Josh Rice finally sealed the deal Saturday night, capturing the biggest win of his career at his home track with a victory in the 44th Annual Sunoco Race Fuels North/South 100 Presented by Lucas Oil at Florence Speedway. Rice earned a career-high $75,000 before a packed grandstand.

Rice and Jonathan Davenport endured a wild, lead-swapping duel, with Rice leading the final two laps to earn the victory at the track where he began his career in an open-wheel modified.

Luke Morey, making his first North-South 100 start, finished third, followed by Devin Moran and Brandon Overton.

Dan Ebert took the lead at the start and paced the first seven laps before Davenport took over the top spot. On a lap 11 restart, Ebert’s driveline broke, causing him to slow coming off turn four and triggering a 15-car pileup. The incident eliminated LOLMDS championship points leader Brandon Sheppard and Bobby Pierce, who was seeking his fourth consecutive North-South 100 victory.

After a lengthy cleanup, Davenport maintained the lead until lap 25, when Kyle Bronson took over the top spot. Bronson and Davenport were battling for the race lead when the two made contact coming off turn two, sending Davenport spinning into the inside berm.

Bronson then led until lap 62, when Devin Moran took over. Moran held the lead until Davenport, who had pitted for repairs following the lap 51 incident, charged back to the front. Davenport’s lead was short-lived, as Moran regained the top spot on lap 85. Davenport answered immediately, passing Moran to retake the lead on lap 86.

Davenport held the lead until Rice charged from fourth and caught him as the duo raced to the white flag. Rice took the lead off turn four, then lost it between turns three and four after getting into the wall on the final lap. He drove back underneath Davenport to take the checkered flag.

In Wieland Victory Lane for the fifth time in his career, the current O’Reilly Auto Parts Rookie-of-the-Year points leader reflected on the victory.

“I am a frickin’ North-South 100 winner. We put on four different tires, wrecked three different times and we had a Daytona 500 crash on the front stretch. It worked out and I didn’t even know I had a left front. I had about six pep talks when I pitted. I am speechless. What just happened? I can’t thank my dad and mom enough for everything. We have made a mess of this race so many times. I just can’t thank my sponsors enough throughout the years, and just everybody who stuck by me. All of my guys, all of my family and friends are here. It’s incredible,” said the Crittenden, Kentucky, racer, who is in his first full season of national touring racing.

“Man, I just kept getting crowded off the corners. When you slide those guys, it’s either hit ’em down the straightaway or slide them to let them know you are coming. Man, I’d get runs on those guys and I’d have to calm myself down. My car was not good, but when I hit it right, my car was really good. I just tried to stay focused, and I don’t know how clean some of those sliders were on JD. I felt like I owed him one, and I got it back down in three. He apologized afterwards. I think a lot of JD. We’ve had a lot of good racing here recently,” said the 28-year-old racer.

Rice explained what went through his mind during the frenetic final laps of the race.

“You have no idea how hard it is to be, like, the fans are paying attention. They’re just crazy. When I slid him (Davenport) down here, I got all crossed up on the cushion and I cut down on him, and I probably figured he was aggravated about that. All the way down the back chute, I didn’t know what to do, whether to slide myself, and I started to think about last night and how out of control I was getting to it. So I guess I will just enter it and prepare to cross, and my right-rear tire hit the cushion just perfectly and it launched me. I knew it was over before it was over, and I’m like, this is perfect. Got the best run that I could ever imagine.”

Davenport, who was seeking his third career North/South 100 victory, finished second, 0.574 seconds behind Rice.

“I can’t remember everything that happened. We took off pretty good there. I just hated it for all the guys that got taken out there in that wreck. It definitely changed the complexion of the race. The first time me and Josh got together, I really thought I left him just enough room and he jumped my right front. It was just a racing deal, and I knew he would probably be mad. I was coming back through there after I pitted. I started picking them off. I never could really run the cushion; I got to bouncing a couple of times. I just progressed back up through there and got by Josh again. I thought I was going to be okay, and I got by Devin (Moran) and I got a little excited. I guess we started to really roll through the middle, and I could catch the brown in three and four pretty good. I couldn’t circle there and leave pretty good.”

Morey, who before this weekend had raced only once at Florence in his career, made his first North-South 100 start and rounded out the Big River Steel Podium in third after starting 19th.

“Yeah, that was crazy. It was the first North-South for me. I had only been here one other time. I am telling you, it was crazy watching Rice and them go after it and the fans freaking out. I would have been thankful to battle for 20th. I never thought we’d be here standing on the frontstretch afterwards.”

The winner’s James Rattliff/JRR Motorsports Rocket Chassis is powered by a Vic Hill Racing Engine and sponsored by Glenwood Electric, The KAG, Rice Excavating and Plumbing, Chain Locker, Sunoco Race Fuels, BC Fluid Power, MGL Auto Sales, Jessie Insurance Agency, Cheap Chevrolet, Lonkard Construction, JRR Motor Sales, JRR Trucking, Keltner Contracting, and Big Al’s Guns and Outdoor.

Completing the top 10 were Dallon Murty, Clay Harris, Carson Ferguson, Brian Shirley, and Kyle Bronson.

Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series 
Race Summary 
44th Annual Sunoco North/South 100 Presented by Lucas Oil
Saturday, August 8, 2026
Florence Speedway | Union, KY

Penske Shocks Heat Race #1 Finish (10 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 99-Devin Moran[3]; 2. 40B-Kyle Bronson[2]; 3. 157-Mike Marlar[4]; 4. 49M-Luke Morey[8]; 5. 12M-Ryan Montgomery[5]; 6. 16-Justin Rattliff[6]; 7. 21-Kirk Phillips[9]; 8. 79-Donald McIntosh[1]; 9. (DNS) 09-Michael Leach; 10. (DNS) 18S-Quade Schoonover

Summit Racing Products Heat Race #2 Finish (10 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 76-Brandon Overton[4]; 2. 1T-Tyler Erb[3]; 3. 93L-Cory Lawler[7]; 4. 7S-Justin Smith[8]; 5. 49G-Billy Green[9]; 6. 81F-Jadon Frame[5]; 7. 12J-Jason Jameson[2]; 8. 18L-Trevor Landrum[1]; 9. T1-Todd Morrow[6]; 10. (DNS) H22-Brandon Hardgrove

Cool-It Thermo-Tec Heat Race #3 Finish (10 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 49-Jonathan Davenport[2]; 2. 11-Josh Rice[4]; 3. 8-Dillon McCowan[1]; 4. 17D-Zack Dohm[3]; 5. 22F-Chris Ferguson[5]; 6. 126-Kaede Loudy[6]; 7. 17SS-Brenden Smith[7]; 8. (DNS) 317-Blake Creech; 9. (DNS) 31-Tyler Millwood; 10. (DNS) 20-Glenn Hounshell

Simpson Race Products Heat Race #4 Finish (10 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 60-Dan Ebert[1]; 2. 93F-Carson Ferguson[3]; 3. 71-Hudson O’Neal[4]; 4. 18-Shannon Babb[2]; 5. 3S-Brian Shirley[5]; 6. 111-Max Blair[6]; 7. 5N-Dustin Nobbe[8]; 8. T8-Steve Banal[9]; 9. (DNS) D48-Derek Groomer; 10. (DNS) 15-Brad Rickels

Lucas Oil Products Heat Race #5 Finish (10 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 1-Brandon Sheppard[4]; 2. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr[3]; 3. 99JR-Frank Heckenast Jr[5]; 4. 6-Clay Harris[1]; 5. 93-Devin Gilpin[6]; 6. C7-Adam Stricker[2]; 7. 4G-Kody Evans[8]; 8. (DNS) 0-Jake O’Neil; 9. (DNS) 6C-Calvin Carlton; 10. (DNS) 96-Josh Vineyard

FloRacing Heat Race #6 Finish (10 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 58-Garrett Alberson[3]; 2. 22-Daniel Hilsabeck[5]; 3. 13-Dallon Murty[6]; 4. 5-Drake Troutman[1]; 5. 32-Bobby Pierce[4]; 6. 11M-Michael Chilton[7]; 7. 9-Josh Dietz[9]; 8. 20O-Jimmy Owens[2]; 9. 17SR-Brody Smith[8]

Fast Shafts B-Main Race #1 Finish (7 Laps, Top 2 Transfer): 1. 49M-Luke Morey[1]; 2. 16-Justin Rattliff[5]; 3. 12M-Ryan Montgomery[3]; 4. 81F-Jadon Frame[6]; 5. 49G-Billy Green[4]; 6. 21-Kirk Phillips[7]; 7. 7S-Justin Smith[2]; 8. (DNS) 12J-Jason Jameson; 9. (DNS) 18L-Trevor Landrum; 10. (DNS) T1-Todd Morrow

UNOH B-Main Race #2 Finish (7 Laps, Top 2 Transfer): 1. 18-Shannon Babb[2]; 2. 17D-Zack Dohm[1]; 3. 111-Max Blair[6]; 4. 22F-Chris Ferguson[3]; 5. 3S-Brian Shirley[4]; 6. 5N-Dustin Nobbe[8]; 7. 126-Kaede Loudy[5]; 8. (DNS) 17SS-Brenden Smith; 9. (DNS) T8-Steve Banal

MyRacePass B-Main Race #3 Finish (10 Laps, Top 2 Transfer): 1. 32-Bobby Pierce[4]; 2. 5-Drake Troutman[2]; 3. 11M-Michael Chilton[6]; 4. 93-Devin Gilpin[3]; 5. 9-Josh Dietz[8]; 6. 6-Clay Harris[1]; 7. C7-Adam Stricker[5]; 8. 79-Donald McIntosh[11]; 9. 17SR-Brody Smith[10]; 10. 20O-Jimmy Owens[9]; 11. (DNS) 4G-Kody Evans

Ron & Madeleine Jerger Dash for Cash Finish (6 Laps): 1. 60-Dan Ebert[1]; 2. 76-Brandon Overton[5]; 3. 49-Jonathan Davenport[3]; 4. 1-Brandon Sheppard[2]; 5. 99-Devin Moran[4]; 6. 58-Garrett Alberson[6]

Non-Qualifier Finish (12 Laps): 1. 93-Devin Gilpin[5]; 2. 12M-Ryan Montgomery[1]; 3. 81F-Jadon Frame[3]; 4. 11M-Michael Chilton[2]; 5. 5N-Dustin Nobbe[9]; 6. 9-Josh Dietz[7]; 7. 17SR-Brody Smith[14]; 8. 49G-Billy Green[6]; 9. 17SS-Brenden Smith[16]; 10. 126-Kaede Loudy[11]; 11. 21-Kirk Phillips[8]; 12. 7S-Justin Smith[10]; 13. (DNS) 22F-Chris Ferguson; 14. (DNS) C7-Adam Stricker; 15. (DNS) 79-Donald McIntosh; 16. (DNS) 20O-Jimmy Owens

44th Annual Sunoco North/South 100 Presented by Lucas Oil | Feature Finish (100 Laps):
Pos – Start – Car # – Competitor – Hometown – Earnings
1 – 9 – 11 – Josh Rice – Crittenden, KY – $75,900
2 – 3 – 49 – Jonathan Davenport – Blairsville, GA – $25,500
3 – 19 – 49M – Luke Morey – Zeeland, MI – $10,000
4 – 5 – 99 – Devin Moran – Dresden, OH – $10,350
5 – 2 – 76 – Brandon Overton – Evans, GA – $9,900
6 – 18 – 13 – Dallon Murty – Chelsea, IA – $7,000
7 – 27 – 6 – Clay Harris – Jupiter, FL – $3,500
8 – 10 – 93F – Carson Ferguson – Lincolnton, NC – $5,900
9 – 26 – 3s – Brian Shirley – Chatham, IL – $5,650
10 – 7 – 40B – Kyle Bronson – Brandon, FL – $5,400
11 – 16 – 71 – Hudson O’Neal – Martinsville, IN – $5,450
12 – 12 – 22 – Daniel Hilsabeck – Earlham, IA – $4,900
13 – 14 – 93L – Cory Lawler – Hanover, PA – $3,750
14 – 25 – 111 – Max Blair – Centerville, PA – $4,600
15 – 6 – 58 – Garrett Alberson – Las Cruces, NM – $4,650
16 – 8 – 1T – Tyler Erb – New Waverly, TX – $3,600
17 – 23 – 17D – Zack Dohm – Cross Lanes, WV – $3,550
18 – 22 – 16 – Justin Rattliff – Campbellsville, KY – $3,500
19 – 11 – 20RT – Ricky Thornton Jr – Chandler, AZ – $4,700
20 – 15 – 8 – Dillon McCowan – Urbana, MO – $4,400
21 – 24 – 5 – Drake Troutman – Hyndman, PA – $3,500
22 – 1 – 60 – Dan Ebert – Lake Shore, MN – $9,400
23 – 4 – 1 – Brandon Sheppard – New Berlin, IL – $4,750
24 – 13 – 157 – Mike Marlar – Winfield, TN – $3,500
25 – 21 – 32 – Bobby Pierce – Oakwood, IL – $3,500
26 – 17 – 99JR – Frank Heckenast Jr – Frankfort, IL – $3,500
27 – 20 – 18 – Shannon Babb – Moweaqua, IL – $3,500

Race Statistics  
Entrants: 59
Bilstein Shocks Pole Sitter: Dan Ebert
MD3 Lap Leaders: Dan Ebert (Laps 1-7); Jonathan Davenport (Laps 8-24); Kyle Bronson (Laps 25-62); Devin Moran (Laps 63-82); Jonathan Davenport (Laps 83-84); Devin Moran (Lap 85); Jonathan Davenport (Laps 86-98); Josh Rice (Laps 99-100)
Hellraizer Jacks Halfway Leader: Kyle Bronson
Wieland Feature Winner: Josh Rice
Margin of Victory: 0.574 seconds
Hellraizer Jacks Cautions: Justin Rattliff (Lap 12); Dan Ebert, Devin Moran, Dallon Murty, Dillon McCowan, Drake Troutman, Luke Morey, Brian Shirley, Mike Marlar, Brandon Sheppard, Bobby Pierce, Hudson O’Neal, Clay Harris, Max Blair, Zack Dohm, Shannon Babb, Frank Heckenast, Jr. (Lap 12 restart); Tyler Erb (Lap 20); Daniel Hilsabeck (Lap 20 restart); Dillon McCowan (Lap 41); Josh Rice (Lap 49); Jonathan Davenport (Lap 50); Max Blair (Lap 60); Garrett Alberson (Lap 60 restart); Debris (Lap 63); Max Blair (Lap 65); Debris (Lap 75); Debris (Lap 81)
MyRacePass Series Provisional: Max Blair; Brian Shirley
Fast Time Provisional: n/a
Emergency Provisionals: Clay Harris
Track Provisional: n/a
Big River Steel Podium Top 3: Josh Rice, Jonathan Davenport, Luke Morey
Penske Shocks Top 5: Josh Rice, Jonathan Davenport, Luke Morey, Devin Moran, Brandon Overton
Behrent’s One-Lap-to-Go Top 3: Josh Rice, Jonathan Davenport, Luke Morey
PEM 4th Place Feature: Devin Moran
Diversified Machine 5th Place Feature: Brandon Overton
Wilwood Brakes 7th Place Feature: Clay Harris
Wehrs Machine 11th Place Feature: Hudson O’Neal
Velocity Manufacturing 13th Place Feature: Cory Lawler
XS Power Batteries 15th Place Feature: Garrett Alberson
Hoker Trucking Hard Charger of the Race: Clay Harris (Advanced 20 positions)
MD3 Most Laps Led: Kyle Bronson (38 Laps)
Sunoco Race Fuels Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Josh Rice
Midwest Sheet Metal Spoiler Challenge Point Leader: Brandon Sheppard
O’Reilly Auto Parts Rookie of the Race: Josh Rice
Pro Fabrication Headers Fastest Lap of the Race: Dan Ebert | Lap 2 | 17.341 seconds
FK Rod Ends Hard Luck Award: Dan Ebert
Victory Fuel Power Move of the Race: Josh Rice
Outerwears Crew Chief of the Race: Daniel Clark
ARP Engine Builder of the Race: Vic Hill Racing Engines
Miller Welders Chassis Builder of the Race: Rocket Chassis
Dirt Draft Fastest in Hot Laps: Jonathan Davenport | 16.4384 seconds
Time of Race: 1 hour, 51 minutes 57 seconds

Big River Steel Championship Standings Presented by ARP:
Pos – Car # – Competitor – Hometown – Points – Earnings
1 – 1 – Brandon Sheppard – New Berlin, IL – 5735 – $252,550
2 – 71 – Hudson O’Neal – Martinsville, IN – 5650 – $225,500
3 – 99 – Devin Moran – Dresden, OH – 5590 – $292,774
4 – 76 – Brandon Overton – Evans, GA – 5285 – $137,800
5 – 111 – Max Blair – Centerville, PA – 5215 – $136,375
6 – 20RT – Ricky Thornton Jr – Chandler, AZ – 5110 – $196,125
7 – 58 – Garrett Alberson – Las Cruces, NM – 4995 – $119,075
8 – 11 – Josh Rice – Crittenden, KY – 4945 – $181,075
9 – 3s – Brian Shirley – Chatham, IL – 4945 – $100,800
10 – 40B – Kyle Bronson – Brandon, FL – 4665 – $80,775
11 – 6 – Clay Harris – Jupiter, FL – 4590 – $90,900
12 – 93 – Carson Ferguson – Lincolnton, NC – 4550 – $82,050
13 – 60 – Dan Ebert – Lake Shore, MN – 4355 – $84,300
14 – 8 – Dillon McCowan – Urbana, MO – 4345 – $102,300
15 – 22 – Daniel Hilsabeck – Earlham, IA – 4015 – $61,875
16 – 17SS – Brenden Smith – Dade City, FL – 3620 – $41,275
17 – 93L – Cory Lawler – Hanover, PA – 3470 – $33,725