Bedford racer makes history at Brownstown Speedway

In the long and storied history of Brownstown Speedway another chapter was added on Aug. 18 when Aubrey Eagan of Bedford became the first woman driver to ever win a feature race in the super stock division at the Jackson County Fairgrounds track.

After coming close several times over the past few years, Eagan finally broke through, winning the 20-lap feature race. Eagan earned the outside front row for the main by taking the second heat race of the night.

Eagan, who turned 23 on Aug. 4, took home $1,000 for winning the Brandeis-sponsored event. Jason Hehman of Brownstown finished in second, with Tim Eddelman of Taylorsville finishing in third. Colton Sullivan of Columbus came home in fourth, and Josh Divine of Loogootee was fifth. The track began racing the street stock division in 1986, and later it was renamed the super stock class.

Eagan and Hehman battled side-by-side for several laps until Eagan forged ahead near the halfway mark of the race. A caution slowed her momentum, and both Hehman and Eddelman nearly were able to get by her, but Eagan held them off and pulled away to win by a half-straightaway.

Felisha Lucas of Edinburgh and April Walton are the only other woman racers to ever win any type of event at Brownstown. Lucas won a hornet feature in 2008, and Walton won a pure stock feature in 2013.

In the Indiana late model series, Marty O’Neal continued his hot streak by winning yet another feature race. O’Neal drove to his fourth win at Brownstown this season and his 11th overall in 2018. Jeremy Hines of Seymour finished second, with Tyler Neal of Paragon, Tyler Cain of Seymour and Skyller Lewis of Brownstown trailing.

Rick Gumm of Crothersville made it four in a row in the pure stock feature when the second-generation racer took the feature win. Jeremy Huebner of Loogootee was second, with Troy Clark of North Vernon finishing in third. Mickey Hines of Scipio and Zachary Stalker of Heltonville finished in fifth.

For the third time this season, Ryan Thomas of Brownstown scored the win in the open wheel modified feature race. Thomas survived a battle with Matt Boknecht of Seymour to pick-up the win. Both Thomas and Boknecht were driving Diamond Race Cars based in Brownstown. Jeremy Owens of North Vernon, Earl Plessinger of Lexington and Tim Rivers of Salem completed the top-five drivers.

Bill Grant of Clarksville, the current hornet division points leader, added to his margin when he scored the victory in the feature race. John Mayer Jr. of Edinburgh crossed the finish line in second, with Greg Garrison of Bloomington taking third, followed by Cody Perry of North Vernon and Donnie Modesty of Seymour.

Brownstown will be off from racing tonight. The next scheduled race will be on Sept. 1. The 34th Annual Hoosier Dirt Classic for super late models will be contested. Also racing will be modifieds, pure stocks, pure stocks and hornets. For more information, visit brownstownspeedway.com

Ballou wins Gaines Memorial

On Aug. 18 at Lawrenceburg Speedway, Robert Ballou passed Jarett Andretti coming off of Turn 4 to edge out the son of NASCAR and IndyCar veteran John Andretti at the finish line, winning the Dick Gaines Memorial by half-a-car length. Garrett Abrams finished in third, followed by Nick Bilbee and Dickie Gaines.

Adam Stricker won the open wheel modified feature, besting Kyle Schornick, Scotty Kincaid, Jim Szekacs and Pete Holt.

Lawrenceburg will be back in action tonight with the hornet nationals. On the race program will be hornets, school bus races and open wheel modifieds. For up-to-date info, visit lawrenceburgspeedway.com

Twin Cities racing tonight

Twin Cities Raceway Park in Vernon, after being off last weekend, will pick back up with its 2018 race schedule tonight with the rescheduled Mark Clark Memorial for super stocks, plus a regular show of crate late models, 305 RaceSaver sprints, hornets, pure stocks. For more info, visit twincitiestrack.com.

Windom wins USAC in Illinois

Chris Windom came from the 13th starting spot to take the lead from Kevin Thomas Jr. on the 92nd lap of the Tony Bettenhausen 100 to win the USAC Silver Crown event on Aug. 18 at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield. Windom then went on to take the prestigious victory over Thomas, Justin Grant, Jacob Wilson and polesitter Jerry Coons Jr.

Kody Swanson, the current Silver Crown points leader, started in second, but quickly faded back as he was credited with a 26th place finish. Swanson was looking to extend his record-setting streak, which stood at five in a row heading into the event.

The next USAC Silver Crown event will be on Sept. 2 at the Du Quoin State Fairgrounds in Du Quoin, Illinois for the Ted Horn 100. For more info, visit usacracing.com.

Kinser Memorial moved

Bloomington Speedway was forced to postpone the Bob Kinser Memorial Race on Aug. 17 due to rainy conditions. The event has been rescheduled for Friday. It will be the final event of the season at the track. For further info, visit bloomingtonspeedway.com.

Florence holding fan appreciation

Florence Speedway in Union, Kentucky, after a hugely successful Sunoco Race Fuels North/South 100, will be holding Fan Appreciation Night tonight with a full program of super late models, crate late models, open wheel modifieds, sport mods and hornets. For more info, visit florencespeedway.com.

This week in racing history

From 50 years ago in 1968 at 25th Street Speedway in Columbus, the winner of the feature was Ezra Bastin. Russ Smiley and Jim Haley trailed Bastin across the finish line.

From 1978, the World of Outlaws Sprint Cars made their first-ever appearance at the Bloomington Speedway. Hometown driver Steve Kinser would take home the win over Rick Ferkel, Bob Kinser, Danny Smith and Butch Wilkerson. Russ Petro won his 12th hobby stock feature in 12 attempts when he led across the finish line Sam Stockon, Dee Kramer, Ronnie Rhodes and Willie Sallee.

Also 40 years ago in 1978 at Paragon Speedway, it was Bob Kinser winning the sprint feature over Frank Hollingsworth, Larry Miller, Steve Long and Leon Gentry. Steve Messmer won the stock car feature race over Joe Lobb, Lee Fleetwood, Marvin O’Neal and Terry Buster.

On this weekend in 1978 at Brownstown, it was Ira Bastin taking the late model feature over Bob Fleetwood, Ray Godsey, Kenny Hardin and Paul Crockett. Doc Jewell won the hobby stock feature over Gary Harden, Mac Swim, Steve Rollins and Bob Wilson.

In 1978 at Twin Cities, R.A. Cook won the hobby stock main over Troy Burton, Ed Lloyd, Dee Kramer and Roger Sullivan.

From 30 years ago in 1988 at Twin Cities, the late model feature went to Bobby Carnes over Lee Fleetwood, Steve Barnett, Mike Jewell and Ray Godsey. Mark Barber took the street stock feature win over Phil Fultz, Mark Clark, Buford Burton and Taulby Donnell.

From 1988 at Brownstown, Jim Curry won the Jackson 100 after apparent winner Jack Boggs was disqualified. Larry Moore finished in second, followed by Ray Godsey, C.J. Rayburn and Bob Pierce. Earl Plessinger took the street stock special over Joe Johnson, Gary Green, Scott Patman and Billy Filburn.