After Friday's double-heat race program at Shelby County Speedway, Ricky Thornton Jr. edged Bobby Pierce atop the passing-points charts to earn the pole position for Saturday's $52,000-to-win Silver Dollar Nationals finale.
Pierce was initially announced as the pole sitter for the 80-lap feature, but after a post-race audit by Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series officials, Thornton was awarded the top starting spot. The two drivers actually finished tied atop the passing-points standings at 128.08, with the tiebreaker going to the fastest lap recorded during either round of heat races. Thornton's quickest lap of 13.688 seconds — set in his second heat — bettered Pierce's best lap of 13.862, giving Thornton the pole. Pierce will still share the front row from the outside pole.
Friday marked Pierce's return after skipping Thursday's opener while his father and crew chief, Bob Pierce, recovered from emergency surgery following a stroke Wednesday morning. The 74-year-old Hall of Famer remains hospitalized in Omaha, Neb., where he's continuing to recover.
Thornton backed up his pole-winning effort with a standout ninth-to-second drive in his opening heat race. Brandon Sheppard, fresh off Thursday's $15,000 preliminary victory — his eighth Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series win of the season — will start third in Saturday's 80-lap, $52,000-to-win finale.
The top 16 drivers are locked into Saturday's 16th annual Al Belt Custom Homes Silver Dollar Nationals feature and are listed below.
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2026 Lucas Oil Silver Dollar Nationals Starting Lineup
Row | Inside | Outside |
1 | Ricky Thornton Jr. | Bobby Pierce |
2 | Brandon Sheppard | Devin Moran |
3 | Hudson O'Neal | Clay Stuckey |
4 | Brian Shirley | Ryan Gustin |
5 | Jonathan Davenport | Nick Hoffman |
6 | Max Blair | Chase Junghans |
7 | Tad Pospisil | Brandon Overton |
8 | Dan Ebert | Dillon McCowan |
9 | Consolation transfer | Consolation transfer |
10 | Consolation transfer | Consolation transfer |
11 | Consolation transfer | Consolation transfer |
12 | Provisional starter | Provisional starter |
Correction: Fixes Thornton as polesitter sted Pierce; Pierce in second sted Thornton; O'Neal in fourth sted fifth; Stuckey in fifth sted fourth; Davenport in ninth sted 12th; Hoffman in 10th sted ninth; Junghans in 12th sted 13th; Pospisil in 13th sted 10th; and McCowan as scheduled 16th starter.