9/17/2022
Ricky Thornton Jr
RTJ charges to fourth-place finish at FALS; Top-5 run in Knoxville Nationals finale
Ricky Thornton Jr. made a mid-week start at Fairbury Speedway (Fairbury, Ill.) on Tuesday afternoon as the Castrol FloRacing Night in America returned to action after the summer break.
Drawing a stout field of 42 cars for the third annual One for the Road, Thornton missed a transfer spot in his heat race and B-Main, forcing him to rely on a provisional into the $22,022-to-win A-Main. Wheeling his way into the Top-5, Ricky passed 18 cars in the 50-lap affair to register an impressive fourth-place finish. He followed Bobby Pierce, Frank Heckenast Jr., and Shannon Babb across the line with Ryan Unzicker coming in fifth.
On Thursday, Ricky and the SSI Motorsports team followed the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series (LOLMDS) to Knoxville Raceway (Knoxville, Iowa) for the 18th annual Knoxville Nationals. Following a fifth-place finish in his heat, Ricky secured his spot into the prelim with a runner-up finish in his B-Main. Losing one spot in the 25-lapper, Thornton crossed the line in 22nd.
For Friday’s $7,000-to-win preliminary, Thornton timed in third-fastest in his group before placing third in his heat. Improving four spots in the 25-lap preliminary feature, Ricky raced to a third-place finish.
Earning the fourth-starting position for Sunday’s rain-delayed $50,000-to-win Knoxville Nationals A-Main via passing points in two rounds of prelims, Ricky Thornton Jr. posted a fourth-place finish. He trailed Jonathan Davenport, Tyler Bruening, and Brandon Sheppard to the checkers with Earl Pearson Jr. completing the Top-5 finishers.
Ricky is currently third in the latest LOLMDS point standings.
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