Kayla Roel won her first sprint car race at Lawrenceburg Speedway on July 13. Standing with her in victory lane was promoter Shane McHenry.
Kayla Roel won her first career Kelsey Chevrolet Sprint Car race at Lawrenceburg Speedway on July 13, storming from a seventh-place starting position to the lead within just six laps.
She also became the first woman to win a sprint car race since the Lawrenceburg track was redesigned to its current 3/8-mile layout. Lowell’s performance was impressive to say the least. She was clearly the fastest car on the track and showed it as she raced through the field.
Max Adams and Scotty Weir were close behind in second and third, followed by Shawn Westerfeld and Garrett Abrams. The heat race winners were Max Adams and Tyler Kendall. The Kelsey Chevrolet Sprint Cars will return to the track for the annual Dick Gaines Memorial on August 17.
Matt Hamilton won the Open Wheel Modified feature over Scotty Kincaid, Zach Bolton, Jay Green and Josh Davis. Joel Andrews won the Pure Stock feature over Gary Hume, Danny Eichler, Mike Ackman and William Diehl. Joe Plumb won the Hornet Division feature over Jack Plumb, Preston Evans, Natalie Rupp and Ryan Paciocco.
The next event in Lawrenceburg is the USAC Indiana Sprint Week race on July 28th.
Sasser wins Patman Memorial Tournament
The highly competitive Pewter Hall Super Stocks drew attention with the Scott Patman Memorial at Brownstown Speedway on July 13. The Scott Patman Memorial was originally scheduled for May 4 but was cancelled due to rain and rescheduled. The race paid $1,200 to the Super Stock winner.
Bedford’s Isaiah Susser won his second race of the year with a win at the Scott Patman Memorial. Susser’s first win came earlier this year at Brownstown. Tucker Chastain took the lead at the start of the 29-lap main event, with Brandon Carr also running on the high side of the track. Susser, who was running third on the bottom of the track, held on to the lead.
Sasser patiently built up a lead with 10 laps to go and began to extend his lead. A caution was called with two laps to go and the field bunched up for a green-white-checkered finish. Sasser held off the field to win over Tucker Chastain, Zach Sasser, Greg Amick and Matt Boknecht. Tanner Chastain, Blake Hull, Sam Ray, Jim Ruddick and Grant Simpson rounded out the top 10. Webb Lee (who started 22nd) received the “Slim Fast” award for the most position gains during the race, moving up 11 places.
Edinburgh’s Chad Stapleton captured his third win of the year in the P3 Graphics Indiana Late Model Series Pro Late Model feature. Stapleton held a comfortable lead through 25 laps of no coordination to secure the win. Tyler Cain, Tyler Neal, Steve Peden and Zach Burton were close behind at the finish.
Preston Carr of Underwood, who won his second race of the year after winning his first Crossroads Truck Equipment Pure Stocks race two weeks ago, used the top of the track to take the lead from Brent McMillan near the halfway point of the race and go on to win, ahead of Josh Turner, AJ Wilson and Tommy Fleener in second.
In the Crown Vic main race, Memphis’ Matt Cranmer earned fifth place. Cranmer took the lead on lap six and led the remainder of the main race without a caution. Philip Boudreau, Eric Lewis, Dalton Fleener and Todd Cain rounded out the top five.
North Vernon’s Michael Brewer won his third straight Hornet Division race. This was Brewer’s sixth win of the season. At the checkers, Brewer led Jeremy Shemwell, Brian Pollitt, Josh Hallett and Matt Miller.
Scott wins at Paragon
Morgantown’s Jake Scott won the Sprint Car race at Paragon Speedway on July 12. Cody Trammell was second, followed by Logan Calderwood, Andrew Prather and Travis Berryhill. Seymour’s Tyler Cain won the Crate Late Model race over Tyler Neal, Derek Groomer, Remington Gill and Marty O’Neill. Bloomington’s Ty Bland won the Hornet Division race over Josh Litton, Jeremy Wilson, Ryan Crocker and Dan Smith.
This week’s racing history
Sixty years ago, in 1964, Roy Robbins won the Super Modified feature at 25th Street Fairgrounds Raceway in Columbus, beating Jim Waltz, Bob Kinser and Orville Yeadon.
Fifty years ago, in 1974, Gene Petro held off Paul Crockett to win the Late Model feature at 25th Street Fairgrounds Raceway in Columbus.
Fifty years ago this weekend in the Twin Cities, Mike Stewart won the main race over Phil Fultz, Roger Zellner, Tommy Day and Larry Exner.
At Bloomington in 1974, Dick Gaines won the Sprint Car race over Bob Kinser and Bobby Black, and Bob Fleetwood won the Late Model race over Ira Bastin.
Fifty years ago at Paragon, Bob Kinser won the Sprint Car division over Larry Curtis, Frank Hollingsworth, Larry Martin and Leon Rose. Harold Sanders won the Hobby Stock division.
Forty years ago, in 1984, Kevin Claycomb won the Late Model division at Brownstown, beating Dick Phillips, Dusty Chapman, Kenny Simpson and Steve Barnett. Terry Eaglin won the Modified Street Stock division, beating Mike Becheri, Terry Franklin, Rodney Bays and Marty Thompson.
At the 1984 Twin Cities, Steve Boley won the Late Model division over Merrill Wilson, Scott McKend, Chuck Gilpin and Robert Brisson. Merrill Downey won the Modified Street Stock division over Larry Zingery, Willie Salley, Phil Fultz and Powell Ballard. Greg Lyle won the Street Stock division over Ray Hughes, Randy Petro, Dennis Barber and Kenny Poole.
In 1984, Jim Currie won the Late Model feature over E. M. Snowden Jr. and Lee Fleetwood at I-65 Speedway in Scottsburg. Terry Eaglin won the Modified Street Stock feature over Merrill Downey and Billy Filburn.
Forty years ago at Bloomington, Greg Staab won the Sprint Car division over Mark Kinser, Andy Hillenburg, Allen Burr and Brad Marvel. Denny Bailey won the Late Model division over Junior Pace, Danny Claycomb and Jim Ruddick. Mike Gibbs won the Street Stock division over Larry Harris, Jim Bristow, Danny Carmichael and Jeff Fender.
In 1984, Columbus Kart Club winners were Chris Simpson, Taulbee Donnell, Gary Burton, Bill Ault, Jim Wascom and Gary Cunningham.
Thirty years ago, in 1994, at Brownstown, Jim Currie won the Late Model division over Doug Ault, Jeff Wilson, James Huff and Lee Fleetwood. Joe Johnson won the Street Stock division over Delbert Ross, Scott Patman, Willie Salley and Darin George. Tom Kurtsinger won the Modified division over Brad Barrow, Dusty Chapman, John Davis and Eddie Bast. Ernie Niemoeller won the Bomber division over Larry Long, Scott Barker, Terrence Johnson and Darin George.
Upcoming local race schedule
TODAY: Brownstown Speedway and Lawrenceburg Speedway are closed.
Today: Paragon Speedway – Sprints, Crate Late Models and Modifieds. For more information, visit paragonspeedway.com.
Thursday: Brownstown Speedway – Don Gardner Memorial for Crate Late Models, Super Stocks, Hornets and MMSA Mini Sprints. For more information, visit brownstownspeedway.com.
James Essex writes Motorsport Notes for The Republic. Send your comments to (email protected)
