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Daily Dirt 12/02/2024 05:03:14

Sponsor 743
October 18
Eldora Speedway,
Rossburg, OH
Sanction: Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series (General Tire Dirt Track World Championship by ARP) - $100,000
Information provided by: Todd Turner, Kevin Kovac, series and track reports (last updated October 20, 6:10 pm)
Pierce wins first DTWC as RTJ nabs Lucas title
General Tire Dirt Track World Championship by ARP
  1. Bobby Pierce
  2. Tim McCreadie
  3. Ricky Thornton Jr.
  4. Devin Moran
  5. Max Blair
  6. Josh Rice
  7. Hudson O'Neal
  8. Ryan Gustin
  9. Kyle Bronson
  10. Daulton Wilson
  11. Mike Marlar
  12. Carson Ferguson
  13. Garrett Alberson
  14. Tristan Chamberlain
  15. Brandon Sheppard
  16. Brenden Smith
  17. Cory Lawler
  18. Jonathan Davenport
  19. Ross Robinson
  20. Jimmy Owens
  21. Brandon Overton
  22. Dale McDowell
  23. Clay Harris
  24. Mason Zeigler
  25. James Rice
  26. Wil Herrington
  27. Drake Troutman
  28. Brian Shirley
  29. Jordan Koehler
presented by
Heath Lawson/heathlawsonphotos.com
Bobby Pierce takes the checkers, capturing his first career DTWC.
What won the race: Sliding by Tim McCreadie and taking command on lap 84, 14th-starting Bobby Pierce of Oakwood, Ill., ran away with Saturday's 100-lap, $100,000 44th annual General Tire Dirt Track World Championship presented by ARP at Eldora Speedway. McCreadie settled for second while Ricky Thornton Jr.'s third-place finish secured the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series championship.
Key notes: Pierce ran away in leading the final 17 laps, winning by 8.717 over Tim McCreadie for his sixth full-field Lucas Oil Series triumph of the season and the 21st of his career. ... It was his 35th overall victory of the season. ... All six of Pierce's Lucas Oil wins came after July 18's $10,000 Silver Dollar Nationals prelim at Huset's Speedway in Brandon, S.D. ... McCreadie led three times for 79 laps (1-2, 6-63, 65-83) before giving way to Pierce. He resorted to a backup car after suspected engine issues during hot laps. ... Ricky Thornton Jr. overcame late-race wall contact to finish third, clinching his first career Lucas Oil Series title. ... Devin Moran was Thornton's closest championship challenger, finishing fourth. ... Max Blair marched from 11th-to-fifth over the race's final 35 laps. … Brandon Sheppard won the 25-lap non-qualifiers' race and elected to tag the main event, forgoing the $3,000 payday. He worked his way as high as ninth before slowing and pulling off on lap 98. ... Fifth-starting Jonathan Davenport challenged McCreadie, leading twice for four laps (3-5, 64) before catastrophic engine failure ended his night at the start of lap 65; he was credited with 18th. … Wil Herrington slowed from 17th with a flat left-rear to draw the race’s third caution on lap 29. … Jordan Koehler hopped the turn-one cushion on lap three, then made heavy contact with Brian Shirley as he came back down the racing surface, the resulting damage ending his night. Shirley continued until pulling off on lap 21. … The race’s first stoppage came on the opening lap when Drake Troutman slowed. He continued until retiring on lap 24, relegating him to 27th while clinching the 2024 Rookie of the Year honors. … The race was slowed by four incidents and lasted 45 minutes, with eight starters completing 100 laps.
On the move: Devin Moran of Dresden, Ohio, started 18th and finished fourth.
Winner's sponsors: Pierce’s Longhorn Chassis is powered by a Vic Hill Racing Engine and carries sponsorship from Low Voltage Solutions, Rio Grande Waste Services, Hoker Trucking, Mesilla Valley Transportation, Oakwood Tire Center, Churchill Transport, Collins Brothers Towing, K1, Carnaghi Towing & Repair, Toyota of Danville, Floyd’s Waste Systems, PureMax Racing Oil, A Plus Vacuum, Leka Tree Service, Bert Transmissions by Budda, Ted Brown’s Quality Paint & Body Shop, VP Race Fuels, Swift Springs, Bilstein Shocks, Dirt Car Lift and Performance Bodies.
Points chase: Final: 1. Ricky Thornton Jr. (6,910); 2. Devin Moran (6,850); 3. Jonathan Davenport (6,780); 4. Tim McCreadie (6,765); 5. Hudson O'Neal (5,985); 6. Garrett Alberson (5,780); 7. Mike Marlar (5,720); 8. Daulton Wilson (5,490); 9. Max Blair (5,460); 10. Jimmy Owens (5,310); 11. Drake Troutman (4,920); 12. Ross Robinson (4,650).
Current weather: Clear, 63°F
Car count: 61
Fast qualifier: Tim McCreadie
Time: 15.522 seconds
Polesitter: Tim McCreadie
Heat race winners: Tim McCreadie, Ricky Thornton Jr., Jonathan Davenport, Mason Zeigler, Jordan Koehler, Mike Marlar
Consolation race winners: Brandon Overton, Ross Robinson, Wil Herrington, Brandon Sheppard
Provisional starters: Garrett Alberson, Clay Harris, Brenden Smith, Cory Lawler
Editor's note: Results and race details are unofficial.
By Todd Turner
DirtonDirt.com managing editor

ROSSBURG, Ohio — Bobby Pierce crashed the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series party Saturday at Eldora Speedway.

Taking the lead exiting turn two on the 84th lap, the 14th-starting driver from Oakwood, Ill., led the rest of the way in Carl Short’s 44th annual General Tire Dirt Track World Championship presented by ARP to give last month’s World 100 winner a $100,000 payday.

While the World of Outlaws Case Late Model Series regular took the checkers first, Ricky Thornton Jr. of Chandler, Ariz., posted a title-clinching third-place finish for the $200,000 Lucas Oil championship over his fellow Big River Steel Big Four contenders 18th-starting Devin Moran (fourth), Jonathan Davenport (18th after apparent engine failure) and Tim McCreadie (second after leading 79 laps, but he was already eliminated from title contention).

Pulling away late in the race, Pierce took the checkers a whopping 8.717 seconds ahead of McCreadie with Thornton, Moran and 13th-starting Max Blair rounding out the top five.

Blairsville, Ga.’s Davenport, Eldora’s most dominant driver in recent seasons, appeared poised to grab another victory when he took the point from McCreadie on the 64th lap, but his hopes for a victory and title went up in smoke.

Pierce found his winning groove just as Davenport exited the race.

“When that caution came out, I had just found the line down there in (turns) three and four and I know how to get back down there. I think I restarted fourth and when I got to third, it was like thirtysomething to (laps) go,” Pierce said. “I was pretty nervous because I knew right then I had a car that could win the race.

“So I started kind of get a little nervous in the car. I had to calm myself down … I knew I had a car to win and I just had to catch them guys. I had to keep hitting my lines. Something about it, I just kept getting better and better. Normally here you'll slow down, but the line I was running, I guess the car kept rotating better and better down there. And then at the very end I found that middle and it just felt awesome.”

McCreadie couldn’t keep up with Pierce down the stretch, but he posted a solid runner-up finish in a backup car. His primary car’s engine had problems during evening hot laps and the team scrambled to unload the backup.

Praising his Rocket Chassis house car team, McCreadie said “they give you real good equipment to run and then when we get out there, it's up to me to try to bring it home and we just came up a little short. I didn't know where Bobby was, but I assumed he was up on the cushion and I was up there 90 percent of the time and we just kind of faded a little.

“Hat’s off to the Rocket 1 team. Pulling out a car — I can't remember the last time I ran this one, probably late May or something —  and having to switch a bunch of stuff over and get no hot laps before the future is pretty cool for this team. I was hoping we could get them one and it didn't work out.”

Thornton’s best major-race finish at Eldora gave him the $200,000 Lucas Oil championship. A finish of sixth was necessary to secure the title no matter what his competition did, and he survived a scrape with the backstretch wall on the 71st lap to finish third.

"A lot of hard work and determination. My job is pretty easy getting to wheel this thing,” said Thornton, crediting the Koehler Motorsports teammate he joined at midseason after being dropped by SSI Motorsports. “Overall, I get all the glory and they do all the hard work so, this is definitely a big team effort, everyone at Koehler Motorsports. It’s pretty awesome.”

He was afraid he’d blown his title chances on lap 71.

"I got into (turn) three and I honestly, I thought the right-rear (tire is) flat. It kind of laid over in the right rear and I'm like, ‘Man, I really just gave this thing away.’ I don't know if I want to come back to the pits, if it is flat. I’d been better off to go out the back gate,” he said.

McCreadie led early from the pole position, but Davenport slipped underneath to lead laps 3-5 before McCreadie regained the point on the sixth lap and led comfortably over the next 23 laps while 11th-starting Josh Rice worked his way to the fourth spot.

Davenport held the second spot during that stretch except for lap 24 when Thornton, taking advantage when Davenport made slight contact with the slower car of Tristan Chamberlain exiting turn four, slipped ahead to briefly take the position.

McCreadie resumed his lead on lap-29 restart with Davenport in second and Rice dropping Thornton to third with those three holding those positions through the halfway point with Pierce breaking into the top five on lap 46.

Things tightened up by the 60th lap with the top three of McCreadie, Davenport and Rice running on the same straightaway with Thornton and Pierce giving chase. Davenport nearly made it a dead heat on laps 62-63, and when McCreadie stumbled out of turn two, Davenport took command.

But nearly as soon as Davenport took the lead, a puff of smoke came from behind his Double L Motorsports car and he rolled to the pits trailing oil, handing the point back to McCreadie for the lap-65 restart.

“We really don’t know exactly what it was, it was either a rod, a rod bolt or a crank,” Davenport said after the race.

“As soon as I took the lead obviously there, we went into turn one, left off the gas and it shook really bad. At first I thought it was the driveshaft maybe, but then I went back to the gas just for a split second and then knew exactly what it was,” Davenport added.

With McCreadie up front after narrowly avoiding Davenport’s demise, Thornton took second from Rice on the restart with Pierce and Hudson O’Neal trailing in the top five.

Thornton had a scare on the 71st lap when he got too high on the backstretch, causing body damage to the right-rear corner of his car with a Rice-Pierce battle for third hot and heavy just behind. Pierce dispatched of Rice and then took the second spot on the 76th lap as Thornton struggled to maintain his previous pace.

Pierce continued his charge, closing in on McCreadie and taking the point at the top of the backstretch when McCreadie stumbled off turn two. Pierce was unchallenged the rest of the way, pulling away to win by nearly a half-track margin in the half-mile oval.

A few days before the race, Pierce was admiring a shirt that listed the DTWC’s winners over more than 40 seasons, and he was determined to put his name on next year’s souvenir shirts.

"I want to be one of them names,” Pierce said he told himself. “So that was another nerve factor added to it when I got to third (place) and I knew I could win. I was thinking about this is our, this is our opportunity to capitalize on it. We got to capitalize on it right now. We’ve got a fast car, we're gaining on them … just don’t mess up.”

Besides the caution for Davenport’s departure, the 100-lapper was slowed by three early cautions, none for serious incidents.

The first yellow caused a complete restart when Lucas Oil rookie Drake Troutman lost power when his car’s safety kill switch was apparently struck by a dirt clod. A lap-three yellow appeared when fourth-starting Jordan Koehler slowed with driver-side damage after contact with Brian Shirley and retired.

Wil Herrington, making his first start for Maryland team owner Bruce Kane, stopped in turn two with a flat left-rear tire for a lap-29 yellow. His car was towed off the track.

Notes: Pierce is the third Illinois driver to win the DTWC; Brandon Sheppard owns five victories and Moweaqua’s Shannon Babb two. … He notched his seventh Lucas Oil victory of the season and 35th overall of 2024. ... He joins Scott Bloomquist (2014), Steve Francis (1999) and Jack Boggs (1995) as drivers who've won the World 100 and DTWC in the same season (and first to do it at Eldora). ... World 100 runner-up Dale McDowell started eighth but quickly dropped out of the top 10 and retired after 41 laps. … Polesitter Tim McCreadie drove a backup car after having engine problems in hot laps earlier in the evening; series rules didn’t cost him his starting position. … Last year’s winner Brandon Sheppard of New Berlin, Ill., required a victory in the non-qualifiers’ race to get a spot in the starting field; Sheppard turned down $3,000 to start the 100-lapper.

44th General Tire Dirt Track World Championship presented by ARP
Driver (car no.), hometown, chassis, earnings
1. Bobby Pierce (32), Oakwood, Ill., Longhorn, $100,000
2. Tim McCreadie (1), Watertown, N.Y., Rocket, $20,000
3. Ricky Thornton Jr. (20rt), Chandler, Ariz., Longhorn, $10,000
4. Devin Moran (99), Dresden, Ohio, Longhorn, $8,000
5. Max Blair (111), Centerville, Pa., Longhorn, $7,500
6. Josh Rice (11), Crittenden, Ky., Rocket, $7,000
7. Hudson O’Neal (71), Martinsville, Ind., Longhorn, $6,000
8. Ryan Gustin (19r), Marshalltown, Iowa, Infinity, $5,000
9. Kyle Bronson (40B), Brandon, Fla., Longhorn, $4,500
10. Daulton Wilson (18D), Fayetteville, N.C., Longhorn, $4,000
11. Mike Marlar (157), Winfield, Tenn., Longhorn, $3,500
12. Carson Ferguson (93), Lincolnton, N.C., Longhorn, $3,250
13. Garrett Alberson (58), Las Cruces, N.M., Longhorn, $3,000
14. Tristan Chamberlain (20tc), Richmond, Ind., Infinity, $2,750
15. Brandon Sheppard (B5), New Berlin, Ill., Longhorn, $2,700
16. Brenden Smith (17ss), Dade City, Fla., Rocket, $2,650
17. Cory Lawler (93), Hanover, Pa., Rocket, $2,600
18. Jonathan Davenport (49), Blairsville, Ga., Longhorn, $2,575
19. Ross Robinson (7), Georgetown, Del., Rocket, $2,550
20. Jimmy Owens (20), Newport, Tenn., Rocket, $2,525
21. Brandon Overton (76), Evans, Ga., Infinity, $2,500
22. Dale McDowell (17m), Chickamauga, Ga., Team Zero, $2,500
23. Clay Harris (6), Jupiter, Fla., Rocket, $2,500
24. Mason Zeigler (25z), Chalk Hill, Pa., Rocket, $2,500
25. James Rice (11r), Crittenden, Ky., Rocket, $2,500
26. Wil Herrington (15x), Hawkinsville, Ga., Rocket, $2,500
27. Drake Troutman (7), Hyndman, Pa., Longhorn, $2,500
28. Brian Shirley (3s), Chatham, Ill., Longhorn,, $2,500
29. Jordan Koehler (114), Mount Airy, N.C., Longhorn, $2,500
Lap leaders: McCreadie 1-2, 6-63, 65-83; Davenport 3-5, 64; Pierce 84-100
Fast qualifier (among 61 cars): McCreadie, 15.522 seconds
Heat race winners: McCreadie, Thornton, Davenport, Zeigler, Koehler, Marlar
Consolation winners: Overton, Robinson, Herrington
Provisional starters: Alberson, Harris, Smith, Lawler
Non-qualifiers’ race winner: Sheppard

Editor's note: Additional information provided by Aaron Clay; fixed Overton's chassis from Longhorn to Infinity

Feature lineup

(100 laps)

Row 1: Tim McCreadie, Mason Zeigler
Row 2: Ricky Thornton Jr., Jordan Koehler
Row 3: Jonathan Davenport, Mike Marlar
Row 4: Daulton Wilson, Dale McDowell
Row 5: Carson Ferguson, Drake Troutman
Row 6: Josh Rice, Brian Shirley
Row 7: Max Blair, Bobby Pierce
Row 8: James Rice, Ryan Gustin
Row 9: Hudson O’Neal, Devin Moran
Row 10: Brandon Overton, Ross Robinson
Row 11: Wil Herrington, Kyle Bronson
Row 12: Tristan Chamberlain, Jimmy Owens
Row 13: Garrett Alberson, Clay Harris
Row 14: Brenden Smith, Cory Lawler
Row 15: Brandon Sheppard

Non-qualifiers’ race results

Finish: Brandon Sheppard, Ethan Dotson, Tyler Carpenter, Dennis Erb Jr., Jason Jameson, Tyler Erb, Zack Dohm, Garrett Smith, Freddie Carpenter, Kody Evans, Daniel Hilsabeck, Tanner English, Brian Ruhlman, Mike Spatola, Jeff Babcock, Rich Bell, Clint Keenan, Carson Brown, Jerry Bowersock, Rob Anderzack, Devin Shiels, Nick Hoffman, Zack Mitchell, David Breazeale, Boom Briggs. Scratched: Shannon Babb.

Non-qualifiers’ race lineup

(25 laps; winner has option to tag feature)

Row 1: Jason Jameson, Zack Dohm
Row 2: Brandon Sheppard, Kody Evans
Row 3: Nick Hoffman, Boom Briggs
Row 4: Dennis Erb Jr., Mike Spatola
Row 5: Tyler Carpenter, Ethan Dotson
Row 6: Tyler Erb, Tanner English
Row 7: Freddie Carpenter, Daniel Hilsabeck
Row 8: Carson Brown, Garrett Smith
Row 9: Jerry Bowersock, Zack Mitchell
Row 10: Shannon Babb, Clint Keenan
Row 11: Devin Shiels, David Breazeale
Row 12: Rich Bell, Rob Anderzack
Row 13: Brian Ruhlman, Jeff Babcock

Consolation results

(12 laps; top two transfer)

First consolation: Brandon Overton, Kyle Bronson, Jason Jameson, Kody Evans, Dennis Erb Jr., Garrett Alberson, Tanner English, Daniel Hilsabeck, Jerry Bowersock, Clint Keenan, Rich Bell, Jeff Babcock, Donnie Jeschke, Cory Lawler, Clay Harris.

Second consolation: Ross Robinson, Tristan Chamberlain, Zack Dohm, Nick Hoffman, Mike Spatola, Ethan Dotson, Brenden Smith, Carson Brown, Zack Mitchell, Devin Shiels, Rob Anderzack, Evan Koehler, Jon Hodkiss, Brandon Moore.

Third consolation: Wil Herrington, Jimmy Owens, Brandon Sheppard, Boom Briggs, Tyler Carpenter, Tyler Erb, Freddie Carpenter, Garrett Smith, Shannon Babb, David Breazeale, Brian Ruhlman, Chad Green, Cory Workman. Scratched: Cory Hedgecock.

Pre-race notes

Saturday’s General Tire Dirt Track World Championship presented by ARP finale is being contested on a day that has brought clear, sunny skies with an afternoon high temperature reaching 70 degrees. No rain is in the forecast. … The original schedule of events for Saturday showed the DTWC 100-lapper running before the 25-lap Steel Block Late Model feature, but officials have flipped the order so the $100,000-to-win headliner ends the program. … The only former DTWC winner among the 18 drivers who transferred through Friday’s heat races was Lucas Oil Series points leader Ricky Thornton Jr. of Chandler, Ariz., who captured the race in 2021 at Portsmouth (Ohio) Raceway Park. … Ethan Dotson of Bakersfield, Calif., and the ASD Motorsports team contemplated pulling out of the pits after his problems in Friday’s heat — his car’s plastic body skirt ended up jamming into the right-rear suspension — left him with the 13th starting spot in the second consolation. They noticed a $5,000-to-win Super Late Model feature on Saturday night along their route home at 191 Speedway in Campton, Ky., but they decided to take shot at making the DTWC knowing they also have the $3,000-to-win non-qualifiers’ race to run. … Cory Hedgecock of Loudon, Tenn., who finished sixth in last month’s World 100, did scratch from further weekend action after he was knocked out of his heat by a scrape that bent his car’s right-rear hub. … Former racer Jerry Rice of Verona, Ky., stood in the pits on Saturday as a proud father after both his sons — James, 31, and Josh, 26 — qualified for the DTWC through Friday’s heats. The eldest Rice arrived late to the track on Friday, pulling into the parking lot just as James was pulling onto the speedway for his prelim; he watched the heat on the FloRacing live stream before signing in and entering the pits. … The Class of 2025 for the National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame was announced during Saturday’s prelims. They’ll be enshrined at next year’s North-South 100.

Consolation lineups

(12 laps; top two transfer)

First consolation
Row 1: Brandon Overton, Clay Harris
Row 2: Garrett Alberson, Kyle Bronson
Row 3: Tanner English, Kody Evans
Row 4: Daniel Hilsabeck, Dennis Erb Jr.
Row 5: Jason Jameson, Jerry Bowersock
Row 6: Cory Lawler, Jeff Babcock
Row 7: Donnie Jeschke, Rich Bell
Row 8: Clint Keenan
Second consolation
Row 1: Ross Robinson, Tristan Chamberlain
Row 2: Nick Hoffman, Zack Dohm
Row 3: Mike Spatola, Brenden Smith
Row 4: Devin Shiels, Evan Koehler
Row 5: Jon Hodgkiss, Rob Anderzack
Row 6: Brandon Moore, Carson Brown
Row 7: Ethan Dotson, Zack Mitchell
Third consolation
Row 1: Wil Herrington, Jimmy Owens
Row 2: Boom Briggs, Freddie Carpenter
Row 3: Brandon Sheppard, Shannon Babb
Row 4: Tyler Carpenter, Garrett Smith
Row 5: David Breazeale, Tyler Erb
Row 6: Chad Green, Brian Ruhlman
Row 7: Cory Hedgecock, Cory Workman

Heat race recap

Tim McCreadie overcame a mid-race restart and led all 10 laps to win the first heat race by 1.771 seconds over fourth-starting Daulton Wilson, who trailed McCradie the entire way. Fifth-starting Max Blair grabbed third on lap six and claimed the final transfer position into Saturday’s 44th annual Dirt Track World Championship; McCreadie will lead the field to green for the 100-lap feature. The race’s lone caution flew on lap four when sixth-running Jason Jameson shredded a right-rear tire at the exit of turn four. Jameson continued to finish eighth after changing the flat. … Ricky Thornton Jr. rolled to win heat two from the pole, winning by 4.023 seconds over Carson Ferguson, who pursued Thornton all 10 laps. Fourth-starting James Rice held off Clay Harris for the third and final transfer spot. … Jonathan Davenport used a lap-four restart to take control from Ethan Dotson and paced the final seven laps to win heat three by 2.382 seconds over Josh Rice. Davenport thought he won with a flat left-front tire, but it was failed power steering. Fifth-starting Hudson O’Neal finished third after taking the spot from Ross Robinson on lap six; Robinson settled for fourth, the first driver on the outside of a transfer spot. Third-starting Nick Hoffman faded to eighth after brushing the turn-four wall on the opening lap; he rebounded to finish fifth. The race’s first caution flew on lap four when Brandon Moore spun at the exit of turn two. Moore continued and placed ninth. The second stoppage came on lap six when Dotson slowed from fifth after the right-side body skirt and door supports were ripped free of the door, allowing them to get underneath his right-front tire. He was unable to continue and credited with 10th after leading the opening three laps. … Mason Zeigler staved off a turn-four charge by Dale McDowell, beating him to the checkers by a scant 0.025 of a second in a photo finish. Fourth-starting Bobby Pierce held third the entire way, grabbing the final transfer. Zeigler led all 10 circuits after his turn-three slider swept across Zack Mitchell’s nose on the opening lap, sending Mitchell spinning as they battled for the lead. Mitchell did not continue and was credited with 10th. … Jordan Koehler scored a flag-to-flag victory in heat five, winning by 0.975 of a second over fourth-starting Drake Troutman, who grabbed the runner-up spot on the lap-seven restart. Second-starting Ryan Gustin held on for third over a charging Wil Herrington. The race’s lone stoppage came on lap seven when Cory Hegecock slowed with a failed right-rear hub. He pulled straight to his trailer and called it a night. … Mike Marlar dominated the sixth and final heat race, leading all 10 laps from the pole and winning by 2.156 seconds over second-starting Brian Shirley, who reclaimed the runner-up spot from Devin Moran on lap four. Moran settled for third and will start 18th in Saturday’s main event.

Heat race results

(10 laps; top three transfer)

First heat: Tim McCreadie, Daulton Wilson, Max Blair, Brandon Overton, Garrett Alberson, Tanner English, Daniel Hilsabeck, Jason Jameson, Cory Lawler, Donnie Jeschke. Scratched: Clint Keenan.

Second heat: Ricky Thornton Jr., Carson Ferguson, James Rice, Clay Harris, Kyle Bronson, Kody Evans, Dennis Erb Jr., Jerry Bowersock, Jeff Babcock, Rich Bell.

Third heat: Jonathan Davenport, Josh Rice, Hudson O'Neal, Ross Robinson, Nick Hoffman, Mike Spatola, Devin Shiels, Jon Hodgkiss, Brandon Moore, Ethan Dotson.

Fourth heat: Mason Zeigler, Dale McDowell, Bobby Pierce, Tristan Chamberlain, Zack Dohm, Brenden Smith, Evan Koehler, Rob Anderzack, Carson Brown, Zack Mitchell.

Fifth heat: Jordan Koehler, Drake Troutman, Ryan Gustin, Wil Herrington, Boom Briggs, Brandon Sheppard, Tyler Carpenter, David Breazeale, Chad Green, Cory Hedgecock.

Sixth heat: Mike Marlar, Brian Shirley, Devin Moran, Jimmy Owens, Freddie Carpenter, Shannon Babb, Garrett Smith, Tyler Erb, Brian Ruhlman, Cory Workman.

Post-qualifying notes

After last year’s Dirt Track World Championship debut at Eldora was plagued by rainy weather — Friday’s action was called out, only time trials were run on Saturday and the heats, B-mains and 100-lap feature were pushed to Sunday — and brutal track conditions, this year’s weekend opened with spectacularly sunny skies and afternoon temperatures in the mid-60s. … The 61-car field is down one entry from last year’s turnout. … Wil Herrington of Hawkinsville, Ga., is behind the wheel of Maryland team owner Bruce Kane’s Rocket No. 15K, a car that Tennessee’s Jensen Ford drove to start the season and Maryland’s Jamie Lathroum has been piloting in recent months. Herrington is also running Kane’s Steel Block Late Model in the support division’s program. … Brandon Overton of Evans, Ga., has entered the same Infinity Chassis he debuted with a third-place finish at last month’s World 100 but he’s replaced its throwback No. 11 wrap with his familiar No. 76. … Championship contender Devin Moran of Dresden, Ohio, has a new look for his Double Down Motorsports machine with red colors dominating his scheme. … James Rice of Verona, Ky., is joining his younger brother Josh as a weekend competitor. The elder Rice, who is driving the Starrett Racing Rocket he’s campaigned throughout the season, has never entered a DTWC weekend but has attempted Eldora’s World 100 five times (most recently in 2022) and Dream on three occasions (not since ’15) without ever transferring to the main event. … David Breazeale of Four Corners, Miss., is making his first Eldora appearance since failing to qualify for the 2014 World 100, one of his three career starts at the half-mile oval. A first-time DTWC entrant, Breazeale will have to start at the rear of a heat race after losing his qualifying time because he failed to report to the scales. … Garrett Smith of Eatonton, Ga., who won the 2022 DTWC at Portsmouth (Ohio) Raceway Park, slapped the turn-three wall and didn’t log a qualifying lap. … With his fast time in the first qualifying group, Tim McCreadie of Watertown, N.Y., earned a 10-point bonus that improves his outside shot at overcoming Jonathan Davenport and Devin Moran to finish second in the Lucas Oil Series standings. If McCreadie wins the DTWC, he can grab the runner-up points spot with Davenport and Moran finishing 18th or worse. … Zack Mitchell of Enoree, S.C., who was the fastest qualifier in the second group of time trials driving his Coltman Farms Racing machine, is making his first-ever attempt at the DTWC. He’s competed just twice previously at Eldora, failing to qualify for the 2022 and ’24 World 100s.

Heat race lineups

(10 laps; top three transfer)

First heat
Row 1: Tim McCreadie, Brandon Overton
Row 2: Garrett Alberson, Daulton Wilson
Row 3: Max Blair, Jason Jameson
Row 4: Tanner English, Daniel Hilsabeck
Row 5: Donnie Jeschke, Cory Lawler
Row 6: Clint Keenan
Second heat
Row 1: Ricky Thornton Jr., Carson Ferguson
Row 2: Kyle Bronson, James Rice
Row 3: Kody Evans, Clay Harris
Row 4: Jeff Babcock, Jerry Bowersock
Row 5: Dennis Erb Jr., Rich Bell
Third heat
Row 1: Ethan Dotson, Josh Rice
Row 2: Nick Hoffman, Jonathan Davenport
Row 3: Hudson O’Neal, Ross Robinson
Row 4: Mike Spatola, Devin Shiels
Row 5: Jon Hodgkiss, Brandon Moore
Fourth heat
Row 1: Zack Mitchell, Mason Zeigler
Row 2: Dale McDowell, Bobby Pierce
Row 3: Tristan Chamberlain, Zack Dohm
Row 4: Carson Brown, Brenden Smith
Row 5: Evan Koehler, Rob Anderzack
Fifth heat
Row 1: Jordan Koehler, Ryan Gustin
Row 2: Cory Hedgecock, Drake Troutman
Row 3: Boom Briggs, Brandon Sheppard
Row 4: Tyler Carpenter, Wil Herrington
Row 5: Chad Green, David Breazeale
Sixth heat
Row 1: Mike Marlar, Brian Shirley
Row 2: Devin Moran, Jimmy Owens
Row 3: Tyler Erb, Freddie Carpenter
Row 4: Shannon Babb, Brian Ruhlman
Row 5: Cory Workman, Garrett Smith

Time trials

Group A
Driver (car no.), hometown, time (unofficial)
1. Tim McCreadie (1), Watertown, N.Y., 15.522
2. Ricky Thornton Jr. (20rt), Chandler, Ariz., 15.577
3. Ethan Dotson (74), Bakersfield, Calif., 15.598
4. Brandon Overton (76), Evans, Ga., 15.645
5. Carson Ferguson (93F), Lincolnton, N.C., 15.704
6. Josh Rice (11R), Verona, Ky., 15.730
7. Garrett Alberson (58), Las Cruces, N.M., 15.743
8. Kyle Bronson (40B), Brandon, Fla., 15.754
9. Nick Hoffman (9), Mooresville, N.C., 15.771
10. Daulton Wilson (18D), Fayetteville, N.C., 15.826
11. James Rice (11J), Crittenden, Ky., 15.872
12. Jonathan Davenport (49), Blairsville, Ga., 15.908
13. Max Blair (111), Centerville, Pa., 15.931
14. Kody Evans (4G), Camden, Ohio, 15.965
15. Hudson O’Neal (71), Martinsville, Ind., 15.977
16. Jason Jameson (12), Lawrenceburg, Ind., 16.006
17. Clay Harris (6), Jupiter, Fla., 16.031
18. Ross Robinson (7), Georgetown, Del., 16.034
19. Tanner English (96), Benton, Ky., 16.035
20. Jeff Babcock (7B), Wayne, Ohio, 16.073
21. Mike Spatola (89), Manhattan, Ill., 16.075
22. Daniel Hilsabeck (22), Earlham, Iowa, 16.121
23. Jerry Bowersock (95J), Wapakoneta, Ohio, 16.284
24. Devin Shiels (51), Britton, Mich., 16.355
25. Donnie Jeschke (99J), Dayton, Ohio, 16.561
26. Dennis Erb Jr. (28), Carpentersville, Ill., 16.597
27. Jon Hodgkiss (69), Pittsburgh, Pa., 16.628
28. Cory Lawler (93), Hanover, Pa., 16.658
29. Rich Bell (21B), Sheffield, Ill., 16.759
30. Brandon Moore (39), Fostoria, Ohio, 17.192
31. Clint Keenan (29), Pataskala, Ohio, no time
Group B
1. Zack Mitchell (57), Enoree, S.C., 15.559
2. Jordan Koehler (114), Mount Airy, N.C., 15.613
3. Mike Marlar (157), Winfield, Tenn., 15.629
4. Mason Zeigler (25z), Chalk Hill, Pa., 15.678
5. Ryan Gustin (19R), Marshalltown, Iowa, 15.719
6. Brian Shirley (3s), Chatham, Ill., 15.752
7. Dale McDowell (17m), Chickamauga, Ga., 15.824
8. Cory Hedgecock (23), Loudon, Tenn., 15.840
9. Devin Moran (99), Dresden, Ohio, 15.863
10. Bobby Pierce (32P), Oakwood, Ill., 15.899
11. Drake Troutman (7T), Hyndman, Pa., 15.919
12. Jimmy Owens (20), Newport, Tenn., 15.937
13. Tristan Chamberlain (20tc), Richmond, Ind., 15.943
14. Boom Briggs (99B), Bear Lake, Pa., 15.947
15. Tyler Erb (1T), New Waverly, Texas, 15.962
16. Zack Dohm (17D), Cross Lanes, W.Va., 15.973
17. Brandon Sheppard (B5), New Berlin, Ill., 15.989
18. Freddie Carpenter (c4), Parkersburg, W.Va., 16.086
19. Carson Brown (28B), New London, N.C., 16.206
20. Tyler Carpenter (28c), Parkersburg, W.Va., 16.239
21. Shannon Babb (18), Moweaqua, Ill., 16.252
22. Brenden Smith (17ss), Dade City, Fla., 16.253
23. Wil Herrington (15x), Hawkinsville, Ga., 16.300
24. Brian Ruhlman (49x), Clark Lake, Mich., 16.597
25. Evan Koehler (11k), Mount Airy, N.C., 16.776
26. Chad Green (88), Flemington, W.Va., 17.031
27. Cory Workman (w1), Gratiot, Ohio, 17.160
28. Rob Anderzack (8), Swanton, Ohio, 17.307
29. David Breazeale (54), Four Corners, Miss., disqualified
30. Garrett Smith (10s), Eatonton, Ga., no time

Friday’s schedule

7-11 a.m. - Breakfast (turn four concession building)
9 a.m. - Ticket office opens, racer registration opens
10 a.m. - Pits open
11 a.m. - Late Model and Limited Late Model technical inspection
2 p.m. - Grandstands open
4:15 p.m. - Drivers’ meeting
5 p.m. - On-track activity begins
- Limited Late Model hot laps
- Late Model hot laps
- Limited Late Model time trials (2 laps)
- Late Model time trials (2 laps)
- Modified hot laps
Opening ceremonies
- Late Model heats (8 laps)
- Limited Late Model heats (8 laps)
- Modified feature (30 laps)
- Limited Late Model consolations (if necessary)

Saturday’s schedule

7-11 a.m. - Breakfast (turn four concession building)
11 a.m. - Ticket office opens, racer registration opens
Noon - All gates open
3 p.m. - Outreach service (fan zone barn)
4 p.m. - Driver autograph session (fan zone barn)
5:15 p.m. - Drivers’ meeting (victory stage)
6 p.m. - On-track activity begins
- Late Model (B-main locked-in) hot laps
- Limited Late Model (A-main locked-in) hot laps
Opening ceremonies
- Late Model consolations (10 laps)
- Late Model (A-main locked-in) hot laps
- Late Model non-qualifier (25 laps)
- Limited Late Model feature (25 laps)
- 44th annual Dirt Track World Championship (100 laps)
Postrace ceremonies

Feature lineup

Row 1: McCreadie, Zeigler
Row 2: Thornton, J. Koehler
Row 3: Davenport, Marlar
Row 4: Wilson, McDowell
Row 5: Ferguson, Troutman
Row 6: Jo. Rice, Shirley
Row 7: Blair, Pierce
Row 8: Ja. Rice, Gustin
Row 9: O'Neal, Moran
Row 10: Overton, Robinson
Row 11: Herrington, Bronson
Row 12: Chamberlain, Owens
Row 13: Alberson, Harris
Row 14: Smith, Lawler
Row 15: Sheppard

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