Atlanta Motor Speedway’s Thunder Ring played host to more exciting Thursday Thunder action Thursday night.
With time winding down in the series, drivers looked to earn their best finish of the year and put themselves in position to contend for the championship in next week’s finale.
When the night got underway the Bandits feature was jam packed with skillful passes. The race showcased a three way chess match between Beckham Malone (Rock Hill, S.C.), Nicholas Denton (Pascagoula, Miss.), and Lane Christensen. Each of the three drivers held the lead multiple times during the 20 lap feature, totaling nine separate lead changes. On lap number 12, Malone was caught up in an incident leaving Denton and Christensen to fight for the lead during the remaining eight laps. After a caution late in the race, Denton would claim the lead for the final time after moving on Christensen. Denton refused to let go of the lead for the remainder of the race, making him a three time winner in the Bandits division.
In the Byron Powersports Semi-Pro feature, North Carolina driver Jadyn Daniels started in the pole position and accelerated into a comfortable lead right away. Both Donovan Strauss (Marietta, Ga.) and Mason Lastra (Tampa, Fla.) filed in directly behind and immediately went to battle. Much to the chagrin of leader Jayden Daniels, the two were busy focusing on one another, leaving the door open for her to extend her lead. Strauss and Lastra would ultimately be involved in a caution on the 12th lap and sent to the back of the field. With little pressure from the cars in her rear view mirror Daniels maintained the lead for the final eight laps and drove off into victory lane. Landon Rapp saw a similar situation unfold behind him, as drivers exchanged positions back and forth in the WJP Investments Pro feature. The North Carolina driver was cool under pressure, leading all 25 laps to win on back-to-back nights.
To kick off the night of racing Kyle Bacon dominated the Chargers feature, leading all 15 laps to take his fourth race of the series. Bacon would return later in the night to repeat his performance in the Outlaws feature. The driver from Buchanan led the race from flag to flag, earning him his first Outlaws victory of the series and his third victory overall.
The Fr8Auctions Rookie Bandolero division held two feature races on Thursday night, crowning two decisive winners. Feature race number one showed a familiar face returning to victory lane after Virginia native Wyatt Coffey led every lap to win his second feature in two nights. Wyatt Youngblood (Concord, Ga.) matched Coffey’s performance in the second feature, leading all 15 laps to earn his first victory of 2022.
In other action, Tennessee driver Josh Mullins won the Masters feature for the second night in a row and three time series winner Josh Dickens (Miami, Fla.) was equally impressive in the Associates Group Young Lions feature, leading from flag to flag and earning a one-way ticket to victory lane.
Here are the full results from Round 7 of Thursday Thunder:
The Associates Group Young Lions
1. Dickens, Josh (Miami, FL)
2. McElearney, Sean (Babylon, NY)
3. Esposito, Gianni (Dacula, GA)
4. Buice, Lanie (Locust Grove, GA)
5. DeCaire, TJ (Land O Lakes, FL)
6. Gaul, Cooper (Seminole, FL)
7. Reynolds, Jackson (Marietta, GA)
8. Kuehl, Lacy (Sarasota, FL)
9. Ryan, Noah (Griffin, GA)
10. Robie, Cole (Windham, ME)
11. Erwin, Garrett (Covington, GA)
12. Bulger, Hudson (Perry, GA)
Byron Powersports Semi-Pro
1. Daniels, Jadyn (Harrisburg, NC)
2. Yarbrough, Luke (Milton, GA)
3. Gannon, Michael (Canton, GA)
4. Brown, Carson (Moseley, VA)
5. Dibble, Oliver (Owens Cross Roads, AL)
6. Sutton, Dawson (Lebanon, TN)
7. Taylor, Jonathan (Roswell, GA)
8. Martinez, Jesse (West Palm Beach, FL)
9. Hampton, Ian (Stockbridge, GA)
10. Tadrzak, Trey (Stockbridge, GA)
11. Woodall, Amanda (Canton, GA)
12. Wagman, Jarrett (Titusville, FL)
13. Lastra, Mason (Tampa, FL)
14. Yawn, Tony III (Roanoke, AL)
15 (BF). Strauss, Donovan (Marietta, GA)
DQ. Treschl, Jason (Hogansville, GA)
Masters
1. Mullins, Josh (Columbia, TN)
2. Plemons, Bill Jr (Locust Grove, GA)
3. Woodall, Robbie (McDonough, GA)
4. Jones, Benjamin (Macon, GA)
5. Young, Phillip (Dallas, GA)
6. Swan, Mark (Athens, GA)
7. Wehunt, Ronnie (Canton, GA)
Bandits
1. Denton, Nicholas (Pascagoula, MS)
2. Christensen, Lane ()
3. Bloodworth, Austin (McIntyre, GA)
4. Cauble, Carson (Salisbury, NC)
5. Bongiovanni, Dylan ()
6. Lee, Billy (Ruskin, FL)
7. Krantz Jr., Darren (Huntington, NY)
8. Kendrew, Makenna (Senoia, GA)
9. Malone, Beckham (Rock Hill, SC)
Fr8Auctions Rookie Bandolero
1. Coffey, Wyatt (Waynesboro, VA)
2. Teal, Emma (Monticello, GA)
3. Hodges, Matt (Live Oak, FL)
4. Mueller, Kerbi (Locust Grove, GA)
5. Mueller, Lane (Locust Grove, GA)
6. Soto, Javier (Marietta, GA)
7. Young, Luke (Dallas, GA)
8. Youngblood, Wyatt (Concord, GA)
9. Rudolph, Briella (Griffin, GA)
10. Stevens, Kendall (Griffin, GA)
11. Almon, Topher (Moreland, GA)
12. Behnke, James (Canton, GA)
13. Sanders, Paxton (Williamson, GA)
Outlaws
1. Bacon, Kyle (Buchanan, GA)
2. Sanders, Bryce (Ola, GA)
3. Flater, Mitchell (Conyers, GA)
4. Britt, Emma (McDonough, GA)
5. Erickson, Carter (Cumming, GA)
6. O’Neil, Baylor (Grantville, GA)
7. Dulin, Neal (Harrisburg, NC)
8. Hicks, Katelyn (Senoia, GA)
9. Butler, Conner (Forsyth, GA)
10. O’Connor, JT (McDonough, GA)
Chargers
1. Bacon, Kyle (Buchanan, GA)
2. Graham, Brody (Flowery Branch, GA)
3. Moody, Coleman (Griffin, GA)
4. Johnson, Abi (Fort Myers, FL)
5. Streetman, Travis (Ellaville, GA)
6. Anderson, David (Buford, GA)
7. Arenas, Emily (Social Circle, GA)
8. Young, Lisa (Dallas, GA)
9. Moon, Jack (Cumming, GA)
10. Almond, CJ (Atlanta, GA)
WJP Investments Pro
1. Rapp, Landon (Concord, NC)
2. Jorgensen, Jensen (Stockbridge, GA)
3. Gumm, Garrett (Brooks, GA)
4. Watson, Timothy (Panama City, FL)
5. Graham, Gavin (Lakeland, FL)
6. Cornman, Sam (mount dora, FL)
7. Hall, Cale (Griffin, GA)
8. Jorgensen, Taylor (Stockbridge, GA)
9. Clanton, Christopher (Brooks, GA)
10. Campbell, Graham (Braselton, GA)
11. Woodall, Nick (Canton, GA)
12. Hendrix, Keaton (Homerville, GA)
13. Jackson, Nathan (McDonough, GA)
AMS PR
