MARYVILLE, Tenn. — Brandon Overton was in charge from the start of the Mountain Moonshine Classic on Saturday night at Smoky Mountain Speedway.
Overton collectedv$50,000 for the win in the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series sanctioned event after leading all 60 laps of the race.
Overton held off challenges early from Ryan Gustin and late in the race from Ricky Thornton Jr. but never trailed for his first Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series win of 2024.
Thornton finished in second and Gustin rounded out the Big River Steel Podium in third. Jonathan Davenport was fourth and Brandon Sheppard completed the top-five finishers.
The Evans, Georgia driver became the 11th different winner this year on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series.
“I didn’t know if I was ever going to win another race. I have been knotted up all day. We were not very good last night, and we worked on it,” Overton said. “We qualified good, we heat raced good, and I knew it was all up to me to not screw it up. We made the right decisions and I think the first lap me and Ryan, we both knew getting out in front early was important.
“We kind of rubbed down there, but that’s awesome we were the only two Infinity Chassis’ here and we ran one-two most of the race. So, hats off to Eric [Wells] and everybody back at the shop. To win in front of all these people I appreciate all of you coming out. It was a special night.”
Thornton chased down Overton in the closing laps but ran out of time falling 0.824 seconds short at the finish.
“It was a really good night for us,” Thornton said. “I was a little mad I didn’t qualify in front of Brandon in our group. I knew him starting on the pole that it was going to be really tough to pass him. The lapped cars made it really tough on him there was a lot of them that you kind of had to slide and hope they slowed down. All-in-all it was good weekend for us. Congrats to Overton and to Ryan for a good race as well.”
For Gustin it was his first podium finish since All-Tech earlier in the year.
“We’ll take it, obviously when those yellows kept coming out I kept taking the top on those restarts. I would get a good start, but Ricky had a really good restart there on the last one he got us. I’ve got to tip my hat to him he left me room on every restart so thanks to him for that. These Infinity Chassis have been really good, we have been off a little there compared to where we needed to be. To finish third in a crown jewel race we will take it anytime.”
The finish:
Brandon Overton, Ricky Thornton Jr., Ryan Gustin, Jonathan Davenport, Brandon Sheppard, Devin Moran, Tim McCreadie, Nick Hoffman, Dale McDowell, Kyle Bronson, Ricky Weiss, Cory Hedgecock, Jimmy Owens, Mike Marlar, Garrett Alberson, Carson Ferguson, Hudson O’Neal, Daulton Wilson, Clay Harris, Ross Robinson, Boom Briggs, Brandon Smith, Cory Lawler, Max Blair, Jensen Ford, Drake Troutman.