Dirt on Dirt - RaceWire

August 6

Florence Speedway,

Union, KY

Sanction: Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series (North-South 100 Thursday second semifeature) - $6,000

Information provided by: Kevin Kovac, series and track reports (last updated August 6, 11:58 pm)

Marlar tops Overton in second Florence semi

North-South 100 Thursday second semifeature

Mike Marlar
Brandon Overton
Hudson O'Neal
Kyle Bronson
Jonathan Davenport
Drake Troutman
Carson Ferguson
Tyler Erb
Ricky Thornton Jr.
Zack Dohm
Jason Jameson
Dillon McCowan
Brian Shirley
Adam Stricker
Ryan Montgomery
Derek Groomer
Michael Leach
Michael Chilton
Todd Morrow
Tyler Millwood
Blake Creech
Jake O'Neil
Brenden Smith
Kaede Loudy

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Dillon McCowan's cleared the wall in heat action; he wasn't hurt.

What won the race: Diving under Brandon Overton entering turn three on the 20th lap, eighth-starting Mike Marlar of Winfield, Tenn., led the final six laps Thursday at Florence Speedway for a 25-lap Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series semifeature victory worth $6,000. Marlar took the checkers 1.244 seconds ahead of the third-starting Overton with ninth-starting Hudson O'Neal in third.

Quotable: "My car was really good, so I was on offense," Marlar said. "When you're on defense, you don't want to see those cautions, but when you're on offense, every caution is an opportunity."

Key notes: Mike Marlar notched his 24th career Lucas Oil Series victory. ... It also gave Rocket Chassis a sweep of the night's semifeatures after house car driver Brandon Sheppard's 25-lap victory. ... Taking advantage when polesitter Ricky Thornton Jr. got into the turn-four wall, Brandon Overton took the lead on the ninth lap and led through lap 19. ... Thornton led the first eight laps and slowed with a lap-11 flat tire. ... Besides the Thornton caution, four other yellow flags slowed the 25-lapper, the first for Kaede Loudy's first spin on the sixth lap. ... On the 13th lap, Brenden Smith ended up atop the cushion in turn four. ... On the 17th lap, Jake O'Neil slowed on the frontstretch and a lap later a turn-four scramble sent Michael Chilton and Todd Morrow around. ... The 21-minute feature concluded at 11:31 p.m. ... The highlight of prelims was Dillon McCowan rallying to get the final transfer spot in the B-main in his backup car. His heat race ended on the first lap when he cleared the turn-three wall, knocked down a sign and landed amid trees and foliage; he was helped out of the car and unhurt. ... Lucas Oil competitors will run it back on Friday with another program of twin 25-lap, $6,000-to-win split-field semifeatures; preliminary night finishes set lineups for Saturday’s heat races before the $75,000-to-win finale. .... National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame inductions are set for Saturday with an invitation-only ceremony that will be live on FloRacing.

On the move: Kyle Bronson of Brandon, Fla., started 15th and finished fourth.

Winner's sponsors: Marlar’s winning Ronnie Delk-owned Rocket Chassis is sponsored by Delk Equipment Sales, Mesilla Valley Transportation, Can-Am Auto Salvage, Langenfelder Mechanical Contractors, Petroff Towing, Spirit Fueled Racing, Swift Springs, Fox Racing Shox, VP Racing Fuels, Performance Parts & Bodies, Midwest Sheet Metal and Capital Sign Company.

Points chase: Before Florence: 1. Brandon Sheppard (5,610); 2. Hudson O’Neal (5,475); 3. Devin Moran (5,380); 4. Brandon Overton (5,080); 5. Max Blair (5,055); 6. Ricky Thornton Jr. (4,975); 7. Garrett Alberson (4,840); 8. Brian Shirley (4,760); 9. Josh Rice (4,695); 10. Kyle Bronson (4,485).

Current weather: Mostly Cloudy, 76°F

Car count: 59

Fast qualifier: Tyler Erb

Time: 15.916 seconds

Polesitter: Ricky Thornton Jr.

Heat race winners: Ricky Thornton Jr., Brandon Overton, Tyler Erb, Carson Ferguson

Next series race: August 7, Florence Speedway (Union, KY) $6,000

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

From staff reports

UNION, Ky. — Updates from Thursday’s 44th annual Sunoco North-South 100 first preliminary night at Florence Speedway, highlighted by twin 25-lap, $6,000-to-win split-field semifeatures for Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series-sanctioned Super Late Models (results unofficial):

Feature

Diving under Brandon Overton entering turn three on the 20th lap, eighth-starting Mike Marlar of Winfield, Tenn., led the final six laps Thursday at Florence Speedway for a 25-lap Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series semifeature victory worth $6,000. Marlar took the checkers 1.244 seconds ahead of the third-starting Overton with ninth-starting Hudson O'Neal in third.

Feature lineup

(25 laps)
Row 1: Ricky Thornton Jr., Tyler Erb
Row 2: Brandon Overton, Carson Ferguson
Row 3: Drake Troutman, Adam Stricker
Row 4: Jonathan Davenport, Mike Marlar
Row 5: Hudson O'Neal, Michael Leach
Row 6: Jake O'Neil, Ryan Montgomery
Row 7: Jason Jameson, Brian Shirley
Row 8: Kyle Bronson, Todd Morrow
Row 9: Brody Smith, Kaede Loudy
Row 10: Blake Creech, Derek Groomer
Row 11: Zack Dohm, Michael Chilton
Row 12: Tyler Millwood, Dillon McCowan

B-main results

(10 laps; top four transfer)

Results: Zack Dohm, Michael Chilton, Tyler Millwood, Dillon McCowan, Kirk Phillips, Steve Banal, Quade Schoonover, Josh Dietz, Brad Rickels, Josh Vinyard.

Heat race results

(Eight laps; top five transfer)

First heat: Ricky Thornton Jr., Drake Troutman, Hudson O'Neal, Jason Jameson, Brenden Smith, Michael Chilton, Steve Banal. Scratched: Josh Vinyard.

Second heat: Brandon Overton, Jonathan Davenport, Jake O'Neil, Kyle Bronson, Blake Creech, Tyler Millwood, Quade Schoonover.

Third heat: Tyler Erb, Adam Stricker, Michael Leach, Brian Shirley, Kaede Loudy, Zack Dohm, Brad Rickels, Dillon McCowan.

Fourth heat: Carson Ferguson, Mike Marlar, Ryan Montgomery, Todd Morrow, Derek Groomer, Kirk Phillips, Josh Dietz.

Time trials

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

Ricky Thornton Jr. (20rt), Chandler, Ariz., 15.996
Jonathan Davenport (49), Blairsville, Ga., 16.019
Drake Troutman (5), Hyndman, Pa., 16.025
Tyler Millwood (31), Kingston, Ga., 16.208
Jason Jameson (12), Lawrenceburg, Ind., 16.277
Jake O’Neil (0), Tucson, Ariz., 16.324
Brenden Smith (17ss), Dade City, Fla., 16.328
Brandon Overton (76), Evans, Ga., 16.363
Hudson O’Neal (71), Martinsville, Ind., 16.414
Kyle Bronson (40B), Brandon, Fla., 16.483
Michael Chilton (11), Salvisa, Ky., 16.513
Blake Creech (317), Richmond, Ind., 16.516
Steve Banal (T8), Lincolnton, N.C., 16.569
Quade Schoonover (18), Peebles, Ohio, 17.595
Josh Vinyard (96), Harrodsburg, Ky., 18.707

Group B

Tyler Erb (1), New Waverly, Texas, 15.916
Carson Ferguson (93), Lincolnton, N.C., 15.991
Adam Stricker (c7), Batavia, Ohio, 16.044
Mike Marlar (157), Winfield, Tenn., 16.082
Michael Leach (09), Sun River, Mont., 16.095
Todd Morrow (T1), Penton, Ala., 16.170
Brian Shirley (3s), Chatham, Ill., 16.210
Ryan Montgomery (12), Fairmont, W.Va., 16.266
Kaede Loudy (126), Rogersville, Tenn., 16.356
Josh Dietz (9), Hebron, Ky., 16.359
Dillon McCowan (8), Urbana, Mo., 16.494
Derek Groomer (D48), Bloomington, Ind., 16.557
Zack Dohm (17), Cross Lanes, W.Va., 16.572
Kirk Phillips (21), Ashland, Ky., 16.782
Brad Rickels (15), Verona, Ky., 17.222

Thursday’s schedule

(All times local)
2 p.m. - Hall of Fame building opens
2:30 p.m. - Pits closed and cleared
3 p.m. - Pits open, Hall of Fame building opens
3:15 p.m. - Tech and registration opens
5:30 p.m. - Grandstands closed and cleared
6 p.m. - Grandstands open
6:15 p.m. - Tech and registration closes
6:30 p.m. - Drivers’ meeting
7 p.m. - On-track activity (Hall of Fame building closes)
- Late Model hot laps
- Late Model time trials (2 laps)
Opening ceremonies
- Late Model heats (8 laps)
- Late Model consolations (10 laps)
Intermission/track prep
- First Late Model semifeature (25 laps)
- Second Late Model semifeature (25 laps)