7/3/2022
Ricky Thornton Jr
Thornton claims rain-soaked Independence 50 at PRP
Adds Non-Wing Micro Win at Circus City Speedway
Ricky Thornton Jr. piloted his SSI Motorsports No. 20RT Dyno One Inc./ Excel Floor Covering/ Sub-Surface of Indiana/ Longhorn Chassis/ Clements Racing Engine Super Late Model to a $12,000 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series (LOLMDS) victory on Friday night at Portsmouth Raceway Park. (Heath Lawson photos)
Three days earlier he added a 600cc Non-Wing Micro Sprint win at Circus City Raceway. Additionally, he added a $3,000 prelim win in the Freedom 60 at Muskingum County Raceway on Saturday evening to his holiday weekend accolades.
“It was a busy week of racing, but we were able to enjoy some success. I had a lot of fun with the Micro Sprint there at Circus City Speedway, and then we were good with the Late Model at Florence (Speedway), Portsmouth (Raceway Park), and on the first night at Muskingum (County Speedway). It was a little bit of a bummer to not run better in the finale Sunday at Muskingum, but we’ll take what we learned and head onto the next one,” Thornton Jr. said. “A big thanks goes out to my SSI Motorsports team and everyone who keeps us going up and down the road.
“We’re looking forward to getting back to Davenport (Speedway) and Deer Creek (Speedway) this week.”
Ricky Thornton Jr. got an early start to his Independence Day weekend with a visit to Circus City Speedway (Peru, Ind.) on Tuesday to pull double duty.
After sweeping the night in his 600cc Non-Wing Micro, Thornton Jr. broke in his heat race with the HART Non-Wing Micro Series, relegating him into the B-Main. Needing to place fourth or better, Ricky came from 12th-to-fifth, missing a transfer spot by one car.
Returning to action with the HART Series on Wednesday at the Rush County Fairgrounds (Rushville, Ind.), Ricky raced to a fourth-place finish in the 25-lap feature.
On Thursday, Thornton hopped behind the wheel of the SSI Motorsports No. 20RT Super Late Model for the 36th annual Ralph Latham Memorial at Florence Speedway (Union, Ky.).
After registering the fastest lap in the 30-car Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series (LOLMDS) field, Ricky locked his spot into the $15,000-to-win A-Main with a heat race win. Losing one spot in the 60-lap affair, Thornton scored a second-place finish, which came behind Josh Rice with Garrett Alberson rounding out the podium.
For the Independence 50 on Friday at Portsmouth (Ohio) Raceway Park, Thornton Jr. qualified third-fastest in his group before placing second in his heat. Overtaking early pacesetter Daulton Wilson on lap 30 of the feature, Ricky was leading on lap 45 when a rain shower forced officials to cut the race short with five circuits remaining. He captured his third win of the season and a $12,000 payday ahead of Tim McCreadie, Hudson O’Neal, Earl Pearson Jr., and Wilson.
On Saturday at Muskingum County Speedway (Zanesville, Ohio) for a round of preliminary features leading up to Sunday’s Freedom 60, Ricky came from the third row in his 20-lap prelim to pick up his fourth win of 2022 and a $3,000 prize.
Starting on the pole for Sunday’s $30,000-to-win finale, Thornton hung onto a ninth-place finish in the 60-lapper after leading the opening three circuits.
On the heels of his successful weekend, Ricky climbed to third in the latest LOLMDS point standings.
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