Thornton shines again at Canyon Winter Challenge

By Lonnie Wheatley

PEORIA, Ariz. (Jan. 24) – Ricky Thornton Jr. captured the lion’s share of Sunday night honors at Canyon Speedway Park by racing to victory lane in round three of Winter Challenge action atop the 1/3-mile clay oval.

Thornton raced to his second Xtreme Motor Sports IMCA Modified feature win of the weekend, leading all 25 circuits from the pole.

Tim Ward worked his way up from ninth in short order and chased Thornton to the line with Satur­day winner Hunter Marriott rounding out the podium in third.

Anthony Roth and Cody Laney rounded out the top five.

Winter Challenge 2016 continues with Round Four action going green at 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 29.

Feature results – 1. Ricky Thornton Jr.; 2. Tim Ward; 3. Hunter Marriott; 4. Anthony Roth; 5. Cody Laney; 6. Mark Stewart; 7. Brian Schultz; 8. Ryan Gaylord; 9. Jason Noll; 10. Bubba Staf­ford; 11. Collen Winebarger; 12. Brent Schlafmann; 13. Josh Rogotzke; 14. R.C. Whitwell; 15. Jesse Rogotzke; 16. Kyle Strickler; 17. Steve Simpson Jr.; 18. Ethan Dotson; 19. Zack Madrid; 20. Curt Lund; 21. Mike Strobl; 22. Bryson Curry; 23. Chaz Baca Jr.; 24. Lance Mari.

1^st heat – 1. Lund; 2. Stewart; 3. Josh Rogotzke; 4. Jesse Rogotzke; 5. Strickler; 6. Strobl; 7. Jus­tin Miller; 8. Schlafmann; 9. Ross Statham.

2^nd heat – 1. Simpson; 2. Schultz; 3. Curry; 4. Roth; 5. Noll; 6. Madrid; 7. Austin Kuehl; 8. Baca; 9. Garth Dushanek.

3^rd heat – 1. Laney; 2. Ward; 3. Whitwell; 4. Dotson; 5. Stafford; 6. Jim Collinsworth; 7. William Slocum; 8. Nate Warren; 9. Don Hagan.

4^th heat ­– 1. Thornton; 2. Winebarger; 3. Marriott; 4. Gaylord; 5. Mari; 6. John Parmeley; 7. Trent Gaust; 8. Paul Stone; 9. Josh Sneed.

1^st “B” feature – 1. Noll; 2. Baca; 3. Madrid; 4. Jesse Rogotzke; 5. Gaust; 6. Miller; 7. Statham; 8. Collinsworth; 9. Dushanek; 10. Slocum.

2^nd “B” feature – 1. Mari; 2. Strickler; 3. Strobl; 4. Schlafmann; 5. Stone; 6. Warren; 7. Kuehl; 8. Parmeley; 9. Hagan; 10. Sneed.