4/26/2024
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Ricky Thornton Jr. Goes Back-to-Back at Georgetown
GEORGETOWN, DE (April 26, 2024) – For the second consecutive year, Ricky Thornton Jr. was a man on a mission at Georgetown Speedway. The current Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series points leader won the Melvin L. Joseph Memorial Race earning $19,049 on Friday night.
Thornton led all 49 laps to earn his fourth series win of 2024. Devin Moran finished second followed by Garrett Alberson, Jonathan Davenport, and Ross Robinson.
In Lucas Oil Victory Lane for the 32nd time in his career, Thornton exclaimed he has taken a liking to Georgetown’s race track the last two years winning both times the series has appeared at the 3/8th’s mile. Moran tried to make it close when the two encountered traffic, but timely caution flags thwarted any ideas that Moran had to overhaul Thornton. Thornton’s winning margin at the finish was 1.679 seconds.
“I love coming here,” said Thornton. “I wish we were here more often. I don’t know, there is something about this place that fits me. I am not sure if we had the best car or not, I felt like when I got to traffic, I got slowed down quite a bit. The car was really good. We have a lot more work the next two nights, it’s definitely a good way to start the weekend. I moved up in three and four and I thought it’s hairy out here. My crew told me to get back to the bottom. My car was good after those restarts; the yellows came out at an opportune time for me when I got to traffic.”
Moran continued his surge in the series with his third straight Big River Steel Podium as he nailed down the runner-up spot at the checkers. “I felt like I could keep pace with Ricky. I don’t think I was any better than him. I was hoping to get in lapped traffic. I was wanting to be able to try it on the top of three and four, but Ricky and those guys are obviously always on it so congratulations to those guys. All-in-all it was a good run. I have a decent track record here at Georgetown. I love coming here to race.”
Alberson, who led several laps in this event a year ago rounded out the Big River Steel Podium in third. “I am not sure why I get around here so well. Growing up I didn’t think tracks like this would be my thing. I am just super proud of my guys. It was really fun. I was surprised how much speed you carry off in there. It didn’t look like it had the banking to be able to do that. Hats off to Ricky and Devin; it was a fun race.”
The winner’s Todd and Vickie Burns, SSI Motorsports, Longhorn Chassis is powered by a Clements Racing Engine and is sponsored by Big River Steel, Hoker Trucking, Coltman Farms, Dyno One Inc., West Side Tractor Sales, Bilstein Shocks, EMD Wraps, and Sunoco Race Fuels.
Completing the top ten were Jimmy Owens, Tyler Erb, Tim McCreadie, Daulton Wilson, and Max Blair.
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Race Summary
The Melvin L. Joseph Memorial
Friday, April 26, 2024
Georgetown Speedway – Georgetown, DE
Allstar Performance Time Trials
Fast Time Group A: Hudson O’Neal | 17.817 seconds (overall)
Fast Time Group B: Devin Moran | 17.881 seconds
Penske Shocks Heat Race #1 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr[2]; 2. 71-Hudson O'Neal[1]; 3. 157-Mike Marlar[4]; 4. 18D-Daulton Wilson[3]; 5. 93F-Carson Ferguson[5]; 6. 0-Rick Eckert[7]; 7. 1Z-Logan Zarin[6]; 8. 32J-Shaun Jones[10]; 9. 17SS-Brenden Smith[8]; 10. 20F-Trever Feathers[9]
Summit Racing Products Heat Race #2 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 49-Jonathan Davenport[1]; 2. 1-Tim McCreadie[2]; 3. 111-Max Blair[4]; 4. 6K-Kyle Larson[3]; 5. 1T-Tyler Erb[6]; 6. 7T-Drake Troutman[10]; 7. 15K-Jensen Ford[7]; 8. 22-Gregg Satterlee[5]; 9. 55L-Donald Lingo Jr[8]; 10. 21-Chad Myers[9]
Earnhardt Technologies Heat Race #3 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 99-Devin Moran[1]; 2. 20-Jimmy Owens[3]; 3. 58-Garrett Alberson[2]; 4. B5-Brandon Sheppard[5]; 5. 3-Brent Robinson[7]; 6. 36-Ross Chastain[8]; 7. 4S-Danny Snyder[9]; 8. 93-Cory Lawler[6]; 9. 6L-Jamie Lathroum[4]; 10. (DNS) 7D-Dave Troutman
Simpson Race Products Heat Race #4 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 7-Ross Robinson[1]; 2. 25Z-Mason Zeigler[2]; 3. 22*-Max McLaughlin[4]; 4. 24-Dylan Yoder[5]; 5. 2J-Justin Weaver[8]; 6. 66C-Matt Cosner[3]; 7. 6-Clay Harris[7]; 8. 17Z-Seth Zacharias[9]; 9. 99B-Boom Briggs[10]; 10. 11C-Trevor Collins[6]
Fast Shafts B-Main Race #1 Finish (10 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 1T-Tyler Erb[2]; 2. 93F-Carson Ferguson[1]; 3. 7T-Drake Troutman[4]; 4. 0-Rick Eckert[3]; 5. 1Z-Logan Zarin[5]; 6. 15K-Jensen Ford[6]; 7. 17SS-Brenden Smith[9]; 8. 21-Chad Myers[12]; 9. 32J-Shaun Jones[7]; 10. 55L-Donald Lingo Jr[10]; 11. 22-Gregg Satterlee[8]; 12. (DNS) 20F-Trever Feathers
UNOH B-Main Race #2 Finish (10 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 2J-Justin Weaver[2]; 2. 66C-Matt Cosner[4]; 3. 6-Clay Harris[6]; 4. 3-Brent Robinson[1]; 5. 4S-Danny Snyder[5]; 6. 99B-Boom Briggs[10]; 7. 17Z-Seth Zacharias[8]; 8. 6L-Jamie Lathroum[9]; 9. 11C-Trevor Collins[12]; 10. 36-Ross Chastain[3]; 11. 93-Cory Lawler[7]; 12. (DNS) 7D-Dave Troutman
The Melvin L. Joseph Memorial Feature Finish (49 Laps):
Race Statistics
Entrants: 40
Victory Fuel Pole Sitter: Ricky Thornton, Jr.
Lap Leaders: Ricky Thornton, Jr. (Laps 1-49)
Wieland Feature Winner: Ricky Thornton, Jr.
Arizona Sport Shirts Crown Jewel Cup Feature Winner: n/a
Brandon Ford TV Challenge Feature Winner: n/a
Margin of Victory: 1.679 seconds
Dave Warren Powersports Cautions: Brenden Smith (Lap 11); Drake Troutman (Lap 24); Hudson O’Neal (Lap 33); Kyle Larson (Lap 39); Mike Marlar (Lap 39 restart)
Series Provisionals: Boom Briggs; Brenden Smith
Fast Time Provisional: n/a
Series Emergency Provisionals: Cory Lawler
Track Provisional: Rick Eckert
Big River Steel Podium Top 3: Ricky Thornton, Jr., Devin Moran, Garrett Alberson
Penske Shocks Top 5: Ricky Thornton, Jr., Devin Moran, Garrett Alberson, Jonathan Davenport, Ross Robinson
Todd Steel Buildings Hard Charger of the Race: Rick Eckert (Advanced 14 Positions)
Wilwood Brakes Lucky 7th Place Feature: Tyler Erb
Deatherage Opticians Lucky 13th Place Feature: Max McLaughlin
MD3 Most Laps Led: Ricky Thornton, Jr. (49 Laps)
Sunoco Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Ricky Thornton, Jr.
Midwest Sheet Metal Spoiler Challenge Point Leader: Ricky Thornton, Jr.
O’Reilly Auto Parts Rookie of the Race: Clay Harris
Coltman Farms Fastest Lap of the Race: Devin Moran (Lap 35 – 18.844 seconds)
Slicker Graphics Slickest Move of the Race: Garrett Alberson
Miller Welders Hard Luck Award: Drake Troutman
Outerwears Crew Chief of the Race: Anthony Burroughs (Ricky Thornton, Jr.)
ARP Engine Builder of the Race: Clements Racing Engines
Miller Welders Chassis Builder of the Race: Longhorn Chassis
Dirt Draft Fastest in Hot Laps: Devin Moran (17.562 seconds)
Time of Race: 31 minutes 41 seconds
Big River Steel Chase for the Championship Presented by ARP Point Standings:
Submitted By: Jeremy Shields