OCALA, Fla. — Ricky Thornton Jr. found redemption on Sunday night at Bubba Raceway Park, winning the 40-lap Winter Nationals main event for the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series.
The 32-year-old led the last 25 laps of the race to score his first win of the season after recording two runner-up finishes and a third-place finish at Golden Isles Speedway. With the win, Thornton becomes the third different winner in four events this season.
Max Blair recorded his best career finish in the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series by coming home in second with Ashton Winger taking the third. Hudson O’Neal was fourth with point leader Brandon Overton rounding out the top five.
Thornton, who started on the outside front row, led the first two laps until yielding the point to polesitter Devin Moran. Moran then led until he suffered a right front flat tire after a lap 15-restart. Moran would pit to change the tire and rejoin the field.
Thornton would pick up the lead again with Earl Pearson Jr. moving into second place and Blair now running in third. A red flag came out for a multi-car incident in turn two with 19 laps complete. After the extended stoppage of action, the race resumed with Thornton still holding the point.
Pearson, who was celebrating his 51st birthday, had his hopes of getting by Thornton for the win end when he suffered a right-rear flat tire on lap 26. Blair then picked up the runner-up spot which he held to the finish.
“It’s pretty awesome to win here,” said Thornton. “I love coming to this place. It’s so technical and different compared to all the other places we go to. I got the jump on the start on Devin [Moran]. I felt like I was running as hard as I needed to and then he slid me. He was running way harder than I wanted to go and I thought let him go and I will just keep pace with him. I don’t know what happened to him on that restart he went down into one and it didn’t turn.”
Blair overcame his struggles at Golden Isles with a runner-up finish.
“We were real competitive all night long. I really faded the last 10 or 12 laps,” he said. “As a team we really needed a good run, and we got it. It’s a good group of people we are with. I am really, really excited for the future. I think this is going to be a real good fit.”
Winger finished third in his first Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series start of the season.
“A couple of guys fell out there,” Winger said. “I think I had one good restart where I passed three or so guys. I kind of figured out all those guys were jostling for position. I headed into turn one and the car stuck. We were pretty good. Congrats to Ricky for winning on three tires. I felt like we were better the longer we went. One of those cautions kind of killed us.”
The finish:
Ricky Thornton Jr., Max Blair, Ashton Winger, Hudson O’Neal, Brandon Overton, Tanner English, Brandon Sheppard, Jonathan Davenport, G.R. Smith, Devin Moran, Tyler Erb, Boom Briggs, Spencer Hughes, Ross Robinson, Mike Benedum, Earl Pearson Jr., Tyler Bruening, Garrett Alberson, Wil Herrington, Garrett Smith, Dennis Erb Jr., Tim McCreadie, Kyle Bronson, Jimmy Owens, Blair Nothdurft, Daulton Wilson, Logan Roberson.