Dirt on Dirt - RTJ lights Firecracker fuse, wins semifeature

June 20

Lernerville Speedway,

Sarver, PA

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

Information provided by: Kyle McFadden, series and track reports (last updated June 21, 10:03 am)

RTJ lights Firecracker fuse, wins semifeature

Firecracker 100 first Thursday semifeature

Ricky Thornton Jr.
Mike Marlar
Garrett Alberson
Michael Norris
Jimmy Owens
Hudson O'Neal
Tim McCreadie
Spencer Hughes
Max Blair
Mason Zeigler
Ken Schaltenbrand
Jamie Lathroum
Trevor Collins
Levi Yetter
Jared Miley
Michael Duritsky
Devin Moran
Bo Lockwood
Gary Lyle
John Garvin Jr.
Breyton Santee
Alex Ferree
Dan Stone
Brock Pinkerous

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Ricky Thornton Jr. with Mike Marlar (left) and Garrett Alberson (right) on the podium.

What won the race: Ricky Thornton Jr. of Chandler, Ariz., controlled all 25 laps of Thursday's first semifeature at Lernerville Speedway in Sarver, Pa., on opening night of the Firecracker 100 sanctioned by the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series. Thornton's $5,000 triumph came 0.555 seconds over Mike Marlar of Winfield, Tenn.

Key notes: Thornton picked up his 10th win on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series of 2024 with Thursday's flag-to-flag victory at the 4/10-mile oval. ... Devin Moran of Dresden, Ohio, slowed out of second with three laps to go, suffering a flat right-rear while chasing Thornton. ... Three cautions slowed the semifeature: The opening lap for a four-car pileup collecting Trevor Collins, Brock Pinkerous and Dan Stone; lap three for a slowing Alex Ferree, who couldn't continue; and lap 22 for second-running Moran. ... The field is split into two groups by pill draw on Thursday and Friday, featuring a complete show for each that culminates with twin 25-lap, $5,000-to-win semifeatures, nightly. The combined points from both prelim nights will set the lineup for Saturday’s heat races that precede consolations and the 100-lap, $50,000-to-win main event.

On the move: Jamie Lathroum of Mechanicsville, Md., started 21st and finished 12th.

Winner's sponsors: Thornton’s SSI Motorsports Longhorn Chassis is powered by a Clements Racing Engine and carries sponsorship from Dyno One, Hoker Trucking LLC, Coltman Farms Racing, Sub-Surface of Indiana, Big River Steel, Murty Farms, High Performance Lubricants, West Side Tractor Sales, Bilstein, Sunoco Race Fuels, FK Rod Ends, Allstar Performance, Dirt Car Lift, Midwest Sheet Metal and EMD Wraps.

Points chase: Before Lernerville: 1. Ricky Thornton Jr. (3,470); 2. Jonathan Davenport (3,285); 3. Devin Moran (3,105); 4. Tim McCreadie (2,935); 5. Mike Marlar (2,880); 6. Hudson O'Neal (2,845); 7. Garrett Alberson (2,820); 8. Daulton Wilson (2,810); 9. Jimmy Owens (2,790); 10. Brandon Sheppard (2,550); 11. Max Blair (2,390); 12. Ross Robinson (2,285).

Current weather: Clear, 75°F

Car count: 53

Fast qualifier: Mason Zeigler

Time: 15.182 seconds

Polesitter: Ricky Thornton Jr.

Heat race winners: Ricky Thornton Jr., Garrett Alberson, Hudson O'Neal

Consolation race winners: Levi Yetter

Next series race: June 21, Lernerville Speedway (Sarver, PA) $5,000

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

From staff reports

SARVER, Pa. (June 20) — Updates from Thursday’s Firecracker 100 prelim featuring twin 25-lap, $5,000-to-win semifeatures for Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series-sanctioned Super Late Models (results unofficial):

Feature

Ricky Thornton Jr. of Chandler, Ariz., controlled all 25 laps of Thursday's first semifeature at Lernerville Speedway in Sarver, Pa., on opening night of the Firecracker 100 sanctioned by the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series. Thornton's $5,000 triumph came 0.555 seconds over Mike Marlar of Winfield, Tenn. Thornton picked up his 10th win on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series of 2024 with Thursday's flag-to-flag victory at the 4/10-mile oval. Second-running Devin Moran had a flat tire with three laps remaining.

Consolation race results

(Eight laps; top six transfer)

B-main: Levi Yetter, Brock Pinkerous, Jamie Lathroum, Bo Lockwood, Breyton Santee, Gary Lyle, Joshua Powell, Eric Hohol. Scratched: Joe Petyak

Heat race results

(Eight laps; top six transfer)

First heat: Ricky Thornton Jr., Devin Moran, Michael Norris, Spencer Hughes, Mason Zeigler, Trevor Collins, Brock Pinkerous, Breyton Santee, Joe Petyak.

Second heat: Garrett Alberson, Mike Marlar, Jimmy Owens, John Garvin Jr., Dan Stone, Michael Duritsky Jr., Levi Yetter, Gary Lyle, Joshua Powell.

Third heat: Hudson O'Neal, Tim McCreadie, Max Blair, Alex Ferree, Jared Miley, Ken Schaltenbrand, Jamie Lathroum, Bo Lockwood, Eric Hohol.

Time trials

Driver (no.), hometown, time (unofficial)
1. Mason Zeigler (25z), Chalk Hill, Pa., 15.182
2. Garrett Alberson (58), Las Cruces, N.M., 15.202
3. Hudson O’Neal (71), Martinsville, Ind., 15.267
4. Michael Norris (72), Sarver, Pa., 15.336
5. Mike Marlar (157), Winfield, Tenn., 15.340
6. Alex Ferree (1c), Saxonburg, Pa., 15.344
7. Ricky Thornton Jr. (20rt), Chandler, Ariz., 15.372
8. Jimmy Owens (20), Newport, Tenn., 15.386
9. Tim McCreadie (1), Watertown, N.Y., 15.450
10. Devin Moran (99), Dresden, Ohio, 15.454
11. John Garvin Jr. (10), Sarver, Pa., 15.459
12. Max Blair (won11), Centerville, Pa., 15.491
13. Brock Pinkerous (555), Ellenville, N.Y., 15.539
14. Levi Yetter (9), Saxonburg, Pa., 15.597
15. Jared Miley (75), Pittsburgh, Pa., 15.629
16. Trevor Collins (11C), Seaford, Del., 15.631
17. Dan Stone (2), Thompson, Pa., 15.651
18. Ken Schaltenbrand (29), Sarver, Pa., 15.680
19. Spencer Hughes (19), Meridian, Miss., 15.749
20. Michael Duritsky Jr. (40), Masontown, Pa., 15.777
21. Jamie Lathroum (15K), Mechanicsville, Md., 15.794
22. Breyton Santee (9), Conneaut, Ohio , 15.970
23. Trevor Collins (11c), Seaford, Del., 16.631
24. Eric Hohol (H22), East Waterford, Pa. , 16.844
25. Joe Petyak (44), Gallitzin, Pa., 16.870
26. Joshua Powell (11), Sarver, Pa., 16.924
27. Bo Lockwood (57), Brookville, Pa., 17.265

Thursday’s schedule

(All times local)
3 p.m. - Pits open
4 p.m. - Grandstands open
6:30 p.m. - Drivers' meeting
7 p.m. - On-track activity
- Lucas Oil Series hot laps
- RUSH Crate hot laps
- Lucas Oil Series time trials (2 laps)
- RUSH Crate time trials (2 laps)
Opening ceremonies
- Lucas Oil Series heats (8 laps)
Intermission/track prep
- First Lucas Oil semifeature (25 laps)
- Second Lucas Oil semifeature (25 laps)