CONCORD, N.C. — Neal Dulin took the top spot on the podium for the Round 9 Night Owl Companies Young Lions division, holding off a hard-charging Keelan Harvick in the final laps Tuesday night at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Harvick relayed an early message that he was looking to be the class of the field as he started first and got off to a dominant lead. Dulin soon tracked down Harvick, vaulting for the gold medal position on lap 13.
Dulin built his lead to half a second before like a stopwatch, a caution bunched up the field. On the final restart, Harvick tried to dive in for the top spot, but Dulin’s flame burned brighter, allowing him to see the flag bearer first.
Rodney Dowless took home the bronze medal in third, while Spencer Bradshaw and Matthew Laprade cycled out the top five.
After Cook Out Summer Shootout Young Lions point leader Max Reaves finished 13th, the window for Harvick and Dulin to slip into the championship running appeared. Reaves, who has 763 season points, leads Harvick by three and Dulin by six and is looking to secure a championship coronation in the summer finale.
Closing out the double-header action, Lucas McFall (Night Owl Companies Beginner Bandos), Wyatt Coffey (Bandits), TJ Moon (Bojangles Outlaws), Kaden Bradshaw (Chargers), Neal Dulin (Night Owl Companies Young Lions), London McKenzie (VP Fuels Semi-Pro), Daniel Wilk (UNC-Charlotte Pros) and Robby Faggart (Old Armor Beer Company Masters) all joined the village of victors.
In the rescheduled Round 8 battle, Lucas McFall (Night Owl Companies Beginner Bandos), Wyatt Coffey (Bandits), TJ Moon (Bojangles Outlaws), Kaden Bradshaw (Chargers), Keelan Harvick (Night Owl Companies Young Lions), London McKenzie (VP Fuels Semi-Pro), Daniel Wilk (UNC-Charlotte Pros) and Scott Moseley (Old Armor Beer Company Masters) all earned gold medals.