BROWNSTOWN, IN (October 11, 2024) - Ricky Thornton Jr. passed race leader Bobby Pierce on lap 34 to win the 3rd Annual C.J. Rayburn Memorial on Friday night at Brownstown Speedway. It was Thornton’s 14th win this season with the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, as he collected $10,000 for the win, leading the final seven circuits.

Mike Marlar, the defending C.J. Rayburn Memorial winner, edged out Pierce at the finish to finish second. Pierce, who led 33 of the 40 laps, rounded out the Big River Steel Podium in third. Completing the top five were Tanner English and Hudson O’Neal.

In Lucas Oil Victory Lane for the 42nd time in his career, Thornton earned his third career win at Brownstown with the triumph.

“It’s awesome to win a race with C.J.’s name on it. He was a pioneer in the sport. It’s super hard to be patient in traffic. I almost felt like I was in a better spot than Bobby because I could slow down and see him move out to get around a lapped car. He would pass a lapped car but never really get out, so I knew there, towards the end, I got behind a couple of really good cars around the bottom. I felt like if I followed them and finished the race, they would have to be really good around that middle. It worked out for us. The car was pretty awesome all night.”

Marlar had one of the fastest cars on the track at one point and drove from tenth to second with 25 laps complete, but he slipped off the embankment and dropped back a few positions. He recovered in the last 15 laps to just edge out Pierce at the line for second.

“It was a huge night for us. We have had a rough time, and I hate it for my guys. It’s been a rough summer, but you know I was digging hard for C.J. I thought I put it on my lid there, coming off four in that lap. I just didn’t get there. It was a good race. The fans saw a good race. Bobby and Ricky, we had a little excitement there at the end. Ricky snuck in there. It’s a rare thing to see Bobby get caught up in something. I am just glad to get the 157 anywhere near the front.” 

The winners’ Bobby and Jessica Koehler-owned, Koehler Motorsports, Longhorn Chassis is powered by a Cornett Racing Engine and sponsored by Coltman Farms, Hoker Trucking, D&E Outside Services, Capital Waste, Traffic Control Safety Services, Ultimate Towing and Recovery, Rogers Realty and Auction Company, Inc. Five Star Metal Buildings, and Sunoco Race Fuels.

Dennis Erb Jr., Max Blair, Brandon Sheppard, Jonathan Davenport, and Devin Moran completed the top ten.

Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series 
Race Summary 
3rd Annual CJ Rayburn Memorial
Friday, October 11, 2024
Brownstown Speedway – Brownstown, IN

Allstar Performance Time Trials
Fast Time Group A: Bobby Pierce | 13.558 seconds
Fast Time Group B: Ricky Thornton, Jr. | 13.520 seconds (overall)

Penske Shocks Heat Race #1 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 32P-Bobby Pierce[1]; 2. B5-Brandon Sheppard[2]; 3. 28-Dennis Erb Jr[3]; 4. 96-Tanner English[5]; 5. 58-Garrett Alberson[4]; 6. 68-Adam Stricker[9]; 7. 99-Devin Moran[8]; 8. 18D-Daulton Wilson[7]; 9. 17SS-Brenden Smith[6]; 10. 28JS-Jeffrey Shackelford[10]

Summit Racing Products Heat Race #2 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 49-Jonathan Davenport[1]; 2. 12-Jason Jameson[3]; 3. 7T-Drake Troutman[5]; 4. 111-Max Blair[2]; 5. 20-Jimmy Owens[6]; 6. 20TC-Tristan Chamberlain[4]; 7. 71X-Don O'Neal[7]; 8. 93F-Carson Ferguson[8]; 9. 93-Cory Lawler[9]

Earnhardt Technologies Heat Race #3 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr[1]; 2. 1T-Tyler Erb[3]; 3. 157-Mike Marlar[4]; 4. 7R-Chad Stapleton[2]; 5. 99B-Boom Briggs[7]; 6. 18-Shannon Babb[5]; 7. 76-Shelby Miles[6]; 8. 1G-Devin Gilpin[8]; 9. 93X-Zak Blackwood[9]; 10. 43-Kody Marsee[10]

Simpson Race Products Heat Race #4 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 71-Hudson O'Neal[1]; 2. 1-Tim McCreadie[2]; 3. 44-Dave Hess Jr[4]; 4. 7-Ross Robinson[5]; 5. 9-Nick Hoffman[6]; 6. 6-Clay Harris[7]; 7. 99JR-Frank Heckenast Jr[3]; 8. 11T-Tyler Collins[8]; 9. 14-Quentin White[9]

Fast Shafts B-Main Race #1 Finish (10 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 58-Garrett Alberson[1]; 2. 68-Adam Stricker[3]; 3. 99-Devin Moran[5]; 4. 20-Jimmy Owens[2]; 5. 93F-Carson Ferguson[8]; 6. 18D-Daulton Wilson[7]; 7. 20TC-Tristan Chamberlain[4]; 8. 17SS-Brenden Smith[9]; 9. 71X-Don O'Neal[6]; 10. 93-Cory Lawler[10]; 11. 28JS-Jeffrey Shackelford[11]

UNOH B-Main Race #2 Finish (10 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 9-Nick Hoffman[2]; 2. 99JR-Frank Heckenast Jr[6]; 3. 99B-Boom Briggs[1]; 4. 18-Shannon Babb[3]; 5. 6-Clay Harris[4]; 6. 76-Shelby Miles[5]; 7. 93X-Zak Blackwood[9]; 8. 1G-Devin Gilpin[7]; 9. 11T-Tyler Collins[8]; 10. 43-Kody Marsee[11]; 11. 14-Quentin White[10]

3rd Annual CJ Rayburn Memorial Feature Finish (40 Laps):
Pos - Start - Car # - Competitor - Hometown - Pay
1 - 2 - 20RT - Ricky Thornton Jr - Martinsville, IN - $10,100
2 - 10 - 157 - Mike Marlar - Winfield, TN - $5,500
3 - 1 - 32P - Bobby Pierce - Oakwood, IL - $3,500
4 - 13 - 96 - Tanner English - Benton, KY - $2,700
5 - 4 - 71 - Hudson O'Neal - Martinsville, IN - $2,500
6 - 9 - 28 - Dennis Erb Jr - Carpentersville, IL - $2,300
7 - 15 - 111 - Max Blair - Centerville, PA - $2,200
8 - 5 - B5 - Brandon Sheppard - New Berlin, IL - $2,100
9 - 3 - 49 - Jonathan Davenport - Blairsville, GA - $2,150
10 - 21 - 99 - Devin Moran - Dresden, OH - $2,200
11 - 17 - 58 - Garrett Alberson - Las Cruces, NM - $1,600
12 - 11 - 7T - Drake Troutman - Hyndman, PA - $1,500
13 - 18 - 9 - Nick Hoffman - Mooresville, NC - $1,200
14 - 23 - 18D - Daulton Wilson - Fayetteville, NC - $1,000
15 - 19 - 68 - Adam Stricker - Batavia, OH - $950
16 - 6 - 1T - Tyler Erb - New Waverly, TX - $925
17 - 24 - 20 - Jimmy Owens - Newport, TN - $900
18 - 16 - 7 - Ross Robinson - Georgetown, DE - $875
19 - 8 - 1 - Tim McCreadie - Watertown, NY - $950
20 - 14 - 7R - Chad Stapleton - Edinburgh, IN - $825
21 - 20 - 99JR - Frank Heckenast Jr - Frankfort, IL - $800
22 - 27 - 93F - Carson Ferguson - Lincolnton, NC - $100
23 - 22 - 99B - Boom Briggs - Bear Lake, PA - $800
24 - 25 - 6 - Clay Harris - Jupiter, FL - $100
25 - 26 - 17SS - Brenden Smith - Dade City, FL - $100
26 - 7 - 12 - Jason Jameson - Lawrenceburg, IN - $800
27 - 28 - 93 - Cory Lawler - Hanover, PA - $100
28 - 12 - 44 - Dave Hess Jr - Waterford, PA - $800

Race Statistics  
Entrants: 38
Victory Fuel Pole Sitter: Bobby Pierce
Lap Leaders: Bobby Pierce (Laps 1-33); Ricky Thornton, Jr. (Laps 34-40)
Wieland Feature Winner: Ricky Thornton, Jr.
Arizona Sport Shirts Crown Jewel Cup Feature Winner: n/a
Brandon Ford TV Challenge Feature Winner: n/a
Margin of Victory: 1.356 seconds 
Dave Warren Powersports Cautions: Daulton Wilson (Initial Start); Chad Stapleton (Lap 3); Tim McCreadie (Lap 8); Boom Briggs (Lap 21)
LOLMDS Series Provisionals: Daulton Wilson; Jimmy Owens
Fast Time Provisional: n/a
LOLMDS Emergency Provisionals: Clay Harris; Brenden Smith; Carson Ferguson; Cory Lawler
Track Provisional: n/a
Big River Steel Podium Top 3: Ricky Thornton, Jr., Mike Marlar, Bobby Pierce
Penske Shocks Top 5: Ricky Thornton, Jr., Mike Marlar, Bobby Pierce, Tanner English, Hudson O’Neal
Todd Steel Buildings Hard Charger of the Race: Devin Moran (Advanced 11 Positions) 
PEM 4th Place Feature: Tanner English
Wilwood Brakes Lucky 7th Place Feature: Max Blair
Deatherage Opticians Lucky 13th Place Feature: Nick Hoffman
MD3 Most Laps Led: Bobby Pierce (33 Laps) 
Sunoco Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Ricky Thornton, Jr.
Midwest Sheet Metal Spoiler Challenge Point Leader: Ricky Thornton, Jr.; Devin Moran; Jonathan Davenport; Tim McCreadie
O’Reilly Auto Parts Rookie of the Race: Drake Troutman
Coltman Farms Fastest Lap of the Race: Bobby Pierce (Lap 4 | 14.154 seconds)
Slicker Graphics Slickest Move of the Race: Mike Marlar
Miller Welders Hard Luck Award: Tim McCreadie
Outerwears Crew Chief of the Race: Chris Madden (Ricky Thornton, Jr.)
ARP Engine Builder of the Race: Cornett Race Engines
Miller Welders Chassis Builder of the Race: Longhorn Chassis
Dirt Draft Fastest in Hot Laps: Bobby Pierce (13.7769 seconds)
Time of Race: 19 minutes 22 seconds

Big River Steel Chase for the Championship Presented by ARP Point Standings:
Pos - Car # - Competitor - Hometown - Points - Pay
1 - 20RT - Ricky Thornton Jr - Martinsville, IN - 6460 - $404,069
2 - 99 - Devin Moran - Dresden, OH - 6440 - $356,755
3 - 49 - Jonathan Davenport - Blairsville, GA - 6435 - $375,900
4 - 1 - Tim McCreadie - Watertown, NY - 6315 - $223,175
5 - 71 - Hudson O'Neal - Martinsville, IN - 5620 - $185,628
6 - 58 - Garrett Alberson - Las Cruces, NM - 5410 - $151,055
7 - 157 - Mike Marlar - Winfield, TN - 5285 - $148,015
8 - 18D - Daulton Wilson - Fayetteville, NC - 5170 - $161,335
9 - 111 - Max Blair - Centerville, PA - 5070 - $124,540
10 - 20 - Jimmy Owens - Newport, TN - 5005 - $103,765
11 - 7T - Drake Troutman - Hyndman, PA - 4605 - $95,935
12 - 7 - Ross Robinson - Georgetown, DE - 4390 - $86,805
13 - 6 - Clay Harris - Jupiter, FL - 4345 - $63,225
14 - 99B - Boom Briggs - Bear Lake, PA - 3895 - $54,205
15 - 17SS - Brenden Smith - Dade City, FL - 3770 - $40,655
16 - 93F - Carson Ferguson - Lincolnton, NC - 3735 - $63,215