Tony Housman Scores First Career Late Model Win at Franklin County

CALLAWAY, VA – Longtime four-cylinder driver Tony Housman picked up his first career Late Model victory at Franklin County Speedway on Sunday afternoon.

Housman rocketed to the lead on the opening lap of the race and led every single lap of the race.  Jimmy Mullins was pressuring Housman for the lead before mechanical problems sidelined him from the race and securing the victory for Housman.  The race ended up being shortened after a medical emergency on track involving 68-year-old Calvin Brooks in turn one.

“I’d like to put Calvin Brooks’ family first,” Housman said in victory lane.  “Calvin’s been real good to me over the years and I pray everything’s alright and everything goes good for his family.  We’re going to keep working.  I hate Jimmy broke, we were hoping to have a good run with him, but we’ll take it any way we can get it.”

Housman is a multi-time winner and champion at Franklin County Speedway.  He recently made the decision to step up to Late Models last year and has been working on the car and working on learning the ropes of the discipline as a driver – and that hard work paid off on Sunday.

“This is just an idea, whim, last year, just go out, but a Late Model car,” Housman continued.  “We wrecked it the first time we were out here and we’ve been struggling with it and we finally hit on a little something here over the winter and we’ve steadily worked on it, still working on it, and we’ll go to the shop and try to make it a little better.”

Chad Trammell, in his first ever Late Model start, finished in the runner-up position.

Veteran driver Calvin Brooks was transported to an area hospital following an incident during the race which caused a lengthy delay as medical crews attended to him.  EMS workers were aided by Mini-Stock driver Justin Owens as well as a registered nurse who was in the grandstands who raced on foot to help out.

Serious situation in turn one where Calvin Brooks has crashed. He may have been passed out before the wreck.

— Andy Marquis (@amarquis32) April 11, 2021

Calvin Brooks is being transported to a nearby medical center. That's all I know. When I get official word, from official sources, I will provide an update.

— Andy Marquis (@amarquis32) April 11, 2021

At the time of publication, no information was available about Brooks’ condition.

While the Late Model race had been shortened, the rest of the racing program resumed after drivers voted to continue the race in an emergency driver’s meeting.  The headline race for Franklin County Speedway on Sunday was the Carolina Mini-Stock Challenge 50-lap race, which was won, unsurprisingly, by A.J. Sanders.

Tony Housman on track at Franklin County Speedway. (Andy Marquis/Short Track Scene photo)

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