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July 16
Shelby County Speedway,
Harlan, IA
Sanction: Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series (Kosiski Family 53) - $10,000
Information provided by: Kyle McFadden, series and track reports (last updated July 23, 1:17 am)
Three-wide pass propels O'Neal to Harlan victory
Kosiski Family 53
- Hudson O'Neal
- Ricky Thornton Jr.
- Garrett Alberson
- Devin Moran
- Jonathan Davenport
- Daulton Wilson
- Max Blair
- Clay Harris
- Blair Nothdurft
- Brandon Sheppard
- Mike Marlar
- Tim McCreadie
- Drake Troutman
- Ross Robinson
- Logan Seavey
- Jimmy Owens
- Brenden Smith
- Derrick Stewart
- Tad Pospisil
- Allan Hopp
- Carson Ferguson
- Boom Briggs
- Chad Simpson
- Cory Lawler
Hudson O'Neal celebrates his fifth Lucas Oil victory of 2024.
What won the race: Making a gutsy inside move with a three-wide pass on the 22nd lap, Hudson O'Neal of Martinsville, Ind., cruised the rest of Tuesday's 53-lapper for a $10,053 victory in the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series debut at Shelby County Speedway. The third-starting O'Neal, who slipped under pole-starting Ricky Thornton Jr. and high-running Garrett Alberson with his winning move, finished 3.503 seconds ahead of Thornton for his second tour victory in as many nights for SSI Motorsports and fifth of the season overall.
Quotable: Sticking with the low groove is "one of the most discipline things you'll do, just sit there and slow down and slow down and slow down," O'Neal said. "I had a great car (SSI crew chief Anthony) Burroughs gave me just an unbelievable car to work with down there and I just kept trying to pick away and pick away at it, and it worked out."
Key notes: O'Neal, who rejoined the SSI Motorsports team last week in replacing Thornton and won Monday at Eagle Raceway, notched his 26th career Lucas Oil victory. ... O'Neal pounded his car's roof in victory lane as he heard some boos from the crowd, noting the "mixed emotions" in his victory lane interview. ... Former Iowa resident Ricky Thornton Jr., who ran the extreme high side in the final laps, led the first 14 laps and laps 19-22 in making a bid for his first victory with his new Koehler Motorsports team. ... Third-starting Moran slipped back to fifth early before securing a podium spot in the late stages. ... Sixth-starting Garrett Alberson led laps 15-18 after going from third-to-first on a restart. ... Thornton and Alberson got together on lap 26 exiting turn two with Thornton nearly sideways, but both survived a skirmish that briefly appeared as if it would trigger a backstretch pileup. ... Devin Moran clipped an infield tire and Daulton Wilson made contact exiting turn two with seven laps left but both soldiered on with Wilson briefly showing smoke. ... Flat tires stung top-10 runners Tim McCreadie and Jimmy Owens among others. ... Three cautions slowed the action, the third and final one on lap 44 for debris. ... Drake Troutman slowed on lap 41. ... The first yellow appeared when Tad Pospisil got sideways on the 15th lap after slight contact with Ross Robinson. ... In heat action, Mike Marlar tangled with O'Neal and the resulting damage forced him to take a provisional starting spot in the feature; he started 23rd and finished 11th.
On the move: Leading series rookie Clay Harris of Jupiter, Fla., started 16th and finished eighth.
Winner's sponsors: O’Neal’s SSI Motorsports Longhorn Chassis is powered by a Clements 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, Bob & Tammy Burton, Bobcat of Batesville, Indiana USSSA Fastpitch, West Side Tractor Sales, Bilstein Shocks, Sunoco Race Fuels and Midwest Sheet Metal.
Points chase: After Shelby County: 1. Ricky Thornton Jr. (4,630); 2. Jonathan Davenport (4,330); 3. Devin Moran (4,285); 4. Hudson O'Neal (3,940); 5. Tim McCreadie (3,910); 6. Garrett Alberson (3,760); 7. Mike Marlar (3,740); 8. Daulton Wilson (3,715); 9. Jimmy Owens (3,560); 10. Max Blair (3,325).
Current weather: Broken Clouds, 73°F
Car count: 28
Fast qualifier: Devin Moran
Time: 13.499 seconds
Polesitter: Ricky Thornton Jr.
Heat race winners: Ricky Thornton Jr., Hudson O'Neal, Devin Moran, Jonathan Davenport
Consolation race winners: Blair Nothdurft
Provisional starters: Mike Marlar, Cory Lawler
Next series race: August 8, Florence Speedway (Union, KY) $6,000
Editor's note: Results and race details are unofficial.