Kyle Bronson was the dominant car at one point during the North/South 100 at Florence Speedway, but unfortunately used up his tires and equipment and eventually settled for a 10th place finish.

After the huge wreck on the front stretch with 88 laps left, Bronson restarted in fifth and quickly found the top of the track and began ripping it to the front. He worked past both Brandon Overton and Ricky Thornton Jr. down the back stretch to move into third. After Tyler Erb slipped up on the cushion exiting turn 2, Bronson slipped under him to move into second behind race leader Jonathan Davenport. 

There would then be a couple of caution flags, first for a flat tire for Erb and then for a spin for Daniel Hilsabeck. On the restart after Hilsabeck’s spin Bronson made his move for the lead. With 76 to go he dove underneath Davenport heading into turn 3 and slid him through 4. Davenport countered with his own slider through 1 and 2. Bronson responded by turning underneath and the two ran door-to-door down the back stretch. He then took complete control of the lead exiting turn 4 and then ripping the top through 1 and 2. 

After a Dillon McCowan spin with 59 laps left, Davenport mounted a challenge for the lead. However, Bronson was able to hold him by keeping it up top and using his momentum to get strong runs on the straightaways. Davenport would fall into the clutches of Josh Rice. The short battle between them would result in a flat tire for Rice after he made contact with the outside wall. That would bring the caution out with 51 laps to go.

On the ensuing restart, Davenport again challenged Bronson for the lead. Davenport hugged the bottom through 1 and 2 and then moved up the track exiting the turn. Meanwhile, Bronson ripped the top. The two collided down the back stretch with the contact sending Davenport into a spin and down onto the back stretch berm. 

Davenport spoke about the contact with FloRacing’s Ben Shelton in his second place podium interview, “With Bronson, I don’t know, I feel like he could’ve probably hit the brake pedal. There is one in there. There’s many times that I had to slow down or hit the brake pedal when somebody’d slide me.”

Additionally, he told StockCarReport.com, “I ain’t got a rearview mirror. All I know is I got hit from behind so I don’t know. I guess you’ll have to ask him about that contact.”

As for Bronson, he spoke with Michael Hamilton Photography following the race, “Man, he’s the cleanest coon out there. You know, he does a really good job of not wrecking you, but wrecking you. And I heard his interview, and I like Jonathan a lot. I really like Rachel. Jonathan so-so every now and then. Nah, I’m just kidding.”

“Just the bottom line is he thinks I’m his water boy,” he said. “And after Ocala if anybody should be careful around somebody, he should be careful around me because I can promise you there won’t be no 49 parked in the 40 pit area. This ain’t Tyler Erb.”

On Facebook, he shared, “The contact midrace, we held our line, the same line we were running lap after lap.”

NEXT: