TULSA, Okla. — A back-and-forth battle to determine who would win the 55-lap Outlaw division feature during the 38th annual Lucas Oil Tulsa Shootout saw Emerson Axsom end up in victory lane.
Winning his third overall Golden Driller, it was Axsom’s second Outlaw division triumph.
Chasing California’s T.J. Smith at the start, the bottom was the line early on with Smith glued to the gutter. Stepping out as the race worked through the 10th lap, Axsom worked the top of one and two a few times while still running the hub in three and four of Tulsa Expo Raceway.
Already in traffic, Axsom rolled up on Smith on lap 13 and took the point the following rotation. Keeping the spot through the 17th circuit, the bottom proved the better line still for Smith to retake the lead.
Searching over the next 10 laps, the top was continuing to improve, with the Driven2Save Lives mount finally going full send on the cushion. Reeling Smith in, Axsom regained the lead on lap 31. Setting sail from there, Axsom won by 2.090 seconds.
Working the top to second one lap after Axsom took the lead, Brent Crews held the position to the end, with Smith ending up third.
Daison Pursley raced from 11th to fourth, with Shane Stewart crossing fifth.
The final car count for the Outlaw class was 239. In all, 1,722 entries were received, with 1,655 officially drawing in. The count was only six less than the 2022 event. Overall, 3,410 green flag laps were contested over 358 races.
Six Golden Drillers were handed out Saturday, with four going to first-time winners. Axsom and Hagopian each added a third to their record. TJ Smith topped Outlaw Non-Wing, with Stock Non-Wing going to Gavan Boschele. Restricted went to Jack Thomas, Junior Sprints to Mattix McBride.
The finish:
Feature (55 Laps): 1. 47B-Emerson Axsom[2]; 2. 11X-Brent Crews[4]; 3. 8A-TJ Smith[1]; 4. 2J-Daison Pursley[11]; 5. 10S-Shane Stewart[5]; 6. 4Y-Jett Yantis[6]; 7. 21H-Kameron Key[8]; 8. 4H-Harley Hollan[3]; 9. 52-Blake Hahn[12]; 10. 14Q-Jake Hagopian[13]; 11. 570-Johnny Smith[15]; 12. 87X-Chance Crum[10]; 13. 65-Michael Faccinto[16]; 14. 55B-Jett Barnes[7]; 15. 2B-Garrett Benson[17]; 16. 89-Jace Park[22]; 17. 94C-Craig Ronk[19]; 18. 8H-Matthew Howard[9]; 19. 8J-Jonathan Beason[18]; 20. 5K-Gavan Boschele[24]; 21. 20R-Ricky Thornton Jr[23]; 22. 21T-Tommy Kunsman[25]; 23. 24A-KJ Snow[20]; 24. (DNF) 11B-Kaylee Bryson[14]; 25. (DNF) 36K-Kris Carroll[21]
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