Rudy Hartley was the track champion for Caraway Speedway’s Mod 4s division. (Photo courtesy of Caraway Speedway)
SOPHIA – Dalton Ledbetter was the big winner in Caraway Speedway’s special Limited Late Models race Saturday night.
The featured event as part of the final regular-season card was billed as a test to determine possible engine and carburetor rules for the 2025 season. Teams brought several “packages” to the track and at the end of the 75-lapper, Ledbetter took home the $1,500 top prize.
Ledbetter survived a crash on lap 63 that took out fast qualifier and race leader Tony Black. Black, Kaden Ballos, Cam Thomas and Riley Neal were sidelined or impacted by the wreck.
Ledbetter, who was making his first Limited Late Models start, held off Corey Rose on the restart to claim the victory. Garrett Zacharias finished third with Chris Chapman and Penn Crim completing the top five. Brody Duggins, Riley Neal, Black, Ballos, Thomas, Dylan ward and Tommy Moody rounded out the field.
Other races in the track’s regular divisions had double-points finales.
** In Challengers, fast qualifier Cody Griffin moved from his sixth starting spot and passed leader Ledbetter on a late race restart and later won the race. Matthew Smith returned to the speedway for the first time since April and was third ahead of division champion Brody Duggins. Bryson Pickard rounded out the top five, followed by Christian Henderson, McKyla Spinks, Gary Ledbetter, Brian Melville and Jay Yow.
** In Bootleggers, division champion Bentley Black won the last race, followed by Corey Ross, Brad Martin and Bobby Bescher.
** In 602 Modifieds, the feature race was nixed because of rain. Jaxson Casper already had clinched the division’s championship.
Based on qualifying times, track officials paid the division’s entrants in the finale, with Dean Lowder, Shaun McElearney, Mitchell Wright, Rylan Lowder, Eric Zeh, Ryan Nelson and Katlyn Tarantino on the pay sheet.
** The Mod 4s was also washed out by rain. Jimmy Crigger earned the winner’s purse by virtue of his qualifying effort ahead of Bubba Perry and Rudy Hartley. Hartley earned the 2025 division title.
** For UCARs, Jason Gallimore continued his late-season charge by winning the 20-lap feature in front of Steven Collins. But it was Jason Richmond, who finished third in the race, claiming the track title in the class. Jimmy Cooper was fourth and Tito Clapp took fifth in the race.
** The Legacy series made a stop at the track, with Ethan Elder the winner by less than one-second margin on Bobby Mares, followed by Killian McMann, Matthey Davey and Devan Mello.
** The US Legends race was won by Nathan Lyons, ahead of Sean McElearney, Kassidy Keitt, Trevor Rizzo and Laquan McCoy in the 12-care field.
** The Bandoleros feature went to Charlie Evans.
** The Enduros event was held despite the slick track, with Darrin Free the victor by making it through 50 laps.
The 22nd edition of the North-South Shootout will be held Nov. 8-9 at the track. Qualifying is set for Nov. 8 and the main event is scheduled for 1 p.m. Nov. 9. There is also racing for Challengers, Super Modifieds, 206 Mods and Sportsman classes.
