
Thornton tops IMCA Modified finale at Winter Nationals
SOMERTON, Ariz. (Feb. 12-13) – The Ricky Thornton Jr. express rolled on Saturday at Cocopah Speedway. Thornton raced from 13th starting to win the final Winter Nationals feature for Xtreme Motor Sports IMCA Modifieds. Runner-up was Mike Jergens. Lance Mari, Ryan McDaniel and 21st starting Hunter Marriott rounded out the top five. The $3,000 win was Thornton’s fifth of the season, all of them coming at Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifying events. He’s now won 83 times in his IMCA career, tied for 66th on the all-time list for the Modified division. Total car counts topped 100 both Friday and Saturday, with 60-plus Modifieds from 14 states and Canada entered each night. After starting Winter Nationals with back-to-back third-place finishes, Nebraska’s Justin Zeitner won a second straight Modified main event, and another $1,000, on Friday. Zeitner started from the pole and led all 25 laps of a caution-free contest. Dylan Smith, himself no stranger to victory lane at Cocopah, was second while Thornton was third. Cody Laney and Ryan Gaylord were scored next as the top five [Read More]