August 9, 2025 | By Lucas Oil Late Model Series PR

Pierce and Moran Score Friday Night prelim Wins at North/South100

WALTON, Ky—Bobby Pierce and Devin Moran each won a feature race during the Friday night session of the 43rd Annual Sunoco North/South 100 presented by Lucas Oil at Florence Speedway, with both drivers earning $6,000 for their victories.

Pierce took the lead from Jonathan Davenport in the first 25-lap race on the 15th circuit and maintained it for the win. Davenport finished second, followed by Brandon Overton, Brandon Sheppard, and Ricky Thornton, Jr.

In Lucas Oil Victory Lane for the third time this season and the 27th time in his career, Pierce will attempt to make history Saturday night in the $75,000-to-win crown jewel race, as he tries to become the first driver to win the race, which began in 1984, three years in a row and four times overall - a feat never before achieved in the race's storied history.

“It’s very tough to lead at this track, especially around these corners. When they come up, you’ve got so many different lines to run, and JD really likes to run that middle line coming down. It was a great track; it had a bottom, middle, and top. It was tough in lapped traffic, and at one point, they were directly double-file in front of me. I kind of thought JD made the mistake of going low instead of high, but he got underneath those guys, and we almost went 4-wide. That’s not a place you want to be, so I had to back out of it. The straightaways are so long, there’s a lot of time to decide where they’re going. You just have to look ahead and see where they’re running - before you get to them, you already have that decision in your mind,” said the Oakwood, Illinois native.

Davenport, the current Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series points leader and two-time North/South 100 winner, finished runner-up to Pierce in the first feature.

“Obviously I can’t see much out of the right side,” as he talked about going four-wide in traffic off of turn four on lap 14. "I was coming down through here in the slime, trying to give everybody enough room outside of me. It was pretty wild there for a minute, but congratulations to Bobby. My guys worked today and last night trying to figure out our problem. We still had it in hot laps, and we went and changed one more thing, and that’s what fixed it.”

Overton rounded out the Big River Steel Podium in third in the first feature.

“I'm honestly excited. Obviously, we're going to face a tough heat; there are no slouches here, and we’ll probably start in the second row. We’ve had a good car both nights, you know. I was trying not to go too hard at the start, then Bobby passed us, and Daulton (Wilson) passed me, so I had to work my way back up to him. We're okay. I'm excited and looking forward to it.”

The winner’s Bobby Pierce Racing, Longhorn Chassis is powered by a Vic Hill Racing Engine and sponsored by Low Voltage Solutions, Churchill Transport, Collins Brothers Towing, Mesilla Valley Transportation, Carnaghi Towing, Pontiac RV, Rio Grande Waste Services, Toyota of Danville, VP Fuels, Ted Brown’s Quality Paint and Body Shop, Fast 1 Speed Shop, Leka Tree Service, Floyd’s Waste Systems, DuroMax Racing Oil, and Bert by Budda.

Completing the top ten in the first feature were Zack Dohm, Michael Chilton, Dustin Nobbe, Max Blair, and Josh Rice.

In the second 25-lap race to finish the night, Mike Marlar was in control from the start until contact from a car he was trying to lap ended his night on lap 15. Moran then inherited the lead and kept the field paced through several cautions in the final 10 laps to take the victory.

Hudson O’Neal finished second, with Justin Rattliff rounding out the Big River Steel Podium in third during the second feature. Garrett Alberson was fourth, and Carson Ferguson completed the top five drivers.

In Lucas Oil Victory Lane for the seventh time this year and the 22nd time in his racing career, Moran will be vying for his first North/South 100 victory on Saturday night.

“I definitely thought the checkered flag was ever going to come out. Unfortunately, when the one caution that got us to the lead happened, it was unfortunate for Mikey (Marlar). I really don’t think we had anything for him. Racing just happens like that sometimes when you try to squeeze in there by a lapped car, and apparently that car didn’t know he was there. I really didn’t know where to be on the restarts. I saw the 12 car (Jameson) in second on the top, and you never know where Hudson is going to be because his car has been really good on the bottom, and he's won races here on the top. It was a nail-biter. I felt like it was never going to end, and when you are running the top, it can be very treacherous. I’m glad it’s over,” said the driver from Dresden, Ohio native.

O’Neal, who started sixth, fought off a battle with James Rattliff and teammates Jason Jameson and Justin Rattliff to finish second.

“We needed to be careful at the right moments, so we had a couple of spots where the caution came out, and we had to go back to second. That’s just part of it, and in these short 25-lap races, you’ve got to take advantage of every opportunity. I fell back to fifth and thought, man, I don’t know if I can catch up in such a short time, but it ended up working out.”

Rattliff, a former Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Rookie of the Year, rounded out the Big River Steel Podium in third place.

“It’s really cool to be up here. I’d like to dedicate this to Jeff Gullett, and I’m glad we could get a good run. I could hit the bottom about every other lap, and then they’d just sail on top, and I was just like I needed to hit my marks. I was just down there trying to be as consistent as I could be,” said the Campbellsville, Kentucky native who has competed in just a handful of races over the past few seasons.

The winner’s Double Down Motorsports, Longhorn Chassis is powered by a Clements Racing Engine and sponsored by Big River Steel, Lazydays RV, C&W Trucking, Hazen Services, BOMAG, Millwood Plumbing, Pee Wee’s Wrecker Service, CarSourceAuto, Anthony’s Pizza, Refuel Wellness, McHugh Chrysler Dodge, Jeep and Ram, Eibach Sprints, VP Fuels, Smoky Mountain Speedway, Haulin’ Haskell’s, Phillips CPA, and Red Oak Pub.

Completing the top ten in the second feature were Logan Zarin, Jason Jameson, Kyle Bronson, Nick Hoffman, and Kyle Strickler.


Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Race Summary
43rd Annual Sunoco North/South 100 presented by Lucas Oil | Night 2
Florence Speedway – Union, KY

Friday, August 8, 2025

Entrants: 51

Dirt Draft Fastest in Hot Laps: Daniel Hilsabeck | 16.091 seconds

Allstar Performance Time Trials
Fast Time Group A: Jonathan Davenport | 15.734 seconds
Fast Time Group B: Mike Marlar | 15.687 seconds (Overall)

Group A Penske Shocks Heat Race #1 Finish (8 Laps, All Transfer): 1. 49-Jonathan Davenport[1]; 2. 32P-Bobby Pierce[4]; 3. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr[2]; 4. 6M-Michael Chilton[7]; 5. 317-Blake Creech[5]; 6. 11-Adam Stricker[6]; 7. 81-Conner Mertens[9]; 8. 49G-Billy Green[8]; 9. 10-Joseph Joiner[3]

Group A Summit Racing Products Heat Race #2 Finish (8 Laps, All Transfer): 1. 76-Brandon Overton[2]; 2. 1-Brandon Sheppard[1]; 3. 5N-Dustin Nobbe[4]; 4. 23V-Cory Hedgecock[3]; 5. 6-Clay Harris[5]; 6. 111-Max Blair[8]; 7. 09-Michael Leach[7]; 8. 32-Chad Stapleton[6]; 9. C6-Calvin Carlton[9]

Group A Cool-It Thermo-Tec Heat Race #3 Finish (8 Laps, All Transfer): 1. 18D-Daulton Wilson[2]; 2. 17D-Zack Dohm[1]; 3. 22F-Chris Ferguson[3]; 4. 11R-Josh Rice[4]; 5. 20-Jimmy Owens[7]; 6. 60-Dan Ebert[8]; 7. 3:16-Mike Bargo[5]; 8. 33AJ-Austin Lay[6]

Group B Penske Shocks Heat Race #1 Finish (8 Laps, All Transfer): 1. 157-Mike Marlar[1]; 2. 93-Carson Ferguson[2]; 3. 79-Donald McIntosh[5]; 4. 16J-Justin Rattliff[4]; 5. 12M-Ryan Montgomery[6]; 6. 15R-Brad Rickels[7]; 7. 99J-Donnie Jeschke[8]; 8. 22-Daniel Hilsabeck[3]; 9. (DNS) 1G-Devin Gilpin

Group B Summit Racing Products Heat Race #2 Finish (8 Laps, All Transfer): 1. 99-Devin Moran[1]; 2. 9-Nick Hoffman[2]; 3. 12-Jason Jameson[5]; 4. 8K-Kyle Strickler[3]; 5. 40B-Kyle Bronson[6]; 6. 4-Tripp Gerrald[4]; 7. 22B-Brandon Hardgrove[7]; 8. 15W-Roger Williams[8]

Group B Cool-It Thermo-Tec Heat Race #3 Finish (8 Laps, All Transfer): 1. 58-Garrett Alberson[1]; 2. 71-Hudson O'Neal[2]; 3. 1Z-Logan Zarin[3]; 4. 93L-Cory Lawler[4]; 5. 18-Trevor Landrum[6]; 6. D48-Derek Groomer[5]; 7. 90-Michael LeFevers[7]; 8. 96-Josh Vinyard[8]


Group A | Night 2 Feature Finish (25 Laps):

Pos - Start - Car # - Competitor - Hometown - Pay
1 - 4 - 32P - Bobby Pierce - Oakwood, IL - $6,000
2 - 1 - 49 - Jonathan Davenport - Blairsville, GA - $3,000
3 - 2 - 76 - Brandon Overton - Evans, GA - $2,000
4 - 5 - 1 - Brandon Sheppard - New Berlin, IL - $1,250
5 - 7 - 20RT - Ricky Thornton Jr - Chandler, AZ - $1,000
6 - 6 - 17D - Zack Dohm - Cross Lanes, WV - $900
7 - 10 - 6M - Michael Chilton - Salvisa, KY - $850
8 - 8 - 5N - Dustin Nobbe - Batesville, IN - $800
9 - 17 - 111 - Max Blair - Centerville, PA - $750
10 - 12 - 11R - Josh Rice - Crittenden, KY - $700
11 - 15 - 20 - Jimmy Owens - Newport, TN - $650
12 - 9 - 22F - Chris Ferguson - Mt. Holly, NC - $600
13 - 11 - 23V - Cory Hedgecock - Loudon, TN - $550
14 - 25 - 10 - Joseph Joiner - Milton, FL - $500
15 - 14 - 6 - Clay Harris - Jupiter, FL - $500
16 - 16 - 11 - Adam Stricker - Batavia, OH - $500
17 - 3 - 18D - Daulton Wilson - Fayetteville, NC - $500
18 - 13 - 317 - Blake Creech - Richmond, IN - $500
19 - 18 - 60 - Dan Ebert - Lake Shore, MN - $500
20 - 21 - 3:16 - Mike Bargo - Corbin, KY - $500
21 - 23 - 32 - Chad Stapleton - Edinburgh, IN - $500
22 - 20 - 9 - Michael Leach - Sun River, MT - $500
23 - 19 - 81 - Conner Mertens - Charlestown, IN - $500
24 - 26 - C6 - Calvin Carlton - Lawrenceburg, KY - $500
25 - 22 - 49G - Billy Green - Walton, KY - $500
26 - 24 - 33AJ - Austin Lay - Florence, KY - $500


Group A Race Statistics 

Victory Fuel Pole Sitter: Jonathan Davenport
MD3 Lap Leaders: Jonathan Davenport (1-14); Bobby Pierce (15-25)
Hellraizer Jacks Halfway Leader: Jonathan Davenport
Wieland Feature Winner: Bobby Pierce

Margin of Victory:  1.961 seconds

Coltman Farms Racing Cautions: Daulton Wilson (Lap 21)
Series Provisionals: n/a
Fast Time Provisional: n/a
Emergency Provisional: n/a
Track Provisional: n/a
Big River Steel Podium Top 3: Bobby Pierce, Jonathan Davenport, Brandon Overton
Penske Shocks Top 5: Bobby Pierce, Jonathan Davenport, Brandon Overton, Brandon Sheppard, Ricky Thornton Jr.
PEM 4th Place Feature: Brandon Sheppard
DMI Rearends 5th Place Feature: Ricky Thornton Jr.
Wilwood Brakes Lucky 7th Place Feature: Michael Chilton
Wehrs Machine 11th Place Feature: Jimmy Owens
Deatherage Opticians Lucky 13th Place Feature: Cory Hedgecock
MD3 24th Place Feature: Calvin Carlton
Hoker Trucking Hard Charger of the Race: Joseph Joiner (Advanced 11 Positions)
MD3 Most Laps Led: Jonathan Davenport (14 Laps)
Sunoco Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Brandon Sheppard
Midwest Sheet Metal Spoiler Challenge Point Leader: n/a
O’Reilly Auto Parts Rookie of the Race: n/a
Pro Fabrication Headers Fastest Lap of the Race: Bobby Pierce | Lap 3 | 16.089 seconds
Slicker Graphics Slickest Move of the Race: Jonathan Davenport
Fresh Roof Hard Luck Award: Daulton Wilson
Outerwears Crew Chief of the Race: Bob Pierce
ARP Engine Builder of the Race: Vic Hill Racing Engines
Miller Welders Chassis Builder of the Race: Longhorn Chassis

Time of Race: 9 minutes 58 seconds


Group B | Night 2 Feature Finish (25 Laps):

Pos - Start - Car # - Competitor - Hometown - Pay
1 - 2 - 99 - Devin Moran - Dresden, OH - $6,000
2 - 6 - 71 - Hudson O’Neal - Martinsville, IN - $3,000
3 - 10 - 16J - Justin Rattliff - Campbellsville, KY - $2,000
4 - 3 - 58 - Garrett Alberson - Las Cruces, NM - $1,250
5 - 4 - 93 - Carson Ferguson - Lincolnton, NC - $1,000
6 - 9 - 1Z - Logan Zarin - Hookstown, PA - $900
7 - 8 - 12 - Jason Jameson - Lawrenceburg, IN - $850
8 - 14 - 40B - Kyle Bronson - Brandon, FL - $800
9 - 5 - 9 - Nick Hoffman - Mooresville, NC - $750
10 - 11 - 8K - Kyle Strickler - Mooresville, NC - $700
11 - 12 - 93L - Cory Lawler - Hanover, PA - $650
12 - 7 - 79 - Donald McIntosh - Dawsonville, GA - $600
13 - 16 - 15R - Brad Rickels - Verona, KY - $550
14 - 13 - 12M - Ryan Montgomery - Fairmont, WV - $500
15 - 17 - 4 - Tripp Gerrald - Versailles, KY - $500
16 - 15 - 18 - Trevor Landrum - Florence, KY - $500
17 - 21 - 90 - Michael LeFevers - Cincinnati, OH - $500
18 - 18 - D48 - Derek Groomer - Bloomington, IN - $500
19 - 22 - 22 - Daniel Hilsabeck - Earlham, IA - $500
20 - 24 - 96 - Josh Vinyard - Danville, KY - $500
21 - 1 - 157 - Mike Marlar - Winfield, TN - $500
22 - 23 - 15W - Roger Williams - Florence, KY - $500
23 - 19 - 99J - Donnie Jeschke - Dayton, OH - $500
24 - 20 - 22B - Brandon Hardgrove - Burnside, KY - $500


Group B Race Statistics 

Victory Fuel Pole Sitter: Jonathan Davenport
MD3 Lap Leaders: Mike Marlar (1-14); Devin Moran (15-25)
Hellraizer Jacks Halfway Leader: Mike Marlar
Wieland Feature Winner: Devin Moran

Margin of Victory: 0.770 seconds

Coltman Farms Racing Cautions: Roger Williams (Lap 6); Mike Marlar (Lap 14); Daniel Hilsabeck, Josh Vinyard (Lap 15); Tripp Gerrald (Lap 16); Derek Groomer (Lap 21)

Series Provisionals: n/a
Fast Time Provisional: n/a
Emergency Provisional: n/a
Track Provisional: n/a
Big River Steel Podium Top 3: Devin Moran, Hudson O’Neal, Justin Rattliff
Penske Shocks Top 5: Devin Moran, Hudson O’Neal, Justin Rattliff, Garrett Alberson, Carson Ferguson
PEM 4th Place Feature: Garrett Alberson
DMI Rearends 5th Place Feature: Carson Ferguson
Wilwood Brakes Lucky 7th Place Feature: Jason Jameson
Wehrs Machine 11th Place Feature: Cory Lawler
Deatherage Opticians Lucky 13th Place Feature: Brad Rickels
MD3 24th Place Feature: Brandon Hardgrove
Hoker Trucking Hard Charger of the Race: Justin Rattliff (Advanced 7 Positions)
MD3 Most Laps Led: Mike Marlar (14 Laps)
Sunoco Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Hudson O’Neal
Midwest Sheet Metal Spoiler Challenge Point Leader: n/a
O’Reilly Auto Parts Rookie of the Race: n/a
Pro Fabrication Headers Fastest Lap of the Race: Mike Marlar | Lap 1 | 16.777 seconds
Slicker Graphics Slickest Move of the Race: Hudson O’Neal
Fresh Roof Hard Luck Award: Mike Marlar
Outerwears Crew Chief of the Race: Chuck Kimble
ARP Engine Builder of the Race: Clements Racing Engines
Miller Welders Chassis Builder of the Race: Longhorn Chassis

Time of Race: 24 minutes 55 seconds


43rd Annual Sunoco North/South 100 presented by Lucas Oil

Saturday Night Heat Race Line-Ups (Invert 4)

Penske Shocks Heat 1 Line-Up (10 Laps | Top 3 Transfer):

Row - Car # - Driver - Hometown - Car # - Driver - Hometown
1 - 11R - Josh Rice - Crittenden, KY - 49 - Jonathan Davenport - Blairsville, GA
2 - 16J - Justin Rattliff - Campbellsville, KY - 99 - Devin Moran - Dresden, OH
3 - 8K - Kyle Strickler - Mooresville, NC - 15R - Brad Rickels - Verona, KY
4 - 11 - Adam Stricker - Batavia, OH - 22 - Daniel Hilsabeck - Earlham, IA
5 - C6 -   Calvin Carlton - Lawrenceburg, KY


Summit Racing Heat 2 Line-Up (10 Laps | Top 3 Transfer):

Row - Car # - Driver - Hometown - Car # - Driver - Hometown
1 - 9 - Nick Hoffman - Mooresville, NC - 23V - Cory Hedgecock - Loudon, TN
2 - 20RT - Ricky Thornton Jr - Chandler, AZ - 32P - Bobby Pierce - Oakwood, IL
3 - 4 - Tripp Gerrald - Versailles, KY - D48 - Derek Groomer - Bloomington, IN
4 - 22B - Brandon Hardgrove - Burnside, KY - 60 - Dan Ebert - Lake Shore, MN
5 - 15W - Roger Williams - Florence, KY  


Cool-It Thermo-Tec Heat 3 Line-Up (10 Laps | Top 3 Transfer):

Row - Car # - Driver - Hometown - Car # - Driver - Hometown
1 - 22F - Chris Ferguson - Mt. Holly, NC - 1Z - Logan Zarin - Hookstown, PA
2 - 17D - Zack Dohm - Cross Lanes, WV - 58 - Garrett Alberson - Las Cruces, NM
3 - 10 - Joseph Joiner - Milton, FL - 317 - Blake Creech - Richmond, IN
4 - 32 - Chad Stapleton - Edinburgh, IN - 33AJ - Austin Lay - Florence, KY
5 - 1G - Devin Gilpin - Columbus, IN   


Simpson Race Products Heat 4 Line-Up (10 Laps | Top 3 Transfer):

Row - Car # - Driver - Hometown - Car # - Driver - Hometown
1 - 79 - Donald McIntosh - Dawsonville, GA - 20 - Jimmy Owens - Newport, TN
2 - 18D - Daulton Wilson - Fayetteville, NC - 76 - Brandon Overton - Evans, GA
3 - 93L - Cory Lawler - Hanover, PA - 18 - Trevor Landrum - Florence, KY
4 - 3:16 - Mike Bargo - Corbin, KY - 81 - Conner Mertens - Charlestown, IN


Lucas Oil Heat 5 Line-Up (10 Laps | Top 3 Transfer):

Row - Car # - Driver - Hometown - Car # - Driver - Hometown
1 - 6M - Michael Chilton - Salvisa, KY - 5N - Dustin Nobbe - Batesville, IN
2 - 93 - Carson Ferguson - Lincolnton, NC - 71 - Hudson O'Neal - Martinsville, IN
3 - 40B - Kyle Bronson - Brandon, FL - 6 - Clay Harris - Jupiter, FL
4 - 90 - Michael LeFevers - Cincinnati, OH - 49G - Billy Green - Walton, KY



Lucas Oil Heat 6 Line-Up (10 Laps | Top 3 Transfer):

Row - Car # - Driver - Hometown - Car # - Driver - Hometown
1 - 157 - Mike Marlar - Winfield, TN - 12 - Jason Jameson - Lawrenceburg, IN
2 - 111 - Max Blair - Centerville, PA - 1 - Brandon Sheppard - New Berlin, IL
3 - 12M - Ryan Montgomery - Fairmont, WV - 09 - Michael Leach - Sun River, MT
4 - 96 - Josh Vinyard - Danville, KY - 99J - Donnie Jeschke - Dayton, OH