BURLINGTON, Iowa — Coming off a dominant performance last Saturday night at his home track, Devin Moran went back-to-back in the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, winning Thursday night’s 16th annual Brent Slocum 50 at 34 Raceway.
Moran’s fifth Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series win of the season was worth $15,555 for the event honoring the 2004 34 Raceway track champion Brent Slocum, who passed away in 2005 at the age of 28.
There were four lead changes among two drivers with Moran taking the lead for good on lap 16 from Tim McCreadie.
Moran pulled away for a 2.547-second victory over defending series champion Hudson O’Neal, who finished second in his return to SSI Motorsports.
McCreadie led the opening lap until Moran passed him on lap two to gain the lead for the first time in the race.
However, McCreadie didn’t give up as he forged ahead of Moran on lap 11 but couldn’t hold off the Ohio racer. Moran seized control on lap 16 — a lead which he never relinquished.
Daulton Wilson came from his ninth place starting spot to round out the podium. Ricky Thornton Jr., in his start for Koehler Motorsports, finished fourth after starting 13th. Garrett Alberson rounded out the top five.
“We are right on track,” Moran said. “I feel like we have really hit our stride here in the last couple weeks. I think that’s eight or nine podium finishes in a row. That’s just a testament to how great my crew guys are and how great my car owner and this whole team is. I have watched the Slocum 50 the last eight or 10 years on DirtonDirt, and I never got to race it because it’s so far from home. It’s just cool to come out here and race in front of this crowd and the Slocum family. I have never met them, but I am sure I will get the privilege too.”
O’Neal, who started sixth battled with McCreadie before finally clearing him on lap 22.
“There are no words to describe the sense of relief I have. I told them guys that it feels like I’ve won almost after the week it’s been,” O’Neal related. “Over the last few months, it’s just been in general my racing career has been a little up-and-down and it just feels good to get back to rolling pretty good. I felt like I had a really good racecar there I just missed a little bit of balance right there at the end. I just couldn’t roll the bottom like he [Moran] could there the last half of the race.”
Wilson was one of the fastest cars on the track throughout the mid portion on the race, but his momentum stalled out once he got to third as he challenged O’Neal for several laps before finishing third.
“The way it’s been going here lately I am tickled to death. I thought I had a shot at second for a minute then I really hurt my left rear tire bad running around the top of one and two down there, so I had to get down. Huddy never left the door open for me and the lapped cars were tricky to get around.”
The finish:
Devin Moran, Hudson O’Neal, Daulton Wilson, Ricky Thornton Jr., Garrett Alberson, Tim McCreadie, Carson Ferguson, Jonathan Davenport, Mike Marlar, Drake Troutman, Earl Pearson Jr., Rich Bell, Chad Simpson, Derrick Stewart, Max Blair, Clay Harris, Brenden Smith, Boom Briggs, Jimmy Owens, Frank Heckenast Jr., Cory Lawler, Spencer Diercks, Ross Robinson, Kayden Clatt.