DON O’NEAL DRIVER

six Hoosier Dirt Classic titles, he is one of the most prolific winners ever there.

Coming from a motorcycle racing background, O’Neal, who joined dirt late model racing relatively late by today’s standards (in his mid-20s) holds the distinction of being a top-five winner in the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, including the 2014 points title, the DIRTcar Summer Nationals, including the 2004 points championship, and the Northern AllStars series on which he is the all-time wins leader. With a penchant for speed and a like for big racetracks, O’Neal captured two Pittsburghers at PPMS and a Show-Me 100 win at Lucas Oil Speedway. But he also excelled on the bullrings, scoring several wins at East Bay to go with many other marquee wins such as the Dixie Shootout in Woodstock, Georgia.

O’Neal, now 57 years old and officially retired from the sport, operates his own business, O’Neal’s Salvage and Recycling. He is enjoying life with his wife Anna and five grandchildren who are benefitting from the maybe-not-so-widely-known fact that Don is admittedly a bit of a “softie” when it comes to family, despite being known as an extremely aggressive hard charger on the racetrack.

By Tony Hammett

O’Neal wishes to make known his appreciation for all the support he received during his career serving as house car driver for the late C. J. Rayburn, MasterSbilt and Barry Wright. He also had the pleasure of racing for Larry Moring and Raymond Childress. He enjoyed the thrill of racing with his son Hudson, who is fast becoming a star in the sport, and is happy to be a sponsor on his team. Maybe not as much of a household name as some of the tough competitors he raced and beat often like Moyer, Bloomquist and Owens, O’Neal enjoyed one of the most successful careers ever. His “magical” season of 2011 yielded wins in the Dream at Eldora; the Silver Dollar Nationals at I-80, the Knoxville Nationals and the DTWC at Atomic Speedway. That year alone would be the envy of many.

When asked what the prospects of going into the Hall meant to him, he mentioned the obvious honor, but was hard pressed to put it into words until he has gone through it and experienced the weekend. Well Mr. O’Neal, August will be special, and perhaps it is fitting to just say it is the “Real Deal”.

FOLLOWING IN THE tire-tracks of his legendary racing father, Bart Hartman is a welcome second-generation addition to the National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame.

Growing up around the racing game, a young Bart Hartman, along with brother Brett, served as integral parts of the racing team of his late father Larry “Butch” Hartman, a 2004 Hall of Fame inductee. Bart’s first experiences came as a teenager racing bikes in motocross competition. His ability earned him numerous titles including the Ohio State Arena Cross Championship but an accident at age 18 canceled the Zanesville, Ohio native’s two wheel aspirations.

In 1990, a Bullitt Chassis, which he earned by helping build a race car for his dad, was prepared and, at 21, Bart started his career in stock car racing. His early indoctrination to late models came on home base Ohio Valley tracks, gaining experience while at times battling head to head with his father.

Eventually, Bart made the decision to travel and hooked up with the rugged Renegade STARS tour, earning the group’s Rookie of the Year honors in 1992. His first win came at Florence, Kentucky, in the preliminary race held the night before the North-South 100. He beat the late great Jack Boggs.

As he continued to climb the ladder, wins began to come his way. In 1995 with STARS, Bart came home third in National points and had major wins in the Conococheague 100 at Hagerstown and the Hillbilly 100 at Pennsboro.