Colton Sullivan of Columbus captured his fifth super stocks feature event of the season Saturday at Kokomo Speedway. The special two-day event labeled the Kokomo Klash XI drew well more than 200 cars who participated in the Oct. 20 and Saturday’s activities.
Sullivan made his first-ever appearance at the track and immediately took a liking to it. He set the fast time in his qualifying group. He started on the pole of the 25-lap feature event. He would go on to lead 24 of those laps and raced to Victory Lane in his Black Widow Fabrication, The Brick of Jonesville-, J.P. Slick- and Hair in Motion-sponsored car.
The 21-year-old Sullivan ended the best season of his career with a third-place in the final points standings at Brownstown Speedway in his division. The 2014 Hauser graduate took three wins at Brownstown this year to go along with the Kokomo win and one earlier this season at Twin Cities Raceway Park in Vernon.
Also at Kokomo, Mike Spatola won the late models feature race over Bedford’s Jared Bailey. Kevin Weaver was third, Adam Bowman of Seymour came home fourth and Scott Fisk completed the top-five drivers. Bowman was the fastest qualifier among the 30 entries in the class, and he also claimed a heat race victory in the Bryan Bowman Motorsports entry.
Keegan Cox of Franklin was sixth in the final rundown. Mason Covey of Seymour was 17th, and Columbus’ Nathan Vawter was 18th.
Richards wins DTWC, Lucas Oil titles
Josh Richards had a huge night Saturday. He not only won the 37th Annual Dirt Track World Championship Race worth $100,000, he also captured the 2017 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series National Championship, which is worth $75,000.
The event contested at Portsmouth Raceway Park in Portsmouth, Ohio, drew 86 modifieds and 72 late models to the Southern Ohio facility, which drew a record crowd for the event.
Tim McCreadie came into the event leading the championship points standings by 40 over Richards and 75 over defending champion Scott Bloomquist. But McCreadie suffered two flat tires during the 100-lap race and finished 17th in the final rundown. Bloomquist was running second when he suffered the same fate. He pitted late in the race and returned to the track to finish 12th. McCreadie would end up second to Richards in the final points standings.
Richards won the crown jewel event over Brandon Sheppard, Jonathan Davenport, Mike Marlar and Jared Hawkins. Devin Gilpin of Columbus made his first career Dirt Track World Championship Race, finishing 27th.
Hudson O’Neal of Martinsville won the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Rookie of the Year title over Gregg Satterlee and Boom Briggs. O’Neal, the 17-year-old son of Don O’Neal, is a third-generation racer.
Leary wins Tri-State finale
C.J. Leary of Greenfield won the season-ending $5,000-to-win MSCS sprint-car event at Tri-State Speedway in Haubstadt. Leary led Chase Stockon, a former Elizabethtown resident, across the finish line.
Kyle Cummins finished third, with Kevin Thomas Jr. and Chase Briscoe completing the top five.
Brady Short of Bedford clinched his third-straight MSCS title in the Cam Pottorff-owned sprinter. It was Short’s fourth overall series title. Dave Beck won the modifieds feature at Tri-State.
Florence finale canceled
A poor weather forecast has forced Florence Speedway officials to cancel Saturday’s season-ending “Fall 50” for the late models and modifieds. The track also announced that the 2018 Spring 50 will be March 10, paying $5,000 to win. For more info, visit florencespeedway.com.
Barnett gets Hall of Fame nod
Franklin mayor and former racecar driver Steve Barnett has been elected to the National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame.
Barnett, who retired earlier this year after being selected to lead the city of Franklin, closed his career with a record-tying four Brownstown Speedway late models track championships. Barnett finished his career with 50 feature wins, which is fourth all- time in the late models division at Brownstown. He also was a six-time Northern All-Stars Late Model series points champion.
Barnett, along with Don Hoffman, Jimmy Mars, Steve Shaver, Wendell Wallace and others, will be inducted into the NDLMHoF next August during the running of the Sunoco North-South 100 at Florence Speedway in Union, Kentucky.
This week in racing history
From 20 years ago in 1997, Brownstown Speedway named their track champions. Dion Deason won the late models track championship, Earl Plessinger (street stocks), Todd Gilpin of Columbus and Brad Cummings tied for the modifieds title, and Ray Godsey Jr. won the bombers crown.
Also from 1997, the track champions at Twin Cities Raceway were Ernie Barrow (late models), Joey Kramer (super stocks) and Randy Petro of Columbus (modifieds).
Sprint car champions at area tracks from 20 years ago were Joe Miller at Lawrenceburg Speedway, Brad Fox at Bloomington Speedway and Lincoln Park Speedway in Putnamville, Mike Mann at Kokomo Speedway, Gary Hayhurst Jr. of Tri-State Speedway and Brandon Petty at Paragon Speedway.
From 10 years ago in 2007, Barnett won the late models track championship at Brownstown, while Troy Clark of North Vernon won the super stocks title. Brent Londeree of Columbus was the modifieds track champ, and Bubba Woods was the top driver in the bombers division.
James Essex writes a motorsports notebook for The Republic. Send comments to [email protected].
