CONCORD, N.C. (Oct. 29) — The final five circuits of a 20-lap ARP Street Stock feature during the seventh annual World Short Track Championship were winding away Saturday night at The Dirt Track at Charlotte, and a low-running Devon Morgan and Patrick Lyon were deadlocked into a side-by-side battle for victory in the division’s feature event that also included Crate Racin’ USA competitors.
Morgan held the low groove, while Lyon plied his trade on the higher side of the racetrack as the pair rocked and rolled toward a still-in-doubt conclusion to a highly-competitive and entertaining event at the 4/10-mile facility. The race drew 42 drivers for a class that never fails to put on one of the best shows of a 10-division program staged each year for weekly racing participants from across the nation.
Morgan emerged from his door-to-door battle with Lyon and led only the final circuit in thriller of a conclusion, and was chased across the stripe by David Duke, Lyon, Dalton Peavy and Andrew Durham.
How competitive? How entertaining? Well, none of the top three finishers started higher than 10th on the grid, and that was the race winner. Morgan and Lyon were racing hard when the race’s sixth and final caution appeared on the 18th circuit, setting up a final dash to the finish that tipped in Morgan’s favor when Lyon slipped high in the second corner and flirted with the loose dirt near the cushion, which allowed Morgan to finally make his dogged low-groove approach a winning one.
Morgan, who started from the outside of the fifth row, notched top honors over 17th-place starter Duke, who slipped into the down-to-the-wire equation a last-minute dive underneath Lyon in turn two to nab the runnerup spot. Lyon settled for third after leading from lap seven until Morgan used a determined approach in the bottom groove to snatch the point for the final moments circling the immaculate facility.
“It was a really good race,” Lyon said. “We threw some last-minute adjustments at our car, and it worked well for us, but I think I spun our tires a little too much trying to keep my momentum. I tried to shoot the top because he [Morgan] was so good on the bottom, and I just didn’t set myself up right in turn two for the final sprint to the finish, and I knew it. I knew I was gonna have to correct it, but I corrected a little too late and he [Morgan] got me on the bottom.”
Morgan, who lives in Easley, S.C., and has won races in several different divisions during his still-young career, was wheeling a car sponsored by Johnson Trucking, Henderson’s Body Shop, Stevens Towing, Vintage Tin Speed Shop, Racing Performance Parts, Axles Plus, Track-Star Edge Race Cars by PRL Motorsports, Parker Brothers Upholstery Shop and Allstar Performance.
A regular in the 602 Late Model division who will soon be added to the Brett Coltman-owned Coltman Farms Racing stables in that class, Morgan kept his Mitchell Henderson-fielded ride mostly low on the racetrack while finding his way to the front. At the end, it was the bottom lane that prevailed for him.
“We started on the bottom, and the car was really good down there,” Morgan said. “We just stayed down there by the tractor tires. Then Patrick [Lyon] rocketed off turn two and got the lead from Kade Langley using the high side. Both Patrick [Lyon] and I had started five or six rows back, and we more or less reached the front together.
“After that last yellow with two laps to go, we were coming out of turn two racing for the win and I think he [Lyon] missed it just a little bit, and jumped the cushion. We got under him and won the race to the finish. It’s just the fifth time we’ve driven this car, so we’re pretty happy. It’s a really big win for us. I believe we could run even better with a little testing time in the car.”
Two last-chance events were held before the main event, and those wins were shared by Duke and Durham.
World Short Track Championships: 1. Devon Morgan, 2. David Duke, 3. Patrick Lyon, 4. Dalton Peavy, 5. Andrew Durham, 6. Kade Langley, 7. Calob McLaughlin, 8. Mike Grady Jr., 9. Tanner Fortune, 10. Cody Ussery, 11. Dalton Pannell, 12. Megan Erwin, 13. Chris Stowe, 14. Ronnie Mosley, 15. John Cagle, 16. Cameron Martin, 17. Mitchell Duvall, 18. Bailey Loftin, 19. Ricky Greene, 20. Blake Pryor, 21. Mattison Hoots, 22. Brandon White, 23. Justin Barber, 24. Timmy Smith, 25. Bradley Weaver, 26. Phoenix Lawter.
Last Chance (One): 1. David Duke, 2. Tanner Fortune, 3. Timmy Smith, 4. Calob McLaughlin, 5. Rick Potter, 6. Robbie Mooneyham, 7. Nick Evans, 8. Brandon Blair, 9. T.J. Bolin, 10. Mickey Barnes, 11. John Cagle, 12. Todd Bolin.
Did not start - Chris Steadman, Steve Greene.
Last-Chance (Two): 1. Andrew Durham, 2. Cody Ussery, 3. Megan Erwin, 4. Chris Stowe, 5. Jesse Wall, 6. Cameron Martin, 7. Garrett Killman, 8. Russell Douville.
Did not start - Donovan Long, Eric Grant, David Wells, Junior Johnson.
Entries: 42
Lap leaders: Kade Langley 1-6, Patrick Lyon 7-19, Devon Morgan 20.
Margin of victory: 0.284 seconds
Cautions: 6
Heat winners: Mike Grady Jr., Mitchell Duvall, Blake Pryor, Kade Langley.
Last-chance winners: David Duke, Andrew Durham.
Article Credit: Brian McLeod