Highlights | 2026 Lucas Oil Topless 100 Prelims at Batesville Motor Speedway
The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series sheds the roofs and kicks off Topless 100 weekend with a pair of 25-lap features in Batesville, Arkansas.
Video Transcript
Ferguson, Shepherd.
First 25-lapper tonight on a Friday night at Batesville Motor Speedway.
The East Dorn Hollingan Rig starts and we are underway.
Chris Ferguson, good start for him in the 22 car down the back.
Straightaway three wide and we got him spinning around and that'll bring out a Hell Raiser Jack's caution before we get a lap in.
It'll be Rob Penrod.
We'll wave the green flag at BMS.
We're back underway.
Out of turn number two, down the back straightaway.
Shepherd will go to second.
Moran works the outside.
Dale Mack runs the bottom.
Mack daddy working the bottom in 17M.
Shepherd right there alongside the wall.
Chris Ferguson still out in front.
Right now, Moran gets a run to the outside.
Devin for the lead.
Out of turn number two to the defending series champion.
Third to the series points down the back straightaway.
Tire wear always an issue here at Batesville in this 25-lap here tonight.
Out of turn number four, do we have a new leader?
We do, it's Devin Moran.
Two different leaders in the first three laps of this race.
Ferguson second, Shepherd third, McDowell, Carson, Ferguson, Dylan McCowan.
Shepherd to the outside of Ferguson.
They dive into turn number one, and we got a Dale McDowell and Dylan McCowan.
Oh my.
As Dylan McCowan and Dale McDowell, McDowell was running fourth.
Of course, it was the double file behind the leader and the two-time Topless 100 winner.
You see the damage on the right rear quarter underneath the race company 17M quarter, and he'll have to come from the back of a B main tomorrow night to make it into the Topless 100.
Back underway, the East Dorn Hollingan Rigging restart zone for the 99.
Moran, Chris Ferguson works the bottom.
Here comes B Shep up top.
Here comes Ferguson and Max Blair down the back straightaway to turn number three.
Working the bottom, the 22 on the 11.
Carson Ferguson's got a good hot rod.
He climbs to fourth.
Cousin and Chris in front of him into one.
Carson trying to work the bottom.
93 on the 22 down the back straightaway.
Moran still leads, five in the books.
They are going at the goat farm posse, and Chad Rice, you see the left rear quarter panel damage on the 11.
Rickman slides up the track.
Moran still out in front as we work lap number 10.
Kirk Ferguson, how about Chris Ferguson?
And Chris Ferguson goes to second and B Shep may have a problem in number one.
He may have a tire down.
It looks like he does, and that'll bring out a Hell Raiser Jack's caution for Brandon Shepherd, the current points leader in car number one.
Wow.
At the East Dorn Hollingan Rigging restart zone, Devin Moran will lead them to the line.
Back underway.
Good run to the outside.
Blair on the bottom.
Ferguson way up top side.
Chris, here comes Rice through the middle.
Never count Rice out.
Two laps to go last weekend, got the win at Florence.
The night before, he passed Bobby Pierce on the final lap to get the win.
They are running hard out of turn four.
Devin Moran still in front in 99.
Boy, them right rears, they are punishing them out at turn number two, down the back straightaway.
Five to go, though they'll have four to go this time around.
Good run for Max Blair in second.
Here comes Carson Ferguson, throws it in on Chris, and we've got a slowing Devin Moran.
Devin Moran, the right rear's giving it up.
Oh man, heartbreak hotel for the 99.
And Chris Ferguson to the Heartbeat Hot Sauce hot pit, Wesley.
And it looks like a left rear down on the 22 car.
As here we go, four to go.
Let's see if we can go the rest of the way.
Out of turn number four, the East Dorn Hollingan restart zone.
Here comes Max Blair.
Back in the Lucas Oil Series full-time here in 2026.
Looking for his third swing of his career.
Here comes Carson Ferguson.
Oh man, let's hope they make it to the finish line.
Carson Ferguson digging on the bottom.
They try to go side by side by one car length.
Max Blair still has the lead in a 111.
Max Blair, he is nursing that car out of turn number four, down the main straightaway.
The Barrett's performance, white flag, one lap to go.
And we got a spin down here.
Off the racetrack is Kyle Bronson, and we will have a one-lap shootout as Kyle Bronson off the racetrack down there.
Wow.
As they come out of turn number four, the East Dorn Hollingan Rigging.
This is it.
Fingers crossed, James.
Here we go.
Final lap.
Blair, Ferguson, and Cole to decide it.
As they come out of turn number two, down the back straightaway, Max Blair, he's nursing it.
He's nursing it to Carson Ferguson on the bottom.
Out of turn number four, they're side by side at the line.
Max Blair gets it done in 111.
We will go green at the East Dorn Hollingan Rigging start zone.
We're underway, the final event of the night for the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series.
Well, Dan Ebert, he's been fast all year.
He's looking for a clean sweep tonight.
He was fastest overall out of 40 cars.
He won his heat race.
As they come out of turn number four, and Dan Ebert will lead lap number one here tonight of feature number two.
Second spot is over to Thornton Owens, Sam Seawright, and Davenport already up to sixth.
He's up four spots on the first lap for the 49.
Out of turn number four, Ricky Thornton Jr. Digging on the bottom.
We got a spin in four, and it's Clay Harris, and that will bring out a Hell Raiser Jack's caution.
Looking for a clean sweep tonight.
Overall fast time, one is he, trying to win his first Lucas Oil A main.
Into turn number one, back underway.
Ricky Thornton Jr.
Goes to the top shelf.
In the Bobby and Jessica Kohler 20RT, he eyes the leader into turn number three.
Over and back to third, battle for fourth side by side.
Jonathan Davenport's made quick work so far.
JD up to fourth already from 10th in 49.
Right there, trying to get around Owens and Seawright.
Sam Seawright there, he'll lose a spot.
The O Show as well.
Jimmy Owens, one of the best that's ever been, no doubt a first-ballot Hall of Famer down the backs, ready for the 20.
He won here.
Remember that classic battle with Billy Moyer that went down to the last lap, and right now he trails Brandon Overton into turn number one.
How about Sam C. Ridan, sixth Beard, seventh O'Neal, eighth Dotson, ninth Hilzoybeck runs in 10th.
Danny Bert still leads.
Danny Bert, seven laps in the books for 16.
Danny Bert, we have not seen a lot of traffic tonight due to the tires in the first one, and Danny Bert right now is Thornton and Danny Bert have a problem.
Danny Bert's got a problem.
Oh, heartbreak hotel for the Minneshoda driver, Danny Bert.
I'll be listening.
I wish I could roll down the window up here.
And Jimmy Owens, and he may have an issue, and he does.
He's off the pace.
Jimmy Owens off the pace at 20 as they take the green.
Not sure if it is a tire, but he had smoke billowing from the car.
He may get more.
You never know as they come out of turn number four, back underway at Batesville.
In the east door in Hollick and Ricky restart zone.
Good restart for Thornton.
Over to Newark, the outside.
Davenport married to the bottom down the backs right away.
Here comes Beard and Dotson.
O'Neal now works the bottom on the 76.
Out of turn number four, we've got 12 laps to go.
The 20 RT out in front.
Into turn number one, it's four tenths of a second.
Hudson O'Neal, the 2021 winner of this race, down the backs right away.
He'll go around Brandon Overton.
Brian Shirley, 20th to seventh.
In the 3S car, Brian Shirley now trying to nurse that 3S in the backs right away.
Into turn number one, and he's got an issue.
He's got an issue.
It's the announcer's curse for Brian Shirley.
This is not over yet.
Here we go.
Down the main straightaway, back underway.
Good restart for Hudson O'Neal.
Hudson O'Neal trying to find it.
Byron Davenport slid up the track.
Here comes Kyle Beard.
Here comes Brandon Overton.
Well, Davenport slid right up the racetrack, and he is trying to hang on for third as he battles with Overton side by side of the line.
Thornton, your leader still.
For 10, Shane Stevens 10th.
Davenport slides O'Neal down the main straightaway crossover.
We're getting sporty there for that second spot.
O'Neal has it still right now, but Thornton has stretched it out.
1.5 seconds the advantage left.
Six laps to go this time around.
Into turn number one, they are gonna We got a car way up top side in turn number two, and that is Brian Glaze, and that was close right in front of your leader as he's gotten around the six of Dylan Knight.
That was close.
Thornton down the main straightaway.
Baron's Performance, white flag, one lap to go.
He has found that groove up top down the back straightaway.
He inherited the lead when Danny Ebert dropped out, or did not drop out and had to pit with a right rear flat out of turn number four.
Thornton bouncing out of four, and Ricky Thornton Jr. Wins here tonight at Batesville in the second preliminary of the night.
