Dirt on Dirt - Repelling Thornton, J.D. snaps skid at Wheatland

May 25

Lucas Oil Speedway,

Wheatland, MO

Sanction: Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series (Cowboy Classic) - $6,000

Information provided by: Kyle McFadden, series and track reports (last updated May 26, 10:06 pm)

Repelling Thornton, J.D. snaps skid at Wheatland

Cowboy Classic

Jonathan Davenport
Ricky Thornton Jr.
Tyler Bruening
Tim McCreadie
Spencer Hughes
Dillon McCowan
Chris Simpson
Devin Moran
Tyler Erb
Jimmy Owens
Garrett Alberson
Mason Zeigler
Ricky Weiss
Brandon Overton
Chad Simpson
Earl Pearson Jr.
Max Blair
Daulton Wilson
Tyler Stevens
Justin Duty
Hudson O'Neal
Daniel Hilsabeck
Larry Ferris
Tony Jackson Jr.

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Jonathan Davenport celebrates his victory in Thursday’s Cowboy Classic at Lucas Oil Speedway.

What won the race: Turning back a furious late challenge from Ricky Thornton Jr., Jonathan Davenport of Blairsville, Ga., returned to his winning ways with a flag-to-flag victory in Thursday night's caution-free 45-lap Cowboy Classic to kick off the Show-Me 100 weekend at Lucas Oil Speedway. The three-time Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series champion beat Thornton by 0.967 of a second for his second win of 2023 on the national tour.

Quotable: "Thanks to my guys. ... This is awesome. It's good to get back on a roll in front of them, maybe," Davenport said in his first trip back to Lucas Oil Series victory lane since Jan. 30. "We've been off a little bit. Actually, (Chris) Madden called me today and me and him and gave each other a little pep talk, I think. I saw he won the WoO race (at Sharon). That was cool."

Key notes: Davenport earned his first Lucas Oil Series triumph since Jan. 30 at Bubba Raceway Park in Ocala, Fla., and the 67th of his career. It was his sixth overall win of 2023 but first since April 1 in an MLRA event at Lucas Oil Speedway. ... The 10th annual Cowboy Classic honored the late Allen “Cowboy” Chancellor, the longtime MLRA Series owner-promoter. ... The Show-Me 100 weekend continues with Friday’s 40-lap, $6,000-to-win feature paying tribute to Don and Billie Gibson, founders of the Show-Me 100 event and former promoters of West Plains Motor Speedway. ... Drivers will earn points both preliminary nights to determine the lineups for Saturday night. … Chris Ferguson enters as the defending Show-Me 100 event winner after collecting last year’s $50,000 prize.

On the move: Ricky Thornton Jr. of Chandler, Ariz., started 10th and finished second.

Winner's sponsors: Davenport’s Double L Motorsports Longhorn Chassis is sponsored by Nutrien Ag Solutions, ASC Warranty, Spartan Mowers, Mark Martin Automotive, Lucas Oil, Mega Plumbing of the Carolinas, VP Racing Fuels, Bilstein, Hoosier Racing Tire, Go Lithium, Midwest Sheet Metal and K1 RaceGear.

Points chase: Before Wheatland (Lucas Oil): 1. Ricky Thornton Jr. (2,695); 2. Hudson O’Neal (2,655); 3. Brandon Overton (2,605); 4. Tim McCreadie (2,330); 5. Devin Moran (2,265); 6. Jonathan Davenport (2,260); 7. Daulton Wilson (2,170); 8. Max Blair (2,160); 9. Tyler Erb (2,130); 10. Earl Pearson Jr. (2,125). Before Wheatland (MLRA): 1. Chad Simpson (1,340); 2. Chris Simpson (1,165); 3. Garrett Alberson (1,110); 4. Tyler Stevens (1,070); 5. Dillon McCowan (1,050).

Current weather: Scattered Clouds, 73°F

Car count: 59

Fast qualifier: Garrett Alberson

Time: 15.809 seconds

Polesitter: Dillon McCowan

Heat race winners: Dillon McCowan, Chris Simpson, Spencer Hughes, Jonathan Davenport, Tyler Bruening, Ricky Thornton Jr.

Consolation race winners: Tony Jackson Jr., Mason Zeigler

Next series race: May 26, Lucas Oil Speedway (Wheatland, MO) $6,000

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

From staff and series reports

WHEATLAND, Mo. — Update and results from Thursday’s opening round of the Lucas Oil Show-Me 100 weekend with a Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series program capped by the $6,000-to-win Cowboy Classic at Lucas Oil Speedway (results unofficial):

Feature

Turning back a furious late challenge from Ricky Thornton Jr., Jonathan Davenport of Blairsville, Ga., returned to his winning ways with a flag-to-flag victory in Thursday night's caution-free 45-lap Cowboy Classic to kick off the Show-Me 100 weekend at Lucas Oil Speedway. The three-time Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series champion beat Thornton by 0.967 of a second for his second win of 2023 on the national tour.

Feature lineup

(45 laps)
Row 1: Dillon McCowan, Jonathan Davenport
Row 2: Chris Simpson, Tyler Bruening
Row 3: Spencer Hughes, Ricky Weiss
Row 4: Tyler Erb, Tim McCreadie
Row 5: Daulton Wilson, Ricky Thornton Jr.
Row 6: Earl Pearson Jr., Brandon Overton
Row 7: Garrett Alberson, Jimmy Owens
Row 8: Devin Moran, Larry Ferris
Row 9: Justin Duty, Max Blair
Row 10: Tony Jackson Jr., Mason Zeigler
Row 11: Chad Simpson, Daniel Hilsabeck
Row 12: Hudson O'Neal, Tyler Stevens

Consolation results

(10 laps; top two transfer)

First consolation: Tony Jackson Jr., Daniel Hilsabeck, Jace Parmley, Jeremy Shaw, Jeff Herzog, Dusty Leonard, Dusty Leonard, Mason Oberkramer, Dalton Imhoff, Boom Briggs, Chris Hawkins, Colby Moore, Glen Powell. DNS: Payton Looney, Tad Pospisil.

Second consolation: Mason Zeigler, Hudson O'Neal, Morgan Bagley, Cole Wells, Matt Johnson, Kylan Garner, Kolby Vandenbergh, Justin Wells, Kaeden Cornell, Jon Kirby, Bryon Allison, Jeff Roth, Chandler Moenning, Aaron Marrant.

Third consolation: Chad Simpson, Austin Rettig, Tyler Stevens, Neil Baggett, David Breazeale, Trevor Gundaker, Chris Ferguson, Ross Robinson, Brennon Willard, Dustin Hodges, Steve Stultz, Mark Daye, Kayden Clatt.

Heat race results

(Eight laps; top three transfer)

First heat: Dillon McCowan, Tyler Erb, Garrett Alberson, Jeremy Shaw, Jace Parmley, Mason Oberkramer, Daniel Hilsabeck, Dusty Leonard, Colby Moore, Payton Looney.

Second heat: Chris Simpson, Daulton Wilson, Devin Moran, Tony Jackson Jr., Dalton Imhoff, Chris Hawkins, Boom Briggs, Jeff Herzog, Glen Powell, Tad Pospisil.

Third heat: Spencer Hughes, Earl Pearson Jr., Justin Duty, Morgan Bagley, Kylan Garner, Cole Wells, Kolby Vandenbergh, Matt Johnson, Aaron Marrant, Chandler Moenning.

Fourth heat: Jonathan Davenport, Tim McCreadie, Jimmy Owens, Mason Zeigler, Hudson O'Neal, Kaeden Cornell, Justin Wells, Jon Kirby, Bryon Allison, Jeff Roth.

Fifth heat: Tyler Bruening, Ricky Thornton Jr., Larry Ferris, Chad Simpson, Tyler Stevens, David Breazeale, Chris Ferguson, Brennon Willard, Steve Stultz, Kayden Clatt.

Sixth heat: Ricky Weiss, Brandon Overton, Max Blair, Austin Rettig, Neil Baggett, Trevor Gundaker, Ross Robinson, Dustin Hodges, Mark Daye.

Prerace notes

A pleasant, 80-degree evening opens the 31st running of Show-Me 100 weekend at Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Mo., where there’s no more than a 15 percent of rain through Saturday’s 100-lap, $50,000-to-win crown jewel main event. … Dillon McCowan of Urbana, Mo., started from the outside pole to win the first heat, spurring an animated postheat interview ahead of Thursday's pole start: “It’s always been a dream to race the Show-Me 100. We won a heat race, come on!" McCowan told FloRacing pit reporter Ben Shelton. ... Chris Simpson of Oxford, Iowa, started second to win the second heat. ... Spencer Hughes of Meridan, Miss.; Jonathan Davenport of Blairsville, Ga.; Tyler Bruening of Decorah, Iowa; and Ricky Weiss of Headingley, M.B., all cruised from the pole to win the latter four heats ... 2021 Show-Me 100 winner Payton Looney and Lucas Oil Series competitor Boom Briggs were among drivers involved in a heat race collison. Hudson O'Neal passed Morgan Bagley with two laps left in the second B-main to narrowly qualify for the main event; the 45-lap prelim went without provisional starters. ... Garrett Alberson of Las Cruces, N.M., only needed one clean lap to capture fast-time honors after spinning on the first lap of his time trial run; Alberson, who he and Roberts Motorsports announced earlier this week it'd be switching to Longhorn Chassis, is aboard a Black Diamond Race Car and said it’ll likely be a few weeks until his new Longhorn hits the track. ... Reigning Show-Me 100 winner Chris Ferguson of Mount Holly, N.C., is sporting a new wrap this weekend aboard his Team Zero Race Car (he won March 5’s $20,000 event at Cherokee Speedway in Gaffney, S.C., with a Longhorn Chassis); the same car he won last year’s Eldora Million prelim with. … Max Blair of Centerville, Pa., has brought a brand-new Rocket Chassis to the three-day event, looking to improve upon his eighth-place position in the Lucas Oil Series standings; he’s also the series top Rookie of the Year contender, a full 695 points ahead of Eatonton, Ga.’s Garrett Smith. … Speaking of the Rookie of Year chase, prospective first-year Lucas Oil Series drivers Garrett Smith and Logan Roberson of Waynesboro, Va., are not in attendance Thursday at the Wheatland oval; Smith is 17th in series points while Roberson sits 20th. … Twenty-four of Thursday’s 59-car field are drivers from the Show-Me State.

Time trials

Driver (car no.), hometown
Group A
Garrett Alberson (58), Las Cruces, N.M., 15.809
Daulton Wilson (18D), Fayetteville, N.C., 15.830
Spencer Hughes (11), Meridan, Miss., 15.862
Dillon McCowan (8), Urbana, Mo., 15.889
Chris Simpson (32), Oxford, Iowa, 15.910
Justin Duty (15), Molalla, Ore., 15.925
Daniel Hilsabeck (22), Earlham, Iowa, 16.005
Boom Briggs (99), Bear Lake, Pa., 16.030
Earl Pearson Jr. (46), Jacksonville, Fla., 16.063
Tyler Erb (1T), New Waverly, Texas, 16.074
Jeff Herzog (11H), Festus, Mo., 16.100
Kylan Garner (USA28), Diamond, Mo., 16.143
Mason Oberkramer (93), Broseley, Mo., 16.166
Aaron Marrant (1X), Richmond, Mo., 16.179
Dalton Imhoff (96), Jamestown, Mo., 16.179
Dusty Leonard (7D), Marysville, Miss., 16.266
Tony Jackson Jr. (56JR), Lebanon, Mo., 16.305
Jeremy Shaw (1S), Millport, Ala., 16.347
Devin Moran (99), Dresden, Ohio, 16.359
Cole Wells (45), Aurora, Mo., 16.423
Jace Parmley (82), Neosho, Mo., 16.498
Glen Powell (26), Nixa, Mo., 16.793
Matt Johnson (15T), Archie, Mo., 16.808
Colby Moore (19M), Springtown, Texas, 16.857
Chris Hawkins (USA1), Neosho, Mo., 16.990
Chandler Moenning (29), Willard, Mo., 17.584
Kolby Vandenbergh (15V), Ashland, Ill., no time
Morgan Bagley (14M), Longview, Texas, no time
Payton Looney (15L), Republic, Mo., no time
Tad Pospisil (04), Norfolk, Neb., no time
Group B
Jonathan Davenport (49), Blairsville, Ga., 16.017
Tyler Bruening (16), Decorah, Iowa, 16.126
Ricky Weiss (7W), Headingley, MB, 16.185
Tim McCreadie (39), Watertown, N.Y., 16.192
Larry Ferris (51), Nevada, Mo., 16.221
Max Blair (111B), Centerville, Pa., 16.228
Jimmy Owens (20), Newport, Tenn., 16.232
David Breazeale (54), Four Corners, Miss., 16.252
Brandon Overton (76), Evans, Ga., 16.375
Kaeden Cornell (50), Willard, Mo., 16.420
Chad Simpson (25C), Mount Vernon, Iowa., 16.454
Austin Rettig (94), Sikeston, Mo., 16.477
Mason Zeigler (25Z), Chalk Hill, Pa., 16.479
Ricky Thornton Jr. (20RT), Martinsville, Ind., 16.498
Dustin Hodges (22H), Centralia, Mo., 16.537
Jon Kirby (11K), Russellville, Ark., 16.569
Tyler Stevens (2), Searcy, Ark., 16.626
Neil Baggett (21XXX), Columbus, Miss., 16.660
Hudson O'Neal (1), Martinsville, Ind., 16.703
Brennon Willard (3), Lebanon, Mo., 16.720
Trevor Gundaker (14G), St. Charles, Mo., 16.904
Justin Wells (49J), Aurora, Mo., 16.915
Chris Ferguson (22), Mt. Holly, N.C., 17.000
Ross Robinson (7), Georgetown, Del., 17.083
Bryon Allison (1A), Marshall, Mo., 17.230
Steve Stultz (78S), Peoria, Ariz., 17.299
Mark Daye (36), Webb City, Mo., 17.367
Jeff Roth (14R), Bentonville, Ark., 17.382
Kayden Clatt (50C), Edina, Mo., 17.426

Thursday's schedule

2 p.m. - Registration and tech inspection
3:30 p.m. - Pit gates close
4 p.m. - Pit gates reopen
5 p.m. - General admission gates open
6 p.m. - Drivers’ meeting
6:30 p.m. - Hot laps (FloRacing stream begins)
- Super Late Model hot laps
- USRA modified hot laps
- Super Late Model time trials (2 laps)
Opening ceremonies
- Super Late Model heat races (8 laps)
- USRA modified heat races (8 laps)
- Super Late Model consolations (10 laps)
- USRA modified consolations (12 laps)
- Super Late Model feature (45 laps)
- USRA modified feature (20 laps)