Tyler Bruening Achieves First Career Lucas Oil Victory

January 18, 2025 Dirt Empire Magazine

Tyler Bruening Achieves First Career Lucas Oil Victory

WAYNESVILLE, GA (January 17, 2025) – On lap 42, Tyler Bruening reclaimed the lead from Daulton Wilson and pulled away in the closing laps for his first career win in the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series presented by FloRacing, during the opening night of the Super Bowl of Racing at Golden Isles Speedway on Friday night. The Decorah, Iowa native led the first six laps before giving the lead to Wilson, who maintained his position until he had to slow down for a car that was crosswise in front of him on lap 41. Though Bruening had dropped to third, he regained speed in the final laps, overtaking Wilson to become the 93rd different winner in the 21-year history of the series. Jonathan Davenport passed Brandon Overton in the final laps to secure second place. Overton finished third, with Devin Moran and Brian Shirley completing the top five drivers. Not only was it Lucas Oil Victory Lane for the first time in his career, but it was also Bruening’s first-ever win in a national touring series event. “I can’t describe it,” said an emotional Bruening after earning his win. “It’s the hardest thing I have ever done. Those guys [Wilson and Overton] got by me. We had a good hot rod all night; everything was a first for me tonight. I set a new track record; I have never done that before. I won a heat against some of the best in the business. I drove my butt off in the feature. My emotions are high; I don’t know what to say. I am on the verge of just breaking down here. Oh man, I can’t tell you how hard it’s been. The ups and downs, how difficult this sport is, and how good everybody really is.” “I am so blessed to wheel this hot rod here tonight. We’ve been through a lot. We have worked our butt off, and I couldn’t be prouder. My crew chief Zeb [Holksevick] deserves this. My mom, my sister, and my brother, watch me every night.” Davenport, who started in ninth place, came to life late in the race to secure the runner-up spot behind Bruening. “That’s awesome for Tyler to win. I saw he fell back, and then he got rolling on the top, so he did a great job keeping his composure and finding a new line. Congratulations to him. I stole one from him a couple of years ago at Knoxville. I had that in the back of my mind. Thanks to my guys, we had a good car there, we just needed a little bit more. I am never satisfied and think I can be a little better. I know some things we need to work on. We always run well here but haven’t won in a while. It’s really tough.” In his return to the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series presented by FloRacing this year in the Longhorn Factory Car, Overton rounded out the Big River Steel Podium in third. “I was content to running second to Daulton. I knew he had a 2 compound on and I was thinking this is Brunswick. The bottom is going to clean up, we are going to single file and he’ll start backing up, and then all of a sudden here comes Bruening blowing by. What do you do? It’s the first night; I am so excited for this year. We run in the top three of a Lucas Oil race. We have so much more room to go.” The winner’s Greg Bruening-owned Skyline Motorsports Longhorn Chassis is powered by a Clements Racing Engine and sponsored by Quick Supply Company, Truck Country, Olson Explosives, Bilstein Shocks, Bruening Rock Products, and Brown’s Heavy Equipment. Completing the top ten were Jimmy Owens, Brandon Sheppard, Max Blair, Garrett Alberson, and Daulton Wilson.

Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Race Summary Super Bowl of Racing | Night 1Friday, January 17, 2025Golden Isles Speedway – Brunswick, GA Allstar Performance Time TrialsFast Time Group A: Tyler Bruening | 14.687 seconds (overall)Fast Time Group B: Ryan Gustin | 14.711 seconds Penske Shocks Heat Race #1 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 16-Tyler Bruening[1]; 2. 76-Brandon Overton[5]; 3. 49-Jonathan Davenport[3]; 4. 28-Dennis Erb Jr[9]; 5. 2-Cody Overton[4]; 6. 7-Ross Robinson[10]; 7. 1-Brandon Sheppard[2]; 8. 60-Dan Ebert[8]; 9. 23-Beckham Malone[6]; 10. 388-Jackson Hise[11]; 11. 22-Daniel Hilsabeck[7] Summit Racing Products Heat Race #2 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 18D-Daulton Wilson[1]; 2. 93-Carson Ferguson[4]; 3. 71-Hudson O’Neal[5]; 4. 74X-Ethan Dotson[7]; 5. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr[2]; 6. 19M-Spencer Hughes[8]; 7. 76N-Blair Nothdurft[6]; 8. 44-Chris Madden[9]; 9. 20-Jimmy Owens[3]; 10. 14-Haiden Cowan[10]; 11. (DNS) 99B-Boom BriggsCool-It Thermo-Tec Heat Race #3 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 19R-Ryan Gustin[1]; 2. 3S-Brian Shirley[2]; 3. 22*-Drake Troutman[4]; 4. 40B-Kyle Bronson[6]; 5. 1T-Tyler Erb[3]; 6. 10-Garrett Smith[5]; 7. 17SS-Brenden Smith[8]; 8. 111R-Steven Roberts[9]; 9. 9Y-Levi Yetter[7]; 10. 93L-Cory Lawler[10]; 11. 51-Chad Tuten[11] Simpson Race Products Heat Race #4 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 99-Devin Moran[2]; 2. 58-Garrett Alberson[1]; 3. 111-Max Blair[3]; 4. 09-Michael Leach[5]; 5. 9-Tim McCreadie[4]; 6. 5-Mark Whitener[8]; 7. 6-Clay Harris[9]; 8. 81J-Jack Riggs[6]; 9. 59-Trey Mills[7]; 10. 79-Donald McIntosh[10]; 11. 17Z-Seth Zacharias[11] Fast Shafts B-Main Race #1 Finish (10 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 2-Cody Overton[1]; 2. 1-Brandon Sheppard[5]; 3. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr[2]; 4. 19M-Spencer Hughes[4]; 5. 20-Jimmy Owens[10]; 6. 60-Dan Ebert[7]; 7. 76N-Blair Nothdurft[6]; 8. 7-Ross Robinson[3]; 9. 44-Chris Madden[8]; 10. 23-Beckham Malone[9]; 11. 22-Daniel Hilsabeck[13]; 12. 14-Haiden Cowan[12]; 13. 388-Jackson Hise[11]; 14. (DNS) 99B-Boom Briggs
UNOH B-Main Race #2 Finish (10 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 9-Tim McCreadie[2]; 2. 1T-Tyler Erb[1]; 3. 5-Mark Whitener[4]; 4. 10-Garrett Smith[3]; 5. 81J-Jack Riggs[8]; 6. 17SS-Brenden Smith[5]; 7. 6-Clay Harris[6]; 8. 79-Donald McIntosh[12]; 9. 93L-Cory Lawler[11]; 10. 59-Trey Mills[10]; 11. 9Y-Levi Yetter[9]; 12. 17Z-Seth Zacharias[14]; 13. 111R-Steven Roberts[7]; 14. 51-Chad Tuten[13] Super Bowl of Racing | Night 1 Feature Finish (50 Laps):Pos – Start – Car # – Competitor – Hometown – Pay1 – 1 – 16 – Tyler Bruening – Decorah, IA – $12,0002 – 9 – 49 – Jonathan Davenport – Blairsville, GA – $6,0003 – 5 – 76 – Brandon Overton – Evans, GA – $3,5004 – 4 – 99 – Devin Moran – Dresden, OH – $2,8005 – 6 – 3S – Brian Shirley – Chatham, IL – $2,5006 – 23 – 20 – Jimmy Owens – Newport, TN – $2,3007 – 19 – 1 – Brandon Sheppard – New Berlin, IL – $2,2008 – 12 – 111 – Max Blair – Centerville, PA – $2,1009 – 8 – 58 – Garrett Alberson – Las Cruces, NM – $2,05010 – 3 – 18D – Daulton Wilson – Fayetteville, NC – $2,00011 – 20 – 1T – Tyler Erb – New Waverly, TX – $1,60012 – 13 – 28 – Dennis Erb Jr – Carpentersville, IL – $1,40013 – 10 – 22* – Drake Troutman – Hyndman, PA – $1,20014 – 14 – 40B – Kyle Bronson – Brandon, FL – $1,10015 – 15 – 74X – Ethan Dotson – Bakersfield, CA – $1,05016 – 7 – 93 – Carson Ferguson – Lincolnton, NC – $1,00017 – 27 – 60 – Dan Ebert – Lake Shore, MN – $10018 – 18 – 9 – Tim McCreadie – Watertown, NY – $1,00019 – 24 – 7 – Ross Robinson – Georgetown, DE – $1,00020 – 16 – 9 – Michael Leach – Sun River, MT – $1,00021 – 22 – 5 – Mark Whitener – Middleburg, FL – $1,00022 – 21 – 20RT – Ricky Thornton Jr – Chandler, AZ – $1,00023 – 25 – 6 – Clay Harris – Jupiter, FL – $10024 – 11 – 71 – Hudson O’Neal – Martinsville, IN – $1,00025 – 26 – 17SS – Brenden Smith – Dade City, FL – $10026 – 28 – 79 – Donald McIntosh – Dawsonville, GA – $10027 – 17 – 2 – Cody Overton – Thomson, GA – $1,00028 – 2 – 19R – Ryan Gustin – Marshalltown, IA – $1,000 Race Statistics Entrants: 44Victory Fuel Pole Sitter: Tyler BrueningLap Leaders: Tyler Bruening (Laps 1-6); Daulton Wilson (Laps 7-41); Tyler Bruening (Laps 42-50)Wieland Feature Winner: Tyler BrueningMargin of Victory: 1.134 seconds Coltman Farms Racing Cautions: Donald McIntosh (Lap 6); Ryan Gustin (Lap 12); Donald McIntosh (Lap 19); Ross Robinson (Lap 45)Series Provisionals: Jimmy Owens; Ross RobinsonFast Time Provisional: n/aEmergency Provisionals: Clay Harris; Brenden Smith; Dan Ebert; Donald McIntoshTrack Provisional: n/aBig River Steel Podium Top 3: Tyler Bruening, Jonathan Davenport, Brandon OvertonPenske Shocks Top 5: Tyler Bruening, Jonathan Davenport, Brandon Overton, Devin Moran, Brian ShirleyHoker Trucking Hard Charger of the Race: Jimmy Owens (Advanced 17 Positions) Wilwood Brakes Lucky 7th Place Feature: Brandon SheppardDeatherage Opticians Lucky 13th Place Feature: Dennis Erb, Jr.MD3 Most Laps Led: Daulton Wilson (35 Laps) Sunoco Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Jimmy OwensMidwest Sheet Metal Spoiler Challenge Point Leader: Ricky Thornton, Jr.Fastest Lap of the Race: Tyler Bruening (Lap 5 | 15.227 seconds)Slicker Graphics Slickest Move of the Race: Tyler BrueningHard Luck Award: Daulton WilsonOuterwears Crew Chief of the Race: Zeb Holkesvik (Tyler Bruening)ARP Engine Builder of the Race: Clements Racing EnginesMiller Welders Chassis Builder of the Race: Longhorn ChassisDirt Draft Fastest in Hot Laps: Brian Shirley (14.924 seconds)Time of Race: 25 minutes 49 seconds Big River Steel Chase for the Championship Presented by ARP Point Standings:Pos – Car # – Competitor – Hometown – Points – Pay1 – 16 – Tyler Bruening – Decorah, IA – 260 – $12,0002 – 49 – Jonathan Davenport – Blairsville, GA – 230 – $6,0003 – 76 – Brandon Overton – Evans, GA – 220 – $3,5004 – 99 – Devin Moran – Dresden, OH – 210 – $2,8005 – 3S – Brian Shirley – Chatham, IL – 205 – $2,5006 – 20 – Jimmy Owens – Newport, TN – 200 – $2,3007 – 1 – Brandon Sheppard – New Berlin, IL – 195 – $2,2008 – 111 – Max Blair – Centerville, PA – 190 – $2,1009 – 58 – Garrett Alberson – Las Cruces, NM – 185 – $2,05010 – 18D – Daulton Wilson – Fayetteville, NC – 180 – $2,00011 – 1T – Tyler Erb – New Waverly, TX – 175 – $1,60012 – 28 – Dennis Erb Jr – Carpentersville, IL – 170 – $1,40013 – 22* – Drake Troutman – Hyndman, PA – 165 – $1,20014 – 40B – Kyle Bronson – Brandon, FL – 160 – $1,10015 – 74X – Ethan Dotson – Bakersfield, CA – 155 – $1,05016 – 93 – Carson Ferguson – Lincolnton, NC – 150 – $1,00017 – 60 – Dan Ebert – Lake Shore, MN – 145 – $10018 – 9 – Tim McCreadie – Watertown, NY – 140 – $1,00019 – 19R – Ryan Gustin – Marshalltown, IA – 135 – $1,00020 – 7 – Ross Robinson – Georgetown, DE – 135 – $1,00021 – 9 – Michael Leach – Sun River, MT – 130 – $1,00022 – 79 – Donald McIntosh – Dawsonville, GA – 125 – $10023 – 5 – Mark Whitener – Middleburg, FL – 125 – $1,00024 – 71 – Hudson O’Neal – Martinsville, IN – 125 – $1,00025 – 2 – Cody Overton – Thomson, GA – 125 – $1,00026 – 20RT – Ricky Thornton Jr – Chandler, AZ – 125 – $1,00027 – 6 – Clay Harris – Jupiter, FL – 125 – $10028 – 17SS – Brenden Smith – Dade City, FL – 125 – $10029 – 19M – Spencer Hughes – Meridian, MS – 120 – $10030 – 10 – Garrett Smith – Madison, GA – 120 – $10031 – 76N – Blair Nothdurft – Renner, SD – 115 – $10032 – 81J – Jack Riggs – Nolensville, TN – 115 – $10033 – 44 – Chris Madden – Gray Court, SC – 110 – $10034 – 93L – Cory Lawler – Hanover, PA – 110 – $10035 – 23 – Beckham Malone – Rock Hill, SC – 105 – $10036 – 59 – Trey Mills – St. Augustine, FL – 105 – $10037 – 22 – Daniel Hilsabeck – Earlham, IA – 100 – $10038 – 9Y – Levi Yetter – Cabot, PA – 100 – $10039 – 14 – Haiden Cowan – Rincon, GA – 95 – $10040 – 17Z – Seth Zacharias – Vestal, NY – 95 – $10041 – 388 – Jackson Hise – Ocala, FL – 90 – $10042 – 111R – Steven Roberts – Sylvester, GA – 90 – $10043 – 51 – Chad Tuten – Blackshear, GA – 85 – $10044 – 99B – Boom Briggs – Bear Lake, PA – 50 – $0

About Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt SeriesFounded in 2005, the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series showcases the talents of the top dirt late model drivers from across the country. In 2025, the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series will sanction 58 events across 16 states, including some of the biggest marquee events in the industry, providing dirt slinging, sideways, door-to-door racing action lap after lap. The series receives national exposure through a television package streamed live via FloRacing, with select broadcasts on MAVTV. The in your face excitement of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series is second to none in motorsports. For more information, including the latest news, tour schedule, driver information, and more, visit the official website at: www.LucasDirt.com.