Martin.

Second heat finish: Cade Dillard, Nick Hoffman, Mark Whitener, Dennis Erb Jr., Chase Junghans, Brian Shirley, Austin Smith, Tyler Erb, Dylan Thompson, Dustin Sorensen, Daniel Hilsabeck, Ashton Winger.

Third heat finish: Devin Moran, Bobby Pierce, Jordan Koehler, Daulton Wilson, Jimmy Owens, Tim McCreadie, Brent Larson, David Breazeale, Max McLaughlin, Tristan Chamberlain, Brian Booze, Logan Zarin.

Fourth heat finish: Mike Marlar, Ricky Thornton Jr., Hudson O'Neal, Max Blair, Dale McDowell, Ryan Gustin, Todd Cooney, Ethan Dotson, Amanda Robinson, Seth Zacharias, Dustin Walker.

Pre-race notes

Friday’s second night of World of Outlaws Case Late Model Series competition comes under cloudy skies after an afternoon high in the mid-70s. … Saturday’s scheduled DIRTcar Nationals finale appears to be in jeopardy with forecasts showing rain moving in overnight and developing into steady, and perhaps heavy, precipitation through the day and into Sunday. Track and series officials stressed that a decision on Saturday’s program has not yet been made, but they are preparing for the possibility of a rainout by asking for teams to return their scoring transponders after Friday’s action and having haulers parked in the lower Gator Pond relocate to the upper pits and spectator parking following Friday’s show to avoid potential problems moving the rigs on rain-soaked ground. … Forty-seven cars are signed in for Friday’s program, creating a four-heat format. ... With the potential of a Saturday rainout, World Racing Group officials combined the posted purses for Friday and Saturday and divided them in half to increase Friday's payoff from $12,000- to $16,000-to-win and the start money from $1,000- to $1,250-to-start; the same purse will be paid on Saturday if the show is run. … Bobby Pierce of Oakwood, Ill., has 272 points to lead the week-long DIRTcar Nationals standings over Cade Dillard of Robeline, La. (252), Brandon Sheppard of New Berlin, Ill. (239), Devin Moran of Dresden, Ohio (237) and Nick Hoffman of Mooresville, N.C. (233). A $3,000 prize and a big Gator trophy goes to the champion. … Friday’s drivers’ meeting was one of the best attended of the week after word circulated through the pit area that WoO director Steve Francis would require a driver to apologize for capturing the youngest and smallest of the three alligators in the lower Gator Pond amid some pit-area highjinks following Thursday’s racing program. World Racing Group officials found themselves dealing with unnecessary problems overnight when state authorities discovered — apparently through social media posts — that a gator had been trapped on the property, which is punishable as a felony without a trapping license. Francis ultimately didn’t bring the driver in front of the crowd, but he stressed that such antics were not only dangerous and unlawful but also could have forced the track to send everyone spending the night in their haulers out of the pit area.

Time trials

Group A
Driver (car no.), hometown, time (unofficial)
1. Chris Madden (44), Gray Court, S.C., 15.565
2. Cade Dillard (97), Robeline, La., 15.572
3. Tyler Bruening (16), Decorah, Iowa, 15.656
4. Nick Hoffman (9), Mooresville, N.C., 15.750
5. Blair Nothdurft (76), Renner, S.D., 15.814
6. Mark Whitener (5), Middleburg, Fla., 15.825
7. Brandon Sheppard (B5), New Berlin, Ill., 15.834
8. Dennis Erb Jr. (28), Carpentersville, Ill., 15.877
9. Drake Troutman (7), Hyndman, Pa., 15.892
10. Chase Junghans (18), Manhattan, Kan., 15.901
11. Kyle Bronson (40B), Brandon, Fla., 15.929
12. Austin Smith (11), Rome, Ga., 16.017
13. Mason Zeigler (66c), Ridgeley, W.Va., 16.020
14. Brian Shirley (3s), Chatham, Ill., 16.031
15. Parker Martin (6jr), Miledgeville, Ga., 16.078
16. Daniel Hilsabeck (22), Earlham, Iowa, 16.084
17. Jason Fitzgerald (14jr), Middleburg, Fla., 16.101
18. Tyler Erb (1T), New Waverly, Texas, 16.112
19. Mike Spatola (89), Manhattan, Ill., 16.147
20. Ashton Winger (12), Hampton, Ga., 16.153
21. Cody Overton (97c), Evans, Ga., 16.284
22. Dustin Sorensen (19), Rochester, Minn., 16.453
23. Mike Benedum (25B), Salem, W.Va., 16.599
24. Dylan Thompson (99T), Paducah, Ky., 16.608
Group B
1. Bobby Pierce (32), Oakwood, Ill., 15.513
2. Mike Marlar (157), Winfield, Tenn., 15.554
3. Devin Moran (99), Dresden, Ohio, 15.595
4. Ryan Gustin (19R), Marshalltown, Iowa, 15.597
5. Jordan Koehler (114), Mount Airy, N.C., 15.602
6. Ricky Thornton Jr. (20rt), Chandler, Ariz., 15.624
7. Daulton Wilson (18D), Fayetteville, N.C., 15.723
8. Hudson O’Neal (1), Martinsville, Ind., 15.764
9. Jimmy Owens (20), Newport, Tenn., 15.794
10. Max Blair (111) Centerville, Pa., 15.797
11. Max McLaughlin (22*), Mooresville, N.C., 15.850
12. Dale McDowell (17m), Chickamauga, Ga., 15.876
13. Tim McCreadie (39), Watertown, N.Y., 15.927
14. Todd Cooney (30), Des Moines, Iowa, 16.061
15. Logan Zarin (1z), Moon Township, Pa., 16.111
16. Ethan Dotson (174), Bakersfield, Calif., 16.157
17. Brent Larson (B1), Lake Elmo, Minn., 16.167
18. Seth Zacharias (17z), Vestal, N.Y., 16.241
19. David Breazeale (23), Four Corners, Miss., 16.289
20. Amanda Robinson (4), Georgetown, Del., 16.315
21. Brian Booze (B2), Greencastle, Pa., 16.445
22. Dustin Walker (14w), Polk, Mo., 16.474
23. Tristan Chamberlain (20tc), Richmond, Ind., 16.474

Friday’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
- Late Model heats (8 laps)
- Modified heats (8 laps)
- Late Model consolations (10 laps)
- Modified consolations (10 laps)
Feature events
- Late Models (40 laps)
- Modifieds (40 laps)