Dirt on Dirt - RaceWire

August 7

Florence Speedway,

Union, KY

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

Information provided by: Kevin Kovac, series and track reports (last updated August 7, 8:32 pm)

Overton on pole for Friday's first 25-lap prelim

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Florence Speedway is the site of this weekend's North-South 100.

Key notes: Jonathan Davenport (leader) and Ricky Thornton Jr. (second place) each suffered flat left-rear tires early in the night's first heat race; Thornton rallied to finish third, with Davenport in sixth. ... Dustin Nobbe hit the wall on his second qualifying lap and pulled into the infield. ... Jake O'Neil continues to fight mechanical issues from Thursday's opener and coasted into the infield on his second time trial lap. ... Ryan Montgomery was limited to one qualifying lap after missing his assigned spot following power steering issues. ... Tyler Erb's Best Performance Motorsports team won Friday's Hellraizer Jacks pit crew challenge along with the best appearing pit crew award, worth $13,000. ... Florence Speedway hosts the 44th annual Sunoco North-South 100 wrapping up with Saturday’s 100-lap, $75,000-to-win finale for Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series competitors. … The three-day program kicked off when Brandon Sheppard and Mike Marlar split Thursday’s 25-lap semifeatures. An identical twin $6,000-to-win semifeature program is set for Friday with accumulative points setting the lineups for Saturday’s heat races preceding consolations and feature; a 25-lap, $3,000-to-win non-qualifiers’ race follows the 100-lap main event. … New this year, Saturday will also feature a six-lap, $5,000-to-win Ron and Madeleine Jerger dash presented by Cincinnati Investment Advisors, honoring two of the track’s most influential contributors with more than 100 combined years devoted to Florence. … Bobby Pierce is fresh off a $100,000 payday in Aug. 1’s USA Nationals at Cedar Lake Speedway in New Richmond, Wis., and seeks his fifth career North-South 100 victory (2016, ’23-’25). Pierce enters with three straight North-South 100 wins, worth more than $275,000. … The points-leading Sheppard, two weeks removed from July 25’s Prairie Dirt Classic triumph at Fairbury (Ill.) Speedway, seeks his first career North-South 100. … Jonathan Davenport is a two-time North-South winner (2015, ’22), earning more than $125,000. … Josh Rice has 13 Florence specials since 2021, including two Lucas Oil Series victories, combining for more than $90,000 over that span. … Hudson O’Neal won May’s $25,000 Lucas Oil-sanctioned Ralph Latham Memorial … The National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame will be open daily with 2026 inductees including Shannon Babb, Earl Pearson Jr., Randy Weaver, Sam Driggers and Rick Schwallie, among others; an auction will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday after the induction ceremony, which takes place at noon and will be live-streamed on FloRacing. … Gates open at 3 p.m. with hot laps at 7 for Saturday’s finale. … Watch live on FloRacing.

Who to watch: Bobby Pierce of Oakwood, Ill., seeks his fifth career North-South 100 finale and fourth consecutive.

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: Scattered Clouds, 75°F

Car count: 56

Fast qualifier: Michael Leach

Time: 15.984 seconds

Polesitter: Brandon Overton

Heat race winners: Brandon Overton, Mike Marlar, Chris Ferguson

Next series race: August 8, Florence Speedway (Union, KY) $75,000

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

From staff reports

UNION, Ky. — Live updates from Friday’s 44th annual Sunoco North-South 100 second 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):

Heat race results

(Eight laps; top six transfer)

First heat: Brandon Overton, Jimmy Owens, Ricky Thornton Jr., Michael Leach, Donald McIntosh, Jonathan Davenport, Trevor Landrum, Josh Dietz, Kirk Phillips, Brandon Hardgrove.

Second heat: Mike Marlar, Carson Ferguson, Drake Troutman, Hudson O'Neal, Ryan Montgomery, Brian Shirley, Jake O'Neil, Shannon Babb, Derek Groomer.

Third heat: Chris Ferguson, Adam Stricker, Brenden Smith, Kyle Bronson, Dustin Nobbe, Dillon McCowan, Billy Green, Quade Schoonover, Devin Gilpin.

Time trials

Group A
Driver (car no.), hometown, time (unofficial)
1. Michael Leach (09), Sun River, Mont., 15.984
2. Mike Marlar (157), Winfield, Tenn., 16.019
3. Chris Ferguson (22F), Mount Holly, N.C., 16.041
4. Ricky Thornton Jr. (20rt), Chandler, Ariz., 16.070
5. Brian Shirley (3s), Chatham, Ill., 16.207
6. Adam Stricker (c7), Batavia, Ohio, 16.220
7. Jonathan Davenport (49), Blairsville, Ga., 16.228
8. Drake Troutman (5), Hyndman, Pa., 16.286
9. Brenden Smith (17ss), Dade City, Fla., 16.321
10. Jimmy Owens (20), Newport, Tenn., 16.367
11. Carson Ferguson (93F), Lincolnton, N.C., 16.410
12. Dillon McCowan (8), Urbana, Mo., 16.417
13. Brandon Overton (76), Evans, Ga., 16.419
14. Shannon Babb (18), Moweaqua, Ill., 16.424
15. Dustin Nobbe (5n), Batesville, Ind., 16.426
16. Donald McIntosh (79), Dawsonville, Ga., 16.465
17. Hudson O’Neal (71), Martinsville, Ind., 16.471
18. Devin Gilpin (93), Columbus, Ind., 16.513
19. Trevor Landrum (18L), Florence, Ky., 16.520
20. Ryan Montgomery (12m), Fairmont, W.Va., 16.522
21. Kyle Bronson (40B), Brandon, Fla., 16.545
22. Josh Dietz (9), Hebron, Ky., 16.553
23. Derek Groomer (D48), Bloomington, Ind., 16.856
24. Billy Green (49G), Walton, Ky., 16.903
25. Kirk Phillips (21), Ashland, Ky., 16.967
26. Jake O’Neil (0), Tucson, Ariz., 16.979
27. Quade Schoonover (18s), Peebles, Ohio, 17.166
28. Brandon Hardgrove (H22), Burnside, Ky., 17.191

Friday’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
3:15 p.m. - Tech and registration opens
3:30 p.m. - Pit crew challenge
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)