What won the race: Fighting off challenges from a slightly aggrieved Cody Overton and charging Tanner English, leading series rookie Dylan Thornton of Orcutt, Calif., led all but one lap Sunday in the MARS Championship Series return to Belle-Clair Speedway for a $5,000 victory. The second-starting Thornton's second career MARS triumph came by 0.523 of a second over the third-starting English, who briefly slid in front of Thornton amid contact to lead the 10th lap before Thornton went back out front with a wrinkled front end.

Quotable: "It was really hard to drive. The bumper and the fender and everything smashed in the tire. I couldn't hardly turn the wheel to the righ, so that was quite exhausting," Thornton said. "This is a really cool place. I never got to come to the old one and when we looked at the place today it looked very unique and interesting, and it turned out pretty cool."

Key notes: Dylan Thornton's first MARS victory came Aug. 8 at Macon (Ill.) Speedway. ... Thornton's three-race MARS weekend began on his lid at Benton (Mo.) Speedway, but ended in victory lane at Belle-Clair. ... Runner-up Tanner English narrowly led the 10th lap when he slid in front of Thornton in turn four. Thornton nosed into English's car and sustained front-end damage but slipped right back round English in sticking with the high side all race long. ... Overton, who started on the second row with English, took second from him on the 28th lap and held the position until the final lap, when English's slide job in turns three and four carried him back into second. ... Polesitter Wil Herrington retired with a flat tire while running fifth after 19 laps. ... Two midrace cautions slowed the race, the first for on the 20th lap when Glen Powell and Lee Williams tangled. ... On the ensuing restart, Rodney Melvin and Jake Little made turn-two contact that sent Little around for a scramble that involved Jason Feger and Jeffrey Ledford. ... The 17-minute feature concluded at 8:50 p.m. ... In prelims, Overton won the first heat despite losing his left-side doorpanel after contact from Thornton. The team replaced the panel with a duct-taped DILLY 38, taking a not-so-veiled shot at Thornton in using his nickname and number (the two also made contact in turn four with 11 laps remaining in the feature). Overton said after the race the message was all in fun and there were no hard feelings. ... The event was the first Late Model race at the newly rebuilt quarter-mile oval, a replacement the vintage fifth-mile fairgrounds circuit that closed in 2019. ... St. Louis Screw & Bolt sponsored the action.

On the move: Ryan Unzicker of El Paso, Ill., started 14th and finished sixth.

Winner's sponsors: Thornton’s Ricky and Brenda Kay-owned Longhorn Chassis is powered by a HalaBuilt Competition Engine and carries sponsorship from Petersen Insurance, Salty’s BBQ and Catering, Kay Farms Elevator Trucking, Hoker Trucking, Pit Crew BBQ, Malvern Bank, Drake Excavating & Aggregates, Tyler Matzen Trucking, Vander Heiden Hauling & Farming, Wheatland Auto Body, Bilstein Shocks, Hyperco, Wyffels Hybrids, Performance Bodies, Dynamic Drivelines and Capital Race Decals.

Points chase: After Belle-Clair: 1. Ryan Unzicker (952); 2. Jason Feger (865); 3. Dylan Thornton (844); 4. Daniel Adam (688); 5. Bob Gardner (671).

Current weather: Clear, 84°F

Car count: 30

Fast qualifier: Dylan Thornton

Time: 13.338 seconds

Polesitter: Wil Herrington

Heat race winners: Cody Overton, Wil Herrington, Billy Moyer

Consolation race winners: Bob Gardner

Provisional starters: Tony Wolf, Lee Williams

Next series race: September 3, La Salle Speedway (La Salle, IL) $5,000