Devin Gilpin of Columbus pickled up his first super late model feature win of the year on May 11 at Brownstown Speedway. Tonight, Gilpin will be in action with the Northern Allstars Late Model Dirt Series at Lawrenceburg Speedway.
Submitted photos
Brownstown Speedway featured two Late Model divisions on May 11. The Slicker Graphics Super Late Models and the P3 Graphix Indiana Late Model Series Pro Late Models were both on hand for racing action. Crossroads Truck Equipment Pure Stocks, Hornets and Crown Vics also joined in on the racing action.
Adam Stricker jumped to the early lead in Slicker Graphics Super Late Models, with Devin Gilpin of Columbus in hot pursuit. On the restart, after a Lap 9 caution, Tyler Collins joined in on the battle for the lead. Stricker, Gilpin and Collins would battle three wide down the backstretch. Gilpin took the lead for good with four laps to go and went on to record his first win of the year.
Collins ended up second, followed by Stricker, Shelby Miles and David Webb. Completing the top 10 were Jordan Wever, Jared Bailey, Blake Creech, Matt Boknecht and Brad Rickels.
Chad Stapleton of Edinburgh battled Jug Wethington in the early part of the P3 Graphix Indiana Late Model Series Pro Late Model feature. Stapleton and Wethington swapped the lead a couple times before Stapleton took the lead for good to get his first ILMS win of 2024. Derek Groomer finished second from his 20th starting spot. Steve Peeden, Jug Wethington and Marty O’Neal rounded out the top five.
Brent McMillan of North Vernon picked up his second win of the year in Crossroads Truck Equipment Pure Stocks. McMillan led the entire race, but had to take evasive action to miss a spinning car that he was about to lap. Preston Carr, Josh Turner, A.J. Wilson and Ross Smith followed McMillian at the finish.
Dustin Cross led all 20 laps of the Crown Vic feature to score his second win of the year. Eric Lewis got beside Cross a few times during the event, but just couldn’t get to the lead. Lewis finished second, with Matt Weston, Lane Arcaro and Dalton Fleenor rounding out the top five.
Chris Hillman Jr. and Michael Brewer swapped the lead several times in the early part of the Hornet division feature. Brewer droped out with mechanical issues, and Hillman lost his right rear tire with six laps to go. Conner Garrison of Bloomington, who seemed to be catching Hillman, took over the lead after Hillman’s misfortune. Garrison went on to get his first ever Brownstown win. Nathan Jones, Jeremy Shemwell, Shannon Walp and Preston Righthouse followed Garrison at the checkers.
Super Late Model Feature Results: Devin Gilpin, Tyler Collins, Adam Stricker, Shelby Miles, David Webb, Jordan Wever, Jared Bailey, Blake Creech, Matt Boknecht, Brad Rickels, Quentin White, Lee Williams, Mark Bechelli, Michael LeFevers, Casey White, Chad Stapleton, Mike Bechelli, Kody Marsee-DNS.
Crate Late Model Feature Results: Chad Stapleton, Derek Groomer, Steve Peeden, Jug Wethington, Marty O’Neal, Brent Lee, Zachary Stalker, Zack Burton, Alan Magner, Brian Wilhite, Robert Rainey, Elliott Despain, Caleb Schryer, Zac Gibbs, Blake Robertson, Doug Cooper, Tyler Cain, Rohn Moon, Keegan Cox, Landon Arcaro.
Pure Stock Feature Results: Brent McMillan, Preston Carr, Josh Turner, A.J. Wilson, Ross Smith, Cody Ellison, Keaton Streeval, Tanner Short, A.J. Warren, Donnie Wilson, Daniel Hupp, Davey Waggoner, Vern Albertson, Kevin Bloom, Tommy Fleenor, Bobby Woods, Gavin Albertson, Joe McLaughlin, Hunter Perry, Tim Bailey, Ronnie Pardue, Mickey Hines-DNS.
Crown Vic Feature Results: Dustin Cross, Eric Lewis, Matt Weston, Lane Arcaro, Dalton Fleenor, Anthony Finley, Brandon Lange, Ryan Woods, Stacie Fitzgerald, Todd Cain, Eric Lynn, Paul Ortman, Josh Woods, Gary Amos, Matthew Clouse, Ray Weston, Zachary Hall.
Hornet Feature Results: Conner Garrison, Nathan Jones, Jeremy Shemwell, Shannon Walp, Preston Righthouse, Marshall Claycamp, James Simmons, Jamie Ogle, Tyler Blythe, Eli Crockett, Kaleb Caudill, Todd Dasenbrock, Chris Hillman Jr., Josh Arthur, Max Claycamp, Michael Brewer, Landon Hayes, Matthew Christian, Gabe Gross, Scott Smith-DNS.
Seavey takes USAC sprints at Bloomington
After seeing victory slip away on late-race restarts in three of his past four USAC AMSOIL Sprint Car National Championship starts, Logan Seavey wasn’t about to let another escape from his grasp.
On a late restart in the May 10 Larry Rice Classic, Seavey was picture perfect when he delivered his first career Bloomington Speedway victory in his Abacus Racing/CG CPAs–Indy Custom Stone–Forecheck Marketing/DRC/Stanton Chevy.
In February’s Winter Dirt Games finale at Florida’s Ocala Speedway, C.J. Leary scooted under Seavey on a restart with three laps to go. On a restart with 14 laps to go at Lawrenceburg Speedway, Kevin Thomas Jr. gained the upper hand by steadily driving past on the bottom for the top spot. Just two laps after the restart during the May 11 thriller at Ohio’s Eldora Speedway, Justin Grant stuck a slider in Turns 1 and 2 on Seavey, then led the final three laps.
When a caution came with just four laps remaining in the May 10 main event at Bloomington, Seavey was game for the challenge, fending off the challenges from both Ricky Lewis and a surging Daison Pursley to win his third USAC National Sprint Car feature of the year.
Throughout the first quarter of the season, Seavey has now posted nine top-three finishes, which has allowed him to open up a 71-point lead, the largest throughout the first 10 USAC National Sprint Car events since Justin Grant 2017.
Furthermore, the race had another special, more personal meaning to Seavey. The Larry Rice Classic is held annually in memory of the three-time USAC national champion driver and television commentator. One year ago, Seavey captured the USAC Silver Crown National Championship at the wheel of a Rice-owned car operated by Larry’s son Robbie.
Seavey’s 13th career USAC National Sprint Car feature win moved him up another line on the series’ career win list, pushing him past Eric Gordon and into a tie with Steve Chassey on the list for 47th all-time. The victory also marked Seavey’s first at Bloomington’s 1/4-mile red clay oval after finishing third in each of his past two Larry Rice Classic starts in 2018 and 2023.
“I’m just happy to get a win here,” Seavey exclaimed. “I always love coming to Bloomington. I never could quite win here, but this thing was so good tonight.”
USAC National Sprint Car Feature Finish: Logan Seavey, Daison Pursley, C.J. Leary, Ricky Lewis, Shane Cottle, Jake Swanson, Brady Bacon, Kyle Cummins, Justin Grant, Matt Westfall, Robert Ballou, Brayden Fox, Kevin Thomas Jr., Chase Stockon, Harley Burns, Anton Hernandez, Mitchel Moles, Carson Garrett, Rylan Gray, Joey Amantea, Gabriel Gilbert, Geoff Ensign, Chance Crum, Jadon Rogers.
This week in racing history
On May 17, 1964, Twin Cities Speedway in Vernon opened for the first time with Ron Heavern winning the feature race.
From 60 years ago in 1964 at Bloomington, Bill Dugger won the super-modified feature over Dick Gaines, Mike Johnson, Wayne Wolfe and Don Jackson. Sheldon Kinser won the figure-8 feature over Jack Owens, Rodney Ritter and Galen Fox.
Also from this weekend in 1964 at Lawrenceburg, Dick Gaines won the super-modified feature over Kenny Tumery, Wayne Wolfe and Cecil Beavers. Earl Smith won the stock car feature race over Bruce Gould and Whitey Freeman.
From 40 years ago in 1984 at Brownstown, Gerald Dixon won the late model feature over Lee Fleetwood, Pete Willoughby, Dennis Boknecht and Roger Absher. Gary DeWitt Sr. won the modified street stock feature over Karl Roethemeier, Mike Bechelli, Marty Thompson and Tony Ogle.
From 1984 at I-65 Speedway in Scottsburg, Gerald Dixon won the late model feature over Ray Godsey, Pete Willoughby, Paul Crockett and Dennis Boknecht. Earl Plessinger won the modified street stock feature race over Howard Montgomery, Timmy Blackwell, Billy Filburn and Dave Stewart.
Also from 40 years ago this week at Twin Cities, Gary Herbert won the special Wednesday night late model feature over Danny Eichler, C.J. Rayburn, Steve Boley and Dee Kramer. Randy Petro won the street stock feature over Bub Crawhorn, Ray Hughes, Robbie White and Dennis Barber. On that Saturday night, Steve Boley won the late model feature over Daryl Herbert, Scott McKeand, Dee Kramer and Bud Seymour. Howard Montgomery won the modified street stock feature over Willie Sallee, Earl Plessinger, Mark Barber and Joe Burdette.
From 30 years ago in 1994 at Brownstown, Scott Bloomquist won the Anniversary Race over Kevin Weaver, Davey Johnson, Bill Frye and Todd Andrews. Earl Plessinger won the street stock feature over Jim Ruddick, Darren Davis, Jeff Wilson and Darin George.
Also from 30 years ago at Twin Cities, Darrell Smallwood won the late model feature over Garry Mahoney, Tory Collins, Marty O’Neal and Mike Gibbs. Randy Petro won the street stock feature over Cale Kern, Jerry Wilson, Tim Clark and Don Barnett. Bruce Turner took the bomber feature race over Ernie Niemoeller, Larry Pratt, Terrence Johnson and Jerry Adams. Jim Holman won the amateur feature over Tim Schmaltz, Leon Holman, David Waggoner and John Miller.
Upcoming local racing schedule
Today: Lawrenceburg Speedway — Northern Allstars Late Model Dirt Series, plus modifieds, hornets and Ohio Valley legend cars. For more information, visit lawrenceburgspeedway.com
Today: Brownstown Speedway — crate late models, super stocks, pure stocks, hornets and crown vics. For more information, visit brownstownspeedway.com
Today: Paragon Speedway — 410 non-wing sprints plus super stocks, bombers, All-Star TQ midgets and 305 RaceSavers. For more information, visit paragonspeedway.com
Today: Jennings County Kart Track, Jennings County 4-H Fairgrounds — all classes (non-points), practice at 5 p.m.
Wednesday: Circle City Raceway, Indianapolis — USAC Sprints. For more information, visit circlecityraceway.com
Thursday: Circle City Raceway, Indianapolis — USAC Sprints
Friday: Bloomington Speedway — Josh Burton Memorial for sprints plus modifieds and super stocks. For more information, visit racebloomingtonspeedway.com
James Essex writes a motorsports notebook for The Republic. Send comments to [email protected]
