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Ashton Winger tops World of Outlaws foes at Volusia

Ashton Winger raced his Team 22 Inc. No. 89 Longhorn Race Car / Cornett Racing Engine Super Late Model to a $10,000 triumph last week during a rescheduled World of Outlaws Sunshine Nationals finale.

The victory was his first of the year and came against a talent-laden field of racers and a challenging racing surface.

"I know I was all over the place there. I had to aim for them holes for traction," the 22-year-old Hampton, Ga., driver said. "When I tried to back my corner up, I'd push, then I'd have to use the brake pedal to turn and then I’d just go hopping.

"I know a lot of people thought that my car wouldn’t hold together hitting those holes, but actually it says my team itself is pretty good. I'm not very good though. I struggle here (at Volusia) really bad. I don't know what it is. I feel like if I could ever just start on the pole of every race, I'd be all right, but they are giving me a perfect car every night. I’ve just got to get a little better"

On Monday evening, Ashton Winger entered the Team 22 Inc. No. 89 Gambler Transport Motorsports Late Model into battle at Volusia Speedway Park (Barberville, Fla.) in the opening round of the 51st annual DIRTcar Nationals. Following a fifth-place finish in his heat, Winger finished fourth in a B-Main to earn the 24th-starting spot for the feature. With $7,000 on the line, Ashton improved seven spots to finish 17th.

The following night, Ashton laid down the eighth-fastest time in his group before streaking to an eight-lap victory. Losing one position in the 30-lap feature, Winger posted a fourth-place finish. He trailed Ryan Gustin, Devin Moran, and Tanner English across the line with Tim McCreadie coming in fifth.

In a field of 58 cars on Wednesday as the remainder of the week became World of Outlaws (WoO) Case Construction Late Model Series sanctioned, Winger edged his way into the $10,000-to-win A-Main with the third-and-final transfer spot in his heat. Locked into the 16th-starting position, Ashton was an early retiree on lap 16.

Later that evening for the rescheduled World of Outlaws Sunshine Nationals feature from January 22, Ashton led all but one circuit in the 40-lapper to capture his first win of the season and a $10,000 prize. He took the checkers ahead of Dale McDowell, Chris Madden, Devin Moran, and Hudson O’Neal.

On Thursday evening, Ashton’s third-place finish in his heat pinned him 14th on the starting grid for the A-Main. Wheeling his way into the Top-10, Winger passed seven cars to finish seventh.

Following a fourth-to-second run in his heat race on Friday, Winger salvaged a 21st-place finish in the feature from the tail after bringing out a caution on lap 15.

For the finale of the 51st annual DIRTcar Nationals on Saturday, Ashton secured his spot into the main event with a third-place finish in his heat. Starting in 18th, Winger pulled off early with five circuits remaining.

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