Columbus racer returns, wins at Brownstown

Devin Gilpin of Columbus returned to Brownstown Speedway on Saturday and won the superlate model feature race.

It was Gilpin’s first time back at Brownstown after breaking his collarbone in a rollover accident last month. Gilpin also returned to the driver’s seat for Jim Beeman of North Vernon.

Gilpin dominated the Jackson 100 tuneup 25-lap feature race, winning over Chad Stapleton of Edinburgh, Jared Bailey of Heltonville, Jeff Wilson of Butlerville and Matt Bex of Avoca.

Jeremy Hines of Seymour won the Indiana Pro Late Model feature, driving a car owned by Kyle Ault of Seymour. Austin Burns of Morgantown finished in second to Hines, with Isaac Rainey of Bedford, Shelby Miles and Tyler Neal of Paragon completing the top five.

Jeremy Owens of North Vernon returned to Brownstown’s Victory Lane, winning the modified main event over Jacoby Hines of Nineveh, Matt Boknecht of Seymour, Tim Prince of Heltonville and Brad Barrow of Bloomington.

Jamey Wilson returned to his familiar spot in the super stock class by winning the feature race. Wilson, the track’s current points leader in the division, held off Jason Hehman of Brownstown for the win.

Jeremy Helton of Paris Crossing finished a solid third, with Jack Frye of Bloomington and Levi Lokey of Vallonia rounding out the rest of the top-five competitors.

Zachary Stalker of Heltonville also made his way to Brownstown’s Victory Lane by winning the pure stock feature race. Derek Clegg of Nabb, Tim Rivers of Salem, Michael Cranmer of Jeffersonville and Troy Clark of North Vernon trailed the winner across the finish line

Brownstown Speedway will host two nights of racing this weekend, with both nights having the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series in town for the Jackson 100 weekend.

Action will begin tonight with a tribute to retired racer Steve Barnett. Barnett, who participated in more Jackson 100s than any other driver in track history, will be honored during the night, which will conclude with a 30-lap $7,000-to-win Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series-sanctioned event. Also racing will be the Indiana Pro Late Models in the Fifth Annual Bowman 50. The pure stocks will also be on the race schedule.

On Saturday night will be the 38th Annual Jackson 100, paying $15,000 to win. Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, Tennessee, is the six-time and defending race winner. Bloomquist is also the reigning Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series National Champion.

There will be a complete show with time trials, heat races, B-mains and the 100-lap feature race. Also on the docket are modifieds and super stocks. The feature races for those divisions will each pay $1000 to win.

Josh Richards is the current LOLMDS points leader heading into the Jackson 100, holding a 90-point advantage over Tim McCreadie. Bloomquist is third in points, followed by Jimmy Owens and Martinsville’s Don O’Neal.

Hudson O’Neal of Martinsville, the 17-year-old rookie late model sensation, now holds the lead in the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Rookie of the Year chase over Gregg Satterlee and Boom Briggs.

For more information, visit brownstownspeedway.com.

Lawrenceburg crowns champions

Lawrenceburg Speedway held its night of champions on Saturday. In the sprint car division, it was Kody Swanson taking his first ever win at Lawrenceburg. The California racer scored the feature win. Landon Simon came home in second, followed by Dickie Gaines, Jarett Andretti and Nick Bilbee.

After the evening events were concluded, Jordan Kinser of Bedford captured his first track title in the 410 non-wing sprint division.

In the modified division, David Spille of Harrison, Ohio, came in fourth in the feature race, which was good enough to clinch his first career track championship at Lawrenceburg. Joey Kramer of Hanover won his 44th career feature at the track ahead of Cory Skipton, Broc Burton of Columbus, Spille and Brad Wieck.

Justin Dalton took top honors in the hornet class, winning the feature race over Dalton Smith, Cordell Moore, Michael Friemuth and Andy Anderson. Moore garnered enough points to be named the track champion in the hornet class.

Don Grace won the pure stock feature and clinched the division’s track title at the same time. Jon Grace, the winner’s son, was second, with Danny Eichler, Chris Combs and Joel Andrews completing the top-five drivers.

Columbus native honored at Lawrenceburg

Columbus native Pete Abel was honored Saturday night at Lawrenceburg Speedway when he was inducted into the track’s “Legends of Lawrenceburg Speedway.”

Abel was the 1999 sprint car track champion at Lawrenceburg, capturing a win in the Jeff Thickstun Memorial and racking up seven top-five finishes during the season on his way to the track championship. Abel, who retired from driving after that season, is the crew chief for his son Drew’s sprint car operation.

Lawrenceburg will take this Saturday night off and return with the AMSOIL USAC National Sprint Car Series on Sept. 30.

USAC Sprints race in Indiana

The AMSOIL USAC National Sprint Car Series was in action last week at Terre Haute Action Track and Tri-State Speedway in Haubstadt.

On Sept. 15 at Terre Haute, it was the Jim Hurtubise Classic contested, with Chris Windom coming out on top of the field with the victory. Chad Boespflug was second, with Tyler Courtney, Justin Grant and Aaron Farney completing the top five. It was Windom’s second straight win in the event.

Richie Lex of Morgantown won the modified feature scheduled at Terre Haute. Tyler Nicely finished in second, followed by Broc Burton, Josh McDaniel and Jay Humphrey of Bloomington.

The next night on Saturday, the series headed south on U.S. 41 to Haubstadt, where Kevin Thomas Jr. would take the feature win over Kyle Cummins, Thomas Meseraull, Chet Williams and Tyler Courtney.

The USAC National Sprints, Midgets and Silver Crown will be in action Saturday night at Tony Stewart’s Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio, for the 4-Crown Nationals.

The current USAC Championship points standings are, 1. Justin Grant 1,775; 2. Chris Windom 1,705; 3. Tyler Courtney 1,672; 4. Chad Boespflug 1,593; 5. Kevin Thomas Jr. 1,587.

Jameson wins at Florence

For the first time in more than a month, racing resumed at Florence Speedway in Union, Kentucky.

The track took time off after an ultra-successful Sunoco North/South 100 in August. Former late model track champion Jason Jameson would end up in Victory Lane, taking the win at the half-mile facility over Ted Nobbe of Batesville, Jesse James Lay, Trevor Landrum and Kody Evans. Josh Rice captured the modified main event.

Twin Cities racing sprints Saturday night

After postponing last week’s events because of wet grounds, Twin Cities Raceway Park in Vernon will be back in action Saturday night. The race program will consist of 410 non-wing sprints, 305 RaceSaver sprints, pure stocks and hornets. For more info, visit twincitiestrack.com.