Overton Extends Hot Streak, USAC Opener To Seavy

The temps are inching back toward normal in Florida and Monday was a nice night to return to Volusia Speedway Park as the 2026 Winter Nationals entered its final week with the first appearances of the DIRcar Late Models and the USAC Sprint Cars. Not only was it sweatshirt weather, at least until feature time, but it was also more of a laid back atmosphere following the massive crowds that gathered here last Friday and Saturday for the World of Outlaws Sprint Cars. There was still a nice crowd on this Monday night, but compared to Friday's standing room only gathering and what I was told was even a bigger crowd on Saturday, it was nice to be able navigate the grounds with a bit of free space around you.

Fifty-six Late Models were on hand with the standard UMP "qualify and start the fast guys in front" format and while all six pole-sitters would win their heat races, there was some late race drama in a couple of heats for the third and final transfer spot. Three Last Chance races would advance two more from each and with no provisionals being handed out on this night it would be a twenty-four car field set for twenty-five laps with a $7,000 check waiting for the winner.

Brandon Overton entered the night with a three race win streak intact starting with a romp over fourteen starters at a frozen Needmore Speedway and then a sweep of the Winter Freeze at Screven this past weekend and he would set quick time, win his heat and then essentially go unchallenged in tonight's feature to make it four in a row. His younger brother Cody Overton was happy to chase him in for second after starting third while Devin Moran started twelfth and finished third. Max Blair also went forward coming from seventh to fourth while Nick Hoffman finished fifth after briefly moving to second early in the race.

With Overton's domination my focus was on Iowa's own Dallon Murty who was making his Skyline Motorsports debut in his first appearance at Volusia. Murty started third in the second heat and, after challenging his teammate Tyler Bruening for second early on, he lost touch with the lead duo of Cade Dillard and Bruening, but fought off a late challenge from local hero Mark Whitener to finish third and lock in the fourteenth starting position in the main event.

Ironically he would spend the first several laps of the feature racing with Ryan Gustin and it was notable that while others were running the bottom or the middle, Murty was running the high line that he has been known to do throughout his stock Car and Modified career. At one point he jumped the curb in turn two and caught the wall a bit doing some damage to the right rear quarter panel and spoiler and with that slight break in his momentum, and perhaps due to that damage, he would drop to the back of the field. He would be credited with 22nd at the finish ahead of Ricky Thornton Jr. and Dillard who both did not finish.

Still it was an impressive night for Murty who made the show while others such as Outlaw regulars Dustin Sorensen, Jake Timm and Tristan Chamberlain did not. Another young driver who made his debut with the Coltman Farms team tonight, Michigan's Luke Morey qualified well to start second in his heat, but slipped to fourth at the finish and then in his Last Chance Race he was passed on the final lap by Jackson Hise to miss the show by one spot. It will be interesting to see how Dallon improves from night to night here at Volusia because I truly believe that he has a bright future ahead of him in the Super Late Models!

The USAC Sprint Cars qualify, but they then invert six in their heat races giving the crowd more action to enjoy during the qualifying events. Logan Seavey would land on the pole position for the twenty-five lap main event, but it would be fellow front row starter Brady Bacon that would take the early lead. Seavy and Justin Grant would give chase and when traffic first came into play Logan would throw a slider at Bacon in turns one and two only to have Brady cross him over and maintain his lead.

With laps winding down, Brady would find himself trapped behind two lappers racing side-by-side through turns three and four and when he made a late decision to go to the cushion off turn four, Seavey would get a big run and would make the pass in turn one with five laps remaining. Bacon would now be the chaser and as the white flag waved he would drive to the bottom in turn one to briefly take back the lead only to have Seavey go storming by him down the back stretch and he would hold on to take the win in the non-stop event.

Grant would watch that battle throughout the race from third, but could never get there to join it. C.J. Leary finished fourth and Briggs Danner came from eighth to finish fifth. The USA Sprint Cars close out their brief visit to Volusia tonight before moving over to Ocala for the remainder of the week.

I will make my final Speed Weeks event on Wednesday night when the Late Models will be split into three $5,000-to-win features and the Big Block Dirt Modifieds will start their four day run. Check back here on the Back Stretch for the news of the night!