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Devin Moran Wins Pittsburgher Opener

IMPERIAL, PA (October 3, 2025) – For the second year in a row, Devin Moran of Dresden, Ohio, won the Friday night portion of the Pittsburgher as he led the final 16 laps in scoring the $10,000 to win Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series presented by FloRacing main event at Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor Speedway.

With the win, Moran now trails points leader Ricky Thornton Jr. by five points heading into the $50,000-to-win 37th Annual Pittsburgher on Saturday night. Thornton was leading when he suffered a right rear flat tire with 14 laps remaining. Thornton pitted, returned to the race, and finished ninth.

Brandon Sheppard passed Garrett Alberson with two laps to go to finish second, while Max Blair also overtook Alberson on the final lap to complete the Big River Steel podium in third. Alberson and Jonathan Davenport finished in the top five.

Moran took the lead from the Victory Fuel pole and led the field for the first five laps until Thornton surged to the front on lap six. Thornton had started fourth and fell back to fifth early in the race, but he gained momentum by using the outside groove of the half-mile track to overtake Moran. However, Thornton then slowed exiting turn two with 14 laps to go as his right rear tire blew out, allowing Moran to regain the lead.

In Lucas Oil Victory Lane for the 24th time in his career, Moran will try to join his Hall-of-Fame father, Donnie, as the second father-son combo to win the Pittsburgher, joining Hudson and Don O’Neal.

“We started off really strong at the beginning of the year but then struggled a bit through the middle as we tried different things and figured out what to do at this point. I honestly didn’t expect the top to be that good, because it looked like there was just dust up there, but Ricky Thornton is Ricky Thornton for a reason. It was a bummer he got a flat, but we were lucky enough to take advantage of his misfortune. Once he got up there and burned that top in, and after he took the lead, I knew where to go. I felt like I was pretty good up there behind him.”

Sheppard finished 1.844 seconds behind Moran at the end, and like Moran, he will be looking for his first career Pittsburgher victory on Saturday night.

“We were definitely trying some things for the long-run race tomorrow night. I felt like I was getting better in the longer runs we had, but we didn’t get many long runs in, so we’ll be ready tomorrow. We definitely need to fine-tune this a little bit, but all in all, the longer we went, the better we did. So with a longer race, we will be really good,” said the New Berlin, Illinois, racer who sits fifth in the points.

Blair got by Alberson on the final circuit to finish third after starting in seventh.

“The race track was real fast at the start and that’s just not me, so I just bided my time hoping it would slow down, and it did I wish tonight was 50 laps because I think we’re getting better and better there, but hopefully we’ve got something to work with for tomorrow and maybe we can be back here on the podium.”

The winner’s Double Down Motorsports, Longhorn Chassis is powered by a Clements Racing Engine and sponsored by Big River Steel, Lazydays RV, C&W Trucking, Hazen Services, BOMAG, Anthony’s Pizza, Red Oak Pub, Refuel Wellness, Pee Wee’s Wrecker Service, Car Source Auto, McHugh Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram, Eibach Springs, VP Fuels, Smoky Mountain Speedway, and Haulin’ Haskell’s.

Completing the top ten were Carson Ferguson, Donald McIntosh, Hudson O’Neal, Ricky Thornton Jr., and Gregg Satterlee.

Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Race Summary
37th Annual Pittsburgher | Night 1
Friday, October 3, 2025
Pittsburgh’s PA Motor Speedway | Imperial, PA

Allstar Performance Time Trials
Fast Time Group A: Devin Moran | 17.170 seconds (Overall)
Fast Time Group B: Carson Ferguson | 17.448 seconds

Penske Shocks Heat Race #1 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 99-Devin Moran[1]; 2. 49-Jonathan Davenport[2]; 3. 22G-Gregg Satterlee[7]; 4. 14-Dan Angelicchio[3]; 5. 25Z-Mason Zeigler[4]; 6. 22-Daniel Hilsabeck[5]; 7. 79-Donald McIntosh[6]; 8. J4-John Garvin Jr[9]; 9. 9-Levi Yetter[10]; 10. 8-Tommy Schirnhofer Jr[8]; 11. EZ1-Ron Fink[11]

Summit Racing Products Heat Race #2 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 58-Garrett Alberson[1]; 2. 111-Max Blair[4]; 3. 19M-Joseph Joiner[3]; 4. 1Z-Logan Zarin[5]; 5. 101-Forrest Trent[9]; 6. 76-Brandon Overton[2]; 7. 24-Tyler Wyant[10]; 8. 93L-Cory Lawler[6]; 9. 555-Brock Pinkerous[8]; 10. 10-Jared Miley[7]; 11. 55-Chris Schneider[11]

Cool-It Thermo-Tec Heat Race #3 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 1-Brandon Sheppard[2]; 2. 93-Carson Ferguson[1]; 3. 6-Clay Harris[4]; 4. 71-Hudson O'Neal[3]; 5. 60-Dan Ebert[7]; 6. 12M-Ryan Montgomery[5]; 7. 66C-Matt Cosner[8]; 8. 1C-Alex Ferree[6]; 9. 4-Gary Stuhler[9]; 10. W3-John Weaver[10]; 11. (DNS) 01H-Ron Hall

Simpson Race Products Heat Race #4 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr[1]; 2. 1J-Josh Richards[2]; 3. 18D-Daulton Wilson[3]; 4. 7-Ross Robinson[5]; 5. 09-Michael Leach[4]; 6. 2-Rick Eckert[11]; 7. 48-Colton Flinner[8]; 8. 5M-Ryan Markham[9]; 9. 69-Jon Hodgkiss[6]; 10. 79D-Doug Drown[7]; 11. 00-Tyler Dietz[10]

Fast Shafts B-Main Race #1 Finish (10 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 25Z-Mason Zeigler[1]; 2. 76-Brandon Overton[4]; 3. 79-Donald McIntosh[5]; 4. 22-Daniel Hilsabeck[3]; 5. 24-Tyler Wyant[6]; 6. 101-Forrest Trent[2]; 7. 9-Levi Yetter[9]; 8. 8-Tommy Schirnhofer Jr[11]; 9. J4-John Garvin Jr[7]; 10. 555-Brock Pinkerous[10]; 11. 93L-Cory Lawler[8]; 12. 55-Chris Schneider[14]; 13. EZ1-Ron Fink[13]; 14. (DNS) 10-Jared Miley

UNOH B-Main Race #2 Finish (10 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 60-Dan Ebert[1]; 2. 4-Gary Stuhler[9]; 3. 1C-Alex Ferree[7]; 4. 66C-Matt Cosner[5]; 5. 12M-Ryan Montgomery[3]; 6. 2-Rick Eckert[4]; 7. 09-Michael Leach[2]; 8. 48-Colton Flinner[6]; 9. 5M-Ryan Markham[8]; 10. W3-John Weaver[11]; 11. 00-Tyler Dietz[14]; 12. 79D-Doug Drown[12]; 13. (DNS) 69-Jon Hodgkiss; 14. (DNS) 01H-Ron Hall

37th Annual Pittsburgher – Night 1 Feature Finish (30 Laps):
Pos - Start - Car # - Competitor - Hometown - Pay
1 - 1 - 99 - Devin Moran - Dresden, OH - $10,100
2 - 2 - 1 - Brandon Sheppard - New Berlin, IL - $5,500
3 - 7 - 111 - Max Blair - Centerville, PA - $3,500
4 - 3 - 58 - Garrett Alberson - Las Cruces, NM - $2,700
5 - 5 - 49 - Jonathan Davenport - Blairsville, GA - $2,500
6 - 6 - 93 - Carson Ferguson - Lincolnton, NC - $2,300
7 - 21 - 79 - Donald McIntosh - Dawsonville, GA - $2,300
8 - 14 - 71 - Hudson O'Neal - Martinsville, IN - $2,100
9 - 4 - 20RT - Ricky Thornton Jr - Chandler, AZ - $2,150
10 - 9 - 22G - Gregg Satterlee - Indiana, PA - $2,000
11 - 19 - 76 - Brandon Overton - Evans, GA - $1,600
12 - 12 - 18D - Daulton Wilson - Fayetteville, NC - $1,400
13 - 20 - 4 - Gary Stuhler - Greencastle, PA - $1,200
14 - 22 - 1C - Alex Ferree - Saxonburg, PA - $1,000
15 - 16 - 7 - Ross Robinson - Georgetown, DE - $950
16 - 17 - 25Z - Mason Zeigler - Chalk Hill, PA - $925
17 - 8 - 1J - Josh Richards - Houston, OH - $900
18 - 18 - 60 - Dan Ebert - Lake Shore, MN - $875
19 - 15 - 1Z - Logan Zarin - Hookstown, PA - $850
20 - 13 - 14 - Dan Angelicchio - Mt. Pleasant, PA - $825
21 - 11 - 19M - Joseph Joiner - Milton, FL - $800
22 - 23 - 22 - Daniel Hilsabeck - Earlham, IA - $800
23 - 10 - 6 - Clay Harris - Jupiter, FL - $800
24 - 24 - 93L - Cory Lawler - Hanover, PA - $800

Race Statistics
Entrants: 44
Victory Fuel Pole Sitter: Devin Moran
MD3 Lap Leaders: Devin Moran (Laps 1-5); Ricky Thornton, Jr. (Laps 6-14); Devin Moran (Laps 15-30)
Hellraizer Jacks Halfway Leader: Devin Moran
Wieland Feature Winner: Devin Moran
Margin of Victory: 1.844 seconds
Coltman Farms Racing Cautions: Ricky Thornton, Jr. (Lap 14); Clay Harris (Lap 20)
Series Provisionals: Daniel Hilsabeck; Cory Lawler
Fast Time Provisional: n/a
Emergency Provisional: n/a
Track Provisional: n/a
Big River Steel Podium Top 3: Devin Moran, Brandon Sheppard, Max Blair
Penske Shocks Top 5: Devin Moran, Brandon Sheppard, Max Blair, Garrett Alberson, Jonathan Davenport
PEM 4th Place Feature: Garrett Alberson
DMI Rearends 5th Place Feature: Jonathan Davenport
Wilwood Brakes Lucky 7th Place Feature: Donald McIntosh
Wehrs Machine 11th Place Feature: Brandon Overton
Deatherage Opticians Lucky 13th Place Feature: Gary Stuhler
MD3 24th Place Feature: Cory Lawler
Hoker Trucking Hard Charger of the Race: Donald McIntosh (Advanced 14 positions)
MD3 Most Laps Led: Devin Moran (21 Laps)
Sunoco Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Brandon Sheppard
Midwest Sheet Metal Spoiler Challenge Point Leader: Ricky Thornton, Jr.
O’Reilly Auto Parts Rookie of the Race: Donald McIntosh
Pro Fabrication Headers Fastest Lap of the Race: Ricky Thornton, Jr. | lap 5 | 18.916 seconds
Slicker Graphics Slickest Move of the Race: Ricky Thornton, Jr.
Fresh Roof Hard Luck Award: Ricky Thornton, Jr,
Outerwears Crew Chief of the Race: Chuck Kimble
ARP Engine Builder of the Race: Clements Racing Engines
Miller Welders Chassis Builder of the Race: Longhorn Chassis
Dirt Draft Fastest in Hot Laps: Joseph Joiner | 16.957 seconds
Time of Race: 20 minutes 22 seconds

Big River Steel Chase for the Championship Presented by ARP Point Standings:
Pos - Car # - Competitor - Hometown - Points - Pay
1 - 20RT - Ricky Thornton Jr - Chandler, AZ - 8740 - $553,200
2 - 99 - Devin Moran - Dresden, OH - 8735 - $333,549
3 - 49 - Jonathan Davenport - Blairsville, GA - 8600 - $422,300
4 - 71 - Hudson O'Neal - Martinsville, IN - 8475 - $360,700
5 - 1 - Brandon Sheppard - New Berlin, IL - 7830 - $260,425
6 - 58 - Garrett Alberson - Las Cruces, NM - 7700 - $200,150
7 - 76 - Brandon Overton - Evans, GA - 7285 - $164,100
8 - 18D - Daulton Wilson - Fayetteville, NC - 6690 - $134,625
9 - 93 - Carson Ferguson - Lincolnton, NC - 6500 - $117,550
10 - 79 - Donald McIntosh - Dawsonville, GA - 6380 - $100,800
11 - 22 - Daniel Hilsabeck - Earlham, IA - 6055 - $87,575
12 - 60 - Dan Ebert - Lake Shore, MN - 5895 - $92,200
13 - 6 - Clay Harris - Jupiter, FL - 5645 - $82,450
14 - 93L - Cory Lawler - Hanover, PA - 4930 - $53,625

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