By Justin Melillo
The third round of the World of Outlaws Pro Series: Powered by iRacing’s 2024-25 season took 35 of the best dirt oval racers to Williams Grove Speedway on Monday night. The field set by qualifying races the week prior, this group would be utilizing the dirt version of the Super Late Models once again. Since 2020, JD Brown has been a staple of the dirt oval eSports community. On Monday night, he finally broke through for his first career victory, in dominant fashion, leading all 50 laps at the half-mile paperclip in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania.
With the convincing victory, Brown jumps from sixth to fourth in the overall, making his case heard for the overall championship with seven races still to go.
QUALIFYING
That new wrinkle to the points format this season, which includes both Championship points and automatic transfers to the Feature from qualifying, as well as an invert, was on full display on Monday night. As it will be all season long, the top-eight qualifying times every race will forgo all other pre-feature activities, including Heats and Last Chance races, and lineup in reverse order at the front of the field of the Feature.
Former champion Evan Seay set the fastest lap, collecting 25 points towards the championship, but that meant he would start eighth following the invert. Brown wound up eighth, which included a share of 17 points and the coveted invert to the pole position for the Feature race.
Williams Grove Qualifying Top 8:
- Evan Seay
- Robbie Buchanan Jr
- Logan Rumsey
- Hayden Tollison
- Ryan Avila
- Chase Barbara
- Steven F Gaines
- JD Brown
HEATS
Everyone from ninth on back in qualifying were sorted into three Heat races of up to nine cars each. This season, only the top-three transfer to the Feature from the Heats, and everyone else is sent to fend for themselves in the Last Chance races. The heats were all straight forward, as track position was key. Blake Matjoulis scored the Heat 1 victory, while Ethan Johnson and Dylan Yeager won the second and third heats, respectively.
Heat 1 Transfers:
- Blake Matjoulis
- Casey Brunson
- Kendal Tucker
Heat 2 Transfers:
- Ethan Johnson
- Dylan Houser
- Mike Augustine
Heat 3 Transfers:
- Dylan Yeager
- Joey Lingron
- Tanner Pettit
LAST CHANCE RACES
The final four spots are set through the Last Chance races. Again, having the starting spot to begin with was the best case for those that would ultimately transfer. The first Last Chance race advanced Aiden Forster and Jordan Casey while the final one saw Conner New and Trey Mills make the main event.
Last Chance 1 Transfers:
- Aiden Forster
- Jordan Casey
Last Chance 2 Transfers:
- Conner New
- Trey Mills
FEATURE RACE
Similar to the first race of the season, the second Late Model race of the season went caution-free. Brown, from the pole position after the invert, moved out to an enormous gap over Steven Gaines in second. Evan Seay, the quick time lap setter, was only able to get up to around fifth before his pace leveled off. Ethan Johnson, the Heat 2 winner, had good pace, but needed at least one caution to have a chance at the win. J0hnson, from 10th, was able to get up to round out the podium behind Brown and Gaines.
Feature Race results from WORLD OF OUTLAWS PRO SERIES, Race 3 at WILLIAMS GROVE were as follows:
Fin. |
St. |
No. |
Driver |
Laps |
Interval |
Led |
Best |
Pts. |
1 | 1 | 14 | JD Brown | 50 | 0.000 | 50 | 20.149 | 117 |
2 | 2 | 07 | Steven F Gaines | 50 | -3.847 | 0 | 20.166 | 113 |
3 | 10 | 16 | Ethan Johnson9 | 50 | -3.922 | 0 | 20.258 | 107 |
4 | 6 | 11 | Logan Rumsey | 50 | -4.066 | 0 | 20.204 | 111 |
5 | 8 | 33 | Evan Seay | 50 | -4.604 | 0 | 20.206 | 111 |
6 | 3 | 23 | Chase Barbara | 50 | -4.975 | 0 | 20.186 | 102 |
7 | 9 | 127 | Blake Matjoulis | 50 | -6.152 | 0 | 20.271 | 95 |
8 | 15 | 00 | Kendal Tucker | 50 | -6.957 | 0 | 20.216 | 90 |
9 | 19 | 15 | Conner New | 50 | -7.272 | 0 | 20.337 | 86 |
10 | 4 | 18 | Ryan Avila | 50 | -7.834 | 0 | 20.301 | 91 |
11 | 16 | 19 | Mike Augustine | 50 | -8.792 | 0 | 20.174 | 81 |
12 | 5 | 327 | Hayden Tollison | 50 | -8.899 | 0 | 20.334 | 86 |
13 | 14 | 1 | Joey Lingron | 50 | -9.667 | 0 | 20.247 | 76 |
14 | 20 | 42 | Jordan Casey | 50 | -11.325 | 0 | 20.330 | 71 |
15 | 18 | 20 | Aiden Forster | 50 | -12.409 | 0 | 20.279 | 68 |
16 | 17 | 36 | Tanner Pettit2 | 50 | -14.339 | 0 | 20.216 | 66 |
17 | 7 | 29 | Robbie Buchanan Jr | 50 | -17.612 | 0 | 20.368 | 73 |
18 | 13 | 2 | Dylan R. Houser | 50 | -20.135 | 0 | 20.259 | 61 |
19 | 21 | 26 | Trey Mills | 50 | -20.747 | 0 | 20.307 | 55 |
20 | 11 | 48 | Dylan Yeager | 45 | -5L | 0 | 20.235 | 56 |
21 | 12 | 10 | Casey Brunson2 | 2 | DNF | 0 | 20.649 | 52 |
WORLD OF OUTLAWS PRO SERIES Points following Race 3 at WILLIAMS GROVE are as follows:
- Kendal Tucker, 305
- Logan Rumsey, 302
- Blake Matjoulis, 297
- JD Brown, 284
- Ethan Johnson, 271
- Mike Augustine, 270
- Dylan Yeager, 233
- Steven F Gaines, 186
- Tanner Pettit, 183
- Chase Barbara, 183
After three races, Kendal Tucker continues to lead the way. Logan Rumsey, the winner of the first round, closed back in to three points of the lead after a fourth place run at Williams Grove. Blake Matjoulis falls to third.
The next race will utilize the 410 Sprint Car once again, and will be contested at Lincoln Speedway. As it is all season, nobody is locked in for the next race, they will have to qualify in over the course of this week in the World of Outlaws Pro Qualifying Series official races, where the top-35 will be invited to race in the next race.