2/14/2026
Ricky Thornton Jr
Thornton notches Top-5 in DIRTcar Nationals finale
After two weeks in the Modified ranks, Ricky Thornton Jr. returned to the Koehler Motorsports No. 20RT Longhorn Chassis this past week as the Super Late Models took center stage for the 55th annual Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals.
During the three DIRTcar-sanctioned events from Monday through Wednesday, Thornton struggled in Monday’s opener but rebounded with top-10 finishes the next two nights, placing sixth on Tuesday and seventh on Wednesday.
With competition shifting to World of Outlaws sanctioning from Thursday through Saturday, Thornton remained consistent. After finishing seventh on Thursday and eighth on Friday, he closed out the weekend with a strong fifth-place finish in Saturday night’s $20,000-to-win finale, trailing Brandon Sheppard, Bobby Pierce, Hudson O’Neal, and Nick Hoffman to the checkered flag.
Complete results from the Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals can be found at www.DIRTcar.com or www.WorldofOutlaws.com.
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