ROSSBURG, Ohio — No driver carries more confidence into Saturday’s 54th annual World 100 at Eldora Speedway than Jonathan Davenport, whose quest for a record-tying sixth globe trophy can't go unacknowledged by his closest competitors, including last year's winner Hudson O’Neal.

Hudson O’Neal was running second. The driver he replaced last month as driver for SSI Motorsports, Ricky Thornton Jr., was third and itching to move up.

Through three races with his new-look SSI Motorsports team, this much is clear: Hudson O’Neal has virtually picked up where Ricky Thornton Jr. left off, powering to Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series victories Monday and Tuesday at Eagle (Neb.) Raceway and Shelby County Speedway.

The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series gave Shelby County Speedway is first-ever national touring Dirt Late Model event on Monday with the 53-lap, $10,053-to-win Kosiski Family 53.

Hudson O’Neal and Ricky Thornton Jr. have been the talk of dirt-track racing of late, so it’s only fitting they hogged the limelight once again in their one-two finish Monday at Eagle Raceway on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series.

Anthony Burroughs needed to get some things off his chest upon arriving back to the SSI Motorsports transporter Monday evening at Eagle Raceway following Hudson O’Neal’s first victory since reuniting with the team last week.

The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series made its first-ever appearance at Nebraska's Eagle Raceway on Monday with a 40-lap, $10,000-to-win event.

Hudson O’Neal and Ricky Thornton Jr. didn’t put their new rides in Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series victory lane Thursday at 34 Raceway in West Burlington, Iowa, but consider their respective evenings a success.

Hudson O'Neal has won races this year for two of Dirt Late Model racing's most accomplished car owners, Mark Richards and Kevin Rumley.

Todd Burns isn’t a Dirt Late Model car owner seeking the spotlight. He’s content to stay in the background and watch his SSI Motorsports team race and, of course, win, something his operation has done on a historic level over the past year-and-a-half with Ricky Thornton Jr. of Chandler, Ariz., behind the wheel.

Hudson O’Neal of Martinsville, Ind., will return for a second tour of duty with SSI Motorsports, taking over the seat left vacant after Sunday’s news that Ricky Thornton Jr. of Chandler, Ariz., had been released as the Morgantown, Ind.-based team’s driver.

Hudson O’Neal has been minding his own business these days, using these April weeks on the threshold of the busy spring season to ensure he’s both well prepared and well rested for the heart of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series schedule.

Hudson O’Neal of Martinsville, Ind., revealed his plans for the remainder of 2024 late Thursday night, announcing the formation of Hudson O’Neal Racing to carry him into the future.

Hudson O'Neal has had the Dirt Late Model world wondering what his next move is going to be since leaving the Rocket Chassis house car team last month.

Hudson O’Neal of Martinsville, Ind., has paired up with Kevin Rumley of Longhorn Chassis to race for the China Grove, N.C., manufacturer at Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series events this Saturday and Sunday at Brownstown (Ind.) Speedway and Ohio’s Atomic Speedway, respectively.