For The Tribune
BROWNSTOWN
Brownstown Speedway looks to break the ice on its 2017 racing season by hosting two of the hottest traveling series in the nation in a doubleheader event this upcoming weekend.
The MARS DIRTcar East Series makes its inaugural visit to the famed quarter-mile dirt oval Friday night, boasting a $3,000 paycheck to the winner of the Super Late Model main event.
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UMP Modifieds, Super Stocks, Pure Stocks and Hornets all are on the schedule for the evening.
Adam Bowman, of Seymour, currently sits 12th in the MARS Series point standings after competing in Tennessee last weekend with the newly formed East series.
Bowman’s teammate Cody Mahoney currently sits 10th in the series points in his Bowman Motorsports entry.
Gates open at 3 p.m. on Friday with Hot Laps starting at 6 p.m.
General admission is $20 with kids 12 and under admitted free with a paying adult.
Headlining the weekend is the 20th Annual “Indiana Icebreaker.”
The 60-lap event for the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series presents a healthy $12,000 to the winner.
The LOLMDS sanctioned event was canceled last season due to weather.
Indiana Pro Late Models and UMP Modifieds will serve as supporting classes.
Don O’Neal, multi-winner and Brownstown Speedway Hall of Famer, comes into the weekend’s event as one of the favorites.
The Martinsville native has five “Indiana Icebreaker” victories to his credit, more than any other driver.
He currently sits eighth in LOLMDS points.
O’Neal will face some stiff competition in his bid for a sixth “Indiana Icebreaker” title, one of those competitors being his son, Hudson O’Neal.
The 16-year-old driver took the dirt late model world by storm last season after winning multiple main events at Brownstown Speedway and splashed into the national racing scene — most notably with a strong performance at the “World 100” at Eldora Speedway.
The father-son duo made history after qualifying first and second in one of the preliminary nights of the “World 100,” the first occurrence in the event’s 46-year history.
Josh Richards, in his first season of LOLMDS competition, currently leads the point standings over Scott Bloomquist who won the “Indiana Icebreaker” in 2011.
Richards is a four-time winner and reigning World of Outlaws Craftsman Late Model Series Champion.
General admission for Saturday’s event is $30.
Children ages 6 to 11 will be admitted for $10 and children 5 and under admitted for free.
Gates open at 1 p.m. and a driver autograph session will take place at 4:30 p.m. behind the main grandstands.
Hot Laps are scheduled to begin at 6 p.m.
For the latest information visit brownstownspeedway.com.