BROWNSTOWN, IN (September 25, 2026) - Hudson O'Neal returned Friday night to the track where he began his racing career and led wire-to-wire to win the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series C.J. Rayburn Memorial at Brownstown Speedway.
In addition to the $10,000 winner's purse, O'Neal earned a $5,000 bonus from Big River Steel, bringing his total winnings to $15,000 for SSI Motorsports. O'Neal completed a clean sweep of the night and cut Brandon Sheppard's championship points lead to 25 heading into Saturday night's $50,000-to-win Jackson 100.
Sheppard passed Ricky Thornton Jr. with 10 laps remaining to finish second. Thornton rounded out the Big River Steel podium in third. Josh Rice and Brandon Overton completed the top five.
O'Neal visited Wieland Victory Lane for the 40th time in his Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series career. The 26-year-old Martinsville, Indiana, native recorded his ninth career win at Brownstown, where he began racing 10 years ago.
"It means a lot to win this race. It doesn't matter whether it's a big race or a local race; it just seems to mean a little more. I grew up racing here, and it's been a few years since I have won here. So it's pretty cool to be standing back up here on this stage. It's a good time to start doing it, too. We have a tight points battle. It's coming down to the wire, so finding some speed at the right time of the year is really important for us," said the 2019 Jackson 100 winner.
"C.J. Rayburn meant so much to my dad (Don O'Neal) throughout his career, even at the end. My dad credited C.J. for a lot of his career. So it's pretty cool to win this and put my name on this trophy. Knowing my dad, it probably means a little bit more to him as well. Hopefully we can get our second Jackson win tomorrow."
Sheppard entered the weekend with a 55-point lead over O'Neal, but O'Neal trimmed 30 points from that advantage Friday night.
"I felt like we had a pretty good car there. I felt pretty balanced. The later the race went, the better I was getting. Hudson kind of found a line that I was running late in lapped traffic, and he was diamonding off between a few of those guys. So, I don't know if there was anything I could do to pass him. Congrats to him. He did a good job. It was a fun race. The track was pretty tricky there. We are 50/50 in that type of track condition here."
Thornton, who has won two of the last three Jackson 100s, ran second until 10 laps remained and finished third.
"I felt like I had about 12 laps to do something. Congrats to Hud. His stuff was good, and he could get through traffic a little bit better than we could. We have a lot to work on for tomorrow."
O'Neal's winning Todd and Vickie Burns/SSI Motorsports Longhorn Chassis is powered by a Cornett Racing Engine and sponsored by Big River Steel, Wheeler Metals, Sub-Surface of Indiana, Merrill Bonding, Professional Concrete Cutting and Drilling, O'Neal's Salvage and Recycling, Lineal Contracting, Sunoco Race Fuels, Beeman Lumber, Indiana USSSA Fastpitch Softball, Seven Spurs Ranch, Penske Racing Shocks, Dicky's Doghouse, and Lucas Oil Products.
Jonathan Davenport, Devin Moran, Clay Harris, Max Blair, and Mike Marlar completed the top 10.
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Race Summary
5th Annual CJ Rayburn Memorial
Friday, September 25, 2026
Brownstown Speedway | Brownstown, IN
Allstar Performance Time Trials
Fast Time Group A: Hudson O'Neal | 13.635 seconds (Overall)
Fast Time Group B: Jonathan Davenport | 13.782 seconds
Penske Shocks Heat Race #1 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 71-Hudson O'Neal[1]; 2. 11-Josh Rice[3]; 3. 12J-Jason Jameson[2]; 4. 3S-Brian Shirley[4]; 5. 157-Mike Marlar[5]; 6. 76S-Shelby Miles[7]; 7. D48-Derek Groomer[9]; 8. 18L-Trevor Landrum[8]; 9. 17SR-Brody Smith[6]; 10. 42-Terry Casey[10]
Summit Racing Products Heat Race #2 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 1-Brandon Sheppard[2]; 2. 111-Max Blair[3]; 3. C7-Adam Stricker[1]; 4. 8-Dillon McCowan[6]; 5. 60-Dan Ebert[4]; 6. 93F-Carson Ferguson[5]; 7. 11C-Tyler Collins[7]; 8. 4-Cody Mahoney[8]; 9. 22X-Matt Boknecht[9]; 10. 1CJ-Justin Shaw[10]
Cool-It Thermo-Tec Heat Race #3 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 49-Jonathan Davenport[1]; 2. 6-Clay Harris[2]; 3. 22F-Chris Ferguson[7]; 4. 20-Tyler Neal[4]; 5. 99JR-Frank Heckenast Jr[8]; 6. 17SS-Brenden Smith[6]; 7. S21-Seth Daniels[5]; 8. P3-Steve Peeden[9]; 9. JD3-Jack Dossey III[10]; 10. 71D-Don O'Neal[3]
Simpson Race Products Heat Race #4 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr[1]; 2. 76-Brandon Overton[2]; 3. 99-Devin Moran[4]; 4. 40B-Kyle Bronson[8]; 5. 32-Chad Stapleton[6]; 6. 15R-James Rice[5]; 7. 58-Garrett Alberson[3]; 8. 21R-Colby Reed[9]; 9. (DNS) 1G-Devin Gilpin
Fast Shafts B-Main Race #1 Finish (10 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 157-Mike Marlar[1]; 2. 93F-Carson Ferguson[4]; 3. D48-Derek Groomer[5]; 4. 60-Dan Ebert[2]; 5. 11C-Tyler Collins[6]; 6. 17SR-Brody Smith[9]; 7. 76S-Shelby Miles[3]; 8. 18L-Trevor Landrum[7]; 9. 42-Terry Casey[11]; 10. 1CJ-Justin Shaw[12]; 11. 4-Cody Mahoney[8]; 12. (DNS) 22X-Matt Boknecht
UNOH B-Main Race #2 Finish (10 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 99JR-Frank Heckenast Jr[1]; 2. 17SS-Brenden Smith[3]; 3. S21-Seth Daniels[5]; 4. 32-Chad Stapleton[2]; 5. 58-Garrett Alberson[6]; 6. 15R-James Rice[4]; 7. JD3-Jack Dossey III[9]; 8. P3-Steve Peeden[7]; 9. 21R-Colby Reed[8]; 10. (DNS) 71D-Don O'Neal; 11. (DNS) 1G-Devin Gilpin
5th Annual CJ Rayburn Memorial | Feature Finish (40 Laps):
Pos - Start - Car # - Competitor - Hometown - Earnings
1 - 1 - 71 - Hudson O'Neal - Martinsville, IN - $15,000
2 - 3 - 1 - Brandon Sheppard - New Berlin, IL - $5,600
3 - 4 - 20RT - Ricky Thornton Jr - Chandler, AZ - $3,500
4 - 5 - 11 - Josh Rice - Crittenden, KY - $2,800
5 - 8 - 76 - Brandon Overton - Evans, GA - $2,500
6 - 2 - 49 - Jonathan Davenport - Blairsville, GA - $2,300
7 - 12 - 99 - Devin Moran - Dresden, OH - $2,200
8 - 6 - 6 - Clay Harris - Jupiter, FL - $2,100
9 - 7 - 111 - Max Blair - Centerville, PA - $2,050
10 - 17 - 157 - Mike Marlar - Winfield, TN - $2,000
11 - 15 - 8 - Dillon McCowan - Urbana, MO - $1,600
12 - 19 - 93F - Carson Ferguson - Lincolnton, NC - $1,400
13 - 9 - 12J - Jason Jameson - Lawrenceburg, IN - $1,200
14 - 21 - D48 - Derek Groomer - Bloomington, IN - $1,000
15 - 11 - C7 - Adam Stricker - Batavia, OH - $950
16 - 10 - 22F - Chris Ferguson - Mt. Holly, NC - $925
17 - 13 - 3s - Brian Shirley - Chatham, IL - $900
18 - 24 - 60 - Dan Ebert - Lake Shore, MN - $875
19 - 23 - 58 - Garrett Alberson - Las Cruces, NM - $850
20 - 20 - 17SS - Brenden Smith - Dade City, FL - $825
21 - 14 - 20 - Tyler Neal - Paragon, IN - $800
22 - 16 - 40B - Kyle Bronson - Brandon, FL - $800
23 - 25 - 11C - Tyler Collins - North Vernon, IN - $800
dirt track racing advertisement
24 - 22 - S21 - Seth Daniels - Jackson, OH - $800
25 - 18 - 99JR - Frank Heckenast Jr - Frankfort, IL - $800
Race Statistics
Entrants: 39
Bilstein Shocks Pole Sitter: Hudson O'Neal
MD3 Lap Leaders: Hudson O'Neal
Hellraizer Jacks Halfway Leader: Hudson O'Neal
Wieland Feature Winner: Hudson O'Neal
Margin of Victory: 1.057 seconds
Hellraizer Jacks Cautions: n/a
MyRacePass Series Provisional: Garrett Alberson; Dan Ebert
Fast Time Provisional: n/a
Emergency Provisionals: n/a
Track Provisional: Tyler Collins
Big River Steel Podium Top 3: Hudson O'Neal, Brandon Sheppard, Ricky Thornton, Jr.
Penske Shocks Top 5: Hudson O'Neal, Brandon Sheppard, Ricky Thornton, Jr., Josh Rice, Brandon Overton
Behrent's One-Lap-to-Go Top 3: Hudson O'Neal, Brandon Sheppard, Ricky Thornton, Jr.
PEM 4th Place Feature: Josh Rice
Diversified Machine 5th Place Feature: Brandon Overton
Wilwood Brakes 7th Place Feature: Devin Moran
Wehrs Machine 11th Place Feature: Dillon McCowan
Velocity Manufacturing 13th Place Feature: Jason Jameson
XS Power Batteries 15th Place Feature: Adam Stricker
Hoker Trucking Hard Charger of the Race: Mike Marlar (Advanced 7 positions)
MD3 Most Laps Led: Hudson O'Neal (40 Laps)
Sunoco Race Fuels Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Hudson O'Neal
Midwest Sheet Metal Spoiler Challenge Point Leader: Brandon Sheppard
O'Reilly Auto Parts Rookie of the Race: Josh Rice
Pro Fabrication Headers Fastest Lap of the Race: Ricky Thornton, Jr. | Lap 3 | 15.328 seconds
FK Rod Ends Hard Luck Award: Frank Heckenast Jr
Victory Fuel Power Move of the Race: Brandon Sheppard
Outerwears Crew Chief of the Race: Jason Durham
ARP Engine Builder of the Race: Cornett Racing Engines
Miller Welders Chassis Builder of the Race: Longhorn Chassis
Dirt Draft Fastest in Hot Laps: Mike Marlar | 13.2684 seconds
Time of Race: 10 minutes 52 seconds
Big River Steel Championship Standings Presented by ARP:
Pos - Car # - Competitor - Hometown - Points - Earnings
1 - 1 - Brandon Sheppard - New Berlin, IL - 6535 - $273,500
2 - 71 - Hudson O'Neal - Martinsville, IN - 6510 - $259,700
3 - 99 - Devin Moran - Dresden, OH - 6395 - $313,074
4 - 76 - Brandon Overton - Evans, GA - 6060 - $158,600
5 - 20RT - Ricky Thornton Jr - Chandler, AZ - 6020 - $243,125
6 - 111 - Max Blair - Centerville, PA - 5905 - $153,125
7 - 11 - Josh Rice - Crittenden, KY - 5640 - $193,275
8 - 3s - Brian Shirley - Chatham, IL - 5550 - $109,800
9 - 58 - Garrett Alberson - Las Cruces, NM - 5505 - $119,925
10 - 6 - Clay Harris - Jupiter, FL - 5250 - $102,475
Official Marketing Partners
Associate Marketing Partners
Advanced Powder Coating, All Makes Collision Center, Arizona Sport Shirts, Behrent's Performance Warehouse, Black Diamond Chassis, Bilstein Shocks, Boyd Bilt Fabrication, Brodix, Capital Race Cars, Clements Racing Engines, Cornett Racing Engines, Dave Warren Powersports, Denago Powersports, Diversified Machine Inc, Fast Shafts, Fire Suppression Engineering, FOX Shocks, Heartbeat Hot Sauce, Heath Lawson Photography, Hellraizer Jacks, Hoker Trucking, Jackson County Tourism, Keyser Manufacturing, Longacre Scales, Longhorn Chassis, The Massengill Company, MD3, Mega Plumbing of the Carolinas, Midwest Sheet Metal, MSD, Ohlins Shocks, Outerwears, PEM - Performance Engineering Mfg, Penske Racing Shocks, ProFabrication Headers, Pro Power Racing Engines, Rocket Chassis, Schoenfeld Headers, Shocker Hitch, Simpson Race Products, Slicker Graphics, Steering Buddy, Strange Oval, Swift Springs, Thermo-Tec Automotive Products, Velocity Manufacturing, Victory Fuel, Wehrs Machine & Racing Products, Wilwood, Xceldyne, XS Power Batteries, and 5150 Race Trailers.
