Ricky Thornton Jr. cashed in on Hudson O’Neal’s late misfortune Sunday at West Virginia Motor Speedway, while Brandon Sheppard claimed the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series championship behind him.

MINERAL WELLS, W.Va. (Oct. 17) — The dominant, ultra-confident Ricky Thornton Jr. that the Dirt Late Model world has been waiting all season to see in all his glory is back.

MINERAL WELLS, W.Va. (Oct. 17) — Mackie Flood and the West Virginia Motor Speedway track crew don’t need reminding. They know the entire dirt racing industry is watching closely — some with curiosity, others with skepticism — as the track hosts this weekend’s 46th annual ARP Dirt Track World Championship.

MINERAL WELLS, W.Va. (Oct. 17) — Takeaways and analysis from Saturday’s 46th annual Dirt Track World Championship preliminary night, a pair of split-field 25-lap, $5,000-to-win semifeatures won by Ricky Thornton Jr. (RaceWire) and Hudson O'Neal (RaceWire):

Ricky Thornton Jr. and Hudson O’Neal split Saturday’s 25-lap semifeatures at West Virginia Motor Speedway, each earning $5,000 and securing a solid starting spot in Sunday’s $100,000-to-win finale of Carl Short’s 46th annual ARP Dirt Track World Championship.

Nearly 70 drivers are at West Virginia Motor Speedway for Carl Short’s 46th annual ARP Dirt Track World Championship presented by Summit Racing, which serves as the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series season finale on Saturday-Sunday that was originally scheduled for Friday-Saturday before getting pushed back because of wet weather.

FloZone is back by popular demand. With championship titles on the line across the country this weekend, FloRacing is bringing back its fan-favorite whip-around show Saturday night, giving viewers a front-row seat to some of the biggest races of the season.

Ricky Thornton Jr.’s $65,000 sweep of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series-sanctioned Clash on the Wabash at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio, vaulted him up DirtonDirt’s power rankings, but not quite to the top.

Brandon Sheppard has spent three months atop the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series standings. Devin Moran has spent the closing weeks making that position increasingly uncomfortable.

With inclement weather forecast for Wednesday through Friday, this weekend’s 46th Annual ARP Dirt Track World Championship at West Virginia Motor Speedway in Mineral Wells has been pushed back one day and will be contested on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 17-18. | DTWC Fast Facts

Carl Short’s 46th annual ARP Dirt Track World Championship presented by Summit Racing returns to West Virginia Motor Speedway and serves as the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series season finale.

ROSSBURG, Ohio (Oct. 10) — Ricky Thornton Jr. might not have anything to race for in the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series championship picture anymore. He hasn't for much of the season, really, having fallen 165 points behind following Georgia-Florida Speedweeks, 390 points back entering June and now 410 points behind with only the season finale remaining.

ROSSBURG, Ohio (Oct. 10) — Brandon Sheppard is hanging tough. Devin Moran is on the charge making a last-ditch bid.

Championship season is here, and the stakes are rising on FloRacing.

Ricky Thornton Jr. completed a weekend sweep at Eldora Speedway, overtaking race-long leader Dale McDowell on lap 26 of Saturday’s UNOH Clash on the Wabash and collecting $55,000 for his eighth Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series victory of the season.