ROSSBURG, Ohio — Updates and results from Thursday’s first World 100 preliminary night featuring twin 25-lap, $12,000-to-win semifeatures for DIRTcar Super Late Models (results unofficial):

Semifeature

Second-starting Ryan Gustin of Marshalltown, Iowa, led all 25 laps of Thursday's first World 100 semifeature at Eldora Speedway, earning a $12,000 payday in taking the checkers 0.989 of a second over fourth-starting Brandon Overton. Overton never seriously challenged Gustin, pulling to within 0.332 of a second with nine laps to go, before fading further back at the line, making it a one-two Infinity by Wells Chassis finish.

Semifeature lineup

(25 laps)

Row 1: Jonathan Davenport, Ryan Gustin
Row 2: Nick Hoffman, Brandon Overton
Row 3: Wil Herrington, Kyle Strickler
Row 4: Chris Madden, Daniel Hilsabeck
Row 5: Brian Shirley, Ross Bailes
Row 6: Spencer Hughes, Ashton Winger
Row 7: Chase Junghans, Jason Feger
Row 8: Jensen Ford, Ethan Dotson
Row 9: Mike Spatola, Devin Gilpin
Row 10: Tyler Carpenter, Jordan Koehler
Row 11: Oakley Johns, Garrett Alberson
Row 12: Tristan Chamberlain, Forrest Trent
Row 13: Brandon Sheppard, Daulton Wilson

Shootout recap

Second-starting Jonathan Davenport fended off mid-race challenges from Brandon Overton to lead all 12 laps and win the first shootout by 1.829 seconds over the sixth-starting Overton. Chris Madden improved two positions and completed the podium. Tyler Carpenter started 14th and finished seventh, while Garrett Alberson finished eighth, earning the final transfer spot into Thursday’s first 25-lap semifeature. Jeff Babcock drew the race’s first caution when he slapped the turn-three wall and slowed from eighth on lap six. Cody Sommer spun on lap seven to cause the second stage stoppage. They did not continue. … Fourth-starting Ryan Gustin used a turn-three slider to take the point from race-long leader Wil Herrington and led the final four laps to win the second shootout by 2.333 seconds. Herrington, who had extensive right-side damage from wall contact, finished second. Tenth-starting Mike Spatola finished sixth. Tristan Chamberlain overcame hitting the turn-three wall to finish eighth, securing the final transfer position. Mike Provenzano also hit the turn-three wall and faded to 17th. Jimmy Owens pulled off before taking the green with apparent engine issues. … Fourth-starting Nick Hoffman used a lap-seven restart to take control from race-long pacesetter Adam Stricker to win the third and final shootout by 1.224 seconds. Stricker battled Brian Shirley in the closing laps, finishing runner-up and relegating Shirley to third. Ashton Winger gained four spots and finished fourth. The race was slowed by five cautions, the first came on the third lap when Forrest Trent spun from 11th. Trent rebounded to finish eighth. The second stoppage came on the ensuing restart when Jackson Lovelady spun. The third yellow came on lap seven after Haiden Cowan slowed from 13th. Seventh-running Brandon Sheppard hopped the turn-three cushion on lap eight and slapped the wall, leaving Zack Mitchell nowhere to go, as he piled in. Sheppard needed a tow back to the pits. Daulton Wilson overdrove the entrance of turn one and hit the wall hard just after taking fourth. He limped his car to the pits with heavy right-front damage. Sheppard and Wilson will utilize provisional starting positions.

Shootout results

(12 laps; top eight transfer)

First shootout: Jonathan Davenport, Brandon Overton, Chris Madden, Ross Bailes, Chase Junghans, Ethan Dotson, Tyler Carpenter, Garrett Alberson, Kent Robinson, Stormy Scott, Kye Blight, Gavin Cowan, Kyle Hammer, Robby Hensley, Dustin Nobbe, Shannon Babb, Cody Sommer, Jeff Babcock.

Second shootout: Ryan Gustin, Wil Herrington, Daniel Hilsabeck, Spencer Hughes, Jason Feger, Mike Spatola, Jordan Koehler, Tristan Chamberlain, Michael Norris, Ricky Weiss, Gregg Satterlee, Frank Heckenast Jr., Travis Stemler, Freddie Carpenter, Steve Lance Jr., Bryant Dickinson, Mike Provenzano, Jimmy Owens.

Third shootout: Nick Hoffman, Adam Stricker, Brian Shirley, Ashton Winger, Jensen Ford, Devin Gilpin, Oakley Johns, Forrest Trent, Shannon Thornsberry, Manny Falcon, Jackson Lovelady, Jon Hodgkiss, Daulton Wilson, Jared Landers, Brandon Sheppard, Zack Mitchell, Haiden Cowan.

Shootout lineups

(12 laps; top eight transfer)

First shootout
Row 1: Stormy Scott, Jonathan Davenport
Row 2: Ross Bailes, Ethan Dotson
Row 3: Chris Madden, Brandon Overton
Row 4: Chase Junghans, Jeff Babcock
Row 5: Garrett Alberson, Gavin Cowan
Row 6: Robby Hensley, Shannon Babb
Row 7: Cody Sommer, Tyler Carpenter
Row 8: Kyle Hammer, Kye Blight
Row 9: Kent Robinson, Dustin Nobbe
Second shootout
Row 1: Wil Herrington, Daniel Hilsabeck
Row 2: Spencer Hughes, Ryan Gustin
Row 3: Jason Feger, Jordan Koehler
Row 4: Tristan Chamberlain, Jimmy Owens
Row 5: Michael Norris, Mike Spatola
Row 6: Travis Stemler, Mike Provenzano
Row 7: Ricky Weiss, Steve Lance Jr.
Row 8: Frank Heckenast Jr., Gregg Satterlee
Row 9: Freddie Carpenter, Bryant Dickinson
Third shootout
Row 1: Adam Stricker, Jensen Ford
Row 2: Brian Shirley, Nick Hoffman
Row 3: Daulton Wilson, Brandon Sheppard
Row 4: Jared Landers, Ashton Winger
Row 5: Zack Mitchell, Haiden Cowan
Row 6: Devin Gilpin, Oakley Johns
Row 7: Shannon Thornsberry, Jackson Lovelady
Row 8: Forrest Trent, Jon Hodgekiss
Row 9: Manny Falcon, Andy Clark

Group A pre-race notes

The first of two World 100 preliminary programs has arrived with spectacular weather prevailing. Thursday’s high temperature reached the upper 80s under mostly sunny skies. … The 107-car field is up five entries from 2023’s World 100 and marks the third straight year that the turnout has broken the century mark. … Eldora’s new format for the prelims has the field split in half with each group time-trialing to align three 12-lap Shootout qualifiers (using a six-car invert). The top eight finishers in each race will transfer to their group’s 25-lap, $12,000-to-win semifeature, which will start straight-up from the Shootout results. B-mains have been eliminated from the preliminary cards. … Hoosier Tire rep Shanon Rush once again addressed teams during the drivers’ meeting, reminding them that Hoosier recommends a minimum of 14 PSI of air pressure in the right-front tire and a reduction in camber as a safety precaution. … Eldora announced during Thursday’s pre-race ceremonies that former USAC sprint and midget champion Levi Jones has been hired as the track’s general manager, taking over the post left vacant since Jerry Gappens passed away unexpectedly in late May. … Ricky Weiss of Headingley, Manitoba, is debuting a ring Sniper Chassis featsharp red-and-white color scheme with a maple leaf on its doors. … Ryan Gustin of Marshalltown, Iowa, is using his car owner Todd Cooney’s familiar No. 30 on his car’s flanks as a tribute to the veteran driver, who recently had a stent placed in his heart and is no longer racing. The wrap on Gustin’s car is a nod to the look Cooney ran in 2006 when he won the IMCA Supernationals Late Model event at Boone (Iowa) Speedway. … Former World 100 winner Brandon Overton of Evans, Ga., boasts an unfamiliar look on his Infinity by Wells machine, replacing his usual No. 76 with the No. 11 as a tribute to his team owner David Wells’s brother Paul Wells, who fielded a Late Model in the '80s, including Scott Bloomquist's 1988 World 100 winner. … Brian Shirley of Chatham, Ill., and Chase Junghans of Manhattan, Kan., changed motors for Thursday’s action after scratching from Wednesday’s Castrol FloRacing Night in America show due to terminal engine trouble during qualifying. … Making his first World 100 appearance since 2015, Jared Landers of Batesville, Ark., is looking to rebound after a rough Wednesday outing that saw his Category 5 Race Car plagued by a vibration before he slapped the backstretch wall early in his heat. He’s hoping a transmission swap has taken care of the vibration. … Lernerville Speedway champion Michael Norris of Sarver, Pa., is in the World 100 field with his family-owned Rocket No. 72 for the first time since 2021’s second race, when he started the finale for the third time in five career attempts. … Jackson Lovelady of Christchuch, New Zealand, appears to be the first Kiwi driver to enter the World 100. … Garrett Alberson of Las Cruces, N.M., had to hastily unload his Roberts Motorsports team’s backup car after he slapped the wall hard between turns one and two during Thursday’s hot laps. It appeared that Alberson, who wasn’t injured, cut down a right-front tire; Shannon Rush spent time examining the tire with other Hoosier technicians but couldn’t conclusively find a reason.

Time trials

Group A
Driver (car no.), hometown, time (unofficial)
1. Brandon Overton (11), Evans, Ga., 15.421
2. Jordan Koehler (114), Mount Airy, N.C., 15.467
3. Brandon Sheppard (B5), New Berlin, Ill., 15.468
4. Chris Madden (44), Gray Court, S.C., 15.472
5. Jason Feger (25F), Bloomington, Ill., 15.520
6. Daulton Wilson (18D), Fayetteville, N.C., 15.524
7. Ethan Dotson (74x), Bakersfield, Calif., 15.548
8. Ryan Gustin (30), Marshalltown, Iowa, 15.552
9. Nick Hoffman (9), Mooresville, N.C., 15.555
10. Ross Bailes (87), Clover, S.C., 15.611
11. Spencer Hughes (19m), Meridian, Miss., 15.625
12. Brian Shirley (8s), Chatham, Ill., 15.654
13. Jonathan Davenport (49), Blairsville, Ga., 15.657
14. Daniel Hilsabeck (22H), Earlham, Iowa, 15.663
15. Jensen Ford (83), Johnson City, Tenn., 15.674
16. Stormy Scott (2s), Las Cruces, N.M., 15.688
17. Wil Herrington (14H), Hawkinsville, Ga., 15.723
18. Adam Stricker (68), Batavia, Ohio, 15.742
19. Chase Junghans (18c), Manhattan, Kan., 15.788
20. Tristan Chamberlain (20tc), Richmond, Ind., 15.805
21. Jared Landers (777), Batesville, Ark., 15.811
22. Jeff Babcock (7B), Wayne, Ohio, 15.818
23. Jimmy Owens (20), Newport, Tenn., 15.826
24. Ashton Winger (12w), Hampton, Ga., 15.844
25. Garrett Alberson (58), Las Cruces, N.M., 15.849
26. Michael Norris (72), Sarver, Pa., 15.866
27. Zack Mitchell (57), Enoree, S.C., 15.951
28. Gavin Cowan (219), Rincon, Ga., 15.963
29. Mike Spatola (89), Manhattan, Ill., 15.964
30. Haiden Cowan (14), Rincon, Ga., 15.972
31. Robby Hensley (21), Walton, Ky., 15.979
32. Travis Stemler (4s), Ionia, Mich., 15.983
33. Devin Gilpin (1G), Columbus, Ind., 16.000
34. Shannon Babb (18), Moweaqua, Ill., 16.001
35. Mike Provenzano (m27), Marseilles, Ill., 16.067
36. Oakley Johns (c6), Hohenwald, Tenn., 16.131
37. Cody Sommer (13), Charlotte, N.C., 16.168
38. Ricky Weiss (7), Headingley, Manitoba, 16.177
39. Shannon Thornsberry (17), Martin, Ky., 16.258
40. Tyler Carpenter (28c), Parkersburg, W.Va., 16.277
41. Steve Lance Jr. (25L), Peoria, Ill., 16.281
42. Jackson Lovelady (117), Christchuch, New Zealand, 16.292
43. Kyle Hammer (45), Clinton, Ill., 16.338
44. Frank Heckenast Jr. (99jr), Frankfort, Ill., 16.395
45. Forrest Trent (101), Morristown, Tenn., 16.402
46. Kye Blight (31aus), Katanning, W. Australia, 16.429
47. Gregg Satterlee (22s), Indiana, Pa., 16.589
48. Jon Hodgkiss (69), Pittsburgh, Pa., 16.730
49. Kent Robinson (7R), Bloomington, Ind., 17.017
50. Freddie Carpenter (c4), Parkersburg, W.Va., 17.060
51. Dustin Nobbe (5n), Batesville, Ind., 17.087
52. Bryant Dickinson (5D), Ionia, Mich., 17.539
53. Andy Clark (17c), Mackinaw, Ill., disqualified
54. Manny Falcon (995), Pine Grove, La., disqualified

Thursday’s schedule

(All times local)
7 a.m.-11 a.m. - Breakfast served (turn four concession building)
11 a.m. - Ticket office opens (ticket and pit pass sales)
Noon - Pits open
1 p.m. - Grandstands cleared and secured
2 p.m. - All gates, suites and concessions open
5 p.m. - Drivers’ meeting
6 p.m. - Hot laps
8 p.m. - Opening ceremonies
Competition
- Late Model time trials (2 laps)
- Late Model shootout races (12 laps)
- Late Model first semifeature (25 laps)
- Late Model second semifeature (25 laps)
Dukes of Country concert (fan zone)