August 31, 2025 | By Lucas Oil Late Model Series PR

Thornton Wins First Career Hillbilly Hundred

SARVER, Pa.—Ricky Thornton Jr. led wire-to-wire, winning the 57th Annual Summit Racing Equipment Hillbilly Hundred presented by Arizona Sport Shirts on Saturday night at Lernerville Speedway. Thornton’s 13th Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series win of the season was worth $30,000 and marked his first victory in dirt late model racing’s oldest, ongoing race that began in 1967.

Thornton faced a tough challenge from Jonathan Davenport after a lap 90 caution when the top two in the series championship points made contact in a side-by-side battle. Thornton was able to pull away from Davenport in the final nine laps to win by 1.397 seconds.

Max Blair, who started 13th, rounded out the Big River Steel Podium in third after passing Devin Moran right before the final caution of the race. Moran finished fourth. Brandon Overton earned the Hoker Trucking Hard Charger of the Race as he finished fifth after starting 21st.

In Lucas Oil Victory Lane for the 55th time in his career, Thornton has now won three of the last four Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series presented by FloRacing events.

“I am glad that the first yellow came out. I really didn’t get a great start; I let JD get out in front of me. I felt like whoever got out front would be the one to beat, whether your car is better or not. We tried a bunch of different things today, and I felt we were a lot better. I still think we need to improve a lot once it finally cleans off, but overall, it was a really good night for us. You have to start the night off well with good qualifying, have a solid heat race, and a good start to the feature, said the Chandler, Arizona native who now resides in Indianola, Iowa.

“I felt like I was kind of sliding myself into three and four, then they took away the top line, making it so I couldn’t get out there where they could hail Mary around me. I got to traffic and felt almost better around the bottom, and I think you slow your pace down so much when you get to a lapped car, so I needed to stay down there. On that last restart, I felt like I got a decent restart; I saw JD under me and thought, alright, drive it in hard into one and slide myself, and I got a run off of two. By the time I heard him, it was already too late, and I was into him. Obviously, I know he was going to be mad; you definitely don’t want to run a competitor off the track like that.”

Davenport was seeking his third career Hillbilly Hundred victory. He took home $15,000 for a second-place finish and gave his viewpoint on the lap 91 restart.

“I got a pretty good restart, and I was planning to slide him when I got into one, but just like a few other times when I’d get a run on him, Thornton was going to come all the way to the bottom. So I was either going to crash us both or do something else, and I didn’t want to do that. I moved back to the top and got a really good run. I doubt he saw me, but if he heard me, you know, whatever, he says he didn’t. It is what it is; as he said, whoever gets out in front is going to be really hard to beat.”

Blair, who also finished third in the track’s signature event, the Firecracker 100, in June, worked his way methodically to a podium finish after starting on the inside of row number seven.

“I love this place when it gets slippery like that. I need to improve in the heat races so I can start a little higher than 13th. We were really strong at the end of the race, so congrats to Ricky — he's on a roll. It’s getting down to crunch time in this championship, and it’s cool to see him racking up all these wins. Hopefully, he can keep it up and go back-to-back.”

The winner’s Koehler Motorsports, Longhorn Chassis is powered by a Cornett Racing Engine and sponsored by Ultimate Towing and Recovery, Hoker Trucking, Knight’s Companies, Coltman Farms Racing, Elite Ready Mix, Capital Waste, Bilstein Shocks, Sunoco Race Fuels, EMD Wraps, and Certified Inspection Services.

Completing the top ten were Mike Marlar, Carson Ferguson, Tim McCreadie, Brandon Sheppard, and Tyler Erb.

Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Race Summary
57th Summit Racing Equipment Hillbilly Hundred presented by Arizona Sport Shirts | Night 2
Lernerville Speedway | Sarver, PA

Saturday, August 30, 2025

Allstar Performance Time Trials
Fast Time Group A: Jonathan Davenport | 15.357 seconds (Overall)
Fast Time Group B: Ricky Thornton, Jr. | 15.406 seconds

Penske Shocks Heat Race #1 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 49-Jonathan Davenport[1]; 2. 19M-Joseph Joiner[2]; 3. 58-Garrett Alberson[4]; 4. 111-Max Blair[3]; 5. 1Z-Logan Zarin[5]; 6. 9-Tim McCreadie[10]; 7. 24-Tyler Wyant[7]; 8. 10L-Gary Lyle[9]; 9. 14H-Haiden Cowan[8]; 10. 14R-Clay Ruffo[6]

Summit Racing Products Heat Race #2 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 99-Devin Moran[1]; 2. 157-Mike Marlar[2]; 3. 22-Daniel Hilsabeck[3]; 4. 555-Brock Pinkerous[4]; 5. 60-Dan Ebert[6]; 6. 77-Tyler Dietz[8]; 7. 76-Brandon Overton[5]; 8. 14-Dan Angelicchio[9]; 9. 55-Chris Schneider[7]

Cool-It Thermo-Tec Heat Race #3 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr[1]; 2. 1-Brandon Sheppard[2]; 3. 93-Carson Ferguson[3]; 4. 22-Drake Troutman[4]; 5. 1-Chub Frank[6]; 6. 6-Clay Harris[5]; 7. J4-John Garvin Jr[8]; 8. 93L-Cory Lawler[10]; 9. 79-Donald McIntosh[7]; 10. B22-Bump Hedman[9]

Simpson Race Products Heat Race #4 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 71-Hudson O'Neal[2]; 2. 99B-Boom Briggs[1]; 3. 1C-Alex Ferree[3]; 4. 48-Colton Flinner[6]; 5. 1T-Tyler Erb[8]; 6. 66L-Levi Yetter[5]; 7. 40B-Kyle Bronson[4]; 8. 29-Ken Schaltenbrand[9]; 9. 66-Justin Kann[7]

Fast Shafts B-Main Race #1 Finish (10 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 9-Tim McCreadie[3]; 2. 1Z-Logan Zarin[1]; 3. 76-Brandon Overton[6]; 4. 60-Dan Ebert[2]; 5. 14H-Haiden Cowan[9]; 6. 14-Dan Angelicchio[8]; 7. 24-Tyler Wyant[5]; 8. 14R-Clay Ruffo[11]; 9. 55-Chris Schneider[10]; 10. 77-Tyler Dietz[4]; 11. 10L-Gary Lyle[7]

UNOH B-Main Race #2 Finish (10 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 1T-Tyler Erb[2]; 2. 6-Clay Harris[3]; 3. 40B-Kyle Bronson[6]; 4. 1*-Chub Frank[1]; 5. 29-Ken Schaltenbrand[8]; 6. B22-Bump Hedman[10]; 7. 93L-Cory Lawler[7]; 8. 66L-Levi Yetter[4]; 9. 79-Donald McIntosh[9]; 10. J4-John Garvin Jr[5]


57th Summit Racing Equipment Hillbilly Hundred presented by Arizona Sport Shirts | Night 2 Feature Finish (100 Laps):

Pos - Start - Car # - Competitor - Hometown - Pay
1 - 2 - 20RT - Ricky Thornton Jr - Chandler, AZ - $31,300
2 - 1 - 49 - Jonathan Davenport - Blairsville, GA - $16,100
3 - 13 - 111 - Max Blair - Centerville, PA - $7,000
4 - 3 - 99 - Devin Moran - Dresden, OH - $6,500
5 - 21 - 76 - Brandon Overton - Evans, GA - $5,200
6 - 7 - 157 - Mike Marlar - Winfield, TN - $3,500
7 - 10 - 93 - Carson Ferguson - Lincolnton, NC - $3,700
8 - 17 - 9 - Tim McCreadie - Watertown, NY - $2,500
9 - 6 - 1 - Brandon Sheppard - New Berlin, IL - $3,100
10 - 18 - 1T - Tyler Erb - New Waverly, TX - $2,300
11 - 8 - 99B - Boom Briggs - Bear Lake, PA - $2,200
12 - 9 - 58 - Garrett Alberson - Las Cruces, NM - $2,800
13 - 23 - 60 - Dan Ebert - Lake Shore, MN - $2,800
14 - 25 - 79 - Donald McIntosh - Dawsonville, GA - $2,600
15 - 15 - 555 - Brock Pinkerous - Ellenville, NY - $1,800
16 - 4 - 71 - Hudson O'Neal - Martinsville, IN - $2,550
17 - 5 - 19M - Joseph Joiner - Milton, FL - $2,400
18 - 14 - 22* - Drake Troutman - Hyndman, PA - $1,650
19 - 27 - 29 - Ken Schaltenbrand - Sarver, PA - $1,600
20 - 20 - 6 - Clay Harris - Jupiter, FL - $2,250
21 - 19 - 1Z - Logan Zarin - Hookstown, PA - $1,550
22 - 11 - 22 - Daniel Hilsabeck - Earlham, IA - $2,200
23 - 26 - 93L - Cory Lawler - Hanover, PA - $2,200
24 - 16 - 48 - Colton Flinner - Allison Park, PA - $1,500
25 - 12 - 1C - Alex Ferree - Saxonburg, PA - $1,500
26 - 22 - 40B - Kyle Bronson - Brandon, FL - $1,500
27 - 28 - 77 - Tyler Dietz - Saxonburg, PA - $1,500
28 - 24 - 1* - Chub Frank - Bear Lake, PA - $1,500


Race Statistics

Entrants: 38

Victory Fuel Pole Sitter: Jonathan Davenport
MD3 Lap Leaders: Ricky Thornton, Jr. (Laps 1-100)
Hellraizer Jacks Halfway Leader: Ricky Thornton, Jr.
Wieland Feature Winner: Ricky Thornton, Jr.
Margin of Victory: 1.397 seconds
Coltman Farms Racing Cautions: Garrett Alberson, Daniel Hilsabeck (Initial Start); Colton Flinner (Lap 2); Kyle Bronson (Lap 15); Donald McIntosh (Lap 16); Joseph Joiner (Lap 18); Tim McCreadie (Lap 26); Ken Schaltenbrand (Lap 37); Cory Lawler (Lap 39); Hudson O’Neal (Lap 43); Ken Schaltenbrand (Lap 90)
Series Provisionals: Donald McIntosh; Cory Lawler
Fast Time Provisional: n/a
Emergency Provisional: n/a
Track Provisional: Ken Schaltenbrand; Tyler Dietz
Big River Steel Podium Top 3: Ricky Thornton, Jr., Jonathan Davenport, Max Blair
Penske Shocks Top 5: Ricky Thornton, Jr., Jonathan Davenport, Max Blair, Devin Moran, Brandon Overton
PEM 4th Place Feature: Devin Moran
DMI Rearends 5th Place Feature: Brandon Overton
Wilwood Brakes Lucky 7th Place Feature: Carson Ferguson
Wehrs Machine 11th Place Feature: Boom Briggs
Deatherage Opticians Lucky 13th Place Feature: Dan Ebert
MD3 24th Place Feature: Colton Flinner
Hoker Trucking Hard Charger of the Race: Brandon Overton (Advanced 16 positions)
MD3 Most Laps Led: Ricky Thornton, Jr. (100 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: Dan Ebert
Pro Fabrication Headers Fastest Lap of the Race: Ricky Thornton, Jr. | Lap 1 | 17.615 seconds
Slicker Graphics Slickest Move of the Race: Ricky Thornton Jr.
Fresh Roof Hard Luck Award: Daniel Hilsabeck
Outerwears Crew Chief of the Race: Zack Frields
ARP Engine Builder of the Race: Cornett Racing Engines
Miller Welders Chassis Builder of the Race: Longhorn Chassis
Dirt Draft Fastest in Hot Laps: Jonathan Davenport | 15.251 seconds

Time of Race: 1 hour 5 minutes 27 seconds


Big River Steel Chase for the Championship Presented by ARP Point Standings:

Pos - Car # - Competitor - Hometown - Points - Pay
1 - 20RT - Ricky Thornton Jr - Chandler, AZ - 7735 - $455,850
2 - 49 - Jonathan Davenport - Blairsville, GA - 7695 - $399,400
3 - 99 - Devin Moran - Dresden, OH - 7270 - $273,749
4 - 71 - Hudson O'Neal - Martinsville, IN - 7185 - $275,225

5 - 1 - Brandon Sheppard - New Berlin, IL - 6965 - $232,100
6 - 58 - Garrett Alberson - Las Cruces, NM - 6910 - $171,450
7 - 76 - Brandon Overton - Evans, GA - 6645 - $146,900
8 - 18D - Daulton Wilson - Fayetteville, NC - 5980 - $115,125
9 - 93 - Carson Ferguson - Lincolnton, NC - 5825 - $99,125
10 - 79 - Donald McIntosh - Dawsonville, GA - 5705 - $86,150
11 - 22 - Daniel Hilsabeck - Earlham, IA - 5485 - $79,650
12 - 60 - Dan Ebert - Lake Shore, MN - 5240 - $76,875
13 - 6 - Clay Harris - Jupiter, FL - 5085 - $71,800
14 - 93L - Cory Lawler - Hanover, PA - 4460 - $47,225