Dirt on Dirt - RaceWire

October 30

Portsmouth Raceway Park,

Portsmouth, OH

Sanction: Valvoline American Late Model Iron-Man Series (Halloween Nationals prelim) - $10,000

Information provided by: Track reports (last updated October 31, 3:30 am)

RTJ tops Hoffman on late restart at Portsmouth

Halloween Nationals prelim

Ricky Thornton Jr.
Josh Rice
Drake Troutman
Nick Hoffman
Jason Jameson
Dustin Sorensen
Michael Chilton
Tristan Chamberlain
Ryan Montgomery
Eddie Carrier Jr.
Levi Yetter
Colten Burdette
R.J. Conley
Tyler Erb
Adam Stricker
Miles Cook II
Rod Conley
Justin Cooper
Seth Daniels
Kevin Wagner
Mike Benedum

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Ricky Thornton Jr. (20rt) slides by Nick Hoffman (9) on a late restart.

What won the race: Sliding by Nick Hoffman in turn three just after a lap-25 restart following Tyler Erb's flat tire, fourth-starting Ricky Thornton Jr. of Chandler, Ariz., led the final six circuits of Friday's 30-lap Halloween Nationals prelim for a $10,000 victory on the Valvoline American Late Model Iron-Man Series at Portsmouth Raceway Park. Thornton pulled away in the final laps and won by more than two seconds over seventh-starting Josh Rice for his second career Iron-Man Series victory and fifth straight feature win in consecutive starts.

Quotable: "You never want to see a competitor get a flat (tire), let alone Terbo leading. Obviously he had a little better car than we did, he put himself in position, just unfortunate luck for him. I definitely know how that goes this year," Thornton said. "It felt like our car was really good from the get go. I moved up and got back by (Josh) Rice and I’m like ‘Man, I’m driving way too hard right now,’ so I slowed myself back down, moved to the bottom and just kept saving."

Key notes: Thornton earned his fifth feature victory in consecutive starts, dating back to Oct. 9's Lucas Oil-sanctioned prelim at Ohio's Eldora Speedway, earning more than $175,000 over that span. ... It's his second career Iron-Man win and first since last year's Earl Baltes Classic at Eldora. ... Thornton notched his 13th overall feature win of the season and fifth career Portsmouth victory, his first since Sept. 15, 2023, in Lucas Oil action. ... Second-starting Tyler Erb fired off the outside front row and led all but one of the opening 23 laps before slowing with a flat right-rear tire to trigger the race's second caution; Erb rallied to a 14th-place result after pitting. ... Nick Hoffman edged Erb to lead the 16th lap then led lap 24 after Erb slowed with his deflated right rear; Hoffman gave way to Thornton on the lap-25 restart then lost second to Josh Rice as they raced towards the white flag, allowing Drake Troutman to take third while Hoffman settled for fourth. ... Rice overcame Troutman's turn-one slide job attempt on the final lap in claiming runner-up honors. ... Mike Benedum was credited 21st as the race's first retiree after his time trial lap was disallowed when he was light at the scales; Benedum scratched from prelim action and utilized a provisional starting position. ... In addition to Erb's flat tire, the race was slowed two times, first when the initial start was called back. ... A 'computer glitch' was cited as the cause of the third and final stoppage on lap 28. ... The 30-lap prelim lasted 17 minutes. ... Shannon Thornsberry scratched from the second heat race. ... Travis Carr scratched after time trials. ... The two-day Halloween Nationals concludes with Saturday's 60-lap, $50,000-to-win finale.

On the move: Runner-up Josh Rice of Crittenden, Ky., started seventh.

Winner's sponsors: Thornton’s Koehler Motorsports Longhorn Chassis is sponsored by Knight’s Companies, Hoker Trucking, Capital Waste, Certified Inspection Service, Coltman Farms Racing, Elite Ready Mix, Five Star Metal Buildings, D&E Outside Services, SI Towing & Recovery, Velocity Manufacturing Group, Jones Racing Products, Bilstein Shocks, Sunoco Race Fuels, Hoosier Tire South, Henry’s Headers & Exhaust, High Performance Lubricants, Strange Oval, Sharp Advantage Safety Products, DirtCarLift, Midwest Sheet Metal and Slicker Graphics.

Points chase: Before Portsmouth Friday: 1. Colten Burdette (1,278); 2. Rod Conley (1,150); 3. Miles Cook II (1,047); 4. Seth Daniels (983); 5. Travis Carr (863).

Current weather: Clear, 63°F

Car count: 34

Fast qualifier: Nick Hoffman

Time: 14.784 seconds

Polesitter: Nick Hoffman

Heat race winners: Nick Hoffman, Drake Troutman, Tyler Erb, Ricky Thornton Jr.

Consolation race winners: Eddie Carrier Jr., Justin Cooper

Provisional starters: Miles Cook II, R.J. Conley, Mike Benedum

Next series race: October 31, Portsmouth Raceway Park (Portsmouth, OH) $50,000

Editor's note: Corrects feature length to 30 laps (sted 40); updates time trial results with Benedum's DQ.

From staff reports

PORTSMOUTH, Ohio — Updates from Friday’s Halloween Nationals preliminary night at Portsmouth Raceway Park, featuring a 30-lap, $10,000-to-win feature for Valvoline American Late Model Iron-Man Series-sanctioned Super Late Models (results unofficial):

Feature

Sliding by Nick Hoffman in turn three just after a lap-25 restart following Tyler Erb's flat tire, fourth-starting Ricky Thornton Jr. of Chandler, Ariz., led the final six circuits of Friday's 30-lap Halloween Nationals prelim for a $10,000 victory on the Valvoline American Late Model Iron-Man Series at Portsmouth Raceway Park. Thornton pulled away in the final laps and won by more than two seconds over seventh-starting Josh Rice for his second career Iron-Man Series victory and fifth straight feature win in consecutive starts.

Feature lineup

(30 laps)

Row 1: Nick Hoffman, Tyler Erb
Row 2: Drake Troutman, Ricky Thornton Jr.
Row 3: Dustin Sorensen, Tristan Chamberlain
Row 4: Josh Rice, Ryan Montgomery
Row 5: Jason Jameson, Michael Chilton
Row 6: Seth Daniels, Colten Burdette
Row 7: Eddie Carrier Jr., Justin Cooper
Row 8: Adam Stricker, Kevin Wagner
Row 9: Levi Yetter, Rod Conley
Row 10: Miles Cook II, R.J. Conley
Row 11: Mike Benedum

Consolation race results

(Eight laps; top three transfer)

First consolation: Eddie Carrier Jr., Adam Stricker, Levi Yetter, Kyle Hardy, R.J. Conley, Kirk Phillips, Breyton Santee, Billie Haager, Shannon Thornsberry, Kenneth Howell. Scratched: Travis Carr.

Second consolation: Justin Cooper, Kevin Wagner, Rod Conley, Josh Bocook, Miles Cook II, Avery Taylor, Eric Wilson, Kyle Bond, Evyian Terry, Austin Mullett. Scratched: Mike Benedum.

Heat race results

(Eight laps; top three transfer)

First heat: Nick Hoffman, Dustin Sorensen, Jason Jameson, Adam Stricker, R.J. Conley, Kyle Hardy, Kirk Phillips, Breyton Santee. Scratched: Travis Carr.

Second heat: Drake Troutman, Josh Rice, Seth Daniels, Eddie Carrier Jr., Levi Yetter, Kenneth Howell, Billie Haager. Scratched: Shannon Thornsberry.

Third heat: Tyler Erb, Tristan Chamberlain, Michael Chilton, Kevin Wagner, Kyle Bond, Miles Cook II, Eric Wilson, Evyian Terry. Scratched: Mike Benedum.

Fourth heat: Ricky Thornton Jr., Ryan Montgomery, Colten Burdette, Justin Cooper, Rod Conley, Josh Bocook, Avery Taylor, Austin Mullett

Time trials

Group A
Driver (car no.), hometown, time (unofficial)

Nick Hoffman (9), Mooresville, N.C., 14.784
Drake Troutman (5), Hyndman, Pa., 14.972
Adam Stricker (c7), Batavia, Ohio, 15.110
Seth Daniels (s21), Jackson, Ohio, 15.252
Dustin Sorenson (19), Rochester, Minn., 15.258
Levi Yetter (10*), Saxonburg, Pa., 15.286
Jason Jameson (12), Lawrenceburg, Ind., 15.289
Josh Rice (11), Crittenden, Ky., 15.330
Breyton Santee (9), Conneaut, Ohio, 15.336
Eddie Carrier Jr. (75), Salt Rock, W.Va., 15.428
Kirk Phillips (21), Ashland, Ky., 15.693
Shannon Thornsberry (17), Martin, Ky., 15.708
R.J. Conley (71C), Wheelersburg, Ohio, 15.764
Kenneth Howell (21), Inez, Ky., 15.888
Kyle Hardy (99), Stephens City, Va., 15.912
Billie Haager (147), Lynn, Ind., 15.972
Travis Carr (6), Stoutsville, Ohio, 27.152

Group B

Tyler Erb (1), New Waverly, Texas, 14.987
Ricky Thornton Jr. (20rt), Chandler, Ariz., 15.291
Tristan Chamberlain (20tc), Richmond, Ind., 15.309
Justin Cooper (00), Wheelersburg, Ohio, 15.326
Michael Chilton (11), Salvisa, Ky., 15.386
Ryan Montgomery (12m), Fairmont, W.Va., 15.395
Kyle Bond (10), Guysville, Ohio, 15.590
Colten Burdette (53c), Parkersburg, W.Va., 15.907
Eric Wilson (217), Vienna, Ohio, 15.915
Rod Conley (71R), Wheelersburg, Ohio, 16.007
Avery Taylor (159), South Shore, Ky., 16.130
Kevin Wagner (33), Wheelersburg, Ohio, 16.177
Miles Cook II (18), Wheelersburg, Ohio, 16.260
Josh Bocook (B1), Wheelersburg, Ohio, 16.404
Evyian Terry (58), Catlettsburg, Ky. , 16.902
Austin Mullett (73B), Louisa, Ky., 17.355
Mike Benedum (25), Salem, W.Va., disqualified

Friday’s schedule

(All times local)
3 p.m. - Pits open
5 p.m. - Grandstands open
6:30 p.m. - Drivers’ meeting
7 p.m. - On-track activity
- Late Model hot laps
- Modified group qualifying
- Late Model time trials (2 laps)
- Sport mod group qualifying
Opening ceremonies
- Late Model heats (8 laps)
- Modified heats (8 laps)
- Late Model consolations (10 laps)
- Sport mod heats (8 laps)
Intermission/track prep
- Modified consolations (10 laps)
Feature events
- Late Models (30 laps)
- Modifieds (20 laps)