For The Tribune
BROWNSTOWN
It was Kevin Thomas Jr.’s world Friday night, and the 31 other competitors were just living in it.
The Cullman, Alabama native dominated the 10th annual “No Way Out 40,” and took home the $10,000 top prize at Brownstown Speedway.
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Thomas bested the nation’s top drivers en route to his first career “No Way Out 40” title, sweeping the night’s racing action by winning his heat race and the feature event.
“That was a pretty good night,” Thomas said in victory lane. “We were pretty fast right out of the box there. We started out with quick there in Hot Laps, then the heat race and feature. This thing was just really good all night.”
Thomas quickly jumped to the lead on lap one in his Dooling Hayward Motorsports owned No. 63, putting pole-sitter Brady Bacon to second.
Bacon was able to gain on Thomas’s sizeable lead around the 28-lap mark, but lapped traffic hindered his efforts to contend for the win. Bacon would go on to finish second with Robert Ballou rounding out the top three.
“We were really good until around the thirty-lap mark,” said Bacon, who hails from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. “We got close there a couple of times, but we just faded there at the end, didn’t have enough grip.”
Columbus, Indiana, driver Devin Gilpin went two-for-two on the night, scoring feature wins in the Super Late Model and Modified divisions.
The Super Late Model feature paid $2,000 to win.
“I’m just really thankful, this Mastersbuilt was set on kill tonight,” Gilpin said. “As good as this thing was, it’s really disappointing that the Icebreaker rained out.”
The 21st annual Indiana Icebreaker was forced to cancel due to inclement weather.
The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series sanctioned event was not rescheduled for this season.
Gilpin was able to fend off a late race charge from Seymour’s Ryan Thomas in the Modified division to pick up the feature win.
Derek Groomer led most of the main event but was passed by Gilpin and Thomas in the mid-point of the event. Groomer would go on to finish third.
“I had a great time tonight and I’m glad we were able to pull this off tonight,” Gilpin said.
Racing action resumed on Saturday night with Indiana Pro Late Models, Modifieds, Super Stocks, Pure Stocks, and MMSA Mini Sprints all in competition.
Tyler Neal picked up the Indiana Pro Late Model Series season opener over Seymour’s Tyler Cain.
Eighteen entries signed in for competition with the local touring series.
Seymour’s Matt Boknecht scored the feature win in the Modified division. Second place would go to Thomas, who owns Diamond Race Cars in Seymour.
Brownstown’s Dave Shelton picked up the win in the Super Stock division over Jason Hehman. The win marked the first in Shelton’s career.
Colton Sullivan, Aubrey Eagan, and David Brewer rounded out the top five.
Houston Roark took home the top honors in the Pure Stock division, winning the feature event over Derek Clegg. Dalton Roark finished third.
Anton Hernandez won the MMSA Mini Sprint feature.
This Saturday will be John Jones Auto Group’s “Night at the Races,” with Super Late Models, Indiana Pro Late Models, Modifieds, Super Stocks, and Pure Stocks on the schedule.