Explosive Move Leads Ricky Thornton Jr. To Lucas Oil Win At WVMS
Explosive Move Leads Ricky Thornton Jr. To Lucas Oil Win At WVMS
An explosive third-to-first move helped Ricky Thornton Jr. claim the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series win Friday at West Virginia Motor Speedway.
How far Ricky Thornton Jr. has come — and how much confidence he has — as a Dirt Late Model driver was on full display Friday during one exhilarating trip around the supersonic West Virginia Motor Speedway.
DirtonDirt.com’s newly-christened No. 1-ranked driver was running third when the 19th circuit of the 30-lap Historic 100 weekend opener was scored. Twenty seconds or so later, he flashed across the start-finish line as the leader of lap 20 and was hurdling head-long toward a $10,000 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series victory to continue his career year in the full-fender division.
Daulton Wilson led the first 19 laps, keeping Jimmy Owens in check until Thornton's winning move. Tim McCreadie claimed runner-up honors, with Wilson hanging on to complete the podium. Hudson O'Neal and Owens finished fourth and fifth, respectively.
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Highlights From West Virginia Motor Speedway
VIDEO: Watch Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series highlights from Friday at West Virginia Motor Speedway.
Winning Quote From Ricky Thornton, Jr.
“I think the more laps I get to run in (a Late Model), the more confidence I have. I ran Late Models forever ago … I think it was 2009, 2010, and then I didn’t until 2018 or whatever it was (he returned to the division on a limited basis). It’s a completely different car now, so I’m relearning all of it again essentially, and the more I get to run the Late Model, I think the better mentally I’ll be to put yourself in situations like that."
Friday's Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Results At West Virginia Motor Speedway
1. Ricky Thornton Jr.
2. Tim McCreadie
3. Daulton Wilson
4. Hudson O'Neal
5. Jimmy Owens
6. Jonathan Davenport
7. Brandon Overton
8. Gregg Satterlee
9. Devin Moran
10. Spencer Hughes
11. Max Blair
12. Tyler Evans
13. Eddie Carrier Jr.
14. Tyler Bruening
15. Tyler Erb
16. Earl Pearson Jr.
17. Ross Robinson
18. Rod Conley
19. Garrett Alberson
20. Boom Briggs
21. Freddie Carpenter
22. K.C. Burdette
23. Matt Cosner
24. Brandon Francis
25. Ed Shuman
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Point Standings
With his win on Friday night, Ricky Thornton Jr. extended his championship lead to 165 points over Hudson O'Neal. Brandon Overton and Tim McCreadie currently hold down the all-important third and fourth positions.
Last Race: May 27 - Lucas Oil Show-Me 100 at Lucas Oil Speedway
Next Race: June 3 - Lucas Oil Historic 100 at West Virginia Motor Speedway