Anything that could happen did happen during the World of Outlaws late models season opener at Volusia Speedway on Thursday night.
It ended with Kyle Bronson invading the series and stealing the first win away from full-timer Cade Dillard, but it was a wild ride just to get there.
Bronson started off the night leading the race for the majority of the opening laps.
He survived two cautions before Dillard pressured him for the lead spot in the middle of the 40-lap main event.
Dillard was poised to open the year with a run-away victory. He took advantage of a Bronson mistake and cruised right by him.
However, the caution came out with in the final 10 laps.
Rookie Tony Jackson Jr. was poised to kick off his World of Outlaws campaign with a top five finish, but ended his night early after bringing out the caution. He’d finish 21st.
Ryan Gustin – the Marshalltown, IA native, ended up taking home the Rookie of the Race award.
Dillard lead the cars to the restart with five laps remaining with Darrell Lanigan a car length behind him to his inside.
Lanigan tried to throw a slider past Dillard and ended up taking off half of his front fender.
The aftermath of Cade Dillard and Darrell Lanigan’s contact for the lead.
Lanigan said, “I was just going for it.”
The season has just begun 😃 pic.twitter.com/GngWHGCNAV
— World of Outlaws Late Models (@WoOLateModels) January 15, 2021
The moved ruined Dillard’s race as well as Lanigan’s.
“I knew we had a lead there, so I was just hoping on the caution for somebody to not to do something stupid,” Dillard said. “I’m not going to get on here and badmouth nobody. I know stuff happens, but it’s unfortunate. We had a really good car. Once that got torn up, we were just hanging on.”
Dillard would finish second to Bronson with the No. 8 of Kyle Strickler rounding out the podium.
Ricky Weiss and Brandon Sheppard both salvaged top 10 finishes after rough starts to their nights as well.
The series returns to the track on Friday night for night two of the Sunshine Nationals. Hot laps are scheduled to start at 4:30 p.m. CT. on DirtVision.
World of Outlaws Sunshine Nationals Night 1 Results
Volusia Speedway Park
1. Kyle Bronson
2. Cade Dillard
3. Kyle Strickler
4. Rick Eckert
5. David Breazeale
6. Dennis Erb Jr.
7. Ricky Weiss
8. Ryan Gustin
9. Brandon Sheppard
10. Tyler Bruening
11. Ashton Winger
12. Ross Robinson
13. Chris Madden
14. Earl Pearson Jr.
15. Boom Briggs
16. Darrell Lanigan
17. Scott Bloomquist
18. Chase Junghans
19. Brent Larson
20. John Baker
21. Tony Jackson Jr.
22. Dale McDowell
23. Blake Spencer
24. Parker Martin
25. Tim McCreadie
26. Ross Bailes
27. Jimmy Owens
28. Ryan Scott
| World of Outlaws Late Models Standings | ||||
| Position | Driver | Points | Behind | |
| 1 | Kyle Bronson | 150 | -0 | |
| 2 | Cade Dillard | 146 | -4 | |
| 3 | Kyle Strickler | 144 | -6 | |
| 4 | Rick Eckert | 142 | -8 | |
| 5 | David Breazeale | 140 | -10 | |
| 6 | Dennis Erb Jr. | 138 | -12 | |
| 7 | Ricky Weiss | 136 | -14 | |
| 8 | Ryan Gustin (R) | 134 | -16 | |
| 9 | Brandon Sheppard | 132 | -18 | |
| 10 | Tyler Bruening | 130 | -20 | |