10/25/2025
Ricky Thornton Jr
Thornton impresses in USAC Sprint Car debut at Western World Championships
Ricky Thornton Jr. headed west to his home state of Arizona over the weekend to make his USAC National Sprint Car debut during the Western World Championships at Central Arizona Raceway.
After Thursday’s scheduled practice, Thornton made an immediate impression on Friday, capturing his heat race win ahead of Braden Chiaramonte and Briggs Danner. In the feature, he advanced six positions during the 30-lap main event to record a strong fourth-place finish.
Locked into Saturday’s dash, Thornton finished fourth once again, earning a second-row starting spot for the $35,000-to-win finale. He wrapped up the weekend with a fifth-place finish, securing Western World Rookie of the Year honors and an additional $1,500 payout as the Team AZ–Petty–Rossi “Whiz Kid” Award winner.
Complete results from the can be found at www.USACRacing.com.
Article Credit: Photo by Rich Forman
Article Media
