The Thursday Thunder racing series resumed for rounds four and five on Thursday Night after a cancellation for rain on Wednesday. Each division competed in double features, providing twice the drama and excitement in 16 races on Atlanta Motor Speedway’s Thunder Ring.
For the first time in the 2022 Thursday Thunder Series the Thunder Ring was expanded to ⅓ of a mile for the WJP Investments Pro double feature. The new track configuration did not disappoint in the division's first race as Florida Native Gavin Graham and North Carolina driver Landon Rapp each relentlessly battled for the lead. Graham began the race on the pole, but felt the pressure from the #28 car right away when Rapp made a move for the lead on the 3rd lap. However, Rapp would have little time to get comfortable as Graham remained right on his bumper for the following five laps. After a move to the inside exiting turn four on lap eight, Graham reclaimed the lead and held on for the remaining laps to win the feature. The two drivers would have the opportunity to battle it out once again to cap off the night. Graham would prove to be just as successful as he was in the first race, leading for all 15 laps and winning both WJP Investments Pro features.
In the Associates Group Young Lions first feature of the night, Lanie Buice (Locust Grove, Ga.) jumped out to an early lead after starting on the pole, and was quickly challenged by Josh Dickens who came from 4th to 2nd in only a few laps. Buice did all she could to hold off the driver from Miami, Fla., but ultimately relinquished the lead on lap 11. Dickens would go on to lead the remaining nine laps and drive off into victory lane. The second feature in the Associates Group Young Lions division was decided in more dominant fashion, as Dickens started on the pole and led for all 20 laps to earn his second win of the night.
Fr8Auctions Rookie Bandolero action was kicked off in style by Virginia native Wyatt Coffey who maneuvered his way through the field and into victory lane after starting the race in 5th position. After starting out front in race number two, Coffey led the first 10 laps. However, after a stunning accident between the first and second place cars McDonough native JT O’Connor inherited the lead and seized the opportunity, landing him in victory lane for the first time in the series.
The first of two Masters features was dominated by Benjamin Jones (Macon, Ga.) after he overcame the pressure of several late race restarts to claim his first win of the series. Later in the night in race number two, Robbie Woodall (McDonough, Ga.) made a slick pass for the lead on the first lap and refused to look back, leading every lap and driving his #72W into victory lane.
In the first Chargers feature of the night, pole sitter Kyle Bacon (Buchanan, Ga.) was able to fend off Brody Graham (Flowery Branch, Ga.) for all 15 laps to claim victory. Later in the night Bacon made it two in a row, leading the second feature from flag to flag to become the night's first back-to-back winner.
The first Bandits feature was dominated by Nicholas Denton (Pascagoula, Miss.) who picked up his first checkered flag of the series. After earning a spot on the pole in the second Bandits feature, Denton led every lap to make it two for two on the night.
In other action, North Carolina native Jadyn Daniels was the star of the both Byron Powersports Semi-Pro features, leading all 28 laps to claim her 2nd and 3rd wins of the series. Headlining the Outlaws features, Bryce Sanders (Ola, Ga.) drove away from the rest of the field after seizing an early lead in each race to win his first two races of the season in convincing fashion.
Here are the full results from Thursday night’s double feature action:
Feature #1
Chargers
- Bacon, Kyle (Buchanan, GA)
- Graham, Brody (Flowery Branch, GA)
- Anderson, David (Buford, GA)
- Almond, CJ (Atlanta, GA)
- Johnson, Abi (Fort Myers, FL)
- Arenas, Emily (Social Circle, GA)
- McKnight, Evan (Orlando, FL)
- Moody, Coleman (Griffin, GA)
- Young, Lisa (Dallas, GA)
- Moon, Jack (Cumming, GA)
Fr8Auctions Rookie Bandolero
- Coffey, Wyatt (Waynesboro, VA)
- Youngblood, Wyatt (Concord, GA)
- O'Connor, JT (McDonough, GA)
- Rudolph, Briella (Griffin, GA)
- Hodges, Matt (Live Oak, FL)
- Sherman, Carson (Loganville, GA)
- Soto, Javier (Marietta, GA)
- Stevens, Kendall (Griffin, GA)
- Young, Luke (Dallas, GA)
- Behnke, James (Canton, GA)
- Sanders, Paxton (Williamson, GA)
Byron Powersports Semi-Pro
- Daniels, Jadyn (Harrisburg, NC)
- Gannon, Michael (Canton, GA)
- Strauss, Donovan (Marietta, GA)
- Wagman, Jarrett (Titusville, FL)
- Brown, Carson (Moseley, VA)
- Martinez, Jesse (West Palm Beach, FL)
- Dibble, Oliver (Owens Cross Roads, AL)
- Sutton, Dawson (Lebanon, TN)
- Lastra, Mason (Tampa, FL)
- Treschl, Jason (Lagrange, GA)
- Yarbrough, Luke (Milton, GA)
- Taylor, Jonathan (Roswell, GA)
- Hampton, Ian (Stockbridge, GA)
- Wilkerson, Stuart ()
- Tadrzak, Trey (Stockbridge, GA)
- Woodall, Amanda (Canton, GA)
- Cosier, Brian (Marietta, GA)
Bandits
- Denton, Nicholas (Pascagoula, MS)
- Christensen, Lane
- Malone, Beckham (Rock Hill, SC)
- Bloodworth, Austin (McIntyre, GA)
- Krantz Jr., Darren (Huntington, NY)
- Bongiovanni, Dylan
- Cauble, Carson (Salisbury, NC)
- Lee, Billy (Ruskin, FL)
- Kendrew, Makenna (Senoia, GA)
The Associates Group Young Lions
- Dickens, Josh (Miami, FL)
- Phillips, George (Charlotte, NC)
- Buice, Lanie (Locust Grove, GA)
- Erwin, Garrett (Covington, GA)
- Esposito, Gianni (Dacula, GA)
- Bulger, Hudson (Perry, GA)
- McElearney, Sean (Babylon, NY)
- Ryan, Noah (Griffin, GA)
- Kuehl, Lacy (Sarasota, FL)
- Hocutt, Clay (Mobile, AL)
- Reynolds, Jackson (Marietta, GA)
- Gaul, Cooper (Seminole, FL)
Outlaws
- Sanders, Bryce (Ola, GA)
- Dulin, Neal (Harrisburg, NC)
- Britt, Emma (McDonough, GA)
- Flater, Mitchell (Conyers, GA)
- Bacon, Kyle (Buchanan, GA)
- O'Neil, Baylor (Grantville, GA)
- Erickson, Carter (Cumming, GA)
- Butler, Conner (Forsyth, GA)
- Hicks, Katelyn (Senoia, GA)
- Kade, Kayli (Hampton, GA)
- Asztalos, Sebastian (Temple, GA)
Masters
- Jones, Benjamin (Macon, GA)
- Woodall, Robbie (McDonough, GA)
- Plemons, Bill Jr (Locust Grove, GA)
- Wehunt, Ronnie (Canton, GA)
- Swan, Mark (Athens, GA)
- Young, Phillip (Dallas, GA)
- Wade, James (Hampton, GA)
- Chrisafulli, Corey (Fort Myers, FL)
WJP Investments Pro
- Graham, Gavin (Lakeland, FL)
- Rapp, Landon (Concord, NC)
- Hall, Cody (Griffin, GA)
- Cornman, Sam (mount dora, FL)
- Jackson, Nathan (McDonough, GA)
- Jorgensen, Jensen (Stockbridge, GA)
- Gumm, Garrett (Brooks, GA)
- Hall, Cale (Griffin, GA)
- Campbell, Graham (Braselton, GA)
- Hendrix, Keaton (Homerville, GA)
- North, Corey (Hampton, GA)
- Jorgensen, Taylor (Stockbridge, GA)
Feature #2
Chargers
- Bacon, Kyle (Buchanan, GA)
- Almond, CJ (Atlanta, GA)
- Graham, Brody (Flowery Branch, GA)
- Arenas, Emily (Social Circle, GA)
- Johnson, Abi (Fort Myers, FL)
- Anderson, David (Buford, GA)
- Moody, Coleman (Griffin, GA)
- Young, Lisa (Dallas, GA)
- Moon, Jack (Cumming, GA)
Fr8Auctions Rookie Bandolero
- O'Connor, JT (McDonough, GA)
- Rudolph, Briella (Griffin, GA)
- Coffey, Wyatt (Waynesboro, VA)
- Soto, Javier (Marietta, GA)
- Hodges, Matt (Live Oak, FL)
- Youngblood, Wyatt (Concord, GA)
- Behnke, James (Canton, GA)
- Sherman, Carson (Loganville, GA)
- Stevens, Kendall (Griffin, GA)
- Sanders, Paxton (Williamson, GA)
- Young, Luke (Dallas, GA)
Byron Powersports Semi-Pro
- Daniels, Jadyn (Harrisburg, NC)
- Martinez, Jesse (West Palm Beach, FL)
- Treschl, Jason (Lagrange, GA)
- Dibble, Oliver (Owens Cross Roads, AL)
- Hampton, Ian (Stockbridge, GA)
- Taylor, Jonathan (Roswell, GA)
- Wilkerson, Stuart ()
- Wagman, Jarrett (Titusville, FL)
- Woodall, Amanda (Canton, GA)
- Sutton, Dawson (Lebanon, TN)
- Brown, Carson (Moseley, VA)
- Tadrzak, Trey (Stockbridge, GA)
- Gannon, Michael (Canton, GA)
- Yarbrough, Luke (Milton, GA)
- Lastra, Mason (Tampa, FL)
- Cosier, Brian (Marietta, GA)
- Strauss, Donovan (Marietta, GA)
Bandits
- Denton, Nicholas (Pascagoula, MS)
- Bongiovanni, Dylan
- Christensen, Lane
- Krantz Jr., Darren (Huntington, NY)
- Bloodworth, Austin (McIntyre, GA)
- Cauble, Carson (Salisbury, NC)
- Lee, Billy (Ruskin, FL)
- Kendrew, Makenna (Senoia, GA)
- Malone, Beckham (Rock Hill, SC)
The Associates Group Young Lions
- Dickens, Josh (Miami, FL)
- Buice, Lanie (Locust Grove, GA)
- Phillips, George (Charlotte, NC)
- Esposito, Gianni (Dacula, GA)
- Kuehl, Lacy (Sarasota, FL)
- Reynolds, Jackson (Marietta, GA)
- Hocutt, Clay (Mobile, AL)
- Ryan, Noah (Griffin, GA)
- Erwin, Garrett (Covington, GA)
- Gaul, Cooper (Seminole, FL)
- Bulger, Hudson (Perry, GA)
- McElearney, Sean (Babylon, NY)
Outlaws
- Sanders, Bryce (Ola, GA)
- Britt, Emma (McDonough, GA)
- Dulin, Neal (Harrisburg, NC)
- Bacon, Kyle (Buchanan, GA)
- Flater, Mitchell (Conyers, GA)
- O'Neil, Baylor (Grantville, GA)
- Erickson, Carter (Cumming, GA)
- Butler, Conner (Forsyth, GA)
- Hicks, Katelyn (Senoia, GA)
- Asztalos, Sebastian (Temple, GA)
- Kade, Kayli (Hampton, GA)
Masters
- Woodall, Robbie (McDonough, GA)
- Jones, Benjamin (Macon, GA)
- Plemons, Bill Jr (Locust Grove, GA)
- Young, Phillip (Dallas, GA)
- Swan, Mark (Athens, GA)
- Wehunt, Ronnie (Canton, GA)
- Chrisafulli, Corey (Fort Myers, FL)
- Wade, James (Hampton, GA)
WJP Investments Pro
- Graham, Gavin (Lakeland, FL)
- Rapp, Landon (Concord, NC)
- Gumm, Garrett (Brooks, GA)
- Hall, Cale (Griffin, GA)
- Watson, Timothy (Panama City, FL)
- North, Corey (Hampton, GA)
- Woodall, Nick (Canton, GA)
- Jackson, Nathan (McDonough, GA)
- Hendrix, Keaton (Homerville, GA)
- Cornman, Sam (mount dora, FL)
- Jorgensen, Jensen (Stockbridge, GA)
- Hall, Cody (Griffin, GA)
- Jorgensen, Taylor (Stockbridge, GA)
