Jonathan Davenport collected $5,000 for his win
The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series ended a three-week break on Thursday evening when the tour rolled into the Magnolia Motor Speedway for the first of a triple-header ‘Clash at the Mag’ weekend at the Columbus, Mississippi facility. After quick paced program of racing throughout the night in the non points race, Jonathan Davenport scored the victory. The Blairsville, GA driver was awarded $5,000 for the triumph in a race shown live by MavTV Plus.
A total of 44 cars were signed in for competition.
Kyle Bronson was fastest in Group A qualifying with a lap of 13.410 seconds around the 3/8 mile clay oval beating out Tim McCreadie, Jimmy Owens, Matt Cosner, and Ricky Thornton Jr.
Josh Putnam posted a lap of 13.869 seconds besting Mike Marlar, Hunter Rasdon, Brian Rickman, and Jonathan Davenport in Group B time-trials.
Kyle Bronson earned the pole position for the feature by winning the first heat ahead of Rick Rickman, Ricky Thornton Jr., and Dane Dacus then Tim McCreadie took the second preliminary ahead of Earl Pearson Jr., Michael Page, and Morgan Bagley.
Jonathan Davenport secured a front row starting spot for the main event by outrunning Josh Putnam, Tyler Erb, and Stormy Scott just before Mike Marlar topped Shane Clanton, Josh Richards, and Brian Rickman in the fourth and final heat.
Defending Lucas Oil Series champion Jimmy Owens and currently second in points Hudson O’Neal retired for the evening following a heat race incident that damaged both cars. Neither driver’s place in the standings would be impacted in this non points paying event.
Spencer Hughes and Hunter Rasdon won the two B-main races used to set the remainder of the starting lineup for the main event.
At the start of the 25-lap feature it was Bronson who took the early lead with Davenport, McCreadie, Marlar and Putnam trailing. Davenport and Bronson exchanged the lead multiple times over the first three laps before Davenport finally emerged as the front runner.
Multiple-time Magnolia winner Marlar grabbed the third position on lap 3. The No. 157 continued its charge on lap 9 when Marlar passed by Bronson for second. Soon afterward, Marlar moved in to briefly challenge Davenport for the lead but Davenport was able to hold the spot.
By lap 12, the top-4 of Davenport, Marlar, Bronson and McCreadie ran in tight formation as they battled through slower traffic. Further back, Erb entered the top-5 on lap 14 when he moved around Putnam.
A lap 17 caution flag was displayed to the field for debris caused when Erb suffered a flat tire. On the ensuing restart, McCreadie and Richards were able to get by Bronson to take third and fourth respectively just before another yellow flag would wave when top-5 running Bronson also had a tire to go flat.
When the racing action resumed, Davenport reasserted control of the race as he drove on to take the checkered flag and the win.
The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series will remain at the Magnolia Motor Speedway for the next two nights.
Feature Finish: 1. Jonathan Davenport, 2. Mike Marlar, 3. Tim McCreadie, 4. Josh Richards, 5. Shane Clanton, 6. Brian Rickman, 7. Earl Pearson Jr., 8. Michael Page, 9. Ricky Thornton Jr., 10. Spencer Hughes, 11. Kyle Beard, 12. Stormy Scott, 13. B.J. Robinson, 14. Rick Rickman, 15. Sam Seawright, 16. Hunter Rasdon, 17. Dane Dacus, 18. Morgan Bagley, 19. Tyler Erb, 20. Kyle Bronson, 21. David Breazeale, 22. Brayden Proctor, 23. Josh Putnam, 24. Matt Cosner
