DirtonDirt.com Dispatches
Dispatches: Thornton strong in Senoia opener
Ricky Thornton Jr. talks about his Senoia victory. (praterphoto.com)
Among the latest notes and quotes from around Dirt Late Model racing on a November weekend that includes the Castrol FloRacing Night in America Peach State Classic at Senoia (Ga.) Raceway:
Strong at Senoia
Ricky Thornton Jr. of Chandler, Ariz., has only visited Senoia (Ga.) Raceway twice in his Dirt Late Model career, but he sure knows how to navigate the 3/8-mile oval.
Whether it’s surface is slicker and slower (like when he decimated the field to win 2022’s Peach State Classic finale) or heavy and rough (like Friday night when he captured the 40-lap opener of the event’s third running), the 34-year-old star has Senoia’s number.
Friday’s $20,000-to-win kick off to Senoia’s Castrol FloRacing Night in America weekend presented a significant challenge to Thornton and his 50-plus rivals after rain on Thursday contributed to difficult track conditions, but he handled the situation with aplomb. He grabbed the lead from polesitter Jonathan Davenport of Blairsville, Ga., on lap two and powered away from a late challenge offered by Bobby Pierce of Oakwood, Ill., to emerge victorious.
“I don’t think we’ve been on a track this demanding all year,” said Thornton, who credited Daryn Pittman’s Ultra Shield Race Products for building a seat that kept him comfortable in his Koehler Motorsports Longhorn Chassis despite the physical conditions. “They got a lot of rain and they were doing their best. A little lengthy track prep before the feature, but at least it provided a lot better racing than what we had.
“Hats off to the whole track crew. I know it’ll be a lot better tomorrow (for Saturday’s 75-lap, $30,000-to-win finale).”
Thornton found the best way around the uneven track following the race’s second and final caution flag on lap 15.
“I kind of figured out on that restart, like, J.D.’s crew guy was screaming at J.D. to move down on the restart,” Thornton said. “I was like, ‘Well, heck, if he’s telling him to move down, I’m gonna try it.’ It just kind of worked out for us. I could really charge into one super hard and skip across the first hole and then just hit the cushion down the back straightaway.”
Thornton’s approach made it almost appear he was pulling a slider each lap entering turn one as he dove hard into the corner, slid across the middle and banged off the cushion exiting turn two. Pierce, who started fifth, was able to draw within striking distance of the pacesetter with 10 laps remaining, but Thornton proceeded to turn up the wick and pull away to win by 2.861 seconds.
“I saw (Pierce) get second on the board and I knew I really had to step it up a little bit so I drove pretty hard those last 10, 15 laps,” Thornton said. “I about tipped her over there one time in turn one and then again in turn three.”
Pierce, who turns 28 on Nov. 24, thought better of matching Thornton’s aggressiveness over the final circuits.
“I think he turned it up a little bit, and when he did, I think it was just too rough for me,” said Pierce, who recorded his 19th runner-up finish to go along with his astounding 38 victories this season. “I realized when he kicked it up a notch it was gonna have to take a lot to pass him. I ran out of (helmet) tearoffs as well. I think right when that happened it really started messing me up because I couldn’t see as much. I was wiping (the shield) the best I could. I put 25 tearoffs on. I guess I’ll need 50 for tomorrow.”
Thornton’s triumph was his 24th overall of 2024 in Dirt Late Model competition but just his fifth driving for the Koehler Motorsports team he joined in early July after his release from SSI Motorsports. Three of those victories have come in his last seven starts over the past month-plus after he won just twice in his first 26 starts with Koehler.
“It’s been a long year and I’m glad we got some real good speed here towards the end,” said Thornton, whose surge includes his clinching of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series championship last month.
Thornton still has a shot at the Castrol tour’s $75,000 points title in Saturday’s season finale. He faces a 21-point deficit to Pierce, who will assure himself of a second consecutive Castrol crown by finishing at least sixth in Saturday’s feature. — Series and staff reports
Castrol title battle
The World of Outlaws Case Late Model Series isn’t the only traveling series to have its battle for the championship come down to the final weekend.
This weekend’s Peach State Classic at Senoia (Ga.) Raceway pits the two winningest Dirt Late Model drivers since the start of last year, Bobby Pierce and Ricky Thornton Jr., in the race for the Castrol FloRacing Night in America title.
Pierce, the 2023 World of Outlaws champion and narrow runner-up this season, holds a 27-point lead over Thornton, the 2024 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series champ, as the final two Castrol FloRacing Night in America races take place Friday and Saturday.
A potential $115,000 payday is on the line for Pierce and Thornton, too, should they sweep Saturday’s $30,000 finale and take home the $75,000 miniseries championship top prize. Daulton Wilson (94 points behind) and Jason Feger (126 points behind) are still mathematically alive in the title battle as well.
Two of Pierce’s whopping 38 victories this season have come on Castrol FloRacing Night in America: July 8’s second-round event at Lincoln (Ill.) Speedway, good for $20,000, and Aug. 21’s fourth-round event at Lernerville Speedway in Sarver, Pa., good for another $20,000.
Like Pierce, two of Thornton’s 22 victories in a Dirt Late Model this season have occurred on Castrol FloRacing Night in America: May 28’s opener at Macon (Ill.) Speedway and July 24’s third-round event at Fairbury (Ill.) Speedway, both good for $20,000 paydays.
The Castrol FloRacing Night in America points breakdown begins with 87 points to the victor and 81 points for second, then a three-point reduction thereafter: 78-75-72-69-66-63-60-57-54-51-48-45-42-39-36-33-30-27-24-21-18-15.
Finishers 24th or worse receive a minimum 15 points. The first five non-qualifiers from the B-main receive five points with all remaining B-main starters receiving three points. That considered, here’s the championship scenarios before the weekend:
Bobby Pierce clinches the title if:
• He accrues 148 points or more between Friday and Saturday, even if Thornton sweeps the weekend. Pierce can do that with:
• A victory and eighth or better = >150 points
• Runner-up and sixth or better = >150
• Third and fifth or better = >150
• Fourth and fourth or better = >150
• Fifth and third or better = >150
• Sixth and second or better = >150
• Seventh and a victory = >153
• Eighth and a victory = >150
• If Thornton doesn't win, Pierce can’t finish worse than nine combined spots behind Thornton on Friday and Saturday; should Thornton finish second both Friday and Saturday, Pierce can win the title via finishes of sixth and seventh
Ricky Thornton Jr. clinches the title if:
• He sweeps the weekend and Pierce accrues less than 148 points
• One win and seven positions better than Pierce on whichever night he doesn't win
• At least 10 combined spots better than Pierce between Friday and Saturday
Tie-breaking scenarios:
1. Number of wins (both Pierce and Thornton have two wins apiece entering the weekend)
2. Number of events entered (both have entered every event to date)
3. Top-five finishes (Pierce has four top-fives while Thornton has three finishes of such kind)
4. Top-10 finishes (Pierce has six top-10s while Thornton has five finishes of such kind)
