Columbus Speedway Go

Grant Hiler was the only multiple division winner during the 2022 racing season for the Columbus Speedway Go-Kart Racing, which holds events at Tony Stewart Speedway.

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The Columbus Speedway Go-Kart Racing, which holds events at the Tony Stewart Speedway on the grounds of the Bartholomew County 4-H Fairgrounds, has announced that its awards banquet will be on Feb. 25 at the fairgrounds.

The top point drivers in each division for the 2022 are Grant Hiler, Bentley McCann, Jake Hudak, Dylan Cowan, Jacob Chadd, Troy Cowan and Blake Robertson.

Hiler was the only driver to win more than one division. He captured the Clone Medium and Clone Super Heavy divisions. In the Clone Medium division, Hiler took the title over Wesley Lack and P.J.

Browder. Hiler was the top point man in the Clone Heavy class over Daniel Burton and Richard Palmer.

McCann captured the Rookie championship over Kamden Fields, Joseph Hiten, Clay Thompson, Arika Rudicel, Maveryk Harris and Connor Perry.

Hudak was the top driver in the Junior 1 class. Brooklyn Summers was second in points behind Hudak, with Maverick Brison, Lynx Lawson, Quinton Purdue and Connor Perry rounding out the top six drivers.

Chadd won the Junior 2 division over Conner Smith, Keygun Headlee, Emalie Smith, Ayden Rudicel and Maddi Morgan.

Robertson won the Junior 3 class over Addie Stitsworth, Kenzie Perry, Keith Sinkhorn, Hunter Bergant and Max Erdman.

Dylan Cowan won the Clone Super Heavy division over Travis Huber and Mike Sullivan. Troy Cowan took the Pred Class over Calli Lucas and William Cowan.

O’Neal, Hughes prep for weekend

Hudson O’Neal of Hope and Spencer Hughes, who race for Craig and Shannon Sims of Hope, will be in action this weekend when the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series kicks off their 2023 racing season.

Tonight the series will race at Golden Isles Speedway in Brunswick, Georgia, with the biggest first place prize during this year's Georgia-Florida Speedweeks with a winner's share of $25,000 on the line. O’Neal and Hughes and the rest of the series drivers will race Sunday night and Monday night at Bubba's Raceway Park in Ocala, Florida. Brandon Overton won the season opener on Thursday night.

All of the racing action will be live on FloRacing. To subscribe to FloRacing, go to https://www.floracing.com/signup.

Overton takes Lucas Oil lid-lifter

Brandon Overton continued his mastery of Golden Isles Speedway when the Georgia native won his third consecutive Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series event at the track on Thursday to open the 2023 LOLMDS season with the Super Clean Super Bowl of Racing victory.

Overton had to hold off a hard-charging Tim McCreadie on the final lap to secure his 15th career series win. McCreadie, the 2-time and reigning series champion came from the 10th starting spot to finish just .402-second behind Overton. Ricky Thornton Jr. was third, with Devin Moran and Daulton Wilson rounding out the top five drivers.

Overton led the first circuit of the race with one lap being scored before the caution flew. On the restart, Overton would maintain the top spot with Thornton moving in the second spot. Hudson O’Neal, the fastest qualifier for the 50 entrants on hand, was on the move early on, moving from seventh to third by Lap 5.

Thornton and O’Neal had a side-by-side duel for a few laps until O’Neal cleared his fellow Indiana racer. Overton was setting a steady pace out front as McCreadie was marching through the field from his outside Row 5 starting position. McCreadie climbed to second around O’Neal on Lap 18.

The top four with 10 laps remaining were Overton, McCreadie, O’Neal and Jonathan Davenport, but a caution for O’Neal and Davenport would fly, relegating both of them to the tail. On the restart, Overton began pulling away from McCreadie as Thornton was commanding the third spot. Overton caught the back of the field in the waning laps as McCreadie tried one last ditch effort coming to the checkered flag, falling just short at the finish.

Overton, in Lucas Oil Victory Lane for the fourth time in his career at Golden Isles, was running his first race of 2023.

"When you out front like that you are just a sitting duck," Overton said. "You don't know where to go. My crew did a good job of moving me around. I have lost a lot of races when I have been loose, but I was actually getting too tight because I couldn't stay on the bottom. This race car is awesome this is the first night on it."

Luckett named GM at Salem

Salem native Glenn Luckett has been hired by new Salem Speedway owner Nick Bohanon to help manage the iconic racetrack located in Salem. Luckett started his Motorsports Management career at Salem Speedway in 1995. He remained at the track as the General Manager through the 2000 season before leaving to work full-time for Champion Racing Association, which he co-owned with partner R.J. Scott until selling to Track Enterprises last January.

"I’m really excited to return to my home track," Luckett said. "Nick contacted me to see if I had an interest in coming back to help him manage the track. It was a great opportunity for me to return to where my Motorsports Management career started. I’ve been on the road each season for the past 26 years with CRA, now I can continue to be involved in Motorsports, but have more time to spend with my family. I look forward to working with Nick to keep Salem Speedway one of the iconic short tracks in America."

Luckett added, "Salem Speedway has always had a special place in my heart, even after I left to run CRA full-time. Asphalt Short Track racing needs the continued support of its racers, fans, sponsors, and officials, I look forward to working with all four at Salem Speedway in 2023 and beyond."

Salem Speedway opened in 1947, providing fans with exciting fast paced racing on the .555-mile oval that features imposing 33-degree banked turns that were built strictly for speed. Salem is a track steeped in history with many of the giants in auto racing having competed on the treacherous "hills" at some point in their careers.

Names such as Ruttman, Carter, Sweikert, O’Connor, Jones, Foyt, Unser, Andretti, Vogler, Allison, Parsons, Waltrip, Schrader, Gordon and Stewart are just a few names from the past that grace the list of past winners. Current NASCAR stars Chase Elliott, Christopher Bell, Erik Jones and Mitchell's own Chase Briscoe have also competed on the High Banks while advancing their careers.

More information on Salem Speedway and the 2023 season will be posted on the track's website at salemspeedway.com and with social media posts on the track's Facebook page.

James Essex writes at motorsports notebook for The Republic. Send comments to [email protected]