UNION, Ky. — Updates from Thursday’s 42nd annual Sunoco North-South 100 first prelim night featuring twin 25-lap, $6,000-to-win semifeatures for Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series-sanctioned Super Late Models (results unofficial):
Semifeature
Executing a textbook turn-three slider by race-long leader Nick Hoffman, pole-starting Ricky Thornton Jr. of Chandler, Ariz., paced the final 16 circuits to win Thursday's second 25-lap semifeature in North-South 100 preliminary action at Florence Speedway. Thornton's $6,000 split-field payday is his 12th overall Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series victory of the season and his first driving for Koehler Motorsports. Ninth-starting Bobby Pierce used a daring turn-one slider to take second for good on lap 16 and trailed Thornton the final 10 laps, cutting his 5.187-second lead as low as 0.878 of a second as they took the white flag, only to hop the turn-one cushion and take the checkers 2.080 seconds back.
Semifeature lineup
(25 laps)
Row 1: Ricky Thornton Jr., Nick Hoffman
Row 2: Brandon Overton, Tim McCreadie
Row 3: Jason Jameson, Garrett Alberson
Row 4: Cory Hedgecock, Jordan Koehler
Row 5: Bobby Pierce, Daulton Wilson
Row 6: Hudson O'Neal, Kyle Bronson
Row 7: Michael Chilton, R.J. Conley
Row 8: Tripp Gerrald, Carson Ferugson
Row 9: Zak Blackwood, Tyler Stevens
Row 10: Ross Robinson, Blake Creech
Row 11: Jordan Wever, Dustin Linville
Row 12: Robby Hensley, Dillon McCowan
Consolation race
(10 laps; top four transfer)
Finish: Jordan Wever, Dustin Linville, Robby Hensley, Dillon McCowan, Trevor Landrum, Clint Keenan, Austin Lay, Mike Bargo. Scratched: Clay Harris, Donnie Jeschke.
Heat race recap
Second-starting Ricky Thornton Jr. grabbed the early lead from pole-starting Jason Jameson and led all eight laps to win the first heat race by 1.187 seconds. Bobby Pierce, Michael Chilton and Zak Blackwood held serve in the top five and will join Thornton and Jameson in the second 25-lap semifeature. … Brandon Overton secured a flag-to-flag victory from the pole, winning the second heat by 1.262 seconds over Cory Hedgecock. Hudson O’Neal, fifth-starting Tripp Gerald and sixth-starting Ross Robinson completed the top-five finishers. … Second-starting Nick Hoffman cruised to win the third heat by 1.068 seconds over pole-starting Garrett Alberson. Daulton Wilson, R.J. Conley and Tyler Stevens each grabbed transfer spots into the second $6,000-to-win prelim. … Tim McCreadie led all eight laps from the pole to win the fourth and final heat race by 1.440 seconds over Jordan Koehler, with Kyle Bronson, Carson Ferguson and Blake Creech rounding out the top five.
Heat race results
(Eight laps; top five transfer)
First heat: Ricky Thornton Jr., Jason Jameson, Bobby Pierce, Michael Chilton, Zak Blackwood, Dustin Linville, Robby Hensley, Clay Harris.
Second heat: Brandon Overton, Cory Hedgecock, Hudson O'Neal, Tripp Gerrald, Ross Robinson, Dillon McCowan, Trevor Landrum.
Third heat: Nick Hoffman, Garrett Alberson, Daulton Wilson, R.J. Conley, Tyler Stevens, Jordan Wever, Clint Keenan, Donnie Jeschke.
Fourth heat: Tim McCreadie, Jordan Koehler, Kyle Bronson, Carson Ferguson, Blake Creech, Austin Lay, Mike Bargo.
Time trials
Group A
Driver (car no.), hometown, time (unofficial)
- Jason Jameson (12), Lawrenceburg, Ind., 15.609
- Brandon Overton (76), Evans, Ga., 15.695
- Ricky Thornton Jr. (20rt), Chandler, Ariz., 15.704
- Cory Hedecock (23), Loudon, Tenn., 15.752
- Bobby Pierce (32p), Oakwood, Ill., 15.786
- Hudson O’Neal (71), Martinsville, Ind., 15.802
- Michael Chilton (97c), Salvisa, Ky., 15.919
- Dillon McCowan (8m), Urbana, Mo., 16.033
- Zak Blackwood (93x), Columbus, Ind., 16.137
- Tripp Gerrald (4T), Versailles, Ky., 16.148
- Dustin Linville (D6), Lancaster, Ky., 16.156
- Ross Robinson (7), Georgetown, Del., 16.231
- Robby Hensley (21), Walton, Ky., 16.264
- Trevor Landrum (18), Florence, Ky., 16.632
- Clay Harris (6), Jupiter, Fla., no time
Group B
- Garrett Alberson (58), Las Cruces, N.M., 15.654
- Tim McCreadie (1), Watertown, N.Y., 15.693
- Jordan Koehler (114), Mount Airy, N.C., 15.732
- Daulton Wilson (18D), Fayetteville, N.C., 15.769
- Kyle Bronson (40B), Brandon, Fla., 15.864
- R.J. Conley (71c), Wheelersburg, Ohio, 16.019
- Carson Ferguson (93F), Lincolnton, N.C., 16.199
- Tyler Stevens (2), Searcy, Ark., 16.202
- Blake Creech (17), Richmond, Ind., 16.233
- Jordan Wever (29J), Bloomington, Ind., 16.298
- Austin Lay (63), Florence, Ky., 16.558
- Clint Keenan (29), Pataskala, Ohio, 16.673
- Nick Hoffman (9), Mooresville, N.C., 16.717
- Mike Bargo (316), Corbin, Ky., 16.765
- Donnie Jeschke (99J), Dayton, Ohio, 17.298
Thursday’s schedule
(All times local)
3 p.m. - Pits open
6 p.m. - Grandstands open
7 p.m. - On-track activity begins
- Late Model hot laps
- Modified hot laps
- Late Model Group A time trials (2 laps)
- Late Model Group B time trials (2 laps)
- Modified time trials
Opening ceremonies
- Late Model heats (8 laps)
- Modified heats (8 laps)
- Late Model consolations (10 laps; if necessary)
Intermission/track prep
- First Late Model semifeature (25 laps)
- Second Late Model semifeature (25 laps)
