What won the race: Assuming command when leader Brandon Sheppard’s engine went up in smoke with two laps to go, Hudson O’Neal of Martinsville, Ind., controlled the green-white-checkered restart to capture Thursday night’s 30-lap Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series feature at I-70 Speedway. The 21-year-old standout pocketed $10,000 for his second victory of 2022 on the national tour after crossing the finish line 0.562 of second before Jimmy Owens, who overtook Tim McCreadie on the final restart to secure the runner-up position.

Quotable: “We’ve been pecking away at it,” O’Neal said. “I think we had a strong night all night long, qualified good, heat-raced good, and we had a really good piece there in the feature. I’m just so, so proud of my guys. I think we’ve stumbled upon something good. We just gotta keep going.”

Key notes: O’Neal’s 15th career Lucas Oil Series triumph was his second in eight days. His first win of the season came July 6 at Davenport, Iowa. … Owens, who led laps 1-11, slipped as far back as fourth before taking advantage of Sheppard’s misfortune to finish second. … Sheppard, debuting a new machine his Rocket Chassis house car team assembled in West Virginia earlier in the week, overtook Owens for the lead on lap 12 and was nearly one second ahead of O’Neal when smoke and oil poured from his No. 1 as he raced through turns three and four with the white flag about to be displayed. … Thursday’s extremely hot weather caused overheating problems for many teams, prompting Lucas Oil Series officials to reduce the feature distance from 40 to 30 laps. … With the event co-sanctioned by the Lucas Oil Midwest LateModel Association, the tour’s points leader, Johnny Scott, took a hit when he pulled off during the feature pace laps due to broken fuel and power steering pumps. … Kaeden Cornell's new Black Diamond car was felled by mechanical trouble, forcing him to scratch from the feature. ... The national tour made its debut at I-70 Motorsports Park, a long-ago stop on major Dirt Late Model circuits and a historic asphalt track for many years. ... The Chris Payne-promoted track, which sits just east of the Kansas City metro area, was built in 1969, closed in 2008 and reopened last season.

On the move: Chad Simpson of Mount Vernon, Iowa, started 19th and finished 10th.

Winner's sponsors: O’Neal’s Double Down Motorsports Rocket Chassis is powered by a Cornett Racing Engine and sponsored by Lazydays RV, O’Neal’s Salvage and Recycling, 2150 Enterprises, WR1 Sim Chassis, Smoky Mountain Speedway, VP Racing Fuels, Tarpy Trucking, Integra Racing Shocks, Matco Tools, Midwest Sheet Metal, FK Rod Ends and Lucas Oil.

Points chase: After I-70: 1. Tim McCreadie (4,550); 2. Brandon Sheppard (4,455); 3. Ricky Thornton Jr. (4,350); 4. Tyler Erb (4,220); 5. Hudson O’Neal (4,150); 6. Earl Pearson Jr. (4,010); 7. Garrett Alberson (3,750); 8. Daulton Wilson (3,575); 9. Spencer Hughes (3,415); 10. Ross Robinson (3,295).

Current weather: Clear, 88°F

Car count: 24

Fast qualifier: Brandon Sheppard

Time: 15.478 seconds

Polesitter: Brandon Sheppard

Heat race winners: Brandon Sheppard, Jimmy Owens, Daulton Wilson

Next series race: July 15, Tri-City Speedway (Granite City, IL) $12,000