Story By: BEN SHELTON / ROCKET1 RACING – SHINNSTON, WV – Hudson O’Neal piloted the Rocket1 Racing / Valvoline / Seubert Calf Ranches No. 1 Ace Metal Works / XR1 Rocket Chassis / Durham Racing Engine Super Late Model to a pair of Top-5 finishes in Labor Day weekend Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series (LOLMDS) competition.
“Another solid weekend for our team. It seems like we’ve been bitten by more than our fair share of random flat tires this year, and we had one get us on Saturday night at Portsmouth (Raceway Park) while running fourth, but we bounced back for a Top-5 finish from the tail of the pack. We added another Top-5 finish on Saturday at Tyler County (Speedway),” O’Neal said. “This whole team is working so hard, and I’m really excited for Eldora (Speedway) and the World 100 this weekend. Thanks so much to all our sponsors and everyone that supports this program.”
Hudson O’Neal entered the Rocket1 Racing / Seubert Calf Ranches No. 1 Super Late Model into battle with the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series (LOLMDS) on Saturday evening at Portsmouth (Ohio) Raceway Park for the River Days Rumble.
Starting his outing with the fastest qualifying lap in his 16-car group, O’Neal soared into the main event with a convincing heat race win.
Chasing a $15,000 payday in the feature, Hudson rebounded with a fifth-place run in the 50-lapper after a flat tire sidelined him during a lap-20 caution while running fourth.
For the 55th annual Hillbilly Hundred on Sunday at Tyler County Speedway (Middlebourne, W. Va.), Hudson’s second-place showing in his heat race positioned him on the third row for the $30,000-to-win A-Main.
Moving forward one spot in the 100-lap affair, O’Neal rolled to a fifth-place finish, which came behind Jonathan Davenport, Daulton Wilson, Brandon Overton, and Ricky Thornton Jr.
Hudson remains second in the latest LOLMDS points.
The Rocket1 Racing team now has all hands on deck preparing for the upcoming weekend’s World 100 at Eldora Speedway (Rossburg, Ohio). The 53rd running of the crown jewel will see the field split into a pair of $12,000-to-win programs on Thursday and Friday, while Saturday’s finale is headlined by a $56,000-to-win finale.
Hudson’s best finish in the World 100 is a fourth in 2021.