UNION, Ky. (Aug. 10) — Updates and results from Thursday’s preliminary night of the Sunoco North-South 100 weekend, including a pair of split-field $5,000-to-win semifeatures on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series (results unofficial):
Feature
Tenth-starting Mike Marlar of Winfield, Tenn., passed Ricky Thornton Jr. at the perfect time entering turn three on lap 16 and survived three late-race restarts to win Thursday's second $5,000 split-field semifeature at Florence Speedway. Marlar recorded his second victory of the month in Thursday's preliminary event for Saturday's 41st annual Sunoco North-South 100 presented by Lucas Oil. Sixth-starting Kyle Bronson used an inside move out of turn four to claim the runner-up position on the last lap, finishing 2.510 seconds back.
Feature lineup
(25 laps)
Row 1: Hudson O'Neal, Ricky Thornton Jr.
Row 2: Earl Pearson Jr., Brandon Overton
Row 3: Spencer Hughes, Kyle Bronson
Row 4: Jason Jameson, Jonathan Davenport
Row 5: Tyler Bruening, Mike Marlar
Row 6: Kye Blight, Kyle Strickler
Row 7: Logan Roberson, Daulton Wilson
Row 8: Tim McCreadie, Stormy Scott
Row 9: Dale McDowell, Kent Robinson
Row 10: Trevor Landrum, Dustin Nobbe
Row 11: Josh Dietz, Eddie Carrier Jr.
Row 12: Ross Robinson, Jim Couch
Consolation race results
(10 laps; top four transfer)
Finish: Josh Dietz, Eddie Carrier Jr., Ross Robinson, Jim Couch, Brandon Hardgrove, Blake Creech, Austin Lay. Scratched: Brent Cornette, Jesse Lay, Tristan Chamberlain
Heat race recap
A track soaked with overnight rain remained fast in the second round of heats. … While otherwise dominating the opening heat, Hudson O’Neal got out of shape exiting turn two for a brief scare. “Maybe I won’t spin out in this feature,” said O’Neal, who said he was confused by signals from crew members. “I about did there.” … Earl Pearson Jr., a 20-time North-South 100 starter without a victory, won the second heat from outside the front row. … Ricky Thornton Jr., a two-time Florence winner this season, won the third heat. … In a duel between last year’s first- and second-place finishers last year in the North-South 100, Brandon Overton reversed the finish with a victory over Jonathan Davenport.
Heat race results
(Eight laps; top five transfer)
First heat: Hudson O'Neal, Spencer Hughes, Tyler Bruening, Logan Roberson, Dale McDowell, Eddie Carrier Jr., Ross Robinson, Blake Creech.
Second heat: Earl Pearson Jr., Jason Jameson, Kye Blight, Tim McCreadie, Trevor Landrum, Brent Cornette, Brandon Hardgrove.
Third heat: Ricky Thornton Jr., Kyle Bronson, Mike Marlar, Daulton Wilson, Kent Robinson, Austin Lay, Jesse Lay, Tristan Chamberlain.
Fourth heat: Brandon Overton, Jonathan Davenport, Kyle Strickler, Stormy Scott, Dustin Nobbe, Josh Dietz, Jim Couch.
Pre-race notes
The preliminary format splits the 61-car field into two groups. Each group will run four heat races (transferring five cars) and one consolation (transferring four cars) followed by 25-lap semifeatures paying $5,000-to-win. … A similar program will be run Friday. … While no Lucas Oil points are awarded Thursday or Friday, the series is using its usual points system from preliminary nights to determine lineups for Saturday’s heat races. … There will be a four-car inversion in Saturday night heat races (three transfer). Two consolations will follow and a non-qualifiers’ race is scheduled for after Saturday’s $75,000-to-win main event. … Garrett Smith of Eatonton, Ga., is back in his Rocket Chassis at Florence. His team is entering its Longhorn Chassis with veteran engine builder Vic Hill of Mosheim, Tenn., behind the wheel. … Donnie Jeschke of Dayton, Ohio, is making his Late Model debut at Florence. He’s driving a former Best Performance Motorsports Rocket Chasssis. The 53-year-old has an extensive racing background in quarter-midgets, asphalt Late Models, sprint cars and most recently the stock car division at Eldora Speedway. … David Breazeale of Four Corners, Miss., is carrying No. 222 on his doors in honor of multitime Mississippi state champ Mike Boland of Cuba, Ala., who is among drivers being inducted into the National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame Saturday. … Last year’s North-South podium finishers — Jonathan Davenport, Brandon Overton and Dale McDowell — are among five Georgia entrants (Garrett Smith and Donald McIntosh are the others). ... Aug. 10's Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series qualifying bonuses are in memory of Doug Lee with the night's fast qualifier receiving $534 and the 34th fastest qualifier receiving $1,034.
Time trials
Driver (car no.), hometown, time (unofficial)
Group B1
- Hudson O’Neal (1H), Martinsville, Ind., 15.464
- Kye Blight (31aus), Katanning, W. Australia, 15.556
- Spencer Hughes (11), Meridian, Miss., 15.706
- Earl Pearson Jr. (46), Jacksonville, Fla., 15.732
- Tyler Bruening (16), Decorah, Iowa, 15.793
- Tim McCreadie (39), Watertown, N.Y., 15.805
- Dale McDowell (17m), Chickamauga, Ga., 15.832
- Jason Jameson (12), Lawrenceburg, Ind., 15.837
- Logan Roberson (89), Waynesboro, Va., 15.882
- Trevor Landrum (18), Florence, Ky., 16.008
- Eddie Carrier Jr. (66jr), Salt Rock, W.Va., 16.103
- Brent Cornette (22c), Greenville, Tenn., 16.109
- Ross Robinson (7), Georgetown, Del., 16.287
- Brandon Hardgrove (H22), Burnside, Ky., 16.473
- Blake Creech (317), Richmond, Ind., 16.522
Group B2
- Mike Marlar (157), Winfield, Tenn., 15.350
- Brandon Overton (76), Evans, Ga., 15.440
- Ricky Thornton Jr. (20rt), Chandler, Ariz., 15.637
- Jonathan Davenport (49), Blairsville, Ga., 15.656
- Daulton Wilson (18D), Fayetteville, N.C., 15.672
- Stormy Scott (2s), Las Cruces, N.M., 15.731
- Kent Robinson (7R), Bloomington, Ind., 15.744
- Kyle Strickler (8k), Mooresville, N.C., 15.769
- Kyle Bronson (40B), Brandon, Fla., 15.833
- Dustin Nobbe (5n), Batesville, Ind., 15.852
- Austin Lay (33aj), Florence, Ky., 15.926
- Josh Dietz (9), Hebron, Ky., 16.117
- Tristan Chamberlain (20tc), Richmond, Ind., 16.218
- Jim Couch (41), Hamilton, Ohio, 16.307
- Jesse Lay (33), Walton, Ky., no time
Thursday’s schedule
(All times local)
3 p.m. - Pits open
6 p.m. - Grandstands open
6:30 p.m. - Drivers' meeting
7 p.m. - On-track activity
- Late Model hot laps
- Modified hot laps
- Late Model time trials (2 laps)
Opening ceremonies
- Late Model heat races (8 laps)
- Modified heat races (8 laps)
- Late Model consolations (10 laps)
- Modified consolations (10 laps)
- First Late Model semifeature (25 laps)
- Second Late Model semifeature (25 laps)
- Modified feature (20 laps)
