4/27/2025
Ricky Thornton Jr
Ricky Thornton Jr. Doubles Up at Hagerstown and Port Royal
Seizes Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Points Lead
MOUNT AIRY, N.C. (04/28/25) – Ricky Thornton Jr. ascended to the top of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series points chase after securing his first career victory at Hagerstown Speedway on Saturday night and defending his title in Sunday’s Battle in the Borough at Port Royal Speedway.
The reigning Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series champion collected $25,000 during the three-race weekend, with his two victories marking the seventh and eighth of the 2025 season behind the wheel of the Ultimate Towing & Recovery / Elite Ready Mix / Coltman Farms Racing / Hoker Trucking No. 20RT Longhorn Chassis Late Model.
“What a race car that was,” Thornton said in victory lane on Sunday. “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.”
The three-race swing began for Thornton on Friday afternoon with the third annual Melvin L. Joseph Memorial at Georgetown (DE) Speedway.
After setting a new track record in time trials with a blistering 16.867-second lap, Ricky secured a heat race victory to advance into the $20,049-to-win opener. Despite slipping back to sixth early in the feature, Thornton mounted a late-race charge, nearly overtaking Devin Moran on the final lap before coming up just 0.077 seconds short at the finish.
For the Conococheague 50 on Saturday at Hagerstown (MD) Speedway, Thornton rebounded from a second-place heat race finish to capture his ninth overall win of the season in the feature. He overtook Garrett Alberson on lap 32 and led the rest of the 50-lapper to secure the $25,000 winner’s purse.
In Sunday’s Battle at the Borough at Port Royal (PA) Speedway, Ricky outran early leader Jonathan Davenport to score his second victory in as many nights. The $12,000 triumph also marked Thornton’s second consecutive win in the event, having captured the Battle at the Borough in 2024.
Thornton holds a 95-point advantage over Devin Moran atop the latest standings.
Complete results and detailed point standings can be found at www.LucasDirt.com.
The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series roars back to life this weekend with a doubleheader across Indiana and Kentucky. On Friday, the series will make its long-anticipated debut at Circle City Raceway, where drivers will battle for a $15,000 winner’s purse. The action then shifts to Florence Speedway on Saturday for the $25,000-to-win Ralph Latham Memorial.
Full event details are available at www.CircleCityRaceway.com and www.FlorenceSpeedway.com.
Ricky Thornton Jr. and the Koehler Motorsports team would like to thank their sponsors, which include: Longhorn Chassis, Bilstein Shock Absorbers, Cornett Racing Engines, Clements Racing Engines, Knight’s Companies, Coltman Farms Racing, High Performance Lubricants, Hoker Trucking LLC, Capital Waste, Ultimate Towing & Recovery, Elite Ready Mix, Jones Racing Products, Certified Inspection Service Co., Inc., Varsitee Screenprinting, D and E Outside Services, Shocker Hitch, EMD Wraps, GoSunoco, Dynamic Drivelines, Excel Floor Coverings, Performance Bodies, Swift Springs, Buzze Performance, Dirtcarlift, Impact Racing, Behrent's Performance Warehouse, Ultra Shield Race Products, LLC, Sharp Advantage Safety Products, LLC, Team SRI Motorsports, MPI - Max Papis Innovations, Strange Oval, Pit Boss Jacks, and MyRacePass Marketing Services.
Visit Ricky Thornton Jr.’s website at www.TwentyRT.com often for the details on his latest racing endeavors as well as www.KoehlerMotorsports.com for the latest team updates.
Fans can also sign up to his official mailing list at https://pages/RickyThorntonJrRacing.
Article Credit: Heath Lawson image
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