Dirt on Dirt - Wilson captures second Florence semifeature

August 7

Florence Speedway,

Union, KY

Sanction: Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series (North-South 100 Thursday second semifeature) - $6,000

Information provided by: Kevin Kovac, series and track reports (last updated August 8, 8:44 am)

Wilson captures second Florence semifeature

North-South 100 Thursday second semifeature

Daulton Wilson
Brandon Overton
Bobby Pierce
Brandon Sheppard
Ricky Thornton Jr.
Zack Dohm
Justin Rattliff
Chris Ferguson
Josh Rice
Dustin Nobbe
Logan Zarin
Joseph Joiner
Kyle Strickler
Derek Groomer
Michael Leach
Brandon Hardgrove
Trevor Landrum
Mike Bargo
Austin Lay
Conner Mertens
Dan Ebert
Clay Harris
Adam Stricker
Jonathan Davenport
Michael LeFevers

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Daulton Wilson emerges from his car in victory lane.

What won the race: Picking up steam after struggling much of the season, Daulton Wilson of Fayetteville, N.C., won an early duel with polesitter Jonathan Davenport, then fought off challenges from Ricky Thornton Jr., Bobby Pierce and Brandon Overton for a $6,000 semifeature victory on Florence Speedway's opening night of the Sunoco North-South 100 weekend. Wilson took the checkers 0.212 of a second ahead of the sixth-starting Overton in the second of two Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series 25-lappers.

Quotable: "We haven't been bad, just ain't nothing's went our way," Wilson said. "My awesome car owner (James Rattliff) said maybe it's time to come home and take a break, go home and see your family and just regroup and that's what. My guys, we all went home, everybody got a minute to clear their head and we come back and put our head down and went to work. ... I thought I'd given it away down there on that cushion, but then, you know, I was going to either win or wreck."

Key notes: Daulton Wilson's victory came six days after his first Super Late Model victory of the season, a $10,000 Northern Allstars event at Brownstown (Ind.) Speedway. ... Besides laps 5-25, Wilson also led laps 2-3. ... Jonathan Davenport, who led the first and fourth laps, retired on the 11th lap while running fourth. ... Along with Davenport, Ricky Thornton Jr., Bobby Pierce and finally Brandon Overton held the second spot, each of them putting significant pressure on Wilson. ... The lone caution in the 25-lapper appeared for Dan Ebert's flat right-rear tire; he retired with a hole in his car's radiator. ... In prelims, Josh Rice retired from the third heat when his throttle hung; he rallied to finish ninth in the semifeature. ... Clay Harris received a $1,034 bonus for being the 34th overall quickest qualifier, then finished seventh in the first heat race aboard a backup car. He slowed under the late-race caution for Ebert's flat and required a push off the track. ... Kyle Strickler finished 13th aboard the AK Race Car of Austin Kirkpatrick. ... Another double-semifeature program is on tap Friday with Saturday's $75,000-to-win finale program setting heat lineups by preliminary night performances.

On the move: Josh Rice of Crittenden, Ky., started 24th and finished ninth.

Winner's sponsors: Wilson's JRR Motorsports Longhorn Chassis is powered by a Clements Racing Engine and sponsored by Grant Lee Farms, ICS, MGL Auto Sales, Keltner Contracting, Equiplinc Auction Group, Budda Bert Transmission, JRR Trucking, JRR Motor Sales, The Auto Outlaws, New Point Lighting & Design, B&E Construction, Earnhardt Technologies Group, Hoosier Racing Tire, Penske Racing Shocks, Lucas Oil, VP Racing Fuels and Midwest Sheet Metal.

Points chase: Before Florence: 1. Jonathan Davenport (6,355); 2. Ricky Thornton Jr. (6,340); 3. Hudson O’Neal (6,065); 4. Devin Moran (5,960); 5. Garrett Alberson (5,810); 6. Brandon Sheppard (5,785); 7. Brandon Overton (5,505); 8. Daulton Wilson (5,150); 9. Carson Ferguson (4,840); 10. Donald McIntosh (4,765).

Current weather: Broken Clouds, 77°F

Car count: 51

Fast qualifier: Jonathan Davenport

Time: 15.495 seconds

Polesitter: Jonathan Davenport

Heat race winners: Jonathan Davenport, Zack Dohm, Daulton Wilson

Next series race: August 8, Florence Speedway (Union, KY) $6,000

Editor's note: Corrects Clay Harris's heat race result and starting position.

From staff reports

UNION, Ky. — Updates from Thursday’s 43rd annual North-South 100 first preliminary night, highlighted by two 25-lap, $6,000-to-win split-field semifeatures for Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series-sanctioned Super Late Models (results unofficial):

Semifeature

Maintaining a recent hot streak, Daulton Wilson of Fayetteville, N.C., won an early duel with polesitter Jonathan Davenport, then fought off challenges from Ricky Thornton Jr., Bobby Pierce and Brandon Overton for a $6,000 semifeature victory on Florence Speedway's opening night of the Sunoco North-South 100 weekend. Wilson took the checkers 0.,212 of a second ahead of the sixth-starting Overton in the second of two Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series 25-lappers.

Semifeature lineup

(25 laps)

Row 1: Jonathan Davenport, Zack Dohm
Row 2: Daulton Wilson, Ricky Thornton Jr.
Row 3: Bobby Pierce, Brandon Overton
Row 4: Justin Rattliff, Chris Ferguson
Row 5: Brandon Sheppard, Dan Ebert
Row 6: Joseph Joiner, Kyle Strickler
Row 7: Dustin Nobbe, Logan Zarin
Row 8: Derek Groomer, Kyle Strickler
Row 9: Michael Leach, Brandon Hardgrove
Row 10: Clay Harris, Austin Lay
Row 11: Mike Bargo, Conner Mertens
Row 12: Trevor Landrum, Josh Rice
Row 13: Michael LeFevers

Heat race results

(Eight laps; all transfer)

First heat: Jonathan Davenport, Ricky Thornton Jr., Justin Rattliff, Dan Ebert, Dustin Nobbe, Adam Stricker, Clay Harris, Conner Mertens, Michael LeFevers.

Second heat: Zack Dohm, Bobby Pierce, Chris Ferguson, Joseph Joiner, Logan Zarin, Michael Leach, Austin Lay, Trevor Landrum.

Third heat: Daulton Wilson, Brandon Overton, Brandon Sheppard, Kyle Strickler, Derek Groomer, Brandon Hardgrove, Mike Bargo, Josh Rice.

Time trials

Group B
Driver (car no.), hometown, time (unofficial)
1. Jonathan Davenport (49), Blairsville, Ga., 15.495
2. Bobby Pierce (32p), Oakwood, Ill., 15.697
3. Daulton Wilson (18D), Fayetteville, N.C., 15.799
4. Ricky Thornton Jr. (20rt), Chandler, Ariz., 15.932
5. Zack Dohm (17D), Cross Lanes, W.Va., 15.934
6. Brandon Sheppard (1), New Berlin, Ill., 15.937
7.Dan Ebert (60), Lake Shore, Minn., 15.982
8. Joseph Joiner (10), Milton, Fla., 16.004
9. Brandon Overton (76), Evans, Ga., 16.046
10. Justin Rattliff (16J), Campbellsville, Ky., 16.049
11. Chris Ferguson (22F), Mount Holly, N.C., 16.083
12. Kyle Strickler (8k), Mooresville, N.C., 16.096
13. Adam Stricker (11), Batavia, Ohio, 16.140
14. Logan Zarin (1z), Moon Township, Pa., 16.220
15. Josh Rice (11R), Crittenden, Ky., 16.315
16. Clay Harris (6), Jupiter, Fla., 16.355
17. Michael Leach (09), Sun River, Mont., 16.358
18. Derek Groomer (D48), Bloomington, Ind., 16.404
19. Dustin Nobbe (5n), Batesville, Ind., 16.527
20. Austin Lay (33aj), Florence, Ky., 16.670
21. Mike Bargo (3:16), Corbin, Ky., 16.677
22. Michael LeFevers (90), Cincinnati, Ohio, 16.951
23. Trevor Landrum (18), Florence, Ky., 16.971
24. Brandon Hardgrove (22B), Burnside, Ky., 16.992
25. Conner Mertens (81), Charlestown, Ind., 17.483

Thursday’s schedule

 (All times local)
2:30 p.m. - Pits closed and cleared
3 p.m. - Pits reopen (Hall of Fame building opens)
3:15 p.m. - Tech and registration opens
5:30 p.m. - Grandstands closed and cleared
6 p.m. - Grandstands reopen
6:15 p.m. - Tech and registration closes
6:30 p.m. - Drivers’ meeting
7 p.m. - On-track activity (Hall of Fame building closes)
- Late Model hot laps
- Late Model Group A time trials (2 laps)
Opening ceremonies
- Late Model heats (8 laps)
- Late Model consolations (10 laps)
Intermission/track prep
- Late Model first semifeature (25 laps)
- Late Model second semifeature (25 laps)