PORTSMOUTH, Ohio (Oct. 31) — Ricky Thornton Jr. has been downright frightening for his competition this October. Halloween night was no exception.

The Chandler, Ariz., superstar continued his scary-good late-season tear Saturday at Portsmouth Raceway Park, commanding all 60 laps of the inaugural Halloween Nationals finale sanctioned by the Valvoline American Late Model Iron-Man Series for a $50,000 payday and his sixth consecutive victory.

Thornton's 14th overall victory of the 2026 season capped a remarkable October stretch in which he collected six victories worth a combined $350,000.

“We've run this thing six nights now, and I've won six, so it just kind of shows how good our program is,” said the 34-year-old Thornton, alluding to his new Longhorn Chassis that he's been undefeated in since debuting it Oct. 9-10 at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio. His streak also includes a $225,000 sweep of the Dirt Track World Championship.

And his latest triumph might have been his most dominant.

Starting outside the front row alongside polesitter Josh Rice, Thornton needed only half a lap to take command. Rice inched ahead through turns one and two, but Thornton found enough momentum through the middle groove to surge past Rice down the backstretch and grab a lead he would never relinquish.

“On the start, Josh was in a way better spot, and I was able to kind of roll him through the middle,” Thornton said. “I feel like if I can get going here and get to these lap cars, I know I can at least move out and pass a few of them.”

From there, the driver of the Koehler Motorsports No. 20RT machine was virtually untouchable.

Thornton steadily stretched his advantage as the race progressed, building a lead of nearly 10 seconds at one point while navigating slower traffic and lapping all but the top 10. His margin stood at six seconds when the race's lone caution appeared on lap 56 after Jason Jameson slowed with a flat right-rear tire.

The late interruption did little to change the outcome as Thornton crossed the line two seconds ahead of runner-up Tyler Erb of New Waverly, Texas, while Rice settled for third.

While Thornton encountered traffic during the caution-free opening 55 laps, he said passing slower cars became increasingly difficult as drivers settled into the preferred bottom groove.

“I was only able to do that with the first few lap cars, and then they kind of just got in line,” Thornton said. “I feel like the 100-lappers are always long here, but I felt like that 60-lapper was about as long as the 100-lappers.”

Erb, rebounding from a flat tire during Friday's preliminary action, earned the runner-up finish for his Best Performance Motorsports team. He acknowledged there was little he could do to match Thornton's pace.

“That's all we can do there,” Erb said.

Erb also praised the inaugural event and the purse offered to competitors, thanks to the Jent family of Hillsboro, Ky., which recently reopened the 3/8-mile facility near the confluence of the Ohio and Scioto rivers.

“We need big events like this in our area, so thank you to Jamie and everybody here for putting this race on,” Erb said. “It's a lot of money being paid out this weekend.”

Rice, meanwhile, couldn't capitalize on his pole starting position after struggling with the handling of his car. He eventually lost second to Erb as Thornton continued pulling away.

“Ricky's stuff's really good right now,” Rice said. “I was just really free getting into one and then was having to back my corner up so much to hit the bottom and let Terbo by me.”

Rice said he was pleased with his speed earlier in the evening but hadn't made enough adjustments for the feature.

“Hot laps, I was really good and just didn't tighten up enough,” Rice said. “I'm still learning these (XR2) cars (from Rocket Chassis, which he debuted in Aug. 6’s North-South 100 prelim). They're a little bit different than the XR1 stuff” he’s traditionally accustomed to.

Thornton credited his Koehler Motorsports crew, led by crew chief Justin Tharp and tire specialist Seth Hunter, for its work during the weekend. Tharp has now overseen six victories in seven races since being appointed crew chief.

The team's weekend workload also included modified competition, with Thornton winning Friday's feature before Evan Koehler captured Saturday's $10,000 finale.

But for all the success Thornton enjoyed on Halloween night, there was one downside to spending the holiday at the racetrack rather than at home with his family.

“Kind of wish I was at home hanging out with my kids on Halloween,” Thornton said, “but at least they got to watch dad on TV.”

Feature lineup

(60 laps)

Row 1: Josh Rice, Ricky Thornton Jr.
Row 2: Drake Troutman, Tyler Erb
Row 3: Tristan Chamberlain, Nick Hoffman
Row 4: Zack Dohm, Dustin Sorensen
Row 5: Eddie Carrier Jr., Jason Jameson
Row 6: Kyle Hardy, Adam Stricker
Row 7: Michael Chilton, Seth Daniels
Row 8: Colten Burdette, Levi Yetter
Row 9: Mike Benedum, Henry Hornsby III
Row 10: Rod Conley, Miles Cook II

Consolation race results

(Eight laps, top three transfer)

First consolation: Michael Chilton, Colten Burdette, Mike Bendum, Rod Conley, Justin Cooper, Miles Cook II, Travis Carr, Billie Haagar, Josh Bocook, Breyton Santee, Kirk Phillips, Shannon Thornsberry. Scratched: Austin Mullett.

Second consolation: Seth Daniels, Levi Yetter, Henry Hornsby III, Ryan Montgomery, David Webb, R.J. Conley, Eric Wilson, Avery Taylor, Kevin Wagner. Scratched: Derek Fisher, Camaron Marlar.

Heat race results

(Eight laps; top three transfer) 

First heat: Josh Rice, Tristan Chamberlain, Eddie Carrier Jr., Michael Chilton, Colten Burdette, Mike Benedum, Shannon Thornsberry, Miles Cook II, Travis Carr, Austin Mullett.

Second heat: Drake Troutman, Zack Dohm, Kyle Hardy, Kirk Phillips, Rod Conley, Justin Cooper, Josh Bocook, Billie Haager, Breyton Santee.

Third heat: Ricky Thornton Jr., Nick Hoffman, Jason Jameson, Seth Daniels, Levi Yetter, Ryan Montgomery, Avery Taylor, Camaron Marlar, Kenneth Howell.

Fourth heat: Tyler Erb, Dustin Sorensen, Adam Stricker, Henry Hornsby III, David Webb, Eric Wilson, Derek Fisher, Kevin Wagner, R.J. Conley.

Time trials

Group A
Driver (car no.), hometown, time (unofficial)
1. Mike Benedum (25), Salem, W.Va., 14.964
2. Drake Troutman (5), Hyndman, Pa., 14.984
3. Josh Rice (11), Crittenden, Ky., 15.003
4. Justin Cooper (00), Wheelersburg, Ohio, 15.082
5. Michael Chilton (11), Salvisa, Ky., 15.115
6. Kirk Phillips (21p), Ashland, Ky., 15.125
7. Tristan Chamberlain (20tc), Richmond, Ind., 15.170
8. Zack Dohm (17D), Cross Lanes, W.Va., 15.177
9. Eddie Carrier Jr. (75), Salt Rock, W.Va., 15.328
10. Rod Conley (71R), Wheelersburg, Ohio, 15.364
11. Colten Burdette (53c), Parkersburg, W.Va., 15.369
12. Josh Bocook (B1), Wheelersburg, Ohio, 15.453
13. Shannon Thornsberry (17), Martin, Ky., 15.459
14. Breyton Santee (9), Conneaut, Ohio, 15.465
15. Travis Carr (6), Stoutsville, Ohio, 15.617
16. Kyle Hardy (99), Stephens City, Va., 15.631
17. Miles Cook II (18c), Wheelersburg, Ohio, 15.757
18. Billie Haager (147), Lynn, Ind., 15.917
19. Austin Mullett (73B), Louisa, Ky., 16.928
Group B
1. Nick Hoffman (9), Mooresville, N.C., 14.867
2. Adam Stricker (c7), Batavia, Ohio, 14.972
3. Ricky Thornton Jr. (20rt), Chandler, Ariz., 14.967
4. Tyler Erb (1), New Waverly, Texas, 15.018
5. Jason Jameson (12), Lawrenceburd, Ind., 15.034
6. Dustin Sorensen (19), Rochester, Minn., 15.066
7. Ryan Montgomery (12), Fairmont, W.Va., 15.156
8. Henry Hornsby III (39), Beckley, W.Va., 15.253
9. Seth Daniels (s21), Jackson, Ohio, 15.300
10. R.J. Conley (71c), Wheelersburg, Ohio, 15.303
11. Levi Yetter (10*), Cabot, Pa., 15.365
12. Derek Fisher (38), Olympia, Ky., 15.474
13. Camaron Marlar (57m), Winfield, Tenn., 15.483
14. David Webb (13w), Nicholasville, Ky., 15.498
15. Kenneth Howell (21), Inez, Ky., 15.500
16. Kevin Wagner (33), Wheelersburg, Ohio, 15.692
17. Avery Taylor (159), South Shore, Ky., 15.792
18. Eric Wilson (217), Vienna, Ohio, 15.800

Saturday’s schedule

(All times local)
1 p.m. - Pits open
3 p.m. - Grandstands open
5 p.m. - Drivers’ meeting
5:30 p.m. - On-track activity
- Late Model hot laps
- Modified hot laps
- Late Model time trials (2 laps)
- Modified group qualifying
Opening ceremonies
- Late Model heats (8 laps)
- Modified heats (8 laps)
- Sport mod hot laps
- Late Model consolations (8 laps)
- Modified consolations (8 laps)
Feature events
- Sport mods (15 laps)
- Late Models (60 laps)
- Modifieds (40 laps)