Max Blair and Ricky Thornton Jr. each won their respective 25-lap preliminary feature Friday night during the opening night of the 34th Annual Ace Doran Hauling and Rigging Topless 100 Presented by Big River Steel.

Blair captured the opening 25-lap event, worth $5,000, leading Carson Ferguson, Charlie Cole, Brenden Smith and Dale McDowell across the finish line for his second Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series win of the season.

Thornton took the second 25-lap event for his fifth series win of the year. Hudson O’Neal, who started 12th, finished second, followed by defending Topless 100 winner Jonathan Davenport, Brandon Overton and Ethan Dotson.

Chris Ferguson bolted to the lead at the start of the first feature, leading the first two laps in his first-ever visit to the track. Devin Moran, the defending series champion, then raced past Ferguson for the top spot on lap three. Moran built a sizable lead over the field until he slowed on lap 21 with a flat tire.

Blair inherited the race lead and stayed out front for the final five laps to pick up his third career LOLMDS victory.

“It was crazy for sure. When I got to third, I was just trying to pace myself and not kill my tires too bad, and I was just hoping I had saved enough there for the end. I want to apologize to Dale (McDowell). He is one of my idols, and I definitely got into him on that restart. I don’t know if he spun his tires, and I don’t know exactly what happened, but he didn’t go like I anticipated. I owe him a big apology either way. No excuses, it was my bad. It’s just different than the stuff I grew up on, so I can’t believe we really just won. We obviously had a lot of fortune to help us out.”

Carson Ferguson was in the thick of things for the entire first feature and came home in the runner-up spot behind Blair.

“The track kind of threw us a curveball. We couldn’t keep the nose out of the racetrack all night. I was just real tight on entry. I’d say we were scared to tighten up. We were just too free when we landed in the corner, and we just had to shear it. It was a good first night, though. Obviously, things went our way and we didn’t have a flat. Congratulations to Max; he was good all race. I felt like we could kind of get going, but I had to slow down too much that first lap. Like I said, we were just a little too much around the bottom for what I needed.”

Charlie Cole recorded the best finish of his career in LOLMDS competition, rounding out the Big River Steel Podium in third for the Arkansas veteran.

“We are here to have fun, but we can get it done when we need to. When the track is in our favor, when it slows down and gets slick, I think I can get around it as good as anyone. The car was really good. I didn’t have any power steering the last ten laps, and I don’t know if I couldn’t have won it if that didn’t happen. It was that good. I haven’t had a race car that good in a long time. I am really happy. That was cool.”

Blair’s Centerline Motorsports, Longhorn Chassis is powered by a Clements Racing Engine and sponsored by Riggs Fiber, Virgilie Iron and Steel, Creekside Auto Sales, Murphy’s Logging, C&J Dairy, Upstate Auto Group, Andy’s Towing, Tavern 618, Gable Inn, Lakeside Auto Body, Bish Heating and Cooling, and Willy’s World.

Completing the top ten in the first feature were Terry Phillips, Clay Stuckey, Devin Moran, Brandon Sheppard, and Brian Rickman.

Dan Ebert jumped to the lead at the start of the nightcap feature, looking to complete a clean sweep after setting the overall fastest time and winning his heat race. He was also seeking his first career Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series feature win.

Ebert looked strong while leading the first eight laps and held more than a one-second advantage over Ricky Thornton when he suffered a flat tire on lap nine. The issue handed the lead to Thornton as Ebert pitted for a new tire.

With Thornton out front, a tight battle for second developed between Jonathan Davenport, who started 10th, and Hudson O’Neal. The two went back and forth for the runner-up spot, with O’Neal finally clearing Davenport on lap 17.

Thornton was able to breathe easier after a lapped car cleared his path in the waning laps, and he took the checkered flag by 1.004 seconds.

In Wieland Victory Lane for the 61st time in his career, the Chandler, Arizona, native set his sights on his first career Topless 100 victory Saturday night.

“I feel like I have won a bunch of prelims, but we’ve never been able to win the Topless. I really didn’t know what I needed to do there. I felt like the top was slowing down, which usually means it starts to rubber down from the middle to the bottom. I moved down and got tight. I really didn’t know if I wanted JD to be second or Hud to be second. I knew both of them passed a good amount of cars to get to second. I figured their stuff was pretty good; otherwise, I didn’t know what to do. Every time I get here, I am too tight on entry and it kind of kills us. When I stayed free there, I was okay, but it kind of hurt me in other spots. Pretty awesome to see Max win as well. Hopefully tomorrow goes well for us.”

O’Neal, who won the Topless 100 in 2021 and will be looking for the $50,000 payday Saturday night, finished in the runner-up spot to Thornton.

“I felt really good. I was able to drive up through there. I had a couple of breaks with some people getting flats, but I felt like we were pretty competitive there at the end in the last few laps. I think Ricky started getting a little tight, and we were able to kind of come back to him just a little bit. But when JD threw that slider on me, I knew his car was pretty good and maybe a little better than mine. I was just fortunate enough that it was starting to clean up down there, and I could steer hard and come back down the racetrack and not lose any grip and drive back by him. So, yeah, we have had a past of throwing some sliders here at this place.”

Davenport, who won last year’s Topless 100 for the second time, will try to become the first driver in the event’s 34-year history to win it in back-to-back years. He rounded out the Big River Steel Podium in third in the second 25-lapper.

“We made what could have been a bad situation into something good there. I felt like we had a pretty good car. We would have liked to run more green-flag laps, but it just wasn’t in the cards tonight. There were a lot of flat tires. It’s just part of it, really. I never really ran the top in the heat race and had a flat, but like I said, we rebounded and passed a lot of cars. I felt like we had pace with Ricky there, especially before the leader (Ebert) had a flat. We’ve got a few tweaks to make to the car, but I think we will be okay.”

Thornton’s Koehler Motorsports, Longhorn Chassis is powered by a Cornett Racing Engine and sponsored by Hoker Trucking, Knight’s Companies, Capital Waste, Coltman Farms Racing, Certified Inspection Services, Elite Ready Mix, Strange Oval, SI Towing and Recovery, Sunoco Race Fuels, and D&E Outside Services.

Completing the top ten in the second feature were Clay Harris, Kyle Beard, Dane Ebert, Brody Smith and Cam Harris.

Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series 
Race Summary 
34th Annual Ace Doran Topless 100 Presented by Big River Steel
Friday, August 14, 2026
Batesville Motor Speedway | Locust Grove, AR

Allstar Performance Time Trials
Fast Time Group A: Chris Ferguson | 13.374 seconds

Penske Shocks Heat Race #A-1 Finish (8 Laps, All Transfer): 1. 22F-Chris Ferguson[1]; 2. 99-Devin Moran[2]; 3. 17M-Dale McDowell[4]; 4. 40B-Kyle Bronson[6]; 5. 8-Dillon McCowan[3]; 6. 2-Charlie Cole[8]; 7. 75-Terry Phillips[7]; 8. 15-Clay Stuckey[5]; 9. 88-Chance Mann[9]; 10. (DNS) 007-Jerry Andrews

Summit Racing Products Heat Race #A-2 Finish (8 Laps, All Transfer): 1. 1-Brandon Sheppard[1]; 2. 93F-Carson Ferguson[2]; 3. 111-Max Blair[4]; 4. 17SS-Brenden Smith[5]; 5. 11-Josh Rice[6]; 6. 12-Scott Crigler[3]; 7. USA1-Devon Andrews[9]; 8. (DNS) 90-Brian Rickman; 9. (DNS) 13N-Derrick Nichols; 10. (DNS) 997-Travis Ashley

34th Annual Ace Doran Topless 100 Presented by Big River Steel | Group A – Feature Finish (25 Laps):
Pos – Start – Car # – Competitor – Hometown – Earnings
1 – 6 – 111 – Max Blair – Centerville, PA – $5,000
2 – 4 – 93F – Carson Ferguson – Lincolnton, NC – $3,000
3 – 11 – 2 – Charlie Cole – Wynne, AR – $2,000
4 – 8 – 17SS – Brenden Smith – Dade City, FL – $1,500
5 – 5 – 17M – Dale McDowell – Chickamauga, GA – $1,250
6 – 13 – 75 – Terry Phillips – Springfield, MO – $1,000
7 – 15 – 15 – Clay Stuckey – Shreveport, LA – $950
8 – 3 – 99 – Devin Moran – Dresden, OH – $900
9 – 2 – 1 – Brandon Sheppard – New Berlin, IL – $850
10 – 17 – 90 – Brian Rickman – Columbus, MS – $800
11 – 1 – 22F – Chris Ferguson – Mt. Holly, NC – $700
12 – 10 – 11 – Josh Rice – Crittenden, KY – $600
13 – 7 – 40B – Kyle Bronson – Brandon, FL – $600
14 – 14 – USA1 – Devon Andrews – Wynne, AR – $600
15 – 16 – 88 – Chance Mann – Newport, AR – $600
16 – 9 – 8 – Dillon McCowan – Urbana, MO – $600
17 – 12 – 12 – Scott Crigler – Alton, MO – $550
18 – 18 – 13N – Derrick Nichols – Warren, AR – $500
19 – 19 – 7 – Jerry Andrews – Wynne, AR – $0
20 – 20 – 997 – Travis Ashley – Batesville, AR – $0

Group A Race Statistics  
Entrants: 40
Bilstein Shocks Pole Sitter: Chris Ferguson
MD3 Lap Leaders: Chris Ferguson (Laps 1-2); Devin Moran (Laps 3-20); Max Blair (Laps 21-25)
Hellraizer Jacks Halfway Leader: Devin Moran
Wieland Feature Winner: Max Blair
Margin of Victory: 0.298 seconds
Hellraizer Jacks Cautions: Scott Crigler, Cay Stuckey, Brenden Smith (Initial Start); Brenden Smith (Lap 1); Kyle Bronson (Lap 4); Dillon McCowan, Dale McDowell (Lap 4 restart); Brandon Sheppard (Lap 18); Terry Phillips (Lap 19); Devin Moran (Lap 20); Josh Rice (Lap 21)
MyRacePass Series Provisional: n/a
Fast Time Provisional: n/a
Emergency Provisionals: n/a
Track Provisional: n/a
Big River Steel Podium Top 3: Max Blair, Carson Ferguson, Charlie Cole
Penske Shocks Top 5: Max Blair, Carson Ferguson, Charlie Cole, Brenden Smith, Dale McDowell
Behrent’s One-Lap-to-Go Top 3: Max Blair, Carson Ferguson, Charlie Cole
PEM 4th Place Feature: Brenden Smith
Diversified Machine 5th Place Feature: Dale McDowell
Wilwood Brakes 7th Place Feature: Clay Stuckey
Wehrs Machine 11th Place Feature: Chris Ferguson
Velocity Manufacturing 13th Place Feature: Kyle Bronson
XS Power Batteries 15th Place Feature: Chance Mann
Hoker Trucking Hard Charger of the Race: Charlie Cole (Advanced 8 positions)
MD3 Most Laps Led: Devin Moran (18 Laps)
Sunoco Race Fuels Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Carson Ferguson
Midwest Sheet Metal Spoiler Challenge Point Leader: Brandon Sheppard
O’Reilly Auto Parts Rookie of the Race: n/a
Pro Fabrication Headers Fastest Lap of the Race: Devin Moran | Lap 5 | 14.737 seconds
FK Rod Ends Hard Luck Award: Dillon McCowan
Victory Fuel Power Move of the Race: Max Blair
Outerwears Crew Chief of the Race: Robbie Blair
ARP Engine Builder of the Race: Clements Race Engines
Miller Welders Chassis Builder of the Race: Longhorn Chassis
Dirt Draft Fastest in Hot Laps: Brandon Sheppard | 14.1392 seconds
Time of Race: 34 minutes 46 seconds

Group B Results:
Allstar Performance Time Trials
Fast Time Group B: Dan Ebert | 13.290 seconds (overall)

Cool-It Thermo Tec Heat Race #B-3 Finish (8 Laps, All Transfer): 1. 60-Dan Ebert[1]; 2. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr[5]; 3. 16S-Sam Seawright[2]; 4. 22-Daniel Hilsabeck[4]; 5. 11K-Jon Kirby[3]; 6. 74X-Ethan Dotson[9]; 7. 32C-Cam Harris[7]; 8. 17SR-Brody Smith[6]; 9. 15SS-Shane Stephens[8]; 10. 93L-Cory Lawler[10]

Simpson Race Products Heat Race #B-3 Finish (8 Laps, All Transfer): 1. 76-Brandon Overton[4]; 2. 20-Jimmy Owens[5]; 3. 86-Kyle Beard[6]; 4. 6-Clay Harris[8]; 5. 49-Jonathan Davenport[1]; 6. 71-Hudson O’Neal[3]; 7. 1G-Bryan Glaze[7]; 8. 6K-Dillon Knight[10]; 9. 27-Garrett Taylor[9]; 10. 3S-Brian Shirley[2]

34th Annual Ace Doran Topless 100 Presented by Big River Steel | Group B – Feature Finish (25 Laps):
Pos – Start – Car # – Competitor – Hometown – Earnings
1 – 3 – 20RT – Ricky Thornton, Jr. – Chandler, AZ – $5,000
2 – 12 – 71 – Hudson O’Neal – Martinsville, IN – $3,000
3 – 10 – 49 – Jonathan Davenport – Blairsville, GA – $2,000
4 – 2 – 76 – Brandon Overton – Evans, GA – $1,500
5 – 11 – 74x – Ethan Dotson – Bakersfield, CA – $1,250
6 – 8 – 6 – Clay Harris – Jupiter, FL – $1,000
7 – 6 – 86 – Kyle Beard – Trumann, AR – $950
8 – 1 – 60 – Dan Ebert – Lake Shore, MN – $900
9 – 15 – 17SR – Brody Smith – Dade City, FL – $850
10 – 13 – 32c – Cam Harris – Columbus, MS – $800
11 – 17 – 15ss – Shane Stephens – Arlington, TN – $700
12 – 5 – 16s – Sam Seawright – Fort Payne, AL – $600
13 – 7 – 22 – Daniel Hilsabeck – Earlham, IA – $600
14 – 20 – 3s – Brian Shirley – Chatham, IL – $600
15 – 9 – 11K – Jon Kirby – Russellville, AR – $600
16 – 18 – 27 – Garrett Taylor – Jacksonville, AR – $600
17 – 19 – 93L – Cory Lawler – Hanover, PA – $550
18 – 16 – 6K – Dillon Knight – Burlison, TN – $500
19 – 14 – 1G – Bryan Glaze – Little Rock, AR – $500
20 – 4 – 20 – Jimmy Owens – Newport, TN – $500

Group B Race Statistics  
Entrants: 40
Bilstein Shocks Pole Sitter: Dan Ebert
MD3 Lap Leaders: Dan Ebert (Laps 1-8); Ricky Thornton, Jr. (Laps 9-25)
Hellraizer Jacks Halfway Leader: Ricky Thornton, Jr.
Wieland Feature Winner: Ricky Thornton, Jr.
Margin of Victory: 1.004 seconds
Hellraizer Jacks Cautions: Clay Harris (Lap 1); Dan Ebert (Lap 8); Sam Seawright (Lap 11); Jimmy Owens (Lap 11 restart); Daniel Hilsabeck (Lap 12); Brian Shirley (Lap 15)
MyRacePass Series Provisional: n/a
Fast Time Provisional: n/a
Emergency Provisionals: n/a
Track Provisional: n/a
Big River Steel Podium Top 3: Ricky Thornton, Jr., Hudson O’Neal, Jonathan Davenport
Penske Shocks Top 5: Ricky Thornton, Jr., Hudson O’Neal, Jonathan Davenport, Brandon Overton, Ethan Dotson
Behrent’s One-Lap-to-Go Top 3: Ricky Thornton, Jr., Hudson O’Neal, Jonathan Davenport
PEM 4th Place Feature: Brandon Overton
Diversified Machine 5th Place Feature: Ethan Dotson
Wilwood Brakes 7th Place Feature: Kyle Beard
Wehrs Machine 11th Place Feature: Shane Stephens
Velocity Manufacturing 13th Place Feature: Daniel Hilsabeck
XS Power Batteries 15th Place Feature: Jon Kirby
Hoker Trucking Hard Charger of the Race: Hudson O’Neal (Advanced 10 positions)
MD3 Most Laps Led: Ricky Thornton, Jr. (17 Laps)
Sunoco Race Fuels Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Ricky Thornton, Jr.
Midwest Sheet Metal Spoiler Challenge Point Leader: Brandon Sheppard
O’Reilly Auto Parts Rookie of the Race: n/a
Pro Fabrication Headers Fastest Lap of the Race: Ricky Thornton, Jr. | Lap 24 | 15.366 seconds
FK Rod Ends Hard Luck Award: Dan Ebert
Victory Fuel Power Move of the Race: Ricky Thornton Jr.
Outerwears Crew Chief of the Race: Anthony Burroughs
ARP Engine Builder of the Race: Cornett Race Engines
Miller Welders Chassis Builder of the Race: Longhorn Chassis
Dirt Draft Fastest in Hot Laps: Jonathan Davenport | 13.9530 seconds
Time of Race: 24 minutes 43 seconds

34th Annual Ace Doran Topless 100 Presented by Big River Steel Prelim Points:
Pos – Car – Driver – Points – Tie Breaker (Fastest Lap in Time Trials)
1 – 20RT – Ricky Thornton Jr. – 250 – 13.697
2 – 111 – Max Blair – 250 – 13.77
3 – 93 – Carson Ferguson – 230 – 13.503
4 – 71 – Hudson O’Neal – 230 – 13.571
5 – 49 – Jonathan Davenport – 220 – 13.449
6 – 2 – Charlie Cole – 220 – 14.335
7 – 76 – Brandon Overton – 210 – 13.655
8 – 17SS – Brenden Smith – 210 – 13.843
9 – 17M – Dale McDowell – 205 – 13.729
10 – 74x – Ethan Dotson – 205 – 13.943
11 – 60 – Dan Ebert – 200 – 13.29
12 – 6 – Clay Harris – 200 – 13.914
13 – 75 – Terry Phillips – 200 – 13.941
14 – 86 – Kyle Beard – 195 – 13.803
15 – 15 – Clay Stuckey – 195 – 13.829
16 – 99 – Devin Moran – 190 – 13.426
17 – 22F – Chris Ferguson – 185 – 13.374
18 – 1 – Brandon Sheppard – 185 – 13.409
19 – 17SR – Brody Smith – 185 – 13.769
20 – 32C – Cam Harris – 180 – 13.819
21 – 90 – Brian Rickman – 180 – 14.269
22 – 15SS – Shane Stephens – 175 – 13.899
23 – 16S – Sam Seawright – 170 – 13.454
24 – 11 – Josh Rice – 170 – 13.914
25 – 22 – Daniel Hilsabeck – 165 – 13.634
26 – 40B – Kyle Bronson – 165 – 13.898
27 – 3s – Brian Shirley – 160 – 13.46
28 – USA1 – Devon Andrews – 160 – 15.173
29 – 11K – Jon Kirby – 155 – 13.539
30 – 88 – Chance Mann – 155 – 14.615
31 – 8 – Dillon McCowan – 150 – 13.67
32 – 27 – Garrett Taylor – 150 – 13.95
33 – 12 – Scott Crigler – 145 – 13.717
34 – 93L – Cory Lawler – 145 – 14.329
35 – 13N – Derrick Nichols – 140 – 14.385
36 – 6K – Dillon Knight – 140 – 15.116
37 – 1G – Bryan Glaze – 135 – 13.85
38 – 20 – Jimmy Owens – 130 – 13.759
39 – 997 – Travis Ashley – 50 – 0
40 – 007 – Jerry Andrews – 50 – 0

Fast Shafts B-Main 1 (10 Laps | Top 3 transfer):
Row – Car # – Driver – Hometown – Car # – Driver – Hometown
1 – 22F – Chris Ferguson – Mt. Holly, NC – 17SR – Brody Smith – Dade City, FL
2 – 90 – Brian Rickman – Columbus, MS – 16S – Sam Seawright – Fort Payne, AL
3 – 22 – Daniel Hilsabeck – Earlham, IA – 3s – Brian Shirley – Chatham, IL
4 – 11K – Jon Kirby – Russellville, AR – 8 – Dillon McCowan – Urbana, MO
5 – 12 – Scott Crigler – Alton, MO – 13N – Derrick Nichols – Warren, AR
6 – 1G – Bryan Glaze – Little Rock, AR – 997 – Travis Ashley – Batesville, AR

UNOH B-Main 2 (10 Laps | Top 3 transfer):
Row – Car # – Driver – Hometown – Car # – Driver – Hometown
1 – 1 – Brandon Sheppard – New Berlin, IL – 32C – Cam Harris – Columbus, MS
2 – 15SS – Shane Stephens – Arlington, TN – 11 – Josh Rice – Crittenden, KY
3 – 40B – Kyle Bronson – Brandon, FL – USA1 – Devon Andrews – Wynne, AR
4 – 88 – Chance Mann – Newport, AR – 27 – Garrett Taylor – Jacksonville, AR
5 – 93L – Cory Lawler – Hanover, PA – 6K – Dillon Knight – Burlison, TN
6 – 20 – Jimmy Owens – Newport, TN – 007 – Jerry Andrews – Wynne, AR

34th Annual Ace Doran Topless 100 Presented by Big River Steel (100 Laps):
Row – Car # – Driver – Hometown – Car # – Driver – Hometown
1 – 20RT – Ricky Thornton Jr – Chandler, AZ – 111 – Max Blair – Centerville, PA
2 – 93F – Carson Ferguson – Lincolnton, NC – 71 – Hudson O’Neal – Martinsville, IN
3 – 49 – Jonathan Davenport – Blairsville, GA – 2 – Charlie Cole – Wynne, AR
4 – 76 – Brandon Overton – Evans, GA – 17SS – Brenden Smith – Dade City, FL
5 – 17M – Dale McDowell – Chickamauga, GA – 74X – Ethan Dotson – Bakersfield, CA
6 – 60 – Dan Ebert – Lake Shore, MN – 6 – Clay Harris – Jupiter, FL
7 – 75 – Terry Phillips – Springfield, MO – 86 – Kyle Beard – Trumann, AR
8 – 15 – Clay Stuckey – Shreveport, LA – 99 – Devin Moran – Dresden, OH
9 – B-Main #1 | 1st Place – B-Main #2 | 1st Place
10 – B-Main #1 | 2nd Place – B-Main #2 | 2nd Place
11 – B-Main #1 | 3rd Place – B-Main #2 | 3rd Place
12 – LOLMDS Provisional #1 – LOLMDS Provisional #2
13 – Emergency Provisional #1 (if needed) – Emergency Provisional #2 (if needed)
14 – Emergency Provisional #3 (if needed) – Emergency Provisional #4 (if needed)

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