HOPE, IN (June 2, 2025) – Josh Rice finally broke through on Saturday Night winning his first Brownstown Speedway feature race as he dominated in winning the 42nd Annual Hoosier Dirt Classic for the Northern Allstars Late Model Dirt Series Powered by Sunoco Race Fuels. The win for the 2-time and defending series champion paid $10,000.
Rice, who started third in the 50-lap main event passed race leader and dash for cash winner Hudson O’Neal on lap 13 and then had to withstand a caution with two laps to go to get his fourth series win in five races in 2025.
O’Neal, who earned the pole by winning the Hellraizer Jacks “Dash for Cash” for the 4 heat race winners jumped to the lead at the start of the feature with Rice and Camaron Marlar trailing.
O’Neal held the lead until lap 13 when Rice, who was running a line lower than O’Neal charged by the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series regular to grab the lead. Rice then stretched his lead out over the rest of the field holding a several second lead.
Jason Jameson moved to second on lap 14 with Tanner English up to third from the outside of row five. English was then able to get by Jameson for second on lap 31, but at the point he was several car lengths back of his fellow Bluegrass State driver.
A caution with two laps to go would bunch the field, but Rice who had lapped up to sixth place in the running order pulled away for first career win at Brownstown winning by 1.030 seconds over English at the finish.
With the win at Brownstown Rice re-took the points lead from Devin Gilpin, who finished 7th.
“A Rice has never won here. This place is so hard to win at. The dash is what won me this deal. I thought I knew what I was doing, and I killed it, I was terrible in that dash, and it was fixing to be a very long night if we would have just rolled it out for the feature. I put James’ (Rice) right front stack on and he let me pick the right rear spring and man it was damn good. Brownstown I love ya, thank you. Man, with that caution with 2 to go I was about to throw up that was unfortunate I just knew it was going to be something, but it all worked out.”
English, who started 10th finished second with Jameson rounding out the Swift Springs Podium in third. Jameson’s teammate Justin Rattliff was fourth with Florida’s Joseph Joiner in his Brownstown debut finishing in fifth after starting 15th earning the Todd Steel Buildings Hard Charger of the Race.
The winner’s Rick Jones/Team Sunesis Rocket Chassis is powered by a Jay Dickens Racing Engine and sponsored by Sunesis Construction, Glenwood Electric Inc., Air Max Heating and Cooling, Rice Excavating and Plumbing, Integra Shocks, Slicker Graphics, Chain Locker, Impact Race Gear, Sunoco Race Fuels, and MC Tank.
Completing the top ten were Hudson O’Neal, Devin Gilpin, Tripp Gerrald, Tyler Neal, and Kent Robinson.
Race Summary
Northern Allstars Late Model Dirt Series Powered by Sunoco Race Fuels
Saturday, May 31, 2025
Brownstown Speedway
Brownstown, Indiana
Entries: 40
Lap Leaders: Hudson O’Neal 1-12, Josh Rice 13-50
Hellraizer Jacks Dash for Cash Winner: Hudson O’Neal
Florence Winwater Fast Qualifier: Hudson O’Neal
Heat Race Winners: Camaron Marlar, Josh Rice, David Webb, Hudson O’Neal
B-Main Winners: Shelby Miles and Justin Smith
Todd Steel Buildings Hard Charger of the Race: Joseph Joiner (started 15th and finished 5th) advanced 10 positions
Feature Finish:
1. Josh Rice (Crittenden, Kentucky)
2. Tanner English (Benton, Kentucky)
3. Jason Jameson (Lawrenceburg, Indiana)
4. Justin Rattliff (Campbellsville, Kentucky)
5. Joseph Joiner (Milton, Florida)
6. Hudson O’Neak (Martinsville, Indiana)
7. Devin Gilpin (Columbus, Indiana)
8. Tripp Gerrald (Versailles, Kentucky)
9. Tyler Neal (Paragon, Indiana)
10. Kent Robinson (Bloomington, Indiana)
11. Seth Daniels (Jackson, Ohio)
12. Matt Boknecht (Seymour, Indiana)
13. Derek Groomer (Bloomington, Indiana)
14. Steve Peeden (Martinsville, Indiana)
15. David Webb (Nicholasville, Kentucky)
16. Conner Mertens (Charlestown, Indiana)
17. Camaron Marlar (Winfield, Tennessee)
18. Shelby Miles (Bloomington, Indiana)
19. Justin Smith (Barbourville, Kentucky)
20. Rodney Melvin (Benton, Illinois)
21. Michael Chilton (Salvisa, Kentucky)
22. Mike Marlar (Winfield, Tennessee)
Current Northern Allstars Late Model Dirt Series Powered by Sunoco Race Fuels Championship Points Standings After 5 events
1. Josh Rice (Crittenden, Kentucky) – 966
2. Devin Gilpin (Columbus, Indiana) – 962
3. David Webb (Nicholasville, Kentucky) – 916
4. Seth Daniels (Jackson, Ohio) – 912
5. Jason Jameson (Lawrenceburg, Indiana) – 876
6. Billy Green (Walton, Kentucky) – 848
7. Tyler Collins (North Vernon, Indiana) – 816
8. Dustin Nobbe (Batesville, Indiana) – 816
9. Trevor Landrum (Florence, Kentucky) – 744
10. Dustin Shoulders (Coatesville, Indiana) – 726
Current Arizona Sport Shorts Rookie-of-the Year Points Standings
1. Billy Green (Walton, Kentucky) – 848
2. Dustin Shoulders (Coatesville, Indiana) – 726
3. Derek Groomer (Bloomington, Indiana) – 708
4. Jake Leitzman (Paragon, Indiana) – 650
5. Tucker Chastain (Mitchell, Indiana) – 648
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