Area dirt tracks kickin’ up more dirt

Jamey Wilson is the current Super Stock points leader at Brownstown Speedway.  He is the grandson of Jim Curry, the track's all-time winningest driver.
Jamey Wilson is the current Super Stock points leader at Brownstown Speedway. He is the grandson of Jim Curry, the track’s all-time winningest driver.

With the weather permitting, several area tracks are holding special events tonight.

Twin Cities Raceway Park in Vernon will host the Mark Clark Memorial Race tonight for Super Stocks. Also racing will be Crate Late Models, Modifieds, Pure Stocks and Hornets. For more info, go to twincitiesracewaypark.net.

The event is one of the biggest in the area this season for Super Stock drivers, paying $1200 to win. Tyler Cain of Seymour is the defending race winner.

Lawrenceburg hosts Dick Gaines Memorial

The Lawrenceburg Speedway will host a special event tonight with the annual running of the Dick Gaines Memorial Race. Also competing will be Modifieds, Pure Stocks and Hornets. On Aug. 27, the track hosts the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, plus Modifieds.

Dick Gaines raced for 30 years, retiring in 1977 from driving. He is a member of the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame. Among his career-highlighting wins include two victories in the Little 500 at Anderson Speedway in Anderson and a Knoxville Nationals win at Knoxville Raceway in Iowa.

During his career, Gaines won more than 800 feature events. He passed away in 2000 at the age of 64.

Jarett Andretti (Sprints), Scotty Kincaid (Modifieds), Don Grace (Pure Stocks) and Gage Clark (Hornets) are the current point leaders in their respective divisions at Lawrenceburg. For further information, visit lawrenceburgspeedway.com.

Teenager wins $50,000 at Florence Speedway

Bobby Pierce of Oakwood, Illinois, won the first crown-jewel event of his career by winning the Sunoco Race Fuels North/South 100 at Florence Speedway in Union, Kentucky, on Aug. 13. The 19-year-old took home $50,000 for the victory in the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series-sanctioned event.

Pierce passed Hall-of-Famer Scott Bloomquist with nine laps to go. Bloomquist finished second, followed by Dale McDowell, Devin Moran and Don O’Neal of Martinsville, who charged from the back. O’Neal had led the first 32 laps of the race until he and Jared Landers got tangled up on a restart and both had to pit.

Brownstown back in action tonight

After a weekend off, the Brownstown Speedway will be back in action tonight with its Hall of Fame Classic. The race card will consist of the Super Late Models, Indiana Pro Late Models, Super Stocks, Pure Stock and UMRA Midgets. On Aug. 27, the track hosts Tony Stewart’s All-Star Circuit of Champion Winged Sprint Cars.

Chad Stapleton (Late Models), Marty O’Neal (Indiana Pro Late Models), Jamey Wilson (Super Stocks), Jim Ruddick (Pure Stocks), Jacoby Hines (Modifieds) and Wesley Napier (Hornets) lead their respective racing divisions at Brownstown. For more information, visit brownstownspeedway.com.

Paragon rained out last week

The Paragon Speedway was rained out last week. Tonight, the track hosts Sprints, Super Stocks, Pure Stocks, Bombers and Hornets. Aug. 27, the track hosts the annual Mike Johnson Memorial Race for Sprints. For more info, visit paragonspeedway.com.

Alabama driver tames Bloomington

Kevin Thomas Jr of Cullman, Alabama, won the Sprint Car feature on Aug. 12 at the Bloomington Speedway. Jeff Bland Jr., the previous week’s winner was second followed by Tyler Thomas, Max McGhee and Shane Cottle.

Andy Bradley won the RaceSaver Sprint main event over Ethan Fleetwood, Kerry Kinser, Dakota Jackson of Elizabethtown and Luke Bland.

David Mielke took the win in the Modified feature at Bloomington. Jacoby Hines was second, followed by Rob Brickert, Jordan Wever and Jeff Deckard.

This week in racing history

From 1971 on this weekend, Kenny Simpson won the Late Model feature at Brownstown. Dick Brinegar was second with Jack Owens third. Don Hobbs and William Wampler completed the top five.

In 1972, Tommy Day won the 6-cylinder feature at Twin Cities over Leo Boner of North Vernon and Phil Fultz of Clifford.

This weekend in 1976, Phil Fultz of Clifford won the Sportsman main event at Twin Cities. Chuck Gilpin and Harold Hanson, both of Columbus, finished second and third respectively.

Also 40 years ago, John Davis won the Late Model feature at Bloomington Speedway. Bob Fleetwood was second. They were followed by Paul Crockett, Bobby Carnes and John Warner of Columbus.

From 1976, Paul Crockett won his eighth Late Model feature of the season at Brownstown over Noel Witcher, Robert Earl, Jim Curry and Ira Bastin.

Ed Covey won the Hobby Stock feature on the same night at Brownstown. He was followed by Columbus drivers Darrell Smallwood and Gene Minor.

From 1986, Lee Fleetwood won the Late Model feature at Twin Cities over John Warner of Columbus, Robert Brison of North Vernon, Mike Gibbs and Jim Patterson of North Vernon.

Mark Bruce took the Street Stock feature the same night at Twin Cities. Phil Fultz of Clifford was second, followed by Dennis Barber of North Vernon, Buddy Franks of North Vernon and Dan Sallee of Elizabethtown.

Also 30 years ago this weekend, Jack Boggs won the Jackson 100 at Brownstown Speedway. Billy Moyer was second, and Rodney Franklin was third. John Mason and Jeff Purvis completed the top five.

Randy Petro of Columbus won the Street Stock feature over Denny Campbell, Ray Humphrey, Joe Johnson of North Vernon and Larry Gingery of Columbus.

James Essex writes a motorsports notebook for The Republic. Send comments to [email protected].