Dirt on Dirt - Untouchable RTJ adds $12,000 Ocala payday

February 7

Ocala Speedway,

Ocala, FL

Sanction: Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series (Wieland Winter Nationals) - $12,000

Information provided by: Kevin Kovac, series and track reports (last updated February 8, 12:53 am)

Untouchable RTJ adds $12,000 Ocala payday

Wieland Winter Nationals

Ricky Thornton Jr.
Hudson O'Neal
Devin Moran
Bobby Pierce
Jonathan Davenport
Kyle Bronson
Drake Troutman
Daulton Wilson
Brandon Sheppard
Max Blair
Garrett Alberson
Tyler Erb
Carson Ferguson
Brandon Overton
Jimmy Owens
Donald McIntosh
Tim McCreadie
Clay Harris
Ross Robinson
Brian Shirley
Dennis Erb Jr.
Wil Herrington
Blair Nothdurft
Boom Briggs
Chase Junghans
Tyler Bruening
Derrick Stewart

presented by

Live video Photo slideshow Feature highlights Heat highlights Video recap Related story Race history

Mike Ruefer/mikerueferphotos.photoreflect.com

Ricky Thornton Jr. won the race but was second to start celebrating.

What won the race: Ricky Thornton Jr. of Chandler, Ariz., crossed over polesitter Devin Moran on the opening lap and never looked back, ruling Friday's 50-lap Wieland Winter Nationals feature at Ocala Speedway. Thornton crossed the line 2.503 seconds ahead of Hudson O'Neal for a $12,000 payday and his third Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series victory of the season.

Quotable: “I really didn’t want to see the (lap-44) yellow, I feel like I had a really good pace going. I don’t know, after that I was like ‘I gotta drive hard here for a little bit,’ I mean it really just shows how good this Longhorn Bilstein car is,” Thornton said. “I feel like we’re picking back up where we finished last year, so hopefully we can keep this speed going and have a good run tomorrow.”

Key notes: Ricky Thornton Jr. notched his 38th career full-field series victory and his 10th Georgia-Florida Speedweeks triumph. ... Thornton's third series win tops two-time winners Devin Moran and Jonathan Davenport, who won the previous two nights at Ocala and settled for fifth. ... Fourth-starting Hudson O'Neal took second from Moran on a lap-17 restart while Moran settled for third. ... Sixth-starting Bobby Pierce, making his first start of the week at Ocala, used the lap-17 restart to grab fourth. ... Kyle Bronson ran as high as fourth early but ended up sixth. ... Garrett Alberson recovered to 11th after slowing with a flat left-rear and drawing the race's fourth and final caution on lap 44. ... Fourth-running Brian Shirley pitted with a flat right-rear tire under a lap-17 caution for debris. ... Blair Nothdurft's spin from seventh triggered the second slowdown on lap seven after he over-rotated in the turn-three cushion, clipping Davenport. ... Donald McIntosh and Derrick Stewart spun to avoid Nothdurft, with Stewart retiring and McIntosh finishing 16th. ... Tyler Bruening slowed for the first stoppage on lap five after contact with Ross Robinson. ... The 50-lapper lasted 24 minutes, with 14 starters completing the distance. ... Ocala's five-day Wieland Winter Nationals concludes with Saturday's 50-lap, $25,000-to-win finale.

On the move: Daulton Wilson of Fayetteville, N.C., started 24th and finished eighth.

Winner's sponsors: Thornton’s Koehler Motorsports Longhorn Chassis is powered by a Clements Racing Engine and carries sponsorship from Coltman Farms Racing, Hoker Trucking, Capital Waste, Excel Floor Covering, Five Star Metal Buildings, Ultimate Towing, FK Rod Ends, Dynamic Drivelines, Ultrashield Race Products, Sharp Advantage Safety Products, Winning Edge Carburetion, Sunoco Race Fuels, Bilstein Shocks, Midwest Sheet Metal and EMD Wraps.

Points chase: After Ocala Friday: 1. Jonathan Davenport (1,125); 2. Devin Moran (1,115); 3. Ricky Thornton Jr. (1,075); 4. Daulton Wilson (1,020); 5. Brandon Overton (1,005); 6. Tyler Erb (970); 7. Brandon Sheppard (965); 8. Max Blair (945); 9. Garrett Alberson (905); 10. Kyle Bronson (900).

Current weather: Clear, 64°F

Car count: 43

Fast qualifier: Ricky Thornton Jr.

Time: 14.215 seconds

Polesitter: Devin Moran

Heat race winners: Devin Moran, Brian Shirley, Ricky Thornton Jr., Hudson O'Neal

Consolation race winners: Clay Harris, Tyler Erb

Provisional starters: Tim McCreadie, Daulton Wilson, Ross Robinson, Tyler Bruening, Donald McIntosh

Next series race: February 8, Ocala Speedway (Ocala, FL) $25,000

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

From staff reports

OCALA, Fla. — Live updates from Friday’s Wieland Winter Nationals fourth round at Ocala Speedway, featuring a 50-lap, $12,000-to-win main event for Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series-sanctioned Super Late Models (results unofficial):

Feature

Ricky Thornton Jr. of Chandler, Ariz., used a crossover move by polesitter Devin Moran on the opening lap and never looked back, leading all 50 laps of Friday's Wieland Winter Nationals fourth round at Ocala Speedway. Thornton crossed the line 2.503 seconds ahead of Hudson O'Neal for a $12,000 payday and his third Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series victory of the season.

Feature lineup

(50 laps)

Row 1: Devin Moran, Ricky Thornton Jr.
Row 2: Brian Shirley, Hudson O'Neal
Row 3: Kyle Bronson, Bobby Pierce
Row 4: Blair Nothdurft, Brandon Overton
Row 5: Brandon Sheppard, Jonathan Davenport
Row 6: Max Blair, Carson Ferguson
Row 7: Drake Troutman, Chase Junghans
Row 8: Garrett Alberson, Jimmy Owens
Row 9: Clay Harris, Tyler Erb
Row 10: Derrick Stewart, Wil Herrington
Row 11: Dennis Erb Jr., Boom Briggs
Row 12: Tim McCreadie, Daulton Wilson
Row 13: Ross Robinson, Tyler Bruening
Row 14: Donald McIntosh

Consolation race results

(10 laps; top three transfer)

First consolation: Clay Harris, Derrick Stewart, Dennis Erb Jr., Ryan Gustin, Dan Ebert, Austin Smith, Brenden Smith, Cory Lawler, Matt Tifft, Matt Nailor, Mark Whitener, Tanner English, Tim McCreadie, Seth Zacharias.

Second consolation: Tyler Erb, Wil Herrington, Boom Briggs, Tyler Bruening, Ross Robinson, Michael Leach, Spencer Hughes, Donald McIntosh, Freddie Carpenter, Tyler Wyant, Jason Jack, Daulton Wilson, Daniel Hilsabeck.

Heat race recap

Devin Moran led all eight laps from the pole to win the first heat race by 0.341 of a second over fifth-starting Kyle Bronson. Second-starting Brandon Sheppard slipped to third, with Drake Troutman starting and finishing fourth to claim the final transfer spot into Friday’s 50-lap, $12,000-to-win feature. The race’s lone caution flew on lap five when fourth-running Tim McCreadie hopped the cushion and pounded the turn-one wall, flattening his right-rear. McCreadie continued, but settled for 10th after changing the tire. … Third-starting Brian Shirley powered by race-long leader Blair Nothdurft on the sixth lap and paced the final three circuits to win heat two by 1.383 seconds over the pole-starting Nothdurft, who led the opening five laps. Max Blair used a bold three-wide move on the opening lap to take third, relegating second-starting Garrett Alberson to fourth. … Ricky Thornton Jr. endured multiple restarts and led the entire distance to win heat three by 1.364 seconds over third-starting Bobby Pierce, who took second from Jonathan Davenport on a lap-four restart. The second-starting Davenport, of Blairsville, Ga., settled for third, with sixth-starting Chase Junghans holding off ninth-starting Wil Herrington for the fourth and final transfer position. The first stoppage came on the fourth lap when Tyler Wyant spun from 10th. Wyant continued and finished 10th after scratching from time trials. Daniel Hilsabeck slowed from fifth to cause the second slowdown on the sixth circuit. He did not continue. … Third-starting Hudson O’Neal slipped by Brandon Overton on lap four and led rest of the fourth and final eight-lap heat race, taking the checkers 0.364 of a second ahead of Overton, who led the opening three laps. Fifth-starting Carson Ferguson took third, with Jimmy Owens rounding out the top-four finishers. The only yellow flag flew on lap five after ninth-running Jason Jack slammed the turn-one wall, ending his race.

Heat race results

(Eight laps; top four transfer)

First heat: Devin Moran, Kyle Bronson, Brandon Sheppard, Drake Troutman, Brenden Smith, Dennis Erb Jr., Ryan Gustin, Dan Ebert, Cory Lawler, Tim McCreadie, Seth Zacharias.

Second heat: Brian Shirley, Blair Nothdurft, Max Blair, Garrett Alberson, Mark Whitener, Clay Harris, Derrick Stewart, Austin Smith, Matt Tifft, Matt Nailor, Tanner English.

Third heat: Ricky Thornton Jr., Bobby Pierce, Jonathan Davenport, Chase Junghans, Wil Herrington, Tyler Bruening, Michael Leach, Spencer Hughes, Donald McIntosh, Tyler Wyant, Daniel Hilsabeck.

Fourth heat: Hudson O'Neal, Brandon Overton, Carson Ferguson, Jimmy Owens, Tyler Erb, Boom Briggs, Ross Robinson, Freddie Carpenter, Daulton Wilson, Jason Jack.

Time trials

Group A
Driver (car no.), hometown, time (unofficial)
1. Devin Moran (99), Dresden, Ohio, 14.227
2. Blair Nothdurft (76n), Renner, S.D., 14.267
3. Brandon Sheppard (1), New Berlin, Ill., 14.309
4. Garrett Alberson (58), Las Cruces, N.M., 14.317
5. Tim McCreadie (9), Watertown, N.Y., 14.342
6. Brian Shirley (3s), Chatham, Ill., 14.347
7. Drake Troutman (22*), Hyndman, Pa., 14.385
8. Max Blair (111), Centerville, Pa., 14.411
9. Kyle Bronson (40B), Brandon, Fla., 14.416
10. Clay Harris (6), Jupiter, Fla., 14.467
11. Brenden Smith (17ss), Dade City, Fla., 14.473
12. Derrick Stewart (43), Ainsworth, Iowa, 14.501
13. Ryan Gustin (19R), Marshalltown, Iowa, 14.615
14. Austin Smith (11), Cedartown, Ga., 14.620
15. Dennis Erb Jr. (28), Carpentersville, Ill., 14.638
16. Matt Tifft (57), Cleveland, Ohio, 14.683
17. Dan Ebert (60), Lake Shore, Minn., 14.708
18. Mark Whitener (5), Middleburg, Fla., 14.720
19. Cory Lawler (93L), Hanover, Pa., 14.766
20. Tanner English (96), Benton, Ky., 14.897
21. Seth Zacharias (17z), Vestal, N.Y., 15.322
22. Matt Nailor (000), Shermansdale, Pa., 15.552
Group B
1. Ricky Thornton Jr. (20rt), Chandler, Ariz., 14.215
2. Brandon Overton (76), Evans, Ga., 14.403
3. Jonathan Davenport (49), Blairsville, Ga., 14.492
4. Boom Briggs (99B), Bear Lake, Pa., 14.504
5. Bobby Pierce (32), Oakwood, Ill., 14.514
6. Hudson O’Neal (71), Martinsville, Ind., 14.679
7. Daniel Hilsabeck (22), Earlham, Iowa, 14.682
8. Jimmy Owens (20), Newport, Tenn., 14.722
9. Tyler Bruening (16), Decorah, Iowa, 14.728
10. Carson Ferguson (93), Lincolnton, N.C., 14.741
11. Chase Junghans (18), Manhattan, Kan., 14.750
12. Daulton Wilson (18D), Fayetteville, N.C., 14.762
13. Donald McIntosh (79), Dawsonville, Ga., 14.763
14. Ross Robinson (7), Georgetown, Del., 14.777
15. Michael Leach (09), Sun River, Mont., 14.807
16. Tyler Erb (1T), New Waverly, Texas, 14.811
17. Wil Herrington (15k), Hawkinsville, Ga., 14.864
18. Freddie Carpenter (c4), Parkersburg, W.Va., 14.893
19. Spencer Hughes (19m), Meridian, Miss., 14.995
20. Jason Jack (32J), Tampa, Fla., 15.797
21. Tyler Wyant (24), Oil City, Pa., no time

Friday’s schedule

(All times local)
2 p.m. - Pits open
2:30 p.m. - Registration and tech opens
5 p.m. - Grandstands open
5:15 p.m. - Registration and tech closes
5:30 p.m. - Drivers’ meeting
6 p.m. - On-track activity
- Late Model hot laps
- Late Model time trials (2 laps)
Opening ceremonies
- Late Model heats (8 laps)
Intermission/track prep
- Late Model consolations (10 laps)
Feature event
- Late Models (50 laps)