HARLAN, Iowa — Friday night’s Silver Dollar Nationals passing points format featured double heat races, each paying $2,000 to win, for the 54 competitors signed in for the event.
With 10 heat races contested, there were no repeat winners as Ricky Thornton Jr. and Bobby Pierce emerged as the front-row starters for Saturday night’s 16th Al Belt Custom Homes Silver Dollar Nationals finale.
Pierce and Thornton finished tied atop the passing points standings among the 16 drivers who locked themselves into Saturday night’s feature at Shelby County Speedway, which is hosting the Silver Dollar Nationals for the first time. Thornton earned the pole position by winning the tiebreaker based on his faster heat race lap time, while Pierce will start alongside him on the front row.
The opening heat race of round one produced an exciting finish as two-time Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series National Champion and 2017 Silver Dollar Nationals winner Tim McCreadie of Watertown, New York, took the lead from Brian Shirley on the final lap to claim the $2,000 victory. Shirley had led the previous 12 laps and appeared to be on his way to the win before McCreadie made the winning pass on the white-flag lap. Shirley finished second, followed by Chase Junghans and Kyle Bronson.
The second heat of round one belonged to defending Silver Dollar Nationals champion Hudson O’Neal of Martinsville, Indiana, who led wire-to-wire to earn the $2,000 victory. Ryan Gustin finished second, followed by Brandon Overton and Brandon Sheppard.
Bobby Pierce of Oakwood, Illinois, the 2019 Silver Dollar Nationals winner, captured the third heat of round one. Pierce led the final seven laps to earn the $2,000 payday. Cory Lawler finished second, with Tim Ward and Carson Ferguson completing the top four.
Defending Malvern Bank West Series champion Tad Pospisil of Norfolk, Nebraska, led all 13 laps to win the fourth heat of round one and collect $2,000. Dan Ebert crossed the line second, followed by Nick Hoffman and Blair Nothdurft.
Defending Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series National Champion Devin Moran of Dresden, Ohio, won the fifth heat of round one, narrowly edging Ricky Thornton Jr., who charged from the ninth starting position. Moran claimed the victory by approximately half a car length. Brenden Smith finished third, followed by Derrick Stewart in fourth.
The opening heat of round two featured passing points leader Ricky Thornton Jr. and Mike Marlar battling for the lead. Each driver led six laps before Thornton prevailed to earn another $2,000 victory. Marlar finished second, followed by Jacob Hobscheidt and Clay Harris.
The second heat of round two saw Thursday’s Go 50 winner Brandon Sheppard of New Berlin, Illinois, rally from the fifth starting position to take the lead from Chad Simpson, who had paced the field for the first 10 laps. Josh Rice finished second, followed by Simpson and Devin Moran.
Dallon Murty of Chelsea, Iowa, captured the third heat of round two as he drove the Skyline Motorsports entry to the $2,000 victory by leading all 12 laps. Garrett Alberson advanced from the sixth starting position to finish second. Clay Stuckey charged from 10th to third to gain valuable passing points, while J.T. Wasmund finished fourth.
Three-time Silver Dollar Nationals winner Jonathan Davenport of Blairsville, Georgia, dominated the fourth heat of round two. The three-time Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series National Champion led all 13 laps and crossed the finish line nearly six seconds ahead of Max Blair. Dillon McCowan finished third, with Dennis Erb Jr. completing the top four as Davenport earned the $2,000 winner’s check.
The fifth and final heat race featured an exciting battle between Zach Zeitner of Bellevue, Nebraska, and Bobby Pierce. Zeitner, the reigning and current Shelby County Speedway Late Model points leader, outdueled Pierce to score a popular $2,000 victory. Pierce finished second, followed by Chase Junghans and Nick Hoffman.
