Ryan Thomas of Brownstown won his first feature race of the season on April 18 at Paragon Speedway.
Ryan Thomas of Brownstown led wire-to-wire in winning his first Northern Allstars Modified Series Powered by Sunoco Race Fuels main event on April 18 at Paragon Speedway.
Thomas earned $1,500 for the win as he became the third different winner in three races in 2025 after the series was brought back this year after a 25-year hiatus.
Trent Young finished second, matching his best Northern Allstars finish of the year, finishing 1.312-second behind Thomas at the checkers. Current Northern Allstars Modified points leader Colin Green was third, with J.P. Roberts Jr. and Jordan Wever completing the top five drivers.
Thomas jumped out in front at the drop of the green flag, with Dillon Nusbaum hounding him in the early going. Nusbaum ran second until he suddenly dropped out the race, putting Young in the second spot.
Young would try several times to get by Thomas, but each time, Thomas would fight off his fellow Diamond KT3 racer as he completed the clean sweep of the night after setting fast time in his group and winning his heat race to earn the Coltman Farms Racing pole position.
The winner’s Diamond KT3 Chassis is powered by Mullins Racing Engine and sponsored by Hoosier Truck Sales, Penske Racing Shocks, Allstar Performance and Willy’s Carb and Dyno Shop.
Completing the top 10 were Tyler Loughmiller, Ben Harmon, Cody Kibby, Nick Snell and Blaze Melton.
Jameson takes Paragon late model win
Jason Jameson’s first two starts this year in the Northern Allstars Late Model Dirt Series Powered by Sunoco Race Fuels ended before it began, but on April 18 at Paragon Speedway, he turned it all around, taking the lead from Hudson O’Neal on Lap 36 and leading the rest of the way to win the Inaugural Marvin O’Neal Memorial Race worth $10,071. It was the richest paying Late Model race in the 71-year history of the track.
The 40-year-old Lawrenceburg native, who started seventh, won the 50-lap main over O’Neal, whose grandfather the race was named after, Steve Peeden, Ryan Gustin and Tyler Neal.
O’Neal, who even though he grew up just 10 minutes from Paragon, was racing at the 3/8-mile track for the first time in his career. He was looking for a clean sweep on the night, as he set the overall fast time and won his heat race to earn the Coltman Farms Racing pole position.
O’Neal took the lead at the start of the race and received constant pressure from Gustin for the first part of the race. A terrific two- and three-wide battle for third was taking place behind the two front runners.
The complexion of the race changed on a Lap 35 restart. With O’Neal on the point for the Delaware double-file restart, Gustin and Jameson were lined up side-by-side behind him, and the trio exited Turn 2. Jameson got the run he was looking for and dived below O’Neal heading into Turn 3 to work his way to the lead.
Josh Rice, the two-time and reigning series champion and the winner of the first two NALMS races this year, moved into second place, but that was short lived, as the water pump went of the car, ending his night with 42 laps scored.
The final restart saw Jameson hold off O’Neal to the checkers.
In Sunoco Race Fuels Victory Lane for the first time in the Northern Allstars Late Model Dirt Series history, Jameson became the 10th different winner in the 12 races the series has run since being brought back in 2023.
Jameson, who last raced at Paragon 23 years ago in an Indiana Super Stock, was complimentary of the track crew who prepped the track for only the fifth super late model race in track history.
“If this track is like this absolutely we need more late model races here, we would pack the house,” he said. “My opinion is if there isn’t a cushion on a racetrack, it isn’t a racetrack.”
The winner’s James Rattliff-owned Longhorn chassis is powered by a Cornett Racing Engine and sponsored by MGL Auto Sales, Grant Lee Farms, JRR Trucking, JRR Motors Sales, The Auto Outlet and Keltner Contracting.
Completing the top 10 were David Webb, Daulton Wilson, Devin Gilpin, Dustin Shoulders and Dustin Nobbe.
This week in racing history
From 70 years ago, Jim Quillen won the 1955 season opener at the Columbus Speedway over Mike Johnson, John Topie and Bill Dewey.
From 60 years ago, the season opener at the Lawrenceburg Speedway went to Ross Smith in the super modified division over Don Hewitt, Jim Waltz, Larry Cannon and Wayne Wolf. Joe Burdette won the stock car feature race.
From 50 years ago this weekend at Brownstown, Paul Crockett won the late model feature over Dennis Boknecht, Roger Absher, Steve Trabue and Wendell Smith. Jeff Mounce won the hobby stock feature over Harry Brady and Al Murphy.
Also from 1975 at Twin Cities, Roger Zellner won the 6-cylinder feature over Dee Kramer, Chuck Gilpin, Frank Nichols and Scott Schirmer. Jack Smith won the hobby stock feature over Russ Smiley, Bill Mann, Bob Olmsted and Powell Ballard.
From 1985 at Twin Cities, Roger Sullivan won the late model feature over Buck Ross, John Warner, Marvin Strong and Carl Collins. Darrell Smallwood won the modified street stock feature over Tim Wilburn, Willie Sallee, Earl Plessinger and Jim Beeman. Danny Sallee won the street stock feature over Randy Petro, Paul Lucas, Mark Bruce and Jim Shubert.
From 40 years ago in 1985 at Brownstown, Kevin Claycomb won the late model feature over Dick Potts, Steve Barnett, Dusty Chapman and John Gill. Mike Jewell won the modified street stock feature over Dan Londeree, Steve Trabue, Don Barnett,and John Mull.
From 30 years ago in 1995 at Brownstown, Joe Lucas won the street stock feature over Greg Roberts, Tim Clark, Jay Deckard and Delbert Ross. Brad Barrow won the late model feature over Gary Burton, Scott Patman, Ted Nobbe and Dusty Chapman. The late model and bomber features were rained out.
Upcoming local racing schedule
Tonight: Brownstown Speedway – super late models, super stocks, pure stocks, crown vics and hornets. For more information, visit brownstownspeedway.com
Tonight: Paragon Speedway – 410 sprints, bombers, super stocks and hornets. For more information, visit paragonspeedway.com.
Tonight: Lawrenceburg Speedway – IMCA RaceSaver sprints plus pro stocks, hornets and crown vics.
Friday: Circle City Raceway, Indianapolis – Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series $15,000 to win. For more information, visit circlecityraceway.com
May 3: Florence Speedway, Union, Kentucky – Ralph Latham Memorial for the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series – $25,000 to win. For more information, visit florencespeedway.com
James Essex writes a motorsports notebook for The Republic. Send comments to sports@therepublic.com
