The sixth annual DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park began with four Features to determine the top-20 starting positions for Saturday night’s finale.
The weekend at the “World’s Fastest Half Mile” started with Feature victories by Sam Seawright, Matt Herlong, Demetrios Drellos, and Mark Whitener.
Feature 1 – Sam Seawright
Friday night's first Feature commenced with Mack McCarter spinning in Turn Two on the opening lap. Several cars were damaged, ending the races for McCarter, AJ Miller, and former track champion Garret Stewart.
On the subsequent restart, Sam Seawright capitalized on his track position to overtake polesitter Layton Sullivan for the lead.
The Fort Payne, AL native led the 20 laps, extending his lead to over 10 seconds before the Feature was cut short due to a major crash on the front stretch involving Robert Smith, Kyle Hardy, and Sean Ragan.
With Smith and Hardy vying for second when the Feature time expired, Smith was awarded second place, and Sullivan finished third. Seawright’s Feature victory boosts his chances of leading the Crate Racin’ USA Winter Shootout Series points heading into Saturday night.
Feature 2 – Matt Herlong
Similar to Feature 1, the second round for the 604 Late Models began with several Late Models spinning in Turn 2, which concluded the races for Rob Pitcher, Monte Skinner, Dale Young, and Luke Bennett.
On the second attempt, Kaede Loudy seized the lead in the Feature, holding it throughout each lap and creating a six-second lead until a late caution with two laps remaining offered the field a chance to challenge the Rogersville, TN driver.
Matt Herlong was next in line, exchanging lanes with Loudy in the final two laps, ultimately diving to the bottom of the track and sliding up around Loudy to secure the Feature 2 race victory.
“I watched him do it three or four times in a row so I set him up for that,” Herlong said. “It was a hell of a race. I’m worn out, it was rough out there for sure. I did this for my good friend Jim, who isn’t here anymore.”
Feature 3 – Demetrios Drellos
Curtis Glover and Nathan Bray led the field at the start, but Demetrios Drellos from the Super DIRTcar Series took center stage in Feature 3.
The Queensbury, NY native, typically seen in a Big Block Modified, held second place for most of the race until a three-car skirmish gave him an opportunity. Drellos, Trynt Lloyd, and Nathan Bray contended for the lead after a late restart on Lap 13, with Drellos successfully maneuvering around the top of Lloyd to secure the win.
Trynt Lloyd from Jacksonville, FL, took second place, while Ethan Wilson from Fayetteville, NC, completed the podium for the Feature.
"I really had to be patient," Drellos remarked. "I didn’t want that caution to appear because I was about to increase the pace, but it happened, and suddenly, we were three-wide for the lead. It was a lot of fun, though."
Feature 4 – Mark Whitener
Mark Whitener returned to Sunshine Nationals Victory Lane for the first time since 2022, showcasing his potential for a Feature win on Saturday with a commanding performance in the final 604 Late Model Feature.
He had to overcome challenges from Winter Shootout points leader Jimmy Thomas and reigning Volusia division champion Mikey Kopka to secure the race victory over 20 laps. The Middleburg, FL driver remained undeterred by the competition from Thomas and Kopka as he claimed his second straw hat at the “World’s Fastest Half-Mile.”
“We come here a couple of times to get ready for Speedweeks,” Whitener said. “We’ve been focusing on the (Super Late Model) and not enough on this one, so we have some things to improve. Everything’s all good, I know they’re working hard on (the track) and I look forward to tomorrow.”
Thomas, from Phenix City, AL, finished second, while Callahan, FL native Kole Platt captured the final podium position from Kopka after the last restart on Lap 19.
Comments