Dirt on Dirt - RaceWire

August 7

Florence Speedway,

Union, KY

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

Information provided by: Kevin Kovac, series and track reports (last updated August 7, 11:25 pm)

Rice nips Pierce on last lap, wins Florence semi

North-South 100 Friday second semifeature

Josh Rice
Bobby Pierce
Zack Dohm
Dan Ebert
Devin Moran
Tyler Erb
Jason Jameson
Justin Rattliff
Kaede Loudy
Max Blair
Todd Morrow
Jadon Frame
Dallon Murty
Garrett Alberson
Daniel Hilsabeck
Brandon Sheppard
Clay Harris
Frank Heckenast Jr.
Blake Creech
Cory Lawler
Justin Smith
Michael Chilton
Brody Smith
Kody Evans

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Josh Rice celebrates his last-lap victory at Florence Speedway.

What won the race: Scoring the second last-lap victory of the night, local favorite Josh Rice of Crittenden, Ky., overtook Bobby Pierce in Friday's second Sunoco North-South preliminary at Florence Speedway for a $6,000 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series victory. Pierce, who overtook polesitter Brandon Sheppard on the 11th lap, was in control at a lap-23 caution, but the fourth-starting Rice went by on the final lap, surviving a brush with the turn-four wall heading for the checkers to win by 0.252 of a second.

Quotable: "I know Bobby's won three of these North-Souths, but it's Rice Brothers y'all," Rice said after climbing out in victory lane.

Key notes: Josh Rice's JRR Motorsports team won during his weekend of a Rocket Chassis after running Longhorns all season. ... Bobby Pierce, who is aiming for his third straight North-South 100 victory and struggled in Thursday's prelims, led laps 11-24. He hit a turn-one hole on the lap-23 restart, recovered to stay in command. ... Rice pulled a slide job in turns one and two on the final lap and barely kept Pierce and third-finishing Zack Dohm behind him. ... Brandon Sheppard, a Thursday semifeature winner who led the first 10 laps, was running third when he was forced to the pits with a flat right-rear tire during the race's lone caution with three laps remaining. ... The front row was made up of the national touring points leader in Sheppard (Lucas Oil) and Pierce (World of Outlaws). ... A single caution slowed the 25-lapper on the 23rd lap when Cory Lawler spun in turn four. ... The 13-minute feature concluded at 10:35 p.m. ... 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. ... Thursday and Friday's double-semifeature results set up Saturday's heat race lineups preceding the $75,000-to-win finale. ... National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame inductions (an invitation-only event) are scheduled for Saturday along with the new $5,000-to-win Ron and Madeleine Jerger Dash presented by Cincinnati Investment Advisors.

On the move: Jason Jameson of Lawrenceburg, Ind., started 16th and finished seventh.

Winner's sponsors: Rice’s JRR Motorsports Rocket Chassis is powered by a Vic Hill Racing Engine and sponsored by JRR Motor Sales, MGL Auto Sales, JRR Trucking, M.C. Tank Transport, Rice Excavating and Plumbing, Glenwood Electric Inc., Chain Locker USA, Keltner Contracting, BC Fluid Power of Florence, Berea Collision Center, Jessie Insurance Agency, Lonkard Construction, CK Trucking, Kleinholz Electric, Big Al’s Guns & Outdoors, Cheap Chevrolet, Interstate Motor Company, Sunoco Race Fuels, VG Performance and TopSide Marketing.

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, 73°F

Car count: 56

Fast qualifier: Brandon Sheppard

Time: 16.154 seconds

Polesitter: Brandon Sheppard

Heat race winners: Brandon Sheppard, Bobby Pierce, Dan Ebert

Consolation race winners: Daniel Hilsabeck

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):

Feature

Scoring the second last-lap victory of the night, local favorite Josh Rice of Crittenden, Ky., overtook Bobby Pierce in Friday's second Sunoco North-South preliminary at Florence Speedway for a $6,000 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series victory. Pierce, who overtook polesitter Brandon Sheppard on the 11th lap, was in control at a lap-23 caution, but the fourth-starting Rice went by on the final lap, surviving a brush with the turn-four wall heading for the checkers to win by 0.252 of a second.

Feature lineup

(25 laps)

Row 1: Brandon Sheppard, Bobby Pierce
Row 2: Dan Ebert, Josh Rice
Row 3: Zack Dohm, Tyler Erb
Row 4: Cory Lawler, Devin Moran
Row 5: Dallon Murty, Todd Morrow
Row 6: Justin Rattliff, Kaede Loudy
Row 7: Max Blair, Kody Evans
Row 8: Brody Smith, Jason Jameson
Row 9: Clay Harris, Jadon Frame
Row 10: Daniel Hilsabeck, Garrett Alberson
Row 11: Michael Chilton, Blake Creech
Row 12: Frank Heckenast Jr., Justin Smith

B-main results

(10 laps; top six transfer)

Results: Daniel Hilsabeck, Garrett Alberson, Michael Chilton, Blake Creech, Frank Heckenast Jr., Justin Smith, Steve Banal, Luke Morey, Calvin Carlton, Tyler Millwood.

Heat race results

(Eight laps; top six transfer)

First heat: Brandon Sheppard, Josh Rice, Cory Lawler, Todd Morrow, Max Blair, Jason Jameson, Daniel Hilsabeck, Michael Chilton, Luke Morey, Justin Smith.

Second heat: Bobby Pierce, Zack Dohm, Devin Moran, Justin Rattliff, Kody Evans, Clay Harris, Tyler Millwood, Steve Banal, Garrett Alberson.

Third heat: Dan Ebert, Tyler Erb, Dallon Murty, Kaede Loudy, Brody Smith, Jadon Frame, Blake Creech, Frank Heckenast Jr., Calvin Carlton.

Time trials

Group B
Driver (car no.), hometown, time (unofficial)
1. Brandon Sheppard (1), New Berlin, Ill., 16.154
2. Devin Moran (99), Dresden, Ohio, 16.167
3. Dan Ebert (60), Lake Shore, Minn., 16.186
4. Josh Rice (11), Crittenden, Ky., 16.216
5. Bobby Pierce (32), Oakwood, Ill., 16.244
6. Tyler Erb (1T), New Waverly, Texas, 16.276
7. Todd Morrow (T1), Penton, Ala., 16.307
8. Garrett Alberson (58), Las Cruces, N.M., 16.341
9. Dallon Murty (13), Chelsea, Iowa, 16.356
10. Luke Morey (49m), Zeeland, Mich., 16.389
11. Kody Evans (4G), Camden, Ohio, 16.424
12. Kaede Loudy (126), Rogersville, Tenn., 16.429
13. Michael Chilton (11m), Salvisa, Ky., 16.435
14. Clay Harris (6), Jupiter, Fla., 16.445
15. Jadon Frame (81F), Winchester, Tenn., 16.452
16. Jason Jameson (12J), Lawrenceburg, Ind., 16.465
17. Zack Dohm (17D), Cross Lanes, W.Va., 16.468
18. Frank Heckenast Jr. (99jr), Frankfort, Ill., 16.552
19. Daniel Hilsabeck (22), Earlham, Iowa, 16.582
20. Tyler Millwood (31), Kingston, Ga., 16.590
21. Brody Smith (17sr), Dade City, Fla., 16.595
22. Justin Smith (7s), Barbourville, Ky., 16.714
23. Justin Rattliff (16), Campbellsville, Ky., 16.730
24. Blake Creech (317), Richmond, Ind., 16.762
25. Cory Lawler (93L), Hanover, Pa., 16.852
26. Steve Banal (T8), Lincolnton, N.C., 16.883
27. Calvin Carlton (6c), Lawrenceburg, Ky., 17.251
28. Max Blair (111), Centerville, Pa., no time

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)