Sheppard and Marlar Take Thursday Night Florence Prelims

COLUMN BY: LUCAS OIL LATE MODEL DIRT SERIES / WALTON, KY – Brandon Sheppard and Mike Marlar took top honors in Thursday night’s dual 25-lap features for the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series at Florence Speedway to kick off the 44th Annual Sunoco Race Fuels North-South Weekend.

In the first $6,000-to-win main event, Sheppard took the lead from Chris Ferguson on lap 13 and then pulled away for his ninth series win of the season. Garrett Alberson, who passed Ferguson for second on lap 14, then held off a charging Josh Rice for second over the final 10 laps of the race. Rice, the current O’Reilly Auto Parts Rookie of the Year points leader, was debuting a new Rocket Chassis as he rounded out the Big River Steel Podium in third.

Donald McIntosh, last year’s O’Reilly Auto Parts Rookie of the Year, was fourth, with Ferguson rounding out the top five

In Wieland Victory Lane for the 44th time in his career, the current championship points leader finally picked up his first win at Florence as he eyes the $75,000 top prize in Saturday night’s 44th Annual Sunoco Race Fuels North-South 100.

“I am pretty sure this is my first Florence win. We have been really good in the big race on Saturday a few times. In 2016, I was there at the end and got a flat tire. It’s been one of them places where things haven’t went my way. I felt like we had a pretty decent car in the spring when we were here, so I was excited to come back, especially with as good as we have been running. My confidence is at an all-time high with this race car.”

Alberson fought off Rice in a great battle to snag the runner-up spot.

“I knew once Josh (Rice) got to third, I was like, alright, we are going to have us a fight right there, you know, because I was a little too tight to really run that top the way I needed to. I kind of had to back it in there, but hats off to Josh. We had a good little race right there. It was a lot of fun, and Sheppy, his car was really good. It’s super balanced right now.”

Rice, who entered the weekend having won 13 times at Florence since 2021, rounded out the Big River Steel Podium in third in front of his home-track fans.

“That was fun racing with Garrett. I wanted to get to second for Mark (Richards). He worked a lot on my race car this week, and I can’t thank him enough for that. It was just like home. It was typical Florence on the cushion. I was probably a little too tight for the cushion. I probably didn’t have much for Shep, but congrats to those guys.”

The winner’s Mark Richards Racing, Rocket Chassis is powered by a Durham Racing Engine and sponsored by Valvoline, Seubert Calf Ranches, Ace Metal Works, Performance Grading, Franklin Enterprises, Sunoco Race Fuels, Gunter’s Honey, Stiles Marine and Maintenance, Fox Shocks, and Collins Brothers Towing.

Completing the top 10 in the first feature were Devin Moran, Clay Harris, Trevor Landrum, Bobby Pierce, and Shannon Babb.

In the second $6,000-to-win main event, Marlar took the lead from Brandon Overton on lap 20 and held on the rest of the way for his first LOLMDS win of the year. Marlar, who started eighth, led Overton, Hudson O’Neal, Kyle Bronson, and Jonathan Davenport across the finish line for his 24th Lucas Oil win, tying him with Hall of Famer Billy Moyer.

Ricky Thornton Jr. led the first eight laps of the 25-lap nightcap until he relinquished the lead to Overton on lap nine. Two laps later, Thornton brushed the wall in turn four, resulting in a right-rear flat tire as he slowed to bring out a caution flag.

Overton, who was looking for his first series win since Circle City last year, was in front until Marlar got by him on lap 20 to take over the lead. Marlar then beat Overton to the finish line by 1.244 seconds in a highly competitive race.

Marlar, like Sheppard, is looking for his first career Sunoco Race Fuels North-South 100 victory on Saturday night.

“I tried to be a little bit of everywhere. The track was just racy, you know. When you’ve got a great track like that, that’s how you’ve got to be. There was a lot of thinking going on in that race and strategies on restarts and stuff like that. It was fun to race with the top guys up here and have a good time and get a win. My car was really good, so I was on offense. When you’re on defense, you don’t want to see those cautions, but when you are on offense, every caution is an opportunity. I want to really thank Mark Richards for his help on the car today. I kind of told him what I was looking for, and he helped me a little bit.”

Overton, who led the most laps (11) in the second feature, came home in second.

“The other cars had me moving all over the racetrack, and I was kind of holding them off. They said Mikey had a 3 on, so I don’t know if the softer tires, you know, played into it at the end on them restarts. I didn’t feel bad. Honestly, I felt pretty good at the beginning. I know Ricky had a softer tire on earlier. He was doing what he does out front, and he got into the fence, and I don’t know whether that cut his tire down or what. On those restarts, it was hard getting back into a rhythm, and it is what it is. We’re alright.”

O’Neal, who started ninth, rounded out the Big River Steel Podium in third.

“We worked, and I think we worked in the right direction, and we’ll see tomorrow when we unload. We just found ourselves in really bad positions on those restarts. I felt like my race car was okay. I just jumped the cushion one time and made one mistake and let two or three cars get by me, and then I had to drive back through there to get to third.”

The winner’s Ronnie Delk-owned, Rocket Chassis is powered by a Cornett Racing Engine and sponsored by Delk Equipment, Langenfelder Mechanical Contractors, Mesilla Valley Transportation, Petroff Towing, Certain Teed, Can Am Auto Salvage, Fox Shocks, and Spirit Fuel Racing.

Completing the top 10 in the second feature were Drake Troutman, Carson Ferguson, Tyler Erb, Ricky Thornton Jr., and Zack Dohm.

 

Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series 

Race Summary 

44th Annual Sunoco North/South 100 Presented by Lucas Oil | Night 1

Thursday, August 6, 2026

Florence Speedway | Union, KY

44th Annual Sunoco North/South 100 Presented by Lucas Oil Group A – Feature Finish (25 Laps):

Pos – Start – Car # – Competitor – Hometown – Earnings

1 – 2 – 1 – Brandon Sheppard – New Berlin, IL – $6,000

2 – 3 – 58 – Garrett Alberson – Las Cruces, NM – $3,000

3 – 7 – 11 – Josh Rice – Crittenden, KY – $2,000

4 – 11 – 79 – Donald McIntosh – Dawsonville, GA – $1,250

5 – 1 – 22F – Chris Ferguson – Mt. Holly, NC – $1,000

6 – 6 – 99 – Devin Moran – Dresden, OH – $900

7 – 12 – 6 – Clay Harris – Jupiter, FL – $850

8 – 9 – 18L – Trevor Landrum – Florence, KY – $800

9 – 17 – 32 – Bobby Pierce – Oakwood, IL – $750

10 – 21 – 18 – Shannon Babb – Moweaqua, IL – $700

11 – 5 – 99JR – Frank Heckenast Jr – Frankfort, IL – $650

12 – 18 – 22 – Daniel Hilsabeck – Earlham, IA – $600

13 – 8 – 81F – Jadon Frame – Winchester, TN – $550

14 – 24 – 93 – Devin Gilpin – Columbus, IN – $500

15 – 16 – 20O – Jimmy Owens – Newport, TN – $500

16 – 15 – 93L – Cory Lawler – Hanover, PA – $500

17 – 19 – 49M – Luke Morey – Zeeland, MI – $500

18 – 13 – 60 – Dan Ebert – Lake Shore, MN – $500

19 – 20 – 7S – Justin Smith – Barbourville, KY – $500

20 – 4 – 13 – Dallon Murty – Chelsea, IA – $500

21 – 14 – 4G – Kody Evans – Camden, OH – $500

22 – 10 – 5N – Dustin Nobbe – Batesville, IN – $500

23 – 22 – 16 – Justin Rattliff – Campbellsville, KY – $500

24 – 23 – 111 – Max Blair – Centerville, PA – $500