Country Singer Tunes in a DIRTcar eSports Street Stock Victory

Kevin Dedmon holds off iRacing stars to earn first DIRTcar eSports win at virtual Lanier National Speedway

BRASELTON, GA — May 20, 2020 — On any other day of the week, Kevin Dedmon is the lead singer and fiddler of his own country band, but on Wednesday night at virtual Lanier National Speedway, the Dirty Grass Soul frontman laid a serious licking on the DIRTcar Street Stock field to win his first DIRTcar eSports Showdown.

Beating out fellow iRacing pro Kendal Tucker and DIRTcar Street Stock regular DJ Kilanowski, Dedmon took his Team VLR #0 to Victory Lane as the fourth different winner in as many races on the DIRTcar eSports circuit.

“This was my first-ever DIRTcar race,” Dedmon said. “I had a blast, and got to sweep the night, so it was fun.”

Indeed, he did. Dedmon was also the victor in the Hoosier Racing Tire Preliminary Round #1 COMP Cams Feature, which transferred him into the VP Racing Fuels Final Round. With a third-place Racing Electronics Qualifying effort, Dedmon got a great start at the drop of the green and immediately began digging to the inside on leader Tucker.

Joe Grabianowski Photo

For several of the opening laps in the 50-lap Chevy Performance Feature, Dedmon and Tucker rode side-by-side, lap-after-lap until Dedmon pulled a big slide job on Tucker on Lap 12, to swipe the lead away. Tucker came back at him on the next restart, putting the pressure on Dedmon from behind. In their side-by-side battles, a bit of scraping and rubbing was seen, but nothing extreme. Just enough to turn the heat up early on.

“It was awesome, me and Kendal were beatin’ and bangin’ doors there in the first half of the race,” Dedmon told DIRTVision broadcast host Chase Raudman in the post-race interview. “It was all clean racing, in my opinion. He got into me a little bit and I got into him a little bit, but that’s kinda what you gotta do in these. I wasn’t holding anything against him for that.”

“I really would have liked to have gotten a better start and got out front,” Tucker said. “Probably could’ve just used the old mirror and held ’em off, but that’s just how it goes sometimes.”

A few yellows thrown intermittently from that point on broke the competitive tension between Dedmon and Tucker, but Dedmon did seem to have a better line in the long run, which gave him the advantage he needed to stay out front of Tucker and a hard-pressing Kilanowski as the laps clicked off.

Joe Grabianowski Photo

Tucker and Kilanowski chased Dedmon down through the closing laps, where they got their best chance to make a move on the leader. With seven laps left on the board, the leaders caught the rear of a lapped car out of Turn 4. Dedmon just barely tapped the driver-side door of the slower car while passing on the inside, while Tucker made a bit more significant contact, cutting into his momentum just enough to allow Dedmon to open up the gap and drive away with the win.

“I pinched one of the lapped cars off pretty good, and actually got him with my right-rear. I was running that kinda slider-line out of Turns 3-4 and coming in high, so I was like, ‘Man, I gotta go! Can’t be waiting,’” Dedmon said of his lane choice in the closing laps.

“I kept trying that line in Turns 3-4 that [Dedmon] was running,” Tucker said of his view from the cockpit. “Every time I went to that line, he was just yanking me so much harder. I don’t know how much harder I could have drove this thing, it’s only running about 60 miles an hour.”

Joe Grabianowski Photo

This was Tucker’s third venture into the DIRTcar eSports world, and the third time he’s been seen up front without a win. In his mind, though, persistence is key.

“We’ve been up front in all of ‘em, just need some things to go our way. You need a lot of luck on this sim to win. As long as we can keep being up front, we’ll get one eventually,” Tucker said.

“I was kinda sitting back, waiting to see if they’d go two-wide and just pick the dominant lane and hopefully get up to second,” Kilanowski said. “Kendal was keeping the car wide enough that I couldn’t get to another lane to pass him. So, I was happy running third.”

The fifth round of DIRTcar eSports action continues in two weeks’ time; track and car class to be announced in the coming days. Catch all the action live on DIRTVision!

Weekly DIRTcar eSports Showdown RESULTS; May 20, 2020 at Lanier National Speedway

CHEVY PERFORMANCE Feature (50 laps) — 1. 000-Kevin Dedmon [3] [$250]; 2. 00-Kendal Tucker [1] [$150]; 3. 13-DJ Kilanowski [4] [$100]; 4. 29-Richie Yost [6] [$75]; 5. 61-Josh Peacock [5] [$50]; 6. 140-Braden Johnson [14] [$45]; 7. 39-Ian Blanchard [8] [$40]; 8. 08-Tyler Jackson [10] [$35]; 9. 311-Justin Holt [11] [$30]; 10. 16-Bryar Zimmerman [13] [$25]; 11. 54-Larry Barber Jr [9] [$20]; 12. 51-Jacob Lassiter [2] [$20]; 13. 32-Bradley Bauer [19] [$20]; 14. 72-Karlin Ray [20] [$20]; 15. 4-Nathan Abrahims [23] [$20]; 16. 190-Seth Smyser [18] [$20]; 17. 013-Daniel Worthington [7] [$20]; 18. 9-Dane Loyd [12] [$20]; 19. 98-Will Smith [22] [$20]; 20. 14-John Baker [16] [$20]; 21. 41-Harry Stalnaker [24] [$20]; 22. 4-Brett Hutira [21] [$20]; 23. 20-Jason Schroen [17] [$20]; 24. 93-Zane Yost [15] [$20]. Lap leaders: Kendal Tucker 1-4, 11; Kevin Dedmon 5-10, 12-50. DIRTVision Hard Charger: Braden Johnson +8.

HOOSIER TIRE PRELIMINARY #1

RACING ELECTRONICS Qualifying — 1. 33-Evan Seay [17.234] [$25/Cometic Gaskets]; 2. 00-Kendal Tucker [17.236]; 3. 000-Kevin Dedmon [17.254]; 4. 41-Jake Moser [17.306]; 5. 142-Taylor Frost [17.33]; 6. 54-Larry Barber Jr [17.332]; 7. 29-Richie Yost [17.342]; 8. 8-Tyler Jackson [17.357]; 9. 51-Jacob Lassiter [17.39]; 10. 14-Brock Evans [17.43]; 11. 13-Daniel Worthington [17.433]; 12. 42-Tom Morano [17.437]; 13. 15-Nick Sterna [17.445]; 14. 9-Camron Ray [17.446]; 15. 16-Bryar Zimmerman [17.448]; 16. 190-Seth Smyser [17.468]; 17. 546-Randy Axner [17.496]; 18. 28-John Baker [17.503]; 19. 69-Tyler Moore [17.525]; 20. 46-Jonathan Nause [17.551]; 21. 88-Dillon DeBord [17.559]; 22. 55-Joey Durbin [17.623]; 23. 76-Broc Lawrence [17.713]; 24. 98-Will Smith [17.741]; 25. 11-Mitchell Schlater [17.768]; 26. 4-Nathan Abrahims [17.82]; 27. 19-Chris Dolack [17.888]; 28. 22-Tomy Moreau [17.918]; 29. 6-Justin Gray [18.055]; 30. 24-William Richardson [18.382]; 31. 35-Jason Theisen [18.863]; 32. 21-Steve Morano [19.166]; 33. 32-William Pate [NT].

DRYDENE Heat 1 (10 laps) — Top 6 Transfer — 1. 33-Evan Seay [1] [$20]; 2. 41-Jake Moser [2]; 3. 29-Richie Yost [3]; 4. 14-Brock Evans [4]; 5. 55-Joey Durbin [8]; 6. 190-Seth Smyser [6]; 7. 15-Nick Sterna [5]; 8. 35-Jason Theisen [11]; 9. 69-Tyler Moore [7]; 10. 22-Tomy Moreau [10]; 11. 11-Mitchell Schlater [9].
DART Heat 2 (10 laps) — Top 6 Transfer — 1. 00-Kendal Tucker [1] [$20]; 2. 142-Taylor Frost [2]; 3. 8-Tyler Jackson [3]; 4. 13-Daniel Worthington [4]; 5. 9-Camron Ray [5]; 6. 546-Randy Axner [6]; 7. 76-Broc Lawrence [8]; 8. 46-Jonathan Nause [7]; 9. 4-Nathan Abrahims [9]; 10. 6-Justin Gray [10]; 11. 21-Steve Morano [11].
ARP FASTENERS Heat 3 (10 laps) — Top 6 Transfer — 1. 000-Kevin Dedmon [1] [$20]; 2. 54-Larry Barber Jr [2]; 3. 51-Jacob Lassiter [3]; 4. 16-Bryar Zimmerman [5]; 5. 28-John Baker [6]; 6. 88-Dillon DeBord [7]; 7. 98-Will Smith [8]; 8. 24-William Richardson [10]; 9. 19-Chris Dolack [9]; 10. 42-Tom Morano [4]; 11. 32-William Pate [11].

INTEGRA RACING SHOCKS Last Chance Showdown (14 laps) — Top 6 Transfer — 1. 98-Will Smith [3] [$25]; 2. 76-Broc Lawrence [2]; 3. 69-Tyler Moore [7]; 4. 24-William Richardson [6]; 5. 4-Nathan Abrahims [8]; 6. 15-Nick Sterna [1]; 7. 22-Tomy Moreau [10]; 8. 11-Mitchell Schlater [13]; 9. 19-Chris Dolack [9]; 10. 46-Jonathan Nause [5]; 11. 42-Tom Morano [12]; 12. 21-Steve Morano [14]; 13. 35-Jason Theisen [4]; 14. 6-Justin Gray [11]; 15. 32-William Pate [15].

COMP CAMS Feature (32 laps) — Top 12 to Finals — 1. 000-Kevin Dedmon [3] [$25]; 2. 8-Tyler Jackson [8]; 3. 54-Larry Barber Jr [6]; 4. 13-Daniel Worthington [11]; 5. 51-Jacob Lassiter [9]; 6. 29-Richie Yost [7]; 7. 190-Seth Smyser [16]; 8. 00-Kendal Tucker [2]; 9. 4-Nathan Abrahims [23]; 10. 28-John Baker [15]; 11. 16-Bryar Zimmerman [12]; 12. 98-Will Smith [19]; 13. 142-Taylor Frost [5]; 14. 88-Dillon DeBord [18]; 15. 41-Jake Moser [4]; 16. 33-Evan Seay [1]; 17. 55-Joey Durbin [13]; 18. 14-Brock Evans [10]; 19. 76-Broc Lawrence [20]; 20. 24-William Richardson [22]; 21. 69-Tyler Moore [21]; 22. 15-Nick Sterna [24]; 23. 546-Randy Axner [17]; 24. 9-Camron Ray [14]. Lap leaders: Evan Seay 1-14, 27-30; Kendal Tucker 15-26; Kevin Deadmon 31-32. DIRTVision Hard Charger: Nathan Abrahaims +14.

HOOSIER TIRE PRELIMINARY #2

RACING ELECTRONICS Qualifying — 1. 61-Josh Peacock [17.199] [$25/Cometic Gaskets]; 2. 13-DJ Kilanowski [17.21]; 3. 39-Ian Blanchard [17.21]; 4. 93-Zane Yost [17.226]; 5. 140-Braden Johnson [17.234]; 6. 410-Michael Fowler [17.307]; 7. 311-Justin Holt [17.31]; 8. 16-Zack Lumly [17.315]; 9. 500-Tyler Berry [17.319]; 10. 17-Preston Oberle [17.341]; 11. 9-Dane Loyd [17.358]; 12. 54-Cory McKay [17.362]; 13. 5-Joshua Abbe [17.38]; 14. 15-Jon Henry [17.419]; 15. 4-Brett Hutira [17.442]; 16. 32-Bradley Bauer [17.443]; 17. 72-Karlin Ray [17.472]; 18. 26-Clifford Bellomy [17.489]; 19. 20-Jason Schroen [17.557]; 20. 10-Brandon Gray [17.645]; 21. 23-Joseph Reyell [17.75]; 22. 51-Malachi Hamilton [17.777]; 23. 49-Zachary Fox [17.882]; 24. 11-Matthew Duvall [17.891]; 25. 27-Garrett Lemmons [17.903]; 26. 33-Jayton Parish [17.931]; 27. 41-Harry Stalnaker [NT].

COMP CAMS Heat 1 (10 laps) — Top 6 Transfer — 1. 61-Josh Peacock [1] [$20]; 2. 93-Zane Yost [2]; 3. 311-Justin Holt [3]; 4. 17-Preston Oberle [4]; 5. 5-Joshua Abbe [5]; 6. 20-Jason Schroen [7]; 7. 51-Malachi Hamilton [8]; 8. 27-Garrett Lemmons [9]; 9. 32-Bradley Bauer [6].
ASI RACEWEAR Heat 2 (10 laps) — Top 6 Transfer — 1. 13-DJ Kilanowski [1] [$20]; 2. 140-Braden Johnson [2]; 3. 16-Zack Lumly [3]; 4. 72-Karlin Ray [6]; 5. 9-Dane Loyd [4]; 6. 10-Brandon Gray [7]; 7. 49-Zachary Fox [8]; 8. 33-Jayton Parish [9]; 9. 15-Jon Henry [5].
BICKNELL RACING PRODUCTS Heat 3 (10 laps) — Top 6 Transfer — 1. 39-Ian Blanchard [1] [$20]; 2. 410-Michael Fowler [2]; 3. 54-Cory McKay [4]; 4. 500-Tyler Berry [3]; 5. 4-Brett Hutira [5]; 6. 41-Harry Stalnaker [9]; 7. 26-Clifford Bellomy [6]; 8. 11-Matthew Duvall [8]; 9. 23-Joseph Reyell [7].

INTEGRA RACING SHOCKS Last Chance Showdown (14 laps) — Top 6 Transfer — 1. 51-Malachi Hamilton [1] [$25]; 2. 26-Clifford Bellomy [3]; 3. 32-Bradley Bauer [7]; 4. 49-Zachary Fox [2]; 5. 11-Matthew Duvall [6]; 6. 27-Garrett Lemmons [4]; 7. 33-Jayton Parish [5]; 8. 23-Joseph Reyell [9]; 9. 15-Jon Henry [8].

COMP CAMS Feature (30 laps) — Top 12 to Finals — 1. 13-DJ Kilanowski [2] [$25]; 2. 93-Zane Yost [4]; 3. 61-Josh Peacock [1]; 4. 39-Ian Blanchard [3]; 5. 140-Braden Johnson [5]; 6. 4-Brett Hutira [15]; 7. 72-Karlin Ray [11]; 8. 311-Justin Holt [7]; 9. 9-Dane Loyd [14]; 10. 20-Jason Schroen [16]; 11. 41-Harry Stalnaker [18]; 12. 32-Bradley Bauer [21]; 13. 11-Matthew Duvall [23]; 14. 26-Clifford Bellomy [20]; 15. 51-Malachi Hamilton [19]; 16. 410-Michael Fowler [6]; 17. 49-Zachary Fox [22]; 18. 17-Preston Oberle [10]; 19. 54-Cory McKay [9]; 20. 27-Garrett Lemmons [24]; 21. 5-Joshua Abbe [13]; 22. 16-Zack Lumly [8]; 23. 500-Tyler Berry [12]; 24. 10-Brandon Gray [17]. Lap leaders: Josh Peacock 1, 4-13, 23; DJ Kilanowski 2-3, 14-22, 24-30. DIRTVision Hard Charger: Brett Hutira +9.

VP RACING FUELS FINALS

RACING ELECTRONICS Qualifying — 1. 00-Kendal Tucker [16.912]; 2. 51-Jacob Lassiter [16.946]; 3. 000-Kevin Dedmon [16.948]; 4. 13-DJ Kilanowski [16.952]; 5. 61-Josh Peacock [16.96]; 6. 29-Richie Yost [16.984]; 7. 013-Daniel Worthington [16.992]; 8. 39-Ian Blanchard [17.01]; 9. 54-Larry Barber Jr [17.018]; 10. 08-Tyler Jackson [17.033]; 11. 311-Justin Holt [17.064]; 12. 9-Dane Loyd [17.118]; 13. 16-Bryar Zimmerman [17.128]; 14. 140-Braden Johnson [17.145]; 15. 93-Zane Yost [17.167]; 16. 14-John Baker [17.283]; 17. 20-Jason Schroen [17.359]; 18. 190-Seth Smyser [17.373]; 19. 32-Bradley Bauer [17.373]; 20. 72-Karlin Ray [17.381]; 21. 4-Brett Hutira [17.388]; 22. 98-Will Smith [17.428]; 23. 4-Nathan Abrahims [17.556]; 24. 41-Harry Stalnaker [18.364].

CHEVY PERFORMANCE Feature (50 laps) — 1. 000-Kevin Dedmon [3] [$250]; 2. 00-Kendal Tucker [1] [$150]; 3. 13-DJ Kilanowski [4] [$100]; 4. 29-Richie Yost [6] [$75]; 5. 61-Josh Peacock [5] [$50]; 6. 140-Braden Johnson [14] [$45]; 7. 39-Ian Blanchard [8] [$40]; 8. 08-Tyler Jackson [10] [$35]; 9. 311-Justin Holt [11] [$30]; 10. 16-Bryar Zimmerman [13] [$25]; 11. 54-Larry Barber Jr [9] [$20]; 12. 51-Jacob Lassiter [2] [$20]; 13. 32-Bradley Bauer [19] [$20]; 14. 72-Karlin Ray [20] [$20]; 15. 4-Nathan Abrahims [23] [$20]; 16. 190-Seth Smyser [18] [$20]; 17. 013-Daniel Worthington [7] [$20]; 18. 9-Dane Loyd [12] [$20]; 19. 98-Will Smith [22] [$20]; 20. 14-John Baker [16] [$20]; 21. 41-Harry Stalnaker [24] [$20]; 22. 4-Brett Hutira [21] [$20]; 23. 20-Jason Schroen [17] [$20]; 24. 93-Zane Yost [15] [$20]. Lap leaders: Kendal Tucker 1-4, 11; Kevin Dedmon 5-10, 12-50. DIRTVision Hard Charger: Braden Johnson +8.