Spencer Hughes drove the Hope-based PCC Motorsports Longhorn Chassis owned by Craig and Shannon Sims to the victory on Oct. 22 at his home track in Mississippi.
Submitted photo
Spencer Hughes drove the PCC Motorsports Team Longhorn Chassis to victory on Oct. 22 at Whynot Motorsports Park in his home state of Mississippi. The team owned by Craig and Shannon Sims of Hope just completed the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series season ninth in the championship points standings and third in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Rookie-of-the-Year chase.
Hughes, who started seventh in the 60-lap race, earned $12,000 for the win. Hughes took the lead on Lap 19 riding the bottom of the race track as he paced the final 41 circuits to pick up the win. Fellow Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series competitor Tyler Erb finished second followed by David Breazeale, Kyle Beard, and Payton Freeman.
Columbus go-kart results
Tony Stewart Speedway, located at the Bartholomew County 4-H Fairgrounds, was busy on Oct. 22 with go-kart racing action when Columbus Speedway Go-Kart Racing completed its next-to-last points race of the season.
The division winners were Bentley McCann (rookies), Jake Hudak (junior 1), Conner Smith (junior 2), Blake Robertson (junior 3), Grant Hiler (medium), Ryan Turner (heavy), Jeff Perdue (super heavy), Troy Cowan (pred) and Ryker Williams (mod lites).
Today will be the final points race, with the drivers meeting starting at 4 p.m.
Pierce takes Florence Fall 50
Bobby Pierce inherited the lead on Lap 28 when race leader Josh Rice tangled with a lapped car, and the Illinois racer went on to lead the final 22 laps of the Fall 50 on Oct. 22 at Florence Speedway in Union, Kentucky. Pierce won $10,000 in the final event of the season at Florence.
“I feel bad for Josh,” Pierce said in Victory Lane. “Me and him were having a heck of a race, and I felt like I was just starting to gain on him before we caught the lapped cars. I know he had some harder tires on than me, so it’s kind of backwards from what I should have been, but it would’ve been fun to battle with him.”
Zack Dohm finished in second, followed by Adam Stricker, Michael Chilton and Devin Gilpin of Columbus. Completing the top 10 were Jensen Ford, Robby Hensley, Frank Heckenast Jr., Dustin Nobbe and Brandon Hardgrove.
Josh Rice is the 2022 late model track champion at Florence, followed by his brother James Rice, Hensley, Trevor Landrum and Austin Lay.
Circle City racing this weekend
Circle City Raceway in Indianapolis will hold its final racing events of the season today and Sunday.
Today, starting with gates opening at noon, there will be practice, qualifying heat races and B-Mains for the crate late models, stock cars, modifieds, crown vics and front-wheel drives. Sunday, gates will open at noon, with the feature races starting at 2 p.m. for crate late models, stock cars, modifieds, crown vics and front-wheel drive cars.
Circle City Raceway is now under new ownership, with racer Eddie VanMeter taking over the track, which is located at the Marion County 4-H Fairgrounds. For more information, go to circlecityraceway.com.
This week in racing history
From 50 years ago in 1972, the Columbus Kart Club presented driver awards for the season at its banquet. The division winners were Dick Phillips (A-junior class), Randy Ragin (rookie class), Butch Jerrell (box stock class), Tony Boaz (stock appearing class), Bob McClure (A-open class) and Frank Hoban (B-limited class).
Kim Smith was named the “Rookie-of-the-Year,” and Steve and Dick Wilson were presented the hard luck trophy for the year.
Also from 50 years ago, Johnny Robbins was named the track champion for the 1972 season at Twin Cities. Phil Fultz was second in points followed by Tommy Day, Leo Boner, Hillbilly Ogle, Dee Kramer, Denny Long, Mike Stewart, Jim Raymer and Chuck Gilpin.
Completing the top 20 drivers in the final points standings were Bob Wolfschlag, Bill Smith, Bill Cummings, Kenny Knapp, Ron Clark, Larry Exner, Bob Myers, Gary Herbert, Cecil McQueary and Tom Wingate.
From 30 years ago in 1992, Brownstown Speedway concluded its racing season with Billy Moyer winning the late model feature over Kevin Claycomb, Ray Guss Jr., Bryan Dunaway and Steve Barnett. Scott Patman won the street stock feature over Mark Barber, Tim Clark, Willie Sallee and Joe Lucas. Jay Deckard took the bomber feature over Bob Johnson, Ray Hughes, Murl Robinson and Charlie Stevens Jr.
From 20 years ago in 2002, Brownstown Speedway named its track champions. The point winners were Steve Barnett (late models), Mike Fields (super stocks), Matt Boknecht (modifieds) and Matt Cummings (bombers).
James Essex writes a motorsports notebook for The Tribune. Send comments to [email protected]