September 11, 2024 | By Lyndal Scranton

Wing or not, Doney looks to keep rising at Hockett-McMillin Memorial

WHEATLAND, Mo. — One of the rising prospects of sprint-car racing is far too young to have seen Jesse Hockett impress in both the winged and wingless divisions of the sport.

But Xavier Doney has heard plenty of stories about his fellow Missourian.

Doney, an 18-year-old from Odessa, said one of his favorites is the one about Hockett starting a feature from tailback - apparently on a dare - at Double X Speedway in California, Mo. He drove around the field and into victory lane just making the paycheck and trophy celebration sweeter.

And moreover, it didn't seem to matter which variety of sprint car Hockett drove prior to his passing at the age of 29.

“I know he raced wing and non-wing and was good in both,” Doney said of Hockett, who was from Warsaw.

This week’s 14th annual Jesse Hockett-Daniel McMillin Memorial offers Doney an opportunity to pay tribute to Hockett in the ultimate way. Doney, too, drives both styles of sprint cars with skill and will be one to watch in both the POWRi 410 Sprints and POWRi WAR in three nights of action starting on Thursday.

The Hockett-McMillin Memorial recognizes the legacy of Hockett, who was a star in both the winged and non-wing sprint divisions when he lost his life in a shop accident in 2010. His cousin and crew chief, Daniel McMillin, was killed in an automobile accident in 2006.

“I think it’s a really cool event that honors Jesse Hockett and Daniel McMillin. It’s one of the biggest events in the Midwest all year long,” Doney said. “Lots of cars, lots of good, hard racing. This year they have the 410s which I’m excited to run that, because we’ve been fast there in the past with the wing on.”

Just last month at Lucas Oil Speedway, Doney drove to victory lane in his winged 410 at the POWRi Summer Thunder. He set fast qualifying time and led all 30 laps of the feature, holding off Ayrton Gennetten in the late going, for the $5,000 prize.

This week, the stakes are higher. Preliminary-night features for the 410s will pay $3,000 to win Thursday and Friday before the $10,000 finale on Saturday. Meanwhile, Doney also will have his wingless sprint ready. He’s finished second in that portion of the Hockett twice, including one year ago.

There’s a definite boost of confidence after the recent success, plus an eye-opening showing earlier in the summer as the Kubota High Limit series visited Lucas Oil Speedway.

“At the High Limit race I ran fourth quick the second night in qualifying and unfortunately it got rained out,” Doney said. “I know that I’m fast at Wheatland in the wing and non-wing, I just haven’t got it done in the non-wing yet. We were second last year and second three years ago. So we just haven’t quite been able to pull it off.”

Doney began racing quarter midgets when he was 6. He explains his fascination with the open-wheel style of racing began when the family went to a car show in Kansas City for his sixth birthday. Prior to that, it was made clear that he would not follow his dad's racing path.

“My dad (Mike Doney) raced hare scrambles before I was born, on dirt bikes,” Xavier said. “My mom thought dirt bikes were too dangerous. We went to World of Wheels show and had to take an elevator because they didn’t allow strollers up the escalators and my little sister was with us. We went in the elevator and went up to the main floor of the car show and the door opened and the quarter-midget was sitting there.

"I was in awe. I knew from then on that’s what I wanted to do. For my sixth birthday, my dad got me a couple of quarter midgets and been racing since.”

Doney graduated to sprints four years ago and finished top-five in his first five winged features, at Lucas Oil Speedway and Lake Ozark Speedway. Lots of wins podium finishes have followed in both wings and non-wings. Doney not only drives, but helps build some of the fastest sprint cars around as a fabricator/welder at the renowned Schnee-Lawson Chassis in his hometown.

And Xavier is not the only member of the family going fast on the dirt. Natalie, his 15-year-old sister who was in that stroller at World of Wheels, recently debuted in a 410 Sprint at Lake Ozark Speedway and made the A feature the second night of the two-night show, finishing 21st.

“I thought she did pretty good. She beat a few regular 410 drivers, which is a feat on its own, especially being her first night out,” Xavier said. “We’re a really close family. We’re all on the same race team and share information with each other. We’re trying to grow (as a race team) at the same time.”

Fans who want to follow the Doney-Lawson Race Team can look for winged car No. 74 (Xavier) and 74N (Natalie).

Pit gates will open at 4 p.m. Thursday and Friday with grandstands at 5, hot laps at 6 and racing at 7:05 p.m. On Saturday, pit gates open at 3 p.m. with grandstands at 4, hot laps at 5:30 and racing at 6:35 p.m.


Thursday admission:

Advance Discount Tickets online only (13 and up) - $22
Adults (13 and up) - $25
Seniors (62 and up)/Military - $22
Youth (6 to 12) - $10
Kids (5 and under) - FREE
Family Pass - $60
Pit Pass - $45
3-Day Pit Pass - $135


Friday admission:

Advance Discount Tickets online only (13 and up) - $22
Adults (13 and up) - $25
Seniors (62 and up)/Military - $22
Youth (6 to 12) - $10
Kids (5 and under) - FREE
Family Pass - $60
Pit Pass - $45


Saturday admission:

Advance Discount Tickets online only (13 and up) - $32
Adults (13 and up) - $35
Seniors (62 and up)/Military - $32
Youth (6 to 12) - $10
Kids (5 and under) - FREE
Family Pass - $80
Pit Pass - $45


Camping: Daily Rates

Dry Camping $15/Night (up to 6 people) ($5 additional a night per person)

Reserve Dry $25/Night (limited availability) (up to 6 people, $5 additional a night per person)

Reserved Electric & Water $40/Night (up to 6 people) ($5 additional a night per person, limited availability)

For ticket or camping information on any Lucas Oil Speedway event, contact Admissions Director Nichole McMillan at (417) 295-6043 or via email at nmcmillan@lucasoilspeedway.com.

For ticket or camping information on any Lucas Oil Speedway event, contact Admissions Director Nichole McMillan at (417) 295-6043 or via email at nmcmillan@lucasoilspeedway.com.

For information about Lucas Oil Speedway, including schedules, point standings and other news, please visit LucasOilSpeedway.com.