Mike Marlar is the defending C.J. Rayburn Memorial feature winner at Brownstown Speedway. The top dirt late model drivers in the country will be on hand for the Third Annual Rayburn Memorial on Friday and the Jackson 100 on Oct. 12 at the Jackson County Fairgrounds track.
Submitted photo
Brownstown Speedway has rescheduled the events that were rained out on Sept. 28 and 29.
The Third Annual C.J. Rayburn Memorial is now set for Friday night with the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series paying $10,000 to win. Also on the card for Friday will be the Bowman 50 for the crate late models.
Then on Oct. 12 will be the 45th Annual Jackson 100 for the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series paying a record $50,000 to win. Also competing will be the super stocks and pure stocks.
McIntosh wins BC39 at IMS
After finishing as the runner-up on three different occasions in his USAC NOS Energy Drink Midget National Championship career at The Dirt Track at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sept. 20. Cannon McIntosh found himself at the right place at the right time in the right moment for a breakthrough during Sunday night’s sixth running of the Driven2SaveLives BC39 Presented By Avanti Windows & Doors.
McIntosh seized the moment on Sunday night when he took advantage of a bouncing Chase McDermand through Turns 3 and 4 as the front runners arrived at the white flag. McIntosh swung to the outside, nipped McDermand at the line to lead Lap 38 before McDermand slid him back in Turn 1. McIntosh cut back under McDermand in Turns 1 and 2 on the final lap to secure the top spot, the thrill of victory, a place in the history books and a $20,039 prize.
With his efforts, McIntosh became the sixth different BC39 winner in as many races while also becoming the driver who led the least amount of laps en route to victory in the history of the event — two — in his Keith Kunz-Curb-Agajanian Motorsports/GearWrench–Mobil 1–TRD/LynK/Speedway Toyota.
McIntosh’s 0.191 second margin of victory is the closest in BC39 history, but he’s been used to close calls at the 1/5-mile dirt oval over the years. This time around, however, he was finally the one who prevailed.
“We’ve been so close to winning here, even on prelim nights, and we just hadn’t gotten it done,” McIntosh remarked. “I don’t think I’ve ever been that excited crossing the line. I think this is definitely No. 1. To be able to win at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and to put my name in the history books, is pretty special. I’m so thankful to do this in honor of Bryan (Clauson) who was a legend in this sport and a hero. To do this in his name with (Bryan’s father) Tim (Clauson) here, it’s a really cool feeling to be able to do this, and I’m just so grateful to be able to race here.”
With all that said, McDermand was in total control at the front of the field with a four car length lead on the back straight with the white flag in sight. But as McDermand entered the bottom of Turn 3 on Lap 38, the axis of the Earth seemingly tilted, sending McDermand biking on two wheels through the corner. When he landed on all fours in Turn 4, his front bumper was facing toward the infield.
McDermand recovered in time to beat McIntosh into Turn 1 on the final lap, but without the proper angle, McDermand slid up the racetrack and McIntosh slid under. Simultaneously, Jade Avedisian bolted around the outside of McDermand to occupy second. With McIntosh working the bottom and Avedisian the middle/top, McIntosh beat her to the line by less than two car lengths. McDermand took third, another couple car lengths behind Avedisian. Pursley came home fourth while Kevin Thomas Jr. rounded out the top five.
Avedisian was that close to becoming the first woman to win a USAC National Midget feature. Her end result was the fourth runner-up finish of her career with the series aboard the Keith Kunz-Curb-Agajanian Motorsports/Mobil 1 car.
“It’s super, super heartbreaking,” Avedisian admitted. “I wanted this one so bad. You do it for these kinds of races, and when you’re in a spot to capitalize and it just doesn’t fall your way, it’s heartbreaking. I could cry right now. I’m going to think about this one for a long time. I wanted to kiss those bricks really badly, but it didn’t happen and I gave my best effort and the team gave their best effort. I was willing to either flip it or win it. On the four-wide, I was telling myself that I’m either going to end up over the fence or I’m going to have a good shot to win this thing. That’s just what this race means to me and what this whole event means to me. I’d be willing to do whatever it takes to win.”
This week in racing history
From 50 years ago in 1974 at the Bartholomew County 4-H Fairgrounds, Kerry Norris won the UMRA midget car feature over Bob Hamilton, Jim Berry and Billy Campbell.
Also from 1974 at the 25th Street Fairgrounds Speedway in Columbus, Bob Olmsted won the hobby stock feature over Chuck Gilpin, Chuck Terry, Russ Smiley and Darrell Smallwood. Karen Fultz won the powder puff race.
From 50 years ago at Twin Cities, Dee Kramer won the open competition late model feature over Johnny Robbins, Ray Godsey, Richard Cook and Scott Schirmer. David Petro won the hobby stock feature over Jack Smith, Curly Mahoney Jr., Ron Hoover and Powell Ballard.
Upcoming local racing schedule
Tonight: Brownstown Speedway – Season Championships – super late models, crate late models, super stocks, pure stocks, hornets and crown vics. For more information, visit brownstownspeedway.com
Tonight: Paragon Speedway – Season Championships – sprints, super stocks, bombers, hornets and modifieds. For more information, visit paragonspeedway.com
Tonight: Tri-State Speedway, Haubstadt – Harvest Cup for 410 sprints and 305 RaceSaver sprints. For more information tristatespeedway.com
Tonight: Jennings County Kart Track, Jennings County 4-H Fairgrounds, North Vernon – all divisions, practice starts at 5 p.m.
Sunday: Terre Haute Action Track — USAC Silver Crown National Championship Race. plus modiifeds.
Friday: Brownstown Speedway – C.J. Rayburn Memorial Race for the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, plus Bowman 50 for crate late models
Friday: Lawrenceburg Speedway – USAC Sprints For more information, visit lawrenceburgspeedway.com
Oct. 12: Brownstown Speedway – 45th Annual Jackson 100 for the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series – $50,000 to win, plus super stocks and pure stocks.
James Essex writes a motorsports notebook for The Republic. Send comments to [email protected]
