20RT IN 2023: Thornton Jr. Caps World Finals with Second-Straight Win, Pierce Celebrates Championship

Ricky Thornton Jr. has had an unforgettable year – one he made sure he and the SSI Motorsports team will never forget, going back-to-back to cap the 2023 World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Model Series season Saturday night at The Dirt Track at Charlotte.

Thornton’s 33rd overall Feature win on the national dirt Late Model scene this year was one of his most impressive, wheeling the Dyno One, Longhorn/Clements No. 20RT from 10th on the starting grid up to the lead in 27 laps to bank the $25,000 grand prize in the World of Outlaws World Finals finale.

Race after race, track after track, big payday after big payday, Thornton and the SSI Motorsports team have dominated 2023. But as they closed out the season with Thornton’s fourth career World of Outlaws victory and third this year, surely, they’ve had a moment to let all their accomplishments soak in, right?

“Definitely not,” Thornton said. “My guys bust their butts. You figure every down day is a day you’re not getting better.”

One thing Thornton got much better at over the four-day race weekend – far more than any other driver – was getting around on the high side. Early on in the 50-lap main event, Thornton began ripping the top line around the 4/10-mile, red clay oval and worked his way up to third by Lap 17.

“I started losing track of the guys on the bottom,” Thornton said. “I’m like, ‘You know what, the top looks pretty good.’ I could see [Brandon] Sheppard running up there and figured if I was gonna have a shot to win it, I just gotta go now.”

Soon, Thornton had closed in on the rear bumper of Chris Madden and dove underneath him in a bid for second going into Turn 3 on Lap 24. He slid up in front of Madden out of Turn 4 to seal the pass and immediately set his sights on leader Cade Dillard, who was less than a second ahead.

In only three laps, Thornton reeled Dillard in and put the same move on him as he did for Madden with a deep dive down low going into Turn 3, then sliding back up in front of him out of Turn 4 to take the lead.

Now with the lead, it seemed like nothing could slow Thornton’s pace – not even the race’s only caution flag with 33 laps complete. He and Madden broke away from the field on the ensuing restart and battled side-by-side for the top spot briefly, but Thornton was too quick.

By this time, Mike Marlar had climbed back up into the top three, getting by Dale McDowell for third on Lap 37. After catching his rear bumper, Marlar as well dove underneath Madden in Turn 3 to grab second out of Turn 4.

He closed slightly in the final laps, but Marlar came up one spot short of his third career win at Charlotte. Madden hung on for third while McDowell and Garrett Smith completed the top five.

Crossing the line behind Smith in sixth was Bobby Pierce, who had drove up from 11th on the starting grid and was later crowned with his first dirt Late Model national championship in his first season aboard the World of Outlaws tour.

Pierce, the second-generation racer from Oakwood, IL, had mathematically clinched the points title Wednesday after taking the green flag in Qualifying, which put him more at ease racing against 74 other cars throughout the weekend.

“This has been a great weekend for us, just learning this track,” Pierce said. “But I definitely wouldn’t have liked to head into this deal with a tight point battle. We were very relaxed.”

At 26 years old, Pierce already solidified himself as an undeniable talent several years ago with his abundance of DIRTcar Late Model national points titles, DIRTcar Summer Nationals titles and several marquee event wins at the national level – most notably his win in the 2016 World 100 at Eldora Speedway at the age of 18.

Now, he’s a national Late Model series champion. But even with all of those accomplishments as such a young age, he said he’s nowhere close to being done.

“It’s definitely an uplifting thing to know,” Pierce said. “I’ve got a lot more years to go – just a lot more years to learn. Heck, a lot of times, you don’t figure things out ‘til late in your life. I feel like, especially this weekend, taught me there’s lot I have to learn still.

“We’re gonna come back next year, try to get another one. See how many of these we can get.”

While the points championship stayed locked-up over the weekend, the battle for fourth and several thousands of dollars in points fund checks was settled.

Kyle Bronson came into the weekend holding the fourth spot and retained it with a 10th-place finish in Saturday’s Feature. 2023 Germfree Rookie of the Year Nick Hoffman finished seventh Saturday and advanced two spots in points up to fifth.

While Brian Shirley’s ran 22nd Saturday, he did retain sixth place in points after jumping up one spot earlier in the week, and Ryan Gustin fell two points positions after taking a DNF Saturday. Dennis Erb Jr. jumped up one spot in points to eighth, while Tanner English rolled back to ninth after a trying weekend of no finishes better than 20th.

ABBREVIATED RESULTS (view full results)

CASE Construction Equipment  Feature (50 Laps): 1. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr[10]; 2. 157-Mike Marlar[5]; 3. 44-Chris Madden[3]; 4. 17M-Dale McDowell[2]; 5. 10-Garrett Smith[6]; 6. 32-Bobby Pierce[11]; 7. 9-Nick Hoffman[9]; 8. 97-Cade Dillard[1]; 9. 20-Jimmy Owens[16]; 10. 40B-Kyle Bronson[7]; 11. 49-Jonathan Davenport[19]; 12. 18D-Daulton Wilson[4]; 13. B5-Brandon Sheppard[25]; 14. 16-Ben Watkins[12]; 15. 0-Scott Bloomquist[14]; 16. 79-Donald McIntosh[23]; 17. 39-Tim McCreadie[13]; 18. 28-Dennis Erb Jr[17]; 19. 1T-Tyler Erb[22]; 20. 96V-Tanner English[26]; 21. 25-Shane Clanton[27]; 22. 8-Brian Shirley[18]; 23. 93-Carson Ferguson[24]; 24. 76-Brandon Overton[8]; 25. 19R-Ryan Gustin[15]; 26. 57-Zack Mitchell[21]; 27. 22-Chris Ferguson[20]; 28. B1-Brent Larson[28]

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World of Outlaws World Finals
Wednesday, November 1st to Saturday, November 4th
The Dirt Track at Charlotte
5500 Concord Parkway S
Concord, North Carolina 28027 

Event Description
The most prestigious dirt racing event in the country lights up The Dirt Track at Charlotte with four days of heart-pounding, clay-slinging action on the lightning-fast, four-tenths mile oval. The World of Outlaws World Finals brings together the top series in the sport, the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series, the World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Model Series and the Super DIRTcar Series, for four full days of racing, culminating in the crowning of all three series champions.

Series Racing
World of Outlaws Late Model Series

To Win Amount
$25,000.00

Feature Laps Length
50

Event Schedule
Tuesday, Oct 31
9AM Hauler Staging (West Side zMax Dragway)
3PM Pit Pass Sales begin (Gate 2)
4-6PM Hauler Parking & Hauler Parade
6PM Millbridge Event

Wednesday, Nov 1
11AM Pit Pass Sales begin & Hauler Parking resumes
12PM FAN FEST
3PM Race Day Live on the Sage Fruit Stage
3:30PM Front Gate opens & Ticket Sales begin
5PM Hot Laps

Thursday, Nov 2
11AM Pit Pass Sales begin & Hauler Parking resumes
2:30PM Front Gate opens & Ticket Sales begin
2:30PM Race Day Live on the Sage Fruit Stage
4PM Opening Ceremonies

Friday, Nov 3
11AM Pit Pass Sales begin & Hauler Parking resumes
2:30PM Front Gate opens & Ticket Sales begin
2:30PM Race Day Live on the Sage Fruit Stage
4PM Opening Ceremonies

Saturday, Nov 4
10AM Pit Pass Sales begin
1:30PM Race Day Live on the Sage Fruit Stage
2PM Front Gate opens & Ticket Sales begin
3PM Opening Ceremonies

VIEW FULL SCHEDULE
*All times Eastern

Event Hashtag
#AllDirtRoads

Related Documents
 https://worldofoutlawsworldfinals.com/

Ticket Phone
800-455-3267

Options And Prices
4-Day Package: $139

Single Seat Tickets ON SALE October 30th

Wednesday: $40
Thursday: $60
Friday: $60
Saturday: $60




Grandstand Type
Bleacher with backs

Reserved Seating
Yes

Family Section Location
n/a

Handicapped Seating Location
Lower level and Second level - Reserved seating required - Companion seating is available

Pit Pass Price
Pit Passes 4-Day Pit Pass: $130, Wednesday: $30, Thursday: $50, Friday: $50, Saturday: $50

Pit Age Requirement
All ages allowed. Minors ages 17 and under must have a signed waiver sheet. ONE parent must be present OR waiver should be notarized with the required ONE parent signature. Call 1-800-455-FANS with questions.

Pit Gate Location
Pit gate is located at Gate 2 of the zMax Dragway

Parking Cost
FREE

Handicapped Parking Location
Designated handicap parking between the dirt track and zMax dragway

Camping Availability
electric hookup, non-electric, onsite, showers, waste services

Camping Cost
Contact the track for pricing

To Win Amount
$25,000.00

Reserved Seating
Yes

Type of Grandstand
Bleacher with backs

Stadium Seating
Not allowed

Handicapped Seating
Lower level and Second level - Reserved seating required - Companion seating is available

Handicapped Parking
Designated handicap parking between the dirt track and zMax dragway

Pit Age Limit
All ages allowed. Minors ages 17 and under must have a signed waiver sheet. ONE parent must be present OR waiver should be notarized with the required ONE parent signature. Call 1-800-455-FANS with questions.

Pit Gate Location
Pit gate is located at Gate 2 of the zMax Dragway

Personal Coolers
Fans can bring in a soft-sided cooler no bigger than 14x14x14 and a bag/backpack no bigger than 18x18x14. Hard coolers are not allowed through the gates. Coolers are not allowed in Suites.

ATMs
1

Alcohol Sales
Alcohol is also sold at the track

Smoking Policy
designated smoking areas only

Family Section
n/a

Parking Cost
FREE

Camping Availability
electric hookup, non-electric, onsite, showers, waste services

Camping Cost
Contact the track for pricing

The Dirt Track at Charlotte
5500 Concord Parkway S
Concord, North Carolina 28027 

Track Phone
(704) 455-3200

Ticket Phone
800-455-3267

Track Size
0.4

Track Type
semi banked

Closest Airport
Concord-Padgett Regional Airport

Other Airport
Charlotte Douglas International Airport

Pit Gate Location
Pit gate is located at Gate 2 of the zMax Dragway

Track Map

Competitor Downloads
 https://www.dirtcarmembers.com/downloads.php

Tire Rules
Left Front Tire: Hoosier (Open)
Left Rear & Right Front Tire: Hoosier (90) NLMT2, (90) NLMT3 Right Rear Tire: Hoosier (92) NLMT3, (92) NLMT4 **Grooving & Siping will be allowed**