Gilpin notches biggest win of racing career

Devin Gilpin of Columbus captured the biggest win of his racing career on Sunday at Atomic Speedway in Ohio. His car is owned by his grandfather, Don Fleetwood of Brownstown. Submitted photo

Devin Gilpin of Columbus scored the biggest win of his racing career on Sunday at Atomic Speedway in Chillicothe, Ohio, winning the $6,700-to-win late model feature event.

Gilpin inherited the top spot on Lap 18 when race leader Devin Moran suffered a flat tire. Gilpin then pulled away despite several cautions to pick up the win. Freddie Carpenter was second, followed by Jared Hawkins, Andy Bond and Moran.

“I think we hit on something right there. We’ve just been throwing stuff at it and the car finally reacted to it. It took off real well,” said the 29-year-old third-generation racer. “We’ve haven’t raced as much as would have liked to. This car has been hit or miss. I’ve ran good and won a couple of races. Hopefully, this will give us some momentum heading into the Jackson 100 in a few weeks.”

Gilpin’s car is owned by his grandfather, Don Fleetwood of Brownstown. The Rocket Chassis No. 1G is powered by a Clements Racing engine and sponsored by Ind-Sol-Tech, Jason Clarkson Logging, Freedom Fireworks, South Central Roofing, Dasco Race Supply, Tom Cat Performance and Accuforce Dynos and Testers.

Gilpin’s next local appearance will be on Sept. 25 and 26 at Brownstown Speedway for the 41st Annual Jackson 100 weekend with the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series. For more info, visit brownstownspeedway.com.

O’Neal wins for

local team

On the day he celebrated his 20th birthday, Hudson O’Neal drove to victory on Sept. 5 at Portsmouth Raceway Park in Portsmouth, Ohio, taking the win in the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series sanctioned Bob Miller Memorial. O’Neal of Martinsville drives for Craig and Shannon Sims of Hope.

O’Neal, who started eighth, grabbed the lead from Jimmy Owens on Lap 37 and then withstood a caution with one lap to go to become the 18th different winner this season as he notched his first win of 2020.

Owens finished in second, followed by the series’ top rookie Tanner English, Jared Hawkins and Shane Clanton.

Jonathan Davenport and Owns started on the front row, with Owens taking the lead on the opening lap. Owens and Davenport ran 1-2 For the first 10 laps until Devin Moran moved into the second spot and started challenging Owens for the race lead.

Moran was pressuring Owens for the lead when he suffered a left rear flat tire with 32 laps scored. On the restart, Tim McCreadie would move into second, but a few laps later, he would lose a left rear wheel heading down the backstretch. O’Neal then became the new second-place runner, and on the 37th lap, he would make his move for the lead, passing Owens for the top spot.

In Lucas Oil Victory Lane for the seventh time in his career, the former series rookie-of-the-year was relieved and excited to get first win for his new team that started just last month.

“We were fortunate enough to win at Eldora last year on my birthday,” O’Neal said. “I knew I had a good race car coming into tonight. I can’t thank Craig and Shannon Sims, my girlfriend Tessa (Sims) and Dustin Nobbe for their help. It’s been a long seven or eight months. I didn’t think I was ever going to do it again. That one late restart helped me. I was able to capitalize. It’s hard to lead these races especially when it easier to run second and especially when you can pick a line out that. That’s what I wanted to do with Jimmy. I don’t think I had the best race car there. I just think I found a line that worked for me.”

The winner’s PCC Motorsports Rocket Chassis is powered by a Cornett Racing Engine and sponsored by Professional Concrete Cutting and Drilling, Tarpy Trucking, O’Neal’s Salvage, Bob and Tammy Burton, WR! Sim Chassis, Roth Heating and Cooling and Slicker Graphics.

Completing the top 10 were Kyle Bronson, Jonathan Davenport, Josh Richards, Kody Evans and Tyler Bruening.

O’Neal and the PCC Motorsports Team’s next local appearance will be at Brownstown Speedway on Sept. 25 and 26 for the 41st Annual Jackson 100 weekend. For further info, visit brownstownspeedway.com. O’Neal is the defending Jackson 100 champion.

This week in

racing history

From 50 years ago in 1970 at Brownstown Speedway, Jim Curry won a special Monday Night race over Dennis Boknecht, Ira Bastin, Kenny Simpson and Luther Burton. From 50 years ago tonight at Brownstown, Teako Ray won the feature race over Kenny Simpson, John Warner, Gene Sutton and Dennis Boknecht.

Also, from 1970 at Bloomington Speedway, there were two sprint car features run. Calvin Gilstrap won both of them. He won the first one over Dick Gaines, Cannonball Stevens, Bob Kinser and Orville Yeadon. Gilstrap’s win in the second feature came over Kinser, Cannonball Stevens and Gaines.

From 1970 at Paragon Speedway, Larry Miller won the sprint car feature over Allen Barr and Frank Hollingsworth.

Also, from 50 years ago at Haubstadt, Rex Mitchell won the sprint car feature over Gaines and Gene Henson. Don Turpin won the late model feature over Jim Curry and Bill Beck.

From 1970 at Sweet Owen Speedway in Spencer, Larry Miller won the sprint car feature over Frank Hollingsworth and Bobby Black.

From 40 years ago in 1980 at Brownstown, Russ Petro won the late model feature over Kenny Simpson, Bubby James, Jim Elliott and Gerald Dixon. Steve Trabue won the hobby stock feature over Bobby Carrier Sr., Gary Barrow, Charlie Sentman and Tony Moore. Millard Moore took the street stock feature over Steve Niemoeller and Troy Burton.

Also, from 1980 at Twin Cities, Tommy Day won the late model feature over Pete Willoughby, Eddie Carrier Sr., T.J. Straley and Steve Boley. R.C. Calton took the street stock feature over Willie Sallee, Bucky Ross and Eugene Lockherd.

From 30 years ago in 1990 at Bloomington, Jack Hewitt won the sprint car feature over Tony Elliott, Gary Trammell, Tony Weyant and Bill Rose.

Also, from 1990 at Haubstadt, Kevin Briscoe won the sprint car feature over Eric Davis and Joey Nash. Doug McCammon won the late model feature over Ray Godsey and Rick Carneal.

From 20 years ago in 2000 at Brownstown, Steve Barnett won the late model feature over Ernie Barrow, Doug Ault, Steven Godsey and Jim Curry. Randy Petro won the modified feature over Adam Sasser, John DeMoss, Alan Magner and Todd Gilpin. Bubba Woods won the bomber feature over Robert Walters, Ernie Niemoeller, Ray Godsey Jr. and Charlie Stevens Jr.