Thorson Won Memorial for Biggest Sprint Car Victory
NXTbets Pro | Published On: September 19, 2026
Thorson won Memorial
Tanner Thorson turned a third-place start into the biggest victory of his sprint car career Saturday night, winning the 16th annual Jesse Hockett/Daniel McMillin Memorial at Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Missouri. The payoff matched the scale of the performance. Thorson earned $25,000 for the win, a result that also gave him his seventh career High Limit Racing victory, his fifth win of the 2026 season and his third win in September.
The 35-lap feature gave Thorson a chance to make a move early, and he made it count. He went by Brent Marks for the lead on lap 5 and then stayed in front the rest of the way. Starting third, Thorson made the decisive move when the opening came. Once he got to the front, he kept the field behind him and turned a strong run into a career marker.
Courtney climbs to second
Tyler Courtney produced one of the clearest charges of the night, moving from sixth at the start to second at the finish. He worked through the field and ended up as the closest challenger to Thorson. Courtney’s climb mattered because it came from farther back than the drivers around him in the top five. He made up ground and finished ahead of the rest of the pack that followed Thorson to the line.
Giovanni Scelzi finished third, Rico Abreu was fourth and Marks placed fifth. Marks had been in control before lap 5, but after Thorson got by him, he slipped to the back end of the top five by the checkered flag. The top five finished in that order, with Thorson leading Courtney, Scelzi, Abreu and Marks.
Hard Charger Award to Courtney
Courtney’s night was not limited to a second-place finish. He also earned the weeklong Hockett/McMillin Hard Charger Award after passing 30 cars across the three nights of the event. That made him the biggest mover over the full memorial, and it matched the shape of his Saturday drive. Starting sixth and finishing second already showed a strong performance in the feature. The award added the broader picture from the entire event and confirmed how much ground he covered during the week.
Passing 30 cars across three nights takes more than one quick burst. It requires pace, patience and enough consistency to keep climbing every time the race track asks for another move. Courtney delivered that kind of run and left with recognition for the full event, not just the final night. The hard charger honor fit a driver who kept advancing and turned repeated gains into a notable week at Lucas Oil Speedway. Thorson got the main prize, but Courtney’s move through the field stood out in its own right and made him a clear part of the story from start to finish.
