Moffatt conquers field at Lawrenceburg

Joss Moffatt of Columbus put on a dominating performance Aug. 22 at Lawrenceburg Speedway, leading all 25 laps in winning the 17th annual Dick Gaines Memorial race for sprint cars.

Moffatt, who is a three-time track champion at Lawrenceburg, earned $3,000 for his first feature win of 2020.

Behind Moffatt at the finish line were Max Adams, Shawn Westerfeld, Nick Bilbee and Sterling Cling.

Trent Green won the open wheel modified feature over David Spille, Brian Gray, Colin Green and Jay Greene.

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Jennings County go-kart winners

The Jennings County Outlaw Kart Racing held events Aug. 21.

The division winners were Kevin Cunningham (rwyb, limited and flatheads), Chris Buchanan (380 clone), Colby King (sr. champ), Travis Wilburn (400 clone), Layden Burton (boxstock outlaw), Ryker Williams (jr. champ), Lucas Manion (jr. 2), Evan Shatto (jr. 3), Zach Roell (rookies), Cade Puckett (youth champ), Jake Roell (jr. 1) and Isaac Johnson (340 clone).

Larson wins Hoosier Hundred

It’s not often a driver can take the pole and also start from the back, charge to the front and win all in the same race.

But as the 2020 racing season has repeatedly asked us, is there anything Kyle Larson can’t do?

In his first USAC Silver Crown appearance in eight seasons, Larson achieved another remarkable feat Aug. 23 at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in the 65th running of the Hoosier Hundred.

He and his team opted to change the right rear tire following Fatheadz qualifying on his Sean Michael Motorsports/JVI Group — Heffner Racing Enterprises/Blazer’s Body Shop/Maxim/Kistler Chevy, gladly accepting the penalty that came along with it and sent him to the back of the pack for the start of the 100-lap main event on the 1-mile dirt oval.

After initially qualifying for the pole position with the fastest single lap turned in the event in a quarter century, the decision sent Larson and six others who chose to swap out their right rear rubber to the tail end for the start.

Specifically, Larson was reslotted in the 22nd starting spot, which elevated Hoosier Hundred rookie Logan Seavey and veteran C.J. Leary to the front row.

“I think we made a good call there to give up our qualifying position to put on a harder compound tire, which allowed me to be aggressive all race long,” Larson said.

Trailing Larson across the finish line were Leary, Seavey, Shane Cockrum and Chris Windom.

Larson, who now has 34 open wheel victories in 2020, will make his dirt late model debut this week in the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series-sanctioned events at Port Royal Speedway in Pennsylvania. The events will be streamed-live on lucasoilracing.tv.

Short wins at Bloomington

Former Bloomington Speedway track champion Brady Short, who now resides in Mitchell, won the sprint car feature Aug. 21 at the ¼-mile facility.

Short outdistanced A.J. Hopkins, Sterling Cling, Jordan Kinser and Josh Cunningham for the win.

Josh Divine of Loogootee won the super stock feature over Brad Frye, Tucker Chastain, Bryce Shidler and Zach Sasser. Jacoby Hines of Trafalgar grabbed the open wheel modified feature over Jeff Deckard, Tyler Loughmiller, Derek Groomer and Jordan Wever, and Andrew Pollock of Danville won the bomber feature over Zac Gibbs, Morgan Cavaness, Jordan Almanza and Jeff Allen.

The next scheduled event at Bloomington Speedway will be the Josh Burton Memorial on Sept. 4.

Columbus go-karts racing today

Columbus Speedway Go-Kart Racing, which conducts events at the Bartholomew County 4-H Fairgrounds, will hold a special event today.

Gates will open at noon with driver sign-in from 3 to 5:15 p.m. The driver meeting will take place at 5:30 p.m. with class practice to follow.

Brownstown Speedway back in action tonight

After being idle for two weeks, Brownstown Speedway will race tonight.

A hornet special paying $1,500 to win highlights the night along with the pro late models, modifieds, super stocks and pure stocks.

For information, visit brownstownspeedway.com.

This week in racing history

From 1950 at 25th Street Fairgrounds Raceway in Columbus, Roy Prosser won the Mutual Racing Association feature over Pat O’Connor, Red Amick, Sam Skinner and Bud Randall.

From 1960 at Brownstown Speedway, Bob Kinser won the feature race over Bill Dugger, Cecil Beavers and Rick Kerr.

In 1960 at 25th Street Fairgrounds Raceway, Cecil Beavers won the feature race over Mike Johnson, Stan Bowman, Rick Kerr and Dave Norris.

From 60 years ago at Mitchell Motor Speedway, Bob Kinser won the super modified feature over Cecil Beavers, Larry Covey and Johnny Johnson. Kenny Baker won the jalopy feature over Bill Dugger, Mack Pace and Clyde Wilson.

From 1970 at Brownstown, it was Teako Ray winning the late model feature over Jim Curry, Ira Bastin, Dennis Boknecht and Jack Owens.

In 1970 at 25th Street Fairgrounds Raceway, Bob Kinser won the sprint car feature over Bobby Black, Dan Bowlen, Ed Angle and Allen Barr.

Also from 1970, at Paragon, Allen Barr won the sprint car feature over Dick Gaines.

From 1970 at Haubstadt, Larry Miller won the sprint car feature over Gene Henson and Chuck Amati. Jim Curry won the late model feature over Jerry Phillips and Jack Owens.

From 1980 at Brownstown, Bubby James won the late model feature over Ray Godsey, Kenny Simpson, Pat Patrick and Noel Witcher. Jim Graves won the hobby stock feature over Kevin Claycomb, Steve Trabue, Charlie Sentman and Gary Harden. Steve Niemoeller captured the street stock feature over Troy Burton, Jim Ruddick, Dave Barnett and Don Barnett.

Also from 1980, at Twin Cities, Carl Collins won the late model feature over Tommy Day, Dee Kramer, Larry Taylor and Gary Herbert. Willie Sallee won the street stock feature over Don Walp.

From 1980 at Lawrenceburg Speedway, Junior Smalley won the sprint car feature, and Vern LeFevers won the late model main event.

From 1990 at Brownstown, Steve Barnett won the late model feature race over Ray Godsey, Marty O’Neal, Doug Ault and Lee Fleetwood. Mark Barber won the street stock feature over Tony Godsey, Jeff Terry, Earl Plessinger and Scott Patman. Brad Schlehuser won the bomber feature over Jeff Wilson, Bob Johnson, George Berry and Tom Allman.

Also from 1990, at Haubstadt, Chuck Amati won the sprint car feature over Mike Thoman and Eric Davis. Ray Godsey won the late model feature over Denny Schwartz and Bob Pierce.

From 2000 at Brownstown, Greg Johnson won the late model feature over Mark Barber, James Huff, Steven Godsey and Ernie Barrow. Rick Hines won the super stock feature over Greg O’Neill, Mike Fields, Jay Deckard and Randy Petro. Jim Ruddick won the bomber feature over Ray Godsey Jr., Greg Benton, Matt Cummings and Robert Walters.

James Essex writes a motorsports notebook for The Tribune. Send comments to [email protected].

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