Rusty Daniels ended a winless streak dating back to May 2016 with his victory in Sunday night’s Spooktacular presented by NCDOT Click-It-Or-Ticket.
The veteran racer from Alliance, North Carolina dominated the 100 lap Limited Late Model feature, leading 83 laps and surviving a series of late race restarts to score the win. Daniels had pulled away from the field, but a late race caution for a six car pileup setup a five lap shootout. Daniels held off a challenge from newcomer Jessica Dana in the final laps en route to victory – his first since May 28, 2016.
“It’s very special,” Daniels said. “We brought a different car that we’ve never run here and we tested two weeks ago, first time I’ve been on the racetrack with it. It’s 11-years-old but drives like a brand new one. Can’t thank Kevin Bell enough. We work hard on this stuff. We probably don’t do everything just right but we do it the way we want too. Can’t thank my family and everybody enough who have helped me with this thing.”
Daniels has been a contender all season long, both at Southern National Motorsports Park and at Carteret County Speedway, but victory lane had eluded him all season. He has led races and been involved in crashes or been sidelined due to mechanical failures or otherwise come up just short of winning. His consistency earned him the championship in the Eastern Carolina Late Model Mania Series.
“It stinks we weren’t in the NASCAR points deal,” Daniels remarked. “I was trying so hard, I want to win the state some kind of bad before I quit. It just works out the way it does, nothing we can do about that.”
Jessica Dana, making her Southern National Motorsports Park debut with Lee Pulliam Performance, finished in the runner-up spot, her best career finish in a Limited Late Model.
“We had a really good car all weekend,” Dana said. “We were struggling at first but we got it together and came back with a second-place finish. I really have to thank the team. They worked their butts off to get me where they are and my sponsors for making it possible to even be at the track.”
For Dana, the runner-up finish has her inching closer to victory after being sidelined from the sport a few years ago.
“I’ve worked my butt off to get where I am and everyone backing me has worked their butts off,” Dana remarked. “I’ve been through a lot. I’ve had to step out of racing, got back into racing and we’re making it happen when we need to.”
John Jones, father of Clay Jones, raced his way to a third place finish in the no. 15 car. Jones was racing in honor of his friend and longtime engine builder, Mike Harrell, who passed away earlier this month.
Results
- Rusty Daniels
- Jessica Dana
- John Jones
- Mini Tyrell
- Jonathan Cash
- Daryn Cockram
- Jonathan Kornegay
- Tony Grady
- Paul Williamson
- JD Eversole
- Michael O’Brien
- Cameron Bowen
- Wesley Hawkins
