An unbelievable finish wrapped up the Lucas Oil Dirt Late Model series "Reopening Tour" six race mini series reboot Wednesday night at East Bay Raceway Park in Tampa, Fl.
Tyler Erb (# 1) of Texas rocketed into the lead from his third row starting position of the 40 lap, $7,000 to-Win finale broadcast live on the Lucas Oil Racing TV internet network. Hard fought action mired the field behind the Top 5 as multiple incidents slowed the race early.
Front runners Shane Clanton, Tim McCreadie, Josh Richards, Jonathan Davenport (# 49) and Kyle Bronson (# 40) were all, at sometime, caught up in incidents which severely lessened their victory chances.
As Erb (aka. Terbo) pulled away, Pennsylvania's Mason Zeigler reeled in the leader and the duo tussled with just five laps remaining. Contact between Erb and Zeigler allowed Tuesday nights winner, Brandon Overton (# 76) to catch up and "pitch a slider" for the lead under the white flag. Terbo fired back (his own slider) going outta turn two and regained the lead heading in to the third and fourth turns for the final time. At the line Overton snuck under Erb by inches winning for the second consecutive night leading only only the last few feet.
Zeigler, Tennessee's Jimmy Owens and Ohio's Devin Moran rounded out the Top 5 finishers. Owens picked up the six race mini series points championship worth $5,000 that began a week ago on the South Georgia coast in Brunswick, by finishing in the Top 5 for all six events.
Many of the top racers will be returning to Tennessee for Saturday's $10,000 to-Win Southern Nationals event at the Tazewell Speedway North of Knoxville near the Kentucky border. That race will be broadcast live on the internet on dirtondirt.com for subscribers at 7 p.m.