Bronson Banks Crate Racin’ USA Volusia $10K After Page DQ

BARBERVILLE, FL – Kyle Bronson of Brandon, FL was awarded the $10,000 victory in the 2nd Annual Sunshine Nationals for the Newsome Raceway Parts Crate Racin’ USA Dirt Late Model Series on Saturday night at Volusia Speedway Park driving the Brandon Ford Rocket. It was the second straight Saturday night $10,000 win in the Sunshine Nationals for Bronson.

The win in the 30-lap main event came Bronson’s way after Michael Page of Douglasville, GA was disqualified in the post-race technical inspection. Page’s Baird Motorsports Special was disqualified for a valve spring installation height infraction outside the parameters set by Chevrolet Performance.

In addition to winning Round 3 of the 6th Annual Crate Racin’ USA Winter Shootout Series, Bronson also takes Round 1 of the Crate Racin’ USA E-Z-GO $100,000 Challenge Series, a series in a series made up of eight $10,000-to-win races, and a $20,000-to-win race during the 2021 racing season.

Mack McCarter of Gatlinburg, TN charged from the 20th starting spot to take second in the Parkway Liquors Special. McCarter was the Knowles Race Parts and Bodies Hard Charger of Race Award winner for the second straight night. On Thursday night, McCarter came from 19th to finish second.

The pair of runner-up finishes earned McCarter the overall Sunshine Nationals Championship. McCarter is the younger brother of the 2020 Crate Racin’ USA Winter Shootout Champion Pierce McCarter.

Two-time Crate Racin’ USA Dirt Late Model Series Champion Cory Hedge(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word) of Loudon, TN took the third spot in the Eagle Racing Engines Rocket, and Jason Welshan of Maryville, TN was fourth in the Competition Race Parts Special. Joseph Joiner of Milton, FL drove the Hunt The Front Special to a fifth-place finish.

Mark Whitener of Middleburg, FL finished sixth in the Baker Farms Special, and his teammate John Baker of Norman Park, GA drove his Baker Farms Special to a seventh-place finish. Cody Overton of Evans, GA was eighth in the Budweiser Special, and 2019 Crate Racin’ USA National Champion Jake Knowles of Rome, GA took the ninth spot in the Savage Race Cars Special. Todd Cooney of Mount Pleasant, IA rounded out the top ten in the Spangler Automotive Special.

In preliminary action, Pearson Lee Williams of Dublin, GA out-timed the 64-car field in Boyd Built Fabrication Group Qualifying with a lap around the ½-mile clay oval in 17.391 seconds. The six KRC Power Steering eight-lap Heat Races were won by Trevor Taylor of Zellwood, FL in the Envy Suspension Special, Joiner, Whitener, Page, Bronson and Dylan Knowles of Lanett, AL in the K-Line Logistics Rocket.

The three KRC Power Steering ten-lap B-main Races were won by Welshan, McCarter, and Jody Knowles of Rome, GA in the Clayton Signs/Gentry’s Used Auto Parts Special. Welshan ended the night with the Winter Shootout point lead over Overton, Dylan Knowles, and Jake Knowles, while Bronson and McCarter are tied for fifth.

When the field left the VP Racing Lubricants Starting Box to begin the race, Page took the lead from his outside front row starting position followed by Taylor, Dylan Knowles, Whitener and Bronson. On lap two, Whitener hustled up to the second spot, and Joiner raced into the top five. The first of three caution flags came out on lap three to slow the field.

The top ten for the restart were Page leading Whitener, Taylor, Dylan Knowles, Joiner, Bronson, Jeff Mathews of Brandon, FL in the CURS Rocket, Jake Rainey of Hiram, GA in the Harrod Logging Special, Cooney, and Steve Banal of Rock Hill, SC in the Banal Racing Special in second through tenth respectively.

Joiner moved up to third on the restart, and Bronson pulled back up to the fifth spot. The field was slowed again on lap five with the second caution flag. Following Page for the restart in second through tenth respectively were Whitener, Joiner, Bronson, Taylor, Cooney, Hedge(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word), McCarter, Mathews, and Baker.

Joiner got by Whitener for the second spot on the restart. Bronson sailed past Whitener for third on lap six. Lap 13 would prove later in the wee hours of Sunday morning to be a lucky one for Bronson, as he passed Joiner for the second spot in what would be the pass for the win.

McCarter passed Joiner for what would be the second spot on lap 23. Hedge(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word) got by Joiner on lap 25 for what would end up being the third spot. Welshan dropped Joined to the fifth spot on lap 27.

The next three stops for the Newsome Raceway Parts Crate Racin’ USA Dirt Late Model Series will be Rounds 4, 5, and 6 of the 6th Annual Winter Shootout Series at East Bay Raceway Park in Tampa, FL on February 4 and 5 with a pair of $2,500-to-win races and on February 6 with a $5,000-to-win event.

The economical Aluminum Head, Steel Block, Chevrolet Performance 604 Circle Track Engine is the engine of choice for the Newsome Raceway Parts Crate Racin’ USA Dirt Late Model Series competitors. The Chevrolet Performance 604 Engine is in stock and available for free next day delivery from Newsome Raceway Parts in Hartsville, SC.

Newsome Raceway Parts gives a portion of the sales from each Chevrolet Performance Circle Track Engine sold back to the Crate Racin’ USA Point Funds in four different Divisions. Each economical Chevrolet Performance Circle Track Engine is built and sealed at the factory to prevent any expensive modifications. To place an order call 1-877-497-3624.

For more information and rules about the Newsome Raceway Parts Crate Racin’ USA Dirt Late Model Series, visit the series web site at www.crateracinusa.com, or visit the series on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CrateRacinUSA/. You can follow us on Twitter @CrateRacinUSALM, and at Instagram at crateracinusa.

OFFICIAL RESULTS OF WINTER SHOOTOUT SERIES ROUND 3 AT VOLUSIA SPEEDWAY PARK IN BARBERVILLE, FL ON 1/16/2021:

POS STRT CAR # DRIVER HOMETOWN LAPS
1. 6 40b Kyle Bronson Brandon, FL 30
2. 20 51 Mack McCarter Gatlinburg, TN 30
3. 13 23 Cory Hedge(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word) Loudon, TN 30
4. 19 01 Jason Welshan Maryville, TN 30
5. 3 10 Joseph Joiner Milton, FL 30
6. 4 385 Mark Whitener Middleburg, FL 30
7. 16 14 John Baker Norman Park, FL 30
8. 18 97 Cody Overton Evans, GA 30
9. 25 66 Jake Knowles Rome, GA 30
10. 10 30 Todd Cooney Mount Pleasant, IA 30
11. 11 83 Jensen Ford Piney Flats, TN 30
12. 22 121 Pearson Lee Williams Dublin, GA 30
13. 5 7t Trevor Taylor Zellwood, FL 30
14. 7 87 Jake Rainey Hiram, GA 30
15. 23 5 Johnny Collins Hilliard, FL 30
16. 24 44 Curtis Cline Douglasville, GA 30
17. 8 33 Jeff Mathews Brandon, FL 29
18. 1 66k Dylan Knowles Lanett, AL 29
19. 26 K37 Drew Kennedy Lansing, TN 29
20. 12 2 Trynt Lloyd Jacksonville, FL 29
21. 15 7a Corey Almond Appomattox, VA 29
22. 17 6 Clay Harris Jupiter, FL 19
23. 14 00 Richie Stephens Salem, AL 19
24. 9 T8 Steve Banal Rock Hill, SC 10
25. 21 66j Jody Knowles Tyrone, GA 3
26. 2 18x Michael Page Douglasville, GA 30/DQ

ENTRIES: 64
BOYD BUILT FABRICATORS FAST QUALIFIER: P. Williams, 17.391 Seconds
PROVISIONALS: Ja. Knowles and Kennedy
LEAD CHANGES: None
LAPS LED: Page, 1-30
KNOWLES RACE PARTS HARD CHARGER: McCarter (started 20th and finished 2nd)
FULLMOON GRAPHICS LUCKY 7 AWARD: Whitener
KRC POWER STEERING HEAT RACE WINNERS: Taylor, Joiner, Whitener; Page, Bronson, and D. Knowles
KRC POWER STEERING B-MAIN RACE WINNERS: Welshan, McCarter, and Jo. Knowles
CAUTIONS: 3
MARGIN OF VICTORY: .915 Seconds
TIME OF THE RACE: 27 Minutes and 31.107 Seconds
NEXT RACE: February 4, East Bay Raceway Park, Tampa, FL, $2,500-To-Win