O'Neal Goes Back-to-Back at Lucas Oil Speedway
2025-05-24 14:46
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WHEATLAND, MO (May 23, 2025) - Hudson O'Neal remains undefeated at Lucas Oil Speedway in 2025, having secured the win in The Tribute to Don and Billie Gibson on Friday night. O'Neal, who started in sixth place, took the lead from defending multi-time track champion Justin Wells on the 23rd lap, leading the final 18 laps to claim the $10,000 victory.
Ricky Thornton Jr. would squeeze by Jonathan Davenport at the flag stand for second. Davenport was third with Brandon Overton and Devin Moran rounding out the top five drivers.
Wells sprinted to the lead at the start of the 40-lap race until the only caution flag waved with four laps completed when third-place driver Garrett Alberson went off the track and slammed into the turn two wall. Alberson checked out okay, but his car was done for the night.
On the restart, Wells maintained his lead over Davenport as the two drivers circled the top of the 3/8ths mile oval. O'Neal then got into the mix from his outside third row starting spot, moving to third and then passing Davenport on lap 17 for second.
O'Neal then pressured Wells until he cleared him for the lead on lap 23. Davenport passed Wells a lap later to take second place. O'Neal then pulled away significantly as the race remained caution-free the rest of the way, with Davenport and Thornton managing to close in during the final laps. Thornton went to the outside on the white flag, beating Davenport to the finish line, finishing 1.298 seconds behind O'Neal at the checkered flag.
In Lucas Oil Victory Lane for the 31st time in his career, O'Neal has now won four straight races dating back to April at Lucas Oil Speedway.
"The track was quite a bit different, I felt like tonight versus last night. Jason (Durham) came up with some good ideas right before the feature, and it helped just a little bit more. This thing was awesome to drive. I probably wasn't as aggressive enough with lapped traffic there as I needed to be. I just got too complacent with that bottom, and I didn't know, and I was scared to move out there. I didn't want to give up the lead," said the Martinsville, Indiana-native.
"I have always enjoyed the Show-Me 100 and hopefully we can enjoy another win here this weekend," said O'Neal, who won the crown jewel event in 2021. "Our confidence is great right now. In 100 laps compared to these 40 or 45 lappers, there is going to be a lot of comers and goers. The balance of your race car is going to be a lot different whenever you are messing with that much fuel load and everything. We have still got a lot of work to do, it's a long 100 laps, and with people like Ricky and JD on your heels, it's tough company."
Thornton, who was able to clear Davenport on the outside at the finish line, took second from the two-time Show Me 100 winner.
"I would say our confidence level is pretty high for tomorrow night. My car got better as the race went on; it was kind of backwards on how it is. I made one mistake early in the race, and it cost me and allowed Hud to get by. I could race with him after that, and I felt like if it hadn't been for that, at least I would have had a shot to give myself a chance to win. Congrats to Hud and JD, and I want to thank JD for giving me plenty of room there on the last lap, but he could have easily just moved up and chopped my nose off. My car is really good, so we look forward to tomorrow night."
Davenport, who ran second for 32 of the 40 laps, was edged out by Thornton at the finish line as he would round out the Big River Steel Podium in third.
"I definitely gained on it from last night. I could finally steer through the center. I was afraid to tighten up the rear tonight, so I tried to free the car up more in the front. I just really moved down one or two laps too late, and I might have gotten in front of Hudson there before he got by me on the bottom. It was weird. I was just telling the guys, there was a lot of oil. The 98 (Wells) was doing a great job his tires just died, but he was throwing so much oil, I didn't know it at the time I actually thought it was raining and so I'm like if it's slick up here it's going to be really slick in the black so that's really the reason I didn't want to move down any earlier than I did."
The winner's SSI Motorsports, Longhorn Chassis is powered by a Clements Racing Engine and sponsored by Big River Steel, Wheeler Metals, Merrill Bonding Company, Sub-Surface of Indiana, Professional Concrete, Cutting, and Drilling, West Side Tractor Sales, Dyno One Inc., O'Neal's Salvage and Recycling, Houchens Insurance Group, Indiana USSSA Fast Pitch Softball, Bob and Tammy Burton, BobCat of Batesville, Sunoco Race Fuels, and Bilstein Shocks.
Completing the top ten were Brandon Sheppard, Tyler Stevens, Justin Wells, Tyler Bruening, and Bobby Pierce.
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Race Summary
The Tribute to Don and Billie Gibson
Friday, May 23, 2025
Lucas Oil Speedway - Wheatland, MO
Allstar Performance Time Trials
Fast Time Group A: Brandon Overton | 15.361 seconds (Overall)
Fast Time Group B: Garrett Alberson | 15.704 seconds
Penske Shocks Heat Race #1 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 98-Justin Wells[3]; 2. 76-Brandon Overton[1]; 3. 99-Devin Moran[5]; 4. 6-Clay Harris[7]; 5. 40B-Kyle Bronson[12]; 6. 8K-Tyler Kuykendall[4]; 7. 1XM-Aaron Marrant[6]; 8. 31C-Cole Henson[8]; 9. 7J-Ryan Johnson[9]; 10. 4X-Dalon Helm[10]; 11. 1K-Richard Kimberling[11]; 12. 50-Kayden Clatt[2]
Summit Racing Products Heat Race #2 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 49-Jonathan Davenport[1]; 2. 1-Brandon Sheppard[3]; 3. 2T-Tyler Stevens[4]; 4. 22-Daniel Hilsabeck[5]; 5. 93L-Cory Lawler[6]; 6. 79-Donald McIntosh[7]; 7. 21-Chris Wilhite Jr[8]; 8. 157-Mike Marlar[2]; 9. 82-Jace Parmley[9]; 10. 18P-Shannon Parker[10]; 11. 8:05-Robert Hough[11]
Cool-It Thermo-Tec Heat Race #3 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 58-Garrett Alberson[1]; 2. 71-Hudson O'Neal[2]; 3. 93-Carson Ferguson[5]; 4. 18D-Daulton Wilson[6]; 5. 8-Dillon McCowan[4]; 6. 60-Dan Ebert[3]; 7. 19M-Spencer Hughes[10]; 8. 93M-Mason Oberkramer[8]; 9. 91-Chris Jones[7]; 10. 67-Jimmy Vanzandt[12]; 11. 96-Dalton Imhoff[9]; 12. 65-Jon Binning[11]
Simpson Race Products Heat Race #4 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr[1]; 2. 16-Tyler Bruening[2]; 3. 32-Bobby Pierce[5]; 4. 97-Cade Dillard[3]; 5. 7-Cole Wells[6]; 6. 1S-Jeremy Shaw[4]; 7. 15-Clay Stuckey[7]; 8. 1/4J-Jaxon Ertel[10]; 9. 1G-Bryan Glaze[9]; 10. S3-Joey Smith[11]; 11. USA1-Chris Hawkins[12]; 12. (DNS) 11-Gordy Gundaker
Fast Shafts B-Main Race #1 Finish (10 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 8K-Tyler Kuykendall[3]; 2. 1XM-Aaron Marrant[5]; 3. 40B-Kyle Bronson[1]; 4. 79-Donald McIntosh[4]; 5. 157-Mike Marlar[8]; 6. 21-Chris Wilhite Jr[6]; 7. 93L-Cory Lawler[2]; 8. 31C-Cole Henson[7]; 9. 50-Kayden Clatt[15]; 10. 7J-Ryan Johnson[9]; 11. 4X-Dalon Helm[11]; 12. 82-Jace Parmley[10]; 13. 18P-Shannon Parker[12]; 14. 1K-Richard Kimberling[13]; 15. 8:05-Robert Hough[14]
UNOH B-Main Race #2 Finish (10 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1 1. 8-Dillon McCowan[1]; 2. 60-Dan Ebert[3]; 3. 91-Chris Jones[9]; 4. 93M-Mason Oberkramer[7]; 5. 19M-Spencer Hughes[5]; 6. 11-Gordy Gundaker[16]; 7. 15-Clay Stuckey[6]; 8. 7-Cole Wells[2]; 9. 1G-Bryan Glaze[10]; 10. 67-Jimmy Vanzandt[11]; 11. 1/4J-Jaxon Ertel[8]; 12. S3-Joey Smith[12]; 13. 65-Jon Binning[15]; 14. 96-Dalton Imhoff[13]; 15. USA1-Chris Hawkins[14]; 16. 1S-Jeremy Shaw[4]
The Tribute to Don and Billie Gibson Feature Finish (40 Laps):
Pos - Start - Car # - Competitor - Hometown - Pay
1 - 6 - 71 - Hudson O'Neal - Martinsville, IN - $10,800
2 - 4 - 20RT - Ricky Thornton Jr - Chandler, AZ - $6,700
3 - 3 - 49 - Jonathan Davenport - Blairsville, GA - $4,600
4 - 5 - 76 - Brandon Overton - Evans, GA - $3,400
5 - 9 - 99 - Devin Moran - Dresden, OH - $3,500
6 - 7 - 1 - Brandon Sheppard - New Berlin, IL - $3,000
7 - 11 - 2T - Tyler Stevens - Paragould, AR - $2,200
8 - 1 - 98 - Justin Wells - Aurora, MO - $2,200
9 - 8 - 16 - Tyler Bruening - Decorah, IA - $2,050
10 - 12 - 32 - Bobby Pierce - Oakwood, IL - $2,000
11 - 10 - 93 - Carson Ferguson - Lincolnton, NC - $2,300
12 - 15 - 22 - Daniel Hilsabeck - Earlham, IA - $2,200
13 - 16 - 97 - Cade Dillard - Robeline, LA - $1,200
14 - 23 - 79 - Donald McIntosh - Dawsonville, GA - $1,700
15 - 13 - 6 - Clay Harris - Jupiter, FL - $1,650
16 - 14 - 18D - Daulton Wilson - Fayetteville, NC - $1,625
17 - 18 - 8 - Dillon McCowan - Urbana, MO - $900
18 - 17 - 8K - Tyler Kuykendall - Warsaw, MO - $875
19 - 24 - 19M - Spencer Hughes - Meridian, MS - $1,550
20 - 20 - 60 - Dan Ebert - Lake Shore, MN - $1,525
21 - 22 - 91 - Chris Jones - Neelyville, MO - $800
22 - 19 - 1XM - Aaron Marrant - Richmond, MO - $800
23 - 21 - 40B - Kyle Bronson - Brandon, FL - $800
24 - 2 - 58 - Garrett Alberson - Las Cruces, NM - $1,500
Race Statistics
Entrants: 47
Victory Fuel Pole Sitter: Justin Wells
MD3 Lap Leaders: Justin Wells (Laps 1-22); Hudson O'Neal (23-40)
Hellraizer Jacks Halfway Leader: Justin Wells
Wieland Feature Winner: Hudson O'Neal
Margin of Victory: 1.298 seconds
Coltman Farms Racing Cautions: Garrett Alberson (Lap 4)
Series Provisional: Donald McIntosh, Spencer Hughes
Fast Time Provisional: n/a
Emergency Provisional: n/a
Track Provisional: n/a
Big River Steel Podium Top 3: Hudson O'Neal, Ricky Thornton Jr., Jonathan Davenport
Penske Shocks Top 5: Hudson O'Neal, Ricky Thornton Jr., Jonathan Davenport, Brandon Overton, Devin Moran
PEM 4th Place Feature: Brandon Overton
DMI Rearends 5th Place Feature: Devin Moran
Wilwood Brakes Lucky 7th Place Feature: Tyler Stevens
Wehrs Machine 11th Place Feature: Carson Ferguson
Deatherage Opticians Lucky 13th Place Feature: Cade Dillard
MD3 24th Place Feature: Garrett Alberson
Hoker Trucking Hard Charger of the Race: Donald McIntosh (Advanced 9 Positions)
MD3 Most Laps Led: Justin Wells (22 Laps)
Sunoco Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Hudson O'Neal
Midwest Sheet Metal Spoiler Challenge Point Leader: Ricky Thornton, Jr.
O'Reilly Auto Parts Rookie of the Race: Daniel Hilsabeck
Pro Fabrication Headers Fastest Lap of the Race: Justin Wells (Lap 2 | 15.903 seconds)
Slicker Graphics Slickest Move of the Race: Hudson O'Neal
Fresh Roof Hard Luck Award: Garrett Alberson
Outerwears Crew Chief of the Race: Jason Durham
ARP Engine Builder of the Race: Clements Racing Engines
Miller Welders Chassis Builder of the Race: Longhorn Chassis
Dirt Draft Fastest in Hot Laps: Jonathan Davenport (15.358 seconds)
Time of Race: 18 minutes 55 seconds
Big River Steel Chase for the Championship Presented by ARP Point Standings:
Pos - Car # - Competitor - Hometown - Points - Pay
1 - 20RT - Ricky Thornton Jr - Chandler, AZ - 4040 - $226,650
2 - 49 - Jonathan Davenport - Blairsville, GA - 3990 - $158,500
3 - 99 - Devin Moran - Dresden, OH - 3870 - $164,049
4 - 71 - Hudson O'Neal - Martinsville, IN - 3655 - $88,775
5 - 58 - Garrett Alberson - Las Cruces, NM - 3565 - $67,950
6 - 76 - Brandon Overton - Evans, GA - 3460 - $75,400
7 - 1 - Brandon Sheppard - New Berlin, IL - 3455 - $76,300
8 - 18D - Daulton Wilson - Fayetteville, NC - 3170 - $54,425
9 - 93 - Carson Ferguson - Lincolnton, NC - 3050 - $44,925
10 - 79 - Donald McIntosh - Dawsonville, GA - 2865 - $32,600
11 - 22 - Daniel Hilsabeck - Earlham, IA - 2840 - $32,125
12 - 19M - Spencer Hughes - Meridian, MS - 2680 - $33,325
13 - 1T - Tyler Erb - New Waverly, TX - 2595 - $34,000
14 - 60 - Dan Ebert - Lake Shore, MN - 2570 - $24,800
15 - 6 - Clay Harris - Jupiter, FL - 2465 - $25,350
16 - 16 - Tyler Bruening - Decorah, IA - 2385 - $44,550
17 - 93L - Cory Lawler - Hanover, PA - 2260 - $16,825
Saturday Fast Shafts B-Main Race #1 Line-Up (15 Laps, Top 3 Transfer):
Row - Car # - Competitor - Hometown - Car # - Competitor - Hometown
1 - 60 - Dan Ebert - Lake Shore, MN - 157 - Mike Marlar - Winfield, TN
2 - 1XM - Aaron Marrant - Richmond, MO - 40B - Kyle Bronson - Brandon, FL
3 - 7 - Cole Wells - Aurora, MO - 91 - Chris Jones - Neelyville, MO
4 - 50 - Kayden Clatt - Edina, MO - 7J - Ryan Johnson - Aurora, MO
5 - 1/4J - Jaxon Ertel - - 67 - Jimmy Vanzandt - Pleasant Hope, MO
6 - 82 - Jace Parmley - Neosho, MO - 18P - Shannon Parker - Ashdown, AR
7 - 96 - Dalton Imhoff - Jamestown, MO - 1K - Richard Kimberling - Slater, MO
8 - 3W - Brennon Willard - Lebanon, MO - 65 - Jon Binning - Warrensburg, MO
9 - 12 - Scott Crigler - Alton, MO
Saturday UNOH B-Main Race #2 Line-Up (15 Laps, Top 3 Transfer):
Row - Car # - Competitor - Hometown - Car # - Competitor - Hometown
1 - 19M - Spencer Hughes - Meridian, MS - 6 - Clay Harris - Jupiter, FL
2 - 15 - Clay Stuckey - Shreveport, LA - 8K - Tyler Kuykendall - Warsaw, MO
3 - 93M - Mason Oberkramer - Broseley, MO - 1S - Jeremy Shaw - Millport, AL
4 - 31C - Cole Henson - Russellville, MO - 93L - Cory Lawler - Hanover, PA
5 - 21 - Chris Wilhite Jr - Meeker, OK - 1G - Bryan Glaze - Little Rock, AR
6 - S3 - Joey Smith - West Plains, MO - 4X - Dalon Helm - Lahoma, OK
7 - USA1 - Chris Hawkins - Neosho, MO - 99H - Dylan Hoover - Columbia, MO
8 26P Glen Powell - Nixa, MO 8:05 Robert Hough - South Coffeyville, OK
Saturday 33rd Annual Lucas Oil Show-Me 100 presented by Missouri Division of Tourism A-Main Line-Up (100 Laps):
Row - Car # - Competitor - Hometown - Car # - Competitor - Hometown
1 - 71 - Hudson O'Neal - Martinsville, IN - 20RT - Ricky Thornton Jr - Chandler, AZ
2 - 49 - Jonathan Davenport - Blairsville, GA - 99 - Devin Moran - Dresden, OH
3 - 1 - Brandon Sheppard - New Berlin, IL - 93 - Carson Ferguson - Lincolnton, NC
4 - 98 - Justin Wells - Aurora, MO - 32 - Bobby Pierce - Oakwood, IL
5 - 58 - Garrett Alberson - Las Cruces, NM - 76 - Brandon Overton - Evans, GA
6 - 97 - Cade Dillard - Robeline, LA - 79 - Donald McIntosh - Dawsonville, GA
7 - 22 - Daniel Hilsabeck - Earlham, IA - 2T - Tyler Stevens - Paragould, AR
8 - 18D - Daulton Wilson - Fayetteville, NC - 16 - Tyler Bruening - Decorah, IA
9 - 11 - Gordy Gundaker - St. Charles, MO - 8 - Dillon McCowan - Urbana, MO
33rd Annual Lucas Oil Show-Me 100 presented by Missouri Division of Tourism Points:
Race - Rank - Car # - Competitor - May 22 - May 23 - Total - Tie Breaker (Fastest Lap from Time Trials)
A1 - 1 - 71 - O'Neal, Hudson - 250 - 250 - 500 -
A2 - 2 - 20RT - Thornton, Ricky Jr - 210 - 230 - 440 -
A3 - 3 - 49 - Davenport, Jonathan - 215 - 220 - 435 - 15.356
A4 - 4 - 99 - Moran, Devin - 230 - 205 - 435 - 15.619
A5 - 5 - 1 - Sheppard, Brandon - 190 - 200 - 390 -
A6 - 6 - 93 - Ferguson, Carson - 200 - 175 - 375 - 15.484
A7 - 7 - 98 - Wells, Justin - 185 - 190 - 375 - 15.624
A8 - 8 - 32 - Pierce, Bobby - 195 - 180 - 375 - 15.782
A9 - 9 - 58 - Alberson, Garrett - 230 - 135 - 365 -
A10 - 10 - 76 - Overton, Brandon - 125 - 220 - 345 - 15.361
A11 - 11 - 97 - Dillard, Cade - 180 - 165 - 345 - 15.481
A12 - 12 - 79 - McIntosh, Donald - 175 - 160 - 335 -
A13 - 13 - 22 - Hilsabeck, Daniel - 160 - 170 - 330 -
A14 - 14 - 2T - Stevens, Tyler - 125 - 195 - 320 -
A15 - 15 - 18D - Wilson, Daulton - 165 - 150 - 315 -
A16 - 16 - 16 - Bruening, Tyler - 125 - 185 - 310 -
A17 - 17 - 11 - Gundaker, Gordy - 170 - 115 - 285 -
A18 - 18 - 8 - McCowan, Dillon - 135 - 145 - 280 - 15.737
B1 - 19 - 60 - Ebert, Dan - 150 - 130 - 280 - 15.863
B2 - 20 - 19M - Hughes, Spencer - 145 - 135 - 280 - 15.911
B1 - 21 - 157 - Marlar, Mike - 155 - 120 - 275 - 15.536
B2 - 22 - 6 - Harris, Clay - 120 - 155 - 275 - 15.976
B1 - 23 - 1XM - Marrant, Aaron - 125 - 125 - 250 -
B2 - 24 - 15 - Stuckey, Clay - 130 - 110 - 240 - 15.96
B1 - 25 - 40B - Bronson, Kyle - 115 - 125 - 240 - 16.023
B2 - 26 - 8K - Kuykendall, Tyler - 95 - 140 - 235 -
B1 - 27 - 7 - Wells, Cole - 120 - 105 - 225 16.151
B2 - 28 - 93M - Oberkramer, Mason - 105 - 120 - 225 16.212
B1 - 29 - 91 - Jones, Chris - 100 - 125 - 225 16.266
B2 - 30 - 1S - Shaw, Jeremy - 140 - 75 - 215 15.488
B1 - 31 - 50 - Clatt, Kayden - 115 - 100 - 215 15.547
B2 - 32 - 31C - Henson, Cole - 105 - 105 - 210
B1 - 33 - 7J - Johnson, Ryan - 110 - 95 - 205
B2 - 34 - 93L - Lawler, Cory - 90 - 110 - 200 15.961
B1 - 35 - 1/4J - Ertel, Jaxon - 110 - 90 - 200 16.405
B2 - 36 - 21 - Wilhite, Chris Jr - 85 - 115 - 200 16.427
B1 - 37 67 - Vanzandt, Jimmy - 90 - 95 - 185
B2 - 38 1G - Glaze, Bryan - 80 - 100 - 180
B1 - 39 82 - Parmley, Jace - 85 - 85 - 170
B2 - 40 S3 - Smith, Joey - 75 - 85 - 160
B1 - 41 18P - Parker, Shannon - 75 - 80 - 155
B2 - 42 4X - Helm, Dalon - 50 - 90 - 140
B1 - 43 96 - Imhoff, Dalton - 50 - 75 - 125 16.002
B2 - 44 USA1 - Hawkins, Chris - 50 - 75 - 125 16.973
B1 - 45 1K - Kimberling, Richard - 50 - 75 - 125 17.214
B2 - 46 99H - Hoover, Dylan - 100 - - 100
B1 - 47