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Hudson O'Neal (1) edges ahead of Jonathan Davenport (49) during the running of the 53rd World 100 on Saturday night at Eldora Speedway. O'Neal took the lead late in the race to capture the win in the prestigious late model race.
ROSSBURG - When Jonathan Davenport takes the lead in a major event at Eldora Speedway, you can usually start writing the check. Davenport has hauled a lot of money out of Eldora in the last decade having won the World 100 five times, the Dirt Late Model Dream twice and the 2022 Dirt Late Model Eldora Million.
So, when Davenport took the lead from Hudson O'Neal on lap 52 at this year's edition of the World 100, many in the overflow crowd that squeezed into Eldora on Saturday night figured the final 48 laps were just a formality.
O'Neal had other plans. The 23-year old driver from Martinsville, Indiana, kept Davenport in his sights, stalked him and then the lead duo swapped the lead several times before O'Neal took the lead for good on lap 92.
"I didn't really get discouraged, but I knew it was going to be hard to get back past him," O'Neal said of his mindset after relinquishing lead. "I just gave it everything I had. I drove my heart out."
Just before the white flag flew, Kyle Strickler slowed on the track and brought out the eighth and final caution flag of the 100-lap grind, allowing Davenport and the rest of the field one last shot at O'Neal in a two-lap shootout for $56,000 and the prized globed trophy.
"I said every cuss word imaginable when that caution flag came out," O'Neal, the son of former Dream winner and Late Model Hall of Famer Don O'Neal, said.
O'Neal was up to the challenge and held off the challengers to not only give legendary car owner Mark Richards his first World 100, the second-generation driver also gave the state of Indiana its first win in the event.
Hudson O'Neal poses with the winner's check and trophy after winning the World 100 at Eldora Speedway.
"Today isn't for me, this is for Mark," a glassy-eyed O'Neal said. "They've been coming here for 50 years trying to win this race. He's won the Dream (Eldora's June event) but never the World. I'm the fortunate one here, but I owe all the thanks to Mark."
Richards was emotional in victory lane as he thought back to all the missed opportunities at winning dirt racing's most prestigious event.
"It just seems like it was something that was never going to happen," Richards said. "I came here for the first time in 1974 and came back with a race car in 1975 and have been coming every year since. Came close a couple of times with Rodney Combs and Josh (his son) had couple of really good cars here but just could never finish the job.
To come here with Hudson in his first year driving for us and win this ... (it's) just great," a tearful Richards said.
Davenport entered the weekend looking to win his sixth globed trophy, which would tie him for most wins in the legendary event with Billy Moyer. While disappointed he fell one spot short, the Blairsville, Georgia, driver was happy with his team's effort.
"That was all I had. Moyer's record gonna live at least another year," Davenport said. "Congratulations to Hudson. I thought we was pretty good there because I could run off the cushion (the top of the racetrack) and was pretty good up there. We were set up to run middle and down like we have here in the past so when we were good up there, I felt good about our chances."
Davenport already has his sights set on the Dirt Track World Championship, and it's $100,000 top prize, which will be held at Eldora for the first time. The Lucas Oil Late Model Series will also crown a champion that night and it is worth another $200,000.
"We ain't going to hold our heads down," Davenport said. "We're going to keep our heads up, keep working and come back here in October and try to win a championship."
Veteran Dale McDowell, who won the 2005 World 100 after apparent winner Shannon Babb was light at the scales, extended his consecutive starts streak in the World 100 to 16, and may have had the fastest car on the track in the closing laps.
The 56-year old Georgia veteran struggled throughout the weekend and barely made the starting field through one of the B-Mains. He started 27th and worked his way forward throughout the race and then charged over the final 20 laps and finished third.
"We just struggled and got behind and I wish I could say I just drove hard, and it was me, but the truth is we just needed to get the car balanced better," McDowell said. "It came back around to us, and we salvaged a good finish. We just need to figure out how to start better up here and hopefully then we can get a little better finish."
Brian Shirley, who won a preliminary feature on Friday night, finished fourth and Tanner English started 25th, but finished fifth.
Pole sitter Mason Zeigler, Chris Ferguson, who led the first 14 laps, Ryan Gustin, Tyler Erb, driving for St. Marys-based Best Performance Motorsports and Brandon Sheppard completed the top 10.
Bobby Pierce, who won preliminary features on both Thursday and Friday and was looking to become the first driver to sweep a weekend at Eldora, had worked his way forward from 13th starting position to the top three behind O'Neal and Davenport in the first half of the race, but his night came to an abrupt end when he blew a right front tire and pounded the turn three wall. Pierce was uninjured but his quest for a weekend sweep was over, and he was scored 21st in the finishing order.
The six heat races were won by Jason Feger, Davenport, Kyle Bronson, Ferguson, O'Neal and Zeigler. Josh Rice and Stormy Scott won the two B-Main events.
The Four Crown Nationals returns to Eldora on September 20 and 21. The World of Outlaw Sprint Cars and USAC Midgets will race on Friday night, while the All Star Circuit of Champions, as well as the USAC Midgets, Sprint Cars and Silver Crown Series will compete on Saturday night.
