LAWRENCEBURG, IN (July 1, 2026) – The 15th and final Merrill Downey Memorial for Modifieds will be held on Saturday night, July 11 at the Lawrenceburg Speedway.
The event will be sanctioned by the Northern Allstars Modified Dirt Series Powered by Sunoco Race Fuels and UMP DirtCar. Points will be awarded for both sanctioning bodies. The race format and procedures will be determined by Lawrenceburg Speedway.
The event will be the biggest paying Modified race that has ever been held in the State of Indiana. The race will pay $12,044 to win and $644 to start. There will be no car entry fee, and no provisionals will be awarded.
Downey, an Osgood, Indiana native passed away in 2012 at the age of 55. He was a longtime regular competitor at the Lawrenceburg Speedway winning feature events in both the Late Model and Sportsman divisions during his career.
On June 13, race organizer, Bobby Gompf announced that this year’s event will be the last one contested per the wishes of the family.
Cole Falloway of Owensboro, Kentucky is the defending race winner. There have been 10 different winners in the first 14 events.
Also competing on July 11 will be the Kelsey Chevrolet Sprints and Crown Vics. For more information lawrenceburgspeedway.com and www.northernallstarsseries.com.
Previous Merrill Downey Memorial Winners
2012 – Devin Gilpin
2013 – Joey Kramer
2014 – Nick Hoffman
2015 – Tyler Nicely
2016 – Victor Lee
2017 – Lucas Lee
2018 – Tyler Nicely
2019 – David Stremme
2020 – David Stremme
2021 – Ricky Arms
2022 – Nick Hoffman
2023 – Matt Hamilton
2024 – Tyler Nicely
2025 – Cole Falloway
The Northern Allstars Series Powered by Sunoco Race Fuels would like to thank the following marketing partners including Allstar Performance, Arizona Sport Shirts, Brad Arthur Heating and Air, C&W Sales, Cain’s Tree Service, Cheap Cars, Coltman Farms Racing, Deatherage Racing Opticians, Delph Communications, Diamond Race Cars, Flag 2 Flag Media, Florence Winwater Company, Generations Custom Auto and Collision, Hellraizer Jacks, Hoosier Racing Tires, Indiana USSSA Fast Pitch Softball, Jason Grimes Construction, Jason Smith Transport, KamaKazi Chassis, Kendall Trucks and Parts, Ky. Clutch, Malvern Bank, Midwest Sheet Metal, PPM Racing Products, PopBit, Right Auto Parts, Rocket Chassis, Schaefer Trucking, Slicker Graphics, Stakt Products. Sunoco Race Fuels, SuperHeat Solutions, Swift Springs, The Bearded Hobo Brewery and Pub, The Bryan Bowman Family, Todd Steel Buildings, Travis Kern Racing Engines, Wheelman by Dasco, and Yakel Trucking and Hauling.
Those interested in becoming a marketing partner with the 2026 Northern Allstars Late Model and Modified Series can email series owner, director, and announcer James Essex at [email protected] for more information.
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