In a night with split fields at the 29th running of the Dirt Late Model Dream at Eldora Speedway, it was a tale of two race winners to kick off the three-day weekend in late model land.
Tim McCreadie broke a losing streak that lasted far longer than usual for the No. 39 Paylor Motorsports crew, while the second A-Main of the night featured a win from the hottest late model driver in the country this season in Ricky Thornton Jr.
“Yeah, it’s been a little while,” McCreadie said on the FloRacing broadcast. “We never used to worry about that much – the last six or seven years, we’ve been on a decent stretch, but people will question you the minute you don’t win. All’s I can tell them is there’s 95 other guys in the pits trying to do the same and we’re just trying our best.”
McCreadie trailed eventual second-place finisher Hudson O’Neal for a majority of the race, but jumped in front of O’Neal during a restart that came with six laps to go.
He never looked back in what was a rocket of a race car in the closing laps.
“This thing is a badass piece of machinery,” McCreadie said.
In the second race, Devin Moran didn’t get that chance, with Thornton Jr. pulling out to a large lead off the jumps.
“My crew guys worked their tails off, I’m just one that’s lucky enough to get to steer it,” Thornton Jr. said.
The former Lucas Dirt rookie of the year found the front of the field, and although he had to calm himself down, he drove away from everybody.
“I got out front and I was just overdriving it,” Thornton Jr. said. “I got into the fence in turn 1 a couple of times and I’m like, ‘what are you doing? Just slow yourself down.’ So, I finally slowed myself down and I felt like I was really good… it worked out for us.”
Night 2 of the 29th Dirt Late Model Dream at Eldora will begin live on FloRacing Friday at 6:10 p.m. CT.
29th Dirt Late Model Dream Night 1 Prelim Results
Flight A A-Main
Eldora Speedway
Thurs. June 8, 2023
1. Tim McCreadie
2. Hudson O’Neal
3. Kyle Strickler
4. Shane Clanton
5. Ashton Winger
6. Chris Madden
7. Mason Zeigler
8. Carson Ferguson
9. Kyle Bronson
10. Tanner English
11. Dennis Erb Jr.
12. Dale McDowell
13. Ricky Weiss
14. Chris Ferguson
15. Earl Pearson Jr.
16. Cory Hedgecock
17. Johnny Scott
18. Daulton Wilson
19. Mike Benedum
20. Dustin Sorenson
21. Spencer Hughes
22. Steven Roberts
23. Tyler Erb
24. Casey Noonan
29th Dirt Late Model Dream Night 1 Prelim Results
Flight B A-Main
Eldora Speedway
Thurs. June 8, 2023
1. Ricky Thornton Jr.
2. Devin Moran
3. Mike Marlar
4. Josh Rice
5. Jonathan Davenport
6. Brandon Sheppard
7. Brian Shirley
8. Stormy Scott
9. Brandon Overton
10. Kent Robinson
11. Jimmy Owens
12. Ryan Gustin
13. Nick Hoffman
14. Trent Ivey
15. Shannon Babb
16. Jason Feger
17. Donald McIntosh
18. Kye Blight
19. Tyler Clem
20. Jeep Van Wormer
21. Bobby Pierce
22. Zack Dohm
23. Adam Strickler
24. Jordan Koehler
