BARBERVILLE, FL (January 30, 2026) – Over the last three years, Charlie Mefford has pieced together his ideal driving style around Volusia Speedway Park.
The Belton, KY native earned his fifth Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals win on Friday by wheeling his No. 13 Elite Chassis UMP Modified around the middle lane of the slick half-mile track in preparation for hunting his first career Big Gator championship from Feb. 2-7.
Kenny Wallace brought the field of 24 Modifieds to the opening green flag with Thursday winner Ricky Thornton Jr to the outside. Using the bottom lane to gain momentum, Wallace got clear of the lead and protected the inside line as Thornton attempted to create speed on the cushion.
Through the early stages, Wallace grew the gap to Thornton by 1.6 seconds as Mefford experimented with different lanes in third place until the first caution waved on Lap 6.
On the restart, the St. Louis, MO driver escaped the pack as Thornton faced a position battle from Mefford. “Chargin’ Charlie” used the bottom lane of Turns 3-4 to gain clearance of the reigning Late Model Big Gator champion on Lap 8.
As Wallace kept the No. 36 Modified glued to the low lane and jumped to a 1.6-second lead, Mefford found speed in the middle groove and cut the lead to 0.2 seconds when the caution was displayed once again on Lap 13.
The ensuing restart saw Mefford ride the middle lane to reach the right-rear of “The Herminator” at the exit of Turn 2, then outgassed Wallace through Turns 3-4 to take the lead. Trevor Neville noticed Mefford’s success and passed Wallace for second place in Turns 3-4 through the middle on Lap 14.
Secure in the top spot, the 19-year-old flew to a 3.6-second advantage over Neville in the final six circuits around the Barberville, FL grounds to capture the twin checkered flags at the “World’s Fastest Half Mile” for a fourth consecutive year.
“Those first six or seven laps, we were all following Kenny,” Mefford said. “Ricky went to the top, and I was like, ‘Man, I got to try the middle,’ and I kept a lot of momentum through the center of the corner like [Scott Bloomquist] would. I drove by [Thornton], and then the caution came, so I knew I had to capitalize then. If it wasn’t for that caution, I don’t know if I could have gotten by [Wallace].”
Feature (20 Laps): 1. 13-Charlie Mefford[3]; 2. 777-Trevor Neville[6]; 3. 36-Kenny Wallace[1]; 4. 25-Tyler Nicely[13]; 5. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr[2]; 6. 35A-Michael Altobelli[11]; 7. K9-Will Krup[5]; 8. 96M-Mike McKinney[4]; 9. 66-Cole Falloway[16]; 10. 35-David Stremme[7]; 11. 99H-Justin Haley[10]; 12. 97-Mitch Thomas[8]; 13. 45H-Kyle Hammer[22]; 14. 99-Cole Hilton[14]; 15. 114K-Evan Koehler[17]; 16. 43A-Mark Anderson[18]; 17. 77D-George Dixon[9]; 18. 56-Chris Wilson[15]; 19. 51-Dalton Lanich[21]; 20. 1TS-Tyler Spalding[23]; 21. 21CZ-Cole Czarneski[12]; 22. 12L-Lucas Lee[19]; 23. 31G-Stephen Pedulla[20]; 24. 05-Dave Wietholder[24]
Up Next: The opening week of Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals closes with the DIRTcar UMP Modifieds hunting a $2,500 payday as the American Sprint Car Series crowns a second Big Gator champion on Saturday, Jan. 31. With the frigid temperatures later in the evening, grandstand gates will open at 3 p.m, and Hot Laps will roll at 4 p.m.
Mefford Parks UMP Modified in DIRTcar Nationals Victory Lane at Volusia
BARBERVILLE, FL (January 30, 2026) – Over the last three years, Charlie Mefford has pieced together his ideal driving style around Volusia Speedway Park.
The Belton, KY native earned his fifth Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals win on Friday by wheeling his No. 13 Elite Chassis UMP Modified around the middle lane of the slick half-mile track in preparation for hunting his first career Big Gator championship from Feb. 2-7.
Kenny Wallace brought the field of 24 Modifieds to the opening green flag with Thursday winner Ricky Thornton Jr to the outside. Using the bottom lane to gain momentum, Wallace got clear of the lead and protected the inside line as Thornton attempted to create speed on the cushion.
Through the early stages, Wallace grew the gap to Thornton by 1.6 seconds as Mefford experimented with different lanes in third place until the first caution waved on Lap 6.
On the restart, the St. Louis, MO driver escaped the pack as Thornton faced a position battle from Mefford. “Chargin’ Charlie” used the bottom lane of Turns 3-4 to gain clearance of the reigning Late Model Big Gator champion on Lap 8.
As Wallace kept the No. 36 Modified glued to the low lane and jumped to a 1.6-second lead, Mefford found speed in the middle groove and cut the lead to 0.2 seconds when the caution was displayed once again on Lap 13.
The ensuing restart saw Mefford ride the middle lane to reach the right-rear of “The Herminator” at the exit of Turn 2, then outgassed Wallace through Turns 3-4 to take the lead. Trevor Neville noticed Mefford’s success and passed Wallace for second place in Turns 3-4 through the middle on Lap 14.
Secure in the top spot, the 19-year-old flew to a 3.6-second advantage over Neville in the final six circuits around the Barberville, FL grounds to capture the twin checkered flags at the “World’s Fastest Half Mile” for a fourth consecutive year.
“Those first six or seven laps, we were all following Kenny,” Mefford said. “Ricky went to the top, and I was like, ‘Man, I got to try the middle,’ and I kept a lot of momentum through the center of the corner like [Scott Bloomquist] would. I drove by [Thornton], and then the caution came, so I knew I had to capitalize then. If it wasn’t for that caution, I don’t know if I could have gotten by [Wallace].”
Feature (20 Laps): 1. 13-Charlie Mefford[3]; 2. 777-Trevor Neville[6]; 3. 36-Kenny Wallace[1]; 4. 25-Tyler Nicely[13]; 5. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr[2]; 6. 35A-Michael Altobelli[11]; 7. K9-Will Krup[5]; 8. 96M-Mike McKinney[4]; 9. 66-Cole Falloway[16]; 10. 35-David Stremme[7]; 11. 99H-Justin Haley[10]; 12. 97-Mitch Thomas[8]; 13. 45H-Kyle Hammer[22]; 14. 99-Cole Hilton[14]; 15. 114K-Evan Koehler[17]; 16. 43A-Mark Anderson[18]; 17. 77D-George Dixon[9]; 18. 56-Chris Wilson[15]; 19. 51-Dalton Lanich[21]; 20. 1TS-Tyler Spalding[23]; 21. 21CZ-Cole Czarneski[12]; 22. 12L-Lucas Lee[19]; 23. 31G-Stephen Pedulla[20]; 24. 05-Dave Wietholder[24]
Up Next: The opening week of Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals closes with the DIRTcar UMP Modifieds hunting a $2,500 payday as the American Sprint Car Series crowns a second Big Gator champion on Saturday, Jan. 31. With the frigid temperatures later in the evening, grandstand gates will open at 3 p.m, and Hot Laps will roll at 4 p.m.
How can you watch every lap of racing at Volusia Speedway Park? Live on DIRTVision.