ROSSBURG, Ohio — Updates and results from Saturday’s Dream XXX at Eldora Speedway with heats, consolations and a 100-lap main event paying $100,030-to-win (watch live on FloRacing):
Feature
Dominating all 100 laps from the pole position, Jonathan Davenport of Blairsville, Ga., won Eldora Speedway's Dream for the second straight time and third of his career. Taking the checkers 5.696 seconds ahead of Bobby Pierce, Davenport collected $100,030 and his ninth crown jewel victory at the legendary track. Brandon Overton ran second from lap 16-98 and finished third with Hudson O'Neal and Chris Madden rounding out the top five.
Dream XXX
Pos. Driver (car no.), hometown, chassis, earnings
1. Jonathan Davenport (49), Blairsville, Ga., Longhorn, $100,030
2. Bobby Pierce (32), Oakwood, Ill., Longhorn, $30,000
3. Brandon Overton (76), Evans, Ga., Infinity, $20,000
4. Hudson O’Neal (97), Martinsville, Ind., Longhorn, $15,000
5. Chris Madden (44), Gray Court, S.C., Longhorn, $12,500
6. Dale McDowell (17m), Chickamauga, Ga., Team Zero, $10,000
7. Brandon Sheppard (B5), New Berlin, Ill., Longhorn, $9,000
8. Ricky Thornton Jr. (20rt), Chandler, Ariz., Longhorn, $8,500
9. Stormy Scott (2s), Las Cruces, N.M., Category 5, $8,000
10. Max Blair (111), Centerville, Pa., Longhorn, $7,500
11. Devin Gilpin (1G), Columbus, Ind., Rocket, $7,250
12. Devin Moran (99), Dresden, Ohio, Longhorn, $7,000
13. Brian Shirley (3s), Chatham, Ill., Team Zero, $6,800
14. Tim McCreadie (1), Watertown, N.Y., Rocket, $6,600
15. Tyler Erb (1), New Waverly, Texas, Rocket, $6,400
16. Trent Ivey (G4), Union, S.C., Rocket, $6,200
17. Dennis Erb Jr. (28), Carpentersville, Ill., Rocket, $6,000
18. Ricky Weiss (7), Headingley, Manitoba, Sniper, $6,000
19. Cody Overton (97), Evans, Ga., Excel, $6,000
20. Ashton Winger (12), Hampton, Ga., Rocket, $6,000
21. Kyle Bronson (40B), Brandon, Fla., Longhorn, $6,000
22. Daulton Wilson (18D), Fayetteville, N.C., Longhorn, $6,000
23. Nick Hoffman (9), Mooresville, N.C., Longhorn, $6,000
24. Josh Rice (11), Crittenden, Ky., Rocket, $6,000
25. Shane Clanton (25), Zebulon, Ga., Capital, $6,000
26. Shannon Babb (18), Moweaqua, Ill., Longhorn, $6,000
Lap leaders: Davenport 1-100
Fast qualifier (among 101 cars): McDowell, 15.060 seconds
Heat race winners: Overton, Moran, Madden, T. Erb, O’Neal, Davenport
Consolation winners: Blair, Gilpin
Provisional starters: McDowell, Rice
Preliminary feature winners: Thornton, Moran
Dream XXX lineup
(100 laps)
Row 1: Jonathan Davenport, Hudson O'Neal
Row 2: Tyler Erb, Chris Madden
Row 3: Devin Moran, Brandon Overton
Row 4: Ricky Thornton Jr., Stormy Scott
Row 5: Bobby Pierce, Brian Shirley
Row 6: Brandon Sheppard, Kyle Bronson
Row 7: Tim McCreadie, Cody Overton
Row 8: Nick Hoffman, Trent Ivey
Row 9: Ashton Winger, Shane Clanton
Row 10: Dale McDowell, Josh Rice
Row 11: Max Blair, Devin Gilpin
Row 12: Dennis Erb Jr., Ricky Weiss
Row 13: Shannon Babb, Daulton Wilson
Post-preliminary notes
The track surface received significant grooming before the main event. ... Because he went to a backup car, Josh Rice will drop to the rear of the field for the start. ... Four drivers are first-time Dream starters: Max Blair of Centerville, Pa., Devin Gilpin of Columbus, Ind., Trent Ivey of Union, S.C., and Cody Overton of Evans, Ga. … Georgia leads all states with six starters in the event while Illinois sends five drivers into the 100-lapper. Three states (Indiana, North Carolina and South Carolina) have two drivers apiece while the Canadian province of Manitoba has a single driver along with several states: Arizona, Ohio, New Mexico, Texas, Florida, Pennsylvania, Kentucky and New York. … Longhorn Chassis is the most-represented manufacturer with 12 drivers followed by Rocket Chassis (7) and Team Zero Race Cars (2). Five chassis manufacturers have single cars: Capital, Category 5, Infinity, Excel and Sniper. Category 5 (for Stormy Scott), Infinity (for Brandon Overton) and Excel (for Cody Overton) are in the Dream for the first time. … Brandon and Cody Overton are the first brother combination to make the Dream in the same year. The last brothers to start a major Eldora race together were Johnny and Stormy Scott in the 2019 World 100.
Correction: Fixes Infinity as first-time chassis.
Second consolation
Devin Gilpin, whose night started losing a left-front wheel in hot laps, led all the way to win the second consolation. Gilpin transferred to the 100-lapper along with Ricky Weiss and Daulton Wilson, who survived a few late scrapes with the wall. Spencer Hughes was in contention for a transfer spot but got shuffled back with six laps remaining. The first start was called back for a Jimmy Owens-Steven Roberts tangle. Preliminaries wrapped up at 9:36 p.m.
Finish: Devin Gilpin, Ricky Weiss, Daulton Wilson, Jimmy Owens, Spencer Hughes, Cory Hedgeco*ck, Billy Moyer, Kaede Loudy, Max McLaughlin, Jason Feger, Andrew Reaume, Sammy Mars, Mike Marlar, Tyler Carpenter, Dylan Thompson, Kody Evans, Steven Roberts, Brad Dyer, Freddie Carpenter, Kye Blight, Oakley Johns, Ethan Dotson, Austin Kirkpatrick. Scratched: Dustin Linville.
First consolation
Max Blair overtook fellow front-row starter Shannon Babb on the seventh lap and led the rest of the 20-lapper to transfer to the main event along with seventh-starting Dennis Erb Jr. and Babb, who regained the final transfer spot from Mason Zeigler with two laps remaining. Carson Ferguson briefly held third but faded to seventh after losing the spot to Erb. Two cautions slowed the action. Cole Perine slowed on the 16th lap. On the initial start, Jerry Bowersock backed into the turn-one wall; his car was towed away but he was OK.
Finish: Max Blair, Dennis Erb Jr., Shannon Babb, Mason Zeigler, Zack Dohm, Garrett Smith, Carson Ferguson, Jason Jameson, Tanner English, Garrett Alberson, Ryan Gustin, John Henderson, Jensen Ford, Brenden Smith, Chris Ferguson, Mike Benedum, Tim Lance, Jackson Hise, Tristan Chamberlain, Cole Perine, Clay Harris, Joseph Joiner, Jamie Elam, Tyler Millwood, Jerry Bowersock.
Consolation race lineups
(20 laps; top three transfer)
First consolation
Row 1: Max Blair, Shannon Babb
Row 2: Carson Ferguson, Zack Dohm
Row 3: Garrett Smith, Mason Zeigler
Row 4: Dennis Erb Jr., Tanner English
Row 5: Brenden Smith, Ryan Gustin
Row 6: Chris Ferguson, Jamie Elam
Row 7: Clay Harris, Jerry Bowersock
Row 8: Joseph Joiner, Jason Jameson
Row 9: Tim Lance, John Henderson
Row 10: Cole Perine, Jackson Hise
Row 11: Mike Benedum, Tristan Chamberlain
Row 12: Jensen Ford, Tyler Millwood
Second consolation
Row 1: Devin Gilpin, Daulton Wilson
Row 2: Ricky Weiss, Kaede Loudy
Row 3: Spencer Hughes, Max McLaughlin
Row 4: Austin Kirkpatrick, Dustin Linville
Row 5: Billy Moyer, Mike Marlar
Row 6: Cory Hedgeco*ck, Jason Feger
Row 7: Andrew Reaume, Jimmy Owens
Row 8: Kye Blight, Allen Styck
Row 9: Sammy Mars, Tyler Carpenter
Row 10: Ethan Dotson, Dylan Thompson
Row 11: Brad Dyer, Kody Evans
Row 12: Oakley John, Freddie Carpenter
Sixth heat
Defending Dream champion Jonathan Davenport grabbed the lead from Shane Clanton on a lap-four restart and dominated the remainder of the distance, beating Kyle Bronson by a commanding margin of 3.922 seconds to secure the pole position for the 100-lapper. “I felt like crap out there, but I think everybody else did too,” Davenport said. “It’s super slick out there.” Clanton held on to finish third after leading laps 1-4. The race’s lone caution flag was needed on lap four after Ryan Payne smacked the turn-one wall, but a hard crash involving Terry Rushlow and Mike Myers in turn one occurred after Davenport had taken the checkered flag.
Finish: Jonathan Davenport, Kyle Bronson, Shane Clanton, Ricky Weiss, Max McLaughlin, Billy Moyer, Jason Feger, Kye Blight, Tyler Carpenter, Brad Dyer, Freddie Carpenter, Terry Rushlow, Mike Myers, Brandon Moore, Mike Myers, Ryan Payne, Seth Daniels.
Fifth heat
Hudson O’Neal overtook Ashton Winger for the lead on lap six and marched on to victory by a short margin of 0.308 of a second over Brandon Sheppard. Winger held off Daulton Wilson’s last-lap challenge to collect the final transfer spot. Cautions needed on lap two for Dylan Thompson’s turn-four spin; lap five for a tangle between turns three and four involving Donald McIntosh and Cory Hedgeco*ck; and laps eight and 10 for flat left-rear flat tires on McIntosh’s car.
Finish: Hudson O'Neal, Brandon Sheppard, Ashton Winger, Daulton Wilson, Spencer Hughes, Dustin Linville, Cory Hedgeco*ck, Jimmy Owens, Sammy Mars, Dylan Thompson, Oakley Jones, Christian Hanger, Casey Noonan, Bryant Dickinson, Allen Styck, Donald McIntosh.
Fourth heat
Regaining the lead on a lap-10 restart when pacesetter Josh Rice fell off the pace, Tyler Erb went on to capture the prelim by 1.525 seconds over seventh-starter Brian Shirley. Rice, who had just taken the lead from Erb with a slider, saw his bid end due to a busted oil-pump belt, but he is in line for a provisional as the highest-ranked non-qualifier in the event points. Trent Ivey finished third to earn his first career berth in the Dream finale. The race’s first caution flag was displayed on lap 10 when Cade Dillard slowed with damage sustained from a slap of the turn-two wall as he attempted a slider on Ivey for third place.
Finish: Tyler Erb, Brian Shirley, Trent Ivey, Devin Gilpin, Kaede Loudy, Austin Kirkpatrick, Mike Marlar, Andrew Reaume, Steven Roberts, Ethan Dotson, Kody Evans, Haiden Cowan, Rob Anderzack, Mike Provenzano, Jake Elam, Josh Rice, Cade Dillard.
Third heat
Chris Madden dominated the action, leading all the way and taking the checkered flag 2.804 seconds ahead of Bobby Pierce in the non-stop prelim. The race runner-up took the spot by a tenth of a second over Nick Hoffman after trading sliders twice with his fellow World of Outlaws regular on the final lap. Pierce had earlier grabbed third from Carson Ferguson with a lap-five slider in turn four that caused Ferguson to fall to seventh and finish there.
Finish: Chris Madden, Bobby Pierce, Nick Hoffman, Dale McDowell, Carson Ferguson, Mason Zeigler, Brenden Smith, Jamie Elam, Joseph Joiner, John Henderson, Mike Benedum, Tyler Millwood, Dustin Nobbe, Austin Smith. Scratched: Jeff Babco*ck, Pierce McCarter.
Second heat
Devin Moran raced to the checkered flag, passing Stormy Scott for the lead on lap five and beating the New Mexico driver by 0.805 of a second. Cody Overton outdueled Shannon Babb in a late-race battle of sliders to grab the third and final transfer spot and join his older brother Brandon in the Dream finale. The race was marred by a lap-four accident involving eight-time Dream champion Scott Bloomquist, who after falling from the pole to fourth place came together with Babb on the backstretch, turned right into the wall and flipped wildly. After safety teams rolled the destroyed car back onto its wheels with the 60-year-old legend alert and still inside, he gingerly emerged and walked to the ambulance to head to the infield care center for a checkup. Medical personnell bandaged his left hand and wrist for a minor scrape. Other slowdowns came on the original for Brad Eitniear’s spin and a lap-eight incident with Eitniear and Jackson Hise.
Finish: Devin Moran, Stormy Scott, Cody Overton, Shannon Babb, Garrett Smith, Tanner English, Chris Ferguson, Jerry Bowersock, Tim Lance, Jackson Hise, Jensen Ford, David McCoy, Brad Eitniear, G.R. Smith, Eathan Hunter, Scott Bloomquist. Scratched: Jeff Robertson.
First heat
Brandon Overton scored a flag-to-flag victory over Ricky ThorntonJr., who finished 0.967 of a second behind after grabbing second from Tim McCreadie on a lap-11 restart. “We got a chance, you know what I mean?” Overton said with a smile after securing the sixth starting spot in the 100-lapper. Garrett Alberson was up to third at a lap-seven yellow flag, but he slipped to sixth on the restart and had to pit during a lap-nine slowdown to change a flat left-front tire. Caution flags flew on lap one for Daniel Hilsabeck’s flat tire; lap seven for Bill Denby’s slowing car; lap nine when Mark Whitener slid sideways off turn four; and lap 11 for Kyle Bryant’s spin.
Finish: Brandon Overton, Ricky Thornton Jr., Tim McCreadie, Max Blair, Zack Dohm, Dennis Erb Jr., Ryan Gustin, Clay Harris, Jason Jameson, Cole Perine, Tristan Chamberlain, Mark Whitener, Kyle Bryant, Garrett Alberson, Billy Denby, Daniel Hilsabeck. Scratched: Mike Hildebrand.
Pre-race notes
Saturday’s finale of Dream XXX has arrived with partly cloudy skies and a high temperature in the upper 70s. Rain isn't in the forecast during expected race hours, but there are showers well to the north and a slight chance of some moisture dipping far enough south to hit the track (though likely from 1-3 a.m.). … Cars began rolling onto the track for hot laps to finish packing the track surface about five minutes before the scheduled start time of 6:30 p.m. … Heats scheduled to start at 7:15 p.m. … Devin Gilpin of Columbus, Ind., had his car’s left-front come off between turns one and two just as he stepped on the gas. … A buzz made its way through the pit area over the last two hours before on-track action began when observers noticed that two technical officials — Josh Amacher of the Castrol FloRacing Night in America series along with a DIRTcar official — were using a large measurement tool to check the skew of bodies from the center of the car. The work drew attention from the big race-day crowd in the pits since it appeared a controversy could be brewing, but the measurements were being taken by Amacher, who assists Castrol tour tech director Ray Cook, merely to collect data Dirt Late Model series can use to rein in the clear skewing of the bodies. … Mason Zeigler of Chalk Hill, Pa., faces a challenge to run his streak of Dream finale starts to eight in a row after experiencing carburetor trouble during Friday’s preliminary program that left him with a poor starting spot in this evening’s heat action. He took the carburetor off his backup car and put it on his primary machine in hopes of solving the problem. … The move of Friday’s heat races was authored by Trent Ivey of Union, S.C., who vaulted past Ashton Winger of Hampton, Ga., and Brandon Sheppard of New Berlin, Ill., with a turn-three slider that gave him the lead and sent him to victory. “I was just trying to make the move that they’re trying to make,” said Ivey, who is seeking his first starting berth in the Dream finale in his sixth attempt since 2019.
Heat race lineups
(15 laps; top three transfer)
First heat
Row 1: Brandon Overton, Tim McCreadie
Row 2: Max Blair, Ricky Thornton Jr.
Row 3: Garrett Alberson, Dennis Erb Jr.
Row 4: Ryan Gustin, Zack Dohm
Row 5: Jason Jameson, Daniel Hilsabeck
Row 6: Mark Whitener, Tristan Chamberlain
Row 7: Clay Harris, Cole Perine
Row 8: Mike Hildebrand, Kyle Bryant
Row 9: Billy Denby
Second heat
Row 1: Scott Bloomquist, Stormy Scott
Row 2: Garrett Smith, Devin Moran
Row 3: Tanner English, Chris Ferguson
Row 4: Cody Overton, Shannon Babb
Row 5: Tim Lance, Jerry Bowersock
Row 6: Jackson Hise, G.R. Smith
Row 7: David McCoy, Ethan Hunter
Row 8: Jensen Ford, Brad Eitniear
Row 9: Jeff Robertson
Third heat
Row 1: Carson Ferguson, Chris Madden
Row 2: Nick Hoffman, Dale McDowell
Row 3: Bobby Pierce, Joseph Joiner
Row 4: Austin Smith, Brenden Smith
Row 5: Mike Benedum, John Henderson
Row 6: Dustin Nobbe, Tyler Millwood
Row 7: Jeff Babco*ck, Jamie Elam
Row 8: Trey Mills, Mason Zeigler
Row 9: Pierce McCarter
Fourth heat
Row 1: Trent Ivey, Tyler Erb
Row 2: Cade Dillard, Josh Rice
Row 3: Devin Gilpin, Mike Marlar
Row 4: Brian Shirley, Austin Kirkpatrick
Row 5: Kaede Loudy, Ethan Dotson
Row 6: Steven Roberts, Mike Provenzano
Row 7: Andrew Reaume, Haiden Cowan
Row 8: Rob Anderzack, Jake Elam
Row 9: Kody Evans
Fifth heat
Row 1: Ashton Winger, Daulton Wilson
Row 2: Hudson O’Neal, Brandon Sheppard
Row 3: Spencer Hughes, Jimmy Owens
Row 4: Dustin Linville, Donald McIntosh
Row 5: Cory Hedgeco*ck, Allen Styck
Row 6: Dylan Thompson, Oakley Johns
Row 7: Sammy Mars, Christian Hanger
Row 8: Casey Noonan, Bryant Dickinson
Sixth heat
Row 1: Shane Clanton, Ricky Weiss
Row 2: Kyle Bronson, Jonathan Davenport
Row 3: Billy Moyer, Kye Blight
Row 4: Jason Feger, Ryan Payne
Row 5: Brad Dyer, Max McLaughlin
Row 6: Seth Daniels, Terry Rushlow
Row 7: Tyler Carpenter, Freddie Carpenter
Row 8: Brandon Moore, Mike Myers
Saturday’s schedule
11 a.m.: Ticket office opens (ticket and pit pass sales)
11 a.m.: Grounds cleared and secured
Noon: All gates, suites and concessions open
1 p.m.: Outreach service (white tent near pond)
3:30 p.m.: Driver autograph session (Fan Zone)
4:30 p.m.: Public drivers’ meeting (Fan Zone)
6:30 p.m.: Hot laps
7:05 p.m.: Opening ceremonies
7:15 p.m.: Racing begins
Competition
- Late Model heats (15 laps)
- Late Model consolations (20 laps)
- Dream XXX feature (100 laps)
Correction: Fixes heat race start time; fixes Dylan Thompson as starter in fifth heat.
