Dirt on Dirt - Thornton claims Florence's first semifeature

August 11

Florence Speedway,

Union, KY

Sanction: Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series (North-South 100 first semifeature) - $5,000

Information provided by: Todd Turner, series and track reports (last updated August 12, 11:31 am)

Thornton claims Florence's first semifeature

North-South 100 first semifeature

Ricky Thornton Jr.
Daulton Wilson
Ryan Gustin
Mike Marlar
Chris Ferguson
Tim McCreadie
Garrett Smith
Earl Pearson Jr.
Garrett Alberson
Max Blair
Dale McDowell
Tyler Bruening
Kyle Strickler
Tyler Erb
Josh Rice
Eddie Carrier Jr.
Logan Roberson
Trevor Landrum
Brian Shirley
Jesse Lay
Vic Hill
Mike Harrison
James Rice
Jason Jameson

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Ricky Thornton Jr. (20RT) overtook Daulton Wilson (18d) for the lead en route to winning Florence's first semifeature on Friday.

What won the race: Ricky Thornton Jr. of Chandler, Ariz., overtook race-long pacesetter Daulton Wilson for the lead on lap 12 and expertly handled lapped traffic for the remainder of the distance to capture Friday night’s first 25-lap North-South 100 semifeature at Florence Speedway. He beat Wilson to the finish line by 1.807 seconds for the $5,000 top prize on the second preliminary night for the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series event.

Quotable: “Daulton was pretty good there early,” Thornton said. “I just kind of maintained around the bottom, and then finally, once that middle kind of slowed down a little bit, I felt like my pace was able to pick up and I was able to get to him. But I didn’t really think I was going to be able to get by him. It just worked out.”

Key notes: Rebounding from a flat tire that took him out of contention to win a Thursday semifeature, Thornton was victorious for the third time this season at Florence. … It was Thornton’s fourth semifeature triumph of 2023 on the Lucas Oil Series; he has 10 full-field checkered flags on the national tour. … Wilson settled for a runner-up finish after leading laps 1-11. … Third-place finisher Ryan Gustin tallied his second podium result in as many nights. … Thursday semi victor Mike Marlar reached fourth on lap 10 and stayed there to the finish. … The race’s lone caution flag flew on lap one for debris on the track. … James Rice slapped the turn-two wall during his second qualifying lap and limped to the pits. He repaired the damage and grabbed the final transfer spot in his heat race, then finished 23rd in the semi. … Starting positions for Saturday’s six heats leading into the $75,000-to-win North-South 100 will be determined by points drivers earned in the two preliminary programs.

On the move: Tim McCreadie of Watertown, N.Y., started 18th and finished sixth.

Winner's sponsors: Thornton’s SSI Motorsports Longhorn Chassis is powered by a Clements engine and sponsored by Dyno One, Hoker Trucking, Certified Inspection Service, High Performance Lubricants, Big River Steel, Van Meter Insurance Group, Murty Farms, D&E Outside Services, West Side Tractor Sales, Bilstein Shocks, FK Rod Ends, Allstar Performance, Barnes Pumps, Performance Bodies, Winters Performance, Strange Oval, Accu-Force, Quickcar, Sunoco Race Fuels and Sub-Surface of Indiana.

Points chase: Before Florence: 1. Ricky Thornton Jr. (5,540); 2. Hudson O’Neal (5,220); 3. Jonathan Davenport (4,925); 4. Brandon Overton (4,890); 5. Tim McCreadie (4,865); 6. Devin Moran (4,775); 7. Tyler Erb (4,400); 8. Max Blair (4,385); 9. Daulton Wilson (4,380); 10. Earl Pearson Jr. (4,330).

Current weather: Scattered Clouds, 79°F

Car count: 59

Fast qualifier: Ricky Thornton Jr.

Time: 16.229 seconds

Polesitter: Ricky Thornton Jr.

Heat race winners: Ricky Thornton Jr., Garrett Smith, Daulton Wilson, Ryan Gustin

Consolation race winners: Josh Rice

Next series race: August 12, Florence Speedway (Union, KY) $75,000

Editor's note: Results and race details are unofficial.

From staff reports

UNION, Ky. (Aug. 11) — Updates and results from Friday’s preliminary night of the Sunoco North-South 100 weekend, including a pair of split-field $5,000-to-win semifeatures on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series (results unofficial):

Feature

Ricky Thornton Jr. of Chandler, Ariz., overtook race-long pacesetter Daulton Wilson for the lead on lap 12 and expertly handled lapped traffic for the remainder of the distance to capture Friday night’s first 25-lap North-South 100 semifeature at Florence Speedway. He beat Wilson to the finish line by 1.807 seconds for the $5,000 top prize on the second preliminary night for the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series event.

Feature lineup

(25 laps)
Row 1: Ricky Thornton Jr., Daulton Wilson
Row 2: Garrett Smith, Ryan Gustin
Row 3: Chris Ferguson, Mike Marlar
Row 4: Max Blair, Brian Shirley
Row 5: Mike Harrison, Earl Pearson Jr.
Row 6: Dale McDowell, Garrett Alberson
Row 7: Logan Roberson, Kyle Strickler
Row 8: Jason Jameson, Tyler Bruening
Row 9: Eddie Carrier Jr., Tim McCreadie
Row 10: James Rice, Vic Hill
Row 11: Josh Rice, Tyler Erb
Row 12: Trevor Landrum, Jesse Lay

Consolation race results

(10 laps; top four transfer)

Finish: Josh Rice, Tyler Erb, Trevor Landrum, Jesse Lay, Dustin Nobbe, Logan Zarin, Dane Dacus, Brent Cornette, Donnie Jeschke, Curt Addison.

Heat race recap

On a surface a second slower than the previous night, Ricky Thornton Jr. edged ahead of fellow front-row starter Mike Harrison on the opening lap of the first heat and raced to victory over Chris Ferguson and Harrison. … Josh Rice, requiring a push because of clutch problems after a transmission change, finished sixth, sending him to a consy. … Tyler Erb had a flat left rear during the second heat, won by Garrett Smith. Erb ended up sixth, one spot shy of transferring after changing the flat. … Dale McDowell briefly got out of shape while battling Max Blair for second in turn two, but Erb’s caution kept him in third. … Thursday semifeature winner Mike Marlar was docked a row for jumping the start in the third heat, putting him outside row two for the ensuing start attempt. Marlar fought back to finish second behind polesitting winner Daulton Wilson. … Ryan Gustin won the fourth heat from the pole (a Dustin Nobbe-Brent Cornette caution slowed the action on lap six).

Heat race results

(Eight laps; top five transfer)

First heat: Ricky Thornton Jr., Chris Ferguson, Mike Harrison, Logan Roberson, Eddie Carrier Jr., Josh Rice, Logan Zarin, Dane Dacus.

Second heat: Garrett Smith, Max Blair, Dale McDowell, Jason Jameson, James Rice, Tyler Erb, Jesse Lay.

Third heat: Daulton Wilson, Mike Marlar, Earl Pearson Jr., Kyle Strickler, Tim McCreadie, Trevor Landrum, Donnie Jeschke, Curt Addison.

Fourth heat: Ryan Gustin, Brian Shirley, Garrett Alberson, Tyler Bruening, Vic Hill, Dustin Nobbe, Brent Cornette.

Time trials

Driver (car no.), hometown, time (unofficial)
Group A1

1. Ricky Thornton Jr. (20rt), Chandler, Ariz., 16.229
2. Garrett Smith (10), Eatonton, Ga., 16.366
3. Mike Harrison (33h), Highland, Ill., 16.449
4. Dale McDowell (17m), Chickamauga, Ga., 16.465
5. Chris Ferguson (22F), Mount Holly, N.C., 16.559
6. Max Blair (111B), Centerville, Pa., 16.601
7. Logan Zarin (1z), Moon Township, Pa., 16.605
8. Jason Jameson (12), Lawrenceburg, Ind., 16.665
9. Logan Roberson (89), Waynesboro, Va., 16.697
10. Tyler Erb (1t), New Waverly, Texas, 16.722
11. Josh Rice (11r), Verona, Ky., 16.801
12. Jesse Lay (33), Walton, Ky., 16.812
13. Eddie Carrier Jr. (66jr), Salt Rock, W.Va., 16.923
14. James Rice (15), Verona, Ky., 16.940
15. Dane Dacus (54), Arlington, Tenn., 17.020

Group A2

1. Daulton Wilson (18D), Fayetteville, N.C., 16.472
2. Ryan Gustin (19r), Marshalltown, Iowa, 16.494
3. Mike Marlar (157), Winfield, Tenn., 16.520
4. Brian Shirley (3s), Chatham, Ill., 16.629
5. Kyle Strickler (8k), Mooresville, N.C., 16.663
6. Garrett Alberson (58), Las Cruces, N.M., 16.734
7. Earl Pearson Jr. (46), Jacksonville, Fla., 16.836
8. Vic Hill (1v), Mosheim, Tenn., 16.840
9. Tim McCreadie (39), Watertown, N.Y., 16.871
10. Dustin Nobbe (5n), Batesville, Ind., 16.930
11. Trevor Landrum (18), Florence, Ky., 16.938
12. Tyler Bruening (16), Decorah, Iowa, 17.109
13. Donnie Jeschke (99J), Dayton, Ohio, 17.293
14. Brent Cornette (22c), Greenville, Tenn., 17.762
15. Curt Addison (8A), Florence, Ky., 18.091

Friday’s schedule

(All times local)

3 p.m. - Pits open
6 p.m. - Grandstands open
6:30 p.m. - Drivers' meeting
7 p.m. - On-track activity
- Late Model hot laps
- Modified hot laps
- Late Model time trials (2 laps)
Opening ceremonies
- Late Model heat races (8 laps)
- Modified heat races (8 laps)
- Late Model consolations (10 laps)
- Modified consolations (10 laps)
- First Late Model semifeature (25 laps)
- Second Late Model semifeature (25 laps)
- Modified feature (20 laps)