From lucasdirt.com
DAVENPORT DOUBLES DOWN AT LUCAS OIL SPEEDWAY
WHEATLAND, Mo. (May 26, 2023) – Jonathan Davenport has stamped himself as one of the favorites heading into the 31st Annual Lucas Oil Show-Me 100 presented by Missouri Division of Tourism on Saturday night.
The 3-time Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series National Champion withstood last lap challenges from Tim McCreadie and Ricky Thornton Jr. in capturing the Tribute to Don and Billie Gibson on Friday night.
For the 39-year-old Blairsville, Georgia native it was his second straight Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series win as he also took first place honors on Thursday night’s Cowboy Classic. It was also Davenport’s third straight Lucas Oil MLRA win dating back to his April 1st triumph in the Spring Nationals.
Even though the results will show that Davenport led all 40 laps on Friday night it was far from an easy victory, his 68th in his Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series career. McCreadie finished in second with Thornton placing third at the finish, after starting in 24th.
Thornton transferred through his heat race but had to bring out a back-up car after suffering engines issues in the final laps. Thornton who pitted early in the race drove through the field to earn the Todd Steel Buildings Hard Charger of the Race, passing 21 cars on his way to rounding out the Big River Steel Podium.
Payton Looney, the 2020 Show-Me 100 champion, and Brandon Overton who both challenged for the lead ended up fourth and fifth in the final rundown.
Davenport stormed to the lead in the early going as Jeff Herzog ran in second for the first three laps until Overton got the spot before a caution on lap four. Looney would follow Overton to the front as they started to close over Davenport when a caution came out again with 13 laps scored. When the race resumed Davenport still held the lead despite pressure from Overton and Looney as Looney took over the second position by lap 15 and began cutting into Davenport’s lead.
Overton had got back by Looney by lap 29 and held the spot for just four laps until Looney moved past him again. Looney would hold the second spot with five laps remaining and appeared to be headed to a podium finish. Unfortunately, he started to fade in the waning laps falling to fourth at the finish after yielding to both McCreadie and Thornton in the final circuits.
Davenport held on for the win despite both McCreadie and Thornton closing rapidly on the final lap. “I knew I was getting slower and slower around the top. I was just getting looser. I was taking the long way around the top, there wasn’t anything to lean on, so I had to come off of it. I tried to get a good run down the straightaway to keep my momentum up. Eventually I knew something would come around the bottom, so I moved down there.”
“I was just too free in the center of the corner to stay down there,” Davenport added. “I saw the white flag so I just kind of floated through one and two and I tried to block the bottom and the top on the last lap. So, I really had no idea where to be there. It’s good to see the 49 and the 39 run first and second. As much as we talk and run up and down the road, you can’t hardly run the same thing because our driving styles are so different. We bounce a lot of ideas off of each other,” said the driver who is seeking his second career Show-Me 100 victory.
McCreadie, who is looking for his first career Show-Me 100 triumph came home in the runner-up spot to Davenport in Friday night’s 40 lapper. “I don’t think we ever slow down. We don’t fire very good, so we fell way back in the beginning. I just diamond the racetrack until it gets completely shiny until where I can do it with my foot. When you are flat on the deck for the first 15 laps I am just slipping. I think everybody just came to us. We had a couple of restarts and we got up there and was fighting for it but once JD maneuvered it I kind of got dead in the water. We will take a second and try to find some more speed tomorrow.”
Thornton’s drive to the front was electrifying as the current Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series point leader completed a trying night with a third-place finish. “We weren’t going anywhere there early on. We pitted under caution and changed a couple of small things to find some traction and after that I really took off. Hats off to my crew they busted their tails, and we had some other teams helping as well. I was able to finish the heat race, but we hurt the motor. We got the back-up out and old “Daisy” still has it,” as Thornton referenced the nickname of his second car the team pulled out of the trailer to start on the tail of the main event.
The winner’s Lance and Darla Landers, Double L Motorsports, Longhorn Chassis is powered by a Clements Racing Engines and sponsored by Nutrien Ag Solutions, Dyno Gro Seed, Lucas Oil Products, Bilstein Shocks, VP Fuels, Mark Martin Automotive, ASC Warranty, and Midwest Sheet Metal.
Completing the top ten were Chris Ferguson, Jimmy Owens, Devin Moran, Earl Pearson Jr., and Max Blair.
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Race Summary
Tribute to Don & Billie Gibson
Friday, May 26, 2023
Lucas Oil Speedway – Wheatland, MO
Tribute to Don & Billie Gibson Feature Finish (40 Laps):
See the full story and results:
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