EchoPark Speedway Photo
THURSDAY THUNDER VETERAN BILL PLEMONS JR. BREAKS THROUGH FOR FIRST 2026 VICTORY
HAMPTON, Ga. (June 25, 2026) – The seventh round of Thursday Thunder
saw the end of some dominant runs, several new winners, and one Thursday
Thunder veteran’s quest fulfilled with a return to victory lane.
Bill Plemons Jr., of Locust Grove, Ga., went into round seven in the
midst of a frustrating season. The defending and four-time overall
Circle C Auto Sales Masters champion had found nothing but misfortune in
the first six races, but entered Round 7 hoping to turn his fortunes
around.
The 78-year-old got off to a fast start by earning the pole in
qualifying. He’d begin the 20-lap feature race where he aimed to
finish, but faced fierce competition in the form of 2026 division points
leader Jeff Bolen (Leesville, S.C.). Bolen stalked Plemons throughout
the entire event, following directly in the tire tracks of Plemons’
No. 15 waiting for a mistake and opportunity to pass. Despite the
pressure, the Plemons never faltered and the four-time division champion
earned a cathartic first win in the 2026 Thursday Thunder season and
45th overall.
“I didn’t know if I was going to get back (to victory lane),” an
emotional Plemons said after the victory. “But I didn’t give up, and
we can’t give up.” He then directed words of wisdom to some of
Thursday Thunder’s young competitors gathered in victory lane. “No
matter what happens you have got to believe if you’re out there. Your
parents are supporting you, my companies are supporting you, so give it
all that you can,” the 29-year Thursday Thunder veteran said.
In The Associates Group Insurance Pro division, Jensen Jorgensen of
Stockbridge, Ga., tightened his grip on the division points lead with
his fifth win of the season. The victory came after a hard-fought battle
with polesitter Kyle Bacon (Buchanan, Ga.), who led the opening 21 laps
before a momentary slip of the tires opened the door for Jorgensen to
take the lead.
Mitch Wright of Courtice, Ont., became only the second driver of the
year to grab a win in the WJP Investment Semi-Pro division Wednesday
night. Wright started on the pole and bested six-time winner this season
Bryce Sanders (Ola, Ga.) to snap Sanders’ undefeated record this year.
Casen Tate of Zebulon, Ga. won his third consecutive race in the
Incentive Risk Management Bandits division, but not without pressure
from Camden Powers (Hernando, Fla.) in the closing laps. A late race
caution re-racked the field on Tate’s rear bumper, and Powers was
eager to take advantage of a misstep from Tate in the green-white
checkered finish. The mistake never came, and Tate secured his fourth
win this season.
Carson Sherman of Loganville, Ga., returned to familiar form in the
Incentive Risk Management Outlaws feature on Wednesday night. Sherman
started on the pole and held off Jackson Jones (Concord, N.C.) and
Carson Cauble (Salisbury, N.C.) in multiple restarts to drive to his
sixth win in seven starts this season.
Colt Johnson of Houston, Texas, led flag to flag in the Bennett
Transportation & Logistics Young Lions feature capturing his second win
of the season over Turner Brown (Sacramento, Calif.). Brown, a
three-time winner this year, was glued to the back bumper of Johnson for
the entirety of the 20-lap feature, but Johnson never gave him an
opportunity to make a pass.
Corbin White of Barnesville, Ga. became the seventh different winner
this year in the Incentive Risk Management Rookie Bandoleros division.
Bryce Castille (Vancleave, Miss.) led all the laps in the WJP Investment
Chargers racing experience to take home the checkered flag for the
second time this season.
Thursday Thunder racing continues Thursday night at EchoPark Speedway
with the eighth round of competition.
Here are the complete results from Round 7 of Thursday Thunder 2026:
Incentive Risk Management Rookie Bandoleros
1. White, Corbin (Barnesville, Ga.)
2. Byrum, Bryson (Alpharetta, Ga.)
3. Roberts, Hudson (Monroe, Ga.)
4. Wright, Brody (Courtice, Ont.)
5. Bailey, Nolan (Arabi, Ga.)
6. Jones, Crit (Macon, Ga.)
7. Jones, Parker (Macon, Ga.)
8. Pressley, Grayson (Woodstock, Ga.)
Incentive Risk Management Bandits
1. Tate, Casen (Zebulon, Ga.)
2. Powers, Camden (Hernando, Fla.)
3. Sanders, Connor (Dublin, Ga.)
4. Pennington, Daylen (Radiator Springs, Ariz)
5. Clapp, Carter (Greenville, Ga.)
6. Mancias, Malcolm (Las Vegas, Nev.)
7. Shirley, Reese (Rainbow City, Ala.)
8. Treschl, Ava (Hogansville, Ga.)
9. Harrison, Lucas (Columbia, Tenn.)
10. Chance, Keegan (Inverness, Fla.)
11. Sherman, Colton (Loganville, Ga.)
WJP Investment Chargers
1. Castille, Bryce (Vancleave, Miss.)
2. Stevens, Kendall (Griffin, Ga.)
3. Massey, Mason (Lucedale, Miss.)
4. Rudolph, Briella (Griffin, Ga.)
5. Wright, Corey (Rome, Ga.)
6. Koroshes, Kameren (Castalian Springs, Tenn.)
7. Pounds, Carson (Butler, Ga.)
8. Mancias, Malcolm (Las Vegas, Nev.)
9. Young, Luke (Dallas, Ga.)
WJP Investments Semi Pro Legends
1. Wright, Mitch (Courtice, Ont.)
2. Sanders, Bryce (Ola, Ga.)
3. Wrisley, Preston (Mooresville, N.C.)
4. Soto, Javier (Marietta, Ga.)
5. Flater, Mitchell (Conyers, Ga.)
6. Reynolds, Jackson (Marietta, Ga.)
7. Stearns, Cameron (Sharpsburg, Ga.)
8. Griffis, Brayden (Griffin, Ga.)
9. Harbison, Peyton (Senoia, Ga.)
10. Woodall, Amanda (Canton, Ga.)
Incentive Risk Management Outlaws
1. Sherman, Carson (Loganville, Ga.)
2. Cauble, Carson (Salisbury, N.C.)
3. Jones, Jackson (Concord, N.C.)
4. Johnson, Harley (Ixonia, Wis.)
5. Motykiewicz, Patrick (Theodore, Ala.)
6. Massey, Mason (Lucedale, Miss.)
7. Bauer, Jordan (Murfreesboro, Tenn.)
8. Brewer, Tate (Big Cove, Ala.)
9. Flynn, Christopher (Farmington, Minn.)
10. Treschl, Jason (Hogansville, Ga.)
Bennett Transportation & Logistics Young Lions
1. Johnson, Colt (Houston, Texas)
2. Brown, Turner (Sacramento, Calif.)
3. Laine, Emerson (Cumming, Ga.)
4. Pate, Alex (Bartlett, Tenn.)
5. Burnett, Jaxon (Snohomish, Wash.)
6. Bishop, Brenten (Social Circle, Ga.)
7. Wong, Nicolas (Johns Creek, Ga.)
8. Behnke, James (Canton, Ga.)
Circle C Auto Sales Masters Legends
1. Plemons Jr, Bill (Locust Grove, Ga.)
2. Bolen, Jeff (Leesville, S.C.)
3. Wrisley, Brandin (Greensboro, N.C.)
4. Young, Phillip (Dallas, Ga.)
5. Jones, Benjamin (Macon, Ga.)
6. Fox, James (Acworth, Ga.)
7. Swan, Mark (Athens, Ga.)
8. Ragan, Lee (Catasla, Ga.)
9. Young, Lisa (Dallas, Ga.)
10. Cosier, Brian (Marietta, Ga.)
11. Turkett, Byron (Griffin, Ga.)
The Associates Group Insurance Pro Legends
1. Jorgensen, Jensen (Stockbridge, Ga.)
2. Bacon, Kyle (Buchanan, Ga.)
3. Woodall, Nick (Canton, Ga.)
4. Taylor, Jonathan (Roswell, Ga.)
5. Bongiovanni, Dylan (Cumming, Ga.)
6. Jorgensen, Taylor (Stockbridge, Ga.)
7. Bulger, Hudson (Fort Valley, Ga.)
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