HAMPTON, Ga. - The battle for a points championship in three divisions at Thursday Thunder remains tight after an intense week five showdown on the quarter-mile Thunder Ring at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
A wild finish in the Allred Family Dentistry Semi-Pro/Young Lions feature saw Jordan Coker earn his first career victory at the Thunder Ring, sliding through a pile up in turn four to claim the checkered flag.
“I can’t believe I finished the race, much less win it,” said an ecstatic Coker following the race.
Mired in the middle of the pack most of race, Coker drove from the back of the pack on the final restart for the win.
“You could tell everyone was going to wreck, you just had to know where to go,” said Coker. “I just can’t believe I came all the way through.”
Brandon Brock and Hannah Bell followed Coker across the line to finish second and third respectively.
Ashton Higgins continues to dominate the Xtreme Fun on Wheels Outlaws division as he scored his fourth consecutive win of the season.
When asked if the winning streak was ever going to end following the race, Higgins answered, “I hope not.”
The win helped Higgins extend his lead in the standings to 54 points, the largest of any division, with the win.
Higgins started on the outside pole and moved up to first by the sixth lap. A trio of cautions over the final five laps bunched up the field but Connor Younginer, who finished second, and Blaise Brinkley, who finished third, could not get past Higgins.
D.J. Canipe remains in first in the Bandits point standings with this third feature win of the year. Canipe opened up a sizable lead on the field after an early caution to earn the win. Clay Thompson was on Canipe’s back bumper for much of the race but could not keep the pace with three laps remaining. Blaize Maddox edged out Will Robusto for third.
Two early cautions slowed the pace in the Master’s feature. Despite the cautions, pole sitter Scott Moseley was able to hold the lead on each subsequent restart to earn his second feature win of the season. Tina Johnson was the biggest mover of the race with a second place finish after she started fifth. Her second place finish was enough to keep her at the top of the division point standings. Bill Plemons, Jr. finished third.
Noah Dominy won his third feature race this season in the Beginner Bandolero division. Dominy dominated the race as he led from flag to flag. Wilder Etheredge finished second while Ryan Younginer was third.
Thursday Thunder continues July 9, featuring five racing divisions with various skill levels and competition, including Bandolero cars in the Beginner Bandits, Bandits, and Xtreme Fun on Wheels Outlaw divisions and Legends cars in the Allred Family Dentistry Semi-Pro/Young Lions and Masters/Pro divisions.
The summer racing series hits the quarter-mile “Thunder Ring” at Atlanta Motor Speedway each Thursday through July 23, as drivers of all ages and skill levels compete in the 18th season of quarter-mile racing at AMS.
For more information, visit AtlantaMotorSpeedway.com.
Atlanta Motor Speedway – Hampton, GA
Thursday Thunder Week Five – July 2, 2015
Semi-Pro/Young Lions
1. Jordan Coker
2. Brandon Brock
3. Hannah Bell
4. Taylor Jorgensen
5. William Martin
6. Christopher Clanton
7. Amber Fleeman
8. Jeff Holden
9. Nicholas Waters
10. Jensen Jorgensen
11. Miranda Meredith
DNS: Dylan Murry
Outlaws
1. Ashton Higgins
2. Connor Younginer
3. Blaise Brinkley
4. Joshua Hicks
5. Ricky Springer
6. Hayden Swank
7. Gauntt Hudgins
8. Trey Tadrzak
Bandits
1. D.J. Canipe
2. Clay Thompson
3. Blaise Maddox
4. Will Robusto
5. Nathan Jackson
6. Ryan Howell
7. Isabella Robusto
Masters
1. Scott Moseley
2. Tina Johnson
3. Bill Plemons, Jr.
4. Robbie Woodall
5. Mark Swan
6. Spencer Moseley
7. Don Maness
8. Randy Schubert
9. Dennis Hecht
10. Phillip Young
11. Willie Gray
12. Tony Armbruster
13. Wes Potter
Beginner Bandoleros
1. Noah Dominy
2. Wilder Etheredge
3. Ryan Younginer
4. Keaton Hendrix
5. Cameron Potter
