Thornton Goes Back-to-Back with Port Royal Victory
PORT ROYAL, Pa. — For the second consecutive year, Ricky Thornton Jr. went to Victory Lane in the “Battle in the Borough” at Port Royal Speedway on Sunday night. The reigning Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series National Champion claimed the annual spring race at “The Speed Palace,” earning $10,000 for his sixth series win of 2025.
Jonathan Davenport, who led the first 14 laps of the 40-lap race, finished second with Devin Moran rounding out the Big River Steel Podium in third. Garrett Alberson was fourth and Gregg Satterlee completed the top five drivers.
Davenport took the lead at the start of the race, with Alberson holding down the second spot early on. Alberson stayed in second until Thornton, who started third, wrestled the second spot away from him on lap 11.
A caution on lap 14 would change the race's complexion. On the lap 15 restart, Thornton would dive to the inside of Davenport heading into turn three. Once in front, Thornton would start to pull away from Davenport and Alberson.
A caution with 32 laps complete would set up an 8-lap dash to finish. Thornton would again pull away to win by 3.6 seconds over Davenport as he took the checkers first for the second night in a row after winning the Conococheague 50 at Hagerstown on Saturday night.
In Lucas Oil Victory Lane for the 48th time in his career, Thornton will carry the Midwest Sheet Metal orange spoiler to Circle City and Florence next weekend.
“What a race car that was. I told the guys when we got here earlier that I felt like the race would be won around the middle. We just kept working to get a little better there in the heat race, those last couple of laps. I was fortunate enough to be able to move around a little bit and figure out what we needed to run. Obviously, those yellows helped me big time. I don’t think JD knew how good the bottom was getting into three,” said the Chandler, Arizona driver.
“Once the middle kind of cleaned up, you could start rolling again. I am probably thankful I wasn’t the leader at that point because I could move around and see what worked best. I feel like we are slowly getting better. A little fine tune could be your make or break, and luckily tonight it was good for us.”
Davenport completed his best finish of the weekend with his runner-up performance at Port Royal after leading the field for the first 14 laps of the race.
“We need to do a lot to contend with Ricky,” said the 3-time series champion who is seeking a record tying fourth championship. “We was lucky enough to hang on for second. His car is really good right now, and we are just chasing him for sure. I was tight and loose at the same time, just depends on how the run went. The longer we went, the tighter I got. We started off a little free. I guess it’s just a balance issue. We have to go back and work on it some more. “
Moran maintains second place in the points coming into next weekend’s series races in Indiana and Kentucky.
“Without a doubt, it was a good weekend, we wish we were standing up there like we did on Friday night at Georgetown. I wasn’t very good at the start of the race. I was in a little bit of dirty air, and the track was a little dirty where they watered it, so it just took a little while to get going. On that long green flag run, I thought the car was really good. I actually could see Ricky and JD up there, so I knew I was making good time. But all-in-all, a great night for us for sure, every win matters this year, so Ricky is clicking them off the last couple of nights, but at least we got one on Friday night.”
The winner’s Koehler Motorsports, Longhorn Chassis is powered by a Clements Racing Engine and sponsored by Ultimate Towing and Recovery, Hoker Trucking, Knight’s Companies, Elite Ready Mix, Capital Waste, Coltman Farms Racing, EMD Wraps, Certified Inspection Services, Bilstein Shocks, and Sunoco Race Fuels.
Carson Ferguson, Tyler Erb, Michael Norris, Hudson O’Neal, and Rick Eckert completed the top ten.
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Race Summary
Battle in the Borough
Sunday, April 27, 2025
Port Royal Speedway – Port Royal, PA
Allstar Performance Time Trials
Fast Time Group A: Jonathan Davenport | 19.268 seconds (overall)
Fast Time Group B: Carson Ferguson | 19.505 seconds
Penske Shocks Heat Race #1 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 49-Jonathan Davenport[1]; 2. 22G-Gregg Satterlee[2]; 3. 22-Daniel Hilsabeck[3]; 4. 24-Rick Eckert[6]; 5. 18D-Daulton Wilson[7]; 6. 25Z-Mason Zeigler[4]; 7. 48-Colton Flinner[8]; 8. 19M-Spencer Hughes[5]; 9. 06-Mike Lupfer[9]
Summit Racing Products Heat Race #2 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr[1]; 2. 79-Donald McIntosh[2]; 3. 22*-Drake Troutman[4]; 4. 1C-Alex Ferree[5]; 5. 71-Hudson O'Neal[3]; 6. 1Z-Logan Zarin[6]; 7. 66C-Matt Cosner[7]; 8. 6-Clay Harris[8]; 9. 11-Jason Schmidt[9]
Cool-It Thermo-Tec Heat Race #3 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 58-Garrett Alberson[2]; 2. 72-Michael Norris[4]; 3. 93-Carson Ferguson[1]; 4. D19-Dillan Stake[6]; 5. 21-Chad Myers[9]; 6. 24Y-Dylan Yoder[8]; 7. 93L-Cory Lawler[7]; 8. 7-Ross Robinson[3]; 9. 66-Justin Kann[5]
Simpson Race Products Heat Race #4 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 99-Devin Moran[1]; 2. 1T-Tyler Erb[3]; 3. 1-Brandon Sheppard[2]; 4. 2J-Justin Weaver[6]; 5. 76-Brandon Overton[4]; 6. 60-Dan Ebert[5]; 7. 4-Gary Stuhler[8]; 8. 32J-Shaun Jones[7]
Fast Shafts B-Main Race #1 Finish (10 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 18D-Daulton Wilson[1]; 2. 25Z-Mason Zeigler[3]; 3. 48-Colton Flinner[5]; 4. 71-Hudson O'Neal[2]; 5. 19M-Spencer Hughes[7]; 6. 1Z-Logan Zarin[4]; 7. 66C-Matt Cosner[6]; 8. 6-Clay Harris[8]; 9. 06-Mike Lupfer[9]; 10. 11-Jason Schmidt[10]
UNOH B-Main Race #2 Finish (8 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 76-Brandon Overton[2]; 2. 21-Chad Myers[1]; 3. 4-Gary Stuhler[6]; 4. 60-Dan Ebert[4]; 5. 24Y-Dylan Yoder[3]; 6. 7-Ross Robinson[7]; 7. 93L-Cory Lawler[5]; 8. 32J-Shaun Jones[8]; 9. (DNS) 66-Justin Kann
Battle in the Borough Feature Finish (40 Laps):
Pos - Start - Car # - Competitor - Hometown - Pay
1 - 3 - 20RT - Ricky Thornton Jr - Chandler, AZ - $11,300
2 - 1 - 49 - Jonathan Davenport - Blairsville, GA - $6,600
3 - 4 - 99 - Devin Moran - Dresden, OH - $4,500
4 - 2 - 58 - Garrett Alberson - Las Cruces, NM - $3,400
5 - 5 - 22G - Gregg Satterlee - Indiana, PA - $2,500
6 - 10 - 93 - Carson Ferguson - Lincolnton, NC - $3,000
7 - 8 - 1T - Tyler Erb - New Waverly, TX - $2,200
8 - 6 - 72 - Michael Norris - Sarver, PA - $2,100
9 - 23 - 71 - Hudson O'Neal - Martinsville, IN - $2,850
10 - 13 - 24 - Rick Eckert - York, PA - $2,000
11 - 18 - 76 - Brandon Overton - Evans, GA - $2,300
12 - 22 - 4 - Gary Stuhler - Greencastle, PA - $1,400
13 - 16 - 2J - Justin Weaver - Clearspring, MD - $1,200
14 - 19 - 25Z - Mason Zeigler - Chalk Hill, PA - $1,000
15 - 9 - 22 - Daniel Hilsabeck - Earlham, IA - $1,750
16 - 15 - 1C - Alex Ferree - Saxonburg, PA - $925
17 - 7 - 79 - Donald McIntosh - Dawsonville, GA - $1,600
18 - 17 - 18D - Daulton Wilson - Fayetteville, NC - $1,575
19 - 24 - 19M - Spencer Hughes - Meridian, MS - $1,550
20 - 27 - 6 - Clay Harris - Jupiter, FL - $825
21 - 21 - 48 - Colton Flinner - Allison Park, PA - $800
22 - 26 - 60 - Dan Ebert - Lake Shore, MN - $800
23 - 20 - 21 - Chad Myers - Hampstead, MD - $800
24 - 28 - 66C - Matt Cosner - Ridgeley, WV - $800
25 - 11 - 22* - Drake Troutman - Hyndman, PA - $800
26 - 25 - 7 - Ross Robinson - Georgetown, DE - $800
27 - 14 - D19 - Dillan Stake - Mapleton Depot, PA - $800
28 - 12 - 1 - Brandon Sheppard - New Berlin, IL - $1,500
Race Statistics
Entrants: 35
Victory Fuel Pole Sitter: Jonathan Davenport
MD3 Lap Leaders: Jonathan Davenport (Laps 1-14); Ricky Thornton, Jr. (Laps 15-40)
Hellraizer Jacks Halfway Leader: Ricky Thornton, Jr.
Wieland Feature Winner: Ricky Thornton, Jr.
Margin of Victory: 3.655 seconds
Coltman Farms Racing Cautions: Daulton Wilson (Lap 9); Brandon Sheppard (Lap 12); Drake Troutman (Lap 14); Donald McIntosh (Lap 32)
Series Provisionals: Hudson O’Neal; Spencer Hughes
Fast Time Provisional: n/a
Emergency Provisional: Ross Robinson; Dan Ebert; Clay Harris
Track Provisional: Matt Cosner
Big River Steel Podium Top 3: Ricky Thornton, Jr., Jonathan Davenport, Devin Moran
Penske Shocks Top 5: Ricky Thornton, Jr., Jonathan Davenport, Devin Moran, Garrett Alberson, Gregg Satterlee
PEM 4th Place Feature: Garrett Alberson
DMI Rearends 5th Place Feature: Gregg Satterlee
Wilwood Brakes Lucky 7th Place Feature: Tyler Erb
Wehrs Machine 11th Place Feature: Brandon Overton
Deatherage Opticians Lucky 13th Place Feature: Justin Weaver
MD3 24th Place Feature: Matt Cosner
Hoker Trucking Hard Charger of the Race: Hudson O’Neal (Advanced 14 Positions)
MD3 Most Laps Led: Ricky Thornton, Jr. (26 Laps)
Sunoco Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Ricky Thornton, Jr.
Midwest Sheet Metal Spoiler Challenge Point Leader: Ricky Thornton, Jr.
O’Reilly Auto Parts Rookie of the Race: Daniel Hilsabeck
Pro Fabrication Headers Fastest Lap of the Race: Jonathan Davenport (Lap 2 | 19.935 seconds)
Slicker Graphics Slickest Move of the Race: Ricky Thornton, Jr.
Hard Luck Award: Brandon Sheppard
Outerwears Crew Chief of the Race: Zach Frields
ARP Engine Builder of the Race: Clements Racing Engines
Miller Welders Chassis Builder of the Race: Longhorn Chassis
Dirt Draft Fastest in Hot Laps: Ricky Thornton, Jr. (18.9886 seconds)
Time of Race: 30 minutes 44 seconds
Big River Steel Chase for the Championship Presented by AP Point Standings:
Pos - Car # - Competitor - Hometown - Points - Pay
1 - 20RT - Ricky Thornton Jr - Chandler, AZ - 2380 - $121,600
2 - 99 - Devin Moran - Dresden, OH - 2285 - $125,349
3 - 49 - Jonathan Davenport - Blairsville, GA - 2180 - $74,800
4 - 58 - Garrett Alberson - Las Cruces, NM - 2010 - $43,950
5 - 76 - Brandon Overton - Evans, GA - 1945 - $38,050
6 - 18D - Daulton Wilson - Fayetteville, NC - 1935 - $39,550
7 - 71 - Hudson O'Neal - Martinsville, IN - 1885 - $37,075
8 - 1T - Tyler Erb - New Waverly, TX - 1835 - $27,400
9 - 1 - Brandon Sheppard - New Berlin, IL - 1820 - $32,000
10 - 93 - Carson Ferguson - Lincolnton, NC - 1655 - $25,075
11 - 22 - Daniel Hilsabeck - Earlham, IA - 1605 - $17,850
12 - 19M - Spencer Hughes - Meridian, MS - 1570 - $19,250
13 - 7 - Ross Robinson - Georgetown, DE - 1555 - $20,300
14 - 79 - Donald McIntosh - Dawsonville, GA - 1550 - $16,100
15 - 60 - Dan Ebert - Lake Shore, MN - 1440 - $12,650
16 - 6 - Clay Harris - Jupiter, FL - 1380 - $15,150
17 - 93L - Cory Lawler - Hanover, PA - 1250 - $6,875
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