Champions Crowned In AMS Thursday Thunder Finale

The 2023 Thursday Thunder champions were crowned in the summer series finale on Thursday night at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The title winners were (left to right) Mitchell Flater (Outlaws), Cooper Gaul (Young Lions), Bill Plemons (Masters), Jensen Jorgensen (Pro), Mason Lastra (Semi-Pro), and Wyatt Coffe (Bandits). Photo: Atlanta Motor Speedway/Facebook

Atlanta Motor Speedway wrapped up the 2023 Thursday Thunder season on Thursday night, with championships being won in six divisions on the quarter-mile “Thunder Ring.”

It was a busy night at AMS, as drivers in six of eight divisions competing in double features.

Jensen Jorgensen the deal for the WJP Investments Pro division championship. Donovan Strauss made a final push in round seven claiming his second victory, but it was no match for the work Jorgensen put in throughout the year.

“It was a very inconsistent summer for the race car for sure,” said Jorgensen “I stared off bad and won a few middle races, and was chasing the handling of the car, but tonight it looks like we got it working right.”

Jorgensen grabbed the final race win of the season in the WJP Investments Pro division and put a stamp on his championship.

“I was finally able to play with Ken’s (Ken Ragan) point system he has set up (for the Pro division),” said Jorgensen, “And the first year in five years that I’ve been able to use it to my advantage for the championship win.”

The Masters division came into the night as one of the closest chases for a title. Benjamin Jones continued to shine with his fourth straight win in round seven. Despite Jones’s stellar performance, the battle for the Masters Championship came down to Bill Plemons, Jr. and Phillip Young separated by three points entering the championship feature.

Drivers were not afraid to trade paint and race hard throughout the highly anticipated finale, but Plemons, Jr. proved to be wicked fast on the straightaways and claimed the victory in the final race to capture his third Thursday Thunder Legends Series championship in the Master’s division.

In similar fashion, Emma Britt entered the championship race with a three-point deficit behind Mitchell Flater in the Adrenalin Powersports Outlaws division. The two battled each other hard for points in the round seven feature race before they collided opening the door for Alison Johnson to seize her fourth straight victory. Johnson continued her dominance with another win in the round eight feature, but Flater would ultimately come out on top for the championship.

In the final feature of the season, Britt and Flater collided battling for the lead early in the race sending the pair to the back of the field. As the laps clicked off, Flater overtook Britt to finish second in the feature amassing enough points to secure the division championship.

In other action, Anastasia Markovic continued scored wins in both feature races for the Chargers division. Lane Christensen grabbed a win in the final Bandits division race, but Wyatt Coffey was crowned champion, edging Christensen out by 12 points. Mason Lastra continued his domination of the Semi-Pro division with a sweep of the double feature and a championship to go with it. Cooper Gaul earned the championship in the Associates Group Young Lions division.

For more information, visit AtlantaMotorSpeedway.com.

Atlanta Motor Speedway – Hampton, GA
Thursday Thunder – July 27, 2023

Young Lions Legends
Race 1
1. 9-Garrett Erwin
2. 8-Cooper Gaul
3. 15-Bryce Sanders
4. 48-Kyle Bacon
5. 46-Cole Denton
6. 88-Aiden King
7. 4-Ryan Zima
8. 62-Dylan Bongiovanni
9. 28-Jack Lamarre
10. 20-Evan McKnight

Race 2
1. 48-Kyle Bacon
2. 15-Bryce Sanders
3. 9-Garrett Erwin
4. 8-Cooper Gaul
5. 88-Aiden King
6. 20-Evan McKnight
7. 62-Dylan Bongiovanni
8. 4-Ryan Zima
9. 46-Cole Denton
10. 28-Jack Lamarre

Semi-Pro Legends
Race 1
1. 17-Mason Lastra
2. 98-Sean McElearney
3. 5X-Jesse Martinez
4. 41-Michael Gannon
5. 316-Coleman Moody
6. 9-Jackson Reynolds
7. 44-Oliver Dibble
8. 48-Noah Ryan
9. 0-Jerrod Holle
10. 30-Trey Tadrzak
11. 73-Ian Hampton
12. 31M-Sam Mazzo
13. 75-Amanda Woodall
14. 31-Jason Treschl
15. 21-Mitch Wright

Race 2
1. 17-Mason Lastra
2. 98-Sean McElearney
3. 5X-Jesse Martinez
4. 41-Michael Gannon
5. 9-Jackson Reynolds
6. 48-Noah Ryan
7. 44-Oliver Dibble
8. 0-Jerrod Holle
9. 73-Ian Hampton
10. 30-Trey Tadrzak
11. 7-Jonathan Taylor
12. 316-Coleman Moody
13. 21-Mitch Wright
14. 75-Amanda Woodall

Pro Legends
Race 1
1. 51-Donovan Strauss
2. 5-Garrett Gumm
3. 9-Chris Dilbeck
4. 32-Jensen Jorgensen
5. 72W-Nick Woodall
6. 72-Luke Yarbrough
7. 25-Christopher Clanton
8. 28-Cale Hall
9. 17-Hudson Bulger
10. 16-Currie Pierce
11. 4-Graham Campbell

Race 2
1. 32-Jensen Jorgensen
2. 51-Donovan Strauss
3. 72W-Nick Woodall
4. 5-Garrett Gumm
5. 25-Christopher Clanton
6. 16-Currie Pierce
7. 72-Luke Yarbrough
8. 28-Cale Hall
9. 17-Hudson Bulger
10. 9-Chris Dilbeck

Masters
Race 1
1. 10-Benjamin Jones
2. 83-Joey Clanton
3. 5-Ronnie Wehunt
4. 08-Steve Gareau
5. 14-Mark Swan
6. 37-Lisa Young
7. 57-Kevin Foisy
8. 7-Phillip Young
9. 15M-Scott Moseley
10. 15-Bill Plemons, Jr.
11. 21M-Josh Mullins

Race 2
1. 15-Bill Plemons, Jr
2. 7-Phillip Young
3. 10-Benjamin Jones
4. 5-Ronnie Wehunt
5. 08-Steve Gareau
6. 14-Mark Swan
7. 37-Lisa Young
8. 83-Joey Clanton
9. 57-Kevin Foisy

Bandits
1. 46-Lane Christensen
2. 2-Wyatt Coffey
3. 38-Billy Lee
4. 9-Carson Sherman
5. 87-Briella Rudolph
6. 1J-James Behnke
7. 12-Kendall Stevens
8. 18-Matthew Laprade
9. 11-Bryson Carlbert

Rookie Bandoleros
1. 75-Allee Johnson
2. 15-Rhylee Hutchins
3. 20-Kinsley Tatum
4. 05-Charlee Hutchins
5. 95G-Colton Glass
6. 13-Lucas McFall
7. 16-Flynt Pierce
8. 9-Luke Young

Outlaws
Race 1
1. 15-Alison Johnson
2. 4-Mitchell Flater
3. 38-Emma Britt
4. 8-Carter Erickson
5. 8J-J.T. O’Connor
6. 95-Javier Soto
7. 28-Blaine Miller
8. M00-Lilly Impellizzeri

Race 2
1. 15-Alison Johnson
2. 4-Mitchell Flater
3. 38-Emma Britt
4. 28-Blaine Miller
5. 8J-J.T. O’Connor
6. 95-Javier Soto
7. 8-Carter Erickson
8. M00-Lilly Impellizzeri

Chargers
Race 1
1. 87-Anastasia Markovic
2. 24-Katelyn Hicks
3. 99-Baylor O’Neil
4. 28-Conner Butler
5. 27-Brian Cosier
6. 88-Addyson King
7. 08-Bowen Mayhue
8. 9-Abi Johnson
9. 78-Will Haire
10. 26-Emma Teal
11. 27K-Kayli Kade
12. 42-Matt Erickson
13. 16-Dwight Pierce
14. 72-Bob Yarbrough

Race 2
1. 87-Anastasia Markovic
2. 24-Katelyn Hicks
3. 9-Abi Johnson
4. 27-Brian Cosier
5. 99-Baylor O’Neil
6. 28-Conner Butler
7. 78-Will Haire
8. 08-Bowen Mayhue
9. 26-Emma Teal
10. 42-Matt Erickson
11. 27K-Kayli Kade
12. 16-Dwight Pierce
13. 17-Lincoln Green
14. 72-Bob Yarbrough

2023 Thursday Thunder Champions
Mitchell Flater – Outlaws
Cooper Gaul – Young Lions
Bill Plemons – Masters
Jensen Jorgensen – Pro
Mason Lastra -Semi-Pro
Wyatt Coffey – Bandits