McCowan Completes Weekend Sweep at Lucas Oil Speedway

WHEATLAND, Mo. (July 11, 2026) – Just one night after earning his first career Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series feature victory, Dillon McCowan of Urbana, Missouri, made his home track proud once again by capturing the 20th Annual CMH Diamond Nationals on Saturday night at Lucas Oil Speedway.

McCowan, who became the 95th different winner in Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series history with his Salute to Forrest Lucas victory on Friday night, led the final 16 laps Saturday to earn a career-best $25,000 payday. The victory came at a track located just 20 minutes from his race shop and only 24 hours after collecting $16,000 in his breakthrough series win.

Garrett Alberson finished second, while Brandon Overton rounded out the Big River Steel Podium in third. Brandon Sheppard crossed the line fourth, followed by Josh Rice in fifth.

Overton grabbed the lead at the start of the 50-lap feature with a pack of challengers close behind. McCowan, who started fifth, advanced to second by Lap 6 with Jonathan Davenport right on his bumper. Davenport used the high side to take the lead on Lap 19, but Overton reclaimed the top spot one lap later while navigating heavy traffic.

Davenport slipped back to third but was again challenging for the lead when he made contact with the Turn 4 wall on Lap 31, bringing out the caution and ending his night.

McCowan regained second on Lap 22 and remained there until he cleared Overton for the lead on Lap 35. A caution for debris with five laps remaining tightened the field one final time, but McCowan held off the challengers to earn his second career Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series victory in as many nights.

The two-time Lucas Oil Speedway Modified track champion climbed from his car in Victory Lane to another thunderous ovation from his hometown crowd.

"Oh my God, I love this place. I don't even know what to say. I had thought my whole life about what I would say last night, but I didn't have time to prepare a speech for tonight. I just wanted to make the show tonight and run in the top 10, and that would have been a good way to cap off the weekend after last night. I guess it wasn't a fluke. Brandon (Overton) drove an awesome race. He just got tight in Turns 1 and 2 one time, and JD and I had a heck of a race, too. Everybody raced real hard," said the 22-year-old racer.

"I kept wanting to go to the top. It's probably a good thing those cautions came out because they kind of kept me tamed down a little bit. When JD gets out in the lead here, you think you just gave it away. I just tried to stay calm and run my race. Like I said last night, I would have been happy to run third. Heck, that would have been a win for me. I could have never dreamed we'd be standing here in front of all these fans again. This is the most amazing weekend of my life."

Alberson got one final opportunity when the caution flew with five laps remaining. He mounted a valiant charge but crossed the finish line 1.730 seconds behind McCowan after trailing him over the final 12 laps.

"There was a split second where I realized I'd have hated to steal this from this kid, but he was just that good. I had a harder right-rear tire, and there were times when I thought it hurt me, but then we'd make a little run. I had really good entry speed. I just lacked a little balance through the center of the corner to roll it like he (McCowan) could. He did a really good job. He drove the heck out of that thing."

Overton completed the Big River Steel Podium in third after leading a race-high 33 laps.

"I just needed to be able to run the bottom a little better. As long as the speed was up, I could keep circling and run the bottom. As soon as it got slick getting into both ends, I had to park it and steer it. I want to win worse than anybody, but you can't be upset when Dillon McCowan wins. To see the excitement on his dad's face and how pumped up they are—I've been there and lived that same dream, so I can relate to that."

The winning Charles McCowan-owned Longhorn Chassis is powered by a Scott Bailey Racing Engine and sponsored by Midwest Sheet Metal, BLC Transportation, McCowan Farms, Sonic America's Drive-In, Empire Energy, Bilstein Shocks, Pomeroy Services, and Mel Hambleton Ford.

Rounding out the top 10 were Clay Harris, Chase Junghans, Kyle Bronson, Hudson O'Neal, and Ricky Thornton Jr.

Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series 

Race Summary 

20th Annual CMH Diamond Nationals

Saturday, July 11, 2026

Lucas Oil Speedway | Wheatland, MO

Allstar Performance Time Trials

Fast Time Group A: Brandon Overton | 14.609 seconds (Overall)

Fast Time Group B: Brandon Sheppard | 14.934 seconds

Penske Shocks Heat Race #1 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 76-Brandon Overton[1]; 2. 8-Dillon McCowan[2]; 3. 71-Hudson O'Neal[4]; 4. 16-Tyler Bruening[3]; 5. 40B-Kyle Bronson[5]; 6. 8K-Tyler Kuykendall[8]; 7. 17A-Austin Howes[10]; 8. 3J-Jake Nightingale[6]; 9. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr[9]; 10. 17SS-Brenden Smith[7]; 11. 3W-Brennon Willard[11]

Summit Racing Products Heat Race #2 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 49-Jonathan Davenport[1]; 2. 11-Josh Rice[2]; 3. 15L-Payton Looney[4]; 4. 15-Clay Stuckey[3]; 5. 25B-Chevy Boyer[6]; 6. 96X-Dalton Imhoff[5]; 7. 6-Clay Harris[8]; 8. 1X-Aaron Marrant[7]; 9. 44-Cole Wells[10]; 10. 24C-Brandon Conkwright[9]

Cool-It Thermo-Tec Heat Race #3 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 1-Brandon Sheppard[1]; 2. 93-Carson Ferguson[2]; 3. 111-Max Blair[3]; 4. 60-Dan Ebert[6]; 5. 11G-Gordy Gundaker[5]; 6. 22-Daniel Hilsabeck[8]; 7. 4W-Tyler Wolff[10]; 8. 17SR-Brody Smith[4]; 9. 98-Justin Wells[7]; 10. 7J-Ryan Johnson[9]; 11. 0X-Jason Sivils[11]

Simpson Race Products Heat Race #4 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 58-Garrett Alberson[1]; 2. 21-Billy Moyer Sr[2]; 3. 18J-Chase Junghans[3]; 4. 99-Devin Moran[5]; 5. 93O-Mason Oberkramer[6]; 6. 3S-Brian Shirley[8]; 7. 13-Dallon Murty[7]; 8. 53-Andrew Kosiski[4]; 9. 93L-Cory Lawler[9]; 10. 7D-Dusty Leonard[10]

Fast Shafts B-Main Race #1 Finish (10 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 40B-Kyle Bronson[1]; 2. 17A-Austin Howes[5]; 3. 6-Clay Harris[6]; 4. 96X-Dalton Imhoff[4]; 5. 8K-Tyler Kuykendall[3]; 6. 3J-Jake Nightingale[7]; 7. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr[9]; 8. 44-Cole Wells[10]; 9. 17SS-Brenden Smith[11]; 10. 1X-Aaron Marrant[8]; 11. 3W-Brennon Willard[13]; 12. 24C-Brandon Conkwright[12]; 13. 25B-Chevy Boyer[2]

UNOH B-Main Race #1 Finish (10 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 22-Daniel Hilsabeck[3]; 2. 93O-Mason Oberkramer[2]; 3. 13-Dallon Murty[6]; 4. 98-Justin Wells[9]; 5. 53-Andrew Kosiski[8]; 6. 93L-Cory Lawler[10]; 7. 4W-Tyler Wolff[5]; 8. 0X-Jason Sivils[13]; 9. 11G-Gordy Gundaker[1]; 10. 7D-Dusty Leonard[12]; 11. 3S-Brian Shirley[4]; 12. 17SR-Brody Smith[7]; 13. 7J-Ryan Johnson[11]

20th Annual CMH Diamond Nationals | Feature Finish (50 Laps):

Pos - Start - Car # - Competitor - Hometown - Earnings

1 - 5 - 8 - Dillon McCowan - Urbana, MO - $25,900

2 - 4 - 58 - Garrett Alberson - Las Cruces, NM - $10,800

3 - 1 - 76 - Brandon Overton - Evans, GA - $6,800

4 - 2 - 1 - Brandon Sheppard - New Berlin, IL - $4,900

5 - 7 - 11 - Josh Rice - Crittenden, KY - $4,300

6 - 21 - 6 - Clay Harris - Jupiter, FL - $3,500

7 - 12 - 18J - Chase Junghans - Manhattan, KS - $2,500

8 - 17 - 40B - Kyle Bronson - Brandon, FL - $3,100

9 - 9 - 71 - Hudson O'Neal - Martinsville, IN - $3,500

10 - 23 - 20RT - Ricky Thornton Jr - Chandler, AZ - $3,300

11 - 10 - 111 - Max Blair - Centerville, PA - $2,800

12 - 16 - 99 - Devin Moran - Dresden, OH - $3,100

13 - 18 - 22 - Daniel Hilsabeck - Earlham, IA - $2,600

14 - 6 - 93 - Carson Ferguson - Lincolnton, NC - $2,500

15 - 24 - 3S - Brian Shirley - Chatham, IL - $2,400

16 - 14 - 60 - Dan Ebert - Lake Shore, MN - $2,300

17 - 11 - 15L - Payton Looney - Republic, MO - $1,500

18 - 3 - 49 - Jonathan Davenport - Blairsville, GA - $1,500

19 - 19 - 17A - Austin Howes - Lewistown, MO - $1,500

20 - 13 - 16 - Tyler Bruening - Decorah, IA - $1,500

21 - 15 - 15 - Clay Stuckey - Shreveport, LA - $1,500

22 - 8 - 21 - Billy Moyer Sr - Batesville, AR - $1,500

23 - 20 - 93O - Mason Oberkramer - Broseley, MO - $1,500

24 - 22 - 13 - Dallon Murty - Chelsea, IA - $1,500

Race Statistics  

Entrants: 42

Bilstein Shocks Pole Sitter: Brandon Overton

MD3 Lap Leaders: Brandon Overton (Laps 1-18), Jonathan Davenport (Lap 19); Brandon Overton (Laps 20-34); Dillon McCowan (Laps 35-50)

Hellraizer Jacks Halfway Leader: Brandon Overton

Wieland Feature Winner: Dillon McCowan

Margin of Victory: 1.730 seconds

Hellraizer Jacks Cautions: Dan Ebert (Lap 2); Payton Looney, Hudson O’Neal (Lap 3); Billy Moyer (Lap 30); Austin Howes, Tyler Bruening (Lap 31); Brian Shirley, Clay Stuckey (Lap 31 restart); Debris (Lap 45)

MyRacePass Series Provisional: Ricky Thornton, Jr; Brian Shirley

Fast Time Provisional: n/a

Emergency Provisionals: n/a

Track Provisional: n/a

Big River Steel Podium Top 3: Dillon McCowan, Garrett Alberson, Brandon Overton

Penske Shocks Top 5: Dillon McCowan, Garrett Alberson, Brandon Overton, Brandon Sheppard, Josh Rice

Behrent’s One-Lap-to-Go Top 3: Dillon McCowan, Garrett Alberson, Brandon Overton

PEM 4th Place Feature: Brandon Sheppard

Diversified Machine 5th Place Feature: Josh Rice

Wilwood Brakes 7th Place Feature: Chase Junghans

Wehrs Machine 11th Place Feature: Max Blair

Velocity Manufacturing 13th Place Feature: Daniel Hilsabeck

XS Power Batteries 15th Place Feature: Brian Shirley

Hoker Trucking Hard Charger of the Race: Clay Harris (Advanced 15 positions)

MD3 Most Laps Led: Brandon Overton (33 Laps)

Sunoco Race Fuels Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Garrett Alberson

Midwest Sheet Metal Spoiler Challenge Point Leader: Brandon Sheppard & Hudson O’Neal

O’Reilly Auto Parts Rookie of the Race: Dillon McCowan

Pro Fabrication Headers Fastest Lap of the Race: Brandon Overton | Lap 3 | 15.165 seconds

FK Rod Ends Hard Luck Award: Jonathan Davenport

Victory Fuel Power Move of the Race: Dillon McCowan

Outerwears Crew Chief of the Race: Riley Duncan

ARP Engine Builder of the Race: Scott Bailey Racing Engines

Miller Welders Chassis Builder of the Race: Longhorn Chassis

Dirt Draft Fastest in Hot Laps: Garrett Alberson | 15.0297 seconds

Time of Race: 30 minutes 15 seconds

Big River Steel Championship Standings Presented by ARP:

Pos - Car # - Competitor - Hometown - Points - Earnings

1 - 1 - Brandon Sheppard - New Berlin, IL - 4955 - $210,500

2 - 71 - Hudson O'Neal - Martinsville, IN - 4920 - $200,250

3 - 99 - Devin Moran - Dresden, OH - 4775 - $262,024

4 - 76 - Brandon Overton - Evans, GA - 4600 - $108,900

5 - 111 - Max Blair - Centerville, PA - 4490 - $117,275

6 - 20RT - Ricky Thornton Jr - Chandler, AZ - 4380 - $128,525

7 - 58 - Garrett Alberson - Las Cruces, NM - 4300 - $95,425

8 - 11 - Josh Rice - Crittenden, KY - 4200 - $86,275

9 - 3s - Brian Shirley - Chatham, IL - 4135 - $74,150

10 - 40B - Kyle Bronson - Brandon, FL - 4035 - $65,675

11 - 6 - Clay Harris - Jupiter, FL - 4005 - $79,050

12 - 93 - Carson Ferguson - Lincolnton, NC - 3970 - $67,000

13 - 8 - Dillon McCowan - Urbana, MO - 3780 - $87,300

14 - 60 - Dan Ebert - Lake Shore, MN - 3750 - $63,550

15 - 22 - Daniel Hilsabeck - Earlham, IA - 3420 - $47,775

16 - 17SS - Brenden Smith - Dade City, FL - 3135 - $36,025

17 - 93L - Cory Lawler - Hanover, PA - 2965 - $25,275