INDIANAPOLIS, IN (May 1, 2026) – Ricky Thornton Jr. tracked down race-long leader Hudson O’Neal and made the winning pass on lap 41, then held on to capture his second Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series presented by FloRacing victory of the season Friday night at Circle City Raceway. Thornton’s 58th career Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series win earned him $15,000 in the Series’ second-ever visit to the Indianapolis facility. O’Neal finished second, with Max Blair rounding out the Big River Steel podium in third. Mike Marlar finished fourth, followed by Devin Moran in fifth. Starting sixth, Thornton now moves into a tie with Brandon Sheppard for fourth in the championship standings heading into Saturday’s event at Florence Speedway. “I felt like we had a really good car all night, but I just couldn’t quite get it going early. In the feature, everything came together,” said the Chandler, Arizona native. “Watching midget and sprint car races here, you know how technical the top can be and that the bottom will eventually come in. Max (Blair) was strong down there, and after that caution, when Marlar chose the bottom, I knew I had to make my move.” “I got by Max on the restart, and once I cleared Mikey (Marlar), I felt like I had a shot at Hudson. I knew it might take lapped traffic to slow him down, and it worked out for us.” With his runner-up finish, O’Neal is now tied with Moran for the championship points lead heading into the Ralph Latham Memorial at Florence Speedway. “It was probably better not to be the leader at the end,” O’Neal said. “Ricky was really good late in the race. He probably saved his tires better than I did and was able to move around more. When you’re leading, you’re kind of stuck picking a lane and hoping it holds. No excuses—we’re happy to finish second, even though it’s tough to lead that long and get passed late.” Blair continued his strong run, recording his ninth consecutive top five finish. “The restart where Ricky got by me actually helped me a bit,” Blair said. “I knew once Marlar picked the bottom on that last restart, it was going to be tough to hold those guys off. It was a lot of fun racing with Ricky for as long as we did.” Thornton’s winning Koehler Motorsports, Longhorn Chassis is powered by a Cornett Racing Engine and backed by Hoker Trucking, Knight’s Companies, Coltman Farms Racing, Capital Waste, Strange Oval, Certified Inspection Services, Sunoco Race Fuels, and SI Towing and Recovery. Completing the top ten were Dan Ebert, Josh Rice, Brandon Sheppard, Brandon Overton, and Carson Ferguson. Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Race Summary Friday, May 1, 2026Circle City Raceway | Indianapolis, IN Allstar Performance Time TrialsFast Time: Mike Marlar | 12.073 seconds Penske Shocks Heat Race #1 Finish (8 Laps, Top 6 Transfer): 1. 157-Mike Marlar[1]; 2. 111-Max Blair[4]; 3. 1-Brandon Sheppard[2]; 4. 11-Josh Rice[5]; 5. 76-Brandon Overton[3]; 6. 4G-Kody Evans[6]; 7. 44-Dave Hess Jr[7]; 8. 8-Dillon McCowan[8]; 9. 317-Blake Creech[9] Summit Racing Products Heat Race #2 Finish (8 Laps, Top 6 Transfer): 1. 71-Hudson O’Neal[1]; 2. 60-Dan Ebert[2]; 3. 40B-Kyle Bronson[3]; 4. 93-Carson Ferguson[4]; 5. 12J-Jason Jameson[5]; 6. P3-Steve Peeden[6]; 7. 59-Dillard Hatchett[7]; 8. 4-Cody Mahoney[9]; 9. C4-Freddie Carpenter[8]
Cool-It Thermo-Tec Heat Race #3 Finish (8 Laps, Top 6 Transfer): 1. 99-Devin Moran[2]; 2. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr[1]; 3. 22-Daniel Hilsabeck[3]; 4. 93L-Cory Lawler[4]; 5. 58-Garrett Alberson[5]; 6. 3S-Brian Shirley[6]; 7. 6-Clay Harris[8]; 8. 19M-Brenden Smith[7]
Fast Shafts B-Main Race #1 Finish (10 Laps, Top 4 Transfer):1. 44-Dave Hess Jr[1]; 2. 59-Dillard Hatchett[2]; 3. 8-Dillon McCowan[4]; 4. 19M-Brenden Smith[6]; 5. 6-Clay Harris[3]; 6. 4-Cody Mahoney[5]; 7. C4-Freddie Carpenter[8]; 8. (DNS) 317-Blake Creech Feature Finish (50 Laps):Pos – Start – Car # – Competitor – Hometown – Earnings1 – 6 – 20RT – Ricky Thornton Jr – Chandler, AZ – $16,3002 – 2 – 71 – Hudson O’Neal – Martinsville, IN – $8,3003 – 4 – 111 – Max Blair – Centerville, PA – $5,9004 – 1 – 157 – Mike Marlar – Winfield, TN – $4,0005 – 3 – 99 – Devin Moran – Dresden, OH – $4,4006 – 5 – 60 – Dan Ebert – Lake Shore, MN – $3,4007 – 10 – 11 – Josh Rice – Crittenden, KY – $3,3008 – 7 – 1 – Brandon Sheppard – New Berlin, IL – $3,2009 – 13 – 76 – Brandon Overton – Evans, GA – $3,10010 – 11 – 93 – Carson Ferguson – Lincolnton, NC – $3,00011 – 18 – 3S – Brian Shirley – Chatham, IL – $2,90012 – 8 – 40B – Kyle Bronson – Brandon, FL – $2,70013 – 15 – 58 – Garrett Alberson – Las Cruces, NM – $2,50014 – 9 – 22 – Daniel Hilsabeck – Earlham, IA – $1,50015 – 12 – 93L – Cory Lawler – Hanover, PA – $1,40016 – 21 – 8 – Dillon McCowan – Urbana, MO – $2,20017 – 24 – C4 – Freddie Carpenter – Parkersburg, WV – $1,20018 – 20 – 59 – Dillard Hatchett – Cornersville, TN – $1,10019 – 22 – 19M – Brenden Smith – Dade City, FL – $1,90020 – 23 – 6 – Clay Harris – Jupiter, FL – $1,90021 – 16 – 4G – Kody Evans – Camden, OH – $1,00022 – 19 – 44 – Dave Hess Jr – Waterford, PA – $1,00023 – 17 – P3 – Steve Peeden – Martinsville, IN – $1,00024 – 14 – 12J – Jason Jameson – Lawrenceburg, IN – $1,000 Race Statistics Entrants: 26Bilstein Shocks Pole Sitter: Mike MarlarMD3 Lap Leaders: Hudson O’Neal (Laps 1-40); Ricky Thornton, Jr. (Laps 41-50)Hellraizer Jacks Halfway Leader: Hudson O’NealWieland Feature Winner: Ricky Thornton, Jr.Margin of Victory: 2.015 secondsHellraizer Jacks Cautions: Jason Jameson (Lap 4); Dave Hess, Jr. (Lap 23); Brian Shirley, Dillon McCowan (Lap 29)MyRacePass Series Provisional: Clay Harris; Freddie CarpenterFast Time Provisional: n/aEmergency Provisionals: n/aTrack Provisional: n/aBig River Steel Podium Top 3: Ricky Thornton, Jr., Hudson O’Neal, Max BlairPenske Shocks Top 5: Ricky Thornton, Jr., Hudson O’Neal, Max Blair, Mike Marlar, Devin MoranBehrent’s One-Lap-to-Go Top 3: Ricky Thornton, Jr., Hudson O’Neal, Mike MarlarPEM 4th Place Feature: Mike MarlarDiversified Machine 5th Place Feature: Devin MoranWilwood Brakes 7th Place Feature: Josh RiceWehrs Machine 11th Place Feature: Brian ShirleyVelocity Manufacturing 13th Place Feature: Garrett AlbersonXS Power Batteries 15th Place Feature: Cory LawlerHoker Trucking Hard Charger of the Race: Brian Shirley (Advanced 7 positions)MD3 Most Laps Led: Hudson O’Neal (40 Laps)Sunoco Race Fuels Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Ricky Thornton, Jr.Midwest Sheet Metal Spoiler Challenge Point Leader: Devin MoranO’Reilly Auto Parts Rookie of the Race: Josh RicePro Fabrication Headers Fastest Lap of the Race: Devin Moran | Lap 11 | 12.576 secondsFK Rod Ends Hard Luck Award: Jason JamesonVictory Fuel Power Move of the Race: Ricky Thornton, Jr.Outerwears Crew Chief of the Race: Anthony BurroughsARP Engine Builder of the Race: Cornett Racing EnginesMiller Welders Chassis Builder of the Race: Longhorn ChassisDirt Draft Fastest in Hot Laps: Dan Ebert | 12.0761 secondsTime of Race: 23 minutes 25 seconds Big River Steel Championship Standings Presented by ARP:Pos – Car # – Competitor – Hometown – Points – Earnings1 – 99 – Devin Moran – Dresden, OH – 2300 – $138,4492 – 71 – Hudson O’Neal – Martinsville, IN – 2300 – $106,7003 – 76 – Brandon Overton – Evans, GA – 2110 – $52,5504 – 1 – Brandon Sheppard – New Berlin, IL – 2100 – $67,8005 – 20RT – Ricky Thornton Jr – Chandler, AZ – 2100 – $72,6506 – 111 – Max Blair – Centerville, PA – 2095 – $50,0007 – 58 – Garrett Alberson – Las Cruces, NM – 1835 – $37,2258 – 40B – Kyle Bronson – Brandon, FL – 1825 – $28,7759 – 6 – Clay Harris – Jupiter, FL – 1815 – $41,80010 – 93 – Carson Ferguson – Lincolnton, NC – 1800 – $31,80011 – 11 – Josh Rice – Crittenden, KY – 1795 – $30,27512 – 3s – Brian Shirley – Chatham, IL – 1790 – $30,50013 – 60 – Dan Ebert – Lake Shore, MN – 1725 – $29,87514 – 8 – Dillon McCowan – Urbana, MO – 1525 – $18,50015 – 19M – Brenden Smith – Dade City, FL – 1505 – $20,75016 – 22 – Daniel Hilsabeck – Earlham, IA – 1485 – $19,02517 – 93L – Cory Lawler – Hanover, PA – 1295 – $11,92518 – C4 – Freddie Carpenter – Parkersburg, WV – 1290 – $6,300 |
