CONCORD, N.C. — Brandon Overton answered the call Wednesday night at The Dirt Track at Charlotte as the World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Model Series kicked off the Last Call weekend at the four-tenths-mile dirt track.
Overton charged from eighth on the grid and took the lead on lap 18 en route to his sixth World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Model Series triumph of the season and his 25th overall dirt late model victory of the campaign.
“It’s a hell of a race car,” Overton said. “I appreciate everyone in the grandstands here in 2020. We’ve been coming here since I was a little kid and trying to win this race for a long time.
“I have a car owners who believe in me and a crew that works hard.”
Overton banked $12,000 for his 13th career series victory in a race that was plagued by numerous yellow flags caused by flat tires for his competitors.
Overton easily pulled away from the field, including runner-up Dennis Erb Jr., who started ninth and chased Overton through the second half of the race, on restart after restart.
“We had a good car there at the end,” Erb explained. “I went a little softer on the tire and I was able to get up there toward the end. Hopefully, we get another good, strong run tomorrow night.”
Tim McCreadie started on the pole and finished third. He said tire choice was the story of the race.
“I shouldn’t be allowed to pick these tires because I have been wrong two weeks in a row and got beat by guys that put the right tire on,” McCreadie said. “I should have had the same tire as that 76 (Overton).”
Kyle Strickler started outside the front row and led until Overton came calling on lap 18. Four laps later Strickler cut a right-rear tire. Brandon Sheppard, who officially wrapped up his third World of Outlaws title by signing in Wednesday, also pitted and replaced right-side tires.
He fought his way through the field to finish fifth.
Ten-time World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series champion Donny Schatz started 10th and steadily moved forward to finish fourth. Schatz will run all four races this weekend — two for late models and two for sprint cars.
Also, doing double duty this weekend is Kyle Larson, who set a track record during qualifying with a lap of 14.305 seconds. Larson, however, faded during the feature and pulled off on lap 22.
The finish:
Brandon Overton, Dennis Erb Jr., Tim McCreadie, Donny Schatz, Brandon Sheppard, Jonathan Davenport, Dale McDowell, Cade Dillard, Rick Eckert, Ricky Weiss, Chris Madden Boom Briggs, Daulton Wilson, Tyler Millwood, Chase Junghans, Ryan King, Chris Ferguson, Ashton Winger, Josh Richards, Kyle Strickler, Parker Martin, Jimmy Owens, Kyle Larson, Ross Bailes, Cla Knight, Brent Larson.