Sprint Car driver Tyler Courtney enjoyed a terrific Memorial Day week of racing last week when the Indianapolis racer won the Tony Hulman Classic on May 23 at the Terre Haute Action Track and the Josh Burton Memorial on May 25 at Bloomington Speedway.
Courtney’s win at Terre Haute and Bloomington were in AMSOIL USAC National Sprint Car-sanctioned events.
Courtney’s win the Hulman Classic at Terre Haute came over Kevin Thomas Jr., Shane Cottle, Chris Windom and Chase Stockon, a former Elizabethtown resident.
Courtney then took the Fifth Annual Josh Burton Memorial race at Bloomington, taking the victory over Robert Ballou, Kevin Thomas Jr., Thomas Meseraull and Carson Short.
Also at Bloomington, Jason Hehman of Brownstown won his third super stock feature of the year, winning over Steve Hawkins of Bloomington, Wes McClara of Coatesville, Jack Frye of Bloomington and Steve Hawkins of Bloomington.
Ryan Thomas of Brownstown, in his Diamond Race Cars entry, won the open wheel modified race over Jacoby Hines of Nineveh, Derek Groomer of Bloomington, Jordan Wever of Bloomington and Kent Robinson of Bloomington.
Owen Cosman of Martinsville took the checkers in the hornet division, taking the win over Jeremy Smith, Dan Smith, Felisha Lucas of Edinburgh and Chad Taylor of Bloomington.
Bloomington’s next event will be Friday, with super stocks, RaceSaver sprints, hornets and open wheel modifieds. For more info, visit bloomingtonspeedway.com.
Swanson has big weekend
Kody Swanson was the man to beat in the USAC Silver Crown division. He swept both races held on Memorial Day weekend.
On May 24, Swanson tied four-time Indy 500 winner Al Unser for most consecutive wins in the Hoosier Hundred when he took the win in the event held at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis. Unser won his from 1970-73 when he raced both dirt and asphalt.
Shane Cockrum was second to Swanson on the Indy mile, with Tyler Courtney taking third. Shane Cottle and Johnny Petrozelle completed the top five.
On May 25, also in Indianapolis at Lucas Oil Raceway, Swanson took the feature race over Tanner Swanson, Aaron Pierce, Bobby Santos and Chris Windom.
Gilpin wins two at Brownstown
Columbus’ Devin Gilpin picked up two more feature wins at the Brownstown Speedway on May 26 when he won the super late model and open wheel modified feature race.
Gilpin was victorious in the super late model feature in the Jim Beeman of North Vernon-owned MasterSbilt Race Car. Gilpin took the win over Adam Bowman of Seymour, Chad Stapleton of Edinburgh, Alan Magner of North Vernon and Matt Bex of Avoca.
Gilpin came back to capture the open wheel modified feature for the third time this season, winning the main event over Jeremy Owens of North Vernon, Adam Stricker of Batavia, Ohio, Matt Boknecht of Seymour and Boknecht’s father Dennis Boknecht, also of Seymour.
Chad Stapleton on the Indiana late model series feature for the second week in a row, taking the win over Tyler Cain of Seymour, Shelby Miles of Bloomington, Steven Godsey of Bedford and Steve Peeden of Paragon.
Mike Fields of Scottsburg made it two in a row in the super stock class, taking top honors in the feature race. Jason Hehman of Brownstown was second, and Tim Schumpe of Vallonia took third, with Aubrey Eagan of Bedford and Colton Sullivan of Columbus completing the top five.
Veteran driver Jim Ruddick of Seymour won his first pure stock feature of the season, defeating Houston Roark of Dupont, Jeremy Huebner of Loogootee, Keaton Streeval of Edinburgh and Roger Absher of Franklin.
Tonight, Brownstown has scheduled the Ultimate Battle of the Bluegrass Late Models paying $3,000-to-win, plus Indiana Pro late models, modifieds, super stocks and MMSA mini-sprints. For further info, visit brownstownspeedway.com.
Gilpin takes Eldora
Devin Gilpin completed a successful weekend when he ventured to Tony Stewart’s Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio, on May 26 for the Johnny Appleseed Classic. Gilpin would charge from his fourth starting spot and to take the lead on the opening lap, and he never looked back in scoring the $3,000 win.
Matt Miller finished in second, followed by Jon Henry, Dustin Nobbe of Batesville and Shanon Buckingham.
Eldora’s next event will be the Dirt Late Model Dream June 7 to 9. For more information, visit eldoraspeedway.com.
Several winners at Twin Cities
Mark Barber of North Vernon won the crate late model feature on May 25 at Twin Cities Raceway Park in Vernon, taking the win over Jeremy Hines of Seymour, Brad Erwin of Crothersville, Brian Shewmaker of Columbus and Keegan Cox of Franklin.
Branden Carr of Scottsburg was victorious in the super stock main event, taking the win over Jeremy Helton of Paris Crossing, Danny Hupp of Scipio, Jaden Mayhan of Elizabethtown and Craig Markel of Columbus.
Bryson Clark went to Victory Lane in the pure stock feature race, taking the checkers over Mark Bruce of Commiskey, Troy Clark of North Vernon, Seth Hull of Versailles and Mickey Hines of Scipio.
Gregg O’Neill II of Mooresville won the hornet feature at Twin Cities, taking the top spot over Gage Clark of Cross Plains, Hunter Perry of North Vernon, Donnie Modesty of Seymour and Andy Anderson of North Vernon.
John Paynter Jr. of Bloomington won the RaceSaver sprint car feature race over Ryan Tusing of Santa Claus, Ethan Barrow of Unionville, Anton Hernandez of Arlington, Texas and Jeff Wimmenauer of Indianapolis.
Tonight, Twin Cities will host a special event for the hornets, along with crate late models, pure stocks, modifieds and RaceSaver sprints. For more info, visit twincitiestrack.com.
This week in racing history
From 60 years ago in 1958, Ted Pfeiffer won the open stock car feature at the 25th Street Fairgrounds in Columbus. John Topie was second, with Bob Kinser finishing third. Orville Yeadon and Calvin Gilstrap completed the top five.
From 50 years ago in 1968, Dick Gaines won the 100-lap sprint car feature at Bloomington Speedway.
Larry Cannon was second, with Richard Jackson, Sheldon Kinser and Butch Wilkerson completing the top-five drivers.
Also from 1968 at 25th Street Fairgrounds, it was hometown driver Gene Petro taking the late model feature win over Jack Owens.
From 40 years ago in 1978, Dee Kramer won the hobby stock feature at Twin Cities over Phil Fultz, Troy Burton, Gary Everroad and Larry Goodin.
Also from 1978 at Brownstown, it was Bob Fleetwood taking the late model feature over Ira Bastin, Paul Crockett, John Mull and Joe Roberts. Doc Jewell won the hobby stock main over Chuck Gilpin, Stan Wiggam, Roger Hehman and Bill Smith.
From 30 years ago in 1988, Jim Curry won the late model feature at Twin Cities over C.J. Rayburn, Dill Whittymore, Charlie Sentman and John Gill. Rolla Millspaugh won the street stock main over Taulby Donnell, Phil Fultz, Merrill Wilson and Greg Kendall.
Also from 1988 at Brownstown, it was Bob Pierce winning the late model feature over John Gill, Jim Curry, Ray Godsey and C.J. Rayburn. Earl Plessinger won the street stock feature over Larry Harris, Mark Barber, Billy Filburn and Mike Fields. Randy Petro won the bomber main over Jay Deckard, Ron Hoover, Rick Graham and Ray Hughes.
From 1988 this weekend at Bloomington, it was Joe Gaerte winning the sprint car feature over Rick Hood, Kelly Kinser, Jeff Gordon and Randy Kinser.
