Josh Rice of Crittenden, Kentucky led the final six laps Friday night to capture the Cowboy Classic at Lucas Oil Speedway, earning his first Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series victory of the 2026 season.

Rice, the current O’Reilly Auto Parts Rookie of the Year points leader, collected $10,000 for his third career Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series victory.

Garrett Alberson, who was forced to a backup car after flipping while leading his heat race, finished second. Chris Ferguson stormed from the 14th starting position to take the lead on lap eight and ultimately rounded out the Big River Steel podium in third.

Current Midwest Sheet Metal championship points leader Hudson O’Neal finished fourth, while Brandon Overton completed the top five.

Overton led the opening seven laps of the 45-lap feature, which had been postponed 24 hours due to Thursday night rain. Ferguson then charged from the outside of row seven to the lead in just eight laps and appeared poised for victory after pacing the field for the next 25 circuits.

Alberson took command on lap 33, setting up a thrilling three-car battle between Alberson, Ferguson, and Rice. Working the bottom groove to perfection, Rice surged past both drivers on lap 40 and held on the rest of the way for the victory.

Rice’s previous two Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series wins both came at his home track, Florence Speedway, where he is a two-time Ralph Latham Memorial winner. Friday’s triumph came in his first-ever start at Lucas Oil Speedway.

“I can’t thank James Ratliff enough for sticking with me,” Rice said in Lucas Oil Victory Lane. “I was doubting myself and wondering what in the world I had done. We tried some things Thursday, and this car has been so good. We just missed it on tires in that first race, and I thought we’d be much better than we were.”

“This place is awesome. If you didn’t enjoy that race, you probably need to go home because that was a good one. Coming here, I didn’t think this was a place we could win at – I just wanted to survive the weekend. I definitely didn’t think my first Longhorn win would come in a Lucas Oil race.”

Alberson overcame a difficult night and still put himself in position to contend for the win.

“I really wanted that one bad,” Alberson said. “It’s been a long day, and I made too many mistakes there late and knocked the spoiler off. But my dad always taught us to keep a good attitude. The first time I crashed a race car, they told me to get right back in another one. That’s just racing.”

Ferguson, who earlier in the evening finished second to Jonathan Davenport in the Tribute to Don and Billie Gibson feature, led a race-high 25 laps before fading late.

“This race car was awesome,” Ferguson said. “We broke some stuff there at the end and just couldn’t race with those guys the last couple laps. But it was definitely ‘cowboy up’ tonight, and honestly I had a blast. We passed a lot of really good cars. Congrats to Josh and Garrett – that was a fun race.”

Rice’s winning James, Jennifer, and Justin Ratliff/Ratliff Motorsports Longhorn Chassis is powered by a Vic Hill Racing Engine and backed by Glenwood Electric, MC Tank, Rice Excavating and Plumbing, Chain Locker, MGL Auto Sales, Jessie Insurance Agency, Lonkard Construction, JRR Motor Sales, JRR Trucking, Berea Collision, Keltner Contracting, Sunoco Race Fuels, and Big Al’s Guns and Outdoors.

Completing the top ten were Jonathan Davenport, Dillon McCowan, Brian Shirley, Max Blair, and Brandon Sheppard.

Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series 

Race Summary 

13th Annual Cowboy Classic

Thursday, May 21, 2026

Lucas Oil Speedway | Wheatland, MO

Allstar Performance Time Trials

Fast Time Group A: Brandon Overton | 15.306 seconds (Overall)

Fast Time Group B: Jonathan Davenport | 15.347 seconds

Penske Shocks Heat Race #1 Finish (8 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 76-Brandon Overton[1]; 2. 11G-Gordy Gundaker[3]; 3. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr[4]; 4. 93O-Mason Oberkramer[5]; 5. 5S-Kolby Vandenbergh[6]; 6. 11H-Jeff Herzog[2]; 7. 0X-Jason Sivils[8]; 8. 32C-Cameron Harris[7]; 9. 8L-Matthew Larson[9]

Summit Racing Products Heat Race #2 Finish (8 Laps, Top Transfer): 1. 56-Tony Jackson Jr[1]; 2. 93L-Cory Lawler[3]; 3. 1-Brandon Sheppard[2]; 4. 40B-Kyle Bronson[4]; 5. 6-Clay Harris[7]; 6. 19M-Brenden Smith[5]; 7. 25B-Chevy Boyer[6]; 8. (DNS) 96X-Dalton Imhoff

Cool-It Thermo-Tec Heat Race #3 Finish (8 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 11-Josh Rice[3]; 2. 1X-Aaron Marrant[2]; 3. 11T-Trevor Gundaker[1]; 4. 22-Daniel Hilsabeck[5]; 5. 66-Eli Ross[4]; 6. 128-Kylan Garner[6]; 7. 12-Scott Crigler[7]; 8. 4X-Dalon Helm[8]

Simpson Race Products Heat Race #4 Finish (8 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 32-Bobby Pierce[2]; 2. 49-Jonathan Davenport[1]; 3. 22F-Chris Ferguson[6]; 4. 32X-Chris Simpson[3]; 5. 60-Dan Ebert[8]; 6. 99-Devin Moran[5]; 7. 96-RC Whitwell[4]; 8. 18-Shannon Parker[7]; 9. 00-Reggie Jackson[9]

MyRacePass Heat Race #5 Finish (8 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 58-Garrett Alberson[1]; 2. 111-Max Blair[2]; 3. 3S-Brian Shirley[4]; 4. 93-Carson Ferguson[3]; 5. 78S-Steve Stultz[5]; 6. 3W-Brennon Willard[6]; 7. 90-Brian Rickman[7]; 8. 1/4J-Jaxon Ertel[8]; 9. (DNS) 8K-Tyler Kuykendall

Lucas Oil Products Heat Race #6 Finish (8 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 71-Hudson O’Neal[1]; 2. 18J-Chase Junghans[4]; 3. 15-Clay Stuckey[7]; 4. 8-Dillon McCowan[2]; 5. 21XXX-Neil Baggett[3]; 6. 50-Kayden Clatt[5]; 7. 24C-Brandon Conkwright[8]; 8. 7J-Ryan Johnson[6] 

Fast Shafts B-Main Race #1 Finish (10 Laps, Top 2 Transfer): 1. 40B-Kyle Bronson[2]; 2. 22-Daniel Hilsabeck[3]; 3. 6-Clay Harris[5]; 4. 11H-Jeff Herzog[7]; 5. 66-Eli Ross[6]; 6. 93O-Mason Oberkramer[1]; 7. 5S-Kolby Vandenbergh[4]; 8. 19M-Brenden Smith[8]; 9. 8L-Matthew Larson[15]; 10. 25B-Chevy Boyer[11]; 11. 128-Kylan Garner[9]; 12. 32C-Cameron Harris[13]; 13. 12-Scott Crigler[12]; 14. 0X-Jason Sivils[10]; 15. 4X-Dalon Helm[14]; 16. (DNS) 96X-Dalton Imhoff

UNOH B-Main Race #1 Finish (10 Laps, Top 2 Transfer): 1. 93-Carson Ferguson[2]; 2. 60-Dan Ebert[4]; 3. 99-Devin Moran[7]; 4. 8-Dillon McCowan[3]; 5. 3W-Brennon Willard[8]; 6. 24C-Brandon Conkwright[12]; 7. 18-Shannon Parker[13]; 8. 1/4J-Jaxon Ertel[14]; 9. 7J-Ryan Johnson[15]; 10. 32X-Chris Simpson[1]; 11. 78S-Steve Stultz[5]; 12. 21XXX-Neil Baggett[6]; 13. 50-Kayden Clatt[9]; 14. 96-RC Whitwell[10]; 15. 90-Brian Rickman[11]; 16. 00-Reggie Jackson[16]; 17. (DNS) 8K-Tyler Kuykendall

13th Annual Cowboy Classic | Feature Finish (45 Laps):

Pos – Start – Car # – Competitor – Hometown – Earnings

1 – 5 – 11 – Josh Rice – Crittenden, KY – $10,100

2 – 4 – 58 – Garrett Alberson – Las Cruces, NM – $5,500

3 – 14 – 22F – Chris Ferguson – Mt. Holly, NC – $3,500

4 – 6 – 71 – Hudson O’Neal – Martinsville, IN – $2,700

5 – 1 – 76 – Brandon Overton – Evans, GA – $2,500

6 – 8 – 49 – Jonathan Davenport – Blairsville, GA – $2,300

7 – 25 – 8 – Dillon McCowan – Urbana, MO – $1,500

8 – 16 – 3S – Brian Shirley – Chatham, IL – $2,100

9 – 10 – 111 – Max Blair – Centerville, PA – $2,050

10 – 15 – 1 – Brandon Sheppard – New Berlin, IL – $2,000

11 – 19 – 40B – Kyle Bronson – Brandon, FL – $1,600

12 – 23 – 99 – Devin Moran – Dresden, OH – $1,400

13 – 22 – 60 – Dan Ebert – Lake Shore, MN – $1,200

14 – 20 – 93 – Carson Ferguson – Lincolnton, NC – $1,000

15 – 2 – 32 – Bobby Pierce – Oakwood, IL – $950

16 – 24 – 6 – Clay Harris – Jupiter, FL – $925

17 – 17 – 11T – Trevor Gundaker – St. Charles, MO – $900

18 – 7 – 11G – Gordy Gundaker – St. Charles, MO – $875

19 – 13 – 20RT – Ricky Thornton Jr – Chandler, AZ – $850

20 – 11 – 1X – Aaron Marrant – Kearney, MO – $825

21 – 12 – 18J – Chase Junghans – Manhattan, KS – $800

22 – 9 – 93L – Cory Lawler – Hanover, PA – $800

23 – 18 – 15 – Clay Stuckey – Shreveport, LA – $800

24 – 3 – 56 – Tony Jackson Jr – Lebanon, MO – $800

25 – 21 – 22 – Daniel Hilsabeck – Earlham, IA – $900

Race Statistics  

Entrants: 51

Bilstein Shocks Pole Sitter: Brandon Overton

MD3 Lap Leaders: Brandon Overton (Laps 1-7); Chris Ferguson (Laps 8-32); Garrett Alberson (Laps 33-39); Josh Rice (Laps 40-45)

Hellraizer Jacks Halfway Leader: Chris Ferguson

Wieland Feature Winner: Josh Rice

Margin of Victory: 2.419 seconds

Hellraizer Jacks Cautions: Debris (Lap 3); Jonathan Davenport (Lap 11); Bobby Pierce (Lap 22); Tony Jackson, Jr. (Lap 25); Clay Stuckey (Lap 30)

MyRacePass Series Provisional: Devin Moran; Clay Harris

Fast Time Provisional: n/a

Emergency Provisionals: Dillon McCowan

Track Provisional: n/a

Big River Steel Podium Top 3: Josh Rice, Garrett Alberson, Chris Ferguson

Penske Shocks Top 5: Josh Rice, Garrett Alberson, Chris Ferguson, Hudson O’Neal, Brandon Overton

Behrent’s One-Lap-to-Go Top 3: Josh Rice, Garrett Alberson, Chris Ferguson

PEM 4th Place Feature: Hudson O’Neal

Diversified Machine 5th Place Feature: Brandon Overton

Wilwood Brakes 7th Place Feature: Dillon McCowan

Wehrs Machine 11th Place Feature: Kyle Bronson

Velocity Manufacturing 13th Place Feature: Dan Ebert

XS Power Batteries 15th Place Feature: Bobby Pierce

Hoker Trucking Hard Charger of the Race: Dillon McCowan (Advanced 18 positions)

MD3 Most Laps Led: Chris Ferguson (25 Laps)

Sunoco Race Fuels Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Josh Rice

Midwest Sheet Metal Spoiler Challenge Point Leader: Hudson O’Neal

O’Reilly Auto Parts Rookie of the Race: Josh Rice

Pro Fabrication Headers Fastest Lap of the Race: Chris Ferguson | Lap 5 | 15.642 seconds

FK Rod Ends Hard Luck Award: Daniel Hilsabeck

Victory Fuel Power Move of the Race: Chris Ferguson

Outerwears Crew Chief of the Race: Daniel Clark

ARP Engine Builder of the Race: Vic Hill Race Engines

Miller Welders Chassis Builder of the Race: Longhorn Chassis

Dirt Draft Fastest in Hot Laps: Jonathan Davenport | 15.0961 seconds

Time of Race: 45 minutes 12 seconds

 

Big River Steel Championship Standings Presented by ARP:

Pos – Car # – Competitor – Hometown – Points – Earnings

1 – 71 – Hudson O’Neal – Martinsville, IN – 3355 – $152,700

2 – 1 – Brandon Sheppard – New Berlin, IL – 3180 – $113,500

3 – 99 – Devin Moran – Dresden, OH – 3155 – $158,524

4 – 76 – Brandon Overton – Evans, GA – 3075 – $68,775

5 – 111 – Max Blair – Centerville, PA – 3000 – $63,050

6 – 20RT – Ricky Thornton Jr – Chandler, AZ – 2970 – $91,275

7 – 3s – Brian Shirley – Chatham, IL – 2785 – $48,950

8 – 58 – Garrett Alberson – Las Cruces, NM – 2760 – $53,275

9 – 11 – Josh Rice – Crittenden, KY – 2750 – $51,375

10 – 40B – Kyle Bronson – Brandon, FL – 2675 – $40,475

11 – 6 – Clay Harris – Jupiter, FL – 2595 – $51,250

12 – 93 – Carson Ferguson – Lincolnton, NC – 2550 – $40,000

13 – 60 – Dan Ebert – Lake Shore, MN – 2500 – $38,700

14 – 8 – Dillon McCowan – Urbana, MO – 2320 – $27,200

15 – 22 – Daniel Hilsabeck – Earlham, IA – 2225 – $26,675

16 – 19M – Brenden Smith – Dade City, FL – 2120 – $25,025

17 – 93L – Cory Lawler – Hanover, PA – 1985 – $16,125

 

Saturday – Fast Shafts B-Main #1 (15 Laps | Top 3 Transfer) Line-Up:

Row – Car # – Competitor – Hometown – Car # – Competitor – Hometown

1 – 11T – Trevor Gundaker – St. Charles, MO – 20RT – Ricky Thornton Jr – Chandler, AZ

2 – 11G – Gordy Gundaker – St. Charles, MO – 93L – Cory Lawler – Hanover, PA

3 – 66 – Eli Ross – Muskogee, OK – 19M – Brenden Smith – Dade City, FL

4 – 8L – Matthew Larson – Lake Elmo, MN – 21XXX – Neil Baggett – Columbus, MS

5 – 25B – Chevy Boyer – New Haven, MO – 1/4J – Jaxon Ertel –

6 – 128 – Kylan Garner – Neosho, MO – 12 – Scott Crigler – Alton, MO

7 – 96 – R.C. Whitwell – Tucson, AZ – 8K – Tyler Kuykendall – Warsaw, MO

8 – 00 – Reggie Jackson – Lebanon, MO – 96X – Dalton Imhoff – Jamestown, MO

9 – 50 – Kayden Clatt – Edina, MO

 

Saturday – UNOH B-Main #2 (15 Laps | Top 3 Transfer) Line-Up:

Row – Car # – Competitor – Hometown – Car # – Competitor – Hometown

1 – 32 – Bobby Pierce – Oakwood, IL – 56 – Tony Jackson Jr – Lebanon, MO

2 – 1X – Aaron Marrant – Kearney, MO – 11H – Jeff Herzog – Festus, MO

3 – 15 – Clay Stuckey – Shreveport, LA – 5S – Kolby Vandenbergh – Ashland, IL

4 – 3W – Brennon Willard – Lebanon, MO – 7J – Ryan Johnson – Aurora, MO

5 – 24C – Brandon Conkwright – Wamego, KS – 18 – Shannon Parker – Ashdown, AR

6 – 90 – Brian Rickman – Columbus, MS – 32X – Chris Simpson – Oxford, IA

7 – 4X – Dalon Helm – Lahoma, OK – 0X – Jason Sivils – Bolivar, MO

8 – 78S – Steve Stultz – Peoria, AZ – 32C – Cameron Harris – Columbus, MS

9 – 37W – Frank Waszkiewicz – Rib Lake, WI

 

Saturday – 34th Annual Show-Me 100 A-Main Line-Up (100 Laps):

Row – Car # – Competitor – Hometown – Car # – Competitor – Hometown

1 – 49 – Jonathan Davenport – Blairsville, GA – 11 – Josh Rice – Crittenden, KY

2 – 22F – Chris Ferguson – Mt. Holly, NC – 76 – Brandon Overton – Evans, GA

3 – 71 – Hudson O’Neal – Martinsville, IN – 1 – Brandon Sheppard – New Berlin, IL

4 – 3S – Brian Shirley – Chatham, IL – 8 – Dillon McCowan – Urbana, MO

5 – 58 – Garrett Alberson – Las Cruces, NM – 111 – Max Blair – Centerville, PA

6 – 40B – Kyle Bronson – Brandon, FL – 18J – Chase Junghans – Manhattan, KS

7 – 93 – Carson Ferguson – Lincolnton, NC – 93O – Mason Oberkramer – Broseley, MO

8 – 60 – Dan Ebert – Lake Shore, MN – 6 – Clay Harris – Jupiter, FL

9 – 22 – Daniel Hilsabeck – Earlham, IA – 99 – Devin Moran – Dresden, OH

 

34th Annual Show-Me 100 Prelim Points:

Race – Rank – Car # – Competitor – May 21 – May 22 – Total – Tie Breaker (Fastest Lap from Time Trials)

A1 – 1 – 49 – Jonathan Davenport – 210 – 260 – 470 –

A2 – 2 – 11 – Josh Rice – 250 – 200 – 450 – 15.198

A3 – 3 – 22F – Chris Ferguson – 220 – 230 – 450 – 15.416

A4 – 4 – 76 – Brandon Overton – 215 – 210 – 425 –

A5 – 5 – 71 – Hudson O’Neal – 210 – 200 – 410 –

A6 – 6 – 1 – Brandon Sheppard – 180 – 220 – 400 –

A7 – 7 – 3s – Brian Shirley – 190 – 185 – 375 –

A8 – 8 – 8 – Dillon McCowan – 195 – 170 – 365 –

A9 – 9 – 58 – Garrett Alberson – 230 – 125 – 355 –

A10 – 10 – 111 – Max Blair – 185 – 165 – 350 – 15.397

A11 – 11 – 40B – Kyle Bronson – 175 – 175 – 350 – 15.626

A12 – 12 – 18J – Chase Junghans – 125 – 195 – 320 –

A13 – 13 – 93 – Carson Ferguson – 160 – 155 – 315 – 15.644

A14 – 14 – 93o – Mason Oberkramer – 110 – 205 – 315 – 15.697

A15 – 15 – 60 – Dan Ebert – 165 – 150 – 315 – 16.031

A16 – 16 – 6 – Clay Harris – 150 – 160 – 310 –

A17 – 17 – 22 – Daniel Hilsabeck – 125 – 180 – 305 –

A18 – 18 – 99 – Devin Moran – 170 – 130 – 300 –

B1 – 19 – 11T – Trevor Gundaker – 145 – 135 – 280 – 15.361

B2 – 20 – 32 – Bobby Pierce – 155 – 125 – 280 – 15.418

B1 – 21 – 20RT – Ricky Thornton Jr – 135 – 140 – 275 –

B2 – 22 – 56 – Tony Jackson Jr – 125 – 145 – 270 –

B1 – 23 – 11G – Gordy Gundaker – 140 – 125 – 265 –

B2 – 24 – 1X – Aaron Marrant – 130 – 125 – 255 –

B1 – 25 – 93L – Cory Lawler – 125 – 125 – 250 –

B2 – 26 – 11H – Jeff Herzog – 120 – 125 – 245 –

B1 – 27 – 66 – Eli Ross – 115 – 120 – 235 –

B2 – 28 – 15 – Clay Stuckey – 125 – 105 – 230 –

B1 – 29 – 19M – Brenden Smith – 100 – 125 – 225 –

B2 – 30 – 5s – Kolby Vandenbergh – 105 – 115 – 220 –

B1 – 31 – 8L – Matthew Larson – 95 – 120 – 215 – 15.690

B2 – 32 – 3w – Brennon Willard – 120 – 95 – 215 – 15.816

B1 – 33 – 21xxx – Neil Baggett – 85 – 125 – 210 – 15.652

B2 – 34 – 7J – Ryan Johnson – 100 – 110 – 210 – 15.816

B1 – 35 – 25B – Chevy Boyer – 90 – 115 – 205 – 15.816

B2 – 36 – 24C – Brandon Conkwright – 115 – 90 – 205 – 16.467

B1 – 37 – 1/4J – Jaxon Ertel – 105 – 95 – 200 –

B2 – 38 – 18 – Shannon Parker – 110 – 80 – 190 –

B1 – 39 – 128 – Kylan Garner – 85 – 100 – 185 – 15.862

B2 – 40 – 90 – Brian Rickman – 75 – 110 – 185 – 16.000

B1 – 41 – 12 – Scott Crigler – 75 – 100 – 175 –

B2 – 42 – 32X – Chris Simpson – 95 – 75 – 170 –

B1 – 43 – 96 – RC Whitwell – 75 – 85 – 160 – 15.662

B2 – 44 – 4X – Dalon Helm – 75 – 85 – 160 – 16.199

B1 – 45 – 8K – Tyler Kuykendall – 50 – 105 – 155 – 15.734

B2 – 46 – 0X – Jason Sivils – 75 – 80 – 155 – 16.136

B1 – 47 – 00 – Reggie Jackson – 75 – 75 – 150 –

B2 – 48 – 78S – Steve Stultz – 90 – 50 – 140 – 15.771

B1 – 49 – 96X – Dalton Imhoff – 50 – 90 – 140 – 16.158

B2 – 50 – 32C – Cameron Harris – 80 – 50 – 130 –

B1 – 51 – 50 – Kayden Clatt – 80 –  – 80 –

B2 – 52 – 37W – Frank Waszkiewicz –  – 50 – 50 –

NEXT: Jonathan Davenport Wins Tribute To Don And Billie Gibson At Lucas Oil Speedway