Dirt on Dirt - J.D. tops semi after Alberson-Dillard clash

August 15

Batesville Motor Speedway,

Locust Grove, AR

Sanction: Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series (Topless 100 second Friday semifeature) - $5,000

Information provided by: Kyle McFadden, series and track reports (last updated August 16, 3:04 am)

J.D. tops semi after Alberson-Dillard clash

Topless 100 second Friday semifeature

Jonathan Davenport
Ricky Thornton Jr.
Clay Harris
Dan Ebert
Timothy Culp
Kyle Beard
Jimmy Owens
Brandon Overton
Daulton Wilson
Haiden Cowan
Carson Brown
Cory Lawler
Scott Crigler
Bryan Glaze
Chance Mann
Chris Wilhite Jr.
Clay Stuckey
Billy Moyer Jr.
Geoff Aitken
Cade Dillard
Garrett Alberson
Hunter Branscum

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Garrett Alberson and Cade Dillard tangled battling for the lead. Neither driver was injured.

What won the race: Winning a 25-lapper marred by a dramatic lap-eight collision between frontrunners Garrett Alberson and Cade Dillard, Jonathan Davenport of Blairsville, Ga., led the final 12 laps at Batesville Motor Speedway for a $5,000 semifeature victory opening the Nutrien Ag Solutions Topless 100 weekend. The sixth-starting Davenport, who inherited the lead when Jimmy Owens blew a tire, took the checkers 2.104 seconds ahead of Ricky Thornton Jr.

Quotable: "I didn't know if leading was the right spot to be," Davenport said. "I hope Garrett's OK. That was pretty wild. All I could see was the top of his car, and I was hoping he wouldn't gonna flip back over the top of Cade there, so we just all kind of checked up and I'm sure it was chaos behind us."

Key notes: The 25-lapper's key moment came on the lap-eight restart when Garrett Alberson slid in front of leader Cade Dillard with the pair coming together and Alberson's car nearly getting upside down as both cars briefly left the racing surface. ... Alberson's car suffered significant damage while Dillard's car was also eliminated in an incident that collected Daulton Wilson, Haiden Cowan, Carson Brown and others. ... Jimmy Owens led laps 1-4 and 8-13, but blew a right-rear tire while leading; he pitted for new rubber and ended up seventh. ... Besides the red flag on the lap-eight restart, five cautions slowed the feature, the first on the eighth lap when Cory Lawler shredded a right-tire the second on the 14th lap for the Owens flat. ... Lawler stopped again on the 15th lap with rear damage. ... The fifth and final caution appeared for a slowing Billy Moyer Jr., driving the Keith Lawson-owned car that his father has driven most of the season. ... Brandon Overton pitted during the lap-eight caution to replace a flat right-rear tire. ... Brandon Sheppard of New Berlin, Ill., won the first semifeature with Friday's preliminary points setting lineups for Saturday's action, which is capped by the $50,000-to-win Topless 100 finale.

On the move: Clay Harris of Jupiter, Fla., started 16th and finished third.

Winner's sponsors: Davenport’s Double L Motorsports Longhorn Chassis is sponsored by Nutrien Ag Solutions, ASC Warranty, Dynagro Seed, Mark Martin Automotive, Mega Plumbing & HVAC, Bobcat of Batesville, Bert Transmissions by Budda, Lucas Oil, Hoosier Racing Tire, VP Racing Fuels, Bilstein Shocks and Midwest Sheet Metal.

Points chase: Before Batesville: 1. Jonathan Davenport (6,575); 2. Ricky Thornton Jr. (6,570); 3. Hudson O’Neal (6,260); 4. Devin Moran (6,170); T5. Brandon Sheppard (5,955); T5. Garrett Alberson (5,955); 7. Brandon Overton (5,695); 8. Daulton Wilson (5,275); 9. Carson Ferguson (5,015); 10. Donald McIntosh (4,930); 11. Daniel Hilsabeck (4,725); 12. Dan Ebert (4,435).

Current weather: Clear, 86°F

Car count: 44

Fast qualifier: Cade Dillard

Time: 13.303 seconds

Polesitter: Cade Dillard

Heat race winners: Cade Dillard, Jimmy Owens

Next series race: August 16, Batesville Motor Speedway (Locust Grove, AR) $50,000

Editor's note: Corrects 12th- to 19th-place finishers.

From staff reports

LOCUST GROVE, Ark. — Live updates from Friday’s 33rd annual Topless 100 preliminary night, highlighted by twin 25-lap, $5,000-to-win split-field semifeatures for Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series-sanctioned Super Late Models (results unofficial):

Semifeature

Winning a 25-lapper marred by a dramatic lap-eight collision between frontrunners Garrett Alberson and Cade Dillard, Jonathan Davenport of Blairsville, Ga., led the final 12 laps at Batesville Motor Speedway for a $5,000 semifeature victory opening the Nutrien Ag Solutions Topless 100 weekend. The sixth-starting Davenport, who inherited the lead when Jimmy Owens blew a tire, took the checkers 2.104 seconds ahead of Ricky Thornton Jr.

Semifeature lineup

(25 laps)

Row 1: Cade Dillard, Jimmy Owens
Row 2: Garrett Alberson, Daulton Wilson
Row 3: Haiden Cowan, Jonathan Davenport
Row 4: Ricky Thornton Jr., Cory Lawler
Row 5: Carson Brown, Dan Ebert
Row 6: Billy Moyer Jr., Brandon Overton
Row 7: Scott Crigler, Kyle Beard
Row 8: Chris Wilhite Jr., Clay Harris
Row 9: Geoff Aitken, Bryan Glaze
Row 10: Chance Mann, Timothy Culp
Row 11: Clay Stuckey, Hunter Branscum

Heat race results

(Eight laps; all transfer)

First heat: Cade Dillard, Garrett Alberson, Haiden Cowan, Ricky Thornton Jr., Carson Brown, Billy Moyer Jr., Scott Crigler, Chris Wilhite Jr., Geoff Aitken, Chance Mann, Clay Stuckey.

Second heat: Jimmy Owens, Daulton Wilson, Jonathan Davenport, Cory Lawler, Dan Ebert, Brandon Overton, Kyle Beard, Clay Harris, Bryan Glaze, Timothy Culp. Scratched: Hunter Branscum.

Time trials

Group B
Driver (car no.), hometown, time (unofficial)
1. Cade Dillard (97), Robeline, La., 13.303
2. Jimmy Owens (20), Newport, Tenn., 13.342
3. Garrett Alberson (58), Las Cruces, N.M., 13.359
4. Daulton Wilson (18D), Fayetteville, N.C., 13.382
5. Ricky Thornton Jr. (20rt), Chandler, Ariz., 13.404
6. Jonathan Davenport (49), Blairsville, Ga., 13.413
7. Haiden Cowan (14), Rincon, Ga., 13.494
8. Brandon Overton (76), Evans, Ga., 13.519
9. Carson Brown (28B), New London, N.C., 13.582
10. Dan Ebert (60), Lake Shore, Minn., 13.588
11. Billy Moyer Jr. (21jr), Batesville, Ark., 13.669
12. Timothy Culp (c8), Prattsville, Ark., 13.700
13. Scott Crigler (12), Alton, Mo., 13.937
14. Cory Lawler (93L), Hanover, Pa., 14.024
15. Chris Wilhite Jr. (21), Chandler, Okla., 14.048
16. Bryan Glaze (1G), Little Rock, Ark., 14.055
17. Clay Stuckey (15), Shreveport, La., 14.228
18. Clay Harris (6), Jupiter, Fla., 14.238
19. Geoff Aitken (16A), Pottsville, Ark., 14.259
20. Kyle Beard (86), Trumann, Ark., 14.456
21. Chance Mann (88m), Newport, Ark., 14.505
22. Hunter Branscum (1B), Batesville, Ark., 17.096

Friday’s schedule

(All times local)
2:30 p.m. - Pits closed and cleared
3 p.m. - Pits reopen
3:45 p.m. - Tech and registration opens
4 p.m. - Grandstands open
6:45 p.m. - Tech and registration closes
7 p.m. - Drivers’ meeting
7:30 p.m. - On-track activity
- Late Model hot laps
- Late Model time trials (2 laps)
- Modified hot laps
Opening ceremonies
- Late Model heats (8 laps)
- Modified heats (8 laps)
- Late Model consolations (10 laps)
- Modified consolations (12 laps)
Intermission/track prep
- Late Model first semifeature (25 laps)
- Late Model second semifeature (25 laps)
- Modified feature (20 laps)