WAYNESVILLE, GA (January 17, 2025) – On lap 42, Tyler Bruening reclaimed the lead from Daulton Wilson and pulled away in the closing laps for his first career win in the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series presented by FloRacing, during the opening night of the Super Bowl of Racing at Golden Isles Speedway on Friday night.
The Decorah, Iowa native led the first six laps before giving the lead to Wilson, who maintained his position until he had to slow down for a car that was crosswise in front of him on lap 41. Though Bruening had dropped to third, he regained speed in the final laps, overtaking Wilson to become the 93rd different winner in the 21-year history of the series.
Jonathan Davenport passed Brandon Overton in the final laps to secure second place. Overton finished third, with Devin Moran and Brian Shirley completing the top five drivers.
Not only was it Lucas Oil Victory Lane for the first time in his career, but it was also Bruening’s first-ever win in a national touring series event.
“I can’t describe it,” said an emotional Bruening after earning his win. “It’s the hardest thing I have ever done. Those guys [Wilson and Overton] got by me. We had a good hot rod all night; everything was a first for me tonight. I set a new track record; I have never done that before. I won a heat against some of the best in the business. I drove my butt off in the feature. My emotions are high; I don’t know what to say. I am on the verge of just breaking down here. Oh man, I can’t tell you how hard it’s been. The ups and downs, how difficult this sport is, and how good everybody really is.”
“I am so blessed to wheel this hot rod here tonight. We’ve been through a lot. We have worked our butt off, and I couldn’t be prouder. My crew chief Zeb [Holksevick] deserves this. My mom, my sister, and my brother, watch me every night.”
Davenport, who started in ninth place, came to life late in the race to secure the runner-up spot behind Bruening.
“That’s awesome for Tyler to win. I saw he fell back, and then he got rolling on the top, so he did a great job keeping his composure and finding a new line. Congratulations to him. I stole one from him a couple of years ago at Knoxville. I had that in the back of my mind. Thanks to my guys, we had a good car there, we just needed a little bit more. I am never satisfied and think I can be a little better. I know some things we need to work on. We always run well here but haven’t won in a while. It’s really tough.”
In his return to the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series presented by FloRacing this year in the Longhorn Factory Car, Overton rounded out the Big River Steel Podium in third.
“I was content to running second to Daulton. I knew he had a 2 compound on and I was thinking this is Brunswick. The bottom is going to clean up, we are going to single file and he’ll start backing up, and then all of a sudden here comes Bruening blowing by. What do you do? It’s the first night; I am so excited for this year. We run in the top three of a Lucas Oil race. We have so much more room to go.”
The winner’s Greg Bruening-owned Skyline Motorsports Longhorn Chassis is powered by a Clements Racing Engine and sponsored by Quick Supply Company, Truck Country, Olson Explosives, Bilstein Shocks, Bruening Rock Products, and Brown’s Heavy Equipment.
Completing the top ten were Jimmy Owens, Brandon Sheppard, Max Blair, Garrett Alberson, and Daulton Wilson.
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Race Summary
Super Bowl of Racing | Night 1
Friday, January 17, 2025
Golden Isles Speedway – Brunswick, GA
Allstar Performance Time Trials
Fast Time Group A: Tyler Bruening | 14.687 seconds (overall)
Fast Time Group B: Ryan Gustin | 14.711 seconds
Penske Shocks Heat Race #1 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 16-Tyler Bruening[1]; 2. 76-Brandon Overton[5]; 3. 49-Jonathan Davenport[3]; 4. 28-Dennis Erb Jr[9]; 5. 2-Cody Overton[4]; 6. 7-Ross Robinson[10]; 7. 1-Brandon Sheppard[2]; 8. 60-Dan Ebert[8]; 9. 23-Beckham Malone[6]; 10. 388-Jackson Hise[11]; 11. 22-Daniel Hilsabeck[7]
Summit Racing Products Heat Race #2 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 18D-Daulton Wilson[1]; 2. 93-Carson Ferguson[4]; 3. 71-Hudson O'Neal[5]; 4. 74X-Ethan Dotson[7]; 5. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr[2]; 6. 19M-Spencer Hughes[8]; 7. 76N-Blair Nothdurft[6]; 8. 44-Chris Madden[9]; 9. 20-Jimmy Owens[3]; 10. 14-Haiden Cowan[10]; 11. (DNS) 99B-Boom Briggs
Cool-It Thermo-Tec Heat Race #3 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 19R-Ryan Gustin[1]; 2. 3S-Brian Shirley[2]; 3. 22*-Drake Troutman[4]; 4. 40B-Kyle Bronson[6]; 5. 1T-Tyler Erb[3]; 6. 10-Garrett Smith[5]; 7. 17SS-Brenden Smith[8]; 8. 111R-Steven Roberts[9]; 9. 9Y-Levi Yetter[7]; 10. 93L-Cory Lawler[10]; 11. 51-Chad Tuten[11]
Simpson Race Products Heat Race #4 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 99-Devin Moran[2]; 2. 58-Garrett Alberson[1]; 3. 111-Max Blair[3]; 4. 09-Michael Leach[5]; 5. 9-Tim McCreadie[4]; 6. 5-Mark Whitener[8]; 7. 6-Clay Harris[9]; 8. 81J-Jack Riggs[6]; 9. 59-Trey Mills[7]; 10. 79-Donald McIntosh[10]; 11. 17Z-Seth Zacharias[11]
Fast Shafts B-Main Race #1 Finish (10 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 2-Cody Overton[1]; 2. 1-Brandon Sheppard[5]; 3. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr[2]; 4. 19M-Spencer Hughes[4]; 5. 20-Jimmy Owens[10]; 6. 60-Dan Ebert[7]; 7. 76N-Blair Nothdurft[6]; 8. 7-Ross Robinson[3]; 9. 44-Chris Madden[8]; 10. 23-Beckham Malone[9]; 11. 22-Daniel Hilsabeck[13]; 12. 14-Haiden Cowan[12]; 13. 388-Jackson Hise[11]; 14. (DNS) 99B-Boom Briggs
UNOH B-Main Race #2 Finish (10 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 9-Tim McCreadie[2]; 2. 1T-Tyler Erb[1]; 3. 5-Mark Whitener[4]; 4. 10-Garrett Smith[3]; 5. 81J-Jack Riggs[8]; 6. 17SS-Brenden Smith[5]; 7. 6-Clay Harris[6]; 8. 79-Donald McIntosh[12]; 9. 93L-Cory Lawler[11]; 10. 59-Trey Mills[10]; 11. 9Y-Levi Yetter[9]; 12. 17Z-Seth Zacharias[14]; 13. 111R-Steven Roberts[7]; 14. 51-Chad Tuten[13]
Super Bowl of Racing | Night 1 Feature Finish (50 Laps):
Pos - Start - Car # - Competitor - Hometown - Pay
1 - 1 - 16 - Tyler Bruening - Decorah, IA - $12,000
2 - 9 - 49 - Jonathan Davenport - Blairsville, GA - $6,000
3 - 5 - 76 - Brandon Overton - Evans, GA - $3,500
4 - 4 - 99 - Devin Moran - Dresden, OH - $2,800
5 - 6 - 3S - Brian Shirley - Chatham, IL - $2,500
6 - 23 - 20 - Jimmy Owens - Newport, TN - $2,300
7 - 19 - 1 - Brandon Sheppard - New Berlin, IL - $2,200
8 - 12 - 111 - Max Blair - Centerville, PA - $2,100
9 - 8 - 58 - Garrett Alberson - Las Cruces, NM - $2,050
10 - 3 - 18D - Daulton Wilson - Fayetteville, NC - $2,000
11 - 20 - 1T - Tyler Erb - New Waverly, TX - $1,600
12 - 13 - 28 - Dennis Erb Jr - Carpentersville, IL - $1,400
13 - 10 - 22* - Drake Troutman - Hyndman, PA - $1,200
14 - 14 - 40B - Kyle Bronson - Brandon, FL - $1,100
15 - 15 - 74X - Ethan Dotson - Bakersfield, CA - $1,050
16 - 7 - 93 - Carson Ferguson - Lincolnton, NC - $1,000
17 - 27 - 60 - Dan Ebert - Lake Shore, MN - $100
18 - 18 - 9 - Tim McCreadie - Watertown, NY - $1,000
19 - 24 - 7 - Ross Robinson - Georgetown, DE - $1,000
20 - 16 - 9 - Michael Leach - Sun River, MT - $1,000
21 - 22 - 5 - Mark Whitener - Middleburg, FL - $1,000
22 - 21 - 20RT - Ricky Thornton Jr - Chandler, AZ - $1,000
23 - 25 - 6 - Clay Harris - Jupiter, FL - $100
24 - 11 - 71 - Hudson O'Neal - Martinsville, IN - $1,000
25 - 26 - 17SS - Brenden Smith - Dade City, FL - $100
26 - 28 - 79 - Donald McIntosh - Dawsonville, GA - $100
27 - 17 - 2 - Cody Overton - Thomson, GA - $1,000
28 - 2 - 19R - Ryan Gustin - Marshalltown, IA - $1,000
Race Statistics
Entrants: 44
Victory Fuel Pole Sitter: Tyler Bruening
Lap Leaders: Tyler Bruening (Laps 1-6); Daulton Wilson (Laps 7-41); Tyler Bruening (Laps 42-50)
Wieland Feature Winner: Tyler Bruening
Margin of Victory: 1.134 seconds
Coltman Farms Racing Cautions: Donald McIntosh (Lap 6); Ryan Gustin (Lap 12); Donald McIntosh (Lap 19); Ross Robinson (Lap 45)
Series Provisionals: Jimmy Owens; Ross Robinson
Fast Time Provisional: n/a
Emergency Provisionals: Clay Harris; Brenden Smith; Dan Ebert; Donald McIntosh
Track Provisional: n/a
Big River Steel Podium Top 3: Tyler Bruening, Jonathan Davenport, Brandon Overton
Penske Shocks Top 5: Tyler Bruening, Jonathan Davenport, Brandon Overton, Devin Moran, Brian Shirley
Hoker Trucking Hard Charger of the Race: Jimmy Owens (Advanced 17 Positions)
Wilwood Brakes Lucky 7th Place Feature: Brandon Sheppard
Deatherage Opticians Lucky 13th Place Feature: Dennis Erb, Jr.
MD3 Most Laps Led: Daulton Wilson (35 Laps)
Sunoco Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Jimmy Owens
Midwest Sheet Metal Spoiler Challenge Point Leader: Ricky Thornton, Jr.
Fastest Lap of the Race: Tyler Bruening (Lap 5 | 15.227 seconds)
Slicker Graphics Slickest Move of the Race: Tyler Bruening
Hard Luck Award: Daulton Wilson
Outerwears Crew Chief of the Race: Zeb Holkesvik (Tyler Bruening)
ARP Engine Builder of the Race: Clements Racing Engines
Miller Welders Chassis Builder of the Race: Longhorn Chassis
Dirt Draft Fastest in Hot Laps: Brian Shirley (14.924 seconds)
Time of Race: 25 minutes 49 seconds
Big River Steel Chase for the Championship Presented by ARP Point Standings:
Pos - Car # - Competitor - Hometown - Points - Pay
1 - 16 - Tyler Bruening - Decorah, IA - 260 - $12,000
2 - 49 - Jonathan Davenport - Blairsville, GA - 230 - $6,000
3 - 76 - Brandon Overton - Evans, GA - 220 - $3,500
4 - 99 - Devin Moran - Dresden, OH - 210 - $2,800
5 - 3S - Brian Shirley - Chatham, IL - 205 - $2,500
6 - 20 - Jimmy Owens - Newport, TN - 200 - $2,300
7 - 1 - Brandon Sheppard - New Berlin, IL - 195 - $2,200
8 - 111 - Max Blair - Centerville, PA - 190 - $2,100
9 - 58 - Garrett Alberson - Las Cruces, NM - 185 - $2,050
10 - 18D - Daulton Wilson - Fayetteville, NC - 180 - $2,000
11 - 1T - Tyler Erb - New Waverly, TX - 175 - $1,600
12 - 28 - Dennis Erb Jr - Carpentersville, IL - 170 - $1,400
13 - 22* - Drake Troutman - Hyndman, PA - 165 - $1,200
14 - 40B - Kyle Bronson - Brandon, FL - 160 - $1,100
15 - 74X - Ethan Dotson - Bakersfield, CA - 155 - $1,050
16 - 93 - Carson Ferguson - Lincolnton, NC - 150 - $1,000
17 - 60 - Dan Ebert - Lake Shore, MN - 145 - $100
18 - 9 - Tim McCreadie - Watertown, NY - 140 - $1,000
19 - 19R - Ryan Gustin - Marshalltown, IA - 135 - $1,000
20 - 7 - Ross Robinson - Georgetown, DE - 135 - $1,000
21 - 9 - Michael Leach - Sun River, MT - 130 - $1,000
22 - 79 - Donald McIntosh - Dawsonville, GA - 125 - $100
23 - 5 - Mark Whitener - Middleburg, FL - 125 - $1,000
24 - 71 - Hudson O'Neal - Martinsville, IN - 125 - $1,000
25 - 2 - Cody Overton - Thomson, GA - 125 - $1,000
26 - 20RT - Ricky Thornton Jr - Chandler, AZ - 125 - $1,000
27 - 6 - Clay Harris - Jupiter, FL - 125 - $100
28 - 17SS - Brenden Smith - Dade City, FL - 125 - $100
29 - 19M - Spencer Hughes - Meridian, MS - 120 - $100
30 - 10 - Garrett Smith - Madison, GA - 120 - $100
31 - 76N - Blair Nothdurft - Renner, SD - 115 - $100
32 - 81J - Jack Riggs - Nolensville, TN - 115 - $100
33 - 44 - Chris Madden - Gray Court, SC - 110 - $100
34 - 93L - Cory Lawler - Hanover, PA - 110 - $100
35 - 23 - Beckham Malone - Rock Hill, SC - 105 - $100
36 - 59 - Trey Mills - St. Augustine, FL - 105 - $100
37 - 22 - Daniel Hilsabeck - Earlham, IA - 100 - $100
38 - 9Y - Levi Yetter - Cabot, PA - 100 - $100
39 - 14 - Haiden Cowan - Rincon, GA - 95 - $100
40 - 17Z - Seth Zacharias - Vestal, NY - 95 - $100
41 - 388 - Jackson Hise - Ocala, FL - 90 - $100
42 - 111R - Steven Roberts - Sylvester, GA - 90 - $100
43 - 51 - Chad Tuten - Blackshear, GA - 85 - $100
44 - 99B - Boom Briggs - Bear Lake, PA - 50 - $0
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