2/2/2021
Shane Clanton
Clanton scores Lucas Oil victory at Bubba Raceway Park
After going winless in 2020, only to be hit by multiple serious health issues for himself and his family during the offseason, Shane Clanton finally had a turn of good fortune Tuesday night.
Clanton drove his Skyline Motorsports No. 25 Bennett Explosives/ Super K Express/ Capital Race Cars/ Clements Racing Engine Super Late Model to a $10,000 payday in the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Florida Speedweeks finale at Bubba Raceway Park.
“Last year we went winless on the series,” said Clanton, who planned to travel overnight Tuesday to in order to accompany his wife to her scheduled cancer treatment on Wednesday. “We got a win early this year. It makes this year better already.”
For the final stop on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Florida Speedweeks slate, Shane Clanton traveled to Bubba Raceway Park in Ocala, Fla. on Monday, competing in a field of 49 cars.
After coming two spots shy of a transfer position in his heat with a sixth-place finish, Clanton posted a third-place finish in his B-Main, which positioned him 21st on the starting grid for the $10,000-to-win A-Main. Marching forward nine spots in the 40-lap affair, Shane reeled in a 12th-place finish.
The following night, Shane followed up the fastest lap in his time trial group with an eight-lap heat race victory. Earning the second-starting position for the A-Main, Clanton faded back to fourth early in the race but began gaining momentum as he closed in on Jimmy Owens for second. (Heath Lawson photo)
After disposing of Jimmy Owens for second on lap 16, Shane turned his attention to race-leader Bobby Pierce. Whizzing around Pierce on the high side following a lap-22 caution, Clanton led the remaining distance of the 40-lapper to capture his first win of the season and a $10,000 prize. Pierce, Tanner English, Tim McCreadie, and Jimmy Owens trailed him to the checkers.
“Hats off to (track co-owner) Bubba (Clem) and his guys for giving us two grooves there,” said Clanton, whose victory improved on his 12th-place finish in Monday’s doubleheader opener at Ocala and gave him his second top five in the nine events that made up the Lucas Oil tour’s Speedweeks slate. “The top took a little bit to come in. It was a little greasy up there, but when it did, man, it come alive. We worked our butts off trying to get by Bobby there and made the right move at the right time I think.
“It’s a tricky place to get through (turns) three and four down there, but we done pretty good I guess tonight. Last night we sucked, but we changed a lot of things and it worked out.”
Back to News