Dirt on Dirt - Davenport romps in first semifeature

June 22

Lernerville Speedway,

Sarver, PA

Sanction: Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series (Firecracker 100 first Thursday semifeature) - $5,000

Information provided by: Kevin Kovac and series reports (last updated June 24, 9:55 am)

Davenport romps in first semifeature

Firecracker 100 first Thursday semifeature

Jonathan Davenport
Michael Norris
Brandon Overton
Max Blair
Mason Zeigler
Tyler Erb
Tyler Bruening
Boom Briggs
Earl Pearson Jr.
Ken Schaltenbrand
Gregg Satterlee
Logan Zarin
Bump Hedman
Colton Flinner
John Garvin Jr.
Trevor Collins
Gary Lyle
Chris Schneider
Nicholas Eck
Ricky Thornton Jr.
Darrell Bossard
Cory Sines
Breyton Santee
Joshua Powell
Mike Smith

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Jonathan Davenport flashes under the checkered flag for a $5,000 Firecracker 100 semifeature win on Friday afternoon.

What won the race: Jonathan Davenport of Blairsville, Ga., ran away with a flag-to-flag victory in Friday afternoon’s first 25-lap Firecracker 100 presented by Big River Steel semifeature at Lernerville Speedway. He controlled two restarts to win the $5,000 top prize by 3.964 seconds — about a full straightaway margin — over track regular Michael Norris, who slipped past Brandon Overton for second on a lap-16 restart.

Quotable: “I just have to thank my crew for this win,” Davenport said. “This is a brand-new car. It wasn’t much more than a frame to start the week.”

Key notes: Davenport's triumph in the first of two 25-lap semifeatures postponed by rain from Thursday was his first-ever at Lernerville. … Overton settled for third after losing the second spot to Norris on the lap-16 restart. … Mason Zeigler ran as high as second early but faded to fifth in the final rundown. … Ricky Thornton Jr. grabbed second from Zeigler on lap five and was still running the position on lap 16 when he made contact with the rearend of the lapped Cory Sines’s car and slid over the berm in turns three and four. He was towed to the pit area with front-end damage. … Another caution flag was needed on lap seven when Colton Flinner slowed with a shredded left-rear tire. … The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series visits Lernerville for the 17th running of the Firecracker 100. After Thursday’s twin 25s were postponed to Friday afternoon, another double-feature preliminary program is set for Friday night with the 100-lap, $50,000-to-win finale on Saturday. … Drivers will be lined up for Saturday’s heats by points earned in the preliminary events. ... Friday's regularly scheduled program is slated to begin with hot laps at 6 p.m.

On the move: Gregg Satterlee of Indiana, Pa., started 19th and finished 11th.

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 Lernerville: 1. Ricky Thornton Jr. (3,660); 2. Hudson O’Neal (3,475); 3. Brandon Overton (3,320); 4. Tim McCreadie (3,230); 5. Devin Moran (3,100); 6. Jonathan Davenport (3,095); 7. Daulton Wilson (3,000); 8. Tyler Erb (2,925); 9. Max Blair (2,925); 10. Spencer Hughes (2,875).

Current weather: Overcast, 72°F

Car count: 51

Fast qualifier: Jonathan Davenport

Time: 15.155 seconds

Polesitter: Jonathan Davenport

Heat race winners: Jonathan Davenport, Mason Zeigler, Brandon Overton

Next series race: June 24, Lernerville Speedway (Sarver, PA) $50,000

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

From staff reports

SARVER, Pa. (June 22) — Live updates from Thursday’s first 25-lap semifeature during the Firecracker 100 presented by Big River Steel weekend at Lernerville Speedway:

Semifeature

Jonathan Davenport of Blairsville, Ga., ran away with a flag-to-flag victory in Friday afternoon’s first 25-lap Firecracker 100 presented by Big River Steel semifeature at Lernerville Speedway. He controlled two restarts to win the $5,000 top prize by 3.964 seconds — about a full straightaway margin over track regular Michael Norris, who slipped past Brandon Overton for second on a lap-16 restart.

Friday start delayed

With steady, moderate rain falling through the early morning hours, the Lernerville Speedway surface remained too wet for competition at the scheduled 11:30 a.m. time for hot laps on Friday. At 12:15 p.m., the track crew was still running in the 4/10-mile oval while officials announced that practice sessions would begin at 1 p.m. followed by the twin 25-lap semifeatures.

Forecasts call for a chance of thunderstorms to rise significantly after 4 p.m., putting some doubt on whether Friday evening's scheduled preliminary program will start on time with hot laps at 6 p.m. or event be completed.

Postponed to Friday afternoon

After the heats for both semifeatures were completed by 9:05 p.m. despite light rain falling, the precipitation picked up slightly just as the field for the first 25-lapper rolled onto the track. Officials immediately sent the cars back to the pits with the showers intensifying; just over a half-hour later the decision was made to postpone the twin semifeatures to Friday with hot laps at 11:30 a.m. and the first race scheduled to begin at 12 noon.

Officials plan to start Friday's twin 25-lap semifeature program at its scheduled time with hot laps at 6 p.m.

Heat results

(8 laps; all transfer)

First heat finish: Jonathan Davenport, Michael Norris, Tyler Bruening, Trevor Collins, Chris Schneider, Cory Sines, Gregg Satterlee, Breyton Santee, Joshua Powell.

Second heat finish: Mason Zeigler, Ricky Thornton Jr., Earl Pearson Jr., Tyler Erb, Logan Zarin, Colton Flinner, Bump Hedman, Gary Lyle, Zachary Kane.

Third heat finish: Brandon Overton, Max Blair, Boom Briggs, John Garvin Jr., Ken Schaltenbrand, Darrell Bossard, Mike Smith, Nicholas Eck.

Qualifying

1. Jonathan Davenport (49), Blairsville, Ga., 15.155
2. Ricky Thornton Jr. (20RT), Chandler, Ariz., 15.255
3. Max Blair (111B), Centerville, Pa., 15.260
4. Gregg Satterlee (22), Indiana, Pa., 15.293
5. Mason Zeigler (25z), Chalk Hill, Pa., 15.360
6. Brandon Overton (76), Evans, Ga., 15.388
7. Michael Norris (10), Sarver, Pa., 15.435
8. Tyler Erb (1), New Waverly, Texas, 15.482
9. Boom Briggs (99B), Bear Lake, Pa., 15.554
10. Tyler Bruening (16), Decorah, Iowa, 15.648
11. Earl Pearson Jr. (46), Jacksonville, Fla., 15.700
12. John Garvin Jr. (J4), Sarver, Pa., 15.868
13. Trevor Collins (11T), Seaford, Del., 15.891
14. Logan Zarin (1z), Moon Township, Pa., 15.954
15. Ken Schaltenbrand (29S), Sarver, Pa., 16.033
16. Darrell Bossard (22B), Centerville, Pa., 16.295
17. Chris Schneider (55c), Lower Burrell, Pa., 16.333
18. Zachary Kane (10), Washington, Pa., 16.425
19. Gary Lyle (10L), Leechburg, Pa., 16.585
20. Mike Smith (96), Arkport, N.Y., 16.725
21. Cory Sines (25S), Orwell, Ohio, 16.740
22. Bump Hedman (B22), Sugar Grove, Pa., 16.850
23. Nicholas Eck (20N), Corry, Pa., 16.863
24. Joshua Powell (11P), Sarver, Pa., 17.217
25. Breyton Santee (9), Conneaut, Ohio, 32.753
26. Colton Flinner (48), Allison Park, Pa., no time