• dirt track racing news

Devin Moran Earns First Career Brownstown Victory

2024-03-24 12:39

BROWNSTOWN, IN (March 23, 2024) - After 10 years of trying to make it to Brownstown Speedway Victory Lane, Devin Moran was finally able to breakthrough - winning the 27th Annual Indiana Icebreaker on Saturday night at the Jackson County Fairgrounds quarter-mile oval.

With the win, Moran becomes the tenth different winner in the last 10 series races. The fans saw six lead changes among three drivers during the 50-lap race. Bobby Pierce, who led the most laps, with 19, finished second followed by Mike Marlar, Max Blair, and Ricky Thornton Jr.

Brandon Sheppard took the lead at the start of the race as the Illini driver was looking for his third straight win in the event. Sheppard led the first 14 laps until Moran, who started from the pole, seized the top spot. His lead lasted just one lap before Pierce, who started fifth, took his first lead of the race.

But like Moran, Pierce's turn as the race leader lasted one lap and Sheppard moved back to the point. Sheppard led the next four circuits until Moran regained the lead with 21 laps complete. A back-and-forth battle ensued between Moran and Pierce as Pierce claimed the top spot for the second time in the race on lap 23.

Pierce appeared to seize control of the race through heavy traffic as he was trying to extend his lead, but Moran and Marlar were quickly closing ground on the former Jackson 100 winner. Moran was able to grab the lead from Pierce right before the final caution flag of the race flew with 13 laps to go.

Moran led the final 13 circuits, but Pierce tried several different lines to retake the lead in the closing stages. However, Moran held on for his first ever win at Brownstown by just 0.532 seconds over Pierce.

In Lucas Oil Victory Lane, for the first time in 2024, Moran breathed a sigh of relief for finally getting the monkey off his back at Brownstown. "It's about time man. I love coming to this place, Jim Price [Brownstown promoter] does a great job with the track. It's a great track, it has awesome fans, you have awesome support in the pits. I have been waiting for about 10 years to come do this. I have always run good here. I know it's cold out here, but I was sweating bullets out there. When I moved to the top, I could make hay in three and four. After that last caution I was just trying hang on to the end."

Pierce, who won twice last year at Brownstown, came close to going back to Victory Lane. "That was an awesome race tonight. I didn't really expect the track to be that good. I didn't expect him [Moran] to roll the top like he did. It was a fun race and we're glad to finish second tonight."

Marlar, who captured the C.J. Rayburn Memorial race last September was one of the fastest cars on the track during the mid-part of the race. "Me and Devin were on harder tires than Sheppy and Bobby and I was like we just need to race here without any cautions. The track was unbelievable again; it's always awesome here. It was a fun night."

The winner's Roger Sellers-owned, Double Down Motorsports, Longhorn Chassis is powered by a Clements Racing Engine and sponsored by Lazydays RV, Big River Steel, C&W Trucking, Bilstein Shocks, McHugh Chrysler Dodge, Jeep, and Ram, CarSource, Haulin Haskell's, Red Oak Pub, and Smoky Mountain Speedway.

Completing the top ten were Hudson O'Neal, Brandon Sheppard, Josh Rice, Nick Hoffman, and Daulton Wilson.

Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series

Race Summary

27th Annual Indiana Icebreaker

Saturday, March 23, 2024

Brownstown Speedway - Brownstown, IN

Allstar Performance Time Trials

Fast Time Group A: Michael Chilton | 13.315 seconds (overall)

Fast Time Group B: Brandon Sheppard | 13.478 seconds

Penske Shocks Heat Race #1 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 99-Devin Moran[3]; 2. 32P-Bobby Pierce[2]; 3. 97C-Michael Chilton[1]; 4. 58-Garrett Alberson[4]; 5. 99B-Boom Briggs[8]; 6. 17SS-Brenden Smith[5]; 7. 1G-Devin Gilpin[6]; 8. 24-Jared Bailey[9]; 9. 4-Cody Mahoney[10]; 10. 75-Daniel Adam[7]; 11. 81J-Jack Riggs[11]; 12. 43-Derrick Stewart[12]

Summit Racing Products Heat Race #2 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 1-Tim McCreadie[2]; 2. 93F-Carson Ferguson[4]; 3. 1T-Tyler Erb[3]; 4. 3S-Brian Shirley[5]; 5. 76-Shelby Miles[6]; 6. 6-Clay Harris[12]; 7. 4T-Tripp Gerrald[1]; 8. 23-Cory Hedgecock[8]; 9. 12-Jason Jameson[9]; 10. 4G-Bob Gardner[10]; 11. 19M-Spencer Hughes[7]; 12. 25W-Allen Weisser[11]

Earnhardt Technologies Heat Race #3 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. B5-Brandon Sheppard[1]; 2. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr[7]; 3. 9-Nick Hoffman[2]; 4. 111-Max Blair[3]; 5. 28-Dennis Erb Jr[4]; 6. 68-Adam Stricker[5]; 7. 8-Dillon McCowan[8]; 8. 97-Cody Overton[10]; 9. 25-Tony Jackson Jr[6]; 10. 32-Chad Stapleton[11]; 11. 93-Cory Lawler[9]; 12. 29J-Jordan Wever[12]

Simpson Race Products Heat Race #4 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 157-Mike Marlar[3]; 2. 18D-Daulton Wilson[1]; 3. 49-Jonathan Davenport[2]; 4. 71-Hudson O'Neal[7]; 5. 20-Jimmy Owens[4]; 6. 11R-Josh Rice[9]; 7. 96-Tanner English[8]; 8. 93K-Kent Robinson[6]; 9. 7T-Drake Troutman[5]; 10. 7-Ross Robinson[10]; 11. S21-Seth Daniels[12]; 12. 11-Tyler Collins[11]

Fast Shafts B-Main Race #1 Finish (10 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 1G-Devin Gilpin[5]; 2. 99B-Boom Briggs[1]; 3. 12-Jason Jameson[10]; 4. 25W-Allen Weisser[16]; 5. 4-Cody Mahoney[9]; 6. 4T-Tripp Gerrald[6]; 7. 17SS-Brenden Smith[3]; 8. 19M-Spencer Hughes[14]; 9. 75-Daniel Adam[11]; 10. 43-Derrick Stewart[15]; 11. 24-Jared Bailey[7]; 12. 6-Clay Harris[4]; 13. 81J-Jack Riggs[13]; 14. 76-Shelby Miles[2]; 15. 23-Cory Hedgecock[8]; 16. (DNS) 4G-Bob Gardner

UNOH B-Main Race #2 Finish (10 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 11R-Josh Rice[4]; 2. 28-Dennis Erb Jr[1]; 3. 96-Tanner English[6]; 4. 20-Jimmy Owens[2]; 5. 68-Adam Stricker[3]; 6. 97-Cody Overton[7]; 7. 25-Tony Jackson Jr[9]; 8. 93K-Kent Robinson[8]; 9. 32-Chad Stapleton[11]; 10. 11-Tyler Collins[16]; 11. 29J-Jordan Wever[15]; 12. 8-Dillon McCowan[5]; 13. 7-Ross Robinson[12]; 14. S21-Seth Daniels[14]; 15. 7T-Drake Troutman[10]; 16. (DNS) 93-Cory Lawler

Indiana Icebreaker Feature Finish (50 Laps):

Race Statistics

Entrants: 48

Victory Fuel Pole Sitter: Devin Moran

Lap Leaders: Brandon Sheppard (Laps 1-14); Devin Moran (Lap 15); Bobby Pierce (Laps 16-20); Devin Moran (Laps 21-22); Bobby Pierce (Laps 23-36); Devin Moran (Laps 37-50)

Wieland Feature Winner: Devin Moran

Arizona Sport Shirts Crown Jewel Cup Feature Winner: n/a

Brandon Ford TV Challenge Feature Winner: n/a

Margin of Victory: 0.532 seconds

Dave Warren Powersports Cautions: Jason Jameson (Lap 2); Tony Jackson, Jr. (Lap 37)

Series Provisionals: Drake Troutman; Ross Robinson

Fast Time Provisional: n/a

Series Emergency Provisionals: Tony Jackson, Jr.; Brenden Smith; Daniel Adam; Cory Lawler

Track Provisional: Shelby Miles

Big River Steel Podium Top 3: Devin Moran, Bobby Pierce, Mike Marlar

Penske Shocks Top 5: Devin Moran, Bobby Pierce, Mike Marlar, Max Blair, Ricky Thornton, Jr.

Todd Steel Buildings Hard Charger of the Race: Max Blair (Advanced 10 Positions)

Wilwood Brakes Lucky 7th Place Feature: Brandon Sheppard

Deatherage Opticians Lucky 13th Place Feature: Tanner English

MD3 Most Laps Led: Bobby Pierce (19 Laps)

Sunoco Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Ricky Thornton, Jr.

Midwest Sheet Metal Spoiler Challenge Point Leader: Ricky Thornton, Jr.

O'Reilly Auto Parts Rookie of the Race: n/a

Coltman Farms Fastest Lap of the Race: Brandon Sheppard (Lap 1 - 14.620 seconds)

Slicker Graphics Slickest Move of the Race: Devin Moran

Miller Welders Hard Luck Award: Clay Harris

Outerwears Crew Chief of the Race: Chuck Kimble (Devin Moran)

ARP Engine Builder of the Race: Clements Racing Engines

Miller Welders Chassis Builder of the Race: Longhorn Chassis

Dirt Draft Fastest in Hot Laps: Brandon Sheppard (13.180 seconds)

Time of Race: 18 minutes 33 seconds

Big River Steel Chase for the Championship Presented by ARP Point Standings:

 

About Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series

Founded in 2005, the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series showcases the talents of the top dirt late model drivers from across the country. In 2024, the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series will sanction 63 events across 16 states, including some of the biggest marquee events in the industry, providing dirt slinging, sideways, door-to-door racing action lap after lap.

The series receives national exposure through a television package streamed live via FloRacing, with select broadcasts on MAVTV Motorsports Network.

The in your face excitement of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series is second to none in motorsports. For more information, including the latest news, tour schedule, driver information, and more, visit the official website at: www.LucasDirt.com.

2024 Official Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Marketing Partners

 
2024 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Partners Include:

Advanced Powder Coating, Allstar Performance, Arizona Sport Shirts, ARMSLIST.com, Automotive Racing Products (ARP), Behrent's Performance Warehouse, Big River Steel, Bilstein Shocks, Black Diamond Chassis, Boyd Bilt Fabrication, Brandon Ford, Brodix, Buzz Electric Bicycles, Capital Race Cars, Clements Racing Engines, Coltman Farms Racing, Cornett Racing Engines, Dave Warren Powersports, Deatherage Opticians, Dirt Draft, E3 Spark Plugs, Earnhardt Technologies Group, Fast Shafts, FLORacing, FOX Shocks, General Tire, Heartbeat Hot Sauce, Heath Lawson Photography, Hellraizer Jacks, Holmatro, Hoosier Tire, Keyser Manufacturing, Kryptonite Race Cars, Longhorn Chassis, Lucas Oil Products, MAVTV Motorsports Network, MD3, Mega Plumbing of the Carolinas, Midwest Sheet Metal, Miller Welders, MSD, MyRacePass, Nutrien Ag Solutions, O'Reilly Auto Parts, Outerwears, Penske Racing Shocks, Performance Bodies, Poske's Performance Parts, Pro Power Racing Engines, ProtectTheHarvest.com, Rocket Chassis, Rugged Radios, Schoenfeld Headers, Simpson Race Products, Slicker Graphics, Strange Oval, Sunoco Race Fuels, Swift Springs, Summit Racing Equipment, Thermo-Tec Automotive Products, Todd Steel Buildings, UNOH - University of Northwestern Ohio, Vic Hill Race Engines, Victory Fuel, Whelen Engineering Company, Wieland Metal Services, Wilwood, Xceldyne, and 5150 Race Trailers