Dirt on Dirt - RTJ powers from ninth in Friday's Gateway prelim

December 5

The Dome at America's Center,

St. Louis, MO

Sanction: Unsanctioned Supers (Gateway Dirt Nationals second prelim) - $10,000

Information provided by: Kevin Kovac, Aaron Clay and track reports (last updated December 5, 11:24 pm)

RTJ powers from ninth in Friday's Gateway prelim

Gateway Dirt Nationals second prelim

Ricky Thornton Jr.
Mark Whitener
Brenden Smith
Zack Dohm
Dan Ebert
Jonathan Davenport
Josh Rice
Clay Harris
Jake Timm
Devin Gilpin
Carson Hocevar
Donald McIntosh
Drake Troutman
Wil Herrington
Kyle Bronson
Tanner English
Hudson O'Neal
Tyler Carpenter

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Ricky Thornton Jr. and his Anthony Burroughs-led crew in Gateway victory lane.

What won the race: Rising above the chaos from the ninth-starting spot, Ricky Thornton Jr. of Chandler, Ariz., powered around racelong leader Mark Whitener on the lap-17 restart and never let up for Friday's prelim victory at the Kubota Gateway Dirt Nationals presented by O'Reilly Auto Parts inside The Dome at America's Center. Thornton pocketed $10,000 in topping Whitener by 4.097 seconds.

Quotable: "I figured I'd throw a slider — I felt like got off two OK. I made sure he didn't let him slide me back, but, man, I felt like there for a while I was riding around in the middle, bottom, around the top," Thornton said in victory lane. "Those restarts, everyone just tried to kill each other getting into turn one. ... When I got second, I was like, 'Hell, if have a shot, we got to at least go for the win.'"

Key notes: It was Thornton's 19th Dirt Late Model victory of 2025 and first since reuniting with crew chief Anthony Burroughs and general mechanic Justin Tharp who were both on his 34-win team with SSI Motorsports in 2023. ... Mark Whitener of Middleburg, Fla., paced the opening 16 laps until giving way to Thornton on the lap-17 restart. ... Hudson O’Neal of Martinsville, Ind., battled Whitener for the lead until contact in the lead battle cut down his right-rear tire, forcing him to pull off the fifth-mile racetrack on lap 13. … A lap later, the battle for second pitting Floridians Brenden Smith and Kyle Bronson went awry when Smith’s slider attempt triggered Bronson to spin into the outside wall. A noticeably frustrated Bronson emerged from his car and walked to Smith’s race car under the red flag to vent his displeasure. … Drake Troutman of Hyndman, Pa., was one spot out of a lock-in position for Saturday’s main event until his left-rear tire went flat during the lap-17 caution period following contact from Donald McIntosh. … Four cautions slowed the 25-lap main event: the first on lap six for debris; lap 14 for Bronson’s wreck after a fierce battle with Smith for second went awry. Sixth-running Josh Rice clipped Bronson’s car in the incident, but the Kentucky driver was able to continue; lap 16 for 14th-running Carson Hocevar and lap 17 for fifth-running Donald McIntosh and eighth-running Wil Herrington. ... Joseph Joiner suffered engine failure in hot laps and loaded up for the weekend. ... Garrett Alberson and Mike Marlar suffered heavy damage in qualifying, but both are expected to continue, with Alberson patching up his 1990s-style throwback Late Model and Marlar hopping aboard his brother Skylar's No. 257 machine. ... Myles Moos scratched for the weekend after mechanical issues in qualifying. ... The three-day event kicked off when Bobby Pierce led the final 22 laps to win Thursday's $10,000 opener (up from $5,000-to-win last year). … The Best Appearing Car Awards will pay $1,000 apiece for Late Models and modifieds, which are on the undercard nightly. … The event allows Late Model drivers to use multiple tire brands. … Watch live on FloRacing.

On the move: Jonathan Davenport of Blairsville, Ga., started 15th and finished sixth.

Winner's sponsors: Thornton’s Koehler Motorsports Longhorn Chassis is powered by a Cornett Racing Engine and carries sponsorship from Coltman Farms Racing, Hoker Trucking, Capital Waste, Excel Floor Covering, Five Star Metal Buildings, Ultimate Towing, FK Rod Ends, Dynamic Drivelines, Ultrashield Race Products, Sharp Advantage Safety Products, Winning Edge Carburetion, Sunoco Race Fuels, Bilstein Shocks, Midwest Sheet Metal and EMD Wraps.

Who to watch: Ricky Thornton Jr. of Chandler, Ariz., chases his first Late Model victory at The Dome.

Car count: 61

Fast qualifier: Josh Rice

Time: 11.523 seconds

Polesitter: Mark Whitener

Heat race winners: Josh Rice, Brenden Smith, Hudson O'Neal, Kyle Bronson, Mark Whitener, Drake Troutman

Consolation race winners: Wil Herrington, Donald McIntosh

Next series race: December 6, The Dome at America's Center (St. Louis, MO) $70,000

Editor's note: Results and race details are unofficial.

From staff reports

ST. LOUIS, Mo. (Dec. 5) — Updates and results from Friday’s Gateway Dirt Nationals second preliminary night, highlighted by a 25-lap, $10,000-to-win Super Late Model feature (results unofficial):

Feature

Rising above the chaos from the ninth-starting spot, Ricky Thornton Jr. of Chandler, Ariz., powered around racelong leader Mark Whitener on the lap-17 restart and never let up for Friday's prelim victory at the Kubota Gateway Dirt Nationals presented by O'Reilly Auto Parts inside The Dome at America's Center. Thornton pocketed $10,000 in topping Whitener by 4.097 seconds.

Feature lineup

(25 laps)

Row 1: Mark Whitener, Hudson O'Neal
Row 2: Kyle Bronson, Drake Troutman
Row 3: Josh Rice, Brenden Smith
Row 4: Dan Ebert, Tanner English
Row 5: Ricky Thornton Jr., Zack Dohm
Row 6: Tyler Carpenter, Clay Harris
Row 7: Wil Herrington, Donald McIntosh
Row 8: Jonathan Davenport, Jake Timm
Row 9: Carson Hocevar, Devin Gilpin

Consolation results

(10 laps, top three transfer)

First B-main: Wil Herrington, Jonathan Davenport, Carson Hocevar, Steve Sheppard Jr., Devon Morgan, Gordy Gundaker, Dylan Knowles, Greg Kimmons, Jimmy Owens, Rusty Schlenk, Austin Howes, Bree Whittmore.

Second B-main: Donald McIntosh, Jake Timm, Devin Gilpin, Jeffrey Ledford, Chase Osterhoff, Cody Bauer, Kylan Garner, Jody Knowles, Mike Marlar, Brock Pinkerous, Jayme Zidar, Evan Koehler.

Heat recap

In his final weekend with car owner Rick Jones, Josh Rice of Crittendon, Ky., cruised to the victory in the first heat race. … An aggressive slider from Dan Ebert catapulted him past Jonathan Davenport for the final transfer spot in the first heat. On the very next corner, Davenport nearly spun into the infield following contact from Wil Herrington and Ryan Unzicker. Davenport managed to hang onto third, which starts him on the pole of the first B-main. … Debris off Jordan Barbee’s machine drew the first caution in the opening heat and a spinning Brent Robinson drew the second caution. … Brenden Smith of Dade City, Fla., starts his tenure with JCM Motorsports impressively by holding off Ricky Thornton Jr. of Chandler, Ariz., to win the second heat. … A spinning Lance Brasington of Lexington, S.C., drew the caution on the opening lap of the second heat. … Hudson O’Neal of Martinsville, Ind., shot around Tyler Carpenter of Parkersburg, W.Va., on the fourth circuit for the victory in the third heat. … Parker Gilbertson of Watson, Minn., and Greg Kimmons of Pleasant Plains, Ill., tangled on the opening lap battling for eighth. … Third-running Jimmy Owens of Newport, Tenn., spun racing Tyler Carpenter for second with three laps remaining in the third heat. A lap later, Bob Gardner of East Peoria, Ill., and Bree Whittmore of McMinnville, Tenn., tangled battling for eighth. … Chad Zobrist, Eli Johnson and Gilbertson wrecked coming to the checkers in the third heat. … Fourth-starting Kyle Bronson of Brandon, Fla., snuck around pole-starting Tanner English for the victory in the fourth heat. … English held off his new Coltman Farms Racing teammate Donald McIntosh for the final transfer spot. … Fifth-running Patrik Daniel of Wills Point, Texas, needed a tow after plowing into the wall on the third lap when he ran out of room on the outside of a three-wide battle. … Mark Whitener of Middleburg, Fla., triumphed in the fifth heat over Zack Dohm of Cross Lanes, W.Va., Brock Pinkerous of Ellinville, N.Y., started from the pole but was involved in a pair of incidents, the first running fourth on lap five and the second on the lap-five restart … Pinkerous, Amelia Eisenschenk and Jason Riggs tangled on lap five and Eisenschenk was collected in another wreck following contact from Chase Osterhoff, which piled up Garrett Alberson, Pinkerous and Riggs on the lap-five restart. … Alberson of Las Cruces, N.M., had another rough go-around in the fifth heat race drawing the first caution in the fifth heat when debris fell off his race car after striking the wall and being collected in two more incidents, including a tangle with Jody Knowles crossing the finish line battling for sixth. … Drake Troutman of Hyndman, Pa., emerged without a scratch on his Team No. 22 Inc. race machine to win the sixth heat race comfortably. … Clay Harris of Jupiter City, Fla., scrapped his way around Kylan Garner of Neosho, Mo., for the final transfer spot. … Brandon Overton of Evans, Ga., spun on the second lap of the sixth heat and didn't continue. ... It took 65 minutes to complete six heat races.

Heat results

(Eight laps; top two transfer)

First heat: Josh Rice, Dan Ebert, Jonathan Davenport, Wil Herrington, Austin Howes, Gordy Gundaker, Ryan Unzicker, Brennon Willard, Jordan Barbee, Brent Robinson. DNS: Joseph Joiner.

Second heat: Brenden Smith, Ricky Thornton Jr., Carson Hocevar, Steve Sheppard Jr., Dylan Knowles, Rusty Schlenk, Jason Welshan, Manny Falcon, Derek Fetter, Lance Brasington.

Third heat: Hudson O'Neal, Tyler Carpenter, Devon Morgan, Greg Kimmons Jimmy Owens, Bree Whittmore, Eli Johnson, Chad Zobrist, Parker Gilbertson, Bob Gardner.

Fourth heat: Kyle Bronson, Tanner English, Donald McIntosh, Devin Gilpin, Evan Koehler, Jayme Zidar, Dakota Smith, Lucas Lowery, Kyle Steffans, Patrik Daniel.

Fifth heat: Mark Whitener, Zack Dohm, Jake Timm, Chase Osterhoff, Brock Pinkerous, Jody Knowles, Garrett Alberson, Jason Riggs, Amelia Eisenschenk. DNS: Myles Moos

Sixth heat: Drake Troutman, Clay Harris, Kylan Garner, Jeffrey Ledford, Cody Bauer, Mike Marlar, Rusty Griffaw, Jon Woods, James Trantina III, Brandon Overton.

Time trials

Group A
Driver (car no.), hometown
Josh Rice (11R), Crittenden, Ky., 11.523
Brenden Smith (19M), Dade City, Fla., 11.690
Hudson O'Neal (71), Martinsville, Ind., 11.749
Jonathan Davenport (49), Blairsville, Ga., 11.772
Ricky Thornton Jr (20RT), Chandler, Ariz., 11.781
Tyler Carpenter (28), Parkersburg, W.Va., 11.798
Wil Herrington (14), Hawkinsville, Ga., 11.824
Steve Sheppard Jr (5S), New Berlin, Ill., 11.846
Eli Johnson (55E), Clewiston, Fla., 11.880
Dan Ebert (99E), Lake Shore, Minn., 11.950
Carson Hocevar (77), Portage, Mich., 11.951
Jimmy Owens (20), Newport, Tenn., 11.962
Austin Howes (17A), Lewistown, Mo., 11.979
Dylan Knowles (66K), Lanett, Ala., 11.990
Devon Morgan (21), Greenville, S.C., 11.994
Ryan Unzicker (24), El Paso, Ill., 12.001
Manny Falcon (995), Pine Grove, La., 12.060
Chad Zobrist (78), Highland, Ill., 12.082
Brent Robinson (3R), Smithfield, Va., 12.109
Rusty Schlenk (91), McClure, Ohio, 12.121
Greg Kimmons (27K), Pleasant Plains, Ill., 12.173
Gordy Gundaker (11G), St. Charles, Mo., 12.187
Jason Welshan (29), Maryville, Tenn., 12.203
Bob Gardner (4G), Washington, Ill., 12.217
Brennon Willard (3W), Lebanon, Mo., 12.251
Derek Fetter (32F), Troy, Mo., 12.342
Parker Gilbertson (23JR), Watson, Minn., 12.419
Jordan Barbee (2B), Tulsa, Okla., 12.574
Lance Brasington (11B), Lexington, S.C., 12.974
Bree Whittmore (22), McMinnville, Tenn., 13.011
Joseph Joiner (10J), Milton, Fla., no time
Group B
Tanner English (96), Benton, Ky., 11.652
Brock Pinkerous (555), Ellenville, N.Y., 11.799
Drake Troutman (22*), Hyndman, Pa., 11.851
Donald McIntosh (7), Dawsonville, Ga., 12.025
Mark Whitener (5W), Middleburg, Fla., 12.060
Kylan Garner (128), Neosho, Mo., 12.085
Patrik Daniel (75), Wills Point, Texas, 12.138
Jody Knowles (66), Tyrone, Ga., 12.177
Brandon Overton (76), Evans, Ga., 12.183
Kyle Bronson (40B), Brandon, Fla., 12.212
Zack Dohm (17), Cross Lanes, W.Va., 12.264
James Trantina III (19T), St. Joseph, Minn., 12.265
Evan Koehler (114), Mount Airy, N.C., 12.273
Myles Moos (84), Lincoln, Ill., 12.284
Clay Harris (6), Jupiter, Fla., 12.300
Devin Gilpin (1G), Columbus, Ind., 12.325
Amelia Eisenschenk (1), Fargo, N.D., 12.336
Jeffrey Ledford (8L), Pontiac, Ill., 12.347
Jayme Zidar (9Z), Hales Corners, Wis., 12.382
Jake Timm (49T), Winona, Minn., 12.412
Rusty Griffaw (16), Festus, Mo., 12.456
Dakota Smith (B89), Tullos, La., 12.532
Chase Osterhoff (130), Kankakee, Ill., 12.614
Cody Bauer (19X), Lake, Mich., 12.692
Kyle Steffens (8), St. Charles, Mo., 12.765
Jason Riggs (81), College Grove, Tenn., 13.005
Jon Woods (111), Patoka, Ind., 13.235
Lucas Lowery (19), Dyersburg, Tenn., 13.332
Garrett Alberson (58), Las Cruces, N.M., no time
Mike Marlar (157), Winfield, Tenn., no time

Friday’s schedule

(All times local)
10 a.m. - Registration and credentials open
11 a.m. - Pits open, technical inspection begins
11 a.m. - Fuel storage and fueling lane opens (Cole Street docks)
1 p.m. - Drivers’ meeting
2 p.m. - Grandstands open
3 p.m. - On-track activity
- Late Model hot laps
- Late Model time trials (2 laps)
- Modified group qualifying
5 p.m. - Opening ceremonies
- Late Model heats (8 laps)
- Modified heats (8 laps)
- Late Model consolations (10 laps)
- Modified consolations (8 laps)
Pit stop challenge
Feature events
- Late Models (25 laps)
- Modifieds (20 laps)
(Pit area cleared, closes one hour after final checkered flag)