SARVER, PA (June 20, 2024) - Ricky Thornton Jr. and Jonathan Davenport spilt the 25 lap Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series features on Thursday night at Lernerville Speedway.
Thornton captured the first 25-lap main worth $5,000 for his tenth Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series win of 2024. Mike Marlar was second followed by Garrett Alberson, Michael Norris, and Jimmy Owens.
Thornton received the most pressure during the race from Devin Moran who ran in second from lap nine to lap 22 when he slowed in turn two with a flat right rear tire. His night would come to an end after bringing out the final caution of the race.
Marlar then picked up the second spot and tried valiantly to stay with Thornton but fell 0.555 seconds short at the finish.
In Lucas Oil Victory Lane for the 38th time in his career, Thornton broke a tie for sixth-place with Tim McCreadie on the series’ all-time win list.
Thornton, who is the reigning Firecracker 100 winner got off to a good for the weekend. “It was super technical tonight. I felt like getting in both turns the cushion was over the top. I am thankful for that first yellow, because Devin drove right around us on the top. I didn’t really know if the bottom or the top was going to be good, and I fired off so good on the bottom and I thought the bottom was going to be really good. When Devin drove by me I think he might have set sail. I think he might have won.”
Marlar, who started fifth moved to second after Moran’s departure and had one last shot at Thornton in a three-lap shootout at the end.
“I knew when he had those three laps in the clean air, I wasn’t going to be able to pass him. I hated to see that caution come out, but it was going to be hard to get by him anyway. It was treacherous there on that cushion, it will bite you. I as wanting to run it so bad and after what I seen happen to Devin, I thought man after three or four nights of bad finishes I need to get something going here. I wanted to get it back to the trailer without wrecking.”
“That restart was good for us,” said Alberson who rounded out the Big River Steel Podium in third. “I hated what happened to Devin there I think he shredded a tire. That was a bummer for him. He was really having a good night. I got by Hud [O’Neal] there. We are lacking just a little bit to run up front with these guys for the lead, so we’ve got to work on it. I am super happy to be up here with these guys on the podium.”
The winner’s Todd and Vickie Burns, SSI Motorsports, Longhorn Chassis is powered by a Clements Racing Engine and sponsored by Big River Steel, Hoker Trucking, Coltman Farms, Dyno One, Inc., West Side Tractor Sales, Bilstein Shocks, EMD Wraps, Sunoco Race Fuels, Murty Farms, and Strange Oval.
Completing the top ten in the first feature were Hudson O’Neal, Tim McCreadie, Spencer Hughes, Max Blair, and Mason Zeigler.
Davenport led wire-to-wire in the second 25 lapper also worth $5,000 for his 78th career win with the tour. Chub Frank was second followed by Drake Troutman, Daulton Wilson, and Ross Robinson.
In Lucas Oil Victory Lane for the fourth time this season, Davenport had to wait through several caution flags to get the win. “We weren’t as good after about the third time when you are hit in the left rear tire on the restarts. I don’t know if we bent a shock or whatever we will have to check that out. We were o.k. last weekend, but we weren’t great. This car performs better than that, so we took this whole thing apart, and we found a few things that just wasn’t right about it. So, we brought it here and obviously it was a lot better. I like the place I just have never been able to figure it out,” said Davenport who is seeking his first-ever win in the Firecracker 100 on Saturday night.
Frank, who was looking for his first Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series win in 18 years, came from the sixth starting spot and stayed in the hunt until the checkers fell coming home runner-up.
“I needed a little more bottom on the track. He [Davenport] got up on top and that top was a little treacherous, we saw some of those other guys having trouble up there. I ran the top a couple of times on the restart, but there was no way I was staying up there. I have already flipped once this week so there was no reason to go up there. I really like this car and I really don’t want to flip it. I probably just needed a little more bottom to have a chance to run with him. It started drying out pretty bad on the bottom and I just couldn’t get off the corner as good as I could earlier.”
Troutman, who currently holds down the second spot in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Rookie of the Year chase rounded out the Big River Steel Podium in third.
“We definitely have our confidence up after our run tonight. These boys are like a bunch of dogs
here this week after we got pretty tore up at Smoky Mountain last week. I know this is split features, but it feels good to be up here with these guys. It’s been a dream come true to race with these guys week-in and week-out. I am learning everyday. I just have to thank all of my guys on the crew that work for me.”
The winner’s Lance and Darla Landers, Double L Motorsports, Longhorn Chassis is powered a Cornett Racing Engine and sponsored by Nutrien Ag Solutions, Dyna Gro Seed, BobCat of Batesville, Lucas Oil Products, Bilstein Shocks, Mark Martin Automotive, Mega Plumbing of the Carolinas, VP Fuels, and ASC Warranty.
Completing the top ten in second feature were Carson Ferguson, Tyler Wyant, Forrest Trent, Colton Flinner, and Clay Harris.
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Race Summary
18th Annual Firecracker 100 Presented by Big River Steel | Night 1
Thursday, June 20, 2024
Lernerville Speedway – Sarver, PA
Allstar Performance Time Trials
Fast Time Group A: Mason Zeigler | 15.182 seconds (overall)
Fast Time Group B: Jonathan Davenport | 15.193 seconds
Penske Shocks Group A | Heat Race #1 Finish (8 Laps, Top 6 Transfer): 1. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr[3]; 2. 99-Devin Moran[4]; 3. 72-Michael Norris[2]; 4. 19M-Spencer Hughes[7]; 5. 25Z-Mason Zeigler[1]; 6. 11C-Trevor Collins[6]; 7. 555-Brock Pinkerous[5]; 8. 9-Breyton Santee[8]; 9. 44-Joe Petyak[9]
Summit Racing Products Group A | Heat Race #2 Finish (8 Laps, Top 6 Transfer): 1. 58-Garrett Alberson[1]; 2. 157-Mike Marlar[2]; 3. 20-Jimmy Owens[3]; 4. 10-John Garvin Jr[4]; 5. 2-Dan Stone[6]; 6. 40-Michael Duritsky Jr[7]; 7. 9Y-Levi Yetter[5]; 8. 10L-Gary Lyle[8]; 9. 11P-Joshua Powell[9]
Earnhardt Technologies Group A | Heat Race #3 Finish (8 Laps, Top 6 Transfer): 1. 71-Hudson O'Neal[1]; 2. 1-Tim McCreadie[3]; 3. 111-Max Blair[4]; 4. 1C-Alex Ferree[2]; 5. 75-Jared Miley[5]; 6. 29-Ken Schaltenbrand[6]; 7. 15K-Jamie Lathroum[7]; 8. 57-Bo Lockwood[9]; 9. H22-Eric Hohol[8]
Penske Shocks Group B | Heat Race #1 Finish (8 Laps, Top 6 Transfer): 1. 49-Jonathan Davenport[1]; 2. 7T-Drake Troutman[2]; 3. 7-Ross Robinson[4]; 4. 99B-Boom Briggs[5]; 5. B22-Bump Hedman[3]; 6. 14-Dan Angelicchio[9]; 7. 1Z-Logan Zarin[6]; 8. 10K-Zachary Kane[8]; 9. 00-Tyler Dietz[7]
Summit Racing Products Group B | Heat Race #2 Finish (8 Laps, Top 6 Transfer): 1. 18D-Daulton Wilson[1]; 2. 22-Gregg Satterlee[3]; 3. 48-Colton Flinner[6]; 4. 101-Forrest Trent[4]; 5. 93-Cory Lawler[2]; 6. 24-Tyler Wyant[7]; 7. 56-Dennis Fenton[8]; 8. 12R-Ryan Payne[5]; 9. 24X-Randy Wyant[9]
Earnhardt Technologies Group B | Heat Race #3 Finish (8 Laps, Top 6 Transfer): 1. 93F-Carson Ferguson[1]; 2. 1*-Chub Frank[3]; 3. 6-Clay Harris[2]; 4. 17SS-Brenden Smith[4]; 5. 5L-Jon Lee[5]; 6. 88-Chad Green[6]; 7. 184-Kyle Lukon[7]; 8. 27T-Tony White[8]
Fast Shafts Group A | B-Main Race #1 Finish (8 Laps, Top 6 Transfer): 1. 9Y-Levi Yetter[2]; 2. 555-Brock Pinkerous[1]; 3. 15K-Jamie Lathroum[3]; 4. 57-Bo Lockwood[6]; 5. 9-Breyton Santee[4]; 6. 10L-Gary Lyle[5]; 7. 11P-Joshua Powell[8]; 8. H22-Eric Hohol[9]; 9. (DNS) 44-Joe Petyak
Fast Shafts Group B | B-Main Race #1 Finish (7 Laps, Top 6 Transfer): 1. 1Z-Logan Zarin[1]; 2. 184-Kyle Lukon[3]; 3. 00-Tyler Dietz[7]; 4. 12R-Ryan Payne[5]; 5. 56-Dennis Fenton[2]; 6. 10K-Zachary Kane[4]; 7. 27T-Tony White[6]; 8. (DNS) 24X-Randy Wyant
18th Annual Firecracker 100 Presented by Big River Steel | Group A | Night 1 Feature Finish (25 Laps):
18th Annual Firecracker 100 Presented by Big River Steel | Group B | Night 1 Feature Finish (25 Laps):
Race Statistics
Entrants: 53
Victory Fuel Pole Sitter | Group A: Ricky Thornton, Jr.
Victory Fuel Pole Sitter | Group B: Jonathan Davenport
Lap Leaders | Group A: Ricky Thornton, Jr. (Laps 1-25)
Lap Leaders | Group B: Jonathan Davenport (Laps 1-25)
Wieland Feature Winner | Group A: Ricky Thornton, Jr.
Wieland Feature Winner | Group B: Jonathan Davenport
Arizona Sport Shirts Crown Jewel Cup Feature Winner: n/a
Brandon Ford TV Challenge Feature Winner: n/a
Margin of Victory | Group A: 0.555 seconds
Margin of Victory | Group B: 1.482 seconds
Dave Warren Powersports Cautions | Group A: Breyton Santee, Max Blair, Brock Pinkerous, Trevor Collins (Initial Start); Alex Ferree (Lap 3); Devin Moran (Lap 22)
Dave Warren Powersports Cautions | Group B: Kyle Lukon (Lap 2); Boom Briggs, John Garvin, Jr., Bump Hedman, Logan Zarin, Dan Angelicchio, Chad Green, Tyler Dietz (Lap 2 restart); Kyle Lukon (Lap 5); Boom Briggs (Lap 7); Colton Flinner (Lap 9); Gregg Satterlee (Lap 20); Dennis Fenton (Lap 22)
LOLMDS Series Provisionals: n/a
Fast Time Provisional: n/a
LOLMDS Emergency Provisionals: n/a
Track Provisional: n/a
Big River Steel Podium Top 3 | Group A: Ricky Thornton, Jr., Mike Marlar, Garrett Alberson
Big River Steel Podium Top 3 | Group B: Jonathan Davenport, Chub Frank, Drake Troutman
Penske Shocks Top 5 | Group A: Ricky Thornton, Jr., Mike Marlar, Garrett Alberson, Michael Norris, Jimmy Owens
Penske Shocks Top 5 | Group B: Jonathan Davenport, Chub Frank, Drake Troutman, Daulton Wilson, Ross Robinson
Todd Steel Buildings Hard Charger of the Race | Group A: Jamie Lathroum (Advanced 9 Positions)
Todd Steel Buildings Hard Charger of the Race | Group B: Tyler Wyant (Advanced 10 Positions)
PEM 4th Place Feature | Group A: Michael Norris
PEM 4th Place Feature | Group B: Daulton Wilson
Wilwood Brakes Lucky 7th Place Feature | Group A: Tim McCreadie
Wilwood Brakes Lucky 7th Place Feature | Group B: Tyler Wyant
Deatherage Opticians Lucky 13th Place Feature | Group A: Trevor Collins
Deatherage Opticians Lucky 13th Place Feature | Group B: Boom Briggs
MD3 Most Laps Led | Group A: Ricky Thornton, Jr. (25 Laps)
MD3 Most Laps Led | Group B: Jonathan Davenport (25 Laps)
Sunoco Race for Gas Highest Finisher | Group A: Ricky Thornton, Jr.
Sunoco Race for Gas Highest Finisher | Group B: Drake Troutman
Midwest Sheet Metal Spoiler Challenge Point Leader: Ricky Thornton, Jr.
O’Reilly Auto Parts Rookie of the Race: n/a
Coltman Farms Fastest Lap of the Race | Group A: Ricky Thornton, Jr. (Lap 1 | 16.018 seconds)
Coltman Farms Fastest Lap of the Race | Group B: Jonathan Davenport (Lap 1 | 16.681 seconds)
Slicker Graphics Slickest Move of the Race | Group A: Mike Marlar
Slicker Graphics Slickest Move of the Race | Group B: Chub Frank
Miller Welders Hard Luck Award | Group A: Devin Moran
Miller Welders Hard Luck Award | Group B: Gregg Satterlee
Outerwears Crew Chief of the Race | Group A: Anthony Burroughs (Ricky Thornton, Jr.)
Outerwears Crew Chief of the Race | Group B: Cory Fostvedt (Jonathan Davenport)
ARP Engine Builder of the Race | Group A: Clements Racing Engines
ARP Engine Builder of the Race | Group B: Cornett Racing Engines
Miller Welders Chassis Builder of the Race | Group A: Longhorn Chassis
Miller Welders Chassis Builder of the Race | Group B: Longhorn Chassis
Dirt Draft Fastest in Hot Laps: Drake Troutman (15.5672 seconds)
Time of Race | Group A: 15 minutes 50 seconds
Time of Race | Group B: 35 minutes 17 seconds
18th Annual Firecracker 100 Presented by Big River Steel Point Standings:
