Thornton Triumphs As Late Models Return To Memphis

Cloudy skies and a chilly north wind may have held down the crowd a bit, but there was still a buzz in the grandstands as the Super Late Models made a rare appearance at the Scotland County Speedway in Memphis, Missouri, on Friday night. It would be the season opener for Joe Kosiski's Malvern Bank SLMR East series with an interesting mix of twenty-five drivers on hand, several of whom that would quickly load up at the end of the evening and make the 365 mile journey to Norfolk, Nebraska, for Saturday's West series opener at the Off Road Speedway.

I love the qualifying procedure used by the SLMR as drivers draw at the gate and, on this night, they were split into three heat race groups. They then time trial within that group to set the heat race lineup and then with the combination of points from qualifying and their heat race finish, the top sixteen in qualifying points lock into the A-Main. But here is the difference from other Late Model series. They invert the heat race lineup by six, so the quick qualifier from each group starts on the outside of row three and not only does this give the fans more racing action in the heat races compared to the "start the fast guys in front method", but it also helps to widen out the racing surface by promoting passing during the heats races! Instead of a parade of drivers chasing the fastest car while all using the same racing line, the SLMR method has drivers racing low, high and anywhere in between. And, when you combine that with the track prep expertise of promoter Mike VanGenderen, you end up with three and four-wide racing action all the way to the final checkered flag of the night as evidence by this battle for second midway through the Stock Car feature. 

Jay Schmidt (19J), Michael Jaennette (93) and Brayton Carter (7v) - Barry Johnson photo

The thirty-lap SLMR headliner would be the third feature of the night and pole-sitter Chad Simpson would open up a nice early lead. After starting fifth, the 2024 SLMR Rookie-of-the-Year Dylan Thornton would make his way to second and he would quickly reel in Simpson to make it a battle for the lead. Using the high side of the 3/8th-mile oval to perfection, Thornton would sweep around the outside of Simpson on lap twelve and the lead duo would then open up a full straightaway over the rest of the field. 

Dylan Thornton (38T) overtakes Chad Simpson (25) - Barry Johnson photo

Making his first career start with the SLMR, Dallon Murty was on the move after starting tenth and just past the mid-race mark he would get to third, but was nearly a half lap behind Thornton with just over ten laps remaining. As the laps wound down the leader would approach a large group of cars racing for position and that would allow Simpson to close back in on him getting to just a car-length or two before the California native started to pick off the lappers. This also allowed Murty to quickly erase the gap and as the white flag waved both Simpson and Murty would have the leader in sight, both hoping for a mistake, but Dylan had it under control and scored the impressive win in the non-stop event. 

Dallon Murty (top side) making his way to the front passing Jesse Sobbing - Barry Johnson

Simpson and Murty would join him on the podium with the sixth-starting Jesse Sobbing in fourth and Jake Neal aboard Al Humphrey's #6 in fifth. Andrew Kosiski would finish sixth, Charlie McKenna started twelfth and finished seventh, young Kayden Clatt held down eighth, ninth went to Modified ace Tim Ward while Jason Hahne filled out the top ten. There were plenty of Austen Becerra fans on hand as well and they enjoyed his run from eighteenth to eleventh. It was a tough night for the defending East series champion Andy Eckrich who dropped out early to finish twenty-second. 

Car owner Brenda Kay joins Dylan Thornton in victory lane - Barry Johnson photo

Up next for the SLMR East series will be a visit to the Independence Motor Speedway on Saturday May 10th.

The Sport Compacts would be the first of four features on the night and with only five cars in attendance this would be a cakewalk for Brandon Reu who easily outdistanced Barry Taft, but the other two features would both be decided late in the race. 

Brandon Reu in control

Logan Cumby would set a quick early pace in the eighteen lap B-Mod main event slowed for the first time on lap five when the fifth-place car of Kyler Girard spun in turn two. Two more laps would go in the books before Tim Hoselton's spin in turn two and on the restart both Brandon Dale and Brayton Carter would get by Cumby who then slowed and pulled to the infield a couple of laps later.

Dale would hold off Carter over the next five laps before Hoselton's second and final spin and then one more lap would go in the books prior to Cody Winn getting sideways in turn one. This restart with four laps remaining would get interesting as Cody Agee would take second away from Carter for lap fifteen, but when both Dale and Agee would stumble on the cushion in turn one, that would open the door for Carter to go from third to first. He would then hold off a challenge from Dale on the final lap to take the win. Agee would be right behind in third, Dawson David was fourth and Chris Spalding was fifth. Carter's drive to victory started from tenth and Brayden Bennett was impressive coming from the tenth row to finish sixth. The driver from Tonganoxie, Kansas, was apparently unaware of the "one and done" rule after spinning in his heat race as he contested the ruling after he waited for the caution. 

Brayton Carter makes his move under Brandon Dale - Barry Johnson photo

The twenty lap Stock Car feature would close out the night and while the racing behind him was intense, Derrick Agee appeared to have things well in control pulling away from the scramble even after a pair of early cautions. As Agee crossed the stripe on lap eighteen I was already writing his name in my notebook as the winner of this one, but as they say "it is never over until it is over" as far behind him the second place car of Michael Jaennette had the radiator hose blow entering turn three and he sailed over the top of the banking bringing out the caution.

This would now place Damon Murty, Brayton Carter, Dennis Elliott and the rest of the field on Agee's back bumper for a green-white-checkers restart and again Derrick looked to have things well in hand until he stumbled just a bit on the entry to turn one after taking the white flag. For the second time tonight the low-riding Carter would accept the gift and drive to the lead and while Agee recovered in time to come charging back on the high-side of turns three and four it would be Carter by a half car length at the checkers for the victory. What a way to close out a chilly evening of some great racing that concluded just before ten o'clock!

Agee would have to settle for second, Papa Murty would also get a third on the night, Elliott was fourth and Schmidt would close out the top five. 

A family celebration in victory lane - Barry Johnson photo

As always a big thanks to the Scotland County Fair Board and race promoter Mike VanGenderen for their hospitality to all of us here at Positively Racing as you will see photos here, and on our Facebook page from photographer Barry Johnson, plus be sure to check out Racin' Down The Road for Danny Rosencrans' report from this fun night of racing. The next event here at Memphis will be on Friday night June 20th when the Mohrfeld Solar Sprint Invaders will be joined by the Western Iowa Non-Wing Sprints, the Stock Cars and the B-Mods. Mark it on your calendar!

Keep an eye on the Back Stretch as I hope to make it to season openers at both Quincy on Sunday and Oskaloosa on Wednesday before our friends at Shafer Construction present the return of the Sprint Invaders at the CJ Speedway in Columbus Junction on Friday May 2nd. Hope to see you at the track soon!

Sheppard Kicks Off Three Day Swing Through Iowa With Victory at Tipton

The roster for the MARS Championship Series sanctioned Hawkeyeland 40 at the Cedar County Raceway in Tipton Thursday night was an amazing combination of the two national Late Model tours, who both have the weekend off, along with top notch regional talent sprinkled in as forty-three drivers were on hand. The $5,000-to-win event would kick off an Easter weekend triple header for MARS and a good crowd filed in despite the threat of some weather coming in from the west later in the evening.

Qualifying with straight up starts through four heat races and two B-Mains whittled the field to twenty-two for the forty-lap main event with Illinois stars Brandon Sheppard and Brian Shirley bringing the field to green, but it would be the third starting Carson Ferguson that would dig around the bottom of the racy quarter-mile to take the lead as the opening lap was scored. The North Carolina native had set quick time earlier in the evening and it was an impressive move to start, but Sheppard would come roaring back riding a precarious cushion that had pushed all the way to the rim in turns one and two as early as qualifying.

Sheppard, behind the wheel of his family owned Valvoline #B5 for this weekend, would take the point on lap three and then settle into a routine of running low in one and two while still riding the cushion in turns three and four. The first caution of the race would wave on lap ten when Ryan Unzicker slowed to a halt and once back to racing the fifth starting Bobby Pierce would now keep pace with the leader hoping to make a run at him once Sheppard encountered traffic. Behind them a tight battle for third between Ferguson, Tanner English and Brian Shirley kept my attention, especially as Sheppard kept one or two lappers between himself and Pierce.

The second and final caution of the race would fly with twelve laps remaining when Justin Duty and Tony Jackson Jr. tangled in turn two and on this restart English would slip by Pierce for second for a couple of laps before Bobby battled back to regain the position. As they raced it out though, Sheppard had put some distance them and even though Pierce would cut it down to just a couple of car lengths coming to the checkers he was unable to make a challenge as the checkers waved over "B-Shepp". English would finish third with Ferguson warding off Shirley for fourth. Ryan Gustin would come from twelfth to finish sixth, young Daniel Adam was solid all night in seventh, Dennis Erb Jr. who needed some late race heroics in his B-Main to get the final transfer spot then came from the tenth row of the feature to finish eighth. Jason Feger was also a big mover coming from seventeenth to ninth and Chad Simpson rounded out the top ten after starting from fifteenth. Young Drake Troutman had been racing in the top five for most of the event until he slipped off the top of turn three with five laps remaining losing twelve positions on the costly mistake.

Late Model fans can expect to see this star studded field again tonight and Saturday as the series moves to 34 Raceway west of Burlington, Iowa, for the annual Brent Slocum Memorial with Saturday's Slocum 50 paying $10,555 to the winner!

There was plenty of star power in each of the three support classes as well although the car count was surprisingly small in the Sport Mods. For the past several years this division would often boast the highest car count at either a special or a weekly show in this region, but the start of the 2025 season has seen that trend reversed as only nine good ones were on hand tonight and their twenty lap feature would precede the Late Model headliner.

Cole Stichter would race out to a nice lead until the fourth starting Brayton Carter could make his way to second and then lap by lap that advantage would disappear. As the leaders approached two cars racing for position at the back of the field Carter would make his move driving under Stichter to take the advantage on lap thirteen. Just one lap later the red flag would fly as Brady Hilmer's car tipped over onto it's top in turn four and following the cleanup Carter would pull away over the final six laps to score already his fifth win on the young season. Stichter would be the runner-up followed by Justin Becker, Levi Heath and Trey Rock.

The opening lap of the first Stock Car heat race earlier in the evening may have been worth the price of admission alone as they went four-wide for the lead and three-wide just behind into turn three with little if any contact being made. Unfortunately though the track had been mostly used up during the Late Model feature and while there were a few drivers making a higher line work for a position here or there, for the most part it was a huggy pole battle that pole-sitter Tony Olson was more than happy to set the pace for.

After losing a couple of positions early from his outside of row one start, Kaden Reynolds battled back to second and kept the pressure on Olson waiting for one small mistake to make his move. On the final lap Reynolds was able to poke his nose under Olson going down the back stretch and while he could have rooted the leader out for the sake of a victory, Kaden showed true sportsmanship as Olson closed the door in turn three backing out of it to finish in second. Wisconsin's Kenny Richards and Brayton Carter aboard his cousin's #7V each finished where they started in third and fourth while John Oliver Jr. was fifth.

The IMCA Modifieds closed out the evening with the field of fifteen going for twenty-five laps with Tom Berry Jr. snagging the lead from the outside of row one and then going the distance for a dominating win. Ethan Braaksma brought the Rage house car #12J in for second, Jeff Larson started sixth and finished third with Spencer Diercks in fourth and California transplant Troy Morris III was fifth after starting from the inside of row five.

It was another well presented show by the Darkside crew headed up by Timmy Current and Ryan Duhme with an on-time start and a final checkered flag waving around 9:45, perfect for a Thursday night special packed full of action.

Next up for me will be a first ever appearance by the SLMR Late Model series at the Scotland County Speedway in Memphis, Missouri, next Friday April 25th. Hope to see you there!