FLORENCE, Ky. — Brandon Overton didn’t get off to a good start in Thursday night’s 50-lap Sunoco North-South Shootout at Florence Speedway. But he couldn’t have finished the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series event any better.

Roaring back after falling from the outside pole to fifth by lap three, the 30-year-old star from Evans, Ga., overtook race-long pacesetter Ricky Thornton Jr. for the lead on lap 14 and dominated the remainder of the distance to kick off the 39th annual North-South 100 weekend with a flourish.

“I guess I don’t drive hard enough them first couple laps,” Overton said of losing two spots on the opening circuit and another position two laps later. “But it was actually good for me. I got to move around back there and see where I was good at.”

Indeed, the ever-patient Overton used what appeared to be a chink in his armor to his advantage. Carefully measuring his rivals, he shot back to second on a lap-12 restart and glided by Thornton for the top spot on the 14th circuit to begin an inevitable march to a $10,000 first-place prize for his third Lucas Oil Series triumph of 2021 in part-time competition.

Thornton settled for runner-up money, 2.235 seconds behind Overton after securing second place following a brief battle for the position with Mike Marlar of Winfield, Tenn., just before the halfway point.

Lucas Oil Series points leader and defending North-South 100 champion Tim McCreadie of Watertown, N.Y., reached third place on lap 24 and stayed there to the finish. Jimmy Owens of Newport, Tenn., advanced from the 13th starting spot to finish fourth while Jonathan Davenport of Blairsville, Ga., charged from the 23rd starting position — after breaking a driveshaft in qualifying, blowing a tire in his heat race and using a provisional to get in the feature field — to complete the top five.

Overton’s victory snapped him out of a short-but-frustrating checkered-flag drought — his last win came nine races ago in a Lucas Oil Series event at I-80 Speedway at Greenwood, Neb. — but didn’t exactly satisfy him. Ever the perfectionist, Overton suggested that his David Wells-owned Longhorn Race Car wasn’t yet running at full song.

“Honestly, I know this is gonna sound stupid, but I didn’t really feel good,” said Overton, who tallied his 20th overall win of the season. “I was way too tight. I started shoving there at the end, wasn’t real maneuverable, but we got ‘er done.”

Overton’s ability to effectively run away with a national touring series triumph despite not having a race car entirely to his liking should say something about his prospects for Florence’s weekend, which continues Friday night with two rounds of heat races that will offer passing points to set the starting field for Saturday’s $50,000-to-win North-South 100.

“It’s all about confidence,” said Overton, whose spectacular campaign is highlighted by his sweep of June’s double Dreams week at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio. “It just keeps rolling over and rolling over.”

A five-time North-South 100 feature starter with a career-best finish of second achieve last year, Overton is ready to chase the big check in the marquee Dirt Late Model event held in his car owner’s home state.

“It definitely would mean a lot to David and Eric and the whole Wells family to get us one here,” Overton said. “I’m just gonna try my best and do all I can do.

“I hope we can get us another one. I’ve been doing pretty good here lately in the hundred-lappers. I’ve just got to get my car a little better and I think we’ll be OK.”

Thornton, 30, never challenged Overton during the race’s second half but was pleased with his bridesmaid finish in the SSI Motorsports Longhorn.

“We had a really good car tonight,” said Thornton, who started from the pole and led laps 1-13. “I gotta thank (newly-hired crew chief Anthony) Burroughs and Jake and everybody else for working their tail off. I feel like we’ve gotten a lot better here the last week or so. Hopefully we can keep this up.

“We went out an hot-lapped really good and qualified really good. Our confidence here for the rest of the week is really good. We’re a little bit off Overton, but I think about all of us are.”

The 47-year-old McCreadie continued his consistent season with his podium finish, but picking up just one spot from his fourth starting position left him wanting more.

“We’re just not good enough,” McCreadie said. “The cushion, I was ringing it early, but I just wasn’t going anywhere. I just didn’t have enough attitude to do what I like to do with the gas and the brake.

“It’s good to start the weekend off, but it’s a little disappointing just because we should be better.”

Four caution flags dotted the race, all for slowing cars: Stormy Scott (lap 12), Josh Rice (lap 14), Kent Robinson (lap 17) and Josh Richards (lap 21).

Notes: Overton, whose previous Lucas Oil wins this season came Jan. 29 at East Bay Raceway Park in Gibsonton, Fla., and July 20 at I-80 Speedway, recorded his ninth career victory on the national tour. … Overton also earned $2,034 for setting fast time thanks to the family and friends of the late track supporter Doug Lee. … Thornton was a winner at Florence earlier this season in the track’s Spring 50. … Marlar faded to sixth in the final rundown after spending the race’s first half battling for second with Thornton. … Josh Rice, who won his first-ever Lucas Oil Series A-main at Florence on May 1, retired early from the 50-lapper due to a broken j-bar. ... Broken rear end gears eliminated Josh Richards. ... Because of excessive heat, Thursday’s start time was pushed back one hour with the drivers’ meeting at 7 p.m. and hot laps reset for 7:30. … Lucas Oil Series officials pushed the program when storms began threatening the area after heat action. With lightning dancing in the sky as the feature rolled onto the track, the usual four-wide parade lap was passed over so the green flag could be thrown as quickly as possible; the race ended at 10:48 p.m. ... Missing from the weekend's field is Chris Ferguson of Mount Holly, N.C., who announced he would have to skip his planned trip to Florence because he tested positive for Covid-19. He finished fourth in last year's North-South 100.

Feature lineup

(50 laps)

Row 1: Ricky Thornton Jr., Brandon Overton
Row 2: Mike Marlar, Tim McCreadie
Row 3: Zack Dohm, Spencer Hughes
Row 4: Josh Rice, Tyler Erb
Row 5: Josh Richards, Stormy Scott
Row 6: Earl Pearson Jr., Hudson O'Neal
Row 7: Jimmy Owens, Darrell Lanigan
Row 8: Johnny Scott, Scott James
Row 9: James Rice, Shane Clanton
Row 10: Kyle Bronson, Gregg Satterlee
Row 11: Justin Rattliff, Dustin Linville
Row 12: Jonathan Davenport, Kent Robinson
Row 13: Curt Addison

Consolation results

(10 laps; top three transfer)

First consolation: James Rice, Kyle Bronson, Justin Rattliff, Jonathan Davenport, Trevor Landrum, Tommy Bailey, Matt Cosner, Tristan Chamberlain, Ethan Toedter, Jeremy Creech, Dale McDowell, Todd Brennan, Curt Addision. Scratched: Duane Chamberlain, Billy Green.

Second consolation: Shane Clanton, Gregg Satterlee, Dustin Linville, Kent Robinson, Robby Hensley, Terry Phillip, Michael Chilton, Kyle Strickler, Kody Evans, Jesse Lay, Grant Garrison, Vern Lefevers, Jason Jameson. Scratched: David Webb, Nick Hoffman.

Heat race recap

With lightning dancing beyond turns one and two and the backstretch, heat race action kicked off with some urgency. But the worst of the rain on the radar appeared to break up during the four prelims, giving the event a better opportunity to be completed. ... Ricky Thornton Jr., in his first series race since the addition of veteran crew chief Anthony Burroughs, captured Thursday's pole with a victory in the first heat. ... Jonathan Davenport shredded a right-rear tire with two laps remaining in the heat, forcing him to a consolation race. ... Kyle Bronson also was forced to a consy after a third-lap flat tire while running third in the second heat. Mike Marlar answered Josh Rice's lap-five slide job with a backstretch crossover to win the heat. ... Brandon Overton cruised to a victory in the third heat while Nick Hoffman, who pressured runner-up Spencer Hughes much of the race, got into the turn-four fence on the final lap and gave up the third spot, finishing last. ... Tim McCreadie led all the way in the fourth heat with a few challenges from runner-up Tyler Erb while Hudson O'Neal and Scott James swapped the third spot early before finishing third and fourth.

Heat race results

(Eight laps; top four transfer)

First heat: Ricky Thornton Jr., Zack Dohm, Josh Richards, Jimmy Owens, Dale McDowell, James Rice, Tommy Bailey, Matt Cosner, Jonathan Davenport, Duane Chamberlain, Billy Green, Curt Addison.

Second heat: Mike Marlar, Josh Rice, Earl Pearson Jr., Johnny Scott, Justin Rattliff, Kyle Bronson, Todd Brennaon, Trevor Landrum, Tristan Chamberlain, Ethan Toedter, Jeremy Creech.

Third heat: Brandon Overton, Spencer Hughes, Stormy Scott, Darrell Lanigan, Dustin Linville, Gregg Satterlee, Kent Robinson, Kyle Strickler, Jason Jameson, David Webb, Vern LeFevers, Nick Hoffman.

Fourth heat: Tim McCreadie, Tyler Erb, Hudson O'Neal, Scott James, Shane Clanton, Michael Chilton, Jesse Lay, Terry Phillips, Kody Evans, Robby Hensley, Grant Garrison.

Time trials

Driver (car no.), hometown
Group A

1. Ricky Thornton Jr. (20rt), Chandler, Ariz., 15.839
2. Mike Marlar (157), Winfield, Tenn., 15.947
3. Zack Dohm (17), Cross Lanes, W.Va., 16.000
4. Josh Rice (11), Verona, Ky., 16.022
5. Josh Richards (14), Shinnston, W.Va., 16.048
6. Kyle Bronson (40B), Brandon, Fla., 16.051
7. Jimmy Owens (20), Newport, Tenn., 16.073
8. Johnny Scott (1st), Las Cruces, N.M., 16.174
9. Dale McDowell (17m), Chickamauga, Ga., 16.222
10. Earl Pearson Jr. (1), Jacksonville, Fla., 16.252
11. Tommy Bailey (11), Corbin, Ky., 16.338
12. Tristan Chamberlain (20tc), Richmond, Ind., 16.414
13. James Rice (15), Verona, Ky., 16.423
14. Justin Rattliff (16), Campbellsville, Ky., 16.446
15. Jonathan Davenport (49), Blairsville, Ga., 16.485
16. Trevor Landrum (18), Erlanger, Ky., 16.504
17. Duane Chamberlain (20c), Richmond, Ind., 16.537
18. Todd Brennan (20), Zanesville, Ohio, 16.691
19. Billy Green (49G), Walton, Ky., 16.733
20. Ethan Toedter (23), DeMossville, Ky., 16.752
21. Matt Cosner (66), Ridgeley, W.Va., 16.781
22. Jeremy Creech (17c), Richmond, Ind., 17.731
23. Curt Addison (8A), Florence, Ky., 17.834

Group B

1. Brandon Overton (76), Evans, Ga., 15.712
2. Tim McCreadie (39), Watertown, N.Y., 15.977
3. Nick Hoffman (0H), Mooresville, N.C., 16.013
4. Tyler Erb (1), New Waverly, Texas, 16.023
5. Spencer Hughes (11), Meridian, Miss., 16.024
6. Scott James (83), Bright, Ind., 16.043
7. Dustin Linville (D8), Lancaster, Ky., 16.060
8. Hudson O’Neal (71), Martinsville, Ind., 16.079
9. Stormy Scott (2s), Las Cruces, N.M., 16.118
10. Shane Clanton (25), Zebulon, Ga., 16.209
11. Kent Robinson (7R), Bloomington, Ind., 16.218
12. Michael Chilton (97), Salvisa, Ky., 16.240
13. Gregg Satterlee (22), Indiana, Pa., 16.338
14. Jesse Lay (33), Walton, Ky., 16.355
15. Darrell Lanigan (29), Union, Ky., 16.403
16. Terry Phillips (75), Springfield, Mo., 16.498
17. Jason Jameson (12J), Lawrenceburg, Ind., 16.502
18. Kody Evans (4G), Camden, Ohio, 16.528
19. David Webb (13W), Nicholasville, Ky., 16.598
20. Robby Hensley (21H), Walton, Ky., 16.628
21. Kyle Strickler (8), Mooresville, N.C., 16.813
22. Grant Garrison (1GK), Walton, Ky., 16.973
23. Vern Lefevers (13), Cincinnati, Ohio, 17.926

Thursday's schedule

3 p.m. - Pit gates open
5:30 p.m. - Main gates open
7 p.m. - Drivers' meeting
7:30 p.m. - Hot laps
- Late Model time trials
- Modified heats
- Late Model heats
- Modified consolations
- Late Model consolations
- Sunoco North-South Shootout (50 laps)
- Modified feature