Moran Opens Silver Dollar Nationals with Thursday Victory
2025-07-18 12:56
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BRANDON, SD (July 17, 2025) - Defending Silver Dollar Nationals champion Devin Moran continued his success from a year ago at Huset's Speedway, winning the $10,000-to-win Thursday portion of the 15th Annual Silver Dollar Nationals presented by MyRacePass. It was Moran's sixth Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series presented by FloRacing win of the season.
Ricky Thornton Jr. finished second, reclaiming the Big River Steel Chase for the Championship presented by ARP points lead by 20 points ahead of Jonathan Davenport, who ended up seventh. Bobby Pierce earned the Hoker Trucking Hard Charger award, coming from the 11th starting position to finish third and round out the Big River Steel Podium.
Garrett Alberson and Hudson O'Neal completed the top five drivers.
Thornton took the lead at the start of the 40-lap main event and led the first four laps until Moran, who started on the outside of the second row, overtook him for the lead. Moran then led the remaining 36 laps of the race to win by 0.917 seconds over Thornton.
In Lucas Oil Victory Lane for the 21st time in his career, the Dresden, Ohio native took the first step in defending his Silver Dollar Nationals win from one year ago.
"Man, this is nothing like what I grew up on. For some reason, when the track gets like that, I feel like I can drive it really well. The guys just gave me an amazing car, you know. This is the first time we've had this car out since the Show-Me 100, and it was right back to where we were. I felt like my car was so good that I could be patient, and once I found a gap, I could go. I knew if I couldn't get by them, Ricky couldn't get by me, so I just bided my time. I want to give a huge shoutout to Huset's. They've been working on that berm, and they said they're going to keep working on it, but the track was phenomenal tonight. It had a little more moisture than I realized, but they did a great job for us."
Thornton tried to stay with Moran through heavy lapped traffic and had to fend off Tuesday night's winner at Shelby County, Bobby Pierce, to secure the second spot.
"Whenever you become the point leader in anything, it's a big deal. The only downside is that I lost 10 points to Devin come playoff time, so congratulations to him. His performance was really good, and I felt like I had a really good car too, but sometimes late in the race, you just don't know where to be. I thought the top would be better, which is why I was watching Shirley—they were a little better around the top in one and two than I was. On that restart, I figured I'd go to the top, but then I saw Devin underneath me, and I was thinking if he drives by me in one and two, I'm kind of screwed. It didn't work out for us, but I feel like we have a lot of good momentum heading into tomorrow."
Pierce, who won the Silver Dollar Nationals in 2019, charged from the inside of row number six to round out the podium.
"This place is definitely up on the wheel. There's not really a point where you can relax on this track, but through that corner you're always up on the wheel. It's usually a little choppy into three when we're hauling the mail around there. You can pick up a lot of speed if you hit it right, but if the car bounces the wrong way, you lose some speed. It's tough, but we tried our best to rebound tonight. We did a pretty good job, and if that one caution hadn't come out, it really got to me because I had just moved up to fifth and was right under JD, then the caution came out and I dropped back to seventh, so I had to fight for those positions again."
The winner's Double Down Motorsports, Longhorn Chassis is powered by a Clements Racing Engine and sponsored by Big River Steel, Lazydays RV, C&W Trucking, Bomag, Millwood Plumbing, Refuel Wellness, Anthony's Pizza, Pee Wee's Wrecker Service, Car Source Auto, Midwest Sheet Metal, Red Oak Pub, McHugh Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram, Eibach Springs, VP Fuels, Phillips CPA, Smoky Mountain Speedway, and Haulin' Haskell's.
Completing the top ten were Brian Shirley, Jonathan Davenport, Brandon Sheppard, Tyler Erb, and Donald McIntosh.
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Race Summary
15th Annual Silver Dollar Nationals Presented by MyRacePass | Night 1
Thursday, July 17, 2025
Huset's Speedway - Brandon, SD
Allstar Performance Time Trials
Fast Time Group A: Ricky Thornton Jr. | 12.859 seconds (Overall)
Fast Time Group B: Garrett Alberson | 12.998 seconds
Penske Shocks Heat Race #1 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr[1]; 2. 18D-Daulton Wilson[2]; 3. 22*-Drake Troutman[3]; 4. 76-Brandon Overton[5]; 5. 74X-Ethan Dotson[6]; 6. 8L-Matthew Larson[7]; 7. 60-Dan Ebert[4]; 8. 49C-Brock Carlson[8]
Summit Racing Products Heat Race #2 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 49-Jonathan Davenport[2]; 2. 1-Brandon Sheppard[1]; 3. 32-Bobby Pierce[3]; 4. 19M-Spencer Hughes[6]; 5. 76N-Blair Nothdurft[4]; 6. 6-Clay Harris[5]; 7. 15M-Shane DeMey[7]
Cool-It Thermo-Tec Heat Race #3 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 3S-Brian Shirley[2]; 2. 58-Garrett Alberson[1]; 3. 71-Hudson O'Neal[3]; 4. 22-Daniel Hilsabeck[4]; 5. 28-Dennis Erb Jr[5]; 6. 07-Ben Sukup[7]; 7. 8-Lane Brenden[6]; 8. (DNS) 10-Junior Coover
Simpson Race Products Heat Race #4 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 99-Devin Moran[3]; 2. 1T-Tyler Erb[5]; 3. 93L-Cory Lawler[1]; 4. 79-Donald McIntosh[4]; 5. 17SS-Brenden Smith[6]; 6. 93-Carson Ferguson[2]; 7. 17SR-Brody Smith[7]
Fast Shafts B-Main Race #1 Finish (10 Laps, Top 6 Transfer): 1. 74X-Ethan Dotson[1]; 2. 76N-Blair Nothdurft[3]; 3. 28-Dennis Erb Jr[2]; 4. 17SS-Brenden Smith[4]; 5. 93-Carson Ferguson[8]; 6. 60-Dan Ebert[9]; 7. 8L-Matthew Larson[5]; 8. 6-Clay Harris[7]; 9. 17SR-Brody Smith[12]; 10. 07-Ben Sukup[6]; 11. 15M-Shane DeMey[11]; 12. 8-Lane Brenden[10]; 13. 49C-Brock Carlson[13]; 14. (DNS) 10-Junior Coover
15th Annual Silver Dollar Nationals Presented by MyRacePass | Night 1 Feature Finish (40 Laps):
Pos - Start - Car # - Competitor - Hometown - Pay
1 - 4 - 99 - Devin Moran - Dresden, OH - $10,100
2 - 1 - 20RT - Ricky Thornton Jr - Chandler, AZ - $5,500
3 - 11 - 32 - Bobby Pierce - Oakwood, IL - $3,500
4 - 6 - 58 - Garrett Alberson - Las Cruces, NM - $2,700
5 - 10 - 71 - Hudson O'Neal - Martinsville, IN - $2,500
6 - 2 - 3S - Brian Shirley - Chatham, IL - $2,300
7 - 3 - 49 - Jonathan Davenport - Blairsville, GA - $2,300
8 - 7 - 1 - Brandon Sheppard - New Berlin, IL - $2,100
9 - 8 - 1T - Tyler Erb - New Waverly, TX - $2,050
10 - 16 - 79 - Donald McIntosh - Dawsonville, GA - $2,100
11 - 13 - 76 - Brandon Overton - Evans, GA - $1,600
12 - 17 - 74X - Ethan Dotson - Bakersfield, CA - $1,400
13 - 19 - 28 - Dennis Erb Jr - Carpentersville, IL - $1,200
14 - 15 - 19M - Spencer Hughes - Meridian, MS - $1,000
15 - 23 - 6 - Clay Harris - Jupiter, FL - $950
16 - 22 - 60 - Dan Ebert - Lake Shore, MN - $925
17 - 18 - 76N - Blair Nothdurft - Renner, SD - $900
18 - 14 - 22 - Daniel Hilsabeck - Earlham, IA - $875
19 - 21 - 93 - Carson Ferguson - Lincolnton, NC - $850
20 - 20 - 17SS - Brenden Smith - Dade City, FL - $825
21 - 12 - 93L - Cory Lawler - Hanover, PA - $800
22 - 24 - 8L - Matthew Larson - Lake Elmo, MN - $800
23 - 9 - 22* - Drake Troutman - Hyndman, PA - $800
24 - 5 - 18D - Daulton Wilson - Fayetteville, NC - $800
Race Statistics
Entrants: 30
Victory Fuel Pole Sitter: Ricky Thornton Jr.
MD3 Lap Leaders: Ricky Thornton Jr. (Laps 1-4); Devin Moran (Laps 5-40)
Hellraizer Jacks Halfway Leader: Devin Moran
Wieland Feature Winner: Devin Moran
Margin of Victory: 0.917 seconds
Coltman Farms Racing Cautions: Daulton Wilson (Lap 2); Drake Troutman (Lap 21)
Series Provisionals: Clay Harris
Fast Time Provisional: Matthew Larson
Emergency Provisional: n/a
Track Provisional: n/a
Big River Steel Podium Top 3: Devin Moran, Ricky Thornton Jr., Bobby Pierce
Penske Shocks Top 5: Devin Moran, Ricky Thornton Jr., Bobby Pierce, Garrett Alberson, Hudson O'Neal
PEM 4th Place Feature: Garrett Alberson
DMI Rearends 5th Place Feature: Hudson O'Neal
Wilwood Brakes Lucky 7th Place Feature: Jonathan Davenport
Wehrs Machine 11th Place Feature: Brandon Overton
Deatherage Opticians Lucky 13th Place Feature: Dennis Erb Jr.
MD3 24th Place Feature: Daulton Wilson
Hoker Trucking Hard Charger of the Race: Bobby Pierce (Advanced 8 Positions)
MD3 Most Laps Led: Devin Moran (36 Laps)
Sunoco Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Ricky Thornton Jr.
Midwest Sheet Metal Spoiler Challenge Point Leader: Jonathan Davenport
O'Reilly Auto Parts Rookie of the Race: Donald McIntosh
Pro Fabrication Headers Fastest Lap of the Race: Ricky Thornton Jr. | Lap 1 | 13.630 seconds
Slicker Graphics Slickest Move of the Race: Devin Moran
Fresh Roof Hard Luck Award: Daulton Wilson
Outerwears Crew Chief of the Race: Chuck Kimble
ARP Engine Builder of the Race: Clements Racing Engines
Miller Welders Chassis Builder of the Race: Longhorn Chassis
Dirt Draft Fastest in Hot Laps: Bobby Pierce | 12.626 seconds
Time of Race: 16 minutes 17 seconds
Big River Steel Chase for the Championship Presented by ARP Point Standings:
Pos - Car # - Competitor - Hometown - Points - Pay
1 - 20RT - Ricky Thornton Jr - Chandler, AZ - 5915 - $302,250
2 - 49 - Jonathan Davenport - Blairsville, GA - 5895 - $274,000
3 - 71 - Hudson O'Neal - Martinsville, IN - 5600 - $165,575
4 - 99 - Devin Moran - Dresden, OH - 5570 - $207,349
5 - 58 - Garrett Alberson - Las Cruces, NM - 5390 - $125,450
6 - 1 - Brandon Sheppard - New Berlin, IL - 5315 - $162,100
7 - 76 - Brandon Overton - Evans, GA - 5135 - $107,600
8 - 18D - Daulton Wilson - Fayetteville, NC - 4805 - $88,225
9 - 93 - Carson Ferguson - Lincolnton, NC - 4590 - $74,975
10 - 79 - Donald McIntosh - Dawsonville, GA - 4430 - $61,800
11 - 22 - Daniel Hilsabeck - Earlham, IA - 4310 - $56,600
12 - 19M - Spencer Hughes - Meridian, MS - 4020 - $54,325
13 - 60 - Dan Ebert - Lake Shore, MN - 3960 - $46,025
14 - 6 - Clay Harris - Jupiter, FL - 3880 - $48,000
15 - 93L - Cory Lawler - Hanover, PA - 3465 - $34,525
About Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series presented by FloRacing
Founded in 2005, the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series presented by FloRacing showcases the talents of the top dirt late model drivers from across the country. In 2025, the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series will sanction 58 events across 16 states, including some of the biggest marquee events in the industry, providing dirt slinging, sideways, door-to-door racing action lap after lap.
The series receives national exposure through a television package streamed live via FloRacing, with select broadcasts on RACER Network.
The in your face excitement of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series presented by FloRacing is second to none in motorsports. For more information, including the latest news, tour schedule, driver information, and more, visit the official website at: www.LucasDirt.com.
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Advanced Powder Coating, Behrent's Performance Warehouse, Black Diamond Chassis, Boyd Bilt Fabrication, Brodix, Capital Race Cars, Clements Racing Engines, Coltman Farms Racing, Dave Warren Powersports, Deatherage Opticians, DMI Rearends, Fast Shafts, Fire Suppression Engineering, FOX Shocks, Fresh Roof Shingle Rejuvenation, Heartbeat Hot Sauce, Heath Lawson Photography, Hellraizer Jacks, Hoker Trucking, Keyser Manufacturing, Longhorn Chassis, MD3, Mega Plumbing of the Carolinas, Midwest Sheet Metal, MSD, Outerwears, PEM - Performance Engineering Mfg, Penske Racing Shocks, ProFabrication Headers, Pro Power Racing Engines, Rocket Chassis, Schoenfeld Headers, Simpson Race Products, Slicker Graphics, Strange Oval, Swift Springs, Thermo-Tec Automotive Products, Vic Hill Race Engines, Victory Fuel, Wehrs Machine & Racing Products, Wilwood, Xceldyne, and 5150 Race Trailers