Ricky Thornton Jr. aims to maintain his momentum at Smoky Mountain Speedway following his impressive Big Gator championship at the DIRTcar Nationals.

Despite a challenging start to the 2025 season with poor finishes at Golden Isles and Volusia, Thornton turned things around dramatically during February's Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals. His success came from strong qualifying runs and advantageous starting positions, resulting in two Feature wins and a runner-up finish.

Key to Thornton's improvement was collaboration with his Koehler Motorsports teammates Jimmy Owens and Jordan Koehler. Their combined experience helped navigate the varying track conditions throughout the week-long competition.

Though leading Friday's race, Thornton's mishap with the cushion led to contact with Ethan Dotson. He managed a third-place finish, maintaining his Big Gator lead, and played it safe in Saturday's finale to secure the championship with a sixth-place finish.

Looking ahead to the Tennessee Tipoff at Smoky Mountain Speedway on March 14-15, Thornton's track record is exceptional: three wins and a second place in four starts since the track's reconfiguration to a 3/8-mile layout.

"I feel like it's kind of one of those styles of racetracks that just fits me," Thornton said. "It's small, you've got to run really aggressive but save your tires at the same time."

The World of Outlaws Late Models returns to action at Smoky Mountain Speedway in Maryville, TN, for a two-day event featuring the top dirt late model racers in the country.

Photo by Josh James Artwork

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