After the Checkers
Takeaways, analysis of J.D.'s Port Royal victory
By Kyle McFadden
DirtonDirt staff reporter
Jonathan Davenport (49) leads Ricky Thornton Jr. (20RT) at Port Royal. (Heath Lawson)
PORT ROYAL, Pa. (Aug. 29) — Takeaways and analysis from Saturday’s 50-lap Rumble by the River finale at Port Royal Speedway, a $50,000-to-win Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series-sanctioned event captured by Jonathan Davenport of Blairsville, Ga. (RaceWire):
QUINTESSENTIAL J.D.: Somebody asked me during the closing stages of Saturday’s feature if I thought anybody had anything for Jonathan Davenport. My answer was I didn’t think anyone stood a chance. Those who’ve watched Davenport closely over the years knows his bread-and-butter is locking down the middle groove. It's the key to his legend at Eldora. When he’s rolling the middle to perfection, he’s a juggernaut to overthrow. That’s exactly the kind of inevitability Davenport carried Saturday. Davenport has a way of lulling you to sleep. His brand of driving — no offense — isn’t always the most enthralling, but boy, is it steady. Saturday’s 50-lapper ultimately turned into a snoozefest, at least as far as the race for the lead was concerned. But that’s often how Davenport wins these kinds of races: seemingly effortless, always appearing under control and without much glitz or glam. And the timing couldn’t be much better. Saturday snapped a 17-race winless drought for Davenport with Eldora’s World 100 right around the corner. That’s an ominous development for everyone else.
TWO PERSPECTIVES: Saturday left Ricky Thornton Jr. with two ways to view his Rumble by the River weekend. On one hand, his victory and runner-up finish marked his first consecutive top-two runs since March 28-29. And ever since debuting a new Longhorn at Batesville’s Topless 100, the 2024 Lucas Oil champion has seemingly been among the very frontrunners every time out. On the other hand, Thornton wasn’t pleased with Lucas Oil officials afterward, apparently believing Jonathan Davenport jumped the initial start — the sequence that allowed Davenport to snatch clean air from the outset and set sail. I understand Thornton’s frustration. By the time they reached the flagstand, Davenport already had him cleared. Watching the replay, however, it appeared Thornton actually fired first. The complicating factor is that Davenport’s nose was noticeably ahead of Thornton’s as they approached the start zone in turn four, giving Davenport at least some positional advantage before either hit the gas. Whether that head start was significant enough to warrant intervention, I’ll leave that to the race directors. But it’s easy to see why Thornton came away frustrated, especially when the initial start ultimately proved so consequential in a race where clean air was king.
CAN’T ALL BE CLASSICS: Not every Rumble by the River finale at Port Royal can be a banger. Frankly, we’ve been spoiled over the years. Kyle Larson delivered his memorable first Lucas Oil victory in his debut weekend in 2020, Garrett Alberson won a photo finish in 2024 and Ricky Thornton Jr. outdueled Chris Madden in a spirted battle last year. Saturday’s 50-lapper certainly won’t join that list, with Jonathan Davenport controlling things from the outset and little developing in the way of a battle up front. But when a race has produced its share of thrillers over the years, an occasional snoozer is bound to happen.
McCOWAN STEADIES: Dillon McCowan finally appears to be finding some stability after his dreamy Lucas Oil Series sweep at Wheatland in July. Saturday’s ninth-place finish marked his first top 10 in full-field competition since that breakout weekend at Lucas Oil Speedway. Considering it came in McCowan’s first trip to Port Royal — one of the more daunting tracks on the circuit — that’s an impressive feat and a welcome step back in the right direction.
POINTS TIGHTEN: The Lucas Oil Series points race just got a whole lot more interesting with Brandon Sheppard’s 12th-place finish Saturday. Devin Moran’s charge from 21st to sixth and Hudson O’Neal’s fifth-place run cut significantly into Sheppard’s advantage, leaving O’Neal just 55 points behind and Moran 105 back. With eight points races remaining, every position — and every point — carries that much more weight as the championship fight picks back up Sept. 19 at Knoxville (Iowa) Raceway.
STAT OF THE NIGHT: Jonathan Davenport has rattled off 10 straight top-five finishes at Port Royal dating back to 2021, with three victories, nine podiums and 13 top-10s in 16 career starts at the half-mile. His last finish outside the top five came in Friday’s portion of the 2021 Rumble by the River, when he finished 14th after cutting down a tire while running second. Remove that result, and Davenport owns a 2.5 average finish over his last 12 Port Royal starts.
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