Max Blair and Ricky Thornton Jr. capitalized on late-race misfortune for the leaders to split Friday’s twin semifeatures at Batesville Motor Speedway, opening the 34th annual Ace Doran Topless 100 weekend with $5,000 victories.

Both 25-lap Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series semifeatures turned into tests of tire survival, with flat right-rear tires knocking the leader from the top spot in each race.

Blair inherited the lead when Devin Moran suffered a flat tire with five laps remaining in the opening semifeature. The sixth-starting Blair stayed out front the rest of the way, turning back Carson Ferguson’s last-ditch bid to secure the victory in a caution-plagued race.

Ferguson settled for second, followed by Charlie Cole, Brenden Smith and Dale McDowell. Moran recovered to finish eighth after his late flat tire.

Thornton similarly benefited from a leader’s tire trouble in the nightcap. Polesitter Dan Ebert controlled the opening eight laps before a flat right-rear tire forced him from the lead on lap nine, handing the top spot to Thornton.

Thornton led the remaining distance for his fourth overall Lucas Oil Series victory of the season, taking the checkers 1.004 seconds ahead of a charging Hudson O’Neal. The Martinsville, Ind., driver advanced from 12th to finish runner-up, while Jonathan Davenport rallied from 10th to complete the podium.

Thornton survived a late scare in traffic when slower-running Bryan Glaze drifted high in turn two in front of the leaders, but the former Lucas Oil Series champion held on through a race slowed by six cautions.

Friday’s semifeature results set the first eight rows for Saturday’s $50,000-to-win Topless 100 finale.

2026 Lucas Oil Topless 100 Group A Results At Batesville Motor Speedway

2026 Lucas Oil Topless 100 Group B Results At Batesville Motor Speedway