What won the race: Sliding by race-long leader Brandon Sheppard amidst heavy lapped traffic on the 46th lap, fourth-starting Ricky Thornton Jr. of Chandler, Ariz., paced the rest of Sunday's rain-postponed Buckeye Spring 50 at Atomic Speedway for his second straight event victory. Thornton repelled a late surge by Sheppard, who led the opening 45 laps, and nipped him by 0.167 of a second for the $15,000 payday, his second overall win this season and first on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series.

Quotable: “I didn’t feel any better than (Brandon Sheppard), but once we got to traffic it really slowed his pace down,” Thornton said. “I’m like, ‘If these two lapped cars keep racing their butt off side-by-side, it’ll let me get back to him,’ and then the lapped car made one little mistake getting into (turn) three and it kinda held Shepp up enough and I was able to get under him. Then I’m like, ‘Man, just don’t screw it up.’ “

Key notes: Thornton notched his 50th career full-field victory on the Lucas Oil tour. ... It was his first win since Jan. 10's Wild West Shootout miniseries opener at Central Arizona Raceway — when he drove an Adam Family Motorsports car — and snapped a 22-race Lucas Oil drought; his most recent series win since last Sept. 27 in the Jackson 100 at Brownstown (Ind.) Speedway, where he finished second in Saturday's Indiana Icebreaker. ... Sheppard led laps 1-45 from the pole before Thornton used the lapped car of Brenden Smith as a pick in order to take control off of turn four at the completion of the 46th lap. ... Tenth-starting Josh Rice rode Atomic's cushion to finish fourth; he pressured Brandon Overton for third in the closing laps but couldn't complete the pass. ... Max Blair climbed three spots to finish fifth, his second top-five finish of the weekend after placing third Saturday at Brownstown. ... Devin Moran, winner of Saturday's Indiana Icebreaker at Brownstown, improved five positions and placed ninth. Moran now leads Hudson O'Neal by 15 points in the Lucas Oil standings. ... Clay Harris finished 14th after resorting to a backup car when he discovered engine problems in his primary following hot laps. ... The 50-lapper was slowed twice by caution, the first coming on lap 13 when Tyler Carpenter slowed from 15th and retired after losing a driveshaft. ... Second-running Tyler Erb slowed on the ensuing restart and retired after apparent rear end failure. ... Postponed from Friday by the threat of inclement weather, the feature lasted 19 minutes with 16 starters completing the distance and 21 running at the finish.

On the move: Josh Rice of Crittenden, Ky., started 10th and finished fourth.

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 Atomic: 1. Devin Moran (1,625); 2. Hudson O’Neal (1,610); 3. Brandon Overton (1,530); 4. Ricky Thornton Jr. (1,525); 5. Max Blair (1,450); 6. Brandon Sheppard (1,440); 7. Clay Harris (1,375); 8. Garrett Alberson (1,350); 9. Kyle Bronson (1,295); 10. Josh Rice (1,260).

Current weather: Few Clouds, 61°F

Car count: 31

Fast qualifier: Drake Troutman

Time: 13.217 seconds

Polesitter: Brandon Sheppard

Heat race winners: Brandon Sheppard, Brandon Overton, Tyler Erb, Ricky Thornton Jr.

Consolation race winners: Jason Jameson

Provisional starters: Clay Harris, Brenden Smith

Next series race: April 24, Georgetown Speedway (Georgetown, DE) $21,049