Greg Wilson went from third to first in the final three laps to score a breathtaking Circle K NOS Energy Outlaw Showdown victory at The Dirt Track at Charlotte on Friday, as the World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series rookie passed Shane Stewart on the final lap to capture the second win of his career and his first at the lightning-fast, four-tenths-mile clay oval.
Wilson's No. 20 Hercules Tire/Ohio Logistics machine was third as the thrilling 30-lap feature wound down. Stewart appeared to have the fastest car, but a restart with six laps to go forced the Larson Marks Racing driver to have to hold off Cole Duncan and Wilson one final time. Duncan made a bid for the lead with two laps to go, but he slid high in Turn 2. Wilson dove under both Duncan and Stewart to assume the point and secure the win. Stewart was second as Duncan, Daryn Pittman and Donny Schatz completed the top five.
"I never dreamt in my wildest dreams that I'd get this opportunity," Wilson, a Benton Ridge, Ohio, native said. "To do this at Charlotte, in front of all these fans, this is (amazing). It's a little surreal right at the moment. I race some of the best drivers in the world night-in and night-out. We missed the show at New Egypt (New Jersey Speedway) and it seemed like we shouldn't even be out here. Then, we turned it around tonight."
In the SECA Late Model Series 25-lap A-Main, Furman Parton out-dueled Justin Williams and Trent Ivey, last year's winner, for his second career win at The Dirt Track at Charlotte. Parton triumphed in a dominant performance that saw the Union Mills, North Carolina, driver pull away from his rivals early and encounter little trouble with lapped traffic.
"That was the best car I've ever had here," Parton said. "I've had some good cars here before, but that one was by far the best. I enjoyed it. I'm pumped."
The 10 Days of NASCAR Thunder continues Saturday with the Hisense 4K TV 300, a perfect lead-up to the 57th running of the iconic Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday. Tickets can be purchased online or by calling the speedway ticket office at 1-800-455-FANS (3267).
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World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series:
Qualifying: 1. Shane Stewart (13.913); 2. Joey Saldana (13.995); 3. Cole Duncan (14.084); 4. Greg Wilson (14.171); 5. Jacob Allen (14.258); 6. Paul McMahan (14.262); 7. Brad Sweet 14.270); 8. Logan Schuchart (14.276); 9. Jason Sides (14.291); 10. Logan Wagner (14.330); 11. Jason Johnson (14.330); 12. Tim Shaffer (14.354); 13. Donny Schatz (14.380); 14. Daryn Pittman (14.398); 15. Trey Starks (14.432); 16. David Gravel (14.444); 17. Randy Hannagan (14.556); 18. Brent Marks (14.589); 19. Wayne Dadetto (15.030); 20. Joe Trenca (15.066); 21. Clyde Knipp (15.130); 22. Jake McClain (15.168); 23. Kevin Shelbo (15.524); 24. Andrew McClain (16.035); 25. Andrew Korte (17.224).
First Heat (8 laps): 1. Greg Wilson; 2. Shane Stewart; 3. Donny Schatz; 4. Brad Sweet; 5. David Gravel; 6. Logan Wagner; 7. Wayne Dadetto; 8. Andrew Korte.
Second Heat (8 laps): 1.Joey Saldana; 2. Daryn Pittman; 3. Logan Schuchart; 4. Jason Johnson 5. Randy Hannagan; 6. Jacob Allen; 7. Joe Trenca; 8. Kevin Shelbo
Third Heat (8 laps): 1. Cole Duncan; 2. Paul McMahan; 3. Tim Shaffer; 4. Jason Sides; 5. Trey Starks; 6. Brent Marks; 7. Clyde Knipp; 8. Brandon McClain.
Dash (8 laps): 1. Daryn Pittman; 2. Cole Duncan; 3. Paul McMahan; 4 Shane Stewart; 5. Greg Wilson; 6. Joey Saldana.
Last-Chance Showdown (12 laps): 1. Joe Trenca; 2. Clyde Knipp; 3. Kevin Shelbo; 4. Jake McClain; 5. Andrew McClain; 6. Wayne Dadetto; 7. Andrew Korte.
A-Main (30 laps): 1. Greg Wilson; 2. Shane Stewart; 3. Cole Duncan; 4. Daryn Pittman; 5. Donny Schatz; 6. Logan Schuchart; 7. Brent Marks; 8. Joey Saldana; 9. Jacob Allen; 10. Brad Sweet; 11. David Gravel; 12. Randy Hannagan; 13. Trey Starks; 14. Paul McMahan; 15. Jason Johnson 16. Tim Shaffer; 17. Jason Sides; 18. Logan Wagner; 19. Joe Trenca; 20. Kevin Shelbo; 21. Jake McClain; 22. Brandon McClain; 23. Clyde Knipp; 24. Wayne Dadetto.
SECA Late Model Series:
Qualifying: 1. Furman Parton (16.576); 2. Justin Williams (16.677); 3. Rambo Franklin (16.725); 4. Trent Ivey (16.738); 5. Ryan Atkins (16.804); 6. Ricky Weeks (16.906); 7. Bob Robertson (16.842); 8. Corey Gordon (16.931); 9. Banjo Duke (16.943); 10. Brian Carswell (17.049); 11. Thomas Robinson (17.052); 12. Anthony Sanders (17.060); 13. Timbo Mangum (17.106); 14. Dale Timms (17.107); 15. Layton Sullivan (17.139); 16. Cameron Crowe (17.156); 17. Matt Long (17.181); 18. Dustin Brim (17.194); 19. Chris Cheek (17.198); 20. Gib Gibbons (17.199); 21. Dillon Brown (17.207); 22. Zack Mitchell (17.212); 23. Jeff Robinson (17.218); 24. Andrew Cole (17.232); 25. John Ruggiero (17.235); 26. Brian Connor (17.253); 27. Spencer Apple (17.280); 28. Corey Almond (17.326); 29. Chris Calvert (17.355); 30. Cole Apple (17.381); 31. Mark McLeod (17.406); 32. Wesley Cadwallader (17.427); 33. Eddie Baggs (17.443); 34. Chastin Blackwell (17.491); 35. Brad Rigdon (17.522); 36. Michael Brown (17.533); 37. Grant Davidson (17.548); 38. Russell Fleeman (17.567); 39. James Plemmons (17.598); 40. Richard Kuiken (17.663); 41. Daniel Stolte (17.682); 42. Dale Moore (18.871); 43. Teddy Musgrave Jr. (17.906); 44. Christian Thomas (17.925); 45. Tommy Taylor (17.940); 46. Matt Lawson (17.951); 47. Timmie Harrelson (17.967).
B-Main #1 (10 Laps): 1. Matt Long; 2. Dale Timms; 3. Layton Sullivan; 4. Anthony Sanders; 5. Cameron Crowe; 6. Spencer Apple; 7. Michael Brown; 8. Grant Davidson; 9. Dale Moore; 10. Christian Thomas; 11. Chris Cheek; 12. Russell Fleeman; 13. Matt Lawson; 14. Dustin Brim; 15. Teddy Musgrave Jr.; 16. Andrew Cole.
B-Main #2 (10 Laps): 1. Corey Gordon; 2. Zack Mitchell; 3. Dillon Brown; 4. Timbo Mangum; 5. Gib Gibbons; 6. Jeff Robinson; 7. John Ruggiero; 8. Chastin Blackwell; 9. Corey Almond; 10. Chris Calvert; 11. Daniel Stolte; 12. Tommy Taylor; 13. Timmie Harrelson; 14. Richard Kuiken Jr.; 15. Brad Rigdon; 16. Brian Connor; 17. Eddie Baggs; 18. James Plemmons.
A-Main (25 Laps): 1. Furman Parton; 2. Justin Williams; 3. Trent Ivey; 4. Rambo Franklin; 5. Ryah Atkins; 6. Zack Mitchell; 7. Matt Long; 8. Ricky Weeks; 9. Thomas Robinson; 10. Anthony Sanders; 11. Banjo Duke; 12. Corey Gordon; 13. Layton Sullivan; 14. John Ruggiero; 15. Gib Gibbons; 16. Spencer Apple; 17. Timbo Mangum; 18. Cameron Crowe; 19. Chris Cheek; 20. James Plemmons; 21. Jeff Robinson; 22. Dillon Brown; 23. Dale Timms; 24. Bob Robertson; 25. Andrew Cole; 26. Brian Carswell.