Dirt Late Model Racing’s Best Go Head-to-Head
By Clayton Johns

CONCORD, NC – June 19, 2017 – The World of Outlaws Craftsman® Late Model Series and the DIRTcar Summer Nationals tour are set to meet for two star-powered showdown races this weekend. The best Dirt Late Model racing has to offer will battle head-to-head on June 30 at Indiana’s Terre-Haute Speedway before starting July at Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 in Pevely, MO on July 1.

For the World of Outlaws Craftsman Late Model Series drivers, the challenge events against the Summer Nationals stars conclude a busy stretch of six races in 11 days in four different states. A World of Outlaws race already brings a wildly talented group of wheelmen, but adding the talent of the Summer Nationals tour drivers to the field adds another layer of difficulty.

“It definitely gets a lot more difficult,” said current World of Outlaws point leader and 2013 Summer Nationals champion Brandon Sheppard of New Berlin, IL. “There’s a lot of tough competition that run that series. When you mix the two of them together, it makes for a heck of a field of cars. There’s definitely a lot of good competition that we’ll be running against, but that’s the fun of our sport.”

Most drivers will maintain the same routine for the challenge races, but enter the event knowing they have to be at the top of their game. The level of difficulty is a little higher for full-time Outlaw Devin Moran of Dresen, OH, who will see both Terre-Haute and Pevely for the first time in his career.

“I’ll definitely watch quite a bit of video of those tracks and just get a feel for what’s going on,” Moran said. “Other than that, there’s not much I would change. We try to be 100 percent prepared for every race we go to. Hopefully we show up and run pretty decent.”

For the drivers running the full DIRTcar Summer Nationals tour, also known as the “Hell Tour” for its schedule of 29 races in 32 days, the battle against the Outlaws is dropped in the middle of the grueling tour. Adding the Outlaw competitors to the field only increases the difficulty of winning on the already star-studded tour, said two-time and defending Summer Nationals Champion Bobby Pierce of Oakwood, IL.

“You have a tough bunch of guys that run the Hell Tour and then the Outlaw guys come in and their stuff is going to be a little bit more fresh than ours by that time,” Pierce said. “It’s going to make it a little tougher on us.”

During such a grueling and busy stretch of races for both series, the key to success is maintaining cars at their peak performance. Achieving that goal while operating on the road and undertaking maintenance tasks in parking lots is even more difficult than it sounds. Preparing for each night starts well before race day.

“It still all happens in the race shop,” said Moran. “Before we leave we want to be 100 percent prepared. We’ll have an extra car and extra parts. We could probably build an entire car, minus the frame, in the race hauler. That’s really the key when we’re out travelling – we have to make sure we have everything.”

“We try to start off with our stuff as fresh as we can and keep plenty of spare stuff with us,” Sheppard agreed. ”That’s the difficult part – running all those races and keep your stuff maintained and up to par or where it needs to be.

The benefit for veteran drivers will be their experience at each track. Terre-Haute and Pevely offer drastically different configurations on consecutive nights of competition and force each driver to be increasingly versatile. Drivers will have to tackle the half-mile at Terre-Haute and then the tight confines of Pevely’s enclosed quarter-mile. However, both groups of drivers are accustomed to travelling to various venues.

“I don’t think it will be as hard because the one thing with the Summer Nationals that really benefits you as a driver is when you go to all of these different tracks, it helps you adapt really quick to different track conditions and track types,” Pierce said.

“We’ve been really consistent all year long and we race two or three different tracks every weekend, so it won’t be anything different to go from one track to another,” Sheppard said as a matter-of-fact.

While Moran hasn’t turned a lap on either track, he’ll use the experience he has gained travelling with the Outlaws to his benefit.

“One of my favorite things about racing is going to new tracks,” Moran said. “Terre-Haute is a one of a kind racetrack. We don’t go to many places that are a big half-mile and flat like that. I’m really excited to go to Pevely. It’s definitely an action-packed racetrack. I’m excited to get there.”

The challenge races are events many drivers look forward to, despite the extra layer of competition. Defeating the best in both series allows for some bragging rights.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if you saw a World of Outlaws guy and a Summer Nationals guy battling for the lead both nights,” Pierce said. “It’s going to be tough.”

Sheppard in particular is looking to make-up for a previous visit to Terre-Haute where he led the majority of the race, but had the win stolen late in the race.

“I ran Mark Richards’ car there in 2012 at the Summer Nationals race and I think I led all but the last five laps when we knocked the nose off up in the cushion,” Sheppard said. “I’m kind of looking forward to going back there and getting some revenge.”

For Moran, it’s a chance to run against one of his good friends in Pierce with some friendly bragging rights on the line.

“I’m definitely excited to go race with the Summer Nationals guys,” Moran said. “Living in Ohio, I don’t get to do that a whole lot. Going out there and racing with one of my good buddies Bobby Pierce, I hope I put it on him those couple of nights.”

For additional event information on the World of Outlaws Craftsman Late Model Series versus the Summer Nationals Tour at Terre-Haute Speedway on June 30, visit www.terrehauteactiontrack.net and at Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 on July 1, visit www.federatedautopartsraceway.com/race-events/.

(Terre Haute, IN) No driver has ever won three editions of the “Tony Hulman Classic” consecutively, but this Friday night, June 23 at western Indiana’s Terre Haute Action Track, Robert Ballou has the opportunity to reverse 47-years of history.

The Rocklin, California native won the 2015 and 2016 editions in equally dramatic fashion.  Ballou caught Chris Windom with three laps remaining to capture the traditional rifle trophy in ’15.  With less than 10 to go in last season’s “Hulman Classic,” Ballou battled back-and-forth with Thomas Meseraull before coming right back at him with nine laps to go, utilizing a monster slide job into turn one.  Ballou opened it up in the final stages to capture his second consecutive victory in the race, which had previously only been achieved by Steve Butler (1987-88) and Levi Jones (2008-09).

Ballou, the 2015 USAC AMSOIL Sprint Car National Champion, defied the odds with his comeback victory at Eldora Speedway in May, his second race back after an eight-month recovery following devastating injuries in a crash last September.  Since then, he’s had an up-and-down stretch that got its bumpiest during last week’s Eastern Storm, a five-race, six-night series that tested patience and equipment.

Ballou backed up his Eldora victory with a solid fourth at I-80 Speedway and a runner-up finish at Iowa’s Knoxville Raceway a day later.  But, a rough patch through Pennsylvania’s Eastern Storm saw a sixth-place result on opening night at Grandview Speedway as his best.  A night later, he was 13^th at Lincoln Speedway, then followed up a night later with a turn-three crash at Williams Grove Speedway that put him 23^rd in the final box score.

Ballou appeared to be back in his element on the half-mile Port Royal Speedway.  He dominated the first 26 circuits of the 30-lap feature before a late-race caution bunched up the field.  Windom got by him with a slider on the restart and drove away for the victory while Ballou, battling for second on the final lap with Justin Grant saw his night end two corners short of the checkered as he smacked backward into the outer guardrail before flipping over multiple times.  He was uninjured, but would not be in attendance the following night in the Eastern Storm finale at Susquehanna Speedway.

The Terre Haute Action Track will be a welcome change of scenery to Ballou this Friday when the series returns to the Midwest half-mile, a track size that he has earned 12 of his 27 career USAC National Sprint Car feature wins on.

Speaking of Eastern Storm, Chris Windom of Canton, Illinois captured the title by four points over Cullman, Alabama’s Kevin Thomas, Jr.  Windom owns four total Action Track USAC victories, including the last two appearances by USAC at the Wabash Valley Fairgrounds oval – a National Sprint Car triumph in October of 2016 and the “Sumar Classic” Silver Crown season opener in April of this year.

The most recent driver to win three-straight USAC events at Terre Haute across all three USAC National divisions was J.J. Yeley in 2002-2003.  Yeley scored a sprint win to end 2002, began the season with another sprint score to begin 2003 and completed the trifecta with a Silver Crown triumph later that spring.

Thomas, a Terre Haute USAC Sprint winner in 2013, won his first USAC feature of the season last Thursday at Williams Grove, while Indianapolis, Indiana’s Tyler Courtney was victorious for the second time in the Eastern Storm finale at Susquehanna.

Third in Eastern Storm points, Brady Bacon of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, won last Tuesday at Grandview and was a USAC Sprint feature victory in September of 2014 at the Action Track, but the two-time USAC National Sprint Car champ has yet to add a “Hulman Classic” trophy to his collection.

Ballou is among four past winners expected to compete in Friday night’s race, including Dave Darland (1993 & 2014), Jon Stanbrough (2002 & 2007) and Windom (2011).

The “Hulman Classic” began with George Snider’s victory in 1971 and continues today as the longest, annually-contested event on the USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car calendar.  Except for a brief period between 1988 and 1991 when the event moved to the pavement at Indianapolis Raceway Park, the Hulman Classic has been held at the Terre Haute Action Track.

Former winners of the race include ten Indianapolis 500 veterans, 14 past USAC National Sprint Car championships and even an NHRA Top Fuel Drag Racing star, Doug Kalitta.

In addition to the USAC AMSOIL National Sprint cars, the Scott’s Custom Colors UMP Modifieds will also be in action.  Pit gates open this Friday for the “Tony Hulman Classic” at 3pm with the grandstands set to open at 4.  Cars hit the track at 6:30.

About Terre Haute Action Track:

For more information, follow the Action Track online at www.terrehauteactiontrack.net and on Facebook (www.facebook.com/terrehauteactiontrack).  Updates are also available by calling the Track Enterprises office at 217-764-3200.

The Terre Haute Action Track is located at the Wabash County Fairgrounds, in Terre Haute, IN.  The physical address is 3901 South US Hwy 41, Terre Haute, IN 47807.

Hoosier Hundred & Carb Night Still On For Thursday/Friday
(Terre Haute, IN) The first of three nights of racing for USAC’s “The Week Of Indy” has been postponed due to steady rainfall in Western Indiana.  The Tony Hulman Classic was set to bring in 30+ USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Cars and the Scott’s Custom Colors UMP Modifieds.  The event will be rescheduled.  Two dates are being considered and officials are checking to confirm which one will be best.  The new date will likely be released at the Hoosier Hundred on Thursday.  The “Week Of Indy” will now get underway on Thursday, May 25 with the Hoosier Hundred at the Indiana State Fairgrounds, which has a much improved forecast.With the postponement of the Tony Hulman Classic, fans, teams, and drivers will start making the trek an hour to the east for Thursday’s Hoosier Hundred at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis, IN.  The event will feature the USAC Silver Crown Champ Cars presented by Traxxas.  Also racing will be the Mid-American Stock Car Series.  The event is rich in tradition and this year’s field is expected to be in upwards of 40 cars for the 100-lap event.The weather forecast for Thursday has shown great improvement with any chances for rain ending in the early morning hours.  The track at the Indiana State Fairgrounds holds up well with wet weather as proved last year when a two hour downpour came through at noon on raceday.  USAC Silver Crown hotlaps will be first on track at 5:00 with their qualifying session around 6:15.  The Mid-American Stock Car Series will run their feature shortly after 7:00 and the USAC Silver Crown Series Hoosier Hundred will take the green around 8:00 PM.Also still on schedule for this week is the Carb Night Classic on Friday, May 26th at Lucas Oil Raceway.  On track will be the USAC Silver Crown Series for a 100-lap event.  A solid field of cars is expected.  The Mid-American Stock Car Series will also be making their return to the Brownsburg, IN oval.  Mid-American practice will begin at 3:15, Silver Crown at 4:00, Champ Car qualifying at 5:30, Mid-American Stock car feature at 6:30, and the Carb Night Classic for the Champ Cars will go green at 8:00 PM.Fans who have purchased a “Week Of Indy” Superticket, will be able to use it on the remaining two events this week, as well as the Tony Hulman Classic makeup date.  If you have any additional questions, call 217-764-3200.For more information on the “Week Of Indy” events, visit www.trackenterprises.com.

About Terre Haute Action Track:

                For more information, follow the Action Track online at www.terrehauteactiontrack.net and on Facebook (www.facebook.com/terrehauteactiontrack).  Updates are also available by calling the Track Enterprises office at 217-764-3200.

The Terre Haute Action Track is located at the Wabash County Fairgrounds, in Terre Haute, IN.  The physical address is 3901 South US Hwy 41, Terre Haute, IN 47807.

Week Of Indy Remaining Schedule:

Thursday, May 25            Hoosier Hundred At Indiana State Fairgrounds
USAC Silver Crown Champ Cars & Mid-American Stock Car Series

Friday, May 26                  Carb Night Classic At Lucas Oil Raceway
USAC Silver Crown Champ Cars & Mid-American Stock Car Series

 

Terre Haute Action Track Remaining Schedule:

Friday, June 30                  World Of Outlaw Craftsman Late Models vs. DIRTcar Summer Nationals
Super Late Models + Scott’s Custom Colors UMP Modifieds

Wednesday, July 12       “Don Smith Classic”
USAC Sprints & Scott’s Custom Colors UMP Modifieds

Sunday, August 6             “Family Funday Sunday”
Indiana Late Model Series & Scott’s Custom Colors UMP Modifieds

Friday, September 15    “Jim Hurtubise Classic”
USAC Sprints & Scott’s Custom Colors UMP Modifieds

TBA – Tony Hulman Classic Makeup

 

BALLOU GOES FOR UNPRECEDENTED 3-IN-A-ROW WEDNESDAY IN 47TH HULMAN CLASSIC

By: Richie Murray – USAC Media

Two weeks ago, in his return to the cockpit of a USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car for the first time in eight months, Robert Ballou made the contingent on hand stand up and take notice that he hadn’t missed a beat.

His second race back in Eldora Speedway’s #LetsRaceTwo resulted in a commanding victory and placed him right at the top of the totem pole of favorites heading into this Wednesday night’s “Tony Hulman Classic” at the Terre Haute (Ind.) Action Track.

It was a moment that recalled some of the greatest USAC comebacks seen in recent history such as Lee Kunzman’s National Midget win at Tri-County Speedway in Cincinnati in 1971, where he returned to victory in his first race after suffering a broken neck, arm and severe burns in a sprint crash at Missouri’s I-70 Speedway in 1970. Or Pancho Carter’s return after severe lower extremity injuries in a testing crash at Phoenix, in which he won his first two USAC Sprint Car appearances at Indianapolis Raceway Park and Winchester (Ind.) Speedway after a five-month layoff.

The “Hulman Classic” is an event in which Ballou has won twice in a row. Only two other drivers have accomplished that feat: Steve Butler (1987-88) and Levi Jones (2008-09).

Rocklin, California’s Ballou has unprecedented territory to claim this time around as he aims to become the first driver to win three consecutive “Hulmans.” Only Jones (2005-08-09) and Cary Faas (1992-94-98) have even won three total in the 46-year history of the event.

In last year’s “Hulman Classic,” Ballou and Thomas Meseraull waged war in a back-and-forth slider-fest before Ballou pulled ahead with less than 10 laps remaining to prevail at the Action Track.

Ballou is among five past winners expected to compete in Wednesday night’s race, including Dave Darland (1993 & 2014), Jerry Coons, Jr. (2010 & 2013), Jon Stanbrough (2002 & 2007) and Chris Windom (2011). Windom has won the last two appearances by USAC at Terre Haute, a National Sprint Car triumph in October of 2016 and the “Sumar Classic” Silver Crown season opener in April of this year.

The “Hulman Classic” began with George Snider’s victory in 1971 and continues today as the longest, annually-contested event on the USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car calendar. Except for a brief period between 1988 and 1991 when the event moved to the pavement at Indianapolis Raceway Park, the Hulman Classic has always been held at the half-mile Terre Haute Action Track.

Former winners of the race include ten Indianapolis 500 veterans, 14 past USAC National Sprint Car championships and even an NHRA Top Fuel Drag Racing star, Doug Kalitta.

Pit gates open for the Hulman Classic at 3pm with the grandstands set to open at 4. Cars hit the track at 6:30.  The Scott’s Custom Colors UMP Modifieds will also be in action.

Fans will receive a savings of $20 by purchasing their own “Week of Indy” Superticket now at https://usacracing.ticketspice.com/2017-week-of-indy/. The Superticket is your golden ticket for admission to all three of this week’s USAC races at a steal of a price!

Wednesday’s “Tony Hulman Classic” will also be streamed LIVE on http://www.SpeedShiftTV.com/ via Pay-Per-View.

About Terre Haute Action Track:

                For more information, follow the Action Track online at www.terrehauteactiontrack.net and on Facebook (www.facebook.com/terrehauteactiontrack).  Updates are also available by calling the Track Enterprises office at 217-764-3200.

The Terre Haute Action Track is located at the Wabash County Fairgrounds, in Terre Haute, IN.  The physical address is 3901 South US Hwy 41, Terre Haute, IN 47807.

Officials from the MSCS Sprint Cars and Track Enterprises, the promotion company of the Terre Haute Action Track, have announced that the 2017 Spring Fling scheduled for Sunday, April 30 has been canceled due to a weekend filled with rain.  The Scott’s Custom Colors Modifieds and the Midwest Oldtimers Vintage Racing Club were also on the schedule.  The event will not be rescheduled.

The event was set to be the second of the 2017 season, after the season opening USAC Silver Crown race in early April.  This is the second year in-a-row that the event has been washed out.  Last year, the event was rescheduled for August, but was again rained out.

Up next on the Terre Haute Action Track schedule is the Tony Hulman Classic for the USAC National Sprint cars on Wednesday, May 24.  The event is the first of three for the Track Enterprises promotion, “USAC’s The Week Of Indy”.  The Hulman Classic will also feature the Scott’s Custom Colors UMP Modifieds.  Fans and drivers then head to the Indiana State Fairgrounds for the Hoosier Hundred on Thursday, May 25 and then to Lucas Oil Raceway in Indianapolis on Friday, May 26 for the Carb Night Classic.

While those attending the Tony Hulman Classic will be able to purchase tickets at the gate on raceday, a presale “Week Of Indy” Superticket is available for a discount if going to all three events.  The three day ticket is available for $60, a 25% savings.  The three day superticket is available at https://usacracing.ticketspice.com/2017-week-of-indy.

About Terre Haute Action Track:

                For more information, follow the Action Track online at www.terrehauteactiontrack.net and on Facebook (www.facebook.com/terrehauteactiontrack).  Updates are also available by calling the Track Enterprises office at 217-764-3200.

The Terre Haute Action Track is located at the Wabash County Fairgrounds, in Terre Haute, IN.  The physical address is 3901 South US Hwy 41, Terre Haute, IN 47807.

Terre Haute Action Track Remaining Schedule:

Wednesday, May 24     “Tony Hulman Classic”
USAC Sprints & Scott’s Custom Colors UMP Modifieds
Friday, June 30     World Of Outlaw Craftsman Late Models vs. DIRTcar Summer Nationals
Super Late Models + Scott’s Custom Colors UMP Modifieds
Wednesday, July 12     “Don Smith Classic”
USAC Sprints & Scott’s Custom Colors UMP Modifieds
Sunday, August 6     “Family Funday Sunday”
Indiana Late Model Series & Scott’s Custom Colors UMP Modifieds
Friday, September 15     “Jim Hurtubise Classic”
USAC Sprints & Scott’s Custom Colors UMP Modifieds

IT’S A “SPRING FLING” FOR SPRINT CARS & UMP MODIFIEDS

Haubstadt, IN – April 24, 2017.  The Hoosier Tire Midwest Sprint Car Series drivers will return to action after a weekend off by racing at the Terre Haute Action Track on Sunday, April 30th.  This event, which is once again billed as the “Spring Fling,” will be the only appearance for the series at a half mile track this season.  The historic facility which is located at the Wabash Valley Fairgrounds will also be hosting the Midwest Old Timers Race Cars as well as presenting a full program of Scott’s Custom Colors UMP Open Wheel Modifieds.  The entire program that evening is designed to appeal to open wheel race fans!

The “Spring Fling” at Terre Haute will pay the MSCS sprint cars $3,000 to win and $300 to start.  Those amounts are above the standard pay-off for the series and for the Fling event in the past.  The Sunday date along with the added purse money should attract the very best 410 non-wing sprint drivers.

The top five drivers in the current MSCS points standings are led by Jarett Andretti of Indianapolis, IN.  He is just two points ahead of three time MSCS Champion Brady Short and Illinois speedster Carson Short.  The two drivers have both collected 123 points in the first two races this season. A couple of young hard chargers complete the top five.  Max McGhee is fourth and Dakota Jackson ranks fifth.

Four time MSCS Champion Kyle Cummins is sixth in the points. Brandon Morin, Donny Brackett, Tyler Rust, and Brandon Mattox finish out the list for the top ten.  Tyler Rust currently leads the MSCS Rookie of the Year points.  Eleventh and twelfth positions are held by Brent Beauchamp and Jon Stanbrough.  Twenty nine of the 36 MSCS licensed drivers have already been in action this season.

Brady Short won the last “Spring Fling” to be held at the Terre Haute Action Track which was in 2015. The two attempts to hold this event in 2016 were both cancelled because of rainfall.  Jerry Coons Jr.(2nd) and Carson Short (3rd) shared the THAT podium with Brady Short in 2015.

Thomas Meseraull and Chris Windom have won the features at the other two MSCS events completed earlier this season.  As the series changes locations to race, different drivers join the regulars to compete for the prize money.  It is still very early in the 2017 season and several drivers can be expected to make their first appearance with MSCS for the season.  The legendary track beckons!  Some will take the opportunity to race there an additional time and others have been waiting for that very first opportunity to run at the Action Track!

The pit gate will open at 3 o’clock.  The grand stands will open an hour later at 4 o’clock.  Hot laps and group qualifying will get underway at about 5:00 P.M. Sunday.  The drivers in each heat race group will qualify together.  Then officials will then invert the fastest qualifiers to create the heat race lineups.  The race will then be on as usual!  Drivers will be battling for a high enough finish to transfer to the feature.  THAT racing is set to begin at 6:30 P.M. Eastern Time.

About Terre Haute Action Track:

                For more information, follow the Action Track online at www.terrehauteactiontrack.net and on Facebook (www.facebook.com/terrehauteactiontrack).  Updates are also available by calling the Track Enterprises office at 217-764-3200.

The Terre Haute Action Track is located at the Wabash County Fairgrounds, in Terre Haute, IN.  The physical address is 3901 South US Hwy 41, Terre Haute, IN 47807.

Richie Murray – USAC Media

Terre Haute, Indiana………Chris Windom picked up right where he left off in a number of ways Sunday night at the Terre Haute Action Track.

One night after celebrating a USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car score at Lawrenceburg (Ind.) Speedway, Windom was back in the familiar setting of victory lane at the 17th running of the “Sumar Classic.”

“It’s pretty special getting the win last night and then to come out here with a brand-new team, I really don’t know what to say.  I met a lot of these guys for the first time today.  Gene Kazmark gave me the opportunity and gave me a great racecar to come out here and win tonight.”

Incredibly, this was Kazmark’s first entry into a Silver Crown event as an owner since the “Hoosier Hundred” in September of 2001 with driver Ricky Shelton.  However, the car itself was a familiar commodity to Windom as it was the same car he drove to victory in his most recent series’ win at Eldora Speedway’s “4-Crown Nationals” for the Fred Gormly/RPM Auto Enterprise team in September 2016.  But, a new team means new surroundings, and Windom and the crew quickly adapted to their new environment.

“I’m pretty familiar with the car,” Windom admits.  “It’s pretty much the same exact car we won Eldora with last year.  That definitely gave us a head start coming in.  The guys working on it busted their tails all winter long to maintain and rebuild it and keep it as good as it was last year.  It’s pretty special to be able to come out here and do this.  I didn’t know exactly what my expectations were coming here since I didn’t know the guys very well, but we jelled right from the first practice session.”

Windom became just the fifth driver in the history of the USAC Silver Crown series to follow up a win in the previous season’s final race with a victory in the season opener the next year.  The only other drivers to accomplish that feat are Al Unser (1974), Tom Bigelow (1976), Jerry Coons, Jr. (2011) and Kody Swanson (2015).

In fact, dating to the 2016 “Ted Horn 100” at Illinois’ Du Quoin State Fairgrounds, Windom has been victorious in three-straight Silver Crown events, the 10th driver in the history of the series to do so.

The Canton, Illinois native also became the fourth defending Silver Crown champ to capture the following season’s opening race, joining Al Unser (1974), Dave Steele (2006) and Kody Swanson (2015).

The three most recent “Sumar Classic” winners coming into Sunday, Shane Cockrum (2015), C.J. Leary (2016) and Kody Swanson (2014) owned the lead in the first half of the 100-lap event, but by the midway point, Windom had steadily worked his way to the front from his ninth starting position, utilizing the bottom of the racing surface to make his way through the pack.

By the 50th lap, Windom chomped into Swanson’s lead.  The two series champs worked the bottom after Swanson moved his line between turns three and four from the top to the bottom.  Windom stuck a nose under Swanson entering turn three, inching along the inside guardrail until the exit of turn four where he was able to clear Swanson to take the top spot by a car-length at the start/finish line as flagman Tom Hansing displayed the crossed flags.

Windom had opened up a near full-straightaway lead over new second-place runner Leary with two-thirds of the race in the bag, while Swanson occupied third.  With 18 to go, though, Windom’s lead had grown to seven seconds and the insurmountable advantage seemed unattainable for second on back until eighth-running Bill Rose slowed with an apparent driveline issue to bring out the caution.

With the field bunched up, Windom’s lead was now gone and he would have to contend with defending race winner Leary in the closing laps.  However, Windom was able to get a solid jump with the lapped cars of Johnny Petrozelle and Joe Liguori standing between the front two on the lap 83 restart, thus allowing Windom to break away as Leary fought his way around the two to give chase.

Windom and Leary worked the bottom lap-after-lap as Leary slowly, but surely chipped away at the gap.  By lap 92, Leary had sliced Windom’s advantage to under a half-second and was still closing.

It was at this juncture one year ago when Leary made the race-winning move for the win, but this year’s lap 93 did not work in his favor as he began to lose valuable ground and Windom started to distance himself from Leary once-and-for-all.

Windom had withstood the challenge, taking the victory by just a tad under two seconds over Leary, Swanson, top-rookie finisher Hunter Schuerenberg and Jerry Coons, Jr.

It was Windom’s sixth career Silver Crown victory, which moves him into the top-20 on the series’ career win list.  Meanwhile, he also continued a streak of different “Sumar Classic” winners each year going back to 1999.

“I knew I found something on the bottom,” Windom recalls.  “I couldn’t hit it twice in a row for a while, but I finally hit my marks on entry to where I could hit it on the exit.  That’s where I’d gain on him off the corner.  I didn’t want to show him a nose.  I wanted to be able to pass him cleanly so he couldn’t take my line away.  We got to traffic and it kind of played in my favor.  A low and slow race takes a lot out of you trying to hit your marks like that every single lap.”

“I don’t think our momentum could be much better right,” Windom acknowledges.  “It’s awesome to be able start the year like this.  I’ve never had a year quite this good this early.”

Greenfield, Indiana’s C.J. Leary continued his impressive runs at Terre Haute over the past three seasons by scoring his third-straight top-two result with a second-place finish in his Chuck & Tammi Leary/Leary Construction – Gray Auto/DRC/1-Way Toyota.

“I think it’s this DRC Silver Crown Car,” Leary humbly attributes for his recent run of success at Terre Haute.  “Joe (Devin) and I have been working really well together on this deal.  Terre Haute is really not one of my better tracks, but in the Silver Crown car here, two seconds and a win is pretty awesome.  I think we picked the wrong tire tonight, though.  We went with a 25 instead of a 20 thinking it was going to rubber up early, but it never did.”

“Chris (Windom) and I were about the same speed,” Leary explains during the final run to the checkered.  “Every time he’d make a mistake, I seemed to make the same mistake.  I figured I could catch him, but I didn’t know if we could pass him.  It felt kind of like déjà vu from last year.  I thought we might able to pull off the upset, but that’s racing.  We’ll load up, go back to the shop and try to make it a little bit faster.”

Kody Swanson of Kingsburg, California grabbed third in his DePalma Motorsports/Radio Hospital – Hampshire Racing Engines/Maxim/Hampshire Chevy.

“You really don’t want to get too far back at Terre Haute behind guys like Shane (Cockrum) and C.J. (Leary), both former Sumar winners,” Swanson said.  “I knew I had to figure out how to get around them early on and the top of (turns) three and four seemed to be holding.  If you’re going to get to the lead doing it, you got to be the first one to try it.  You have to stick your neck out and make something happen.  This crew works hard for me and I was going to work hard for them to make sure I got us back to the lead.  I did everything I could do to put us in a position to win.  I chased it higher and higher; there were so many cars on the bottom throwing the marbles out and, when the moisture went away, you just couldn’t keep doing it anymore and I had to come to the bottom.”

“This team’s a pleasure to race for,” Swanson continued.  “We went in with what we thought was going to happen and it just didn’t tonight.  We never quit.  We gave it everything we had and we’re disappointed because these guys are good and we want to win, but tonight we just missed a little bit. We’ll come back and try again.  There’s no one else I’d rather come back to the races with.”

Contingency award winners Sunday night at the Terre Haute Action Track included Kody Swanson (ProSource Fast Qualifier), Dave Darland (KSE Racing Products Hard Charger) and Patrick Bruns (Wilwood Brakes 13th Place Finisher).

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USAC SILVER CROWN CHAMPIONSHIP RACE RESULTS: April 2, 2017 – Terre Haute, Indiana – Terre Haute Action Track – “Sumar Classic”

PROSOURCE QUALIFYING: 1. Kody Swanson, 63, DePalma-23.599; 2. Casey Shuman, 55, Bateman-23.794; 3. David Byrne, 40, Byrne-23.881; 4. Shane Cockrum, 71, Hardy-23.925; 5. C.J. Leary, 30, Leary-23.990; 6. Brady Bacon, 48, Martens-24.063; 7. Justin Grant, 91, Carli/Hemelgarn-24.119; 8. Aaron Pierce, 26, Pierce-24.382; 9. Chris Windom, 92, Kazmark-24.809; 10. Steve Buckwalter, 53, SET-24.857; 11. Hunter Schuerenberg, 120, Nolen-24.953; 12. Johnny Petrozelle, 08, Cornell/Petrozelle-25.021; 13. Dakota Jackson, 201, Nolen-25.066; 14. Joe Liguori, 4, Liguori-25.127; 15. Patrick Bruns, 95, Full Throttle-25.148; 16. Jerry Coons Jr., 20, Nolen-25.195; 17. Mark Smith, 54, Lane-25.382; 18. J.C. Bland, 5, Bland-25.509; 19. Bill Rose, 75, Rose-25.551; 20. Dave Berkheimer, 31, Berkheimer-25.565; 21. Shane Cottle, 81, Williams-25.596; 22. Joss Moffatt, 32, Williams/Wright-25.886; 23. Austin Nemire, 16, Lesko-25.981; 24. Dave Darland, 27, Phillips-26.032; 25. Korey Weyant, 99, Weyant-26.064; 26. Terry Babb, 42, Babb-26.323; 27. Damion Gardner, 6, Klatt-26.486; 28. Jacob Wilson, 07, WBR-26.707; 29. Kenny Gentry, 18, Gentry-27.284; 30. Chris Fetter, 89, Fetter-NT; 31. David Shain, 7, Hardy-NT.

LAST CHANCE RACE: (15 laps) 1. Smith, 2. Cottle, 3. Gardner, 4. Darland, 5. Rose, 6. Moffatt, 7. Nemire, 8. Bland, 9. Babb, 10. Wilson, 11. Weyant, 12. Berkheimer, 13. Fetter, 14. Gentry. 5:51.67

FEATURE: (100 laps) 1. Chris Windom, 2. C.J. Leary, 3. Kody Swanson, 4. Hunter Schuerenberg, 5. Jerry Coons Jr., 6. Brady Bacon, 7. Dave Darland, 8. Damion Gardner, 9. Dakota Jackson, 10. Joss Moffatt, 11. Johnny Petrozelle, 12. Joe Liguori, 13. Patrick Bruns, 14. David Byrne, 15. Austin Nemire, 16. Bill Rose, 17. Steve Buckwalter, 18. Shane Cockrum, 19. Mark Smith, 20. Aaron Pierce, 21. Shane Cottle, 22. Justin Grant, 23. J.C. Bland, 24. Casey Shuman. NT

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FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-18 Cockrum, Laps 19-25 Leary, Laps 26-49 Swanson, Laps 50-100 Windom.

KSE RACING PRODUCTS HARD CHARGER: Dave Darland (20th to 7th)

WILWOOD BRAKES 13TH PLACE FINISHER: Patrick Bruns

NEW USAC SILVER CROWN CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS: 1-Windom-70, 2-Swanson-70, 3-Leary-69, 4-Schuerenberg-61, 5-Coons-58, 6-Bacon-56, 7-Darland-52, 8-Gardner-49, 9-Jackson-46, 10-Moffatt-43,

NEXT USAC SILVER CROWN CHAMPIONSHIP RACE: April 29 – Phoenix (AZ) International Raceway – “Phoenix Copper Cup”

(Terre Haute, IN) The season opening event for the Scott’s Custom Colors UMP Modifieds was a good one, as 20 top notch Modified stars were on hand.  It was the first of seven events for the division at the track this season and in the end, it was the Mt. Carmel, Illinois driver, Will Krup cruising to victory in the support show for the Sumar Classic.

Krup was fast as soon as he unloaded.  Setting fast time in his group of cars for the practice/qualifying session.  The K9 backed that up with a heat win over Richie Lex, who won the season ender last year, and Brian Shaw, who is always strong at the track.

Shaping up to be his biggest challenger was AJ Fike, who finished second in the Modifieds at last year’s Sumar.  Fike was fastest in his group for qualifying and backed it up with a heat win.  That slated Krup and Fike alongside one another for the feature event.

When the green dropped on the A-main event, Krup raced out front to immediately pace the field as Fike dropped into second.  Lex, the third place starter, started hounding Fike for second and took the spot just two laps into the race.

As the laps wore down, it was clear to see that Krup had the field covered, while Lex, Fike, Shaw, and Josh Harris battled in the top five.  After their shuffling settled, Fike claimed second for the second year in a row, while Harris, Lex, and Shaw completed the top five.  Rounding out the top ten were Jay Humphrey, Curt Rhodes, Matthew Tiller, Lee Hobbs, and Gabriel Kirtley.

The next Modified race at the Action Track is on Sunday, April 30 as part of the 2017 Spring Fling.  Running in addition to the Scott’s Custom Colors UMP Modifieds are the MSCS Sprint Cars.  Full info will be posted at www.terrehauteactiontrack.net.

Scott’s Custom Colors Modified Feature

1) K9 Will Krup
2) 69 AJ Fike
3) 22 Josh Harris
4) 7LEX Richie Lex
5) 1S Brian Shaw
6) 6J Jay Humphrey
7) 10 Curt Rhodes
8) 18T Matthew Tiller
9) H0 Lee Hobbs
10) K7 Gabriel Kirtley
11) 4X Michael Fish
12) 89W Rick Weitekamp
13) 96 Cole Parker
14) 12K Daren Krockenberger
15) 40A Alex Reed
16) 11M Josh McDaniel
17) 40 RJ Pruitt
18) 92 Kenny Carmichael
19) 29 Aaron Zellers
20) 34 James Walters