Local racers heading to Florence for big cash

Florence Speedway in Union, Kentucky, will host one of the crown-jewel events in dirt late model racing tonight.

The Sunoco Race Fuels North/South 100 will pay $50,000 to win. Gates will open at 3 p.m. today, with racing at 7:30 p.m. For more information, visit florencespeedway.com.

Among those expected to compete are Columbus racers Zak Blackwood, Devin Gilpin and Nathan Vawter, along with Edinburgh competitors Joe Godsey and Chad Stapleton.

Bland gets first win of season at Bloomington

Jeff Bland Jr. of Bedford scored his first Sprint Car feature win of the year on Aug. 5 at Bloomington Speedway. Defending USAC National Sprint Car Champion Robert Ballou finished second, followed by Jordan Kinser, Kevin Thomas Jr. and Thomas Meseraull.

Ethan Barrow of Bloomington won the RaceSaver Sprint Car main event. Ryan Tusing finished second, followed by Jared Fox, Andy Bradley and Ethan Fleetwood.

Jacoby Hines of Nineveh went to victory lane in the Modified class at Bloomington. Bradley Sterrett was second, with Derek Groomer, Kenny Carmichael, Sr. and Jay Humphrey Jr. completing the top five.

Paragon’s Steve Peeden won the Super Stock feature over Josh Boller, Jack Frye, Steve Hawkins and Levi Ray Godsey.

Kinser gets first win at Lawrenceburg

Jordan Kinser of Bedford scored his first career Sprint Car feature win on Aug. 6 at Lawrenceburg Speedway. Nick Bilbee finished second, with Michael Fischesser, Jarett Andretti and Terry Babb completing the top five.

David Webb of Nicholasville, Kentucky, won his first Lawrenceburg feature by winning the Modified feature. Kyle Herbert placed second, with Kyle Schornick, David Spille and Matt Hamilton rounding out the top five.

Josh Hammonds took top honors in the Hornet feature, and J.D. Largent of Dillsboro won the Pure Stock main event. Lawrenceburg will be idle tonight as racing returns on Aug. 20.

Twin Cities hosts five classes

Ted Nobbe of Batesville won the Crate Late Model feature on Aug. 6 at Twin Cities Raceway Park in Vernon. Brian Shewmaker of Columbus was second, followed by Brad Erwin, Dustin Nobbe and Trent Low of North Vernon.

Tony Napier of North Vernon took home the win in the Hornet division. Todd Cain of Columbus was second, with Trent Adams of Elizabethtown placing third. Completing the top five were Andrew Roark and Andrew Jones.

Defending Pure Stock track champion Mark Bruce of Commiskey grabbed the main event for the class. Will McRoberts was second, with Ross Smith of Columbus garnering the third spot. William Burton of North Vernon was fourth, and Scott Williams was fifth.

Jeremy Owens of North Vernon was the top driver at the end of the night in the Modified division. Owens led Joe Mauller, Eric Sandlin, Bryson Clark of North Vernon and Andy Carver to the checkers.

Randy Petro of Columbus pocketed career win No. 305 in winning the Super Stock main at Twin Cities. Jeff Patterson of North Vernon was second. Branden Carr, Jeremy Helton and Ross Smith completed the top five cars.

Twin Cities will be back in action tonight with slate of 410 Sprints, Modifieds, Super Stocks, Pure Stocks and Hornets. For more info, visit twincitiesracewaypark.net.

Tennessee driver dominates Brownstown

Mike Marlar of Winfield, Tennessee, took the lead on lap nine and then dominated the rest of the 30-lap Late Model feature on Aug. 6 at Brownstown Speedway.

The event sanctioned by the Battle of the Bluegrass Series paid $3,000 to win. Dustin Linville of Bryantsville, Kentucky, was second followed by Columbus native Derek Fisher, Jeremy Hines of Seymour and Chad Stapleton of Edinburgh.

Jamey Wilson of Seymour won the Super Stock feature race. Marty Cooper of Franklin was second, with Jason Hehman of Brownstown placing third. Completing the top five were Aubrey Eagan of Bedford and Matt Boknecht of Seymour.

Hudson O’Neal raced to his ninth Indiana Pro Late Model feature of the year. Justin Shaw of Whiteland was second, with Marty O’Neal of Spencer coming home third. Remington Gill of Mitchell and Matt Patus of Memphis rounded out the top five.

Veteran Jim Ruddick of Seymour claimed the Pure Stock feature. Ruddick put an end to Tim Rivers’ five-race win streak. Jason Combs of Seymour was second, followed by Mark Smith of Morgantown, Zachary Stalker of Heltonville and Morgan Huebner of Loogootee.

John Mayer Jr. of Edinburgh won a very competitive Hornet Division feature. Wesley Napier of New Washington was second, with Gregg O’Neill of Mooresville, Jaden Mayhan of Elizabethtown and Lee Stephenson of Columbus finishing out the top five drivers.

Brownstown will be idle tonight. The next scheduled event will be Aug. 20.

This week in racing history

On this weekend in 1973, Chuck Gilpin of Columbus won the 6-cylinder feature at Twin Cities. Dee Kramer was second, followed Bud Seymour, George Morgan and Joe Davis of Columbus.

In 1976, Steve Kinser won the Sprint Car feature at Bloomington Speedway. Tony Solomito was second, followed by Mike Johnson and Bob Kinser.

Ira Bastin took the Late Model main the same night at Bloomington. Steve Bowlen was second, with John Warner of Columbus placing third.

Also from 1976, Gerald Dixon won the Late Model feature at Brownstown over Jim Curry, Dennis Boknecht, Russ Petro of Columbus and Ray Godsey.

Roger Hehman took the top honors in the Hobby Stock main at Brownstown. Gene Minor of Columbus was second, with Sam Sebastian, Ed Covey and Danny Sipe completing the top five.

On this weekend 40 years ago, Gene Petro of Columbus won the Late Model feature at Northern Kentucky Speedway in Union, Kentucky, and Phil Fultz of Clifford won the Sportsman feature at Twin Cities over Bud Seymour and Chuck Gilpin.

From 1986, Mike Gibbs won the Late Model Feature at Twin Cities. Sam Murphy was second, followed by Robert Brison of North Vernon and John Warner of Columbus.

Phil Fultz of Clifford was the winner of the Street Stock main event. He was trailed by Dennis Barber of North Vernon, Buddy Franks of North Vernon and Gary Burton of Columbus.

Don Hobbs won the Late Model feature at Brownstown 30 years ago this weekend. Kevin Claycomb was second, followed by John Gill, Jim Curry and Roger Long.

Mike Jewell captured the Modified Street Stock main over John Mull, Carl Collins, Steve Trabue and Earl Plessinger.

Joe Johnson of North Vernon took the Street Stock feature at Brownstown. Gary Bland was second, followed by Larry Bland, Dave Barnett of Columbus and Terry Arthur.