WHEATLAND, Mo. (May 27, 2023) – Devin Moran was declared the winner of the 31st Annual Lucas Oil Show-Me 100 presented by the Missouri Division of Tourism after the initial winner Ricky Thornton Jr. was penalized four spots post-race for a droop limiter infraction.

Moran earned a career-best payday of $50,000 in the crown jewel event and becomes the ninth different winner in the past nine Show-Me 100 events. Moran also marks the 16th different driver to win the traditional Memorial Weekend event in its 31-year history.

Tim McCreadie was moved to second in the final rundown with Spencer Hughes, Chris Ferguson and Thornton rounding out the top five drivers.

Jonathan Davenport, who was looking for a weekend sweep after winning the Cowboy Classic on Thursday night and the Tribute to Don and Billie Gibson on Friday night grabbed the lead at the drop of the green flag. 

Thornton would run in the second spot for the first 20 laps before McCreadie was able to wrestle the spot away from him. McCreadie stayed in the second spot until lap 31 when Thornton regained the position. Hughes was one of the fastest cars on the track at the time - moving from eighth to third and then eventually to second by lap 36. After a lap 37 restart, Hughes yielded the second spot back to Thornton.

Thornton would then track down Davenport as the two went back-and-forth in the battle for the lead. Thornton cleared Davenport for the point on lap 58 becoming the first driver other than Davenport to lead a lap in three nights of racing. Thornton then pulled away from Davenport stretching his lead out by several car lengths.

Overton’s night ended a few laps from the finish as he brought out the caution when he made hard contact with the wall coming off turn four. After one final restart, Thornton would outrun Moran to the checkers, but would drop to fifth in the running order following post-race tech.

In Lucas Oil Victory Lane for the seventh time in his career Moran was asked his thoughts on the biggest win of his racing career. “This is like the best-worst win of my life. I just won the freaking Show-Me 100 and $50,000, but Ricky was the best car in the field and right there before that last caution I was making a boatload of time in one and two. I was just charging really hard to get through there, I was feeling really good. I don’t now what our lap times were compared to the 20RT before that caution. I got a really good restart for sure.”

Moran gave credit to his victory to Kevin Rumley in his post-race interview. “First and foremost, there is a bad son-of-a-gun in North Carolina named Kevin Rumley. This win, 110% of it goes to that man. My entire career has been working our tails off. We’ve worked as many hours as you could imagine this week. Obviously, I want to thank Roger [Sellers] and his family for giving me this opportunity.” It was the second Show-Me 100 victory for the Double Down Motorsports team as they went to Victory Lane in 2021 with Hudson O’Neal behind the wheel.

McCreadie was moved up one spot at the finish to claim the runnerup spot and a $20,000 payday. “I didn’t know until I saw Overton bring out the caution, I didn’t know if they had scored a lap. We just do our best and we had some luck, and we’ll take it.”

Hughes, who ran as high as second during the race rounded out the Big River Steel Podium in third. “It’s great to get another good finish. We have been running really good here lately. In the past we have struggled in the long races. We have been fast in them before, we’ve run in the top five a lot, but to finish one off on the podium means a lot for us. We were really good for a long time there. At the end those other guys could get more consistently through three and four than I could. We are glad to put together another good run.”

The winner’s Roger Sellers-owned, Double Down Motorsports, Longhorn Chassis is powered by a Cornett Racing Engine and sponsored by Big River Steel, Lazydays RV, C&W Trucking, Lucas Oil Products, McHugh Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep., Bilstein Shocks, CarSourceAuto.com, Red Oak Pub, Smoky Mountain Speedway, and Lincoln Smith Racing.

Completing the top ten were Dillon McCowan, Tyler Erb, Garrett Alberson, Daulton Wilson, and Ricky Weiss.

Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series 

Race Summary 

31st Annual Lucas Oil Show-Me 100 presented by Missouri Division of Tourism

Saturday, May 27, 2023

Lucas Oil Speedway – Wheatland, MO

Fast Shafts B-Main Race #1 (15 Laps, Top 2 Transfer): 1. 18D-Daulton Wilson[1]; 2. 15-Justin Duty[4]; 3. 45-Cole Wells[2]; 4. 50-Kaeden Cornell[8]; 5. 11H-Jeff Herzog[3]; 6. 93-Mason Oberkramer[6]; 7. 51-Larry Ferris[7]; 8. 54-David Breazeale[5]; 9. 3-Brennon Willard[11]; 10. 26-Glen Powell[13]; 11. 1A-Bryon Allison[12]; 12. 49J-Justin Wells[9]; 13. (DNS) 94-Austin Rettig; 14. (DNS) 78S-Steve Stultz

UNOH B-Main Race #2 (15 Laps, Top 2 Transfer): 1. 1H-Hudson O'Neal[1]; 2. 22-Daniel Hilsabeck[2]; 3. 56JR-Tony Jackson Jr[4]; 4. 22H-Dustin Hodges[7]; 5. 14M-Morgan Bagley[3]; 6. 1S-Jeremy Shaw[6]; 7. 96-Dalton Imhoff[10]; 8. 82-Jace Parmley[5]; 9. 11K-Jon Kirby[8]; 10. 50C-Kayden Clatt[11]; 11. 19M-Colby Moore[12]; 12. 14R-Jeff Roth[9]; 13. 29-Chandler Moenning[13]; 14. (DNS) 04-Tad Pospisil

MyRacePass B-Main Race #2 (15 Laps, Top 2 Transfer): 1. USA28-Kylan Garner[5]; 2. 15L-Payton Looney[1]; 3. 15V-Kolby Vandenbergh[8]; 4. USA1-Chris Hawkins[10]; 5. 15T-Matt Johnson[7]; 6. 1X-Aaron Marrant[12]; 7. 7D-Dusty Leonard[6]; 8. 2-Tyler Stevens[2]; 9. 99B-Boom Briggs[9]; 10. 14G-Trevor Gundaker[4]; 11. 7-Ross Robinson[11]; 12. (DNS) 21XXX-Neil Baggett; 13. (DNS) 14RM-Reid Millard; 14. (DNS) 36-Mark Daye

Midwest Sheet Metal Show-Me Challenge (20 Laps): 1. 15V-Kolby Vandenbergh[3]; 2. 14M-Morgan Bagley[7]; 3. 93-Mason Oberkramer[9]; 4. USA1-Chris Hawkins[6]; 5. 22H-Dustin Hodges[5]; 6. 96-Dalton Imhoff[12]; 7. 7D-Dusty Leonard[13]; 8. 1S-Jeremy Shaw[10]; 9. 15T-Matt Johnson[8]; 10. 1A-Bryon Allison[20]; 11. 3-Brennon Willard[16]; 12. 45-Cole Wells[1]; 13. 14R-Jeff Roth[23]; 14. 26-Glen Powell[18]; 15. 50-Kaeden Cornell[4]; 16. 19M-Colby Moore[21]; 17. 50C-Kayden Clatt[19]; 18. 56JR-Tony Jackson Jr[2]; 19. 82-Jace Parmley[15]; 20. 1X-Aaron Marrant[11]; 21. 11K-Jon Kirby[17]; 22. (DNS) 54-David Breazeale; 23. (DNS) 49J-Justin Wells

31st Annual Lucas Oil Show-Me 100 Presented by Missouri Division of Tourism Feature Finish (100 Laps):

Race Statistics

Entrants: 60

Terminal Maintenance & Construction Pole Sitter: Jonathan Davenport

Lap Leaders: Jonathan Davenport (Laps 1-57); Ricky Thornton, Jr. (Laps 58-100)

Wieland Feature Winner: Devin Moran

Arizona Sport Shirts Crown Jewel Cup Feature Winner: Devin Moran

Brandon Ford TV Challenge Feature Winner: Devin Moran

Margin of Victory: 0.688 seconds

Gorsuch Performance Solutions Cautions: Chris Simpson (Lap 19); Boom Briggs (Lap 21); Larry Ferris (Lap 21 restart); Ross Robinson (Lap 34); Daulton Wilson, Tyler Erb (Lap 37); Chris Simpson (Lap 41); Ross Robinson, Larry Ferris (Lap 44); Jimmy Owens (Lap 47); Jeff Herzog (Lap 49); Hudson O’Neal (Lap 66); Chad Simpson (Lap 96); Brandon Overton (Lap 96 restart); Jonathan Davenport (Lap 98)

Series Provisionals: Ross Robinson; Boom Briggs

Fast Time Provisional: n/a

Series Emergency Provisionals: n/a

MLRA Series Provisionals: Tyler Hodges; Jeff Herzog

MLRA Emergency Provisionals: Trevor Gundaker; Dustin Hodges

Track Provisional: Larry Ferris

Big River Steel Podium Top 3: Devin Moran, Tim McCreadie, Spencer Hughes

Penske Shocks Top 5: Devin Moran, Tim McCreadie, Spencer Hughes, Chris Ferguson, Ricky Thornton, Jr.

Todd Steel Buildings Hard Charger of the Race: Chris Ferguson (Advanced 11 Positions)

Wilwood Brakes Lucky 7th Place Feature: Tyler Erb

Deatherage Opticians Lucky 13th Place Feature: Jimmy Owens

Earnhardt Technologies Most Laps Led: Jonathan Davenport (57 Laps)

Sunoco Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Ricky Thornton, Jr.

Midwest Sheet Metal Spoiler Challenge Point Leader: Ricky Thornton, Jr.

O’Reilly Auto Parts Rookie of the Race: Max Blair

Etchberger Trucking Fastest Lap of the Race: Jonathan Davenport (Lap 3 – 15.020 seconds)

MD3 Tough Break of the Race: Hudson O’Neal

Outerwears Crew Chief of the Race: Chuck Kimble (Devin Moran)

ARP Engine Builder of the Race: Cornett Racing Engines

Miller Welders Chassis Builder of the Race: Longhorn Chassis

Dirt Draft Fastest in Hot Laps: Kylan Garner (15.580 seconds)

Time of Race: 60 minutes 19 seconds

Big River Steel Chase for the Championship Presented by ARP Point Standings:

WHEATLAND, Mo. (May 26, 2023) – Jonathan Davenport has stamped himself as one of the favorites heading into the 31st Annual Lucas Oil Show-Me 100 presented by Missouri Division of Tourism on Saturday night.

The 3-time Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series National Champion withstood last lap challenges from Tim McCreadie and Ricky Thornton Jr. in capturing the Tribute to Don and Billie Gibson on Friday night.

For the 39-year-old Blairsville, Georgia native it was his second straight Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series win as he also took first place honors on Thursday night’s Cowboy Classic. It was also Davenport’s third straight Lucas Oil MLRA win dating back to his April 1st triumph in the Spring Nationals.

Even though the results will show that Davenport led all 40 laps on Friday night it was far from an easy victory, his 68th in his Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series career. McCreadie finished in second with Thornton placing third at the finish, after starting in 24th.

Thornton transferred through his heat race but had to bring out a back-up car after suffering engines issues in the final laps. Thornton who pitted early in the race drove through the field to earn the Todd Steel Buildings Hard Charger of the Race, passing 21 cars on his way to rounding out the Big River Steel Podium.

Payton Looney, the 2020 Show-Me 100 champion, and Brandon Overton who both challenged for the lead ended up fourth and fifth in the final rundown.

Davenport stormed to the lead in the early going as Jeff Herzog ran in second for the first three laps until Overton got the spot before a caution on lap four. Looney would follow Overton to the front as they started to close over Davenport when a caution came out again with 13 laps scored. When the race resumed Davenport still held the lead despite pressure from Overton and Looney as Looney took over the second position by lap 15 and began cutting into Davenport’s lead.

Overton had got back by Looney by lap 29 and held the spot for just four laps until Looney moved past him again. Looney would hold the second spot with five laps remaining and appeared to be headed to a podium finish. Unfortunately, he started to fade in the waning laps falling to fourth at the finish after yielding to both McCreadie and Thornton in the final circuits.

Davenport held on for the win despite both McCreadie and Thornton closing rapidly on the final lap. “I knew I was getting slower and slower around the top. I was just getting looser. I was taking the long way around the top, there wasn’t anything to lean on, so I had to come off of it. I tried to get a good run down the straightaway to keep my momentum up. Eventually I knew something would come around the bottom, so I moved down there.”

“I was just too free in the center of the corner to stay down there,” Davenport added. “I saw the white flag so I just kind of floated through one and two and I tried to block the bottom and the top on the last lap. So, I really had no idea where to be there. It’s good to see the 49 and the 39 run first and second. As much as we talk and run up and down the road, you can’t hardly run the same thing because our driving styles are so different. We bounce a lot of ideas off of each other,” said the driver who is seeking his second career Show-Me 100 victory.

McCreadie, who is looking for his first career Show-Me 100 triumph came home in the runner-up spot to Davenport in Friday night’s 40 lapper. “I don’t think we ever slow down. We don’t fire very good, so we fell way back in the beginning. I just diamond the racetrack until it gets completely shiny until where I can do it with my foot. When you are flat on the deck for the first 15 laps I am just slipping. I think everybody just came to us. We had a couple of restarts and we got up there and was fighting for it but once JD maneuvered it I kind of got dead in the water. We will take a second and try to find some more speed tomorrow.”

Thornton’s drive to the front was electrifying as the current Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series point leader completed a trying night with a third-place finish. “We weren’t going anywhere there early on. We pitted under caution and changed a couple of small things to find some traction and after that I really took off. Hats off to my crew they busted their tails, and we had some other teams helping as well. I was able to finish the heat race, but we hurt the motor. We got the back-up out and old “Daisy” still has it,” as Thornton referenced the nickname of his second car the team pulled out of the trailer to start on the tail of the main event.

The winner’s Lance and Darla Landers, Double L Motorsports, Longhorn Chassis is powered by a Clements Racing Engines and sponsored by Nutrien Ag Solutions, Dyno Gro Seed, Lucas Oil Products, Bilstein Shocks, VP Fuels, Mark Martin Automotive, ASC Warranty, and Midwest Sheet Metal.

Completing the top ten were Chris Ferguson, Jimmy Owens, Devin Moran, Earl Pearson Jr., and Max Blair.

Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series 

Race Summary 

Tribute to Don & Billie Gibson

Friday, May 26, 2023

Lucas Oil Speedway – Wheatland, MO

Allstar Performance Time Trials

Fast Time Group A: Jeff Herzog / 15.611 seconds (overall)

Fast Time Group B: Jimmy Owens / 16.104 seconds

Penske Shocks Heat Race #1 Finish (8 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 11H-Jeff Herzog[1]; 2. 22F-Chris Ferguson[3]; 3. 2-Tyler Stevens[6]; 4. 11-Spencer Hughes[8]; 5. 22H-Dustin Hodges[2]; 6. 96-Dalton Imhoff[5]; 7. 99B-Boom Briggs[7]; 8. 15V-Kolby Vandenbergh[4]; 9. 7W-Ricky Weiss[9]; 10. 1X-Aaron Marrant[10]

Summit Racing Products Heat Race #2 Finish (8 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 76-Brandon Overton[1]; 2. 25C-Chad Simpson[2]; 3. 32-Chris Simpson[3]; 4. 22-Daniel Hilsabeck[4]; 5. 15-Justin Duty[6]; 6. 93-Mason Oberkramer[5]; 7. 56JR-Tony Jackson Jr[9]; 8. 51-Larry Ferris[8]; 9. 7-Ross Robinson[7]; 10. 26-Glen Powell[10]

Simpson Race Products Heat Race #3 (8 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 15L-Payton Looney[1]; 2. 58-Garrett Alberson[4]; 3. 46-Earl Pearson Jr[2]; 4. 1H-Hudson O'Neal[6]; 5. 111B-Max Blair[5]; 6. 16-Tyler Bruening[3]; 7. 82-Jace Parmley[7]; 8. 15T-Matt Johnson[9]; 9. 1A-Bryon Allison[8]

AP1 Insurance Heat Race #4 (8 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 49-Jonathan Davenport[3]; 2. 20-Jimmy Owens[1]; 3. 99-Devin Moran[4]; 4. 21XXX-Neil Baggett[2]; 5. 14G-Trevor Gundaker[5]; 6. 49J-Justin Wells[8]; 7. 50-Kaeden Cornell[7]; 8. 1S-Jeremy Shaw[6]; 9. 3-Brennon Willard[9]

Lucas Oil Heat Race #5 (8 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 39-Tim McCreadie[3]; 2. 45-Cole Wells[1]; 3. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr[4]; 4. 54-David Breazeale[2]; 5. 94-Austin Rettig[5]; 6. 1T-Tyler Erb[7]; 7. 14R-Jeff Roth[8]; 8. 7D-Dusty Leonard[6]; 9. 19M-Colby Moore[9]

Lucas Oil Heat Race #6 (8 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 8-Dillon McCowan[1]; 2. 25Z-Mason Zeigler[3]; 3. 18D-Daulton Wilson[6]; 4. USA28-Kylan Garner[2]; 5. USA1-Chris Hawkins[4]; 6. 14M-Morgan Bagley[7]; 7. 50C-Kayden Clatt[9]; 8. 14RM-Reid Millard[5]; 9. 11K-Jon Kirby[8]

Fast Shafts B-Main Race #1 (10 Laps, Top 2 Transfer): 1. 22-Daniel Hilsabeck[2]; 2. 11-Spencer Hughes[1]; 3. 7W-Ricky Weiss[11]; 4. 93-Mason Oberkramer[6]; 5. 22H-Dustin Hodges[3]; 6. 56JR-Tony Jackson Jr[8]; 7. 15-Justin Duty[4]; 8. 99B-Boom Briggs[7]; 9. 15V-Kolby Vandenbergh[9]; 10. 96-Dalton Imhoff[5]; 11. 1X-Aaron Marrant[13]; 12. 51-Larry Ferris[10]; 13. 26-Glen Powell[14]; 14. (DNS) 7-Ross Robinson

UNOH B-Main Race #2 (10 Laps, Top 2 Transfer): 1. 1H-Hudson O'Neal[1]; 2. 111B-Max Blair[3]; 3. 21XXX-Neil Baggett[2]; 4. 16-Tyler Bruening[5]; 5. 14G-Trevor Gundaker[4]; 6. 50-Kaeden Cornell[8]; 7. 82-Jace Parmley[7]; 8. 49J-Justin Wells[6]; 9. 1S-Jeremy Shaw[10]; 10. 15T-Matt Johnson[9]; 11. 1A-Bryon Allison[11]; 12. 3-Brennon Willard[12]

MyRacePass B-Main Race #2 (10 Laps, Top 2 Transfer): 1. 54-David Breazeale[1]; 2. 14M-Morgan Bagley[6]; 3. 1T-Tyler Erb[5]; 4. USA28-Kylan Garner[2]; 5. 14R-Jeff Roth[7]; 6. 11K-Jon Kirby[12]; 7. 7D-Dusty Leonard[9]; 8. USA1-Chris Hawkins[4]; 9. 50C-Kayden Clatt[8]; 10. 14RM-Reid Millard[10]; 11. 19M-Colby Moore[11]; 12. 94-Austin Rettig[3]

Tribute to Don & Billie Gibson Feature Finish (40 Laps):

Race Statistics

Entrants: 57

Terminal Maintenance & Construction Pole Sitter: Jeff Herzog

Lap Leaders: Jonathan Davenport (Laps 1-40)

Wieland Feature Winner: Jonathan Davenport

Arizona Sport Shirts Crown Jewel Cup Feature Winner: n/a

Brandon Ford TV Challenge Feature Winner: Jonathan Davenport

Margin of Victory: 0.271 seconds

Gorsuch Performance Solutions Cautions: Daulton Wilson (Lap 4); Daulton Wilson, Tyler Stevens (Lap 13); Tyler Stevens (Lap 28); Mason Zeigler (Lap 29)

Fast Time Provisional: n/a

Series Emergency Provisionals: n/a

Track Provisional: n/a

Big River Steel Podium Top 3: Jonathan Davenport, Tim McCreadie, Ricky Thornton, Jr.

Penske Shocks Top 5: Jonathan Davenport, Tim McCreadie, Ricky Thornton, Jr., Payton Looney, Brandon Overton

Todd Steel Buildings Hard Charger of the Race: Ricky Thornton, Jr. (Advanced 21 Positions)

Wilwood Brakes Lucky 7th Place Feature: Jeff Herzog

Deatherage Opticians Lucky 13th Place Feature: Devin Moran

Earnhardt Technologies Most Laps Led: Jonathan Davenport (40 Laps)

Sunoco Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Ricky Thornton, Jr.

Midwest Sheet Metal Spoiler Challenge Point Leader: Ricky Thornton, Jr.

O’Reilly Auto Parts Rookie of the Race: Max Blair

Etchberger Trucking Fastest Lap of the Race: Jonathan Davenport (Lap 1 – 15.193 seconds)

MD3 Tough Break of the Race: Mason Zeigler

Outerwears Crew Chief of the Race: Cory Fostvedt (Jonathan Davenport)

ARP Engine Builder of the Race: Clements Racing Engines

Miller Welders Chassis Builder of the Race: Longhorn Chassis

Dirt Draft Fastest in Hot Laps: Tyler Erb (15.698 seconds)

Time of Race: 22 minutes 23 seconds

31st Lucas Oil Show-Me 100 Presented by the Missouri Division of Tourism Line-Up (100 Laps)

Fast Shafts B-Main #1 Line-Up (15 Laps, Top 2 Transfer):

UNOH B-Main #2 Line-Up (15 Laps, Top 2 Transfer):

MyRacePass B-Main #3 Line-Up (15 Laps, Top 2 Transfer):

31st Annual Lucas Oil Show-Me 100 presented by Missouri Division of Tourism Points:

**Ties broken by highest points night first, then by fastest qualifying lap either day**

WEST BURLINGTON, Iowa (May 20, 2023) – Ricky Thornton Jr. went to the lead on lap 18 of the CRST – The Transportation Solution 50 at 34 Raceway and never looked back to score his fifth series win of the season. 

Thornton, who was also victorious on Friday night has now retaken the Big River Steel Chase for the Championship presented by ARP points lead heading into the Show-Me 100 weekend at Lucas Oil Speedway, May 25th-27th. With the $15,000 victory Thornton becomes the first series driver to eclipse the $100,000 mark in earnings this season.

Tim McCreadie, who ran second to Thornton on Friday night held the lead for the first 17 laps until Thornton made the pass for the lead and went on unchallenged for the rest of the race. Brandon Overton finished second with Spencer Hughes rounding out the Big River Steel Podium in third.

The remainder of the top five finishers were Earl Pearson Jr. and Chris Simpson.

With Thornton out front, McCreadie maintained the second spot but had lost several car lengths to the leader. A caution with 12 laps to go gave McCreadie a shot at Thornton. On the restart McCreadie jumped to the top groove heading into turns one and two, but his momentum was too much as he slipped off the track which allowed several drivers to get by and he fell to 12th in the running order.

The final caution appeared with nine laps remaining which set up a single-file restart. Thornton again showed his strength as he pulled away from Overton and Hughes as he went on record his tenth career Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series victory.   

Thornton has ridden a wave of emotions after winning on Friday night as he and his family escaped uninjured after his apparel trailer left the highway and flipped en route to 34 Raceway. “It’s definitely been all over the place [my emotions]. We won last night at Farley and when we left last night, I barely got the trailer off the road and then it flipped. Luckily me and my family was safe. I didn’t how good we would be here tonight. It’s nice to bounce back from that. I want to thank all the fans who bought stuff today, it helps us out.”

“There at the beginning of the race the track was really better than I thought it was, especially in one and two,” Thornton added. “I was trying to keep my pace and I was trying to keep my tires under me. Once I got to traffic you have to go where they are not. Once Tim committed to the top, I thought I would just stay on the bottom. It worked out for me. I think we went three-wide a couple of times getting through traffic.” 

Overton, who sits third in the championship standings came home in the runner-up spot. “I have never been to these places so what to adjust or not adjust we weren’t sure. I couldn’t run down in there and steer, cause I would shove up the hill. That was a pretty good race from second on back. Congrats to those guys. It was an awesome track; it was my first time here. You could run through the bottom or middle.”

Hughes rounded out the podium with his third-place finish. “You definitely had to be real patient tonight. I wasn’t quite as good as Ricky and Brandon in the slick. I had to catch that last little bit of moisture down by the tires. I was able to do that. I caught some breaks on a couple of those restarts. We will take this finish and head to Wheatland with some momentum.”

The winner’s Todd and Vickie Burns-owned, SSI Motorsports, Longhorn Chassis is powered by a Clements Racing Engine and sponsored by Big River Steel, Hoker Trucking, Sub-Surface of Indiana, Dyno One, Inc., West Side Tractor Sales, D&E Outdoor Service, Certified Inspection Service Company, Inc., Sunoco Race Fuels, Bilstein Shocks, Midwest Sheet Metal, and Murty Farms.

Completing the top ten were Hudson O’Neal, Mason Zeigler, Tyler Erb, Jimmy Owens, and Max Blair.

Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series 

Race Summary 

CRST, The Transportation Solutions 50

Saturday, May 20, 2023

34 Raceway – West Burlington, IA

Allstar Performance Time Trials

Fast Time Group A: Tyler Bruening / 15.026 seconds (overall)

Fast Time Group B: Earl Pearson, Jr. / 15.122 seconds

Penske Shocks Heat Race #1 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 39-Tim McCreadie[2]; 2. 16-Tyler Bruening[1]; 3. 99-Devin Moran[4]; 4. 25C-Chad Simpson[3]; 5. 58-Garrett Alberson[5]; 6. 29-Spencer Diercks[6]; 7. 93-Jay Johnson[7]

Summit Racing Products Heat Race #2 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr[1]; 2. 76-Brandon Overton[2]; 3. 1H-Hudson O'Neal[3]; 4. 111B-Max Blair[4]; 5. 99B-Boom Briggs[5]; 6. 17-Tim Simpson[6]; 7. 12-Brandon Queen[7]

Simpson Race Products Heat Race #3 (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 46-Earl Pearson Jr[1]; 2. 11-Spencer Hughes[3]; 3. 32-Chris Simpson[4]; 4. 18D-Daulton Wilson[2]; 5. 1T-Tyler Erb[5]; 6. 7-Ross Robinson[6]; 7. 33-Rickey Frankel[7]

AP1 Insurance Heat Race #4 (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 20-Jimmy Owens[1]; 2. 49-Jonathan Davenport[2]; 3. 25Z-Mason Zeigler[4]; 4. 22-Daniel Hilsabeck[3]; 5. 49T-Jake Timm[5]; 6. 51-Matt Furman[6]; 7. (DNS) 42-Johnathan Huston

Fast Shafts B-Main Race #1 (10 Laps, Top 6 Transfer): 1. 58-Garrett Alberson[1]; 2. 1T-Tyler Erb[2]; 3. 49T-Jake Timm[4]; 4. 99B-Boom Briggs[3]; 5. 29-Spencer Diercks[5]; 6. 7-Ross Robinson[6]; 7. 51-Matt Furman[8]; 8. 93-Jay Johnson[9]; 9. 17-Tim Simpson[7]; 10. 12-Brandon Queen[11]; 11. (DNS) 33-Rickey Frankel; 12. (DNS) 42-Johnathan Huston

CRST, The Transportation Solution 50 Feature Finish (50 Laps):

Race Statistics

Entrants: 28

Terminal Maintenance & Construction Pole Sitter: Tim McCreadie

Lap Leaders: Tim McCreadie (Laps 1-17); Ricky Thornton, Jr. (Laps 18-50)

Wieland Feature Winner: Ricky Thornton, Jr.

Arizona Sport Shirts Crown Jewel Cup Feature Winner: n/a

Brandon Ford TV Challenge Feature Winner: n/a

Margin of Victory: 1.741 seconds

Gorsuch Performance Solutions Cautions: Daulton Wilson (Lap 38); Jonathan Davenport (Lap 41)

Fast Time Provisional: Matt Furman; Rickey Frankel

Series Emergency Provisionals: n/a

Track Provisional: n/a

Big River Steel Podium Top 3: Ricky Thornton, Jr., Brandon Overton, Spencer Hughes

Penske Shocks Top 5: Ricky Thornton, Jr., Brandon Overton, Spencer Hughes, Earl Pearson, Jr., Chris Simpson

Todd Steel Buildings Hard Charger of the Race: Tyler Erb (Advanced 10 Positions)

Wilwood Brakes Lucky 7th Place Feature: Mason Zeigler

Deatherage Opticians Lucky 13th Place Feature: Devin Moran

Earnhardt Technologies Most Laps Led: Ricky Thornton, Jr. (33 Laps)

Sunoco Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Ricky Thornton, Jr.

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

O’Reilly Auto Parts Rookie of the Race: Max Blair

Etchberger Trucking Fastest Lap of the Race: Tim McCreadie (Lap 2 – 15.876 seconds)

MD3 Tough Break of the Race: Tim McCreadie

Outerwears Crew Chief of the Race: Anthony Burroughs (Ricky Thornton, Jr.)

ARP Engine Builder of the Race: Clements Racing Engines

Miller Welders Chassis Builder of the Race: Longhorn Chassis

Dirt Draft Fastest in Hot Laps: Chris Simpson (15.3555 seconds)

Time of Race: 23 minutes 47 seconds

The Big River Steel Chase for the Championship Presented by ARP Point Standings:

FARLEY, Iowa (May 19, 2023) – Ricky Thornton Jr. scored a perfect night at 300 Raceway as he was the overall fast qualifier, won his heat, and led all but the first ten laps of the Simon’s Trucking “You Call-We Haul” 50 main event on Friday night. It was Thornton’s fourth Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series win of the season as he closed to within ten points of series point leader, Hudson O’Neal, who finished third.

Tim McCreadie, the two-time and reigning series champion came home in second just in front of O’Neal at the stripe. Mason Zeigler, who led the first ten circuits of the race was fourth and defending race winner, Tyler Erb was fifth.

Zeigler, the 2018 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Rookie of the Year, was making his first start with the series since Speedweeks. Zeigler looked stout from the start as he set a rapid pace at the drop of the green. However, lapped traffic allowed Thornton to close the gap in a hurry on Zeigler as Thornton dove down low entering turn two to take the lead on lap 11. 

Zeigler then ran second for several circuits until McCreadie, who started third was able to get by the Pennsylvania racer. O’Neal recovered from two restarts and battled with McCreadie near the end as the two were close at the finish line with McCreadie just edging out O’Neal.

Thornton, who started from the pole fell back to second in the early going to Zeigler but bounced back passing Zeigler in traffic to take over a lead he never relinquished. “I just didn’t get a good enough start and that allowed Mason to get out in front. I was just kind of dictating off him how fast I needed to go. We got into lapped traffic, and it was kind of hairy there for a while. It worked out for me.”

“There for a while I thought I couldn’t qualify anymore. It was real good tonight. I didn’t hot lap very good, but we qualified really well. It makes your night way easier when you start up front in the heat races and in front of the feature,” said the 32-year-old Martinsville, Indiana racer. “It’s a lot better than starting 20th and driving my tail off to just to get to fifth or sixth.”  

McCreadie, who is still looking for his first series win of the season finished 3.5 seconds behind Thornton at the checkers. “It’s just nice to put a normal night together where you are not running B-Mains and not changing everything under the car. I saw the rain here last night and I have been here when it’s rains it’s usually a real tough track, but tonight it was real good and racy. This is one of the few places when you pull a slider at least you clear a guy. It’s nice to see these guys race with a little civility out there and not just slide over your nose or do anything like that. We were clearing each other and crossing back over and having a lot of fun out there. It started to latch up a little bit in that last heat and the track crew went to work and it was a good race to be a part of.”

O’Neal, who entered the race 50 points ahead of both Thornton and Brandon Overton will carry the Midwest Sheet Metal orange spoiler onto 34 Raceway on Saturday night with a 10-point advantage. “I really didn’t do my job. I had a pretty good race car and I just messed up on two restarts right back-to-back and fell all the way back to sixth or seventh or whatever it was. It just set me behind the whole race. I just couldn’t quite scratch my way back fast enough to get back to them. McCreadie and I got to battling for second there at the end and that was pretty fun.”

The winner’s Todd and Vickie Burns-owned, SSI Motorsports, Longhorn Chassis is powered by a Clements Racing Engine and sponsored by Big River Steel, Hoker Trucking, Sub-Surface of Indiana, Dyno One Inc., West Side Tractor Sales, Certified Inspection Service Company, Inc., D&E Outside Services, Midwest Sheet Metal, Sunoco Race Fuels, Bilstein Shocks, and Murty Farms.

Completing the top ten were Devin Moran, Jimmy Owens, Brandon Overton, Chad Simpson, and Daulton Wilson.

Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series 

Race Summary 

Simon’s Trucking You Call We Haul 50

Friday, May 19, 2023

300 Raceway – Farley, IA

Allstar Performance Time Trials

Fast Time Group A: Ricky Thornton, Jr. / 14.630 seconds (overall)

Fast Time Group B: Mason Zeigler / 14.656 seconds

Penske Shocks Heat Race #1 Finish (8 Laps, All Transfer): 1. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr[1]; 2. 1H-Hudson O'Neal[2]; 3. 1T-Tyler Erb[4]; 4. 18D-Daulton Wilson[3]; 5. 7-Ross Robinson[6]; 6. 58-Garrett Alberson[8]; 7. 4G-Kody Evans[5]; 8. 99B-Boom Briggs[7]; 9. T22-Tegan Evans[9]

Summit Racing Products Heat Race #2 Finish (8 Laps, All Transfer): 1. 25Z-Mason Zeigler[1]; 2. 99-Devin Moran[2]; 3. 11-Spencer Hughes[4]; 4. 20-Jimmy Owens[3]; 5. 49T-Jake Timm[6]; 6. 98-Jason Rauen[8]; 7. 76-Brandon Overton[9]; 8. 22-Daniel Hilsabeck[5]; 9. 29-Spencer Diercks[7]

Simpson Race Products Heat Race #3 (8 Laps, All Transfer): 1. 39-Tim McCreadie[2]; 2. 49-Jonathan Davenport[1]; 3. 46-Earl Pearson Jr[4]; 4. 25C-Chad Simpson[3]; 5. 16-Tyler Bruening[5]; 6. 111B-Max Blair[6]; 7. 40-Joel Callahan[7]; 8. 17-Tim Simpson[8]

Simon’s Trucking You Call We Haul 50 Feature Finish (50 Laps):

Race Statistics

Entrants: 26

Terminal Maintenance & Construction Pole Sitter: Ricky Thornton, Jr.

Lap Leaders: Mason Zeigler (Laps 1-12); Ricky Thornton, Jr. (Laps 13-50)

Wieland Feature Winner: Ricky Thornton, Jr.

Arizona Sport Shirts Crown Jewel Cup Feature Winner: n/a

Brandon Ford TV Challenge Feature Winner: n/a

Margin of Victory: 3.515 seconds

Gorsuch Performance Solutions Cautions: Kody Evans (Lap 16); Joel Callahan (Lap 17); Spencer Hughes (Lap 18); Max Blair (Lap 31)

Fast Time Provisional: n/a

Series Emergency Provisionals: n/a

Track Provisional: n/a

Big River Steel Podium Top 3: Ricky Thornton, Jr., Tim McCreadie, Hudson O’Neal

Penske Shocks Top 5: Ricky Thornton, Jr., Tim McCreadie, Hudson O’Neal, Mason Zeigler, Tyler Erb

Todd Steel Buildings Hard Charger of the Race: Brandon Overton (Advanced 12 Positions)

Wilwood Brakes Lucky 7th Place Feature: Jimmy Owens

Deatherage Opticians Lucky 13th Place Feature: Jonathan Davenport

Earnhardt Technologies Most Laps Led: Ricky Thornton, Jr. (36 Laps)

Sunoco Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Ricky Thornton, Jr.

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

O’Reilly Auto Parts Rookie of the Race: Max Blair

Etchberger Trucking Fastest Lap of the Race: Ricky Thornton, Jr. (Lap 14 – 14.808 seconds)

MD3 Tough Break of the Race: Max Blair

Outerwears Crew Chief of the Race: Anthony Burroughs (Ricky Thornton, Jr.)

ARP Engine Builder of the Race: Clements Racing Engines

Miller Welders Chassis Builder of the Race: Longhorn Chassis

Dirt Draft Fastest in Hot Laps: Earl Pearson, Jr. (15.042 seconds)

Time of Race: 28 minutes 20 seconds

The Big River Steel Chase for the Championship Presented by ARP Point Standings:

FARMER CITY, Ill. (May 15, 2023) – Brandon Sheppard worked forward from his 14th starting position to take the lead on lap 47 of the Farmer City 74 on Monday night. Sheppard then led the rest of the way for the $25,000 payday in the first-ever appearance at the track by the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series.

Sheppard became the 11th different winner in 16 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series races in 2023. The Illinois native crossed the finish line ahead Gordy Gundaker and 18th starting Brian Shirley. Gundaker had led the first 46 laps of the race from his outside pole starting position.

Rounding out the top five were 21st starting Ricky Thornton Jr., and Hudson O’Neal, who recovered from a lap seven flat tire to race his way into the top five and back to the top of the Big River Steel Chase for Championship presented by ARP standings.

For the first half of the race Gundaker ran virtually unchallenged as Shirley and Sheppard were making their way through the field. Sheppard was able to overtake Shirley for second and set his sights on the high-flying Gundaker. Sheppard closed the gap on Gundaker in traffic as he slipped by the Missouri driver with 27 laps remaining.

Sheppard then pulled away to win by 1.251 seconds over Gundaker, who recorded his best career finish with the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series.

In Lucas Oil Victory Lane for the 29th time in his career Sheppard was relishing the win in front of his home-state fans. “I don’t even know honestly how I did it. That was Farmer City at its best right there. That’s the Farmer City that I am used to. Put it up against the wall and it got slick where you can race all over it. It was right on, hats off to the track crew. Hats off to my team as well they have been working their tails off all year, we’ve been up-and-down a lot.”

“This means the world to get to do this,” said the 30-year-old New Berlin, Illinois native. “Man, we have been working hard. It’s been a long year. I am just super-proud of everybody involved with the team. It’s been a really trying year for us and my team has no quit in them. We haven’t given up on anything. We just keep plugging away on this thing week in and week out.”

Gundaker, who was looking for his first career Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series win and the biggest of his career came home in second. “I can’t hang my head on running second to Brandon and this group of cars. I got tight there for like five laps and just really screwed up. I am not much of a cushion banger as most of you know. I just made a few mistakes, and you can’t make mistakes against these guys. I saw Brandon down there creeping. I was just trying to fight him off and doing everything I could. Yes, I’m bummed, but you can’t hang your head running second.”

Shirley, a former Knoxville Late Model Nationals winner, rounded out the Big River Steel Podium in third. “The track started to give way a little bit. We probably didn’t have the setup good enough for 74 laps. I want to thank everyone for coming out tonight. It was good race.” 

The winner’s Sheppard-Riggs Racing-owned Longhorn Chassis is powered by a Cornett Racing Engine and sponsored by True Timber Camo, Valvoline, Dennis G. Woodworth, Attorney at Law, Wyld Gear, Riggs Drilling Solutions, Sunoco Race Fuels, Bilstein Shocks, and Sheppard Auto Sales and Salvage.

Completing the top ten were Jimmy Owens, Dennis Erb Jr., Daulton Wilson, Max Blair, and Devin Moran.

Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series 

Race Summary 

Farmer City 74

Monday, May 15, 2023

Farmer City Raceway – Farmer City, IL

Allstar Performance Time Trials

Fast Time Group A: Bobby Pierce / 12.556 seconds

Fast Time Group B: Gordy Gundaker / 12.472 seconds (overall)

Penske Shocks Heat Race #1 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 20-Jimmy Owens[3]; 2. 42-Mckay Wenger[4]; 3. 18B-Shannon Babb[2]; 4. 25-Jason Feger[6]; 5. 58-Garrett Alberson[10]; 6. 4G-Bob Gardner[7]; 7. 1T-Tyler Erb[8]; 8. 7-Ross Robinson[9]; 9. 33H-Roben Huffman[11]; 10. 32-Bobby Pierce[1]; 11. 19R-Ryan Gustin[5]

Summit Racing Products Heat Race #2 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 49-Jonathan Davenport[2]; 2. 18D-Daulton Wilson[1]; 3. 46-Earl Pearson Jr[5]; 4. B12-Kevin Weaver[4]; 5. 111B-Max Blair[8]; 6. 10-Garrett Smith[3]; 7. 16-Tyler Bruening[6]; 8. 18-Chase Junghans[9]; 9. 89M-Mike Spatola[7]; 10. 7W-JC Waller[10]

Simpson Race Products Heat Race #3 (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 11G-Gordy Gundaker[1]; 2. 28-Dennis Erb Jr[2]; 3. 99JR-Frank Heckenast Jr[3]; 4. B5-Brandon Sheppard[6]; 5. 3S-Brian Shirley[5]; 6. 99-Devin Moran[7]; 7. 99B-Boom Briggs[9]; 8. 24-Ryan Unzicker[8]; 9. 80-Rich Dawson[10]; 10. 157-Mike Marlar[4]

AP1 Insurance Heat Race #4 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 1H-Hudson O'Neal[1]; 2. 76-Brandon Overton[4]; 3. 39-Tim McCreadie[2]; 4. 96V-Tanner English[3]; 5. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr[5]; 6. 26H-Kyle Hammer[6]; 7. 11-Spencer Hughes[7]; 8. 89-Logan Roberson[9]; 9. 162-Logan Moody[8]; 10. 33 4-Billy Hough[10]

Fast Shafts B-Main Race #1 Finish (10 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 111B-Max Blair[2]; 2. 58-Garrett Alberson[1]; 3. 10-Garrett Smith[4]; 4. 1T-Tyler Erb[5]; 5. 18-Chase Junghans[8]; 6. 32-Bobby Pierce[11]; 7. 16-Tyler Bruening[6]; 8. 89M-Mike Spatola[10]; 9. 19R-Ryan Gustin[13]; 10. 7-Ross Robinson[7]; 11. 33H-Roben Huffman[9]; 12. 7W-JC Waller[12]; 13. 4G-Bob Gardner[3]

UNOH B-Main Race #2 Finish (10 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 3S-Brian Shirley[1]; 2. 99-Devin Moran[3]; 3. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr[2]; 4. 99B-Boom Briggs[5]; 5. 11-Spencer Hughes[6]; 6. 26H-Kyle Hammer[4]; 7. 33 4-Billy Hough[12]; 8. (DNS) 24-Ryan Unzicker; 9. (DNS) 89-Logan Roberson; 10. (DNS) 80-Rich Dawson; 11. (DNS) 162-Logan Moody; 12. (DNS) 157-Mike Marlar

Farmer City 74 Feature Finish (74 Laps):

Race Statistics

Entrants: 41

Terminal Maintenance & Construction Pole Sitter: Jimmy Owens

Lap Leaders: Gordy Gundaker (Laps 1-46); Brandon Overton (Laps 47-74)

Wieland Feature Winner: Brandon Sheppard

Arizona Sport Shirts Crown Jewel Cup Feature Winner: n/a

Brandon Ford TV Challenge Feature Winner: n/a

Margin of Victory: 1.251 seconds

Gorsuch Performance Solutions Cautions: Hudson O’Neal (Lap 8); Tim McCreadie (Laps 28); Ross Robinson (Lap 34); Spencer Hughes (Lap 48); Tyler Erb (Lap 58); Debris (Lap 71)

Series Provisionals: Spencer Hughes; Tyler Bruening

Fast Time Provisional: n/a

Series Emergency Provisionals: Ross Robinson; Boom Briggs

Track Provisional: n/a

Big River Steel Podium Top 3: Brandon Sheppard, Gordy Gundaker, Brian Shirley

Penske Shocks Top 5: Brandon Sheppard, Gordy Gundaker, Brian Shirley, Ricky Thornton, Jr., Hudson O’Neal

Todd Steel Buildings Hard Charger of the Race: Ricky Thornton, Jr. (Advanced 17 Positions)

Wilwood Brakes Lucky 7th Place Feature: Dennis Erb, Jr.

Deatherage Opticians Lucky 13th Place Feature: Tim McCreadie

Earnhardt Technologies Most Laps Led: Gordy Gundaker (42 Laps)

Sunoco Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Brandon Sheppard

Midwest Sheet Metal Spoiler Challenge Point Leader: Brandon Overton

O’Reilly Auto Parts Rookie of the Race: Max Blair

Etchberger Trucking Fastest Lap of the Race: Gordy Gundaker (Lap 2 – 13.166 seconds)

MD3 Tough Break of the Race: Tyler Erb

Outerwears Crew Chief of the Race: Corey Richman (Brandon Sheppard)

ARP Engine Builder of the Race: Durham Racing Engines

Miller Welders Chassis Builder of the Race: Longhorn Chassis

Dirt Draft Fastest in Hot Laps: Devin Moran (12.717 seconds)

Time of Race: 36 minutes 37 seconds

The Big River Steel Chase for the Championship Presented by ARP Point Standings:

UNION, Ky. (May 6, 2023) – Ricky Thornton Jr. regained his early season form in winning Saturday night’s 37th Annual Ralph Latham Memorial at the Florence Speedway. In a spectacular race where the top four drivers battled it out for the lead, Thornton pulled away in the last few laps to secure his third Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series win of the season.

Thornton was the third different leader of the highly contested race as he came from the seventh starting spot to secure the $15,000 victory. Current Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series point leader Hudson O’Neal came home in second with Brandon Overton completing the Big River Steel Podium.

Garrett Alberson was one of the contenders for the win as he charged from his 19th starting spot to earn the Todd Steel Buildings Hard Charger of the Race - finishing fourth. Tim McCreadie, who started 18th rallied for fifth at the end.

Jonathan Davenport, the reigning Sunoco Race Fuels North/South 100 winner started from the pole and bolted to the lead at the start of the race. Davenport pulled away from the field as O’Neal moved past Spencer Hughes for second on the third lap. O’Neal then closed the gap that had developed between himself and Davenport as the two ran two distinctly different lines. 

Overton made it a three-way battle for the top spot just as the first caution of the race came out on lap ten. On the restart it took O’Neal just three laps to get by Davenport to become the second different leader of the race. Overton and Thornton both passed Davenport, dropping to fourth in the running order, with 19 laps scored as the caution would come out. 

On the restart Thornton had the momentum on the top shelf passing both O’Neal and Overton as he took the lead on lap 23. Bobby Pierce was starting to show his usual Florence Speedway strength against the outside retaining wall as he climbed to third, but just as that happened an issue developed for Pierce forcing him pit side with 24 laps complete.

The heated battle would slow once again with 15 laps remaining. On the restart Thornton surged away to a 2.554 second advantage when the checkers fell. It was Thornton’s second career win at Florence after he won the Spring 50 in 2021.

In Lucas Oil Victory Lane for the eighth time in his career, Thornton emerged from the 20RT to the roar of the large crowd. “I told my guys my goal was to come out and win tonight. The car took off after that one restart. I was able to get by Hud [O’Neal] and Brandon [Overton]. I thought it was going to be around the bottom longer than it was. It’s easy to knock the right rear off the car here. You can look at my quarter panel and see that. But at the end I just wanted to keep it off the wall and hit my marks because I knew those other guys were not going to give up. Overall, I am excited to get this win.” 

O’Neal will maintain his championship point lead heading into Farmer City and Fairbury next weekend. “I made just one mistake and that is all it took. I let Ricky [Thornton Jr.] and Brandon [Overton] get by me there after that one caution and then Brandon made a mistake, and I got back by him. We just had to be a little conservative there for a while. I was trying to get to Ricky to see if we could do something with him and I just made a costly mistake there in one and two. We are happy with the weekend we had, a win and two seconds is a good weekend for me. I will take that any day. Ricky made very few mistakes up front and that was the difference.”

Overton was the only driver among the top three that did not lead a lap during the race. “We’ve got an awesome car. I made all my money running through the middle there. It’s hard for me to run any kind of different lines around the track. As soon as I got up there to run the top, I got into the wall it knocked my helmet crooked and I thought I need to get back down to the bottom. It was a heck of race. Congrats to Ricky [Thornton Jr.] and Hudson [O’Neal] they did a heck of a job man. I just needed 50 more laps you know. But we had an awesome three days of racing.”

The winner’s Todd and Vickie Burns-owned, SSI Motorsports Longhorn Chassis is powered by a Clements Racing Engine and sponsored by Big River Steel, Hoker Trucking, Sub-Surface of Indiana, Dyno-One Inc., Wets Side Tractor Sales, D&E Outside Services, Certified Inspection Service Company, Inc., Sunoco Race Fuels, Bilstein Shocks, Midwest Sheet Metal, and Murty Farms.

Completing the top ten were Cory Hedgecock, Jonathan Davenport, Earl Pearson Jr., Devin Moran, and Logan Roberson.

Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series 

Race Summary 

37th Annual Ralph Latham Memorial

Saturday, May 6, 2023

Florence Speedway – Union, KY

Allstar Performance Time Trials

Fast Time Group A:  Brandon Overton / 15.398 seconds (overall)

Fast Time Group B: Spencer Hughes / 15.712 seconds

Penske Shocks Heat Race #1 Finish (10 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 49-Jonathan Davenport[2]; 2. 76-Brandon Overton[1]; 3. 32-Bobby Pierce[3]; 4. 18D-Daulton Wilson[5]; 5. 58-Garrett Alberson[4]; 6. 6JR-Parker Martin[7]; 7. 89-Logan Roberson[9]; 8. 1G-Devin Gilpin[6]; 9. 15-James Rice[8]; 10. 12-Jason Jameson[10]

Summit Racing Products Heat Race #2 Finish (10 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 11R-Josh Rice[1]; 2. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr[2]; 3. 157-Mike Marlar[3]; 4. 1T-Tyler Erb[7]; 5. 23-Cory Hedgecock[5]; 6. 4G-Kody Evans[6]; 7. 5N-Dustin Nobbe[8]; 8. 68-Adam Stricker[4]; 9. 99S-Bill Sheets[9]; 10. 8A-Curt Addison[10]

Simpson Race Products Heat Race #3 (10 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 11-Spencer Hughes[1]; 2. 1H-Hudson O'Neal[2]; 3. 99-Devin Moran[7]; 4. 46-Earl Pearson Jr[9]; 5. 22-Chris Ferguson[5]; 6. 18-Trevor Landrum[3]; 7. 99B-Boom Briggs[6]; 8. 7-Ross Robinson[8]; 9. 20B-Brad Dyer[10]; 10. 20TC-Tristan Chamberlain[4]

AP1 Insurance Heat Race #4 Finish (10 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 111B-Max Blair[1]; 2. 10-Garrett Smith[2]; 3. 20-Jimmy Owens[5]; 4. 7R-Kent Robinson[7]; 5. 39-Tim McCreadie[3]; 6. 16-Tyler Bruening[4]; 7. 21H-Robby Hensley[9]; 8. 33-Jesse Lay[8]; 9. 13W-David Webb[6]; 10. 33AJ-Austin Lay[10]

Fast Shafts B-Main Race #1 Finish (12 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 23-Cory Hedgecock[2]; 2. 58-Garrett Alberson[1]; 3. 68-Adam Stricker[8]; 4. 1G-Devin Gilpin[7]; 5. 4G-Kody Evans[4]; 6. 5N-Dustin Nobbe[6]; 7. 99S-Bill Sheets[10]; 8. 12-Jason Jameson[11]; 9. 8A-Curt Addison[12]; 10. 15-James Rice[9]; 11. 6JR-Parker Martin[3]; 12. (DNS) 89-Logan Roberson

UNOH B-Main Race #2 Finish (12 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 39-Tim McCreadie[2]; 2. 22-Chris Ferguson[1]; 3. 18-Trevor Landrum[3]; 4. 33-Jesse Lay[8]; 5. 13W-David Webb[10]; 6. 16-Tyler Bruening[4]; 7. 99B-Boom Briggs[5]; 8. 7-Ross Robinson[7]; 9. 21H-Robby Hensley[6]; 10. 20TC-Tristan Chamberlain[11]; 11. 33AJ-Austin Lay[12]; 12. (DNS) 20B-Brad Dyer

37th Annual Ralph Latham Memorial Feature Finish (50 Laps):

Race Statistics

Entrants: 41

Terminal Maintenance & Construction Pole Sitter: Jonathan Davenport

Lap Leaders: Jonathan Davenport (Laps 1-12); Hudson O’Neal (Laps 13-22); Ricky Thornton, Jr. (Laps 23-50)

Wieland Feature Winner: Ricky Thornton, Jr.

Arizona Sport Shirts Crown Jewel Cup Feature Winner: n/a

Brandon Ford TV Challenge Feature Winner: n/a

Margin of Victory: 2.553 seconds

Gorsuch Performance Solutions Cautions: Max Blair (Lap 10); Josh Rice (Lap 19); Daulton Wilson, Tyler Erb (Lap 24); Tyler Erb, Ross Robinson (Lap 35)

Series Provisionals: Tyler Bruening; Ross Robinson

Fast Time Provisional: n/a

Series Emergency Provisionals: Logan Roberson; Boom Briggs

Track Provisional: Jesse Lay

Big River Steel Podium Top 3: Ricky Thornton, Jr., Hudson O’Neal, Brandon Overton

Penske Shocks Top 5: Ricky Thornton, Jr., Hudson O’Neal, Brandon Overton, Garrett Alberson, Tim McCreadie

Todd Steel Buildings Hard Charger of the Race: Garrett Alberson (Advanced 15 Positions)

Wilwood Brakes Lucky 7th Place Feature: Jonathan Davenport

Deatherage Opticians Lucky 13th Place Feature: Jimmy Owens

Earnhardt Technologies Most Laps Led: Ricky Thornton, Jr. (28 Laps)

Sunoco Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Ricky Thornton, Jr.

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

O’Reilly Auto Parts Rookie of the Race: Max Blair

Etchberger Trucking Fastest Lap of the Race: Hudson O’Neal (Lap 13 – 16.645 seconds)

MD3 Tough Break of the Race: Bobby Pierce

Outerwears Crew Chief of the Race: Anthony Burroughs (Ricky Thornton, Jr.)

ARP Engine Builder of the Race: Clements Race Engines

Miller Welders Chassis Builder of the Race: Longhorn Chassis

Dirt Draft Fastest in Hot Laps: Hudson O’Neal (15.5827seconds)

Time of Race: 26 minutes 24 seconds

The Big River Steel Chase for the Championship Presented by ARP Point Standings:

JUNCTION CITY, Ky. (May 5, 2023) – Mike Marlar ended Hudson O’Neal’s three-race win streak on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series by taking the top spot in the 19th Annual John Bradshaw Memorial sponsored by Tim Short Auto Group. Marlar led wire-to-wire holding off O’Neal to become the ninth different winner this year with the series on Friday night at Ponderosa Speedway.

Marlar finished just 0.574 seconds ahead of O’Neal at the checkers to earn his 19th career Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series victory. Trailing Marlar and O’Neal across the stripe were Brandon Overton, Jonathan Davenport, and Ricky Thornton Jr. 

Marlar grabbed the lead at the start of the race with Overton holding down the second position. Overton ran in second tucked behind Marlar for the first 21 laps of the race until the only Gorsuch Performance Solutions caution flew for a slowing Earl Pearson Jr.

On the lap 22 restart O’Neal got by Overton to take over second. O’Neal then chased Marlar through lapped traffic closing to within a couple of car lengths of the Tennessee racer on several occasions as they raced through lapped traffic.

Marlar held his line on the final lap to hold off O’Neal for the win before a packed grandstand and pit area.

“I want to thank my car owner and all of these great sponsors,” said the victorious Marlar in Lucas Oil Victory Lane. “It takes a lot of people to have a great race team. It’s fun when it’s working good. The car was really good again tonight. We had that one caution and sometimes your tires cool off, or the track bleeds and other things happen under caution. It’s usually a good thing especially when you have a clean track in front of you. You run these cars on such a fine line.”

“It’s cool the John Bradshaw Memorial has got to be as big as it is,” Marlar added. “When it first started it was $5,000 to win and we were just lucky to have a race that paid that around here. So, all of these big races we are having around here now it’s’ getting big crowds like tonight. I don’t think I have seen this many fans here.”

O’Neal heads to Florence on Saturday maintaining the series points lead with his runner-up finish. “We had a good race car. It took me forever to get to second and the restart helped. I had to deal with a rock there with about 20 laps to go and it broke my shield. It took my focus off the race a little bit. I just couldn’t quite get back to him [Marlar]. We’ll take a second anytime you can stand on the frontstretch it’s a really good night.”

Overton, who finished second to O’Neal on Thursday night at Atomic rounded out the podium with a third place run at Ponderosa. “We’ll get ‘em. It was another good points night. We are right there just knocking on the door. It’s hard to change the car when it’s that fast early on. We will just take some notes and keep building on it and head to Florence.”

The winner’s Ronnie Delk-owned Longhorn Chassis is powered by a Clements Racing Engine and sponsored by Delk Equipment, Can-Am Auto Salvage, Petroff Towing, Bilstein Shocks, Paulson-Stussy Construction, Mesilla Valley Transportation, Midwest Sheet Metal, and Capital Race Decals.

Completing the top ten were Josh Rice, Spencer Hughes, Tyler Erb, Zack Dohm, and Devin Moran.

Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series 

Race Summary 

19th Annual John Bradshaw Memorial

Friday, May 5, 2023

Ponderosa Speedway – Junction City, KY

Allstar Performance Time Trials

Fast Time Group A: Jonathan Davenport / 12.785 seconds

Fast Time Group B: Brandon Overton / 12.631 seconds (overall)

Penske Shocks Heat Race #1 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 157-Mike Marlar[3]; 2. 49-Jonathan Davenport[1]; 3. 7-Ross Robinson[4]; 4. 23-Cory Hedgecock[5]; 5. 20-Jimmy Owens[8]; 6. 13W-David Webb[7]; 7. 16-Tyler Bruening[6]; 8. 99C-Camaron Marlar[2]

Summit Racing Products Heat Race #2 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 18D-Daulton Wilson[1]; 2. 11-Spencer Hughes[3]; 3. 99-Devin Moran[7]; 4. 8K-Kyle Strickler[5]; 5. 58-Garrett Alberson[2]; 6. 39-Tim McCreadie[4]; 7. 99B-Boom Briggs[6]; 8. 20B-Brad Dyer[8]

Simpson Race Products Heat Race #3 (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 76-Brandon Overton[1]; 2. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr[3]; 3. 11R-Josh Rice[2]; 4. 46-Earl Pearson Jr[4]; 5. 10-Garrett Smith[6]; 6. 16J-Justin Rattliff[5]; 7. 83-Jensen Ford[8]; 8. 1G-Rusty Ballenger[7]

AP1 Insurance Heat Race #4 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 1H-Hudson O'Neal[1]; 2. 111B-Max Blair[2]; 3. 17D-Zack Dohm[3]; 4. 1T-Tyler Erb[5]; 5. 89-Logan Roberson[7]; 6. D8-Dustin Linville[6]; 7. 109-Eli Beets[4]

Fast Shafts B-Main Race #1 Finish (10 Laps, Top 6 Transfer): 1. 20-Jimmy Owens[1]; 2. 58-Garrett Alberson[3]; 3. 39-Tim McCreadie[7]; 4. 10-Garrett Smith[2]; 5. 13W-David Webb[5]; 6. D8-Dustin Linville[8]; 7. 89-Logan Roberson[4]; 8. 99B-Boom Briggs[11]; 9. 99C-Camaron Marlar[13]; 10. 16J-Justin Rattliff[6]; 11. 16-Tyler Bruening[9]; 12. 1G-Rusty Ballenger[14]; 13. 20B-Brad Dyer[15]; 14. 83-Jensen Ford[10]; 15. (DNS) 109-Eli Beets

19th Annual John Bradshaw Memorial Feature Finish (50 Laps):

Race Statistics

Entrants: 31

Terminal Maintenance & Construction Pole Sitter: Mike Marlar

Lap Leaders: Mike Marlar (Laps 1-50)

Wieland Feature Winner: Mike Marlar

Arizona Sport Shirts Crown Jewel Cup Feature Winner: n/a

Brandon Ford TV Challenge Feature Winner: n/a

Margin of Victory: 0.574 seconds

Gorsuch Performance Solutions Cautions: Earl Pearson, Jr. (Lap 21); Jimmy Owens (Lap 21 restart)

Series Provisionals: Tyler Bruening; Logan Roberson

Fast Time Provisional: n/a

Series Emergency Provisionals: Boom Briggs

Track Provisional: Camaron Marlar

Big River Steel Podium Top 3: Mike Marlar, Hudson O’Neal, Brandon Overton

Penske Shocks Top 5: Mike Marlar, Hudson O’Neal, Brandon Overton, Jonathan Davenport, Ricky Thornton, Jr.

Todd Steel Buildings Hard Charger of the Race: Tyler Erb (Advanced 8 Positions)

Wilwood Brakes Lucky 7th Place Feature: Spencer Hughes

Deatherage Opticians Lucky 13th Place Feature: Cory Hedgecock

Earnhardt Technologies Most Laps Led: Mike Marlar (50 Laps)

Sunoco Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Hudson O’Neal

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

O’Reilly Auto Parts Rookie of the Race: Max Blair

Etchberger Trucking Fastest Lap of the Race: Mike Marlar (Lap 3 – 13.949 seconds)

MD3 Tough Break of the Race: Earl Pearson, Jr.

Outerwears Crew Chief of the Race: Josh Davis (Mike Marlar)

ARP Engine Builder of the Race: Clements Racing Engines

Miller Welders Chassis Builder of the Race: Longhorn Chassis

Dirt Draft Fastest in Hot Laps: Jonathan Davenport (12.7679 seconds)

Time of Race: 16 minutes 04 seconds

The Big River Steel Chase for the Championship Presented by ARP Point Standings: