Thornton Wins Dirt Track World Championship; Sheppard Clinches Lucas Oil Title

Ricky Thornton Jr. won his second ARP Dirt Track World Championship on Sunday night at West Virginia Motor Speedway, earning $100,000 for Koehler Motorsports. His victory in the 46th annual event, which returned to West Virginia for the first time in 16 years, was his first in the crown jewel race since 2021.

Brandon Sheppard’s runner-up finish secured his first Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series national championship by 55 points over Devin Moran, who finished third. The championship was worth $250,000 to the West Virginia-based Rocket 1 team.

West Virginia native Zack Dohm was the highest-finishing driver from the Mountaineer State, advancing from 14th to fourth. Jonathan Davenport rounded out the top five.

Thornton started from the pole, but Hudson O’Neal jumped to the early lead in the 100-lap race. O’Neal and Thornton ran first and second for the opening 32 laps before Thornton took the lead for the first time.

Thornton led for just two laps before O’Neal regained the top spot. The pair continued to run one-two until O’Neal ran over a mud clod, damaging the right front of his car and causing him to push up the track.

O’Neal pitted, dropping him to the tail of the lead lap. Thornton regained the lead and remained in front when a caution with 10 laps to go set up a single-file restart with Moran and Sheppard directly behind him.

Sheppard passed Moran for second on lap 91, putting himself in position to claim the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series championship. He stayed ahead of Moran to the checkered flag to secure the title.

Thornton celebrated his 66th career series victory in Wieland Victory Lane after winning his fourth straight LOLMDS race to close the season. He earned a total of $220,000 in winnings and bonuses for the night.

“He (O’Neal) was definitely better tonight. Really, early on, I was a little better than he was, and I could dictate his speed. The only way I could do that was to stay close enough and run the top whenever he went to the bottom, and the bottom whenever he went to the top. You can start getting them to run harder. He figured out the top, and I thought I wasn’t going to get a shot at him again. I just cooled myself back down during that caution. I showed my nose and kept running harder and harder. I don’t know if he just got tight or what. I saw him kind of turn backward at the wall, and I got by him. I was hoping to come out as the leader.”

Thornton’s Koehler Motorsports Longhorn Chassis, owned by Bobby and Jessica Koehler, is powered by a Cornett Racing Engine. Sponsors include Knight’s Companies, Hoker Trucking, Coltman Farms Racing, Capital Waste, Elite Ready Mix, Certified Inspection Services, Strange Oval, SI Towing and Recovery, Sunoco Race Fuels, and D&E Outside Services.

Completing the top 10 were Dan Ebert, Max Blair, Hudson O’Neal, Dennis Erb Jr., and Josh Rice.

Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Race Summary
46th Annual ARP Dirt Track World Championship presented by Summit Racing Equipment | Night 2
Sunday, October 18, 2026
West Virginia Motor Speedway | Mineral Wells, WV

Fast Shafts B-Main Race #1 Finish (12 Laps, Top 2 Transfer): 1. 76-Brandon Overton[3]; 2. 25Z-Mason Zeigler[2]; 3. 22-Daniel Hilsabeck[1]; 4. 09-Michael Leach[7]; 5. 39-Henry Hornsby III[4]; 6. 18C-Chris Carpenter[6]; 7. 7*-Logan Hitt[11]; 8. 3S-Brian Shirley[5]; 9. 49M-Luke Morey[10]; 10. 12L-Dave Loudin[12]; 11. 3-Chase Hunley[8]; 12. R3X-Matthew Bosley[14]; 13. (DNS) 10-Garrett Smith; 14. (DNS) K2-Kristopher Southern; 15. (DNS) U2-Kristin Uhler; 16. (DNS) 72X-James Nicely Uhler; 17. (DNS) 00-Justin Cooper

UNOH B-Main Race #2 Finish (12 Laps, Top 2 Transfer): 1. 6-Clay Harris[2]; 2. 5T-Drake Troutman[1]; 3. 17SS-Brenden Smith[4]; 4. 17SR-Brody Smith[6]; 5. 27L-Michael Lake[3]; 6. 28-Tyler Carpenter[8]; 7. W1-Cory Workman[11]; 8. 32X-Chad Roush[14]; 9. 50-Kevin Davis[10]; 10. 32-Bobby Pierce[5]; 11. 17KN-Brock Morris[7]; 12. 74X-Ethan Dotson[9]; 13. 12R-Ryan Payne[13]; 14. S8-Jordan Stotts[15]; 15. (DNS) 47W-Brandon Weigle; 16. (DNS) J0Y-James Joy; 17. (DNS) 8W-Wyatt Ervin

MyRacePass B-Main Race #3 Finish (12 Laps, Top 2 Transfer): 1. 99H-Kyle Hardy[1]; 2. 44-Dave Hess Jr[4]; 3. 55-Benji Hicks[3]; 4. 22M-Corey Miller[8]; 5. 31-Lincoln Smith[2]; 6. 14-Corey Conley[11]; 7. 0-Braeden Dillinger[9]; 8. 2-Brandon Francis[5]; 9. 21G-Corey Galbreath[16]; 10. 12M-Ryan Montgomery[7]; 11. 9 11-Corey DeLancey[6]; 12. 69-Jon Hodgkiss[14]; 13. 11M-Michael Chilton[10]; 14. (DNS) 44M-Lucas McDonald; 15. (DNS) C9-Brandon Morrow; 16. (DNS) 17K-Kenny Newhouse

Jim Dunn Non-Qualifier Finish (25 Laps): 1. 55-Benji Hicks[1]; 2. 17SR-Brody Smith[3]; 3. 7*-Logan Hitt[11]; 4. 27L-Michael Lake[6]; 5. 31-Lincoln Smith[7]; 6. 28-Tyler Carpenter[9]; 7. 49M-Luke Morey[16]; 8. 22M-Corey Miller[4]; 9. 18C-Chris Carpenter[8]; 10. 12M-Ryan Montgomery[20]; 11. 9 11-Corey DeLancey[22]; 12. 0-Braeden Dillinger[13]; 13. 12L-Dave Loudin[19]; 14. 32X-Chad Roush[14]; 15. 3-Chase Hunley[21]; 16. 39-Henry Hornsby III[5]; 17. 50-Kevin Davis[17]; 18. W1-Cory Workman[12]; 19. R3X-Matthew Bosley[23]; 20. 21G-Corey Galbreath[18]; 21. 2-Brandon Francis[15]; 22. 69-Jon Hodgkiss[24]; 23. 14-Corey Conley[10]; 24. 09-Michael Leach[2]

46th Annual ARP Dirt Track World Championship presented by Summit Racing Equipment | Feature Finish (100 Laps):
Pos – Start – Car # – Competitor – Hometown – Earnings
1 – 1 – 20RT – Ricky Thornton Jr – Chandler, AZ – $106,300
2 – 6 – 1 – Brandon Sheppard – New Berlin, IL – $26,000
3 – 4 – 99 – Devin Moran – Dresden, OH – $11,300
4 – 14 – 17 – Zack Dohm – Cross Lanes, WV – $8,000
5 – 3 – 49 – Jonathan Davenport – Blairsville, GA – $7,500
6 – 7 – 60 – Dan Ebert – Lake Shore, MN – $7,900
7 – 11 – 111 – Max Blair – Centerville, PA – $7,400
8 – 2 – 71 – Hudson O’Neal – Martinsville, IN – $7,400
9 – 8 – 28E – Dennis Erb Jr – Carpentersville, IL – $5,500
10 – 9 – 11 – Josh Rice – Crittenden, KY – $6,000
11 – 19 – 76 – Brandon Overton – Evans, GA – $5,100
12 – 10 – 22F – Chris Ferguson – Mt. Holly, NC – $3,600
13 – 17 – 40B – Kyle Bronson – Brandon, FL – $3,900
14 – 20 – 6 – Clay Harris – Jupiter, FL – $3,800
15 – 26 – 22 – Daniel Hilsabeck – Earlham, IA – $3,700
16 – 12 – 58 – Garrett Alberson – Las Cruces, NM – $3,600
17 – 25 – 3S – Brian Shirley – Chatham, IL – $3,500
18 – 16 – 1T – Tyler Erb – New Waverly, TX – $2,575
19 – 5 – 8 – Dillon McCowan – Urbana, MO – $3,450
20 – 13 – 75 – Eddie Carrier Jr – Fairmont, WV – $2,535
21 – 23 – 5T – Drake Troutman – Hyndman, PA – $2,525
22 – 28 – 55 – Benji Hicks – Mount Airy, NC – $2,515
23 – 18 – 93F – Carson Ferguson – Lincolnton, NC – $3,400
24 – 24 – 44 – Dave Hess Jr – Waterford, PA – $2,500
25 – 22 – 25Z – Mason Zeigler – Chalk Hill, PA – $2,500
26 – 15 – 19R – Ryan Gustin – Marshalltown, IA – $2,500
27 – 27 – 17SS – Brenden Smith – Dade City, FL – $100
28 – 21 – 99H – Kyle Hardy – Winchester, VA – $2,500

Race Statistics
Entrants: 68
Bilstein Shocks Pole Sitter: Ricky Thornton, Jr.
MD3 Lap Leaders: Hudson O’Neal (Lap 1-32); Ricky Thornton, Jr. (Laps 33-34); Hudson O’Neal (Laps 35-75); Ricky Thornton, Jr. (Laps 76-100)
Hellraizer Jacks Halfway Leader: Hudson O’Neal
Wieland Feature Winner: Ricky Thornton, Jr.
Margin of Victory: 0.650 seconds
Hellraizer Jacks Cautions: Daniel Hilsabeck (Lap 37); Ryan Gustin (Lap 54); Debris (Lap 57); Brandon Overton (Lap 74); Hudson O’Neal (Lap 76); Debris (Lap 89); Benji Hicks (Lap 90)
MyRacePass Series Provisional: Brian Shirley; Daniel Hilsabeck
Fast Time Provisional: n/a
Emergency Provisionals: Brenden Smith
Track Provisional: n/a
Big River Steel Podium Top 3: Ricky Thornton, Jr., Brandon Sheppard, Devin Moran
Penske Shocks Top 5: Ricky Thornton, Jr., Brandon Sheppard, Devin Moran, Zack Dohm, Jonathan Davenport
Behrent’s One-Lap-to-Go Top 3: Ricky Thornton, Jr., Brandon Sheppard, Devin Moran
PEM 4th Place Feature: Zack Dohm
Diversified Machine 5th Place Feature: Jonathan Davenport
Wilwood Brakes 7th Place Feature: Max Blair
Wehrs Machine 11th Place Feature: Brandon Overton
Velocity Manufacturing 13th Place Feature: Kyle Bronson
XS Power Batteries 15th Place Feature: Deniel Hilsabeck
Hoker Trucking Hard Charger of the Race: Daniel Hilsabeck (Advanced 11 positions)
MD3 Most Laps Led: Hudson O’Neal (73 Laps)
Sunoco Race Fuels Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Ricky Thornton, Jr.
Midwest Sheet Metal Spoiler Challenge Point Leader: Brandon Sheppard
O’Reilly Auto Parts Rookie of the Race: Josh Rice
Pro Fabrication Headers Fastest Lap of the Race: Hudson O’Neal | Lap 3 | 14.731 seconds
FK Rod Ends Hard Luck Award: Hudson O’Neal
Victory Fuel Power Move of the Race: Ricky Thornton Jr.
Outerwears Crew Chief of the Race: Justin Tharp
ARP Engine Builder of the Race: Cornett Racing Engines
Miller Welders Chassis Builder of the Race: Longhorn Chassis
Dirt Draft Fastest in Hot Laps: Jonathan Davenport | 16.4384 seconds
Time of Race: 58 minutes 22 seconds

Big River Steel Championship Standings Presented by ARP:
Pos – Car # – Competitor – Hometown – Points – Earnings
1 – 1 – Brandon Sheppard – New Berlin, IL – 7585 – $356,100
2 – 99 – Devin Moran – Dresden, OH – 7530 – $455,774
3 – 71 – Hudson O’Neal – Martinsville, IN – 7405 – $298,700
4 – 20RT – Ricky Thornton Jr – Chandler, AZ – 7195 – $538,325
5 – 76 – Brandon Overton – Evans, GA – 6915 – $198,975
6 – 111 – Max Blair – Centerville, PA – 6865 – $201,875
7 – 11 – Josh Rice – Crittenden, KY – 6655 – $264,575
8 – 3S – Brian Shirley – Chatham, IL – 6405 – $187,650
9 – 58 – Garrett Alberson – Las Cruces, NM – 6245 – $135,325
10 – 40B – Kyle Bronson – Brandon, FL – 6070 – $110,625
11 – 6 – Clay Harris – Jupiter, FL – 5970 – $115,175
12 – 93 – Carson Ferguson – Lincolnton, NC – 5950 – $111,625
13 – 60 – Dan Ebert – Lake Shore, MN – 5890 – $164,325
14 – 8 – Dillon McCowan – Urbana, MO – 5740 – $127,900
15 – 22 – Daniel Hilsabeck – Earlham, IA – 5140 – $73,350
16 – 17SS – Brenden Smith – Dade City, FL – 4770 – $54,825
17 – 93L – Cory Lawler – Hanover, PA – 4470 – $34,475

Big River Steel Top 5 Bonus Standings Presented by ARP ($100,000):
Pos – Car # – Competitor – Hometown – Points – Gap
1 – 20RT – Thornton, Ricky Jr – Chandler, AZ – 925 – 0
2 – 99 – Moran, Devin – Dresden, OH – 915 – -10
3 – 1 – Sheppard, Brandon – New Berlin, IL – 820 – -105
4 – 76 – Overton, Brandon – Evans, GA – 715 – -210
5 – 71 – O’Neal, Hudson – Martinsville, IN – 690 – -235