2023 Dirt Late Model Dream at Eldora Speedway

Ricky Thornton Jr. Stays Hot With Eldora Dream Thursday Prelim Win

Ricky Thornton Jr. Stays Hot With Eldora Dream Thursday Prelim Win

Ricky Thornton Jr. continued his stellar season with a Dirt Late Model Dream preliminary feature win Thursday at Eldora Speedway.

Jun 9, 2023
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ROSSBURG, Ohio (June 8) — Red-hot Ricky Thornton Jr. continued his torrid 2023 campaign, while possibly giving his competitors a glimpse of what’s to come over the final two days of the Dream XXIX weekend.

Thornton, of Chandler, Ariz., dominated Thursday night's second 25-lap preliminary feature at Eldora Speedway, leading every lap from his pole starting position for a $12,000 victory, his 13th of the season and fifth in his last eight starts. Thornton won by a comfortable 3.127 seconds ahead of Devin Moran of Dresden, Ohio, who started alongside the winner on the front row and chased him throughout, but never managed to mount a challenge in running second.

Results & Story From Dirt Late Model Dream Group A Prelim

Winfield, Tenn.’s Mike Marlar advanced from 12th to join Thornton and Moran on the podium, while Josh Rice of Verona, Ky., improved two spots to finish fourth. Blairsville, Ga.’s Jonathan Davenport a five-time World 100 winner, who won the 2015 Dream as well as last year’s Eldora Million, completed the top five after starting fourth.

WATCH GROUP B FEATURE REPLAY

Dirt Late Model Dream Thursday Highlights From Eldora Speedway

VIDEO: Watch highlights from Thursday's Dirt Late Model Dream preliminary features.

Winning Quote From Ricky Thornton, Jr. 

“I got out front and I was just over driving. I got into the turn one wall a couple times where I'm like, ‘What are you doing? Just slow yourself down.’ Finally I slowed myself down and I felt like I was really good. I got the traffic and I really didn't know if I needed to move down or stay on the top. I figured the top got me to (the slower cars) so I’m just gonna stay there and it worked out for us.”

Dirt Late Model Dream Thursday Preliminary Feature #2 Results

Position

No.

Driver

1

20RT

Ricky Thornton Jr. 

2

99

Devin Moran

3

157

Mike Marlar

4

11R

Josh Rice

5

49

Jonathan Davenport

6

B5

Brandon Sheppard

7

8S

Brian Shirley

8

2S

Stormy Scott

9

76

Brandon Overton

10

7R

Kent Robinson

11

20

Jimmy Owens

12

19R

Ryan Gustin

13

9

Nick Hoffman

14

88

Trent Ivey

15

18

Shannon Babb

16

25F

Jason Feger

17

7M

Donald McIntosh

18

31K

Kye Blight

19

58C

Tyler Clem

20

55

Jeep Van Wormer

21

32

Bobby Pierce

22

17D

Zach Dohm

23

68

Adam Stricker

24

114

Jordan Koehler