Dirt on Dirt - RaceWire

September 25

Brownstown Speedway,

Brownstown, IN

Sanction: Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series (C.J. Rayburn Memorial) - $10,000

Information provided by: Bryan Ault, series and track reports (last updated September 26, 12:47 pm)

O'Neal rules Rayburn Memorial at Brownstown

C.J. Rayburn Memorial

Hudson O'Neal
Brandon Sheppard
Ricky Thornton Jr.
Josh Rice
Brandon Overton
Jonathan Davenport
Devin Moran
Clay Harris
Max Blair
Mike Marlar
Dillon McCowan
Carson Ferguson
Jason Jameson
Derek Groomer
Adam Stricker
Chris Ferguson
Brian Shirley
Dan Ebert
Garrett Alberson
Brenden Smith
Tyler Neal
Kyle Bronson
Tyler Collins
Seth Daniels
Frank Heckenast Jr.

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Hudson O'Neal and his SSI Motorsports team in Brownstown victory lane.

What won the race: Hudson O’Neal of Martinsville, Ind., controlled all 40 laps of Friday’s caution-free fifth annual C.J. Rayburn Memorial at Brownstown Speedway ahead of Saturday’s 47th annual WillScot Jackson 100 presented by Jackson County Visitor Center. O'Neal, who pocketed $15,000 total with a $5,000 bonus thanks to Big River Steel, beat Brandon Sheppard by 1.057 seconds, cutting his Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series points lead to 25.

Quotable: "It's been a been a few years since I've won here, so it's pretty cool to finally be standing back up here on the stage," O'Neal said in victory lane. "It's a good time to start doing it, too, in a tight points battle and it's coming down to the wire. ... C.J.  Rayburn meant so much to my dad ... so it's pretty cool to win this and put my name on that trophy."

Key notes: The victory was O’Neal’s 38th on the series, moving him into sole possession of eighth on its all-time wins list ahead of Tim McCreadie. It was also his first Brownstown win since 2024's FloRacing Night in America event. ... Ricky Thornton Jr. ran second from laps 3-27 until ceding way to Sheppard, who trailed O'Neal by as many as 3.199 seconds on lap 21 before trimming two seconds off that deficit the final 19 laps. ... Sheppard lost 30 of his 55-point lead Friday to O'Neal. ... Devin Gilpin scratched after time trials with motor issues. ... Steve Peeden spun on the opening lap of the third heat race, but avoided contact and continued competing. ... James Essex announced Brownstown will undergo a major renovation project after next year's Jackson 100 finale, including new grandstands and new track lighting. ... Daniel Hilsabeck skipped the weekend's action after the recent birth of his daughter. ... The event honored C.J. Rayburn, of Whiteland, Ind., the late Hall of Fame chassis builder who died on Jan. 1, 2022, at the age of 81 after battling Covid pneumonia. … The two-day program concludes with Saturday’s 100-lap, $50,000-to-win finale.

On the move: Mike Marlar of Winfield, Tenn., started 17th and finished 10th.

Winner's sponsors: O’Neal’s SSI Motorsports Longhorn Chassis was powered by a Cornett Racing Engine and carries sponsorship from Wheeler Metals, Professional Concrete, Dyno One, Sub-Surface of Indiana, Big River Steel, O'Neal's Salvage & Recycling, Merrill Bonding, Indiana USSSA Fastpitch, SevenSpursRanch.com, Lineal Inc. Contracting, Penske Shocks, Sunoco Race Fuels and Midwest Sheet Metal.

Points chase: After Brownstown Friday: 1. Brandon Sheppard (6,535); 2. Hudson O’Neal (6,510); 3. Devin Moran (6,395); 4. Brandon Overton (6,060); 5. Ricky Thornton Jr. (6,020); 6. Max Blair (5,905); 7. Josh Rice (5,640); 8. Brian Shirley (5,550); 9. Garrett Alberson (5,505); 10. Clay Harris (5,250).

Current weather: Clear, 63°F

Car count: 39

Fast qualifier: Hudson O'Neal

Time: 13.634 seconds

Polesitter: Hudson O'Neal

Heat race winners: Hudson O'Neal, Brandon Sheppard, Jonathan Davenport, Ricky Thornton Jr.

Consolation race winners: Mike Marlar, Frank Heckenast Jr.

Provisional starters: Garrett Alberson, Dan Ebert, Tyler Collins

Next series race: September 26, Brownstown Speedway (Brownstown, IN) $50,000

Editor's note: Results and race details are unofficial.

From staff reports

BROWNSTOWN, Ind. — Live updates from Friday’s 47th annual Jackson 100 preliminary night featuring the fifth annual C.J. Rayburn Memorial, highlighted by a 40-lap, $10,000-to-win feature for Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series-sanctioned Super Late Models (results unofficial):

Feature

Hudson O’Neal of Martinsville, Ind., controlled all 40 laps of Friday’s caution-free fifth annual C.J. Rayburn Memorial at Brownstown Speedway ahead of Saturday’s 47th annual WillScot Jackson 100 presented by Jackson County Visitor Center. O'Neal, who pocketed $15,000 total with a $5,000 bonus thanks to Big River Steel, beat Brandon Sheppard by 1.057 seconds, cutting into his Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series points lead to 25.

Feature lineup

(40 laps)

Row 1: Hudson O'Neal, Jonathan Davenport
Row 2: Brandon Sheppard, Ricky Thornton Jr.
Row 3: Josh Rice, Clay Harris
Row 4: Max Blair, Brandon Overton
Row 5: Jason Jameson, Chris Ferguson
Row 6: Adam Stricker, Devin Moran
Row 7: Brian Shirley, Tyler Neal
Row 8: Dillon McCowan, Kyle Bronson
Row 9: Mike Marlar, Frank Heckenast Jr.
Row 10: Carson Ferguson, Brenden Smith
Row 11: Derek Groomer, Seth Daniels
Row 12: Garrett Alberson, Dan Ebert
Row 13: Tyler Collins

Consolation race results

(10 laps; top three transfer)

First consolation: Mike Marlar, Carson Ferguson, Derek Groomer, Dan Ebert, Tyler Collins, Brody Smith, Shelby Miles, Trevor Landrum, Terry Casey, Justin Shaw, Cody Mahoney. Scratched: Matt Boknecht.

Second consolation: Frank Heckenast Jr., Brenden Smith, Seth Daniels, Chad Stapleton, Garrett Alberson, James Rice, Jack Dossey III, Steve Peeden, Colby Reed. Scratched: Don O'Neal, Devin Gilpin.

Heat race results

(Eight laps; top four transfer)

First heat: Hudson O'Neal, Josh Rice, Jason Jameson, Brian Shirley, Mike Marlar, Shelby Miles, Derek Groomer, Trevor Landrum, Brody Smith, Terry Casey.

Second heat: Brandon Sheppard, Max Blair, Adam Stricker, Dillon McCowan, Dan Ebert, Carson Ferguson, Tyler Collins, Cody Mahoney, Matt Boknecht, Justin Shaw.

Third heat: Jonathan Davenport, Clay Harris, Chris Ferguson, Tyler Neal, Frank Heckenast Jr., Brenden Smith, Seth Daniels, Steve Peeden, Jack Dossey III, Don O'Neal.

Fourth heat: Ricky Thornton Jr., Brandon Overton, Devin Moran, Kyle Bronson, Chad Stapleton, James Rice, Garrett Alberson, Colby Reed. Scratched: Devin Gilpin.

Time trials

Group A
Driver (car no.), hometown, time (unofficial)
1. Hudson O’Neal (71), Martinsville, Ind., 13.634
2. Adam Stricker (c7), Batavia, Ohio, 13.752
3. Jason Jameson (12J), Lawrenceburd, Ind., 13.801
4. Brandon Sheppard (1), New Berlin, Ill., 13.827
5. Josh Rice (11), Crittenden, Ky., 13.829
6. Max Blair (111), Centerville, Pa., 13.874
7. Brian Shirley (3s), Chatham, Ill., 14.004
8. Dan Ebert (60), Lake Shore, Minn., 14.033
9. Mike Marlar (157), Winfield, Tenn., 14.076
10. Carson Ferguson (93F), Lincolnton, N.C., 14.121
11. Brody Smith (17sr), Dade City, Fla., 14.130
12. Dillon McCowan (8), Urbana, Mo., 14.162
13. Shelby Miles (76s), Bloomington, Ind., 14.171
14. Tyler Collins (11c), North Vernon, Ind., 14.340
15. Trevor Landrum (18L), Florence, Ky., 14.351
16. Cody Mahoney (4), Madison, Ind., 14.497
17. Derek Groomer (D48), Bloomington, Ind., 14.519
18. Matt Boknecht (22x), Seymour, Ind., 14.701
19. Terry Casey (42), New London, Wis., 14.969
20. Justin Shaw (1cj), Greenwood, Ind., no time
Group B
1. Jonathan Davenport (49), Blairsville, Ga., 13.781
2. Ricky Thornton Jr. (20rt), Chandler, Ariz., 13.971
3. Clay Harris (6), Jupiter, Fla., 14.197
4. Brandon Overton (76), Evans, Ga., 14.382
5. Don O’Neal (71D), Martinsville, Ind., 14.447
6. Garrett Alberson (58), Las Cruces, N.M., 14.508
7. Tyler Neal (20), Paragon, Ind., 14.520
8. Devin Moran (99), Dresden, Ohio, 14.601
9. Seth Daniels (s21), Jackson, Ohio, 14.625
10. James Rice (15R), Verona, Ky., 14.687
11. Brenden Smith (17ss), Dade City, Fla., 14.734
12. Chad Stapleton (32), Edinburgh, Ind., 14.752
13. Chris Ferguson (22F), Mount Holly, N.C., 14.760
14. Devin Gilpin (1G), Columbus, Ind., 14.805
15. Frank Heckenast Jr. (99jr), Frankfort, Ill., 14.889
16. Kyle Bronson (40B), Brandon, Fla., 14.924
17. Steve Peeden (P3), Martinsville, Ind., 14.976
18. Colby Reed (21R), Bloomington, Ind., 15.082
19. Jack Dossey III (jd3), Indianapolis, Ind., 15.817

Friday’s schedule

(All times local)
3 p.m. - Gates open
3 p.m. - Tech and registration open
5:45 p.m. - Tech and registration close
6 p.m. - Drivers’ meeting
6:30 p.m. - On-track activity
- Super Late Model hot laps
- Crate Late Model group qualifying
- Super Late Model time trials (2 laps)
Opening ceremonies
- Super Late Model heats (8 laps)
- Crate Late Model heats (8 laps)
Consolation races
- Super Late Models (10 laps)
- Crate Late Models (10 laps)
Feature events
- Super Late Models (40 laps)
- Crate Late Models (50 laps)