Highlights | 2026 Lucas Oil Topless 100 at Batesville Motor Speedway
Batesville Motor Speedway plays host to the 34th Topless 100 for the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series on Saturday, August 15, 2026.
Video Transcript
For the 34th time, the Topless 100 is underway.
Here we come out of two.
RTJ will take the lead down the back straightaway.
Carson Ferguson rolls to second.
Boy, wouldn't that be something if Carson Ferguson could win this race?
They took care of young Weston last weekend while Garrett and Danny were at the hospital.
Down the back straightaway.
Thornton continues to lead one lap in the books.
As they come off of turn number four, RTJ continues to lead.
Good battle for second down the main straightaway.
They're side-by-side, O'Neill and Carson Ferguson, and right now O'Neill go to second in 71.
They water the top, they tickle the top at the Topless, James.
As they come out of four, Brandon Smith is trying to go to second, and he He did.
He got it.
He is on the move, James.
He is on the move early on.
10 in the books, still a long way to go.
15 laps in the books.
It's the 20RT, and we got a Hellraiser Jack's caution on the racetrack.
For the East Door and Hollingan Rigging restart zone, back underway at Batesville.
O'Neill now trying to clear Brandon Smith.
Brandon Overton goes to the top.
This bud's for you.
Here he comes to the outside.
Here comes Dan Ebert.
That top, and again, they worked that during the break before the feature.
Overton has a run now.
Man, that was big momentum.
They carry some speed here as he closed right behind O'Neill.
23 laps complete.
It's Thornton, O'Neill, Overton, Brandon Smith.
Ebert is up to fifth.
Dan Ebert is up to fifth in 60, and Brandon Overton's got a problem.
Brandon Overton's got a problem in 76, and it's a Hellraiser Jack's caution for the Evans, Georgia driver, fourth in the series points.
He learned from the, the best, right?
Entire conservation.
I don't know if Scott ever got up on a jersey barrier, but, Dale McDowell is gonna be right there at the end.
You just get that feeling as they come out of turn number two.
Ricky Thornton Jr., Terry Phillips.
Terry Phillips has gone to second.
Here comes Brian Shirley.
Phillips started 13, Shirley started 21st, and they're trying to run second and third as they're side-by-side for third at the line.
35 in the books.
It's Thornton, Phillips, Smith, Shirley, Moran, O'Neill.
McDowell's to seventh.
Rice is eighth.
McCown in ninth.
10th is Stucky.
O'Brien says, "Okay, I'll go right ahead."
Brian to the outside.
Anthony Martin turning the wrenches, and Phillips is gonna squeeze him again down the back straightaway.
Terry Phillips making the 75 wide off of four, but he can't stop him this time, as Shirley's gonna take second.
Brian Shirley to second.
38 laps scored down the back straightaway.
The advantage is seven-tenths of a second for Thornton.
Dives down low.
I'll tell you, Brian Shirley may take the lead here so- shortly.
From 21st, Brian Shirley for the lead.
Oh, and the Hellraiser Jack's caution is out.
That sent O'Neill, the 2021 winner, second in the points, has a right rear tire down.
Terry was trying to make that baby wide.
Here they go on the restart, but Shirley's gonna power to the outside into one.
Ryan Ell cut down.
He goes right through the middle.
Phillips trying to stay on the bottom.
There's Moran in 99.
Down the back straightaway, Dale McDowell doing Dale McDowell things.
Out of turn number four, Ricky Thornton Jr.
Still leads down the main straightaway.
We are going to be 11 laps shy of the Hellraiser Jack's halfway.
We got a battle for the lead out of turn number two.
For the first time since Brandon Smith got within two car lengths, we're gonna have a race for the lead, and it's Brian Shirley and Ricky Thornton Jr., and Brian out of turn number four.
Down the main straightaway, RTJ continues to lead.
40 laps complete.
Brian Shirley for the lead throws the slider.
Out of turn number two, the two veteran drivers going at it.
Thornton back on the bottom.
Do we have a new leader?
Oh, he slips just a little bit.
Ricky Thornton Jr.
Still in front.
Brian Shirley will trail right Oh, man, he had to check up.
Almost got into the right rear quarter panel of Thornton.
Rice third, Phillips fourth, McDowell fifth, Stucky.
Good run for Clay Six, Shepherd, Davenport, Beard, McCown, Tif.
Ricky Thornton Jr., we may have a new leader down the main straightaway.
Oh, man, half a car length.
I don't know if I don't think they touched, but it is going to go to the Hellraiser Jack's halfway mark, and we may have our first lead change of the race, and it might be the driver that started 21st in this race.
He has earned it, and he slides off the track, and taking the lead is Thornton.
Rice goes to second.
Are you serious?
We're gonna race for the lead out of turn number two.
Rice to second, Shirley, Phillips down the back straightaway.
Thornton has still led every lap.
That was the halfway mark.
Off of turn number four, Rice for the lead.
No, it's still Ricky Thornton Jr. Rice to the outside, Brian to the bottom.
Oh, and Rice is gonna squeeze to the middle.
His 16th different racetrack he has run this year in the Lucas Oil Series.
He has never rained here be- ran here before, and right now he hounds Thornton for the lead out of turn number one.
Josh Rice, by the way, started 22nd.
Yes, I know people have pitted, but right now he is second.
Thornton still leads.
He's led every lap somehow, some way, maybe until right now, and we've got a new race leader, and it's Josh Rice.
Back-to-back Crown Jewel victories here.
It is not I, I know Chris Madden did it in 2019.
Shirley is back now to third.
Ricky Thornton Jr. Digging on the bottom.
Rice, and Thornton's gonna take the lead in 20RT back out in front.
Let's see if we get this lap in.
We'll have 41 to go.
59 scored.
Thornton is back in the lead.
Rice back to second.
Shirley is third, McDowell fourth, Stucky is fifth.
Right now Terry Phillips is sixth.
Shepherd is up to seventh.
Davenport, Ebert ninth.
Seawright is 10th.
Side-by-side battle for the lead down the main straightaway.
Josh Rice retakes the lead at Batesville with 40 to go.
And right now we've got a Hellraiser Jack's caution on the racetrack.
The second place runner, RT Ga- It's Ricky Thornton Jr. Flat right rear tire for the Chandler, Arizona driver.
Ebert is pitted, he's fifth.
Back underway, the East Barn hauling and rigging restart zone, 26 to go for 50K.
Josh Rice leading down the backstretch, he stretches out over Dale McDowell.
McDowell's probably hoping they can pick up the tail of the field if something happens right there, and we got a battle, Dan Ebert and Moran going at it.
Dan Ebert will follow his fellow Rocket driver.
They're Rocket one and a one.
Ebert to fifth off of turn number four.
Everybody, by the way, is still on the lead lap.
Nobody's a lap down with the number of cautions, of course.
There's Ebert, oh, there might have been contact there.
Oh no, Stuckey got in the wall as Ebert gets around him.
It's Clay, had to back out of it.
Ebert goes around him.
Dan up to third.
Dan Ebert, remember, he pitted at least once I No, yes, he did at least once, right?
He goes to the bottom of Dale, he might have the best car.
Dan Ebert is going for it.
Dan Ebert muscles his way around Dale McDowell.
They're side by side down the main straightaway.
Give it to Dan Ebert.
Oh, will it be Dan Ebert night in America?
12 laps to go.
Not only a Steering Buddy dark horse, but a Topless 100 winner.
Off of turn number four for the lead, it's Rice and Ebert, and Dan Ebert takes the lead.
Dan Ebert takes the lead, and Rice has got a problem with the right rear, it's down on the 11.
Josh Rice, it lasted for 89 laps.
Thornton has led 53 laps, Rice has led 35.
Back underway, 11 to go.
Dan Ebert, the former Winter X Games snowmobiler, USMTS modified veteran.
He has been fast all year, his second full year in a super late model, and he's 10 laps away from the Topless 100 victory.
You're leading all the way to Little Rock down the straightaway.
Barrett's Performance white flag, one lap to go.
He will pick up the tail end of the field, but it won't matter down the back straightaway.
Dan Ebert, please stay green for 60, and it does, and Dan Ebert wins the Topless 100.
Second place is going to be Dale McDowell, third is Jonathan Davenport, fourth is Clay Stuckey, fifth is Brandon Shepard.
