Davenport & Thornton Take Thursday Night Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Prelims At Florence

Story By: LUCAS OIL LATE MODEL DIRT SERIES – WALTON, KY – Jonathan Davenport and Ricky Thornton Jr. won the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series preliminary main events on Thursday night at Florence Speedway.

Davenport won his 79th career Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series event, pocketing $6,000 for the first 25-lap race leading the entire distance over Devin Moran, Drake Troutman, Tyler Erb, and Josh Rice.

Thornton went to Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Victory Lane for the 12th time in 2024 as he led the final 17 circuits to win the second 25-lap main event that also paid $6,000. Bobby Pierce tracked down Thornton late in the race to come home in second. Tim McCreadie was third followed by Hudson O’Neal, and Kyle Bronson.

In Lucas Oil Victory Lane for the fifth time in 2024 and for the first time since June 20 at Lernerville, Davenport was 2.417 seconds ahead of Moran at the finish.

“It’s a big relief really. I have not liked my car lately in the features. It drove well there honestly; I wished I would have started further back where I could’ve seen where my car was better or worse at. We are just going have to go back and watch the video and see where was better or where we were worse at. I think we will see more of a transition in the race Saturday around I would say the mid-point of the race. We will just have to wait and see. The biggest takeaway is we are finally in victory lane. That’s huge for us and our race team.”

Moran, who vaulted past Davenport in the championship points after winning the Silver Dollar Nationals at Huset’s battled with Davenport early on in the race as he held the second spot the entire 25-lap distance.

“I was real good on that start. We had a little bit softer tire than he did. I don’t think we could have done anything tonight with him. He was really, really good. I tried moving up, but I couldn’t really run up top. I started to move around, but I couldn’t do a whole lot. We had a second place tonight so I really can’t complain.”

Troutman earned the Todd Steel Buildings Hard Charger of the Race as he came from 14th to round out the Big River Steel Podium in third in his Florence Speedway debut.

“We took last weekend off and just went through this car really good. This is a new Jay Dickens engine under the hood. So, for the first time running here we gained some valuable experience that will hopefully help us the rest of the weekend.”

The winner’s Lance and Darla Landers, Double L Motorsports, Longhorn Chassis is powered by a Cornett Racing Engine and sponsored by Nutrien Ag Solutions, Dyna Gro Seed, Lucas Oil Products, BobCat of Batesville, Bilstein Shocks, ASC Warranty, Mark Martin Automotive, Mega Plumbing of the Carolinas, and VP Fuels.

Completing the top ten in the Group (A) A-Main were Jimmy Owens, Ethan Dotson, Dale McDowell, Tanner English, and Ross Bailes.

Thornton’s win was his first for Koehler Motorsports and their newly named crew chief, Chris Madden.

“To come out the first night like we did; we had a lot of speed coming out of the box a few weeks ago. We didn’t have the finish we wanted at Huset’s, we came back home and put a new body on the car. I tore it up a little bit there. I felt like I was almost running too hard trying to get my tires to go. I know we went harder than most of them. I thought Nick [Hoffman] had a really good pace and then he really started to slow down going into three. I knew I needed to get a good run down the backstraightaway, and I was going to slide him and hopefully I could take off after I did that.”

Pierce, who started ninth, made a late race charge at the end as he came up 2.080 seconds short of the win.

“It was hard racing,” said of his battles during the race with Jason Jameson and Cory Hedgcock. “We have raced a lot here. I don’t know he [Jameson] knows how to smash the gas pedal I will give him that. He does a good job getting up there early, but we were just coming through, and I had the faster car, and I got under him and slid him. It just got tight up there. Me and Hedgecock had a little contact when we went three-wide, and I apologize for that. I got into his right front.”

“We were trying to get back to the front, we were really fast, so I had to make the moves in 25 laps. There wasn’t a lot of time to get it done. I made a big screwup down there I hit that cushion so hard and man it just about finished our night off. I just about lost eight positions. So, it was fun trying to track RTJ back down. I would have loved to see a caution, but the racetrack was awesome.”

McCreadie rounded out the Big River Steel Podium with his third-place finish. “It cost us a couple of spots there at the end when I got up in that cushion in four. I know it’s not victory lane where we all want to be, but we are definitely improving. It’s getting better every time we hit the track.”

The winner’s Bobby and Jessica Koehler, Koehler Motorsports, Longhorn Chassis is powered by a Cornett Racing Engine and sponsored by Capital Waste, Traffic Control Safety Services, Ultimate Towing and Recovery, Ultimate Motorsports and RV Park. Rogers Realty and Auction Company, inc., Five-Star Metal Buildings, Coltman Farms, Hoker Trucking, and D&E Outside Services.

Completing the top ten in the second A-Main was Cory Hedgecock, Brandon Overton, Nick Hoffman, Garrett Alberson, and Carson Ferguson.

Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Race Summary
42nd Annual Sunoco North/South 100 – Presented by Lucas Oil – Prelim Night 1
Thursday, August 8, 2024
Florence Speedway – Union, KY

Allstar Performance Time Trials
Fast Time Group A: Jonathan Davenport / 15.410 seconds (overall)
Fast Time Group B: Jason Jameson / 15.609 seconds

Penske Shocks Heat Race #1 – Group A Finish (8 Laps, Top 5 Transfer): 1. 49-Jonathan Davenport[1]; 2. 20-Jimmy Owens[3]; 3. 17D-Zack Dohm[2]; 4. 1T-Tyler Erb[5]; 5. D48-Derek Groomer[6]; 6. 18P-Gray Parton[4]; 7. 11T-Tyler Collins[7]; 8. 5N-Dustin Nobbe[8]

Summit Racing Products Heat Race #2 – Group A Finish (8 Laps, Top 5 Transfer): 1. 99-Devin Moran[2]; 2. 74-Ethan Dotson[1]; 3. 87-Ross Bailes[3]; 4. 96-Tanner English[4]; 5. 1G-Devin Gilpin[5]; 6. 49B-Billy Green[7]; 7. 7R-Brad Rickels[6]; 8. 8-Curt Addison[8]

Earnhardt Technologies Heat Race #3 – Group A Finish (8 Laps, Top 5 Transfer): 1. 11R-Josh Rice[2]; 2. 17M-Dale McDowell[1]; 3. 99B-Boom Briggs[4]; 4. 7T-Drake Troutman[3]; 5. 17SS-Brenden Smith[6]; 6. 19M-Spencer Hughes[5]; 7. H22-Brandon Hardgrove[7]; 8. (DNS) 11-Calvin Carlton

Simpson Race Products Heat Race #4 – Group A Finish (8 Laps, Top 5 Transfer): 1. 111-Max Blair[2]; 2. 79-Donald McIntosh[3]; 3. G4-Trent Ivey[1]; 4. 157-Mike Marlar[4]; 5. 38-Derek Fisher[5]; 6. 93-Cory Lawler[6]; 7. 90-Michael LeFevers[7]

Penske Shocks Heat Race #1 – Group B Finish (8 Laps, Top 5 Transfer): 1. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr[2]; 2. 12-Jason Jameson[1]; 3. 32P-Bobby Pierce[3]; 4. 97C-Michael Chilton[4]; 5. 93X-Zak Blackwood[5]; 6. D6-Dustin Linville[6]; 7. 21-Robby Hensley[7]; 8. 6-Clay Harris[8]

Summit Racing Products Heat Race #2 – Group B Finish (8 Laps, Top 5 Transfer): 1. 76-Brandon Overton[1]; 2. 23-Cory Hedgecock[2]; 3. 71-Hudson O’Neal[3]; 4. 4T-Tripp Gerrald[5]; 5. 7-Ross Robinson[6]; 6. 8M-Dillon McCowan[4]; 7. 18-Trevor Landrum[7]

Earnhardt Technologies Heat Race #3 – Group B Finish (8 Laps, Top 5 Transfer): 1. 9-Nick Hoffman[2]; 2. 58-Garrett Alberson[1]; 3. 18D-Daulton Wilson[3]; 4. 71C-RJ Conley[4]; 5. 2-Tyler Stevens[5]; 6. 29J-Jordan Wever[6]; 7. 29-Clint Keenan[7]; 8. 99J-Donnie Jeschke[8]

Simpson Race Products Heat Race #4 – Group B Finish (8 Laps, Top 5 Transfer): 1. 1-Tim McCreadie[1]; 2. 114-Jordan Koehler[2]; 3. 40B-Kyle Bronson[3]; 4. 93F-Carson Ferguson[4]; 5. 17-Blake Creech[5]; 6. 63-Austin Lay[6]; 7. 3:16-Mike Bargo[7]

Fast Shafts B-Main Race #1 – Group A Finish (10 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 19M-Spencer Hughes[2]; 2. 11T-Tyler Collins[5]; 3. H22-Brandon Hardgrove[6]; 4. 5N-Dustin Nobbe[9]; 5. 7R-Brad Rickels[7]; 6. 49B-Billy Green[3]; 7. 18P-Gray Parton[1]; 8. 93-Cory Lawler[4]; 9. 8-Curt Addison[10]; 10. 90-Michael LeFevers[8]; 11. (DNS) 11-Calvin Carlton

UNOH B-Main Race #1 – Group B Finish (10 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 29J-Jordan Wever[2]; 2. D6-Dustin Linville[1]; 3. 21-Robby Hensley[5]; 4. 8M-Dillon McCowan[3]; 5. 18-Trevor Landrum[7]; 6. 29-Clint Keenan[6]; 7. 63-Austin Lay[4]; 8. 3:16-Mike Bargo[8]; 9. (DNS) 6-Clay Harris; 10. (DNS) 99J-Donnie Jeschke

GROUP A Feature (25 Laps): 1. 49-Jonathan Davenport[1]; 2. 99-Devin Moran[3]; 3. 7T-Drake Troutman[14]; 4. 1T-Tyler Erb[13]; 5. 11R-Josh Rice[2]; 6. 20-Jimmy Owens[5]; 7. 74-Ethan Dotson[7]; 8. 17D-Zack Dohm[9]; 9. 96-Tanner English[15]; 10. 87-Ross Bailes[11]; 11. 17M-Dale McDowell[6]; 12. 1G-Devin Gilpin[19]; 13. G4-Trent Ivey[12]; 14. 99B-Boom Briggs[10]; 15. D48-Derek Groomer[17]; 16. 38-Derek Fisher[20]; 17. 11T-Tyler Collins[22]; 18. 17SS-Brenden Smith[18]; 19. H22-Brandon Hardgrove[23]; 20. 19M-Spencer Hughes[21]; 21. 5N-Dustin Nobbe[24]; 22. 111-Max Blair[4]; 23. 79-Donald McIntosh[8]; 24. 157-Mike Marlar[16]

GROUP B Feature (25 Laps): 1. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr[1]; 2. 32P-Bobby Pierce[9]; 3. 1-Tim McCreadie[4]; 4. 71-Hudson O’Neal[11]; 5. 40B-Kyle Bronson[12]; 6. 23-Cory Hedgecock[7]; 7. 76-Brandon Overton[3]; 8. 9-Nick Hoffman[2]; 9. 58-Garrett Alberson[6]; 10. 93F-Carson Ferguson[16]; 11. 18D-Daulton Wilson[10]; 12. 4T-Tripp Gerrald[15]; 13. 71C-RJ Conley[14]; 14. D6-Dustin Linville[22]; 15. 2-Tyler Stevens[18]; 16. 8M-Dillon McCowan[24]; 17. 7-Ross Robinson[19]; 18. 21-Robby Hensley[23]; 19. 114-Jordan Koehler[8]; 20. 17-Blake Creech[20]; 21. 93X-Zak Blackwood[17]; 22. 29J-Jordan Wever[21]; 23. 97C-Michael Chilton[13]; 24. 12-Jason Jameson[5]

Race Statistics
Entrants: 61
Group A Victory Fuel Pole Sitter: Jonathan Davenport
Group B Victory Fuel Pole Sitter: Ricky Thornton, Jr.
Group A Lap Leaders: Jonathan Davenport (Laps 1-25)
Group B Lap Leaders: Nick Hoffman (Laps 1-9); Ricky Thornton, Jr. (Laps 10-25)
Group A Wieland Feature Winner: Jonathan Davenport
Group B Wieland Feature Winner: Ricky Thornton, Jr.
Arizona Sport Shirts Crown Jewel Cup Feature Winner: n/a
Brandon Ford TV Challenge Feature Winner: n/a
Group A Margin of Victory: 2.417 seconds
Group B Margin of Victory: 2.080 seconds

Group A Dave Warren Powersports Cautions: Zack Dohm, Boom Briggs, Mike Marlar, Dustin Nobbe (Initial Start); Mike Marlar, Donald McIntosh (Lap 1); Max Blair, Dale McDowell (Lap 1 Restart); Spencer Hughes (Lap 12)

Group B Dave Warren Powersports Cautions: Jason Jameson (Lap 8); Blake Creech, Zak Blackwood, Michael Chilton (Lap 8 Restart)

Series Provisionals: n/a
Fast Time Provisional: n/a
Series Emergency Provisionals: n/a
Track Provisional: n/a
Group A Big River Steel Podium Top 3: Jonathan Davenport, Devin Moran, Drake Troutman
Group B Big River Steel Podium Top 3: Ricky Thornton, Jr., Bobby Pierce, Tim McCreadie
Group A Penske Shocks Top 5: Jonathan Davenport, Devin Moran, Drake Troutman, Tyler Erb, Josh Rice
Group B Penske Shocks Top 5: Ricky Thornton, Jr., Bobby Pierce, Tim McCreadie, Hudson O’Neal, Kyle Bronson
Group A Todd Steel Buildings Hard Charger of the Race: Drake Troutman (Advanced 11 Positions)
Group B Todd Steel Buildings Hard Charger of the Race: Dustin Linville (Advanced 8 Positions)
Group A PEM 4th Place Feature: Tyler Erb
Group B PEM 4th Place Feature: Hudson O’Neal
Group A Wilwood Brakes Lucky 7th Place Feature: Ethan Dotson
Group B Wilwood Brakes Lucky 7th Place Feature: Brandon Overton
Group A Deatherage Opticians Lucky 13th Place Feature: Trent Ivey
Group B Deatherage Opticians Lucky 13th Place Feature: RJ Conley
Group A MD3 Most Laps Led: Jonathan Davenport (25 Laps)
Group B MD3 Most Laps Led: Ricky Thornton, Jr. (16 Laps)
Group A Sunoco Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Drake Troutman
Group B 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: n/a
Group A Coltman Farms Fastest Lap of the Race: Devin Moran (Lap 1 – 16.829 seconds)
Group B Coltman Farms Fastest Lap of the Race: Ricky Thornton, Jr. (Lap 12 – 17.132 seconds)
Group A Slicker Graphics Slickest Move of the Race: Drake Troutman
Group B Slicker Graphics Slickest Move of the Race: Ricky Thornton, Jr.
Group A Miller Welders Hard Luck Award: Max Blair
Group B Miller Welders Hard Luck Award: Michael Chilton
Group A Outerwears Crew Chief of the Race: Cory Fostvedt (Jonathan Davenport)
Group A Outerwears Crew Chief of the Race: Chris Madden (Ricky Thornton, Jr.)
Group A ARP Engine Builder of the Race: Cornett Racing Engines
Group B ARP Engine Builder of the Race: Cornett Racing Engines
Group A Miller Welders Chassis Builder of the Race: Longhorn Chassis
Group B Miller Welders Chassis Builder of the Race: Longhorn Chassis
Dirt Draft Fastest in Hot Laps: Bobby Pierce (15.452 seconds)
Group A Time of Race: 21 minutes 26 seconds
Group B Time of Race: 15 minutes 55 seconds

Sunoco North/South 100 Prelim Point Standings (After Night 1):
Pos. – No. – Competitor – Thu 8/8 – Total – Fastest Lap from Qualifying

1 – 49 – Jonathan Davenport – 260 – 260 –
2 – 20RT – Ricky Thornton, Jr. – 250 – 250 –
3 – 99 – Devin Moran – 230 – 230 – 15.656
3 – 32P – Bobby Pierce – 230 – 230 – 15.786
5 – 1 – Tim McCreadie – 220 – 220 – 15.693
5 – 7T – Drake Troutman – 220 – 220 – 16.057
7 – 71 – Hudson O’Neal – 210 – 210 – 15.802
7 – 1T – Tyler Erb – 210 – 210 – 16.082
9 – 40B – Kyle Bronson – 205 – 205 – 15.864
9 – 11R – Josh Rice – 205 – 205 – 15.931
11 – 23 – Cory Hedgecock – 200 – 200 – 15.752
11 – 20 – Jimmy Owens – 200 – 200 – 15.759
13 – 74 – Ethan Dotson – 195 – 195 – 15.517
13 – 58 – Garrett Alberson – 195 – 195 – 15.654
13 – 76 – Brandon Overton – 195 – 195 – 15.695
16 – 17D – Zack Dohm – 190 – 190 – 15.643
16 – 9 – Nick Hoffman – 190 – 190 – 15.717
18 – 17M – Dale McDowell – 185 – 185 – 15.71
18 – 96 – Tanner English – 185 – 185 – 16.002
20 – 87 – Ross Bailes – 180 – 180 – 15.847
20 – 93F – Carson Ferguson – 180 – 180 – 16.199
22 – 18D – Daulton Wilson – 175 – 175 –
23 – 4T – Tripp Gerrald – 170 – 170 – 16.148
23 – 1G – Devin Gilpin – 170 – 170 – 16.209
25 – G4 – Trent Ivey – 165 – 165 – 15.905
25 – 71C – RJ Conley – 165 – 165 – 16.019
27 – 99B – Boom Briggs – 160 – 160 – 16.069
27 – D6 – Dustin Linville – 160 – 160 – 16.156
29 – 2 – Tyler Stevens – 155 – 155 – 16.202
29 – D48 – Derek Groomer – 155 – 155 – 16.526
31 – 8M – Dillon McCowan – 150 – 150 – 16.033
31 – 38 – Derek Fisher – 150 – 150 – 16.257
33 – 7 – Ross Robinson – 145 – 145 – 16.231
33 – 11T – Tyler Collins – 145 – 145 – 16.647
35 – 21 – Robby Hensley – 140 – 140 – 16.264
35 – 17SS – Brenden Smith – 140 – 140 – 16.279
37 – 12 – Jason Jameson – 135 – 135 – 15.609
37 – 114 – Jordan Koehler – 135 – 135 – 15.732
37 – H22 – Brandon Hardgrove – 135 – 135 – 16.57
40 – 19M – Spencer Hughes – 130 – 130 – 16.116
40 – 17 – Blake Creech – 130 – 130 – 16.233
42 – 97C – Michael Chilton – 125 – 125 – 15.919
42 – 111 – Max Blair – 125 – 125 – 15.965
42 – 79 – Donald McIntosh – 125 – 125 – 16.0
42 – 157 – Mike Marlar – 125 – 125 – 16.09
42 – 93X – Zak Blackwood – 125 – 125 – 16.137
42 – 29J – Jordan Wever – 125 – 125 – 16.298
42 – 5N – Dustin Nobbe – 125 – 125 – 17.078
49 – 18 – Trevor Landrum – 120 – 120 – 16.632
49 – 7R – Brad Rickels – 120 – 120 – 16.64
51 – 29 – Clint Keenan – 115 – 115 – 16.673
51 – 49B – Billy Green – 115 – 115 – 16.828
53 – 18P – Gray Parton – 110 – 110 – 15.866
53 – 63 – Austin Lay – 110 – 110 – 16.558
55 – 93 – Cory Lawler – 105 – 105 – 16.332
55 – 3:16 – Mike Bargo – 105 – 105 – 16.765
57 – 8 – Curt Addison – 100 – 100 –
58 – 90 – Michael LeFevers – 95 – 95 –
59 – 99J – Donnie Jeschke – 50 – 50 – 17.298
59 – 11 – Calvin Carlton – 50 – 50 – 99.998
59 – 6 – Clay Harris – 50 – 50 – 99.999