FLORIDA’S NEWEST NIGHTMARE: Owens Earns First Career DIRTcar Nationals Gator Trophy

BARBERVILLE, FL – With all of his continued success around the national Dirt Late Model racing scene over the years, it seemed odd that one major Florida-Georgia Speedweeks venue Jimmy Owens never had a victory at was Volusia Speedway Park.

But on Thursday night at the DIRTcar Nationals presented by Bozard Ford, Owens finally added the track to his “conquered” list, as well as the first gator trophy to his collection.

“It’s awesome,” Owens said. “We’ve been coming down here for quite a few years now, and just couldn’t quite seem to get our ducks in a row. We’ve been steadily chunking away at it this week and it worked out for us.”

In short, Owens was smoother than silk, leading all 40 laps of the Morton Buildings Feature without missing a beat and cleanly fending off all challengers for his 16th career World of Outlaws Feature win. Dale McDowell crossed in second with his best run of the week while Josh Richards came from 12th to cap off the podium.

The Newport Nightmare grabbed the lead from polesitter Brandon Sheppard down the backstretch on lap 1 and immediately began putting some distance on the field. Sheppard challenged him to the inside in the opening circuits but was unable to make anything happen.

Through 40 laps, that was about the only time Owens was seriously challenged for the lead. Even lapped traffic couldn’t slow down The O-Show, as he maneuvered by every bit of it with ease and never let it slow him down once.

Using his preferred line around the bottom for much of the race, Owens seemed to have a terrific drive off of the corner that propelled him away from the rest of the field.

“I knew the bottom lane was going to clean-up there a little bit later and be the fastest way around,” Owens said. “When we got to lapped cars, we were still able to maneuver around them on the outside. The car was just flawless.”

His acceleration was certainly tested, however, with back-to-back-to-back restarts inside of the final 12 circuits. A hungry McDowell and Richards sat on his rear bumper for the final restart on lap 31, but Owens pulled away and brought the field back to the checkers.

Both the car and the track surface worked to Owens’ advantage throughout the race, but he knows Friday night’s race could be different conditions.

“As the track dries out, we’ve been missing just a little bit of something, maybe we found it tonight. The track throws something different at you every night, so tomorrow will be a different book,” Owens said.

Richards had a very strong car that he put on display early, advancing nine spots to break into the podium by the halfway point. Using that low line, Richards made a great move to McDowell’s inside for second on lap 21, which McDowell took back just nine laps later.

“Josh rolled by me and drove off there a little bit, and it took me a little bit to figure out what line to run, to reposition my car, McDowell said. “Then we had a caution come out, and I think that helped me and my right-front tire.”

On that final restart, Richards knew the clock was ticking on the time to make another move on McDowell and had to make a tough choice before taking the green.

“I really didn’t know whether to pick the top or the bottom on the restart,” Richards said. “Both [McDowell] and [Owens} are excellent in that type of condition when it’s patchy rubber and drive real straight.”

Defending DIRTcar Nationals Late Model champion Sheppard started the Feature on the pole but drifted back into the sixth position by race’s end. The 2018 Big Gator champion Chris Madden charged from as deep as 18th at one point to come back and finish eighth. Ricky Weiss was the final car to transfer out of his Last Chance Showdown and started 23rd, picking up 12 spots of position for an 11th-place result.

UP NEXT

The World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Model Series action continues from the DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park on Friday night, where the field takes on another 40-lap, $10,000-to-win Feature.

Catch all the action live on DIRTVision!

ABBREVIATED RESULTS (click here for full results)

Morton Buildings Feature (40 Laps) – 1. 20-Jimmy Owens [2][$10,000]; 2. 17M-Dale McDowell [4][$5,000]; 3. 14-Josh Richards [12][$3,000]; 4. 49-Jonathan Davenport [14][$2,500]; 5. 157-Mike Marlar [3][$2,000]; 6. 1-Brandon Sheppard [1][$1,700]; 7. 40B-Kyle Bronson [5][$1,400]; 8. 0M-Chris Madden [13][$1,300]; 9. 29v-Darrell Lanigan [8][$1,200]; 10. 15-Donny Schatz [9][$1,100]; 11. 7-Ricky Weiss [23][$1,050]; 12. 25-Shane Clanton [10][$1,000]; 13. 0e-Rick Eckert [21][$950]; 14. 28-Dennis Erb [24][$900]; 15. 1st-Johnny Scott [22][$850]; 16. 18-Chase Junghans [20][$800]; 17. 6T-Tyler Erb [15][$770]; 18. 12-Ashton Winger [26][$750]; 19. 0-Scott Bloomquist [17][$730]; 20. 3s-Brian Shirley [6][$700]; 21. B1-Brent Larson [29][$110]; 22. 99B-Boom Briggs [27][$110]; 23. 39-Tim McCreadie [11][$700]; 24. 97-Cade Dillard [25][$700]; 25. 4G-Kody Evans [7][$700]; 26. 66c-Matt Cosner [28][$110]; 27. 25w-Allen Weisser [16][$700]; 28. 22-Gregg Satterlee [18][$700]; 29. 6-Blake Spencer [30][$110]; 30. 5-Mark Whitener [19][$700]; Hard Charger: 7-Ricky Weiss[+12]

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DIRTcar Nationals presented by Bozard Ford
Thursday, February 13, 2020
Volusia Speedway Park
1500 East State Road 40
Barberville, Florida 32130 

Event Description
The biggest event in DIRTcar racing kicks off the season as the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series, World of Outlaws Late Model Series, All Star Circuit of Champions, Super DIRTcar Series Big-Block Modifieds, DIRTcar Late Models and DIRTcar UMP Modifieds take on the World’s Fastest Half-Mile!

Series Racing
World of Outlaws Late Model Series

Support Divisions
Super DIRTcar Series

To Win Amount
$10,000.00

Event Schedule
Daily Event Schedule
*Tentative & Subject to Change
10:00 a.m. Pit gates open/team entry/transporter parking
1:00 p.m. Pit pass sales begin / Will Call window opens
3:00 p.m. Pit areas secured/credentials & pit passes required
4:40 p.m. Grandstand/Fan Zone/Midway secured
5:00 p.m. Grandstand gates open
5:00 p.m. Fan Pit Pass gate opens
5:30 p.m. Hot Laps followed by Qualifying
6:50 p.m. Opening Ceremonies
7:00 p.m. Racing
*All times Eastern

Event Hashtag
#FLinFeb

Options And Prices
Tuesday, February 4 – $20 GA, $25 Reserved, $29 Premium Reserved (DIRTcar UMP Modifieds & Sprint Car Open Practice)
• Wednesday, February 5 – $29 GA, $35 Reserved, $39 Premium Reserved (All Star Circuit of Champions Sprint Cars & DIRTcar UMP
Modifieds)
• Thursday, February 6 – $29 GA, $35 Reserved, $39 Premium Reserved (All Star Circuit of Champions Sprint Cars & DIRTcar UMP
Modifieds)
• Friday, February 7 – $39 GA, $45 Reserved, $49 Premium Reserved (World of Outlaws Sprint Cars & DIRTcar UMP Modifieds)
• Saturday, February 8 – $39 GA, $45 Reserved, $49 Premium Reserved (World of Outlaws Sprint Cars & DIRTcar UMP Modifieds)
• Sunday, February 9 – $39 GA, $45 Reserved, $49 Premium Reserved (World of Outlaws Sprint Cars & DIRTcar UMP Modifieds)
• Monday, February 10 – $35 GA, $40 Reserved, $45 Premium Reserved (DIRTcar Late Models & DIRTcar UMP Modifieds)
• Tuesday, February 11 – $35 GA, $40 Reserved, $45 Premium Reserved (DIRTcar Late Models & Super DIRTcar Series)
• Wednesday, February 12 – $39 GA, $45 Reserved, $49 Premium Reserved (World of Outlaws Late Models & Super DIRTcar Series)
• Thursday, February 13 – $39 GA, $45 Reserved, $49 Premium Reserved (World of Outlaws Late Models & Super DIRTcar Series)
• Friday, February 14 – $39 GA, $45 Reserved, $49 Premium Reserved (World of Outlaws Late Models & Super DIRTcar Series)
• Saturday, February 15 – $39 GA, $45 Reserved, $49 Premium Reserved (World of Outlaws Late Models & Super DIRTcar Series)

Grandstand Type
Bleachers, Chairbacks

Reserved Seating
Reserved seating offers the best and highest seats in the house.

Handicapped Seating Location
All Handicap seating is the first rows of each section

Pit Pass Price
Daily pit passes are $35 for DIRTcar members and $40 for non-members. Three-day pit pass packages are available. Package prices are $100 for DIRTcar members and $120 for non-members. Dates of the packages are Feb. 4-6, Feb. 7-9, Feb. 10-12 and Feb. 13-15.

Pit Age Requirement
There is no age restriction in the pits. Anyone 17 years of age or younger will need to fill out a minor waiver form and be accompanied by an adult.

Pit Gate Location
East or West side of the Track.

Parking Cost
General Parking Free

Handicapped Parking Location
Handicap parking spots available. All spots are first come first serve.

Camping Availability
Electric Hookup, Non-Electric, Onsite, Sanitary Facility, Showers

Camping Cost
Single Day Dry Camp $30
Single Day Water/Electric $75 (Special Event $80)
Single Day Full Hook Up $100
Weekend Dry Camp $60
Weekend Electric/Water $150
Weekend Full Hook Up $200

Support Divisions
Super DIRTcar Series

To Win Amount
$10,000.00

Reserved Seating
Reserved seating offers the best and highest seats in the house.

Type of Grandstand
Bleachers, Chairbacks

Stadium Seating
Stadium seats are allowed as long as they don't conflict with the aisle behind you.

Handicapped Seating
All Handicap seating is the first rows of each section

Handicapped Parking
Handicap parking spots available. All spots are first come first serve.

Pit Age Limit
There is no age restriction in the pits. Anyone 17 years of age or younger will need to fill out a minor waiver form and be accompanied by an adult.

Pit Gate Location
East or West side of the Track.

Personal Coolers
Six-pack maximum cooler size. No alcohol. No glass.

ATMs
1

Alcohol Sales
Beer is available for purchase at the track.

Smoking Policy
No smoking in the Grandstands.


Parking Cost
General Parking Free

Camping Availability
Electric Hookup, Non-Electric, Onsite, Sanitary Facility, Showers

Camping Cost
Single Day Dry Camp $30
Single Day Water/Electric $75 (Special Event $80)
Single Day Full Hook Up $100
Weekend Dry Camp $60
Weekend Electric/Water $150
Weekend Full Hook Up $200

Volusia Speedway Park
1500 East State Road 40
Barberville, Florida 32130 

Track Phone
(386) 985-4402

Track Email
[email protected]

Track Size
0.482

Track Type
D-shaped oval

Sprint Car Track Record
12.569s by Paul McMahan on 2-10-11; 360 Sprint Car: 14.160 sec. by Brenham Crouch on Jan. 27, 2023; Non-Wing: 16.362s by Thomas Meseraull on Feb. 14, 2023

Late Model Track Record
Super: 15.100 sec. by Bobby Pierce on Jan. 19, 2024

Closest Airport
Daytona International Airport

Other Airport
Orlando Sanford

Pit Gate Location
East or West side of the Track.

Track Map

Competitor Downloads
 https://www.dirtcarmembers.com/downloads.php