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DeLEON SPRINGS, FL – Kyle Bronson of Brandon, FL drove the Brandon Ford Rocket to his second straight win on Friday night in the 25-lap Sunshine Nationals main event for the Newsome Raceway Parts Crate Racin’ USA Dirt Late Model Series and the DIRTcar Pro Late Models at Volusia Speedway Park.

Bronson took the lead on lap five and never looked back to collect the $2,000 top prize and another Newsome Raceway Parts Crate Racin’ USA Golden Helmet Trophy to add to his collection. Bronson picked up the $1,500-to-win Sunshine Nationals race on Thursday night at Volusia Speedway Park.

The lead change came on lap five as Bronson dove to the inside of early race leader Jadon Frame of Decherd, TN in turn one. The two front runners made contact in turn two and Frame’s Denby’s J&J Construction Capital Race Car made a hard right turn and made heavy contact with the wall. Frame was uninjured, but he was done for the night.

“I hate what happened with Frame up in turn two, as we were just two good cars racing hard for the lead and we got together,” Bronson said. “Once we got in the lead, we just tried to maintain what we had, and save a little for the end if we needed it.”

On Saturday night, Bronson and the rest of the field will race for $10,000-to-win in a 30-lap main event for the finale of the Sunshine Nationals. Bronson has had past success in $10,000-to-win races with the Crate Racin’ USA, as he has six wins that include three Chevrolet Performance World Championship Races, two Southern 100 wins, and a Possum Town Grand Prix win.

Randy Weaver of Crossville, TN finished second for the second straight night in the B&M Concrete CVR and Max Blair of Centerville, PA was third for the second straight night in the Murphy’s Logging Rocket. The defending Newsome Raceway Parts Crate Racin’ USA Dirt Late Model Series National Champion Jake Knowles of Rome, GA took the fourth spot in the Knowles Race Parts and Bodies Longhorn.

Nevin Gainey of Fort White, FL finished fifth in the Kryptonite Race Cars Special and Trever Taylor of Zellwood, FL drove the Envy Suspension Snow Brothers to a sixth-place finish. Corey Almond of Appomattox, VA was seventh in the AA Contractors Longhorn and Brandon Williams of Crossville, TN took the eighth spot in the Jeff Woods Construction Capital.

The ninth spot went to Trynt Lloyd of Jacksonville, FL in the Tom Kelly Construction Longhorn and Devin Dixon of Apollo Beach, FL rounded out the top ten in the CURS Capital. Todd Cooney of Pleasant Hill, IA started 24th in the Spangler Automotive Mastersbilt and finished 11th to earn the Knowles Race Parts and Bodies Hard Charger Award.

In preliminary action, Bronson was the Pace Performance Quick Time winner with a lap around the half-mile clay oval in 17.058 seconds. The four eight-lap heat races were won by Bronson, Mark Whitener of Middleburg, FL in the ULC Motorsports Barry Wright, Knowles, and Walker Arthur of Forest, VA in the Cecil B. Arthur Beef Farms Kryptonite. The two ten-lap B-Main races were won by Jeff Mathews of Brandon, FL in the CURS Rocket and Dixon.

Knowles took the lead at the start of the race from the pole position followed by Whitener, Bronson, Frame, and Blair. Frame made a big move from fourth to the lead on lap two, bringing Bronson with him up into second.

The first of five caution flags came out on lap five when Dillon Brown of Gaffney, SC hit the fourth turn wall in the Cherokee Landscaping Longhorn. Frame led Bronson, Knowles, Whitener, Arthur, Blair, Michael Page of Douglasville, GA in the Troy Beard Racing Mastersbilt, Almond, Williams, and Weaver in the top ten double up behind him for the restart.

Bronson dove for the inside of turn one on the restart to challenge Frame for the lead. The two leaders raced into turn two side-by-side when Frame on the outside veered to the wall, made hard contact, and brought the caution flag back out.

Blair made a big move on the next restart coming from fifth to third. Bronson had his car on kill, as he opened up a full straightaway lead by lap ten. The yellow caution bulb was lit up for the third time on lap 11 when Clay Harris of Jupiter, FL stalled the Dunnrite Construction Rocket on the backstretch.

The field raced for one more lap when Page gave up the seventh spot when he stalled on the backstretch to bring out the fourth caution flag. Bronson had Knowles, Blair, Arthur, Weaver, Gainey, Taylor, David Whitener of Middleburg, FL in the ULC Motorsports Barry Wright, and Dixon doubled up behind him for the restart. Blair and Weaver got by Knowles on the restart to take over second and third respectively.

Blair and Weaver battled for the second spot while Bronson pulled away. On lap 15, Bronson had a two second lead on Weaver, but that went away on lap 18 when Mark Whitener spun in turn two. Bronson led Weaver, Blair, Knowles, Gainey, Taylor, Almond, Dixon, David Whitener, and Jamie Carter of Clayhill, FL in the DMT Trucking Barry Wright down for the restart.

Weaver was reeling in Bronson during the closing laps but Bronson sealed the deal when Weaver jumped the cushion in turn four on lap 24. Bronson had a 1.260 second margin of victory at the checkered flag. Night three of the Sunshine Nationals will be on Saturday night with the Newsome Raceway Park Crate Racin’ USA/DIRTcar Pro Late Models running for $10,000-to-win.

For more information and rules about the Newsome Raceway Parts Crate Racin’ USA Dirt Late Model Series, visit the series web site atwww.crateracinusa.com, or visit the series on Facebook at Durrence Layne Racing. You can follow us on Twitter @DurrenceLayneRacing.

OFFICIAL RESULTS OF ROUND 3 OF THE WINTER SHOOTOUT SERIES AT VOLUSIA SPEEDWAY PARK IN DeLEON SPRINGS, FL ON 1/17/20:

POS STRT CAR # DRIVER HOMETOWN LAPS

1. 3 40b Kyle Bronson Brandon, FL 25
2. 9 116 Randy Weaver Crossville, TN 25
3. 6 111 Max Blair Centerville, PA 25
4. 1 66 Jake Knowles Rome, GA 25
5. 12 17 Nevin Gainey Fort White, FL 25
6. 14 7t Trever Taylor Zellwood, FL 25
7. 10 7a Corey Almond Appomattox, VA 25
8. 5 95 Brandon Williams Crossville, TN 25
9. 11 2 Trynt Lloyd Jacksonville, FL 25
10. 22 313 Devin Dixon Apollo Beach, FL 25
11. 24 30 Todd Cooney Pleasant Hill, IA 25
12. 16 5w David Whitener Middleburg, FL 25
13. 13 38 Jamie Carter Clayhill, FL 25
14. 19 14b John Baker Norman Park, GA 25
15. 25 11 Cruz Skinner Oxford, AL 25
16. 21 33 Jeff Mathews Brandon, FL 25
17. 26 7 Jason Fitzgerald Middleburg, FL 25
18. 8 87 Walker Arthur Forest, VA 25
19. 23 38p Trey Pearson Callahan, FL 25
20. 17 71 Pierce McCarter Gatlinburg, TN 25
21. 15 84 Sam Halstead Newlondon, IA 18
22. 2 5 Mark Whitener Middleburg, FL 17
23. 20 6 Dillon Brown Gaffney, SC 16
24. 7 18x Michael Page Douglasville, GA 11
25. 18 6h Clay Harris Jupiter, FL 9
26. 4 J8 Jason Frame Decherd, TN 4

ENTRIES: 43
PACE PERFORMANCE QUICK TIME: Bronson, 17.058 Seconds
PROVISIONALS: Skinner and Fitzgerald
LEAD CHANGES: 2
LAP LEADERS: Knowles, 1; Frame, 2-4; Bronson, 5-25
LAPS LED: Bronson, 21; Frame, 3; Knowles, 1
KNOWLES RACE PARTS HARD CHARGER: Cooney (started 24th and finished 11th)
KRC POWER STEERING HEAT RACE WINNERS: Bronson, Mark Whitener, Jake Knowles, and Arthur
CAUTIONS: 5
MARGIN OF VICTORY: 1.260 Seconds
TIME OF THE RACE: 30 Minutes and 26.900 Seconds
NEXT RACE: 1/18/20, Volusia Speedway Park, DeLeon, Springs, FL, $10,000-to-win

PACE PERFORMANCE QUICK TIME GROUP QUALIFYING:

GROUP 1:
POS CAR # DRIVER HOMETOWN CHASSIS TIME
1 40b Kyle Bronson Brandon, FL Rocket 17.058
2 2 Trynt Lloyd Jacksonville, FL Longhorn 17.553
3 116 Randy Weaver Crossville, TN CVR 17.566
4 95 Brandon Williams Crossville, TN Capital 17.581
5 38p Trey Pearson Callahan, FL Rocket 17.597
6 84 Sam Halstad Newlondon, IA Mastersbilt 17.618
7 J8 Jadon Frame Decherd, TN Capital 17.638
8 5 Mark Whitener Middleburg, FL Barry Wright 17.674
9 38 Jamie Carter Clayhill, FL Barry Wright 17.693
10 14b John Baker Norman Park, GA Rocket 17.837
11 71 Pierce McCarter Gatlinburg, TN Longhorn 17.901
12 10 Cody Overton Evans, GA Rocket 17.970
13 44 John Ruggiero Jr. Lincolnton, NC Longhorn 17.991
14 33 Jeff Mathews Brandon, FL Rocket 18.066
15 K37 Drew Kennedy Lancing, TN Rocket 18.073
16 1 Grant Garrison Walton, KY Club 29 18.106
17 74 Mike Franklin Winchester, VA Barry Wright 18.269
18 9 Jimmy Waldrop Seffner, FL Rocket 18.328
19 17m David Markham Live Oak, FL Kryptonite 18.351
20 16 Tom Egner Hinesville, GA Longhorn 19.076
21 39 Troy Dixon Dallas, GA Rocket 19.614
22 14 Howard Stalls Mandarin, FL Black Diamond DQ-Tire

GROUP 2:
POS CAR # DRIVER HOMETOWN CHASSIS TIME
1 18x Michael Page Douglasville, GA Mastersbilt 17.322
2 111 Max Blair Centerville, PA Rocket 17.336
3 7a Cory Almond Appomattox, VA Longhorn 17.385
4 6 Dillon Brown Gaffney, SC Longhorn 17.471
5 7t Trevor Taylor Zellwood, FL Snow Bros. 17.479
6 5w David Whitener Middleburg, FL Barry Wright 17.485
7 66 Jake Knowles Rome, GA Longhorn 17.494
8 87 Walker Arthur Forest, VA Kryptonite 17.513
9 7 Jason Fitzgerald Jacksonville, FL Black Diamond 17.522
10 27 Joe Denby Tullahoma, TN Capital 17.572
11 6 Clay Harris Jupiter, FL Rocket 17.714
12 17 Nevin Gainey Fort White, FL Kryptonite 17.715
13 30 Todd Cooney Pleasant Hill IA Mastersbilt 17.745
14 721 Joe Kump Lake Helen, FL Kryptonite 17.778
15 313 Devin Dixon Apollo Beach, FL Capital 17.786
16 4 Justin Litchford Chattanooga, TN GRT 17.822
17 20 Owen Osteen Woodruff, SC Longhorn 17.881
18 66k Jody Knowles Tyrone, GA Rocket 17.963
19 32 Curtis Glover Runnells, IA Mastersbilt 18.087
20 C71 Cody Courtney Powell, TN CVR 18.204
21 11 Cruz Skinner Oxford, AL Rocket 22.268

HEAT RACES (8 Laps – Top 5 Transfer To Main Event):

1ST HEAT: 1. Bronson; 2. Frame; 3. Weaver; 4. Carter; 5. McCarter; 6. Kennedy; 7. Pearson; 8. Markham; 9. Ruggerio; 10. Franklin; 11. T. Dixon.

2ND HEAT: 1. M. Whitener; 2. Williams; 3. Lloyd; 4. Halstead; 5. Baker; 6. Mathews; 7. Overton; 8. Garrison; 9. Stalls; 10. Waldrop; 11. Egner.

3RD HEAT: 1. Ja. Knowles; 2. Page; 3. Almond; 4. Taylor; 5. Harris; 6. Cooney; 7. D. Dixon; 8. Skinner; 9. Glover; 10. Osteen; 11. Fitzgerald.

4TH HEAT: 1. Arthur; 2. Blair; 3. Gainey; 4. D. Whitener; 5. Brown; 6. Litchford; 7. Jo. Knowles; 8. Kump; 9. Courtney; 10. Denby.

B-MAIN RACES (10 Laps – Top 5 Transfer To Main Event):

1ST B-MAIN: 1. Mathews; 2. Pearson; 3. Kennedy; 4. Overton; 5. Markham; 6. Ruggerio; 7. Garrison; 8. Stalls; 9. Franklin; 10. Egner; 11. T. Dixon; 12. Waldrop.

2ND B-MAIN: 1. D. Dixon; 2. Cooney; 3. Litchford; 4. Kump; 5. Skinner; 6. Osteen; 7. Clover; 8. Courtney; 9. Jo. Knowles; 10. Denby; 11. Fitzgerald.

Newsome Raceway Parts, a Division of Raceway Chevrolet in Hartsville, SC, is the Title Sponsor of Crate Racin’ USA. Chevrolet Performance Parts is an Official Sponsor of Crate Racin’ USA. Hoosier Racing Tire is the Official Tire Sponsor of Crate Racin’ USA. VP Racing Fuel is the Official Race Fuel and Lubricant of Crate Racin’ USA. Knowles Race Parts and Bodies is the Official Parts Supplier for Crate Racin’ USA. David Smith Carburetors is the Official Carburetor of Crate Racin’ USA. Fullmoon Graphics is the Official Wrap, Banner, and Sign Company of Crate Racin’ USA. Crate Racin’ USA 2020 Chassis Sponsors are Warrior Race Cars, Rocket Chassis, GRT Race Cars, and CVR Race Cars.