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Column By: ROBERT SYMONDS / RPW – MARTINSVILLE, IN – After being released as the primary driver at SSI Motorsports, Ricky Thornton Jr has found a team for the rest of the 2024 Season.
Koehler Motorsports made the call earlier this week to hire the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Point Leader as they head into a busy stretch of the 2024 racing season. RTJ will join four time LOLMDS Champion Jimmy Owens as a teammate through the second half of the 2024 Season.
Koehler Motorsports has always been the top of the game and now can add another record holder to its lineup of drivers. Aside from the Newport Nightmare and RTJ, Koehler also has Jordan Koehler and Evan Koehler. Both drivers are 602 Crate Late Model standouts with both racing some Super Late Model events in the Southern US, primarily at Ultimate Motorsports Park and Cherokee Speedway. For the next two weeks Thornton will run Jordan Koehler’s 114 before transitioning to his usual number 20RT. Adding RTJ to their lineup will now propel Koehler Motorsports to go farther than they have before. With both Owens and Thornton leading the way, Koehler Motorsports may get another Championship in 2024 but only time will tell on that front.
Koehler Motorsports teammates now head to 34 Raceway in West Burlington, IA for the Slocum 50 then the NAPA Know How 50 at Tri-City Speedway in Granite City, IL on Friday and the 18th Annual CMH Diamond Nationals at the Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland MO on Saturday. Afterwards they will travel to Eagle Raceway Monday July 15th as Malvern Bank Presents the High Bank Heist, Shelby County Tuesday July 16th for the Kosiski Family 53, and the 14th Annual Silver Dollar Nationals at the Huset’s Speedway July 18th for a 3 day stretch.
Keep it clicked here to Race Pro Weekly for all of the upcoming news from Koehler Motorsports and the rest of the Dirt Late Model world.
Though nothing is ever permanent in todays world, even for the biggest Late Model drivers in the country, we hope this will become a more solid ride for the rest of 2024 at least for Thornton and his family.