Week two of the Thursday Thunder Legends Series got underway Wednesday night on Atlanta Motor Speedway’s Thunder Ring with spirited racing that resulted in both familiar and new faces posing in victory lane.
The WJP Investments Pro feature was a thrilling showcase of back-and-forth racing. As the night was winding to a close, it was a battle between three drivers that determined a winner in the final eight laps. After starting on the pole and leading for the first 14 laps, Florida native Sam Cornman was overtaken by Landon Rapp after a three wide battle for the lead. However, the driver from North Carolina wouldn’t hold on long as Cornman would come storming back three laps later to regain control. During the final laps, Cornman remained locked in, managing to hold off the late surging Gavin Graham (Lakeland, Fla.) to hold on for victory.
Two races earlier, the Associates Group Young Lions feature displayed an impressive late pass for the lead. After leading 14 of the race’s 20 laps, New Yorker Sean McElearney was stung by a late caution that gathered up both second and third place drivers. Lanie Buice (Locust Grove, GA) seized the opportunity on the restart, piloting her No. 24 to the lead and driving away from the field during the final laps to land in victory lane. Earlier in the night, the Chargers feature was determined in a similar fashion. When the green flag waved to start the race, week one winner and pole sitter Coleman Moody (Griffin, Ga.) jumped out to an early lead. Moody would remain the leader for the following 10 laps, but Emily Arenas (Social Circle, Ga.) was relentless in her pursuit. With five to go Arenas finally found room to get around Moody, squeezing by the #316 to take the lead. Arenas went on to hold off the rest of the field and earn her first feature win of the series.
In the Outlaws feature, North Carolina native Neal Dulin took home the win for the second week in a row. Unlike the week before, Dulin was forced to maneuver his way from the back of the field after an early caution. Dulin stormed back to overtake the leader Emma Britt (McDonough, Ga.) on the fifth lap and never looked back. Robbie Woodall was similarly impressive in his Masters feature win, holding off the persistent Joey Clanton for 18 of 20 laps to drive his car into victory lane.
The Fr8 Auctions Rookie Bandoleros division has been dominated through two weeks by Billy Lee (Ruskin, FL), who put on another stunning performance Wednesday night. Lee led all 14 laps of the race, driving off into the sunset for the second week in a row.
In other action, South Carolina’s Beckham Malone won the Bandits feature in decisive fashion and Donovan Strauss (Marietta, Ga.) led every lap to claim victory in the Byron Powersports Semi-Pro feature.
Here are the full results from Wednesday night:
The Associates Group Young Lions:
1. Buice, Lanie (Locust Grove, GA)
2. McElearney, Sean (Babylon, NY)
3. Dickens, Josh (Miami, FL)
4. Ryan, Noah (Griffin, GA)
5. Bulger, Hudson (Perry, GA)
6. Reynolds, Jackson (Marietta, GA)
7. Gaul, Cooper (Seminole, FL)
8. Phillips, George (Charlotte, NC)
9. Erwin, Garrett (Covington, GA)
10. Esposito, Gianni (Dacula, GA)
11. Kuehl, Lacy (Sarasota, FL)
12. Walker, Aidan (Knoxville, TN)
Byron Powersports Semi-Pro:
1. Strauss, Donovan (Marietta, GA)
2. Daniels, Jadyn (Harrisburg, NC)
3. Gannon, Michael (Canton, GA)
4. Brown, Carson (Moseley, VA)
5. Lastra, Mason (Tampa, FL)
6. Sutton, Dawson (Lebanon, TN)
7. Hampton, Ian (Stockbridge, GA)
8. Dibble, Oliver (Owens Cross Roads, AL)
9. Taylor, Jonathan (Roswell, GA)
10. Wilkerson, Stuart
11. Tadrzak, Trey (Stockbridge, GA)
12. Treschl, Jason (Lagrange, GA)
13. Yarbrough, Luke (Milton, GA)
14. Wagman, Jarrett (Titusville, FL)
WJP Investments Pro:
1. Cornman, Sam (Mount Dora, FL)
2. Graham, Gavin (Lakeland, FL)
3. Rapp, Landon (Concord, NC)
4. Cody, Hall (Griffin, GA)
5. Jackson, Nathan (McDonough, GA)
6. Clanton, Christopher (Brooks, GA)
7. Jorgensen, Taylor (Stockbridge, GA)
8. Woodall, Nick (Canton, GA)
9. Hall, Cale (Griffin, GA)
10. Jorgensen, Jensen (Stockbridge, GA)
11. Gumm, Garrett (Brooks, GA)
12. Watson, Timothy (Panama City, FL)
13. Pierce, Currie (Griffin, GA)
14. Hendrix, Keaton (Homerville, GA)
Masters:
1. Woodall, Robbie (McDonough, GA)
2. Clanton, Joey (Brooks, GA)
3. Jones, Benjamin (Macon, GA)
4. Young, Phillip (Dallas, GA)
5. Plemons, Bill Jr (Locust Grove, GA)
6. Swan, Mark (Athens, GA)
7. Wehunt, Ronnie (Canton, GA)
8. Carpenter, Steve (Land O' Lakes, FL)
Bandits:
1. Malone, Beckham (Rock Hill, SC)
2. Denton, Nicholas (Pascagoula, MS)
3. Bloodworth, Austin (McIntyre, GA)
4. Bongiovanni, Dylan
5. Cauble, Carson (Salisbury, NC)
6. Kendrew, Makenna (Senoia, GA)
Fr8Auctions Rookie Bandoleros:
1. Lee, Billy (Ruskin, FL)
2. Youngblood, Wyatt (Concord, GA)
3. Coffey, Wyatt (Waynesboro, VA)
4. Soto, Javier (Marietta, GA)
5. Sherman, Carson (Loganville, GA)
6. Young, Luke (Dallas, GA)
7. Rudolph, Briella (Griffin, GA)
8. Teal, Emma (Monticello, GA)
9. Hodges, Matt (Live Oak, FL)
10. Behnke, James (Canton, GA)
Outlaws:
1. Dulin, Neal (Harrisburg, NC)
2. Bacon, Kyle (Buchanan, GA)
3. Butler, Conner (Forsyth, GA)
4. Flater, Mitchell (Conyers, GA)
5. Britt, Emma (McDonough, GA)
6. Hicks, Katelyn (Senoia, GA)
7. Sanders, Bryce (Ola, GA)
8. O'Neil, Baylor (Grantville, GA)
9. Kade, Kayli (Hampton, GA)
10. Asztalos, Sebastian (Temple, GA)
11. Smith, Carson (Runnells, IA)
Chargers:
1. Arenas, Emily (Social Circle, GA)
2. Moody, Coleman (Griffin, GA)
3. Anderson, David (Buford, GA)
4. Kinley, Taylor (Elleville, GA)
5. Young, Lisa (Dallas, GA)
6. McKnight, Evan (Orlando, FL)
7. Stotts, Jackson (Rock Hill, SC)
