Biggest Career Win For Hudson O’Neal; Takes Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Show-Me 100
Story By: LUCAS OIL SPEEDWAY – WHEATLAND, MO – It was pure emotion as Hudson O’Neal celebrated in victory lane after making history Saturday night at Lucas Oil Speedway, winning the first crown-jewel race of his young dirt Late Model career.
O’Neal, a 20-year-old from Martinsville, Indiana, led the final 32 laps to capture the 29th annual Show-Me 100 Presented by ProtecttheHarvest.com. O’Neal finished 1.451 seconds in front of Brandon Sheppard with Josh Richards in third.
Tears flowed freely as O’Neal emerged from his car in victory lane. The Indiana native has been around racing his entire life as his legendary father, Don O’Neal, won the Show-Me 100 in 2014. They are the first father-son duo to win the Show-Me 100.
“I looked up at the (video) board with about 15 to go and my signal guy told me they were closing a little bit,” O’Neal said of Sheppard’s late charge. “I wasn’t really making great laps, I got a little antsy, I guess is the word.”
O’Neal took the lead from Tim McCreadie coming off turn two on lap 68 and never gave it back. He deftly weaved through lapped traffic the rest of the way and, after his lead peaked at just over two seconds on lap 83, wound up 1.45 seconds in front of Sheppard as the checkers flew and fireworks exploded over the infield.
Driving for the first-year team Double Down Motorsports, O’Neal said the final segment of the race had him gripping the wheel hard.
“I don’t know. I didn’t drive the greatest last 20 laps by any means,” O’Neal said. “Evidently, it was just good enough.”
While Don O’Neal wasn’t at the race track, Hudson said his dad offered some helpful advice following Friday night’s double preliminary program. Ironically, it was seven years ago on the night Don O’Neal won the Show-Me 100 that 13-year-old was making his debut in a Crate Late Model back in Indiana.
“My dad called me last night and gave me some good words of encouragement that we could do this, that I just had to be smart and drive my own race,” he said. “I was able to do that.”
O’Neal was the fifth and final leader in a race that saw four-time winner Jimmy Owens dominate a good portion in the early going. Owens, starting seventh, took the lead away from Shane Clanton coming out of turn four on lap 13.
Just as he’s shown at Lucas Oil Speedway so many times, Owens exerted command as he weaved through lapped traffic and had a one-second lead over Tim McCreadie when the race’s first caution came on lap 37 as Chris Ferguson slowed on the speedway.
Ferguson, winner of last summer’s Diamond Nationals at Lucas Oil Speedway, was closing in on Richards for fifth place at the time he lost power and had to pull into the pits with an apparent broken driveshaft.
After the restart, Owens lost a bit of his momentum and McCreadie applied immediate pressure before he became the race’s fourth leader when he sailed around Owens on the outside of turn two on lap 41.
As the leaders found lapped traffic just past the midpoint, Owens and O’Neal closed in on McCreadie. With the trio separated by less than half a second, action ground to a halt on lap 56 when Tyler Erb, running 17th, slow-rolled his car after tangling with Garrett Alberson and landed roof-side down in turn four to bring out the red flag.
Just one lap after the restart, as Owens pressured McCreadie, Jason Papich spun in turn four to bring out the third caution.
O’Neal slipped past Owens into second as the race returned to green and Richards soon got around Owens for third. Just six laps later, O’Neal took the lead and never gave it back.
“I started fifth and got to fourth there early and they kind of got spread out. We weren’t really making up much ground,” O’Neal said. “Once the race track kind of slicked off and you kind of had to show how good your race car was, man, ours shined.
“This is a whole team effort. My dad and everybody is back home watching. I know I have a lot of family watching. I just wish they were here. This is surreal. I don’t think that we’re gonna leave this place tonight.”
Sheppard pulled alongside O’Neal on the cool-down lap and gave him a thumbs-up.
“I was just telling him good job. He deserves it,” Sheppard said. “He’s a tough competitor. We kind of came up together. He’s a little younger than I am, but it’s cool to see young guys get one.
“This is a fun place to race. They had the track awesome all weekend long and good crowds. Last time I was here I was terrible and didn’t even make the show. I figured I’d give it another try and I’m sure glad I did. We had a fast car all weekend.”
Third-place finisher Richards said he “fought the car a little more than we wanted to. I was running about fifth and we got a little momentum there at the end. Sheppie and Hud did a really good job.”
McCreadie wound up fourth with Clanton fifth and Mike Marlar charging from 15th to finish sixth.
The evening began with opening ceremonies that featured three-time CMA and ACM Country Music Male Vocalist of the Year and Grammy Award winner Lee Greenwood who served as Grand Marshall. Greenwood sang the National Anthem and later, during Show-Me 100 pre-race festivities, performed his iconic song “God Bless the USA,” bringing a gigantic cheer from the large crowd.
Show-Me 100 notes:
Chad Simpson of Mount Vernon, Iowa, won the Midwest Sheet Metal Challenge, a 20-lap last-chance opportunity to get into the feature. Simpson traded the $2,500 check to start the 100-lapper at the rear of the field. He finished 30th.
Defending Show-Me 100 champion Payton Looney of Republic started 32nd in the feature on a past champion’s provisional. Looney had mechanical issues in the first program on Friday and had to borrow a motor from Brennon Willard to continue. He pulled off early in the feature for a 31st-place finish.
Lucas Oil MLRA points leader Tony Jackson Jr. of Lebanon finished second in one of the three B Mains, earning his way into the main event without having to use an MLRA points-leader provisional. Jackson ran the entire race and wound up 17th.
During B-Main 3 for the Late Models, Daniel Hilsabeck of Earlham, Iowa, walked away without injury after taking a wild flip on the front straightaway as three cars tangled on the opening lap.
Timms completes USRA Modified sweep: Randy Timms of Wheatland, Oklahoma completed a weekend sweep of the Cedar Creek Beef Jerky USRA Modified action, winning Saturday night’s feature by leading all 30 laps.
Timms picked up $1,500 to go along with twin $750 checks he earned by capturing the Friday preliminary features. Unlike that night, when he needed last-lap passes to prevail, this time Timms had smooth sailing all the way.
Joe Duvall, who owned Timms’ ride, finished second 3.3 seconds behind. Track points leader Dillon McCowan was third, Kris Jackson fourth and Ryan Middaugh fifth.
“You don’t get to live out deals like this very often,” Timms said. “You have to have everything go your way have a great race car and great crew. It was just a great weekend.
“I’ve raced three times in 2021 and it was all three nights here. To be 3-for-3 is pretty incredible.”
Line X B-Main 1 – 1. 49-Jonathan Davenport[2]; 2. 56JR-Tony Jackson Jr[1]; 3. 1T-Tyler Erb[4]; 4. 91P-Jason Papich[6]; 5. 25S-Chad Simpson[3]; 6. 18J-Chase Junghans[5]; 7. 99L-Scott Lewis[8]; 8. 14M-Reid Millard[11]; 9. 3W-Brennon Willard[9]; 10. 55-Chris Kratzer[10]; 11. (DNF) 44W-David Webster[12]; 12. (DNS) 11G-Gordy Gundaker; 13. (DNS) 7JR-Ryan Johnson; 14. (DNS) 94-Austin Rettig
UNOH B-Main 2 – 1. 0E-Rick Eckert[2]; 2. 66C-Matt Cosner[4]; 3. 59-Garrett Alberson[1]; 4. 21-Billy Moyer Jr[3]; 5. 15V-Kolby Vandenbergh[6]; 6. 41-Jeremiah Hurst[5]; 7. 23-Cody Holtkamp[13]; 8. L88-Larry Clawson[11]; 9. 50K-Kayden Clatt; 10. 7J-Jay Fields[10]; 11. (DNS) 43-Jeremy Grady; 12. (DNS) 22H-Daniel Hilsabeck; 13. (DNS) 78S-Steve Stultz; 14. (DNS) 7W-Cole Wells
MyRacePass B-Main 3 – 1. 36-Logan Martin[2]; 2. 12C-Scott Crigler[1]; 3. 49T-Jake Timm[4]; 4. 50-Kaeden Cornell[5]; 5. 6H-Al Humphrey[12]; 6. 1X-Aaron Marrant[10]; 7. 11R-Justin Reed[8]; 8. 93-Mason Oberkramer[3]; 9. 15L-Payton Looney[13]; 10. (DNS) 15D-Justin Duty; 11. (DNS) 4G-Bob Gardner; 12. (DNS) 32S-Chris Simpson; 13. (DNS) 00S-Jesse Stovall
Midwest Sheet Metal Show-Me Challenge – 1. 25S-Chad Simpson[3]; 2. 18J-Chase Junghans[6]; 3. 41-Jeremiah Hurst[7]; 4. 15V-Kolby Vandenbergh[4]; 5. 49T-Jake Timm[1]; 6. 50-Kaeden Cornell[2]; 7. 7J-Jay Fields[18]; 8. 3W-Brennon Willard[14]; 9. 14M-Reid Millard[12]; 10. 50K-Kayden Clatt[15]; 11. 6H-Al Humphrey[5]; 12. 55-Chris Kratzer[17]; 13. L88-Larry Clawson[13]; 14. 99L-Scott Lewis[9]; 15. 23-Cody Holtkamp[10]; 16. (DNS) 15L-Payton Looney; 17. (DNS) 1X-Aaron Marrant; 18. (DNS) 11R-Justin Reed
Lucas Oil Show-Me 100 – Presented by Protect the Harvest Feature Finish (100 Laps):
| Pos | Start | Car # | Competitor | Hometown | Pay |
| 1 | 5 | 71 | Hudson O’Neal | Martinsville, IN | $32,200 |
| 2 | 3 | B5 | Brandon Sheppard | New Berlin, IL | $15,000 |
| 3 | 1 | 14 | Josh Richards | Shinnston, WV | $11,800 |
| 4 | 2 | 39 | Tim McCreadie | Watertown, NY | $10,300 |
| 5 | 4 | 25 | Shane Clanton | Zebulon, GA | $7,700 |
| 6 | 15 | 157 | Mike Marlar | Winfield, TN | $6,700 |
| 7 | 9 | 20RT | Ricky Thornton Jr. | Adel, IA | $6,300 |
| 8 | 7 | 20 | Jimmy Owens | Newport, TN | $5,000 |
| 9 | 11 | 40B | Kyle Bronson | Brandon, FL | $4,450 |
| 10 | 14 | 3S | Brian Shirley | Chatham, IL | $2,600 |
| 11 | 10 | 32 | Bobby Pierce | Oakwood, IL | $2,500 |
| 12 | 16 | 99JR | Frank Heckenast Jr | Frankfort, IL | $2,475 |
| 13 | 13 | 2S | Stormy Scott | Las Cruces, NM | $3,650 |
| 14 | 20 | 0E | Rick Eckert | York, PA | $2,425 |
| 15 | 19 | 49 | Jonathan Davenport | Blairsville, GA | $4,700 |
| 16 | 17 | 1 | Earl Pearson Jr | Jacksonville, FL | $3,675 |
| 17 | 22 | 56JR | Tony Jackson Jr | Lebanon, MO | $2,350 |
| 18 | 25 | 1T | Tyler Erb | New Waverly, TX | $4,525 |
| 19 | 27 | 59 | Garrett Alberson | Shreveport, LA | $2,300 |
| 20 | 21 | 36 | Logan Martin | West Plains, MO | $2,250 |
| 21 | 28 | 91P | Jason Papich | Nipomo, CA | $2,200 |
| 22 | 6 | 0 | Scott Bloomquist | Mooresburg, TN | $2,150 |
| 23 | 18 | 18B | Shannon Babb | Moweaqua, IL | $2,100 |
| 24 | 29 | 93 | Mason Oberkramer | Broseley, MO | $2,050 |
| 25 | 12 | 19R | Ryan Gustin | Marshalltown, IA | $2,000 |
| 26 | 24 | 12C | Scott Crigler | Alton, MO | $2,000 |
| 27 | 26 | 21 | Billy Moyer Jr | Batesville, AR | $2,500 |
| 28 | 8 | 22F | Chris Ferguson | Mt. Holly, NC | $2,000 |
| 29 | 23 | 66C | Matt Cosner | Ridgeley, WV | $2,000 |
| 30 | 31 | 25S | Chad Simpson | Mt. Vernon, IA | $2,000 |
| 31 | 32 | 15L | Payton Looney | Republic, MO | $2,000 |
| 32 | 30 | 49T | Jake Timm | Winona, MN | $2,000 |
Race Statistics
Entrants: 58
Lap Leaders: Josh Richards (Laps 1 – 4); Shane Clanton (Laps 5 – 12); Jimmy Owens (Laps 13 – 40); Tim McCreadie (Laps 41 – 67); Hudson O’Neal (Laps 68 – 100)
Wrisco Feature Winner: Hudson O’Neal
Arizona Sport Shirts CJC – Presented by DirtOnDirt Feature Winner: Hudson O’Neal
Brandon Ford TV Challenge Feature Winner: Hudson O’Neal
Margin of Victory: 1.451 seconds
Stop Tech Brakes Cautions: Chris Ferguson (Lap 37); Tyler Erb (Lap 56); Jason Papich (Lap 57)
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Provisionals: Tyler Erb, Billy Moyer Jr.
Lucas Oil Midwest Latemodel Racing Association Provisionals: Garrett Alberson, Jason Papich
Series Emergency Provisionals: Mason Oberkramer, Jake Timm
Midwest Sheet Metal Show-Me Challenge Winner Choice Provisional: Chad Simpson
Show-Me Most Recent Past Winner Provisional: Payton Looney
Big River Steel Podium Top 3: Hudson O’Neal, Brandon Sheppard, Josh Richards
Penske Shocks Top 5: Hudson O’Neal, Brandon Sheppard, Josh Richards, Tim McCreadie, Shane Clanton
Optima Batteries Hard Charger of the Race: Mike Marlar (Advanced 9 Positions)
Midwest Sheet Metal Spoiler Challenge Point Leader: Tim McCreadie
Hot Rod Processing Most Laps Led: Hudson O’Neal (33 Laps)
Sunoco Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Brandon Sheppard
Eibach Springs Rookie of the Race: Ricky Thornton Jr.
Dirty Girl Racewear Fastest Lap of the Race: Jimmy Owens (Lap 2 – 15.422 seconds)
Fast Shafts Tough Break of the Race: Chris Ferguson
Outerwears Crew Chief of the Race: Trevor Crittenden (Hudson O’Neal)
ARP Engine Builder of the Race: Cornett Racing Engines
Miller Welders Chassis Builder of the Race: Rocket Chassis
Dirt Draft Fastest in Hot Laps: Billy Moyer Jr. (15.046 seconds)
Time of Race: 47 minutes 11 seconds
Cedar Creek Beef Jerky USRA Modifieds
A Feature – 1. 91X-Randy Timms[1]; 2. 91-Joe Duvall[3]; 3. 8-Dillon McCowan[2]; 4. 65-Kris Jackson[9]; 5. 21-Ryan Middaugh[4]; 6. 292-Kyle Thompson[8]; 7. 21J-Johnny Fennewald[17]; 8. 38C-Jason Pursley[6]; 9. 88-Chad Wheeler[5]; 10. 3J-Lewis Jackson[12]; 11. 23L-Lucas Dobbs[13]; 12. 89-Tyler Hibner[14]; 13. 21TW-Tracy Wolf[18]; 14. 227-Chase Domer[7]; 15. 03-Chase Jones[20]; 16. 64-Casey Fowler[23]; 17. 00-Scott Bryant[21]; 18. (DNF) 74-Rodney Schweizer[24]; 19. (DNF) 7-Daniel Franklin[22]; 20. (DNF) 17-Rod Cordon[10]; 21. (DNF) 18JR-Chase Sigg[19]; 22. (DNF) 51-Lucas Gibbs[16]; 23. (DNF) 21R-Rusty Skaggs[11]; 24. (DNF) 21H-Andy Bryant[15]
B-Main 1 – 1. 21J-Johnny Fennewald[4]; 2. 18JR-Chase Sigg[6]; 3. 00-Scott Bryant[7]; 4. 64-Casey Fowler[2]; 5. (DNF) 92-Tyler Grooms[3]; 6. (DNF) 99B-Brandyn Ryan[13]; 7. (DNF) 21B-Bryce Schniepp[10]; 8. (DNF) 75L-Lane Whitney[8]; 9. (DNF) 02-Robert Powers[9]; 10. (DNF) 21C-Cody Schniepp[1]; 11. (DNS) 98-Robert Heydenreich; 12. (DNS) 93D-Josh Dugan; 13. (DNS) 60-Cody Kretchmar; 14. (DNS) 24-Jarret Dotson
B-Main 2 – 1. 21TW-Tracy Wolf[2]; 2. 03-Chase Jones[9]; 3. 7-Daniel Franklin[5]; 4. 74-Rodney Schweizer[4]; 5. 98D-Paden Phillips[6]; 6. 27-Toby Ott[11]; 7. 7T-Treyton Gann[1]; 8. 194-Scott Phillips[14]; 9. (DNS) 24D-Donnie Fellers; 10. (DNS) 07-Daniel Harris; 11. (DNS) 25-Frank Huff; 12. (DNS) 23-Adam Kates; 13. (DNS) 10-Kyle Schmidt; 14. (DNS) 90-Terry Schultz
