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Central PA
by Kevin Oldham
The KO Interview With Paul Hazen is Here
The KO Interview With Eric Gordon is Here
The KO Interview With Jiggs Thomason is Here
The KO Interview With Greg Staab is Here
Volume 14, Number 1
Killing Time
After the final outdoor checkered flag falls in October, there are few, if any, local, wintertime holdovers for Indiana racing addicts. Unless one has the budget and infinite vacation time for traveling to Australia, New Zealand, Tulsa, Arizona, or Florida, then you better hope that your interests surround sports of the stick and ball variety. Otherwise, it will be one, long off-season. Despite the fact that Indianapolis is all about racing, unless you work for one of the numerous motorsports businesses located in and around the city, there’s just not much going on for motor heads. Until the month of April, we’re all just killing time, looking for something to entertain and excite our restless souls.
In the six months of downtime, of course there’s indoor midget activity inside of DuQuoin’s Southern Illinois Center and Fort Wayne’s Exposition Center, not to mention Craig Dori’s Indy Circle Track Expo at the Fairgrounds. But other than those December and January staples, it’s pretty much slim pickings around these parts. On the flipside, at the beginning of my fanatical following of sprints and midgets there seemed to be a wide selection of indoor midget affairs within a reasonable drive, including separate January Sundays in Fort Wayne’s Coliseum, not to mention Chicago’s Rosemont Horizon and Milwaukee’s Mecca Arena. If you’re a decade or more my senior, you might have even witnessed midget madness inside of the Cincinnati Gardens or the Pepsi Coliseum.
Anyone owning a pulse can easily recall the high-profile Hoosier (RCA) Dome Midget Invitational, beginning as a Ted Hollingsworth promotion back in January of 1985. Exotic talent like Steve Kinser and Tim Richmond strapped into midget machinery on that initial evening, unable to forget the most unbearable wind chill of all-time in a frantic jog back to the car. The Dome is of course now demolished but once its artificial turf was replaced with the rubbery and more compliant field turf, it became all but impossible to hold a race on the concrete floor.
And not so long ago, another off-season tradition was the Performance Industry Racing trade show, always managing to snag a badge for entry in Cincinnati, Columbus, and finally Indianapolis. But, after filling every nook and cranny of the Convention Center and attached Dome, PRI founder Steve Lewis moved his show to Orlando, promising to bring it back to Indy once the Convention Center expansion was completed.
It’s hard to imagine that both of these Indianapolis wintertime holdovers have been gone since 2003 but thanks to four Hoosier racing dignitaries, namely C&R Racing’s Chris Paulsen, Indiana Motorsports Association executive director Tom Weisenbach, former USAC sprint car championship car owner Jeff Stoops, and three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Tony Stewart, these men quickly filled the gap with their own version of a world-class trade show, hosted in the only racing capital of the world. Now, if they could only find a way to have some midget racing inside of Lucas Oil Stadium, then the transition would be complete.
2011 was the third year for the International Motorsports Industry Show and by all accounts, it has the same look, feel, and hardcore, enthusiastic atmosphere of PRI. The only difference is its Midwestern locale, permitting traffic from working-class racers who can actually drive to the show and not have to cough up big bucks for airfare and Orlando hotels. In a word, IMIS makes perfect sense and the city has to be pleased with the prospect of racing retreads once again spending their hard-earned cash at downtown establishments.
Held one week after PRI, this year’s later date allowed me to attend the show for the first time, shocked at the massive expanse of the renovation but amazingly, racing was nearly dwarfed by separate cheerleading and athletic director conferences. I was pleasantly surprised to see only hardcore racing businesses featured, as in the past PRI allowed anything automotive to fill the halls, far too much overkill for my liking.
Starting my IMIS week with Shawn Buckley’s Thursday night showing of Follow the Corn 2 at the posh Keystone Art Cinema, the event was a virtual who’s-who of sprint car racing. Before and afterwards, I mingled with five-time USAC sprint car champion Levi Jones, Jon Stanbrough (said to be driving the Roberts and Tate 21 for 2012), Shane Cottle (still trying to nail down a full-time ride for next season), Rip Williams (with his boys Cody and Austin), Steve and Brad Fox (scaling back their sprint car effort for 2012), Thomas Meseraull, Hunter Schuerenberg, Kyle Larson, Bryan Clauson, and mechanic Mike Dutcher (who says he’ll be wrenching on Clauson’s Maxim sprint car chassis full-time for 2012). Dozens of other racing dignitaries and fans were in the house, making for an unusual and enjoyable evening. Buckley’s second cinematic effort is vastly improved over the first, with a silky-smooth production backed by all kinds of audio and in-car footage. Featuring four events from a racer’s behind-the-scenes perspective, Shawn first follows Schuerenberg at Oskaloosa. The other three vignettes include Clauson and Larson at the Belleville Nationals, Clayton at Terre Haute, and Jones at the Four Crown. To order your copy, periodically check www.jackslashmediainc.com, as the current run of DVDs is sold out.
Onto the actual trade show on Saturday morning, while eyeing Danny Drinan’s super-cool asphalt TQ creation, I bumped into some names from the past like former Silver Crown car owner Tom Mitchell, TQ/sprint racer Rick Beaver, and former sprint chauffeur Andy Hurtubise, who is said to be crafting a cageless sprint car for vintage action, of course modeled after his father’s famous Fike Plumping Special. Encountering my share of current-day racers and inquiring of their 2012 plans, what will follow is a transcription of handy-dandy digital recordings.
Rollie Helmling
KO: I know you are trying to lure racing business to the state of Indiana, but what is your official title?
Helmling: That’s exactly right. I’m fortunate to head up Governor Daniels’s initiative to build the motorsports industry for the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, which is in the Department of Commerce.
KO: Once PRI went away and the convention center was expanded, was it any of your doing to get the IMIS show here?
Helmling: We all believed that the PRI show would be back here in Indianapolis when the convention center was finished. For whatever reason, it didn’t come back. So some local entrepreneurs, who we all know, said that Indianapolis is the racing capital of the world. A motorsports trade show needs to be in Indianapolis. This is where the industry wants to come. This show has certainly proven that. Here we are in the third year and it is bigger than ever. Attendance is up substantially but most importantly, the enthusiasm is up substantially. It’s a quality show. It’s where the industry wants to be. You see everyone that you would want to see here. To a certain extent, there is a lot of business done here, but it’s like a huge family reunion. These guys have done a great job and it’s only going to get bigger and better.
KO: This show is a little smaller when comparing it to the peak of the PRI show in Indy, but are we going to see it get bigger?
Helmling: I am sure it will and you know what? The city of Indianapolis has got plenty of space in the convention center and it is our hope eventually to be able to fill it up for just the IMIS show. I think it is going to happen.
KO: As far as your own job and getting racing businesses to come to Indiana, how is that going?
Helmling: It is going very well. The entire racing industry is huge in Indiana and fortunately Governor Daniels recognizes that. He sees the economic value that motorsports brings to our state. He is very supportive of it. We’ve got a lot of good things going on. You go to the Speedway now and look at that huge new facility that Dallara is building. There’s going to be some more things soon popping up around that. Even though these are tough economic times, the racing industry is alive and well and prospering in Indiana.
KO: Do you think the industry is stronger and better than it was compared to the days when you headed up USAC, or has it just maintained?
Helmling: I think it has kind of maintained. The last couple of years have been a little bit tough – to be able to generate the dollars that it takes to make the thing flow. The enthusiasm is still there. The desire is still there. It’s weathered the storm. It’s on solid footings and it’s moving forward. And hopefully the future looks even better than the past.
KO: So are you back going to races as a fan? I know that I saw you at Midget Week a couple of years ago, enjoying a nice, large beverage and some popcorn. But do you get to do that sort of thing that much?
Helmling: First and foremost, I’m a race fan. I wouldn’t miss it. It doesn’t matter if it is the midgets on the quarter-miles, the sprint cars on a half-mile, the Silver Crown cars at the Fairgrounds, or going to an Indy Car race somewhere or drag racing. And, the U.S. Nationals is quite an asset to have in Indianapolis. Every one of us here is a race fan and I’m certainly no exception.
KO: Do you still drink Diet Pepsi?
Helmling: (Laughing) We’ve got the Diet Pepsi midget here.
KO: Do you own that car?
Helmling: Yep. Actually, when Jeff won the Four Crown in ’91 at Eldora, it was very important for him to win a race at Eldora before he moved onto NASCAR, and that was his last opportunity. We’d done so well with that car and I thought that I’m not going to take any chances with the car – it needs to be preserved. And when Jeff pulled in and shut the car off after winning that race, I said, “Jeff, it will never run again. I’m going to take it home and restore it.” And we’ve had it down here and I have been AMAZED at the people that have recognized it and enjoyed seeing it here. It has brought back a lot of great memories.
KO: Definitely. That’s part of the theme. Indy is racing and PRI made a lot of memories and this show itself continues by carrying on that important tradition.
Helmling: No doubt about it. Like I mentioned earlier, this is like a big family reunion. It’s old home week. We’re doing a lot of business and we’re having a lot of fun doing it.
Kevin Chambers
KO: So what about 2012 plans for Kevin Chambers?
Chambers: It looks like we’re just going to concentrate on the Bloomington Speedway on Friday nights and throw some Saturdays in there, here and there.
KO: What do you see here at IMIS that interests you?
Chambers: Mainly the engine components and safety equipment – meeting with all the vendors I deal with and making sure my contracts are settled for next year.
KO: Is this the first time you’ve been here to IMIS?
Chambers: I’ve been to every one of the shows here.
KO: Is this the first day this year though?
Chambers: Yes, the first day this year. I’m a working man. I have to work Monday through Friday.
Brian Cripe
KO: What are you going to do for next year?
Cripe: We’re going to stay with Coleman Gulick and run the USAC full deal.
KO: Same equipment – chassis and engines?
Cripe: We’re staying with DRCs. We’ve ordered two new cars. Other than that, basically the same stuff – just updating everything.
KO: How happy were you with 2011?
Cripe: Pretty happy. All in all, we actually did better than we thought we would. We’ve got to set our goals higher this year and win more races.
KO: Seven wins was a lot though.
Cripe: But you know me, I’m never happy with seven wins. We’ve got some sponsors coming on this year. We’re still working that out. The next couple of weeks we’ll narrow it down to what we’re going to do. Right now I think we’ll run the whole national deal and whatever else we can run – some local races and other stuff.
KO: The goal is to win more races then?
Cripe: I’d like to be in the top-five every night. You’re not going to win every race but I’d just like to set my goals to win. If you don’t go to win, then why go?
Josh Spencer
KO: First time here this year?
Spencer: This year, yes. Usually we come on Thursday and Friday but we couldn’t get off work. So we’re here on Saturday, shaking hands and making the rounds.
KO: I remember talking to you near the end of the season and you weren’t sure if you’d be racing next year. If I had to guess, when it gets to be March and April, you’re going to get that racing fever again.
Spencer: Yeah, we’ve already got the fever. We’re going to concentrate on Kokomo. We’re going to run Kokomo every Sunday night and hit and miss everywhere else. I’ve been out hitting it hard, trying to get sponsorship. I think I’ve picked up a few. We’ll just keep knocking on doors and try to get those sponsors to keep on trucking.
KO: You’ve been running better at Kokomo. What would it mean to actually get a win there? You’ve won at Danville before, but Kokomo would be the culmination of a dream.
Spencer: The win at Danville was very special. I can say that I’ve ran sprint cars for one and that hey, I did win one. But Kokomo, I’ve grown up there my whole life and the family is from there. That would be great for me, the whole crew, and my family. Kokomo has picked up some big races for this year and that’s the reason we’ve concentrated on it. The three day show – ten thousand to win the final and five thousand to win for the other two – that would be real nice to make the show there and do well.
Tim Cox
KO: Tim Cox – in the house. Even though it’s a little bit of a haul from Park City, Illinois, your presence is not too big of a surprise as it always seems like you’re down in Indy for these shows.
Cox: Oh yeah. Every time there’s something going on we try to come down here. If you’re out of sight, you’re out of mind. So we’re getting ready for next year. Jason’s got his plans 100%. I’m going to slow down a little bit and concentrate on helping Jason, getting his program running a lot better this year, get him going fast. I’ll probably race four or five times to keep my feet wet.
KO: Are you going to drive for Tony Swanson again?
Cox: That’s what it looks like, yes. Jason is going to run all the Must See races, Auto Value Super Sprints, and HOSS whenever we have time.
KO: Who owns the car that Jason drives?
Cox: The owner is out of Boca Raton, Florida. His name is Dick Fieler. He owns both cars and both engines. It’s really a super deal for Jason. He gets paid to drive the car and that’s pretty cool.
KO: Jason has come along very quickly. He’s really, really fast for not having a lot of experience. After Eldora, I’m not sure how he feels about dirt but he’s been super-impressive on the pavement. How do you rate him thus far?
Cox: He’s done very well for being a young kid. He’s caught on very fast. He started in the quarter midgets, which I think helped a lot. Then he went to go-karts and after that, he jumped right into the sprint car and ran Paragon that year. That was a lot of fun and he’s antsy to get back in the dirt car. We’re going to go back to Eldora for the opening show and try to do a little bit better than last year after hitting the wall. They hooked the sway bar back up to the car for qualifying and the track was smooth but it still had a cushion. He got into that cushion and it just picked the front end up. We know for next time not to hook the sway bar up.
KO: Will you be doing any snowmobiling up north during the winter months?
Cox: We’ll go up to the Wisconsin Dells area and do a little snowmobiling but we’ve been working on Jason’s car because we’re going to go down to Florida Speedweeks and run the Tampa Bay races. We’re going to run the first four to five races with them and then come back up here and run the Must See races.
Jesse Cramer
KO: Some earth-shattering news - you just told me that you’re going modified racing again. I have to admit, I’m a little surprised.
Cramer: Yeah, we’ve sold out and we’re just going to go modified racing and have a good time.
KO: So what was the reason for getting out of the sprint car deal – was the sprint car too costly or was the modified more fun?
Cramer: The modified was more fun. The sprint car – not too costly really. I just want to get out and have some more fun.
KO: Are you able to get anything done here at IMIS to shore up the modified program?
Cramer: I’ve pretty well got it all lined out. I got a new car on order. I’m just hanging out here and looking at everything.
KO: So what do you think about modified racing since you left and the way it is now? It seems like there are more, bigger paying races, but you might have to travel a little bit. For the most part, competition-wise it has increased.
Cramer: Yeah, it’s pretty tough. It’s tougher on the bigger level. Some of the smaller teams have went away. I think it’s more expensive to run them now than it was then. I think we’re going to travel a little bit and have some fun there, where we couldn’t with the sprint car. We were just kind of tied down to home.
KO: Locally, will you run Bloomington on Fridays when you can?
Cramer: We probably won’t even do that. We’ll probably just run Bloomington’s big races and maybe run a lot of the AMS deal in Kentucky, around in that area.
Drew Abel
KO: Congrats on the rookie of the year at Lawrenceburg Speedway…like father, like son as far as Lawrenceburg success.
Abel: Yes. It was great. We had a pretty good season. We didn’t run very many races but we hit Lawrenceburg for all but three races and we ran Putnamville and Paragon one time. We did alright for our rookie season.
KO: What about 2012? Will you have a different car owner? Different equipment?
Abel: Dad and I, we’re putting our own deal together. We have two cars and two motors. We plan on racing at least fifty-plus races, Friday to Sunday.
KO: Will there be any Rodney Reynolds help on that, like in the old Abel-Reynolds days?
Abel: No, no. We haven’t really talked to Rodney. It’s our own deal. We’re super excited about it.
KO: Are there still plans to run Lawrenceburg?
Abel: Yes for Lawrenceburg. We’re going to try to run Bloomington. I don’t know where we are going to run on Sunday. We’ll probably try Kokomo. We need to go to the smaller tracks and get me a little bit of experience with that.
KO: So you’re trying to get a suit here at Hinchman?
Abel: Ah, no. We’re just kind of looking around, seeing what kinds of deals there are. We’ll figure something out.
Pete Abel
KO: So tell me about this new equipment you’ve got for Drew…
Abel: I’ve got a Gambler from Hank Byram. I’ve got a brand new Eagle. I got it from Bernie at Indy Race Parts. I’ve got a motor for it. We’re trying to put it together. We’re running the little tracks with the Gambler, so it should work out pretty good. We’re going to try to save the Eagle for Lawrenceburg and the bigger tracks. We’re looking forward to it.
KO: So you never have any desire to get back in the seat?
Abel: No. No way! Too fat. Too old.
KO: I don’t know about that. I remember Bob Kinser racing until he was 65. And he was a big boy.
Abel: Yeah. There were very few who could do that.
Hunter Schuerenberg
KO: You’re here in the Butlerbuilt booth and they were one of the names that you mentioned in victory lane so many times in 2011. It was a great year.
Schuerenberg: Yeah, it was a great year. I had nine wins if you count the one in Florida. We went to the banquet last night and got a third place cup and it wasn’t quite big enough. Maybe we’ll try to get a bigger one next year and be higher in the points. That’s our goal for 2012. Myself as a driver, I’ve got to be a little more consistent and not have so many DNFs and topple those on top of the good finishes that we had this year. If we do that, I think our chances will be a lot better for winning the championship next year. Also on the equipment side, we’ll have more stuff. We’ll have the same sponsors, same team owner, and everything. We’ll have more equipment to race with so hopefully everything is stacking up. This year we have a fourth place effort in points and hopefully next year we’ll have a first place effort in points.
KO: Gene Franckowiak, your engine provider, is fired up too I assume?
Schuerenberg: Yeah, Gene is fired up. Gene is getting more and more into the USAC stuff every day. He likes to do parts peddling and find good deals on engine parts and put them together as he goes. He loves the fact that with USAC, he can put together a motor for half the cost of somebody like TSR and Hoffman and still go and outrun them. He’s really into it and fired up about it. My car owners, Hank and Dirk Byram, are obviously fired up. They’ve never gotten to run for a championship until this past season and they definitely want to go get one now that they’ve tried. They are pumped up and everybody that helps on the car, Fatheadz and R&B Truckers, Butlerbuilt of course – everybody is going to be back and doing bigger and better things. My head is pretty high for next year. I’m looking forward to it and I’ve got a lot more confidence going into this year than I had going into last year.
KO: Are you finding out anything here at IMIS that you didn’t know already or are you just giving thanks and making sure that all the deals are solid for next year?
Schuerenberg: I’m just trying to see all the people that helped me out, like Jeannie. I’m trying to find as many guys that want seats and bring them over here to help Jeannie out, since she helps me out. Then, I’m just seeing everyone else that has helped me this year. I took everyone some photos of the racecar as a thank you. Really nothing in particular though. I’m just looking at some new parts. There have been a couple of manufacturers who have come out with some new stuff. There are some things I’d like to try. There’s some different safety equipment here at Butlerbuilt – a new easy seat insert. It’s like a seat mold that you pour yourself and it’s just as good as someone who builds you a custom seat mold. That’s really neat. They’re really comfortable. She’s carrying Arai helmets now. I’ve not tried one yet but they are supposed to be a really top notch helmet. So I’m going to try one of those for her. Just things like that, that are new this year that I want to try that are here. It’s nice to go walk around and see all the faces you usually see at the racetrack.
KO: Will you be able to do any local stuff outside of USAC with Tony Epperson?
Schuerenberg: USAC will be our main focus obviously. USAC has kind of stepped up and done a lot bigger things for the sprint car deal this year. Mach One Chassis is coming on board with us next year and we’re going to run a car for them on some local stuff. A little bit of R&D. They want to get into the non-winged racing deal out here in Indy. We’re going to put together one of their cars and try to run it locally and see how it performs. If it runs really well, maybe it will catch on out here and get them some customers. That’s exciting too, to have a different car manufacturer and an extra car to be able to go run locally and not have to wear out the equipment that you’re running for USAC. I think that will be a good relationship. Mark Smith, out of Pennsylvania, builds those cars and he’s got a really, really sharp head on his shoulders. He’s got some neat ideas and I’ve seen cars in his shop that are going together and midway through, he’s got some awesome craftsmanship. He spends a lot of time building his racecars. It might take a little longer to get one from him – I don’t know from experience – but I know from looking at them that they are put together really nice. He’s really into researching what he wants to do for this non-winged car. He’s got a lot of good ideas. He’s got a lot of things he wants to try. It may or may not work. But he’s really open to taking the car back and cutting it apart and retrying things. To have him excited about doing that is pretty neat. I think it will be a good relationship. He’s pumped up about it for sure. He wants to actually come back and jerk the wings off the car he runs in Pennsylvania and run here a few weekends. You might actually see Mark run some non-winged races this year.
KO: Well, I’ll let you go but congrats on the awesome season. It has to feel good, knowing where you’ve come from to get to that point because there were some tough times there.
Schuerenberg: Yeah, you know, it’s been a long ride, even though it’s been only five or six years. I’m just trying to rely on my faith in Christ to keep pushing and know that I can do it, even though I’ve had some bad times, some ups and downs. We’re in a good situation now and can look forward and hope for the best later. I’d just like to thank everybody who helps me out – all the sponsors that are on my car this year and all the car owners that have taken a chance on me the past four or five years like Roger Tapy, Jeff Walker, and Jack Yeley. A lot of guys put me in a car when I maybe hadn’t quite proven myself yet and gave me an opportunity to now race for a living. I’m very, very grateful, very blessed, and honored to be where I’m at today.
Brent Beauchamp
KO: I’m guessing 2012 will be a busy one for Brent Beauchamp. You’ve got school. You’ve got your job at CSI. Will there be any time for racing?
Beauchamp: We’ll have plenty of time for that. I’ll be running my own car that we ran in the 2011 season. That’s my dad’s car, the CSI number 11. A new and exciting endeavor for me – I’ll be driving the Oly Motorsports number 34 car next year that Shane Hollingsworth ran last year at Putnamville. Shane vacated that ride and wanted to spend more time with his family and work, so the opportunity came up for me, so I’m excited about that.
KO: It seems like a natural transition. Shane tutored you and now he leaves you his ride to take over.
Beauchamp: I think my driving style is pretty similar to his and I should be able to slide right into that ride and do well for sure. It’s definitely nice equipment.
KO: At Putnamville, you’ve run pretty well there over the years…
Beauchamp: Yeah, yeah. Ups and downs for sure. We’ve had our good nights and bad nights like any other racetrack, but that place seems to be a really technical racetrack. You really have to manhandle the car around that place. You really have to be on your toes. I’m pretty excited about that. I’m pretty excited to be going to Florida too. We’re taking our own car down to Ocala. I’m going to try to get around to more USAC shows. They’ve got quite a few in Indiana and I just heard that they raised the purse for each night. That’s another cool thing to go after too.
KO: And in the shock business, you’re one of three guys working at Competition Suspension. I bet you’re learning a lot there too, right?
Beauchamp: Oh yeah. Every single day, I learn something new. We’ve got our new RS 12 coming out. We have our twin-tube version available right now and then our gas shock will be available in January. It’s something to look forward to. It has a nice, cool gold shaft on it that will cut down seal drag by 20% and also cut down heat. With all the exciting new things going on, it’s fun to be a part of it.
KO: So you’ll be a part of the R&D effort there?
Beauchamp: Yeah, yeah. I’ve been a part of it, doing some testing. Last year, I tested some prototypes, the last couple of races at Kokomo and some other places. It’s going to be an exciting twenty-twelve season for sure.
Thomas Meseraull
KO: Are you having a good time here at IMIS?
Meseraull: I’m having a good time!
KO: I see that Waveland, Indiana is on your badge. Are you back in Indiana full-time now?
Meseraull: I’m back in Indiana full-time. I’m looking for rides. I’ve got some midget stuff lined up. I’m running Mark Bush’s car at the Chili Bowl, Midget Week, and the Hut Hundred. He’s out of Georgia, so he only runs a handful of shows. We’re going to run Felker’s car at DuQuoin next week and maybe work some stuff out next year for some Lawrenceburg sprint car stuff and some POWRi stuff. We’re going to run Stan Courtad’s car. I’ve been trying to get him to run the Silver Crown car again but after last year’s USAC deal, we’re still not set on that. But we’re going to run some sprint car stuff – Eldora and Waynesfield. I’m also going to run the Phantom 75 car some in POWRi. I’ve got some stuff lined up, but I’d love to run the USAC deal. Maybe get into Hoffman’s car. I’d love to get back to racing and traveling around. Maybe Stan Courtad will let me run his winged car.
KO: I can tell that you’re pretty fired up about racing for 2012.
Meseraull: Oh, absolutely. Absolutely. Going to the racetrack by myself, with no intention of doing anything else but hammering down. I’m not here to make friends this year. I like to have friends, don’t get me wrong, but I’m not here to make friends. I’m here to go fast and get W’s.
KO: What about the night life at IMIS?
Meseraull: I’ve been staying home and just kind of hanging out. You’ve got to walk around every day and meet and greet people, so I don’t want to be smelling like alcohol from the night before, but I’ve heard it’s been good times.
Cody Hewitt
KO: I’ve seen your picture all over the internet the last couple of days. You’ve apparently been hitting it pretty hard here at IMIS, correct?
Hewitt: Yeah, pretty good. We got a couple of people here on board to help us out. Maxim has helped us out quite a bit lately. We’ve got four racecars for next year, running winged and non-winged. For both, we’ll be running local stuff to start and then we’ll venture out to hit a few of the Indiana bullrings about halfway through the year.
KO: So who is helping you out on this? I know that Kent Wolters let you run his stuff a couple of times last year at Waynesfield. Is it the same deal?
Hewitt: Yep, it will be Kent and Lynn Wolters. It’s K&L Racing. They’ve got all the extras and the parts and they’ve given us the opportunity to have the ride. And they’re going to stick with us all next year.
KO: WOW! Wing and non-wing…360 mostly?
Hewitt: 360s mostly. We have two 360s and one 410. We hope to get another 410. Kent Wolters, he’s my teammate and he races, so we’ll have to share the 410 a little bit. So to start, we’ll be running 360 stuff and then after a bit, we’ll be moving onto the 410.
KO: I know you’ve played around with the two-seater, driving with one arm. What kind of transition was that? You drove some when you had both arms working. What was it like with just the one?
Hewitt: I never really had enough time with two arms to start and get a real style. So to me, it really wasn’t a big adjustment to change over. Everything is so normal now with one arm that when it came down to driving, the only thing that we had to figure out was how to get the car in and out of gear easier, instead of having to reach over to the right side. And then the tear-offs… We’ve got both of them covered. We’ve got an electric tear-off spinner. The transition to driving hasn’t been hard at all. It’s been just as easy with two arms for me.
KO: So what does your dad think about all of this?
Hewitt: He’s happy. He’s very excited about the thing, just to get us back into it. He knows that I want to race more than anything in the world. He wants me to race more than anything in the world too. So it works out really good. It’s going to fill his desire and mine at the same time.
KO: Lately, he hasn’t been able to be involved other than the two-seater and for him, he’s always been a racer. To take him away from the racetrack, it’s like a fish out of water.
Hewitt: Right. And around our house, a lot of the people there don’t want to take dad’s advice anymore. They think he’s getting too old and don’t know what he’s talking about. They think I can’t race because I’ve got one arm. We’re going to prove them all wrong next year.
KO: That’s the Hewitt style, isn’t it?
Hewitt: That’s right. I can’t worry about tearing up racecars. I want to be able to go out there and be fast. The biggest thing that worries me is looking stupid. I don’t care about flipping. I want to win. If I look stupid, then I’d rather wad ‘er up and be fast than look like a dummy or a one-armed driver. That’s kind of where I’ve been at lately.
Chris Babcock
KO: What’s on Chris Babcock’s racing agenda for 2012?
Babcock: Hopefully we’ll run more local shows and maybe hit a few more USAC shows here and there – get out a little bit.
KO: What do you think about the number of USAC shows in Indiana? Almost all the tracks have more than one show, including Putnamville.
Babcock: Hopefully we’ll try to get out for a couple of Sprint Week shows, more than what we normally run and see if we can’t compete with them.
KO: It seems like each year, you’ve been stepping it up, little by little. You’ve been more and more competitive on the bigger stages.
Babcock: We let a few wins get away from us last year so hopefully we can connect and get a couple of wins and run good at the big shows.
KO: How is school going?
Babcock: It’s good right now.
KO: When I talked to you a couple of years ago, your goal was to go to Purdue. What about now?
Babcock: I’ve switched now. I’m going to Vincennes for drafting, design, and CAD, that type of deal.
KO: So get a solid education after a couple of years and right after that, you might have a job lined up? A little quicker path to financial success…
Babcock: Oh yeah. I just didn’t really care for the bigger school life.
KO: When you’re a hardcore racer, you want to work on your racecar on the weekend, instead of doing the party scene. Right?
Babcock: Yeah. Growing up in a small town, I didn’t like the big city atmosphere. I didn’t like how there were a bunch of students in each class and didn’t have any one on one time with the professors. It just made it a lot more complicated. Now I’m in a more laid-back atmosphere and I can do a little bit more racing and have more time to work with that in the off-season.
KO: Getting anything done here at IMIS?
Babcock: I got a new seat – one of the LaJoie seats. Hopefully that will turn out good and we’ll get that in a few weeks.
J.J. Hughes
KO: I’ve been following your posts on Facebook and lately, there’s some big news coming out of your end of the world.
Hughes: We are working a deal with Level One Motorsports. They are out of North Carolina. They recently moved down there from Indianapolis. They are just a small truck team. They have five trucks and one ARCA car. We’re trying to get a deal together to be in a truck in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series by Martinsville in the spring. It’s a lot of steps. The team is making a lot of leaps and bounds to try and make this happen. They were really happy with how things went with our test last week. If things go together well, we should be in the truck by Martinsville in the spring.
KO: We were talking earlier about how you landed this deal. It’s kind of an odd deal these days, as a sprint car driver doesn’t get that many looks. How did this all come about?
Hughes: Well, the guy that found me, Terry, he’s from Texas actually. He added me on Facebook and sent me a message just asking if I wanted to test their truck down in South Carolina. I was a little skeptical at first but I talked to him and got some more information on the deal and we ended up just going down there and testing for them. I’m really not sure how he found me. He said something about Flat Out Magazine so there must have been an article on me from there. But that’s about the only way I know of. So I was able to go down and test for them last Monday and things went really well.
KO: Nice…nice. I know you were planning on taking some time off from the sprint car world, both for money and focusing on schooling, but how does this alter your plans for that?
Hughes: School is definitely the number one priority. They understand that I am in college and I need to go and get a degree. Right now, I am going to Indiana State University to get a degree in mechanical engineering technology, but I was also planning on going to China in the spring of 2013, so I don’t think I’ll be going to China anytime soon because this is definitely going to be a big deal. If things work out well, hopefully we can be running the full schedule coming soon. With school, we’re just going to be playing it by ear. As of now, I’m going to stay with Indiana State University. But, if things came to it, I would switch universities if I had to. I would definitely be willing to move down to North Carolina if this became a real serious deal in running the Camping World Truck Series schedule. It will make things challenging, but I feel like being a NASCAR driver, you’re considered a professional athlete. I think that’s something that teachers would understand and help me out with, as long as I made sure to get all my homework done.
KO: It’s an exciting time because here you were, just getting used to the school mode and now you’ve got these humongous, positive distractions.
Hughes: Yeah, I was definitely getting into school mode. We’re almost to the end of the semester where we’re doing finals. I had to miss some classes to go down there for the test. That was different. I normally don’t miss any classes but everybody understood just fine.
KO: I’m sure your dad and your mom had to ok that, right?
Hughes: I called dad first. Right after I got off the phone with that guy, I called dad and was like, “You’re NEVER going to believe this. This is something that might actually happen.” Both of my parents are happy. I’m pretty happy. We’re just going to see where this leads.
KO: You never know right?
Hughes: You NEVER know.
Jared Fox
KO: You had a good end of the year with Dave Darland and the win at Kokomo. That was a nice little showing for yourself and your talents with the wrenches. If you didn’t already have your name on the map, you’ve got it right there. So what about 2012?
Fox: Yeah, winning with Dave at the last race was great. I was thankful that the Burtons gave me that opportunity. They knew we had a good car. They just had a rookie driver. I worked hard to get to this point with the experience to be able to do it. I would love to get a full-time deal for 2012. I’m open to anything full or part time, really.
KO: So you’ve pretty much resigned yourself to wrenching on sprint cars now. As for the driving deal, I know you did drive at least once last year, but is it just strictly wrenching now?
Fox: Yeah, I just filled in a couple of times last year. I still have a blast driving them. It’s something I’m not going to do full-time. Wrenching is definitely where my future is and where I’d like to concentrate.
KO: What do you have to offer and how can teams get in touch with you?
Fox: Basically I’d like to think that I’ve got three generations of knowledge to offer. I’ve got a new race shop with an attached apartment I’d provide. I’d love to talk to somebody. They can reach me at 812-327-3010. They can e-mail me at fabtech56@yahoo.com or they can find me on Facebook.
Sprint Car Salvation
Released in mid-November, Sprint Car Salvation is the seventh book penned by Fishers, Indiana author Dave Argabright since his initial 1999 offering, Still Wide Open. Aside from American Scene (a compilation of Argabright’s best columns), the majority of Dave’s previous six pieces served as autobiographical sketches of some larger-than-life racing personalities, namely Brad Doty, Jack Hewitt, Earl Baltes, Chris Economaki, Doug Wolfgang, and “Speedy” Bill Smith. This one, however, is altogether different.
If you are not a subscriber to Sprint Car and Midget Magazine, then perhaps you are not familiar with Dave’s monthly installment known as “The Best of Times”, a fictional tale of the early to mid-1970s USAC sprint car scene that centers on a likeable young driver named Jimmy Wilson and his endless pursuit to reach the sport’s pinnacle. If you are familiar, then you are obviously aware that Sprint Car Salvation is a collection of these same installments. However, given that seven years of “The Best of Times” features would make for an awfully large book, this one focuses on the first full season when young Jimmy finally earns his big break, landing a ride in Sonny Ellison’s famed number 49. Moving from Illinois to Indiana’s Central City, the up-and-coming chauffeur is suddenly thrust into the spotlight of national championship contention, immediately faced with the impossible task of working with a gruff chief mechanic named Jack Harvey. Becoming embroiled in a heated rivalry with a ruthless competitor (Steve Graffan) all while dealing with the internal struggle of a failed engagement, it’s a season filled with hope, excitement, and despair.
Not just a simple cut and paste of that first season, Argabright actually had to work at massaging these same stories so that they would flow together, accumulating 34 chapters and 234 pages of text that go by in a flash, arguably the most entertaining of all of his works and recommended for any age group. These days, it takes a lot to keep me stationary for any period of time, but Sprint Car Salvation was far too tempting to put down, finishing the book in just two sittings.
If you enjoy the people aspect of the sport as much as I do, then you will not regret this purchase, as the personalities, back stories, and soap operas make you wish that it was the 1970s all over again. A true fantasy piece, you can’t help but be in a better mood after reading a chapter (or two or three or four). I’ve always wanted to go back and dig out my old copies of Sprint Car and Midget just to relive “The Best of Times”. Now, I won’t have to. You can place your order at www.daveargabright.com, as plenty of copies are still available.
Again unable to take in midget activity in either New Zealand or Tulsa thanks to work commitments, I’ll once again be wandering the aisles of the Indy Circle Track Expo on Saturday, January 28th. After that, I will be killing time until April, crossing my fingers for a continued resurgence of IU basketball and pondering the prospect of another offseason question and answer session. Later!
Volume 13, Number 14
Finality
Awakening to eyes burning bright red, I wipe away those remnants of grit that share the same sensation as shards of glass, making me look like Hell and feel likewise. Whipped by twenty mile per hour winds the night before, I’m still chilled to the bone, with my face left chapped and raw, worse than a baby’s bottom that has been wiped too much. After arriving home late and arising even later, lifeless and void of energy I sense pressure about getting my day moving, as my usual routine of gym, free car wash at the dealership, and yard chores await.
So typical of my Saturdays from spring through early fall; the reason for such a strict regimen is the prospect of evening sprint car entertainment. However, on this chilly mid-October morning, once I came to my senses, a shocking revelation smacked me right between those red eyes. What was I in such a rush for? My Indiana outdoor season was officially over and even worse, there was nothing that I could do to reverse that reality.
For what seems like forever, there will be few if any diversions from my mundane, everyday existence and unless I travel by air and spend some serious dough, there will be zero opportunities to feed that need for speed. It’s a rude awakening for sure, thinking back to those summer months when I had options but skipped more than my share of shows, taking the season and its seemingly endless opportunities for granted. Suddenly suffering some serious separation anxiety, the cooler weather tells me that it’s time to move on to different activities but if you happen to be a fan of the Colts or the Hoosiers, you have to know that it’s going to be an abnormally long and painful period of hibernation.
Unfortunately, this end of season also signals that yet another year has escaped my grasp, stuck in the same rut and frightened by the prospect of a rapidly approaching milestone. No longer a young pup, I still cannot come to grips with my age, wondering if this prolonged absence of satisfaction equates to a mid-life crisis (sans sports car). Given that my degree is in accounting, is a higher-profile gig with additional greenbacks and time-draining responsibilities the answer? Or, do I continue to compromise my career by allowing myself the option of chasing races, dabbling in the various media outlets to scratch a creative itch? For the last 25 years, racing has ruled my world, but is this kind of freedom my lone path to inner peace? Or, is it just a circular reference to insanity? So afraid of change, my answer to these questions has always revolved around the status quo. With the onset of off-season, it is again time to ponder some large-scale life alterations.
Normally it’s a stress-free, straight shot up U.S. 31 to Kokomo Speedway, but in the quest to absorb my final sprint car contest of 2011, the difficulties encountered were truly representative of this unsettling season of adjustments. Beginning the massive project to turn 31 into a limited access highway, Westfield gridlock again required a detour to Grassy Branch and Anthony Road, the same path employed in my initial journey to Gas City in late April. Back then, little did I know how much my family would be affected in less than one month, as the one person who we leaned on most for comfort and stability would soon be gone forever. Taking my mom’s remaining days for granted much like I did with this season’s sprint car offerings, even though the racing will eventually return, the inability to seek consolation from either is still such a bitter pill to swallow, overcome with this feeling of finality.
No, it’s not the end of the world by any means and it is up to me to make the best of the situation. Putting on my gym clothes, selecting some RUSH on my iPod, and heading out the door, as is usually the case on Saturday mornings, in two hours I’ll be feeling much better about myself and my world. As I put my sweatshirt hood up and over my head to guard against the chill, whether I liked it or not, I had no choice but to say hello to the off-season.
Friday October 7th
The beginning of the end came on an unseasonably warm Friday when temperatures topped out at a ridiculously high 85 degrees. Honestly, it felt more like August rather than October, again reminding that Indiana weather is odd. Closing quarter three’s books kept me in my home state, as nearly every other reputable race fan had migrated to the shadows of St. Louis. Having to work until 5 PM, Gas City’s Jack Himelick Fall Finals was an acceptable compromise, allowing ample time to reach the sprinter in the sky by the start of the first heat.
Surviving north side Friday night rush hour insanity and the clouds of combine dust encountered in northern Hamilton County, as always I reached State Road 37 just a few miles south of Elwood. Long before Interstate 69, this was the most direct route between Fort Wayne and Indianapolis but nowadays, it’s just another forgotten two-lane with memories of its proud past fading into oblivion.
Of course it goes without saying that 37 still offers far more flavor than 69, plus its angle to my impending destination is so much straighter, shaving at least ten miles from the trip. One tasty little nugget found along the way is Elwood’s Airport Restaurant, which surprisingly still survives even though the grassy airstrip no longer lands planes. Becoming widely known as the world’s first fly-in/drive-in back in 1953, before it’s too late I vow that I’m going to stop for a bite. Looking like the ultimate mom and pop establishment, I hear that the fried chicken is killer.
Past the junction of State Road 28, I continue to be fascinated by the sad remains of The Elwood Court motel, where what’s left of the old neon sign still stands as the rest of the ransacked property is overgrown with weeds. No more than a quarter-mile up the road, the well-kept Wolf’s Motor Court had been in business on my last pass in late August, but boarded up windows and yellow tape made me believe that its white flag had been waved. What was once someone’s dream of making it big; both of these businesses have suffered the same fate as so much old-school Americana found along the old two-lanes. On the road less traveled, I’m not sure how such a place lasted this long, as outside of Orestes and its Red Gold operations, there simply isn’t much happening along the Madison/Grant county line.
Breezing through the birthplace of cool (Fairmount) on State Road 26, an odd accident on 500 East pointed me west on Wheeling Pike, forced to backtrack to the twin cities of Jonesboro and Gas City, whose dividing line is the mighty Mississinewa River. An hour and forty minutes after leaving home, I was pleasantly surprised to gain a spot in the primary parking area, clearly indicative of the effect that Friday night high school football has on late-season race attendance. After wishing Nona Thomason a warm winter in Florida, I was equally surprised to bump into fellow Carmel-ite Kevin Eckert, who was staying close to home in order to conserve resources. Greeting us from the middle of pit lane was photographer “Sexy” Rex Staton, this serving as his first race back after ultra-serious health issues hospitalized him for the whole summer. In the twenty-some-odd years that I’ve known Rex, I honestly don’t remember him looking and sounding this good and had it not been for the concern of people like Travis Branch and Brent and Asha Goodnight, he would not have been absorbing any more races.
A sprint car population of twenty-three represented the rest of the cast who chose not to participate in Pontoon Beach or Friday’s Fun Fest in Brownstown. Completely missing hot laps, I arrived for the three heats, witnessing an entertaining match between steel block bandit Jamie Frederickson and Team Audi/VW salesman Chris Gurley. As they waged war for first, nearly every lap Chris would have his nose chopped off at turn one’s entry. Waiting for the last turn of the last lap to lunge low, the “Tall Cool One” pounced and produced a win. Even on such a warm day, Gas City’s dark clay was supremely heavy, tossing pellets not only during the heats, but also the feature. Say what you will, but the staff here always manages to get things right for the last two months of the season.
Heading back to the pits to see what was happening, one of the 23 in the house was Josh Clemons, whose most recent sprint car fling came four months prior. One year ago, Josh joined forces with Scott Pedersen, with Scott supplying the engine that he and his legendary father Red had assembled. (Red was once a long-time Silver Crown campaigner who had close ties to car builder Lloyd Shores.) Still trying to work through some at-the-track issues with the newly constructed power plant, the piece was overhauled with new pistons, rods, cylinder heads, and a crankshaft after a Putnamville meltdown on June 4th. Son of Red and brother to Scott, photographer Chris Pedersen even jumped in to assist the old-school effort, towed the track on an open trailer that once belonged to the late Grant King. So old, the trailer still sports a blue California license plate with gold letters that spell out “DIRTCAR”. It may just be me, but I would think such an artifact belongs in the sprint car hall of fame in Knoxville.
Bagging the B-main, season-ending awards were instead handed out to the top-five in points, with Brett Burdette taking home the bulk of the bounty with his first track championship. Shane Cottle, Billy Puterbaugh, Ted Hines, and Travis Welpott scooped up second through fifth.
Unfortunately, such a handout skips the once legendary Gas City banquets that were previously held at the Holiday Inn in downtown Marion. From 1999 through 2002, I attended all but one of those affairs and they were always so much fun, the fondest memory coming when Joe Roush convinced me to suck helium from a balloon and walk up to the podium to accept the award for an absent Tony Elliott. I’ll never forget the roaring laughter and I’ll also never forget Brian Cripe belting out the words to Bob Seger’s “Old Time Rock and Roll” in the late night karaoke convention. With enough adult beverages, I too joined Brian, Brandon Petty, and A.J. Anderson in some of those songs. If you get the chance, ask Coby Smith about his memories from the 2001 banquet. Those were indeed THE days.
Lined up for the I-69 swan song at 9:13 PM, the front row featured a battle between Fortville and McCordsville, as Jonathan Hendrick and Wes McIntyre appeared primed to garner some late-season glory. Jamie Frederickson, Jon Sciscoe (Hazen 57), Gurley, and Burdette began from rows two and three. Winner of the last two Gas City gallops, Justin Grant began from tenth.
McIntyre made it to turn one first, with Grant immediately slicing to sixth with apparent ease. Sweeping outside of Ted Hines in turn three, in just one lap Justin had already jockeyed to fifth, with Jamie Frederickson serving as the next victim. Further up front, Hendrick (in his Maxim chassis for tonight) picked McIntyre’s pocket for first on the fourth lap.
Grant continued his forward march, laying low through three and four and stealing third from Sciscoe. With a wide array of talent and equipment in the A-main, lapped traffic became a factor fairly early, bunching the top-three of Jonathan, Wes, and Justin. After supremely launching off the bottom of two, Grant gobbled second and only a Rick Horne caution at lap eleven kept him from stealing the big banana.
Using Horne as a pick when back to green, Grant was again prepping for a Hendrick overhaul when Kevin Studley spun in turn one. Just too hard to hold back, the former BCRA midget maestro kissed the cushion in three and four and dive-bombed the bottom of turn one, sliding to the top of two to pilfer P1 at the end of the back chute. Heavy traffic again made it interesting for the front four, reaching for the sky thanks to some sticky clay and all staying within a straightaway of one another. But in the end, no one had an answer for the likeable, soft-spoken kid.
Rather appropriate that Justin dominated yet another Grant County contest, this was his third in a row and fourth of the season here. Nine wins overall, they all came after July 11th, truly making for a killer second half of the season, ultimately quieting those who questioned his move to Piqua, Ohio to drive for Mark Hery. Hendrick, McIntyre, Sciscoe were paid for positions two through four while Jamie Frederickson was fifth, without question his most competitive Gas City outing of all-time. Sixth through tenth included Weir (up seven spots), Gurley, Byrkett, Burdette, and Welpott.
As the winner celebrated with infield donuts, I’m not too sure that Jiggs Thomason was overjoyed with Justin’s yard job. Nonetheless, there were a few mischievous smiles from victory lane, done by 9:26 and allowing me to arrive home before 11. Spending more time traveling than watching racing, it was short and sweet ending to the Gas City campaign, unable to feel the finality of the situation just yet.
Saturday October 8th
Paying back the Rodriguez ride to Haubstadt three weeks prior, Dennis and I would again carpool to the southwest corner of the state, but this time I held the wheel. About halfway down, D-Rod wasn’t feeling too hot, weary and in need of nourishment after arriving home at 4 in the morning from a two-night Gold Crown convention. Not finding anything to his liking off of State Road 57 in Washington, I chose to eliminate the twists and turns of 241 so that the former CRA rookie of the year wouldn’t redecorate the dashboard of my MINI. Staying on U.S. 50 and grabbing some grub in Vincennes, any worries about missing hot laps were erased when John Deere green was seen circling the speedway at ten after six.
Competition for sprint cars only came from Granite City, so Dennis and I boldly predicted at least 30 would make the tow to Tri-State. Slightly disappointed by the population of 25, for the $4,000 to win Harvest Cup MSCS finale, we clearly had hoped for more. Still, with names like Short, Stanbrough, Bland, Cummins, Fitzpatrick, Hendrick, Ballou, Gardner, Clayton, and Malone, how bad could it be?
Sharing the pits were thirty-three modifieds and decked out in breast cancer awareness pink was 1983 USAC sprint car champion Ken Schrader, the former hired gun for nearby car owner Damon “Blackie” Fortune. Scoping out available seating and spotting a wave from Lincoln Park Speedway operator Joe Spiker, there were plenty available, as this was one of the smallest crowds I have observed in my 17 years of attendance at this classy venue. Wondering if the remainder of fans could be found in the adjoining state, could it be that drawing from the same pool of people is a problem, especially so late in the season? My reason for choosing Tri-State over Tri-City had everything to do with the extra hour on the ride home, not to mention my desire to see a full show filled with heats and features.
Getting started much closer to 7:30 (compared to the scheduled 7 PM), despite the disappointment of the car count the three heats still packed quite a punch. Motivated by MSCS passing points, Jon Stanbrough scaled three spots in the Fox 53. So did Kent Christian, whose haul to Haubstadt was quite rare. One night after The Silent Gasser filled the seat of the Roberts/Tate 21x, Robert Ballou was the next to climb aboard, flying past four machines. However, the ultimate passing master was 2011 MSCS champ Brady Short, who scooted from sixth to first with relative ease.
Additional action came in the form of a fiery Dakota Jackson, the front axle folding on hard luck Jonathan Hendrick, Chase Briscoe banging wheels with an agitated Chase Stockon, a five-wide fight for third in heat three (yes, five-wide!), and Daron Clayton prematurely calling it a night in Jeff Walker’s 11 after hitting the wall twice, spooked by his Maxim’s mysterious handling. After finishing fourth on Friday with Shane Cottle at Granite City, I’m sure Walker had to be disappointed to drive all this way with no return on his investment.
After several unruly modified heats that ran up against the time limit, an eight car B-main featured quite a fight for the final transfer between local boy Donny Brackett, “Kentucky Kid” Aric Gentry (now calling Clinton, Indiana home), and Chris Gentry (who was preparing for back surgery in a few days). Brackett wound up getting the spot in a race that can only be described as ugly.
Two more patience-testing modified affairs and an intermission for track prep meant that the 40 lap A-main would not take the green until 10:22 local time. An all-star front row featured Friday night Fun Fest protagonists Stanbrough and Short, with Ballou, Cummins, McIntyre, Malone (who like Walker made the tow from Tri-City to Tri-State), Gardner, and Fitzpatrick filling the next three rows.
Short’s Indiana Stone Works Maxim led to turn one and immediately began to put some distance between himself and the Fatheadz 53, with Blake Fitzpatrick making some bold moves to surge from eighth to fourth in just five laps. Even though Short had constructed a full straight advantage by lap eight, back markers impeded his progress and allowed second place Stanbrough to close the gap in just two tours. The advantage was completely erased when Braylon Fitzpatrick slowed with ruined left rear rubber, this coming after connecting with Chase Stockon.
With just eleven revolutions recorded, in the next seven laps three consecutive cautions would be caused by Adam Nigg, Donny Brackett, and Josh Clemons. By lap 18, another restart restacked a top-five deck that contained Short, Stanbrough, Cummins, Fitzpatrick, and Gardner, with Jonathan Hendrick up to ninth after a ninth row start.
Two laps after green lights glared, it was still yellow fever, this time for Sprint Week winner Gardner. The Demon looped it when trying to avoid Kyle Cummins, who half-spun, corrected, climbed the turn two wall, and miraculously kept going. After all those interruptions, a ten lap green flag run would finally manufacture some momentum as track conditions turned dry-slick, with a sizeable cushion pushed nearly all the way to the wall. Such conditions clearly favored the top shelf tactic and setup of Jon Stanbrough, who was all over Brady Short like white on rice. On lap 24, Jon slid to the lead through turn one, only to have Brady dip and dive underneath in turn two. The maneuver was duplicated on lap 25, but this time Brady broke traction and could not counter.
Much like Short encountered early on, Stanbrough’s negotiation of lapped traffic proved to be a tricky endeavor, allowing Short, Fitz, and Cummins to close with eleven to go. With positions two through four fitting underneath a cozy blanket, Brady clipped Blake and spun on the back chute, causing the sixth and final caution of an event-filled feature. Soon thereafter, Short would pull to the infield, a rare DNF for Sweet Feet.
Fitzpatrick looked low in three and four on the restart, but Stanbrough simply peddled away, precisely keeping his right rear glued to the withering cushion. Odd to see Haubstadt’s surface completely blown off, especially after lengthy preparations, now it was local hero Kyle Cummins who had the fastest car, seizing second and quickly bearing down on first. Blasting the berm in turn four on lap 36, even after such a massive mistake he was still able to keep Jon in sight. With three laps left, Dakota Jackson scaled the turn four boiler plate and inverted, ruining a righteous run from 19th to 5th. Critter Malone and Damion Gardner piled in, leaving one to wonder what the kid from Princeton had in store for the traditional King of Indiana.
Unfortunately for the hometown crowd, there would be no battle for first, as Jon never put a wheel wrong and earned his fourth score of the season. Cummins, Fitzpatrick, McIntyre, Hendrick claimed solid top-fives, especially noteworthy for Jonathan who advanced 13 spots. Ballou, Braylon Fitzpatrick, Clemons, Stockon, and Briscoe rounded out the top-ten, with extra special recoveries for the younger Fitzpatrick and Clemons, both causing cautions before the midpoint.
Done by 11:02, which is midnight for Eastern time zone residents, the long drive back proved to be mentally exhausting when constantly looking at the clock and doing the math, eliminating that feeling of finality that would normally be at the forefront of my mind at this time of the year. A halfway stop at the Terre Haute Speedway station refueled mind and body thanks to Red Bull and M&M/Mars offerings and the resulting clarity allowed me to review some mental notes for this evening.
As always, I am reminded that dirt track sprint car racing is far from an exact science, as you never know what you’ll get in terms of car count, surface conditions, feature continuity, and overall evening efficiency. If you attend as many or more races as me, you have to realize that the majority of those affairs will rarely equal or exceed any lofty expectations. So as I normally maintain, it is best not to set one’s hopes too high, otherwise disappointment will be in order. There are never any guarantees in this sport and any of the odd difficulties encountered on this evening do not mean I won’t be back to the palace of Tri-State, as this has forever been the ultimate destination of my Indiana wanderings. I expect it to remain that way for many years to come.
Witnessing such uncharacteristic slippery soil in my last two Haubstadt hauls, I have to believe that “The Perfectionist” (a.k.a. Tommy Helfrich) can’t be too satisfied with the end result and that adjustments are already underway for 2012. If there’s anything that we’ve learned from the man who actually waters his dirt in the winter (confirmed by my former neighbor Randy Schuller on an Evansville business trip), it’s that he doesn’t sit still and rest on his laurels. Given my partial German heritage, I think I can identify with that.
Friday October 14th
With Farmer City’s cancellation on the 15th, I had already decided that Friday’s open wheel portion of the Kokomo Klash would be my final outdoor outing of 2011. Toledo USAC Silver Crown and Fremont World of Outlaws did not offer enough intrigue for over eight hours of windshield time, so why not try to end the year on a high note?
Flying solo on a work-free Friday, as mentioned earlier the need to detour from the usual U.S. 31 provided the ammunition for reflection on the last six months, remembering back to that exact day (April 29th) when my first such deviation gave hope for much drier weather, an exciting and event-filled month of May, and a sizzling sprint car summer. Unfortunately, one tragic event that I did not wish for occurred less than one month later. Overshadowing everything since that point in time, I’m still trying to make sense of it all.
Following that same April path may have attempted to rip open and pour salt into those internal wounds, but the drive past Jeff Walker’s residence redirected thoughts to some other changes that have occurred since that first Gas City gathering. The biggest of those is the changing of the guard that has finally started to sink in for Indiana’s bullring scene. Case in point: last year’s win column was completely dominated by veterans Jon Stanbrough, Dave Darland, and Levi Jones, with forty wins between the three of them. Heading into Kokomo’s closer, I counted just four sprint car scores for Stanbrough, six for Darland, and five for Jones. Doing a little math, that’s 25 less triumphs this year and after digging out a calculator, that’s 63% less than last year. That’s a big change if you ask me.
With stiff westerly winds carrying cool temperatures and moist air (read that, RAIN), much like those seasonal winds of change relative newcomers Brady Short, Chris Windom, Hunter Schuerenberg, Justin Grant, and Coleman Gulick have each stepped up their game and emerged with breakout seasons. Counting 42 dirt sprint tallies between the five of them, all except Grant have been around this scene since 2005/2006 and with such dominance displayed by the traditional masters of this domain over the past five years, the younger set can certainly attest to the difficulty of breaking into the win column on a regular basis.
Encountering a brief downpour between Tipton and Kokomo, a few more dots on the windscreen were unwelcomed when turning north on Davis Road. Even though hot laps were not set to start until another hour, a substantial crowd had already assembled, braving the bitter elements for a potentially lengthy evening as the pit area was absolutely overflowing with racecars. Numbering 152, the breakdown contained 40 sprints, 22 midgets, 21 three-quarter midgets, 33 600cc mini sprints, and 36 roto-tilling thunder cars, the latter killing two birds with one stone by aiding in surface maintenance. Although I did not attend night number two, late models, modifieds, sportsman, street stocks, and I-mods accounted for an astonishing 190 machines!
Immediately encountering Lafayette, Indiana’s “Railroad” Joe Higdon, Joe informed that local hero David Lee Darland would be wheeling an unfamiliar chariot, that being the number 04 normally driven by Bloomington rookie Josh Burton. As has been the case for the last half of the year, spinning wrenches on this ride was former driver Jared Fox, nephew to Steve and Brad and grandson to Galen.
Darland’s unusual pairing provided a central sprint car theme for Indiana’s final outdoor adventure, as even the most astute fans had a hard time identifying who was in what car. Jerry Coons, Jr. was in Dave’s old Roberts/Tate ride. Jon Stanbrough landed in Mike McGhee’s Spike chassis and was assisted by Tim Mehner and Chuck Gurney, Jr. Brady Short found work in a second Jonathan Hendrick 68, the backup Maxim to Jonathan’s Spike. And finally, Casey Shuman corralled Rick Pollock’s 21, an odd looking Maxim that appeared similar to the one that Scott Benic used at the end of the 2008 season.
Ten men did double duty on Friday, eight of them steering sprints and full-size midgets. They included: Matt Westfall, Jerry Coons, Jr., Justin Grant, Casey Shuman, Chris Gurley, Shane Cottle, Brent Beauchamp, and Tracy Hines. Coleman Gulick’s second ride was in a 600 cc mini sprint while 2011 UMRA champ C.J. Leary paired his sprinter with the TQ belonging to Tom Sanders. Reviewing TQ tallies, Leary’s landing in Kokomo’s victory lane would be his 15th of the season, quite an impressive feat for the kid from Greenfield.
With midget rides scarce, Shane Cottle convinced his brother to let him slide into the Spike/Esslinger normally operated by his nephew Colten. Justin Grant wound up in Larry Gardner’s Stealth/Chevy while Casey Shuman competed in Don Moore’s Stealth. Famous faces spotted included Kyle Larson, who was just here to watch. Wearing a Texaco-Havoline jacket was Kenny Irwin, Sr., who assisted the mini sprint effort of Knightstown veteran Robby Parrish.
After handing out my final batch of Indiana Circle Track Expo fliers and making the climb to the top of the bleachers, once day turned to night an uncomfortable wind chill made it absolutely necessary to bundle up with every piece of available clothing, including winter coat, a double layer of sweatshirts, hat, and gloves. Five separate hot lap/qualification sessions for sprint cars would invert the fastest four in each heat, with Scotty Weir clocking quickest of all at 12.708 seconds in Monte Edison’s Chalk. Eight cars dipped beneath the 13 second barrier so needless to say, the track was plenty heavy early on.
Claimed from either the first or second row, sprint heats were won by Shuman, Darland, Cottle (Walker 11), Ballou (MPHG 81), and Hendrick. In typical Kokomo fashion, late race drama for the final transfer had Jeff Bland, Jr. (Pottorff 38) stealing a feature berth from Brent Beauchamp thanks to a last turn, last lap surge. Even more animated, a scuffle for second in heat four had Matt Westfall (Simon 22) nudge nerf bars with Hunter Schuerenberg (Epperson 2) in a fourth turn squeeze play.
On the hard-luck side of the ledger, tell-tale smoke from Kokomo’s Josh Spencer signaled a premature end to his season, this after solidly operating in second place. Jamie Frederickson was yet another local having a rough night, heavily damaging his piece after launching over a spun Landon Simon. Hailing from the same northern Indiana town as former driver/car owner Art Wendt, Francesville’s Jacob Schlatter was abruptly introduced to the turn four wall while Wesley Gordon suffered the same inverted fate while attempting to catch the rear of the heat three field, albeit before the green flag was ever dangled.
After a slew of thunder car heats, just one pair of midget prelims was on the card. The white flag of the first saw a wickedly quick Justin Grant bike through turn one while closely pursuing leader Brad Kuhn. Unable to bring it down, Justin wildly flipped into the wall and fence, with the pilot emerging unscathed and his piece reassembled in time for the feature. In the familiar Wendy’s livery of New Zealand’s Danny Lendich, Jerry Coons, Jr. charged all the way from tenth to fourth. After Gary Bradley elected to start at the rear of the second heat, Tracy Hines would win from fourth, with Mario Clouser and USAC D1 midget maestro Taylor Ferns (the second-ever female USAC champion) each eclipsing three cars.
Running off the rest of mini sprint and TQ heats, the unrelenting wind polished Kokomo clay from the bottom to a choppy cushion, making a pair of sprint consolations tricky, slick-track affairs. Afterwards, Jon Sciscoe, Kent Christian, Travis Welpott, Logan Jarrett, and Josh Clemons were left looking from the outside-in. Tracy Hines was another suffering the same fate, unable to avoid clobbering the spun machine of Adam Byrkett.
During an intermission for surface maintenance and the handout of season-ending awards (Shane Cottle earned his fourth Kokomo crown), an announcement was made concerning the addition of a monumental USAC sprint car event to the 2012 K-town slate. The “Sprint Car Smackdown 1” will take place August 23rd through the 25th, with $5,000 to win and $500 to start features on Thursday and Friday, capped by a $10,000 to win, $1,000 to start finale on Saturday. The top fifteen rows of the bleachers are going to be offered as reserved seating, with sales beginning in early December. Injecting all kinds of excitement to the normally quiet month of August, both fans and competitors are already chomping at the bit. For additional details on the sale of reserved seats, please check www.kokomospeedway.net and www.usacracing.com in the coming weeks.
With the 25-lap sprint car closer up first, the first three rows would be occupied by Shuman, Darland, Ballou, Hendrick, Cottle, and Short. Checking my phone, I was shocked to see that the temperature was still 52 degrees, as that twenty mile per hour wind made it feel more like 32. For those hearty fans who braved these unfriendly elements, they would be rewarded with one of the best clashes of this campaign.
As the hour approached eleven, Kokomo’s favorite son reached turn one first but by the end of that initial lap, Darland and Shuman would be elbow to elbow. Casey inched ahead at the middle of the back chute, but Dave led at the line for lap two scoring purposes. A majority of the 25 laps would see this same kind of back and forth activity, with Shuman holding the premier position at a lap three caution for the flat right rear of Jerry Coons, Jr.
Comfortable against the robust cushion, Darland nosed in front when action resumed, with Jonathan Hendrick joining him upstairs. Making the most of this one-off ride, Hendrick’s teammate Brady Short stayed low with Shuman, as the top four toiled in tight formation. Casey’s patient path around the infield tires continued to pay dividends, producing P1 yet again when Brady and Dave dueled for second. A rare Jon Stanbrough spin in corner four brought caution at lap eight, with the scoreboard displaying a top-five of Shuman, Short, Darland, Hendrick, and Ballou. But immediately after yellow lights were switched to green, the color of red served as a stark contrast when Matt Westfall climbed a Casey Riggs wheel.
Even though Shuman was up front on the restart, it didn’t take long for Cass County’s finest to build top-side momentum, shooting by Short on the back side and flashing past Shuman through three and four. “Little Shoe” pedaled to first off turn two, but the “People’s Champ” squeezed by at the start-finish. Turn two was still Shuman’s strong point, propelling the Pollock 21 to the lead yet again. Now featuring two-by-two activity, Shuman and Short followed the bottom while Darland and Hendrick lived the high life, with three of the four fanning for first in front of the main grandstand.
With just ten tours to go, Dave owned the top spot for a few seconds but it wasn’t long until he was embroiled in another two-by-two scuffle, falling to third as Shuman and Short moved forward. Less than one lap later, roles were reversed as the Lincoln, Indiana legend made another successful bid for the lead. Just a handful of laps remained when Hunter Schuerenberg slowed and brought the feverish action to a crawl, leaving a top five of Darland, Shuman, Short, Hendrick, and Riggs.
Once back to green, Shuman and both of the Hendrick whips went three-wide for second, but Jonathan would trip and flip over the cushion on the south end. In the ensuing four lap dash to the checkered, Darland constructed a half-straight advantage on Short, which ended up accounting for the widest margin of the entire 25 lap grind and enabled him to lay claim to the $2011 paycheck. Sixth on the final restart, Robert Ballou charged to a third place run, narrowly beating out Shuman and Riggs in a photo finish. Cottle, Gulick (up 9 spots), Stanbrough (recovering from the early spin), Grant, and Ted Hines were scored sixth through tenth at the 11:24 PM ending.
From victory lane, the popular winner agreed with Rob Goodman’s assessment of the race, commenting, “That is damned cool! Winning this race tonight with a car that I hadn’t driven or seen before, it’s pretty unbelievable. Jared Fox was my crew chief tonight and he gave me a great racecar. That was just a lot of fun!”
Darland continued his post-race recap, adding, “The racetrack was in great shape. We ran side by side for about eight to ten laps with Shuman there. We had a great race. The bottom finally did wear out just enough to where the top might have gotten better, if you hit your marks just right. I’ve just got to thank my whole team - the car owner (pausing to look back at the hood to get the name of that car owner) Jerry…Burton Masonry down in Bloomington (with the crowd erupting in laughter). I just appreciate everybody helping me. They did a great job.”
It’s hard to imagine that the winner couldn’t even recall the name of his car owner, but the potential for such unlikely pairings and successful underdog efforts is what I’ve always enjoyed most about traditional sprint car racing. Defying the odds with what many believed a combination that couldn’t win; a hungry Dave Darland proved that he can still get the job done when he feels comfortable, motivated, and confident. A lot of those feelings came courtesy of the setup provided by former driver Jared Fox and the solid equipment offered by Jerry Burton. Like his uncles and grandfather, Jared knows a thing or two about sprint car equipment and previously showing well when teaming with Dickie Gaines and Jon Sciscoe, Jared’s stock had to rise as well after the Kokomo Klash.
After waiting out the thunder car feature, the 25-lap midget main was up next, beginning Tracy Hines, Zach Daum, Brad Kuhn, and Mario Clouser from the first two rows. With the chilled crowd having already thinned out, those who headed to the exits early missed out on another superb feature, with so much wheel to wheel combat for first place.
Front row starters Hines and Daum dueled side-by-side at the onset, with Tracy’s low line allowing him to lead lap one. Daum’s Eagle was flying up top, but the veteran’s persistence was initially too tough to overcome, as the bite that Hines would gain through three and four was enough to maintain a small margin. Kuhn and Coons would soon make it a four car party, but Daum eventually escaped with first.
With Kuhn’s RW Motorsports Beast/Fontana gaining ground on the front two thanks to high side heroics, Hines protected the runner-up position by turning his Spike/Toyota to the top. At the crossed flags, it was Daum, Hines, Kuhn, Coons, and Clouser. Amber bulbs illuminated with ten go when Levi Roberts looped his BCI entry in turn two; the final caution coming shortly thereafter when Grant and Cottle got tied up in turn four.
Going back to green, Daum still led as both Hines and Kuhn chased upstairs. Gaining grip on the bottom was Coons, who came out of nowhere and shot to first thanks to an unbelievable blast through three and four. Jerry, Tracy, and Zach waged a three-wide war for first but with Brad again entering the fray, it was four-wide insanity in corners two and four! Holy cow!
With five laps left, Coons continued to play pilot dog, but Hines and Kuhn were quickly constructing momentum against the large ledge. One lap later, Tracy’s caressing of the cushion allowed him to grab the lead baton, with Brad making quick work of Jerry. Just two tours were left when Kuhn made his move, pulling even at the start/finish and serving up a courteous slider through one and two, briefly pilfering the position. But, the pilot of the Parker 24 would immediately fire back with a crossover and hold off the Purdue University grad to lay claim to the $1,211 winning sum.
Chasing Hines and Kuhn to the 12:03 AM checkered were Clouser, Coons, and Shuman. Davey Ray, Daum, Ferns, Brent Beauchamp (Sandy 16), and Jake Blackhurst secured sixth through tenth.
Continuing to show well in a midget on Kokomo’s revised layout, Tracy remarked to Rob Goodman, “It was just fun racing there with Brad, Jerry, and Zach – all three of my friends. We gave each other good slides, gave plenty of room, and it was just some good racing.”
Discussing the execution of his winning move, Hines admitted, “I was loose out of four. I messed up that lap out of four and when I saw him come, I knew why. I felt like if I could get him through the next corner, and not mess up again, I’d be ok. And that’s how it turned out. I’ve got to thank Parker Machinery. Bob and Angie Parker, they’re here tonight – the first time they’ve got to come in awhile. Then there’s Brad, who helps me everyday when we come to the races. My friends Jeff and Doug came to help. Of course my family…and I can’t thank my wife enough for all that she does.”
If the winds and temperatures weren’t so unbearable, I would have stayed for the mini sprint and TQ features. But as it was, it was already Saturday morning and with contact lenses completely dried out and eyes irritated, I said my final goodbyes while heading for the exits, pleased as always with the evening of entertainment I had just absorbed. For the past eight years, I have been consistently raving about the outstanding action at Kokomo Speedway, so anyone who subscribes to these blogs is already aware of my fondness for this joint and has undoubtedly experienced the same level of satisfaction. Cranking on the heat as I headed for home, that traditional feel-good feeling masked the fact that this would be the final time to feel such a warm glow. Suddenly realizing that I was very low on fuel and “stoplight city” was in my rear view mirror, I concentrated on getting to the Gas America at 236th Street, never dwelling on any ounce of sadness whatsoever.
That feeling of finality would come crashing down on Saturday morning, but in taking my time to complete this final racing recap, the weeks that have expired have allowed me to become more comfortable with my new off-season surroundings. For sure it’s been an unsettling season of adjustments all the way around for yours truly. Ever since I was a first-grader making that initial walk back from lunchtime recess for my first-ever afternoon of school, I have never liked change. And, I do not think that I will ever fully embrace it until I absolutely have to.
Well, the unfortunate reality is that it is time to face the music. There have been huge changes in my family’s dynamics this year, creating my own internal struggles as I search for life’s little comforts and reassurances. Reminded by my girlfriend that I need to be thankful for what I do have as opposed to what I do not, without question I can definitely be thankful for her presence, my health, and having a job that pays the bills. Death and growing old may not be the most pleasant aspects of life, but hopefully this year has prepared me for the next round of earth-shattering alterations.
As for the changes in the Indiana bullring scene landscape, those too are inevitable, as our traditional kings cannot rule the roost to eternity. There has always been a changing of the guard and 2011 has seen its share of revolutions, as the kids have clearly begun to hog the limelight. However, end of season Kokomo scores for veterans Dave Darland and Tracy Hines gave hope that there is still room for us middle-aged men to survive, thrive, and enjoy this sport and that these uncomfortable amendments are not yet permanent.
Three weeks removed from my happy place, it’s amazing how a rotten mood can be transformed to respectable by transcribing and sharing these racing reflections. True, it will be a long off-season of dreadful Colts football, questionable but hopefully improving IU basketball, and keeping my driveway clear of snow, not to mention pondering decisions about my career path that will eventually influence my potential for inner peace, happiness, and ultimate fulfillment. Sharing the mantra of “always hopeful, yet discontent” with my favorite band Rush, although I may not feel satisfied, because such hope still manages to rise to the surface, things don’t feel so final just yet.
Volume 13, Number 13
No Time
If laughter is the best medicine for one’s internal ills, then I should skip the costly one-on-one therapy sessions and self-prescribe a daily dose of Seinfeld, which replaced Cheers as my go-to show once it became too difficult to locate in basic cable syndication.
Able to quote random lines from any of the nine seasons, one of my all-time favorite episodes came fairly late in the show’s run. Originally aired on January 30th, 1997, “The Comeback” features a separate plotline for each character, with George Costanza’s story beginning when he stuffs his face with shrimp cocktail during a New York Yankees meeting. His quick-witted co-worker Reilly immediately remarks, “Hey George, the ocean called; they’re running out of shrimp.”
Like a deer in headlights Costanza is speechless, with the rest of the episode revolving around him getting even. So when Reilly takes a job with Firestone, George travels to Akron, Ohio and sets up a phony meeting between the two organizations, complete with the requisite shrimp cocktail feasting. When his nemesis makes the same observation about the ocean calling, George fires back with the well-planned retort, “Well, the jerk store called, and they’re running out of you!” Quick on his feet, Reilly asks, “What’s the difference? You’re their all-time best seller!” With everyone in an uproar, of course our boy George can never win. Nevertheless, that ‘jerk store’ line still makes me chuckle some 14 years later. How ridiculous is that?
With Indiana oval activity winding down and so many big events left on tap, the final dash to the season’s checkered flag becomes extremely hectic for yours truly. Anticipating signs of Seasonal Affective Disorder as outdoor activity will soon be eliminated, for the remaining weeks of September and early October I literally have no time for anything but racing, writing, working out, and my job. Family functions or weekend evenings with my girlfriend, well, those are almost impossible to squeeze into my rigid routine. Ever so thankful for their patience, it must be love when dealing with such a fanatic.
Discussing in my most recent blog about my ability to identify with lyrics, it recently hit home that the words to “No Time”, a 1969 song from The Guess Who, seem quite apropos to selfish, male sprint car fans. Extremely insensitive, these words remind me of how I inflexible I once was towards the idea of sacrificing racing for relationships.
No time left for you
On my way to better things
No time left for you
I found myself some wings
No time left for you
Distant roads are calling me
No time left for you.
No time for a summer friend
No time for the love you send
Seasons change and so did I
You need not wonder why
You need not wonder why
There’s no time left for you
No time left for you.Even though I’m extremely swamped in the last few weeks of the season, bear in mind, those are NOT my current-day thoughts or feelings, but less than a decade ago, they were. In just three weeks, I will have all the time in the world for civilized activities such as dinners, movies, evenings with friends, and vacations that don’t involve racing. But in the meantime, I hope people don’t think of me and my racing in the same light as George Costanza, otherwise they might say, “Hey Kevin, the racetracks called, and they’re running out of races.” As much as I’d like to use the idiotic ‘jerk store’ as my response, it cannot be denied that what they are saying is actually the truth. After October 15th, I am done for the season and by then; hopefully I have not worn out my welcome with friends and family. As Tony Stewart once said, sometimes it is easier to ask for forgiveness than permission. So please forgive me.
Friday September 16th
After early September showings in Putnamville and Terre Haute, I began my home stretch with Bloomington’s Fall Clash, the third year in a row that a $5,000 to win MSCS slugfest would put an exclamation point on their season. With Gas City’s standard show serving as the lone conflict of interest, a fine field of 40 still showed up. Bedford’s Brady Short comfortably sat atop the MSCS standings, already a 9-time winner thus far on Southern Indiana clay. By merely showing up, Sweet Feet also earned a second Bloomington Speedway title.
Riding down with my dad and 1990 CRA rookie of the year Dennis Rodriguez, who is now my neighbor after moving from Ventura, California to Carmel, Indiana, I thoroughly enjoyed sharing stories with D-Rod, who is only a month and a half younger than me. Unusual that a driver is also a hardcore devotee of the sport, you’ll not find a bigger fan than Rodriguez, as his whole world revolves around midget, sprint, and Silver Crown racing. One such fact that I found interesting was that when Dennis first got behind the wheel of an old Tognotti chassis in a late 1989 open practice at Ascot Park, his biggest adviser and cheerleader was an equally youthful and enthusiastic Jeff Gordon. Married and a father of two, look for Rodriguez to get back behind the wheel of a Scott Morgan midget at the Chili Bowl, with a possible return to sprint cars next season. But for now, he’s just a super fan whose sprint car thirst cannot be quenched.
With Dennis and my dad heading up the hill to grandstand seating, I handed out Indy Circle Track Expo fliers (to be held January 28, 2012 at the Indiana State Fairgrounds) for Craig and Tia Dori, who recently shuttered their Speedway Twist and Pup ice cream stand in hope of finding a new location with better amenities. Except for Bryan Clauson, Tracy Hines, Shane Cottle and the driver du jour of the Hoffman 69, a pit road rambling revealed that everyone else was here, including the Hazen 57 for “Mayor” Jon Sciscoe.
MSCS means drawing for heat race starting positions and new for 2011, feature transfers determined by passing points. Four of the five heats were taken from front row seats held by Damion Gardner, Nick Bilbee, Jon Stanbrough, and Andrew Elson. The lone exception was another 9-time winner in 2011: Hunter Schuerenberg. After slight contact that sliced the left rear of Bub Cummings, the pride of Sikeston, Missouri slashed from fifth to first in Tony Epperson’s Spike, the best overtaking exhibition of them all. Locking in the top 16 in points and redrawing the first six, Bilbee, Stanbrough, Levi Jones (Stewart 20), Elson, Schuerenberg, and Gardner filled the first three rows. Even though heat conditions were prime for passing (which generally means drier), it still proved to be a difficult task with so many fast guys starting near the front.
Twin B-mains sent four more to the big show; adding Hud Cone and Casey Shuman (Roberts/Tate 121x) from the first hooligan. On an otherwise slippery surface, Cone liked to lean against the ledge while Shuman threw a timely turn three, last lap slider on Dakota Jackson for the final ticket. Jonathan Hendrick had been leading but exited with front end issues.
At the start of the second, pole sitter Coleman Gulick tilted on two wheels at the initial entrance to turn three, gaining big air and flipping wildly once reaching Earth. When I say big air, I’m talking about hang time that rivals Cary Faas from June of 1994, if you can recall such an incident. Two big tumbles in two weeks, Gulick could use a gymnastics break. So slick at turn four’s exit, both Bobby Stines and Kevin Thomas, Jr. narrowly avoided heavy damage when exceeding the edge and drilling the dreaded earth embankment. Sciscoe and Keith Bloom made the cut while men like Critter Malone and former Bloomington baron Jeff Bland, Jr. (Pottorff 38) failed.
Pushed off at 9:42 PM, an update on Bloomington’s red clay confirmed a larger than normal cushion on both ends, a blackened middle lane, and a thin but consistent brown strip around the infield tires, large enough for an imprint of a left rear Hoosier. Owning some rare luck of the draw all night long, Jon Stanbrough would immediately shoot from the top of turn two to the bottom of turn three, this after fanning three-wide for first with Bilbee and Jones. Despite such a tempting top groove, Jon and Levi dug deep into their bag of Bloomington slick track tricks to pull away from the pack, going low and slow to mimic the line that made the original Kevin Thomas famous. It looked like lapped traffic would ultimately decide the winner and at the waving of the white flag, Levi finally moved to the middle and nearly stole one, pulling to within inches at the checkered flag. Had he made that same move a few laps earlier, it might have been a different outcome.
A master of surfaces that require such finesse and precision, Jon never put a wheel wrong for the entire thirty lap sprint, which went all green to the 9:59 checkered. After a 21 win season, amazingly this was The Silent Gasser’s initial 2011 win in his home state. Trailing Jon and Levi was Gas City regular Andrew Elson, who earned his best Bloomington finish in three seasons. The only one to advance with top shelf tactics, Chris Windom climbed from eighth to fourth while Brady Short charged hardest, slipping past seven cars to fifth. Robert Ballou, Gardner, Schuerenberg, Bobby East, and Danny Holtsclaw claimed positions six through ten.
For the third consecutive year, a relieved and subdued Stanbrough found victory lane in this exact event, quietly telling Brad Dickison, “The guys did a great job on the car. I know I say that a lot, but they did. I appreciate all the fans. I appreciate Mike Miles. I appreciate everybody being here. It hasn’t been a stellar season this year but I’m glad to be in victory lane. I don’t know what to say. I’m happy to be here and I’m glad we finally won another one.”
Finishing the brief interview, the Silent Gasser added, “All the races we’ve won have been pretty good money, so maybe we can go tomorrow night and win that one and try to make something out of our season so late in the year. Like you said, we’ve been up front, but not always so lucky. I’m just happy to be here tonight.”
With no more sand left in Bloomington’s hourglass, the dark days that lie ahead unfortunately signal a return to hibernation. Blinded by finality of the situation and still recalling my traumatic month of May like it was yesterday, where has this season disappeared? Can we simply hit control, alt, and delete to reboot?
Saturday September 17th
Rodriguez offered to drive down to Haubstadt as long as I was able to help him with the long haul home, easily obliging to such a random act of kindness. With the time difference and hot laps not starting until 7:30, our hour of departure was 3:30, easily enough time to exercise, mow, and do a few chores around the house.
Directing down the peaceful path of state road 67 past Paragon, Whitaker, Gosport, Spencer, Freedom, Worthington (stopping for a snack and an energy drink), Switz City, Lyons (home to Jessup Farms, as in former driver Marc Jessup), Marco (not Polo or Andretti), Sandborn, Westphalia (Isn’t that the camping edition of an old VW bus?), Edwardsport (where the new Duke Energy plant is being constructed), Bicknell, Bruceville, and finally Vincennes (the southwestern terminus for 67), with sun shining, grass green, and leaves just starting to turn, it was a great ride. Bypassing the more scenic route 57 to Washington, I selfishly wanted to view construction progress on the railroad to that Duke plant in daylight. Truly representative of the road less traveled, I’m sure it’s a segment of Indiana that Dennis had never seen before.
I again handed out fliers and found a supreme field of 36, with Brady Bacon (Hoffman 69), Shane Cottle (Short 36), Blake Fitzpatrick, and Bryan Clauson (a previous night POWRi winner in Jacksonville, Illinois) serving as crowd pleasing additions to Friday night’s foes. Without question, this was the most stacked Haubstadt field since those days when they played host to a Sprint Week stop on the first weekend. Of course, the $10,000 winning paycheck and the 60 USAC attendance points was the big motivator, a unique MSCS-USAC co-sanction that more closely followed the procedures of the former rather than the latter.
Luck of the draw lined up the heats while the first eight rows of the A-main were determined by passing points, holding another blind draw for the six best overtakers. Given my anal-retentive accounting qualities, I enjoy keeping score and without knowing all of the rules, it’s tough to play along. As expected, each heat was won from the front row and just like last night, Hunter Schuerenberg scored highest when scooting from 8th to 3rd. Critter Malone copped a couple spots. So did Tracy Hines, Wes McIntyre, and Clauson. Jerry Coons collected three positions while Blake Fitzpatrick pocketed four. Under a system without qualification times to fall back on, any heat race difficulties prove costly. This was best emphasized by Dave Darland, whose right rear was flattened by a Dakota Jackson dagger.
With such a stacked cast, it should have been no surprise that the last chance race contained huge names like Gulick, Windom, Ballou, Bacon, Darland, Fitzpatrick (Braylon), and Elson, who were sprinkled all throughout the field. Darland’s night went from bad to worse when he was run over by the younger Fitz, this time flattening a left front. That did not deter the veteran, who drove angry but came up two spots short. Stockon, Cottle, Bacon, Fitzpatrick, Cone, and Ballou earned their money the hard way, with Windom, Darland, Gulick (involved in a scrape), Elson (flipping in turn four) and Jackson (charging from 20th to 9th and early going for a ride after another launch over a Darland wheel) initially looking from the outside-in. Given that this has been the season of Windom, I can’t remember him missing an A-main all year long. With a pair of USAC national and one MSCS provisional, that allowed Chris and Dave a chance at ten grand, not to mention Chase Briscoe.
A huge rework of the surface allowed ample time to grab some chicken, being good with a grilled sandwich but turning to the dark side with some fried fingers. After hearing lots of cheers and boos for both Jones and Stanbrough in driver intros, the four abreast formation came at 10:21 Central time. With Hunter Schuerenberg and Bryan Clauson (winner of this event in 2009) on the front row, given Hunter’s Labor Day weekend success at this very venue and the fact that Bryan has struggled in his sprinter, all odds were on the Head Hunter. Striking Tri-State Sprint Week gold with Jeff Walker in 2007, you couldn’t count out Daron Clayton from row two. But, did anyone pick Casey Riggs from row three?
Fifty laps would determine who would haul home all that cash, and Clauson’s outside line propelled him to P1 at the end of lap one. Three-wide for third between Riggs, Short, and Clayton, Daron would drive to second while Schuerenberg slipped to fourth. With the front end of his Fatheadz Spike plowing through turn two on lap ten, Hunter’s woes were furthered when he fell to seventh.
Clauson, Clayton, and Riggs pulled away from the pack and as lapped traffic approached on lap 14, the battle for the big banana intensified. With Cowboy Clayton on top of Clauson in four, he sniffed low in one and two. Ducking even lower was the Indiana Underground Maxim of Riggs, who shot by both of them to lead lap 16. Clayton continued to claw at the bottom in one, having to stab the brakes as car 37 already occupied that spot. As a result, last year’s National Driving Champion briefly seized second, with Blake Fitzpatrick throwing his name into the contending hat. Daron closed on Casey by lap 23, but a key move through traffic allowed the leader to open up a half-straight advantage when the first caution flew for Brady Short, who stopped atop turn four. At this juncture, the top five contained Riggs, Clayton, Fitzpatrick, Clauson, and Jones.
A great race for 31 laps, for the final 19 Riggs stunk up the show, so hooked up on the bottom thanks to a masterful setup from chief mechanic Mike Dutcher. With conditions rapidly changing from sticky to slick, Casey’s advantage was further amplified, easily pulling away as his primary competition fell to the wayside. First, it was Fitzpatrick, who pulled to the infield with seven, heavy smoke emanating from under the hood. And with four to go, Clayton’s night was over as well. And to demonstrate the leader’s domination, he even lapped last year’s winner Jon Stanbrough, who struggled mightily in 13th.
At the end, the ten grand check would be cashed by Riggs, whose third career victory, all in the same 2011 season, came at the same speedway as his first. Clauson, hard charger Damion Gardner (up 13 spots), Jones, Bacon (up 14 from 19th), Coons (up 8), Schuerenberg, Hines, Bloom, and Malone secured second through tenth.
The pumped up victor told Jason Adams, “After I got my first win ever, this was my favorite track. And now as I got my second here, I think it’s still my best track. Man, this is awesome! These guys, they’re starting to make this become a habit. I don’t know what to say. It was so perfect. I couldn’t ask for anything better. I was just waiting for something to go wrong, it was that perfect. Words can’t say enough. It was amazing.”
“I’ve got to thank my dad and my mom for putting up the funds. It’s all sponsored by them pretty much. They’re the ones who keep this rolling. I’ve got to thank my crew chief Mike Dutcher. He can get anything locked down with our Charlie Fisher motors. We couldn’t do it without everybody. It’s not just one person. It’s a full team effort. Everybody comes together as one and that’s how you get such a fast team.”
Multi-tasking by watching the Ventura sprint feature from his phone, Rodriguez made the long drive back unassisted, although I managed to stay awake and offer some stimulating conversation. In just three weeks, our roles would be reversed in a return visit for the Harvest Cup.
Friday September 23rd
Dating back to 1981, 2011 was the thirtieth year for Eldora’s Four Crown Nationals. Missing only the 1981, 1982, 1983, and 1986 fall classics (’84 was rained out and in ’03, the Mopar Million served as a sub), this would be my 25th time to make the trip to the western edge of Ohio for this fantastic affair.
Traditionally a two-night stand with practice, qualifying and heats separated from last chance and features, it has always offered USAC midgets, sprints, and Silver Crown machines. However, the fourth jewel has forever been in flux. In the beginning, it was USAC stock cars but once that division disappeared, late models filled the gap. Switching to UMP modifieds for 1996, after the 25th anniversary of 2006 the format was significantly altered, anointing the World of Outlaws sprint cars for that final crown. With such specialized winged/non-winged chauffeurs in this era, the addition of the Outlaws effectively ended any shot of equaling Jack Hewitt’s storied Four Crown sweep of 1998.
Most often, it was Hewitt who found rides in all four divisions, but sometimes you’d have guys like Tony Stewart, Dave Darland, J.J. Yeley, or even A.J. Fike who found late model or mod rides. This is what made the Four Crown so unique, so intriguing, and so fun, sometimes enticing exotic Silver Crown talent like Larry Rice, Johnny Parsons, Ron Shuman, Chuck Gurney, Robby Flock, Brent Kaeding, and Jimmy Sills to seek unusual work in sprints and midgets. The golden memories of these surprise entries keep me coming back each year, hoping that one day they will return.
Driving D-Rod to his first ever Four Crown on Friday, the World of Outlaws attracted 31 cars, expecting so many more since Attica is now dark. Walking up and down the pits, I was dumbfounded that I could not find Jac Haudenschild, unable to remember a time when one of Eldora’s favorite sons did not have a ride for an Eldora Outlaw program. Speaking with primary WoO rookie of the year contender Bill Rose, he relayed that this would be his last race of the season, heading to surgery on Tuesday to repair his left shoulder that was injured in a July Beaver Dam crash. Telling me how miserable he’s been over the last few months, he did the math and realized that now was the time to get the work done so that he’d be ready to go for next year’s February opener. In the meantime, Ian Madsen will plug in his ex-KKR Mopar and take the reins in order to keep owner points alive.
With defending series champ Jason Meyers owning a nearly 100 point advantage over 1981 Four Crown doubler Steve Kinser and Donny Schatz, without question the biggest story was the Eldora return of Joey Saldana. Having lived a charmed life at the Big E by virtue of his 11 All Star scores, ten World of Outlaw wins, plus a pair of massive Kings Royal collections, oddly enough the last two years have been a roller coaster ride. A first lap Four Crown crash in 2010 caused a concussion and severed championship hopes. Returning to win on May 6th, some heavy 2011 Kings Royal contact with Ed Lynch, Jr. left him with a shattered right forearm, punctured lung, and broken ribs. Out of the car for nine weeks, his return came just two days before Eldora at Hartford, Michigan’s massive half-mile. Winning the dash and leading all 25 feature laps, it was a triumphant return to his usual Kasey Kahne Racing seat.
Eight-tenths of an inch of rain on Thursday night left Eldora’s circle soaked, so much that the groove only moved up one lane off the bottom for qualifications. The fourth car to take time, Saldana’s Red Bull Maxim was the most free, utilizing every ounce of Speedway Engines horsepower to come within .078 seconds of Craig Dollansky’s elusive 2002 one-lap track record. For now, Dollansky’s mark is safe, but Joey’s 12.785 circuit was still sizzling at an average speed of 140.790 miles per hour, truly hauling ass on a half-mile of dirt. Saldana’s KKR teammates Cody Darrah, Paul McMahan, and Brad Sweet clocked second, fourth, and sixth, respectively. Only fourteenth fastest, Steve Kinser’s lack of speed set the tone for a lackluster evening. Unable to make it in time for hot laps or qualifications was track owner Tony Stewart, whose J&J patiently awaited exercise.
Saldana showed no rust and exhibited zero fear when carving his own outside groove in his heat, sweeping from fourth to first in the initial two corners. As always with Outlaw prelims, once the first few laps are in the books, there is no passing, but Stewart obviously didn’t get that memo. Starting dead last in heat three, he passionately pursued a transfer but fell one spot short, trying high and low and truly driving his tail off. Much the same in the B-main, he came to race, charging from 12th to 7th but needed more time.
After the sprint heats, the modifieds attacked the tacky track and used much more real estate, with Matt Westfall going above the cushion to impressively surge from eighth to third. With a pair of late models in the St. Henry Nite Club inventory, the former NAMARS champ and Eldora USAC sprint winner says that for 2011, he’ll be running with a roof over his head quite a bit more.
Because of the unruly cushion the modifieds constructed, WoO officials successfully lobbied to run their dash, B, and A-mains without interruption. Remembering years ago when Sammy Swindell openly admitted that he would rather run second in an Eldora trophy dash to gain the coveted outside lane for the feature start, I’m sure that Joey Saldana agrees with such a strategy after running second to best friend Paul McMahan, this coming after he was nearly pinched into the turn three wall.
At the start of the A-main, the Swindell scheme paid dividends for Saldana, who used his outside line to reach the cushion first. Nearly making a shambles of the event until a lap 19 caution for teammate Cody Darrah, Saldana’s runaway victory was kept in check when seven laps later, another yellow for another tire issue on another KKR car (Brad Sweet) tested Joey’s restart skills. Each time, he was unfazed, easily owning an evening that couldn’t have been scripted any better.
McMahan secured second while Jason Meyers climbed from 13th to 3rd, truly a championship effort. Dale Blaney and Craig Dollansky were fourth and fifth while the rest of the top ten included Donny Schatz (up six spots), Sam Hafertepe, Jr. (up 13), Lucas Wolfe, Kerry Madsen, and Chad Kemenah. Into the wall on the first lap and in danger of going a lap down until that first yellow, Steve Kinser was a disappointing 13th.
Done by 10 PM, Rodriguez and I stayed for the mod feature, entertained by the first lap, turn four slide for life served by eventual winner Jeff Babcock, who was driving a high-dollar piece out of Canada. Five-time Eldora track champ and all-time Big E modified winner Scott Orr was the victim, rear ending Babcock and needing two tow trucks to carry off his wounded piece. To say that Orr was hot under the collar would be a vast understatement, extremely animated in his gestures towards Jeff. On his second Eldora visit in a modified, 1995 Putnamville sprint car champion Brian Hayden was caught up in an early incident and could not return. Flinging mud, banging off the wall, boldly sliding for life, and serving up a barn-burner finish, despite their spins the modifieds put on a much better show than the World of Outlaws, reminding me of the action-packed old-school Eldora.
Did I forget to mention how great the track was on Friday? With limited dust, lots of grip, and a robust cushion, I was eating it up with a spoon.
Saturday September 24th
Heading home on Friday evening to scoop up Speedball for Saturday, the second day of the Four Crown is truly one of my reasons for being. With USAC’s brand of competition enduring so many Eldora difficulties and frustrations over the past several seasons, when asked by my girlfriend as to why I would consider returning, the response was simple: “Because it’s the Four Crown!” Do I need any reason other than that?
USAC/Eldora combinations, once as common as five or six times a season, now occur only twice at most annually. So for the rare opportunities that exist, I just have to be present, as there is simply no truer test of man and machine in my opinion. Operating without aerodynamic aid and relying on one’s seat of the pants, it might take a solid setup and a killer engine to effectively get around this joint, but they mean nothing if you don’t have a driver who isn’t afraid to risk life and limb. Eldora has never been for the faint of heart or timid.
40 sprints, 24 Silver Crown, and a lowly 19 midgets made up the 83-car Four Crown field. Most of the midgets might have been hard hitters, but for the second year in a row, that number served as a major disappointment. Matt Westfall, Derek Hagar, and Todd Kane raced both Friday and Saturday, each of them operating three different pieces of equipment. So if you count that trio, officially there were ten men doing triple duty, joining Dave Darland, Kyle Larson, Jerry Coons, Jr., Bobby East, Bryan Clauson, Levi Jones, and Tracy Hines. Those doing the weekend double numbered seven, namely Robert Ballou, Hunter Schuerenberg, Bud Kaeding, Jon Stanbrough, Zach Daum, Kody Swanson, and Tanner Swanson.
Keeping up with the Four Crown tradition, some unusual pairings peppered the pits. Levi Jones was in a Glenn Styres/Benic Enterprises midget. Having toiled off and on for Milwaukee’s most famous racing family, it should have been no surprise that Dave found midget work in the Ralph Wilke 5. Jim and Steve Simon brought a pair of Maxim sprinters for Waynesfield master Matt Westfall and Marion’s Scotty Weir. Dallas Hewitt drove Jamie Miller’s number six, perhaps the first time for Jack Hewitt’s nephew to feel 410 cubic inches of power. Speaking of Hewitt, Hunter Schuerenberg climbed through the cage of the DePalma 63 champ car wrenched by Eldora ace Bob Hampshire, who paired with Jack to nail down nine Four Crown features. Having already been publicized well in advance, Robert Ballou was now the driver of the famed Galen Fox 56. After a 17 year run with Dave Darland, could this indeed be the end for one of racing’s longest relationships?
Thanks to the power of the internet, I also knew about the Eldora intentions of Mark Cassella weeks before the event. Back in my married days, my wife and I were close friends with Mark, hosting a going away party in the spring of 1998 as he was moving back to Weirton, this after being a part of the USAC scene for the better part of three seasons. Producing Steve Stapp’s final two USAC sprint car triumphs, a vicious 1997 Terre Haute Hulman Classic tangle with Kevin Thomas flipped him completely out of the park and ultimately left him beaten, battered, and with vision in just one eye.
Needing access to Kevin Eckert’s sprint car stats to find out how many races he’s run since exiting Indy all those years ago, it can’t be any more than ten, most recently at the end of August in an Ontario Topless sprint car contest at Humberstone Speedway. After another competitor broke his steering and turned a sharp right, Mark climbed a wheel, went for a ride, and wiped out his whip. Undaunted, he and his longtime supporter Louie Gagliardi assembled another Chalk chassis in time for Eldora, where he was once a one-lap record holder back in August of 1995. In those days, you would be hard pressed to find anyone more fearless and when watching him in hot laps and qualifying tonight, I’d still maintain such a stance, as he was not afraid to stand on it.
Sprint cars hot lapped and qualified first and let me just say that I was ecstatic to see that single car qualifying was back for this event. With a cushion existing just below the wall on both ends, both car control and bravery were put to the test in this race against the clock. Fourteenth in line, seven-time Eldora sprint winner Tracy Hines topped the charts with a 15.057 lap, earning him a $100 bonus available to all Four Crown fast-timers. Even though his lap was still a few tenths off Jerry Coons, Jr.’s 2006 record of 14.675; it is always such an impressive sight to see these guys flirt with the fence. Qualifying immediately after Hines was two-time Four Crown sprint star Levi Jones, whose 15.071 tour wound up second-best. Chris Windom (15.098), Matt Westfall (rarely a good qualifier), 2007 Four Crown winner Robert Ballou (again, never a good qualifier), and Bobby East timed within the top-six, all going out early. An unsanctioned Eldora winner on July 30th and coming from 18th to win the previous night at Gas City (this after missing hot laps and his heat), Justin Grant was still the buzz among traditional sprint car fans. Despite the disappearance of surface grip, he still qualified a respectable ninth in Mark Hery’s 40.
Away from this speedway for 14 years and flogging an engine that was not completely up to song, Cassella went out second and wound up 26th, timing better than Daron Clayton (who drew last in the Walker 11) and Coleman Gulick. With ice in his veins, Todd Kane’s decades of Eldora experience allowed him to escape a potentially ugly incident in Stan Courtad’s 9x, scaling the cushion and the wall as he entered turn four. A newcomer to the Big E, Jason Cox duplicated Todd’s two-wheeled exhibition but the end result was not quite the same, savagely scattering the contents of the Kissel 320.
Midgets were next in line and by no surprise, defending national champ and current point leader Bryan Clauson would post the number one lap of 16.423. Aside from absolute Eldora rookie Kyle Larson, top-six qualifiers Hines, East, Jones, and Coons touted plenty of Big E expertise. Both Wilke-PAK wagons of Darland and Kody Swanson failed to take a time.
After extensive Silver Crown warm-ups, Ted Horn 100 winner Larson acclimated himself with the art of rubbing his right rear against the turn three concrete, clocking quickest at 16.509 in the Keith Kunz IWX Motor Freight Eagle. Jones, Darland (Riggs 37), last year’s winner Clauson, Kaeding, Coons, Hollingsworth, Schuerenberg, Tyler, and Hines were all within the top-ten. “Top Shelf” Tanner Swanson lived up to his name when climbing the wall in turn four and folding the front end on his 6R Racing Beast/Toyota. Tripping the timing loop in 12th, Jon Stanbrough’s lap was mysteriously disallowed in the RW Motorsports 17. Later on, the standard-fare last chance race was scrapped and all cars started the fifty lap finale straight-up by time.
Excitement was ratcheted up a notch or two with the sprint prelims, as Larson successfully completed a last lap slide job for the heat three win over Chase Stockon, this after boldly exceeding the cushion in turns one and two to secure second. The ultimate quick study for 2011, one could sense just how much confidence and comfort he was gaining as the night grew longer.
Much like his modified exploits on Friday, Matt Westfall did the same in heat four, squeezing between his competitors and the turn two wall with all four wheels above the cushion. Hard to believe that anyone could drive higher than Dave Darland, The Rave was Matt’s first victim. Then, it was Bryan Clauson for third. A hometown boy hailing from nearby Ludlow Falls, he then executed a standard slider on Jonathan Hendrick for 2nd. Extremely enthusiastic over Westfall’s exploits, they instantly brought back memories of a similar drive Levi Jones used to captivate a Four Crown crowd in 2005. If you were there, then you know what I mean!
With Tracy Hines winning from sixth and some four-wide action for first, the trio of midget heats paled in comparison. Tracy had to come through the sprint B, easily claiming the win over Windom, Darland, Ballou, Clayton (from 11th), Cone, Hagar, and Gulick (who came all the way from 17th). After a heat race flame-out, Landon Simon was the first to miss the cut. Mark Cassella ran tenth most of the way but fell back to 14th at the end.
Beginning with the midgets, Darren Hagen and Jerry Coons, Jr. (Lendich 3) took the first Four Crown feature green at 9:56 PM and almost immediately, the mold was cast on what the rest of this evening had in store. With Hagen getting a horrible start, that allowed fourth-starting Kyle Larson an opening on the bottom. Filling up that hole in a hurry, Kyle immediately dive-bombed turn one and wound up with first place. As it turned out, that was all she wrote for up front action, as Kyle would lead all 25 laps in the Keith Kunz Bullet/Toyota. An all-green affair, it took a little more than eight minutes to run.
Clauson did manage to run down Larson with five in the books, but backstretch wall contact allowed the California kid to check out, building an even bigger advantage as the laps wore on. With National Driver’s Championship and National Midget points on the brain, BC thought of the big picture and settled for second place money. After backing up to sixth, Darren Hagen came on strong at the end, throttling to third and keeping the heat on Clauson for points. Coons and Hines were fourth and fifth with East, Kuhn, Jones, Tanner Swanson, and Darland (charging from 18th and earning the $750 Larry Rice High Performance Award) claiming sixth through tenth. Interestingly enough, Dave tied Jack Hewitt with most Four Crown starts at 54, soon to increase that number by two and become the all-time leader in that category. National midget points are still tight, with Clauson leading Hagen by 11 and Larson by 16 heading into the humongous Gold Crown Nationals at Granite City.
Given his electric season of success in so many initial visits to Midwestern venues, it should have been no surprise that the Belleville Nationals winner would also score big at Eldora. But in all my years of coming here, I cannot recall when a first-time competitor came away with a checkered flag in a USAC union.
Known as the Nor Cal Ninja, the recently turned 19 year-old continues to impress on this high-profile, national stage. Discussing his keys to victory, he recalled, “I didn’t expect that good of a start. I was trying to think of what I was going to do on the exit of two just because I figured Jerry and Darren would get a good jump. I got the run and I crossed over and slid him. From there, I tried to not make any mistakes in one and two. I almost gave it away a couple of times. I could watch the TV and see Bryan was closing in on me. I was getting a little stressed out so I thought I’d make a mistake. But, I just tried to keep a cool head and hit my marks and tried not to run into any of the lappers.”
Many people thought that this weekend was the kid’s first visit to Eldora, but such was not the case. The fantastic phenom said, “I came here once, like six years ago, and it’s really changed since then. We were up against the fence tonight but it was dead slick to the wall that night. Coming here to watch the Outlaws race really helped me out some. Hopefully we can get up here two more times tonight. I want to thank my crew, Toyota, and Butlerbuilt.”
A Four Crown winner in all three USAC disciplines, Phillips 71 chauffeur Jerry Coons, Jr. fired from the pole in the sprint feature. Now a Buckeye resident and one of the hottest sprint car commodities, Justin Grant started alongside. Looking back in the pack, midget winner Kyle Larson would begin from 11th in the Hoffman 69, only his second start in the Mean Green machine.
Painfully learning a lesson from the midget start, Jerry wasted no time in making a bid for first when sliding Justin through turn one. For the first three laps, Grant was embroiled in a slide-fest for second with sixth-starting Levi Jones. With ten laps down and a brown fog enveloping the speedway, Jones began to clamp down on Coons while eighth-starting Chris Windom caught Grant for third.
By lap 14, Levi used lapped traffic as a turn one pick, slipping into first just as Justin blew up in a big way. Once green lights glared again, Jones would pull away from the pack while Windom and Coons swapped second a few times. Launching off the bottom of one and two, Dave Darland gained a couple spots after restarting sixth. As for boy wonder Kyle Larson, he began making some noise of his own when sliding Hunter Schuerenberg for sixth. However, a caution for Robert Ballou’s flat right rear sent him back a couple of spots.
After gaining the green with ten to go, all hell broke loose when leader Jones cut a right rear tire in turn one. Second place Coons was swept up into the mess and clobbered the wall, handing first place to Windom, who was more than ready to snatch the national points lead after trailing by just 16 markers. With the scoreboard revealing a top-five of Windom, Darland, East, Schuerenberg, and Westfall, ten laps still remained.
On the restart, Darland again looked low in one and two but couldn’t seal the deal. Sixth at the last caution, Larson suddenly surged to fourth with eight to go. But with Windom driving away from Darland, it looked like another easy score for the orange 5, building a full straight advantage with three to go. But after kissing the front stretch concrete, perhaps his advantage was too enormous. Soon slicing his right rear, he threw away a certain victory and a chance to reside in the championship catbird seat.
Just three laps were left to decide the 2011 Four Crown sprint soiree, now with Darland, East, and Larson up front. After Bobby bobbled in turn two, Kyle stole second in turn three. With Larson breathing heavily down Darland’s neck to the white flag, Chase Stockon’s stoppage surrendered the final caution, with the plot thickening to epic proportions. As a hush came over the crowd, everyone collectively exhaled, sensing that serious drama was about to unfold in the final two laps.
Inching to the outside of the Tate/Roberts 21 in turn two, Larson made slight contact and cranked a hard left, sprinting down the hill to the third bend. With all kinds of momentum, he was able to slide the seven-time Four Crown winner. The People’s Champ could not counter and in one of the most dramatic features in recent Four Crown history, young Mister Larson was suddenly two-for-two at Eldora Speedway and two-for-two in the Hoffman 69.
Darland (from 10th), Hines, East, and Schuerenberg (up 12 spots from 17th) landed in the top-five. Sixth through tenth included Kaeding, Stanbrough (up 13 from 20th), Clayton (up 15 from 23rd), Jones (recovering from the flat), and Hagar. National standings now showed Windom trailing Jones by 42, with Stanbrough 67 out of the lead.
As Kyle celebrated with big-time donuts in turn four, the crowd literally went wild, caught up in the fever of a Four Crown shocker. Winning from 11th, he was equally stunned in his response, commenting, “Wow! I did not think I’d be up here after the first ten laps of that race. I sucked. I just went to the top and started racing my way up there. I got extremely lucky with all those guys dropping out in front. I could see something hanging off the back of the 22’s rear bumper. It must have come off under yellow and cut those tires. But, I’ll take it. This is awesome! I didn’t even want to go four wheels above the cushion there. I just accidentally did and it was way fast. Luck paid off tonight and I just thank these guys for giving me an awesome car and an opportunity to come run with them. That’s two in a row with these guys in the only two starts I’ve had, so that’s cool.”
Discussing his winning move, Larson said, “I thought I was going to run over his right rear and then I clipped his rear bumper and got him a little out of shape. I got a big run down the back stretch and cleared him getting into three. When I got the white, I knew I couldn’t make a mistake through one and two. I hit the wall down the backstretch about halfway through the race and I don’t know if it bent the rim or what happened, but we had a really bad vibration. It kind of killed our speed down the straightaways, but we came out with a win. I just thank these guys and their sponsors: Mean Green, Mopar, Butlerbuilt, and everybody on this Hoffman team. I think we start on the pole for the Silver Crown race too, so hopefully we can get three for three tonight.”
With the crowd making all kinds of noise, there was a definite magic in the air. I was here for Hewitt’s unbelievable sweep and in between the sprint and Silver Crown features; it felt like déjŕ vu all over again. Much like Kinser, Rice, Vogler, Hewitt, Stewart, Darland, Yeley, Jones, and Hines, the evening had already produced another Four Crown hero. Just how much 2011’s hero would stand out would be determined by the winner of the 50-lap Silver Crown chore.
The starting field of 23 took their place at 11:20 PM and as they entered turn one for the first time, outside front row starter Levi Jones got the jump on pole sitter Larson in his TSR ten. But by the second circuit, the menacing number 71 was already looking low in turn three. Employing the same above the cushion strategy in turn two, the next time around Kyle manufactured enough momentum to slip underneath in three. A quick caution nullified the move but once back to action, it only took Kid Larson two laps to propel to P1.
Into lapped traffic by lap 14, Kyle clearly had the dominant machine, increasing his advantage by driving harder than anyone else through the bump in turn one. Allowing the front end to do a little dance and waiting momentarily for the right rear to take a set, he then blasted through two and down the back chute. Every one of his fifty tours was like this, unrelenting of his attack on Eldora’s banks.
Just past halfway, Dave Darland had run down second place Jones, serving up a south side slider. Levi immediately fired back but the next tour had the four-time Four Crown/Silver Crown king make a rare mistake, blasting the turn two wall and eventually retiring his wounded Beast.
Numerous spins, wall contact, and stoppages lengthened this final installment to nearly an hour, counting 13 cautions. Restart after restart, Jones had nothing for Larson and the only way he’d lose the triple, aside from clobbering the wall in one and two, would be to run out of fuel. Although some did run dry, such a fate was not destined for the Elk Grove, California native, who got the broom out of the closet and did a little house cleaning, sweeping all three of Saturday’s Four Crown features in his first Eldora outing. Jones, Clauson, Coons, and Hines chased in vain while positions six through ten were claimed by Ballou, Tanner Swanson, East, Kane, and Schuerenberg. With just one more round left in Toledo, Jones sits atop the Silver Crown standings for the second year in a row, leading Coons by a scant 12, Larson by 46, and Hines by 61.
Before parking in victory lane, Kyle cut a polish victory lap ala ’92 Winston Cup champ Alan Kulwicki, revving his engine in front of the frenzied audience. With goose bumps popping up and down my arms, in all of my years of attending auto races I can only recall one such event that was more magical than this, and that was the Four Crown of 1998. Such a special occasion, nights like these are the reason why I attend so many races year after year after year. Even more significant, this is why the Four Crown remains such a big deal some 25 years after attending my first. Two weeks later, I am still in disbelief, unable to comprehend the enormity of the achievement. Some veterans are lucky to ever enjoy the spoils of an Eldora victory. But to triumph three times in one evening on one’s first try, such an unbelievable accomplishment could never be predicted. Simply put, it takes years to grow balls big enough to overcome Eldora intimidation. Larson got it done in one night.
Suddenly tied for fifth on the all-time Four Crown win list with Steve Kinser, Larry Rice, mod master Brian Ruhlman, and Jerry Coons, Jr., the monumental moment earned the kid a cool ten grand bonus and a huge compliment from track owner Tony Stewart. As evidence of how tough it is to win a Four Crown feature, only Hewitt, Darland, Vogler, Yeley, Butler, and Hines have more victories than Larson.
Equally stunned as the healthy crowd, Larson summed up his final victory with Eldora’s Dustin Jarrett in this way: “This is really, really, really awesome. It’s just too bad I didn’t have a modified ride so I could do what Hewitt did. This is crazy. I didn’t think I would win all three this week. I thought it would be good if I won one. So to come here and win all three in my first try, it’s really crazy and cool. I don’t even know what to say. This is awesome. They said I get a ten thousand dollar bonus. Joe’s over there and he’s all excited.”
When asked to expound on the extra cash collected from Tony, the winner quipped, “That’s awesome! He needs to get me in his winged sprint car so I can go win some of those races too!”
Referencing Larson’s impressive list of accomplishments, Jarrett asked if anything compared to tonight’s incredible achievement. Responding with candor, Kyle said, “This is really cool. I still think the first World of Outlaws win I got a couple of weeks ago is just really special for me, because it’s pretty much my home track and I’ve never missed a Gold Cup there. So that was awesome. I don’t know. I just want to give thanks to all of these guys for giving me this opportunity to come out here and race in the Midwest. IWX, Toyota, Keith Kunz, the Hoffmans – everybody that I’ve driven for this year. The Kaedings in California - they really got my name out there. Thanks to those guys and thanks to everybody. This is such an amazing, amazing day.”
Even though each accomplishment is amazing in its own right, it is only natural to try and compare the once-in-a-lifetime Four Crown performances of Jack Hewitt and Kyle Larson. Of course Hewitt won four in one day, differentiating himself with that modified score. Larson only won three, but that was due to the fact that he didn’t seek a Friday night ride. Since the World of Outlaws are officially the fourth crown, could he have located a quality piece and beaten the boys (again) at their own game? Unfortunately, we will never know. But, if he’s around this scene long enough for another try, don’t you think he would make a concerted effort?
Forty-seven years of age when he did the deed in 1998, Hewitt had 25 years of Eldora experience under his belt, with one Larson supporter suggesting to me that Jack’s familiarity with the venue made his sweep a little less impressive. However, such a stance fails to take into the account that Dew-It Hewitt wasn’t the same driver in 1998 that he was just five seasons earlier. So many vicious accidents ravaged his body over the course of those five years, including the one that nearly ended it all at the ’93 Four Crown. The fact that he was able to dig deep and put it all together for that one night, the last night he laid claim to Eldora USAC glory; that makes his sweep extremely special.
Just 19 years old, I still can’t fathom how Larson hadn’t even turned a wheel on this track when he hit the triple, dominating two of the three features and taking a savvy veteran to school in the other. Without question, that makes a compelling argument that his 2011 Four Crown achievement is at least equal to Hewitt.
Eldora Speedway put together a great video documenting both magical evenings (http://www.eldoraspeedway.com/videos.html). Taking a closer look at the 1998 footage shot by Greg Oldham (yes, my oldest brother) that was then edited and narrated by D.O. Laycock, I was able to turn back the clock to that 1998 season and do some further analysis.
Seeing the cars and hearing the names of the players, I was reminded that outside of Jack’s Indy 500 start, his ’98 campaign might have been his most uncompetitive since I started chasing races with photographer and serious Hewitt supporter Steve Remington. Given his sub-par performances prior to that magical Four Crown, his sweep came as a huge surprise. Having to work extra hard in the midget and sprint features, he won them from 12th and 10th place starting positions. Commencing near the front for the mods (4th) and Silver Crown (2nd), with all that momentum on his side, of course those wins were expected.
Fast forwarding 13 years, Larson began from 4th in the midgets, 11th in the sprint car, and 1st in the Silver Crown. He certainly had to work his tail off in the sprinter, but had it not been for a little lady luck when leaders Levi Jones, Jerry Coons, Jr., and Chris Windom all exited the affair, he probably would not have been battling for the win. Nevertheless, a win is a win and thirty years from now, there will be no asterisk by Kyle’s name, as he was there when it counted most.
I’m still so enamored with Hewitt’s Four Crown sweep, as the quality of equipment with which he had to work was not exactly top-notch. Steering a Stealth owned by Bobby Parker and maintained by Larry Hajduk, Jack’s midget ride was just average, not necessarily up to par with the high-dollar horsepower that sat in front of him. Bear in mind, he had to overtake the three Willoughby/Kunz cars of Ricky Shelton, Jay Drake, and Tracy Hines. He had to get by Dave Darland and Jason Leffler, both paired in the omnipotent Beast/Ed Pink Fords belonging to Steve Lewis. 1989 Four Crown winner Robby Flock started on the front row in a stout Gary Howard owned Beast/Esslinger. Derek Davidson and Jerry Coons, Jr. were in CED Stealth/Fords. Brian Tyler was in the Ralph Potter number 6. And, J.J. Yeley was in the always tough Larry Martz Beast/Esslinger. All of those guys started ahead of Jack and his Parker 24, which operated on a relatively shoestring budget. Midget racing was so much stronger in 1998 than now, so this year’s paltry 19 car field just doesn’t stack up in terms of quality or difficulty.
As for the sprinters, I think the fields were equally tough in 1998 and 2011. In front of Hewitt, there was pole sitter Kevin Huntley (Daugherty 7), Derek Davidson (Biddle 62), Tony Elliott and Jimmy Sills in a pair of Jeff Walker Stealths, Johnny Heydenreich (Mahoney 1M), Dave Darland (Hoffman 69), Kevin Thomas (Newkirk 17), Rob Chaney (Burkey 157) and Brian Tyler (Booe 21). But, standing in Larson’s way were some heavy hitters too, namely Coons, Grant, Gardner, East, Westfall, Jones, Hines, Windom, Ballou, and Darland.
With a Bill Biddle owned coil-front Beaberbuilt sprinter at his disposal, all year long Jack struggled to find comfort with the unruly machine. And, it should be mentioned that prior to the ’98 Four Crown, Biddle’s stuff had never accumulated any amount of Eldora success whatsoever. Of course, everyone knows that Larson’s Hoffman 69 has an amazing history at the Big E, especially in recent years. So from a hardware perspective, I think Hewitt’s sprint car win might have been more outstanding.
Talent-wise, look down the list of legendary names from that Silver Crown field of 1998 and you can easily see this was a tougher task than 2011 (they went caution-free in ’98 compared to the 13 yellows of 2011). I would also argue that Hewitt’s Bobby Parker owned Stanton, entered by 6R Racing, was good, but I don’t believe it was as rock-solid as Larson’s Keith Kunz Eagle. But, because both men started from the front row and stunk up the show, I’d say it’s a draw on who did the better job in that race.
Because of my influence from serious Hewitt supporter Steve Remington, I am probably a bit too biased in my worship of Jack’s exploits. But in the end, I tend to favor his Four Crown accomplishment primarily because he was the first to do it. Driving for the Mataka Brothers, Mario Andretti once won three midget features in one day (Labor Day 1963), but it still wasn’t four. Kyle Larson equaled Mario’s mark, but not Jack’s. Four races in one day is a feat that had never been achieved anywhere, at any time, and it still hasn’t been duplicated.
To sum up my analysis, Hewitt was having a horrible 1998 sprint car season and because of the volume of violent accidents starting with the ’93 Four Crown, by ’98 he just wasn’t as bold and aggressive as he used to be. He didn’t have the same quality of equipment as Larson, he had to start deeper in more races that featured a better quality of competition, and none of his wins relied on luck. All in all, that adds up to a more noteworthy sweep in my book.
I’m definitely not taking anything away from Kyle, as I have been admiring his talent for the last two seasons. And, his 2011 season has been nothing short of spectacular, one that will go down in my memory as one of the most incredible that I have ever witnessed. I’ve seen the best of the best come through the USAC ranks, namely Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, Jason Leffler, Ryan Newman, Kasey Kahne, J.J. Yeley, and most recently, Cole Whitt. None of them showed me this much talent and this many outstanding achievements so soon. It’s mind-boggling at what this kid has accomplished in the last year. That simple notion of being an Eldora rookie is the one thing that throws me for a loop and makes me shake my head, trying to figure out how something like a Saturday night sweep could ever happen. In the end, trying to figure out which Four Crown is more impressive is like comparing apples and oranges. Each should stand on their own, forever revered and remembered as super-human.
As far as the winner’s interview, we all just read what the kid had to say after his Saturday sweep. Up in the booth long after victory lane proceedings had ended, here’s what Jack told my brother after his four wins in 1998: “I don’t think it’s sunk in yet. It’s been unbelievable. I didn’t think it was possible for one thing. That’s why there used to be a $10,000 bonus. I figured the money was fairly safe. It shouldn’t be right. I’ve seen Steve Kinser come from the tail to win the sprint and Silver Crown here one year. Quite a few of us, Larry Rice, Butler, and Vogler, have won a couple of them in one day. To do this is just unreal. Four races in one day – I almost can’t count that high. Snow White and Cinderella, they don’t have nothing on me tonight.”
Yes, there’s only one Jack Hewitt – the king of the one-liners.
Although they differ quite a bit in age, experience, and personality, talent-wise Jack and Kyle are actually quite alike. They both won winged sprint car championships. They both won World of Outlaws features. They both won at Belleville and DuQuoin. They both were able to conquer asphalt assignments. And, they both made a name for themselves by dominating USAC affairs from coast to coast. Clearly, they are both adept in all disciplines, and that’s what makes both of them racers, which by my definition is the ability to excel in any kind of car on any kind of surface at any venue. And now, both of them swept the Four Crown Nationals, the one event that brings out the best and showcases the talents of true racers.
Will I be back for next year’s Four Crown? Such an absurd question, you bet your ass I will be.
Saturday October 1st
Having to work until 8 PM for a Friday quarter close, I would have missed Gas City’s Fall Finals on the last day of September. But as luck would have it, Mother Nature paid me a favor (for once) with cold, wet weather, postponing the I-69 curtain call for one week. Turning the calendar to October and still basking in the glow of Eldora, unfortunately for the folks at Lawrenceburg Speedway the biggest buzz in motorsports was not on hand for their $10,000 to win Fall Nationals
Fortunately for the Indiana racers, Kyle Larson was back home racing a 360 cubic inch winged sprinter at Chico, where he amazingly kept his hot hand with a win from 17th for a Friday prelim. Proving that he is indeed human, he only finished 8th in the $5,000 to win Finale on Saturday.
Subbing for Kyle in the Hoffman 69 was another high-profile racer, none other than World of Outlaw veteran and National Sprint Car Hall of Fame member Jac Haudenschild, who had yet to tour the revamped Lawrenceburg Speedway sans wing. Joining Haud in attacking the Burg’s massive banking were 37 other men, with Putnamville double features preventing that number from being even bigger. Brady Bacon (own 99) and Daron Clayton (Walker 11) added further intrigue.
Quite awhile since I had last visited these Dearborn County 4-H Fairgrounds, the most recent voyage came on July 10th, literally sweating through the third Indiana Sprint Week stop. Only my fourth time to make the southeastern swing in 2011, three distinct seasons were endured in those visits: rainy spring weather with the King of Indiana Sprint Series on May 21st, the almost unbearable heat and humidity of summer for Midget and Sprint Week, and tonight, the bitter chill of a cool fall evening, when feature temps dipped to 43 degrees. If you like variety, then Indiana is the place for you.
Co-sanctioned again with the MSCS, unlike Haubstadt USAC rules applied as single-car qualifications lined up heat races and later the feature. With surface moist but packed extremely tight, that cooler air still allowed for an entertaining qualification session, with times well off the 2008 track record of Levi Jones (12.926). Fifteenth in line, Bacon pushed the cushion and flirted with the fence, the only one underneath 14 seconds at 13.996. Four cars later came Hunter Schuerenberg, twice a winner here this season and clocking second best at 14.141. Tracy Hines (second in line and continuing his solid qualifying streak), Jerry Coons, Jr. (16th in line), Jon Stanbrough (sixth in line), and recently crowned track champion Chad Boespflug (Simon 24), were third through sixth. Haud was 7th while national points protagonists Jones and Windom both clocked in at 14.253, good for 9th and 10th.
Short, Windom, Westfall, and Fitzpatrick each won heats from the first two rows. Calamity came in the form of separate incidents for Daron Clayton and 2002 track champ Mike Miller. The Modern Day Cowboy launched from the bottom of two on only the right rear, tilting onto the left and into a set of vicious snap rolls. Miller mauled the cushion in the middle of one and two, somersaulting end over end. While under the red for the MDC, Levi Jones endured a close call when motioning to have a small fire extinguished from his machine, continuing to claim second.
As temperatures continued to cool, heat action remained red hot, as Coleman Gulick and Tracy Hines swapped third place sliders for four consecutive corners. Later, The Ice Man and The Wild Child traded fourth three times on the final lap, with Coleman collecting the transfer. Bacon, Haudenschild, and Boespflug were the lone top-ten timers to not make the feature cut.
Local standout Shawn Westerfeld threw away a feature transfer in the last chance affair when bicycling against the cushion on the east end. Cart wheeling all the way to turn two, he easily made the Sunday Speed Center highlight reel. Joss Moffatt had to spin to avoid the mess and missed the show, as did Dave Darland, Brett Burdette, and Bobby East (Bobby cashed a provisional pill and started shotgun with Chase Stockon).
With very little delay for modified and mini sprint prelims, a fairly efficient evening resulted in a sprint finale pushing at 10 PM. Jones and Jonathan Hendrick held front row seats while championship contender Windom worked from tenth. An early spin involving Brady Short and Damion Gardner meant that a complete restart was in order, with Jones getting the jump to turn one. Inching inside off of turn four, fellow front row mate Hendrick officially led lap one. The four-time sprint king slid him through two, but Jonathan returned the favor on the back chute. Hendrick proceeded to build a half-straight advantage by lap ten, growing to a full straight by the halfway mark, in serious command with no threat whatsoever.
Meanwhile, seventh-starting Bacon moved past Jon Stanbrough for fifth at lap 11, hauling past Hines a couple of laps later. With positions 13th through 23rd hotly contested, Hendrick would have to deal with some heavy traffic for the final ten tours. Like the flip of a light switch, that traffic would ultimately lead to his demise, as a turn three scrum swept up Ballou, Gulick, Grant, and Malone. With the leader flying high, he did not have enough time to react, climbing the wall in three and dangerously flipping over the top of Robert’s roll cage, throwing away an initial USAC win and tarnishing an otherwise sterling performance. As what happens so often in racing, the fastest car does not always win. While under red and set to restart third, Brady Bacon blew a radiator hose and retired, spoiling a shot at a win as well.
With eight to go, the scoreboard showed Jones, Schuerenberg, Hines, Windom, and Riggs (from 13th). Wavering from the line held by the previous leader, Levi chose the bottom, having to work awfully hard to keep Hunter behind him. Applying heat through the middle lane, Schuerenberg’s turn three miscue with four to go sealed the deal for Jones, who sprinted to his second USAC score of 2011. Windom also used bite off the bottom of turn four and stole second at the finish, keeping his championship hopes alive. Schuerenberg, Riggs (up nine), and Hines tallied top-fives while Stanbrough, Coons, Ted Hines (up 13 from 21st), East (up 14 from 23rd), and Clauson collected sixth through tenth.
Levi told Blake Anderson, “I appreciate the fans coming out and staying. It was a great racetrack. I didn’t have the fastest car tonight, but we won. Last week, Lady Luck was a reversal for us. Jonathan Hendrick had a really fast car but he got into a lapped car there and we were able to capitalize. We weren’t that good on the top, but we were good enough on the bottom. It was just a great race USAC put on here at Lawrenceburg that pays $10,000.
“We’ve been in the top two and the top three. We’ve led and we had the fastest car at Eldora. We were able to put it all together. I’ve got to thank John and Brad. They work their ass off. I had a great racecar to drive. We’re clicking. We’re all working well together. I’m looking forward to the end of the season.”
Having to pause and wait for another installment to cover final flings in Gas City, Haubstadt, and Kokomo, like Levi I am actually looking forward to the end of the season as well. The last month has been a literal whirlwind of activity, with my entire existence revolving around attending sprint car races, writing about them, and talking about them on Monday nights with D.O. Laycock. With the rest of my hours filled with work, exercise, and household chores, there’s barely enough time to sit down and take a breather, always on the run and in the end, completely exhausted. No time to relax and savor the rest of my world, although my phone rarely rings in this electronic era of texting, if by chance it would actually buzz in these last few weeks of the season, perhaps it would be the racetracks calling, reminding me that they are running out of races. But, unlike our lovable loser George Costanza, there would be no need to devise a witty Jerk Store comeback. No sir. On my way to better things, seasons have changed and so have I. With those distant roads no longer calling, I have all the time left in the world for everyone and everything else. Taking a deep breath as I plop myself on my sofa with a book in one hand and remote in the other, all I can say is that it’s about time.
Volume 13, Number 12
Ten Years Gone
It is well known fact that the basic necessities of life include food, water, and shelter. But every day while I become further mired in the muck of my middle management position, I am ever-so-thankful for my sense of hearing, as at the press of a button my mood is immediately transformed to tranquil as I slide on a set of headphones and select one of well over a thousand songs from my iTunes catalog. Becoming a fourth necessity, without that music I’m not sure how I could get through most workdays or my myriad of visits to the gym.
My own form of therapy, these sounds soothe the soul as if someone were waving a magic wand over my head. Almost always analytical, that part of my brain can actually be turned off when the songs are switched on, but that is extremely rare. Due to the frequency with which I make music available, more often than not I am listening with intent, dissecting lyrics and storing them away for future reference.
Any composition can send me back to another place and time, a true time machine of sorts and because of this unique association, I am almost always reflective and introspective, thinking about what I was doing at the time that particular piece was being played on the radio, looking back on my life and wondering “what if” things were different, pondering all of the mistakes I’ve made and ultimately wishing that circumstances were slightly better than they currently are. Perhaps my mind is my own worst enemy, because things really aren’t that bad.
Sifting through my myriad of musical choices, I am encouraged by Boston to “Don’t Look Back” while Lenny Kravitz advises that “Yesterday is Gone.” In a live version of “Panama”, Sammy Hagar even stresses that ‘yesterday is history – it’s dead and gone - it’s worth nothing’. Despite such warnings, I am often making withdrawals from our memory bank, especially this past weekend with the ten year anniversary of September 11, 2001. While regular season of the National Football League was kicking off in full force, all kinds of patriotic pride came bubbling to the surface. As I flipped through through the channels while a Manning-less Colts squad was being humiliated in Houston, nearly every other network had some sort of painful reminder of the horrific attacks on our country, instantly recalling the bone-chilling shock of that fateful Tuesday morning. To keep our guard up and pay homage to those who paid the ultimate price, we are asked to still remember this day. However, just like the recent loss of my mother, there are certain awful events that I’d rather not drudge up, if at all possible.
Thankfully, there is no song that takes me back to the loss of my mom or the terrorist attacks, but this weekend’s unfortunate reminder did make me think of what I was doing ten years ago. Of course, open wheel action was at the forefront, as I recall that the Friday following 9/11 took me to Gas City, where Delphi’s Eric Shively, even with a sick engine, clinched his first track championship over Winchester’s John Wolfe. Saturday evening was initially spent at IRP for a USAC sprint and midget doubleheader, working as a pit spotter on an ESPN Thunder telecast. Luckily, an efficient evening of pavement pounding propelled me to Putnamville, where I caught the sprint finale and yet another Shively championship celebration.
With literally so much unchanged in my world, it’s hard to comprehend how a full decade has expired since those crazy days. Ten years gone, I’m still at the same company, I’m still single, and I’m still chasing races and writing about them, not to mention the fact that our country is still struggling to recover from the attack. However, I am now a manager, fully stressed but putting more bread on the table. I might not be married, but at least I’m in the best relationship of my life. And although I’m still attending my share of races, it’s all about quality rather than quantity, even penning a small column for Flat Out magazine. In the grand scheme, nothing has really changed, especially with the disastrous state of our union. But, things can always be worse and I need to be more thankful of what I do have, rather than focusing on what I don’t. That is easier said than done.
Nearly ten years after 9/11/01, I again entertained plans of going up to Gas City for the second Friday in September. But this time, a rather wet Thursday and a cool and overcast Friday had pulled that plug by noon, instead wandering west to Putnamville for an odd Friday night soiree, offering a $2,000 to win sprint car feature for the Night Before the Patriot 100, the signature modified event on the LPS schedule. Ten years hasn’t changed the fact that it’s impossible to get through rush hour traffic on the west side of I-465 and knowing that I-70 paving and resulting lane restrictions would lead to lengthy delays, I had hoped to bypass the impending gridlock with a U.S. 40 escape. Apparently a few hundred vehicles shared the same strategy, so plan B was the state road 267 exit on 70. Unfortunately, that plot was foiled when I found the east-west thoroughfare to be one huge parking lot. Staying in the far right hand lanes for Ronald Reagan Parkway, amidst a slew of semi-tractor trailers I eventually worked my way back to 40. Sighing heavily, the concept of super highways seemed somewhat ridiculous at this moment in time.
Once past Plainfield, U.S. 40’s alternate route pleasantly offered only light traffic, making it to Lincoln Park just in time for the first hot lap session. Without any competition for cars, the sprint car population of 26 should have been better, but this Friday night special was only recently announced. Apparently, the fans didn’t know much about it either, as this could have been the smallest crowd I’ve encountered here.
With skies still gray, three heats were taken by Dakota Jackson (from second), Seth Parker (from first), and Bryan Clauson (moving up to fourth after C.J. Leary and Dave Darland were sent to the rear of the field for several false starts). Major calamity ensued in the second contest when Danny Holtsclaw dumped Mickey Smith’s 14 in a congested turn two, ruining the recently assembled DRC chassis. For those new to the sport, Mickey is a former driver who is actually related to Karl Kinser, having campaigned his younger brother Eric for several seasons until wedding bells permanently altered his racing career. Bedford’s Lance Grimes had been in the seat before Danny.
Another unfortunate incident came at the start of heat three when Mike Hagemier climbed Hud Cone’s left rear in the middle of the back stretch, unable to see the caution light for a failed start. Somersaulting all the way to the middle of turns three and four, Mike’s machine was seriously mangled, literally making the front down tubes look like an “S”. Afterwards Hagemier was thankful for his HANS device, succinctly summing up his wild ride with these words: “I was on the inside and I was racing hard, so I couldn’t see the light. Everybody was parked and then – BOOM! My back is sore but that is typical. This is what we do.”
Surviving a terrible tumble down Haubstadt’s back chute at the 2001 Sprint Week stop, after that ordeal Mike had been advised by sprint car luminary Kevin Thomas. Recalling that conversation, Kevin told Mike, “Well, at least you got that out of the way. That kind of a crash won’t happen for another ten years.” Eerily continuing that theme of ten years gone, who knew “The Professor” to be so prophetic?
Falling from his heat was former Rocklin, California resident Robert Ballou, who debuted his own Triple X chassis on this evening. When asked what the issue was, Robert relayed that his brand new radiator acquired a hole that not even stop-leak could fix. So with the help of Jim Forman, Ballou and his short-handed crew went to work with a pair of needle-nose pliers, trying to solve the issue “MacGyver style”. A local ride to keep him sharp when the MPHG 81 of Dallas Mulvaney and Jim Plew sits in the garage, interestingly enough Robert hauled his hardware via an open trailer.
Ballou’s old-fashioned tow rig was appropriately parked next to budget-minded racers Eric Burns and Daylan Chambers, both bringing their equipment on an open trailer as well. Subtract ten years and the sight of 2000 Lincoln Park Speedway and Tri-State Speedway champ Burns in an Indiana pit area was quite common. But these days, it’s as rare as receiving a fifty cent piece in your change for a dollar, if you even carry cash at all.
Racing twice in 2009, he blew up both times. Operating only once in 2010, this season he has actually competed twice, the last time coming on Labor Day weekend at LPS where he was 16th in the feature. The other outing was a fine performance at Paragon where he started sixth, raced to the lead, but fell from grace when the engine continually died in the corners. That fleeting feeling of success gave Eric the fever yet again. So, here he was, fulfilling that need for speed.
Steering what appeared to be a late-1990s Stealth belonging to fellow Brazilian Bill Gasway, Bill is the former proprietor of Gasway Sports Unlimited and oddly enough, owns a cemetery. When not punching the clock at Crown Forklift in Greencastle, he is also the bass player/vocalist in a band called 4 Days in Space. Another small-time operator, his machine is propelled by a 400 cubic inch Chevy stock block, capped by aged aluminum cylinder heads that Doug Rolison used in the late 1980s. Essentially a bomber engine, some equally ancient and tiny 2 and 1/16ths inch injector direct airflow, once utilized by low-buck racers like Burns, Travis O’Dell, Randy Hickey, and Daylan Chambers. Lucky to put out 500 horsepower, to say that Eric was underpowered is an understatement, up on the wheel and nearly running down Dickie Gaines for sixth spot in the second heat.
Eric’s sister’s son is Chambers, who slides into an ex-Hud Cone Dynamite from the late ‘90s, still soaking up as much information as possible in only his second season. With Burns serving as his part-time tutor, last week he was taught how to operate around Putnamville’s top shelf. This week, the sage advice originally came from Kevin Thomas, who once told Eric, “Mental masturbation is the key. As long as your mind is happy, you’ll be fine.”
When Kevin Briscoe came over to chat, Burns stepped aside and asked the other professor to advise the sprint car sophomore on slick track setups. Kevin had this to say to Daylan: “At this stage in your career, it’s more about the driver hitting his marks than it is the car. Figure out where to put the car on the track and find those pockets of moisture. Then once you get that down, work on the setup. When you can’t get any more out of the car, then it’s time to upgrade the equipment.”
Going further, Kevin added a valuable tip that he once received from the late Chuck Amati. Chuck’s words were this: “Imagine there’s an egg under the throttle. You can’t break it on the way down. You can’t break it on the way up. It’s all about smooth transitions. You’ve got to keep the car loaded.” Listening intently, I think I learned a thing or two for my next opportunity to strap in a sprinter, whenever that may be.
After a long wait between sprint heats and the semi-feature, I caught the B-main on the backside, saluting CSX employee “Railroad” Joe Higdon, who brought his new bride of two weeks to the races. The final five A-main slots were awarded to Casey Riggs, Ballou, Shawn Krockenberger, Gaines, and Josh Burton, with track championship contender Kent Christian, Steve Thomas, Burns, and Chambers forced to watch the feature from the sidelines.
Once the Friday night finale was ready to roll, the first five rows contained Jackson, Parker, Clauson, Chase Briscoe, Coleman Gulick, Bub Cummings, Braylon Fitzpatrick, Ethan Barrow, Hud Cone, and Casey Shuman (Elson 27). With marker tires moved in, Jackson got the jump to turn one’s huggy pole, leading the first lap as Clauson flew from fourth to a side-by-side struggle for second with Parker.
With top lane black, especially on the south end, the moist and smooth bottom offered plenty of bite but required extreme patience to avoid contacting those massive tractor tires that guarded the infield. Clauson’s veteran skills allowed him to put pressure on Jackson almost immediately. Behind the leaders, the best battle was for fifth, containing Briscoe, Fitz, Cummings, and Gulick. Coleman climbed over the cushion that still existed atop three and four, sending Shuman to sixth and eventually fifth.
With the front two fairly close, on several occasions BC would try the top in three and four to no avail, losing significant ground before yellow lights were lit for Riggs, who stopped when his right rear rubber was shredded to oblivion. A whole new ballgame with only six laps left, Clauson now had a clear shot at Jackson, with Parker, Fitzpatrick, and Shuman falling in line behind Bryan.
Gaining another big jump in his coil-front Bullet chassis, Jackson continued to take the shortest route around Lincoln Park while Shuman stole fourth from Fitz. Searching for any available momentum outside of Dakota, Bryan again moved to the middle of three and four, pulling up to the leader’s rear bumper in one and two. Hauling it in on the high side of three and four while coming to the white flag, Clauson scratched and clawed at the middle grooves on both ends on the final circuit, again unable to complete the deal.
Leading all 25 laps and nailing down career win number one in spectacular fashion was the sixteen year-old from Elizabethtown (near Columbus), fending off one of the sport’s biggest stars. Shuman surged from tenth to third in yet another sterling run, with Gulick and Cummings completing the first five. Parker, Darland (up eight), Ballou (up nine), Briscoe, and Fitzpatrick were sixth through tenth at the 10:26 PM checkered flag.
After cutting some celebratory donuts while on his way to a victory lane interview, the obviously enthused winner told Brad Dickison, “It’s a great win. Racing out here with Bryan Clauson and all of them – I knew someone was knocking on my door. I heard them the whole race. I finally saw him on the last lap and I knew I just had to hit my marks to get him and that’s what I did. God was with us from the start and I put ‘er in victory lane for the first time.”
The high school sophomore and third year driver continued with his comments on the momentous occasion. He added, “It’s a great feeling. I don’t know how I’m going to go to sleep tonight since I have to come back here and race tomorrow night. I’m going to have to take some medicine to get me calmed down a little bit. We pulled in and I figured there would be forty cars. There were thirty, but they were thirty really good cars. There’s probably 15 or 20 of them that could have won tonight. We had the car right and I hit 25 laps. I just can’t thank the crew enough. They set this car up perfectly for me about every weekend. Sometimes I can’t put 25 laps together for them. I finally got one for them. It’s not easy, especially when you know that you’ve got guys like Bryan Clauson, Coleman Gulick, and Casey Shuman beating down your door back there. You know they’re coming, but you’ve just got to drive as hard as you can for 25 laps and not make a mistake.”
Never putting a wheel wrong the entire night, young Mister Jackson certainly made a name for himself on this evening, adding to an already abundant list of talent that has the ability to make some noise well into the future. Ten years ago, the setting might have been different, but the story and sentiment was the same.
Saturday 9/10/11
After spending a few afternoon hours snapping photos at “Artomobilia”, an incredible car show in Carmel’s Arts and Design District where I managed to bump into restoration expert and former Hut Hundred and Turkey Night Grand Prix winner Warren Mockler, a few hours later it would again be the fabulous four lanes of U.S. 40 that took us west to Terre Haute for USAC’s Jim Hurtubise Classic.
Lately, I have become intrigued by signs that point to the original portions of the National Road that still exist along portions of “the road that built this nation”. Way back in 1806, an act of Congress allowed for this to be the first federally funded highway construction project, initially connecting Cumberland, Maryland with Vandalia, Illinois. Later becoming what we now know as U.S. 40, this route would be built on top of several older highways including the National Road and further west, the Victory Highway (Kansas City to San Francisco).
Slightly west of U.S. 231 and just east of The Walker Motel, there is one such sign that reeked of history and begged exploration. Flipping on my turn signal and veering right at what is now County Road 570 South, Speedball and I took a trip back in time as we snaked our way through a heavily wooded area, eyes wide open as we crossed an open spandrel concrete arch bridge over Deer Creek, first erected in 1925. Truly off the beaten path, this two-lane concrete road is an accurate representation of the National Road before its four-lane expansion in the 1930s, blown away that that such a piece of history remains in this modern world.
Also near Putnamville, this is an original portion of the National Road, concrete surface and all.
As with most routes whose numbers end in a zero, U.S. 40 once traversed the entire United States. One of the original 1920s U.S. highways, it spanned all the way from San Francisco, California, to Atlantic City, New Jersey. According to Wikipedia, the western end has been truncated several times, now ending at Interstate 80 just outside of Park City, Utah. Currently, it crosses 12 states, including Utah, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, and New Jersey. Three former and four current state capitals lie along this road and for a majority of its path, it runs parallel to or concurrently with several major interstate highways, including the beaten and battered Interstate 70 from Colorado to Washington, Pennsylvania.
Located just east of Lincoln Park Speedway, this bridge over Deer Creek was once a part of the original National Road, constructed in 1925.
Bypassing Lincoln Park Speedway where the oval was being infused with H2O, one more sign was spotted for the National Road just past Reelsville. Running a little short on time, it demanded another trip at a later date, adding to my mental list of Indiana sites that I wished to wander. Inching through the bustling town of Brazil and its old brick buildings, once we slipped through Seelyville (home to Kleptz’s Restaurant, where I shared a meal with Eric Burns and a bunch of Brazil sprint car racers back in December of 2000), an old Clabber Girl Baking Powder billboard reminded us that we were only five minutes from Terre Haute, spotting the entrance to Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology off to the right.
Along U.S. 40 just east of Terre Haute, here lies a vintage Clabber Girl Baking Powder billboard that not only gives the time of day, but the travel time to the big city.
Instead of following the signs for U.S. 40 that would lead to Interstate 70, I continued on what would have been the old route through the heart of Terre Haute, savoring the flavor of even more period-correct motels, railroad overpasses, and assorted businesses that somehow have survived despite the demise of this great old road. Sure, it might have taken significantly longer, but I got to see a side of the city that I’d never seen before, including the requisite county court house and vibrant downtown. It’s amazing how Interstate 70 makes you believe that there is nothing to Terre Haute but sterile gas stations, shopping centers, hotels, and restaurants. Speed and convenience are great when you’re in a hurry, but they fail to capture the character of the two-lanes.
Eventually reaching U.S. 41 and our intended Terre Haute Action Track destination, 26 sprint cars gathered for USAC’s Jim Hurtubise Classic. Prepared by Bob Sargent and Reece O’Connor, under extremely overcast skies the dark colored dirt looked great, as practice times were announced in the 19-second bracket.
Staying soaked for qualifying, Tracy Hines (third in line) topped the charts with a deceivingly quick 19.337 second tour of the venerable facility in his MP Environmental DRC/Shaver, just a scant .08 seconds off of J.J. Yeley’s one lap mark of 19.329. Fourteen cars after Hines, Coleman Gulick, one of the hottest hands in recent weeks, clocked in at 19.365, good for second on the list. Making his debut in the Hoffman Auto Racing/Mean Green Chalk/Mopar, Casey Shuman’s 19.397 circuit was third best. Jon Stanbrough, Bryan Clauson, and Jerry Coons, Jr. rounded out the quick-six, with Hulman Classic winner Chris Windom coming out last and winding up 14th. Levi Jones, Shane Cottle (Walker 11) and Dave Darland (Roberts/Tate 21x) were a lowly 18th, 20th and 21st, respectively.
With some vintage racecars on display behind the main grandstand, I had to have a second look at one piece in particular; specifically Don Cumberworth’s beautifully restored 1947 Kurtis-Kraft midget that contained a 110 cubic inch Offenhauser engine. Now 86 years old, Cumberworth proudly stood beside the machine that he’s owned with his wife Shirley since 1966, utilized up until a 1982 Ascot Park crash by Dave Berg that unceremoniously ended its 35 year racing reign.
This beautifully restored 1947 Kurtis-Kraft Offenhauser belongs to Don and Shirley Cumberworth. With such gorgeous paint, shiny chrome, and seductive bodywork, this is not just a racecar, but rather artwork.
According to the framed placard, Cumberworth’s drivers included Johnny Moorhouse, who wheeled this machine to a third place finish at the ’66 Turkey Night Grand Prix. Also on the list were Tommy Copp, Rick Goudy (2nd at Turkey Night in 1970 and the ’70 and ’71 URA champ), Chris Cumberworth (5th at Turkey Night in ’73), Mike Shaw (2nd at Turkey Night in ’76), and Pancho Carter. Prior to Cumberworth ownership, this fine ride boasted chauffeurs such as Henry Banks, Edgar Elder (winning the ’56 Turkey Night race), A.J. Foyt, Bill Cantrell (winning the ’62 Turkey Night race), and Bill Vukovich, Jr.
Draped in the same red, white, and blue scheme as it would have appeared from 1967 and on, except for one season it always featured a number 41 on the tail tank, which heavily influenced the number for Eddie Griffith’s own midget. Close friends with the Cumberworth clan, Eddie supplied such factoid while I marveled at the little jewel.
Back up to the grandstands, unfortunately the three Terre Haute heats offered little or no passing. Fast and tacky, the racing groove was still awfully narrow for Action Track standards, enough that four of the quick-six didn’t even make the top-five feature cut, namely Shuman, Stanbrough, Gulick, and Clauson (the latter a DNF). In fact, seven of the fastest ten couldn’t crack the top-five in their heat.
As for Gulick, he had just completed a spectacular two-for-one slice of Brandon Mattox and Keith Bloom to claim fourth place before launching over the left rear of Blake Fitzpatrick, this coming after Blake broke a rear end. The contact sent Gulick tumbling down the main straightaway, prematurely ending his evening and continuing his less than stellar luck on half-miles. After riding out an ugly incident at Lakeside back in August of 2009 and suffering some resulting eye injuries, this time Coleman stepped into the ambulance under his own power. Jonathan Hendrick was also ok after bicycling and flipping his mount in the first heat, not a great way to christen what appeared to be a new Spike chassis.
With heat races finished by 8:26, the surface was watered and packed in hope of building a cushion, forcing the fans to endure a lengthy period of downtime as officials deliberated on waiting for certain teams to finish repairs. After what seemed to be an eternity, by 9:12 PM the consolation affair was complete, excluding Mattox, Patrick Budde, and Steve Thomas from feature activity. Looking back, I didn’t really mind the downtime, as I still favor the absence of an undercard. However, it would have been nice to have been informed of the reason for such a delay.
With so many quick cars having to come through the semi, that allowed Chris Windom to begin from the coveted pole position. Given the supreme amount of success he has enjoyed thus far in 2011, Chris must be living a charmed life, as things just seem to be going his way more often than not. Hunter Schuerenberg, Hulman Classic runner-up Keith Bloom, Hud Cone, Jerry Coons, Jr. and Tracy Hines filled rows two and three. National points contenders Jon Stanbrough and Levi Jones embarked from eighth and 16th, respectively.
Starting inside of row five was Noblesville’s Bryan Clauson, whose disappointing sprint car campaign grew even more frustrating when scaling a wheel and launching over the wall the turn one wall. Like the rest of the men who had incidents, BC was able to walk away from the wreckage.
A complete restart was in order and when green flag action continued, Windom and Schuerenberg pulled away from the pack. Within a few tours, it became clearly evident that Chris was in a class of his own, mounting a half-straightaway advantage with some unbelievable corner entry speed, especially from my turn one vantage point. For the first half of the feature, the only overtaking came courtesy of point leader Jones, who had worked his way past seven cars when a caution flew for Jon Stanbrough, whose championship hopes soured after suffering a flat right rear tire, this coming after he had just secured the sixth spot.
With fourteen laps left, the top-five consisted of Windom, Schuerenberg, Bloom, Coons, and Cone and almost immediately after the caution, Bloom bobbled on top of turn four to hand third to Coons while Jones seized three more spots in his monumental march to sixth. Windom built was seemed to be an insurmountable full straight advantage within just a few circuits before another caution was waved for Stanbrough, who this time tangled with Shane Cottle while attempting to salvage his evening. Hud Cone also had a right rear going down on his Pollock 21 Maxim and was forced to surrender his solid top-five placement.
Just ten laps were left in the affair and by now, it was a forgone conclusion that the only way Windom would lose was because of mechanical gremlins. Not even a slight miscalculation of turn two was enough to prevent the Kenny Baldwin owned horse from making a shambles of the event, easily building a half-straightaway advantage in just one lap. After nearly stealing second from Schuerenberg, Coons became the third feature competitor to flatten right rear rubber, ruining another great performance in the underdog effort of Steve and Carla Phillips.
Three more laps were required to make the results official as Chris was again able to reconstruct his patented gap to second place. The white flag had already waved for the leader when eighth place Damion Gardner scarily flipped atop the turn three and four barriers, sparks flying when his steel frame scraped the concrete. Terre Haute continues to be unkind to The Demon, who has had his share of incidents here the past three seasons.
In the two-lap dash to the checkered, Levi was able to steal second from Schuerenberg, showing why he is a four time sprint car national champion and still the man to beat for this year’s title, advancing 14 positions on a night was passing was almost impossible. As mentioned earlier, nobody had anything for the impressive Windom, whose Maxim/Claxton combination swept Terre Haute 2011 and mounted his third USAC score of the summer, tenth overall in what has been a dream season. Schuerenberg held onto the podium and added to an already fantastic 2011 while Keith Bloom, Jr. and Robert Ballou (up six spots) completed the top-five. Sixth through tenth place went to Hines, Shuman, Darland (up 11), East, and Fitzpatrick. Stanbrough was only able to earn 13th place, now some 68 points behind Jones. Chris trails Levi by a scant 16 markers as the series heads to Haubstadt, where an MSCS co-sanction means that everyone earns 60 show-up points. The real battle resumes at Eldora’s famed Four Crown Nationals on Saturday, September 24th.
Done by 10:30 PM, fear of Interstate 70 delays influenced my exit at state road 59, heading north to Brazil to hook back up with U.S. 40 once again. Of course this route would take us right by Lincoln Park Speedway, where timely texts came from D.O. Laycock, informing that B-mains were just finishing up. Uncertain if I’d want to sit through the entire Patriot 100 just to get one more dosage of sprint car craziness, my lack of Terre Haute satisfaction forced my hand as we pulled into the parking lot, surprised to see that the ticket booth was still lit up at such a late hour. As I alluded to at the beginning of this piece, not much has changed in the last decade, as ten years ago on a Saturday evening I did “the double” and paired a quiet evening of USAC activity with a Putnamvillle nightcap. It might as well been 2001 all over again, but oh how I wish I had those ten years available to do things differently.
My dad decided to sleep off the long day in the car while I watched with Laycock as the huge modified affair went off without a hitch, only able to recall two or three cautions in the entire 100 lap contest. Pleasantly surprised at the favorable surface after Friday’s dry-slick conditions, only the top lane showed black, this after some 140 racecars scratched and clawed at the clay on Saturday. As a result, the first fifty laps of the modified main were superb, with two and three-wide racing the norm. But, at the closing stages of the first segment, just like with Chris Windom at Terre Haute, it became apparent that no one had anything for Brent Mullins, who would easily hold off UMP national points leader Mike Harrison (Friday’s mod winner) to earn the sizeable $3,000 paycheck.
Sprint cars would line up for their 25-lap finale at 12:40 AM, with Bloomington’s Jon Sciscoe earning the pole in Paul Hazen’s DRC/Kercher. Mitchell’s Chase Briscoe, a recent winner in B-town, would start alongside The Mayor. Dickie Gaines, Seth Parker, Conner Donelson, C.J. Leary, Chad Boespflug (Simon 24), and Kyle Cummins began from rows two through four.
With traction deteriorating in the final fifty laps of the Patriot 100, that left nothing but the bottom as workable real estate for the sprint cars. Adapting to the slippery conditions proved to be a challenge at the start, as separate spins for Bub Cummings, Dakota Jackson, and Josh Burton kept action to a minimum.
Six laps were down when Sciscoe led Briscoe, Gaines, Leary, and Parker back to green. After borrowing a magneto from Mark Cummins, the engine in the Hurst brothers number nine of Gaines was still amiss, wondering if their bodywork should show sponsorship from Kellogg’s Rice Krispies as it was nothing but snap, crackle, and pop coming from underneath the hood. Learning later that the mag had turned and retarded the timing, such inconvenience did not deter Dickie from giving it a go, still in a position to produce a podium placement.
The only one to attack the top was Mark’s son Kyle, the pride of Princeton who fanned three-wide for third with Gaines and Leary. Dickie eventually exited to the infield and called it a night but back up front, heavy lapped traffic did nothing to derail Sciscoe’s stranglehold on the first place position. Jon paced all 25 laps to nail down his second Putnamville feature in 2011, his first since taking the reigns of the Hazen hauler a month and a half ago. Amazingly, all three sprint features sampled this weekend were won by pole sitters who would lead every single lap.
Finished by 1:07 AM, Sciscoe was chased by Briscoe, Leary, Cummins (up four spots), and Ethan Barrow (also up four). Logan Jarrett (he too, up four), Casey Riggs (up five), Jason Soudrette, Chris Babcock, and Seth Parker collected sixth through tenth place positions.
Arriving home so late that the headlights from my dad’s Honda awoke a coyote that was napping in the mulch up against my house, when finally heading to bed and recalling the weekend’s ironic events, I had to think twice, wondering if it was 2001 or 2011. Just a few hours later, I was quickly reminded of what year it was, ten years removed from the 9/11 ordeal. Call me short-sighted, selfish, or someone with a one (or two or three) track mind, but back then and right now, my main thoughts revolved around sprint car racing, our home football team’s deficiencies, money, and what I want to do for a living when I finally grow up. Going for a morning jog to downtown Carmel and with my iPod attached to my arm, although the music may shuffle to the next song, my mind still stays put, analyzing all of the possibilities. Ten years gone, some things will never change.
Volume 13, Number 11
Bread and Butter
Whether it is a family feast from the comfort of home or an evening out on the town at the finest five-star establishment, any legitimate meal begins with some sort of freshly baked bread.
Referred to as the “staff of life”, bread it is one of the oldest prepared foods, with evidence dating back some 30,000 years. A staple food in Europe, European-derived cultures such as the Americas, and the Middle East and North Africa, its significance spans well beyond nutrition.
Even though I am far from a bible beater, the book does mention that man cannot live on bread alone while the Lord’s Prayer contains the line “Give us this day our daily bread”. It is interesting to note that the word companion is of Latin origin, composed of “com”, which means with and “panis”, which means bread. In the 1950s, the beatnik community even employed the word as a euphemism for money, later serving as a metaphor for basic necessities and living conditions. A bread-winner is a household’s main economic contributor. We’ve all heard of the phrase “putting bread on the table”. A remarkable innovation is often referred to as “the greatest thing since sliced bread”.
Its significance was once noted in the sitcom Seinfeld, where underneath his breath George complained to Jerry that he didn’t get served his bread while waddling to the end of the Soup Nazi’s line. In another episode, Jerry even snatched the infamous last loaf of Schnitzer’s marble rye from the grasp of the “old bag” just so that George could bring something significant to a dinner with his in-laws. Say what you want, but bread has always been important.
I’m not sure where butter entered into the equation, but whenever there is bread, there is always a spread or topping available. Coming to mean the essential elements or a mainstay of life, “bread and butter” has become equally trite as well, even translating to sports as a player’s most reliable skill.
Inheriting an enjoyment of bread from my mother, especially the two slices of rye served at Indy’s own Shapiro’s Deli, KFC’s biscuits, or the jalapeno cornbread at Bonge’s Tavern, in my sheltered world bread and butter also symbolizes the weekly sprint car contests at Gas City, Bloomington, Paragon, Putnamville, Lawrenceburg, and Kokomo. So vital to the overall health of traditional sprint car racing, without a thriving local scene, there is no national presence, as both feed off of one another.
In an attempt to maintain some semblance of life balance, aside from Kokomo I have cut back on my intake of local contests, remembering no more than six years ago when I had a hard time sacrificing any given Friday, Saturday, or Sunday evening from spring to fall. But with an open weekend at the end of August, I was free to return to my roots. The always reliable bread and butter would be sampled at Gas City and Putnamville, a fine choice as quality-filled fields came to play on a rare off weekend for United States Auto Club competitors.
Enjoying a leisurely Friday of paid time off, I began my sixty mile trek to the sprinter in the sky at 4 PM and as I pounded the pavement on state road 37, I was awfully tempted by a Bonge’s Tavern diversion. Despite an undeniable craving for a lettuce wedge with homemade bleu cheese dressing, Perkinsville Pork, and some world-famous sugar cream cake, I resisted the urge and pressed on regardless, quickly stopping to snap a photo of The Elwood, a weathered sign for the abandoned motel sitting north of the junction of state roads 37 and 28. Given the neglect of the property, the natives must have wondered what the heck I was doing, wading in those waist-high weeds.
Upon my I-69 Speedway arrival, I immediately encountered Carmel neighbor Jim Forman, who announced that Casey Shuman would wheel the Maxim/Claxton normally assigned to UNC Charlotte student Andrew Elson. Signing my insurance waiver just behind local legend Don Walker, Don’s son Jeff again brought a car for 2004 and 2009 track champ Shane Cottle, who was physically knocked out in a crash here the previous week and trailed Sunman’s Brett Burdette by 14 points in the scrap to be named Gas City’s 2011 stud. Odd not to see Paul Hazen’s 57 parked in its usual spot, apparently Paul took the night off, so rare as you’ll find no one more dedicated to a steady diet of bread and butter than the Columbia City resident whose involvement goes all the way back to 1957. Paul’s former pilot Thomas Meseraull, the defending track champion, found work in the Buckeye based 9x of Stan Courtad.
Greeted by photogs Dave Merritt and Dave Roach, while speaking with fully recovered track announcer Danny Williams, I learned 2007 and 2008 track champ Billy Puterbaugh would be skipping the following week’s Lew Morgan Memorial on account of his own wedding in beautiful Brown County. A wedding interrupting the racing season? What is this world coming to?
A pit area stroll confirmed a thirty car attendance, adding solid names like Tracy Hines, last week’s winner Justin Grant, Scotty Weir (Edison 10), Jonathan Hendrick, and Chris Windom to the mix. After several years of absence, I was surprised by the return of Frankton wild man Mark Hall, who in his first practice laps showed that he has not lost his ability to spice up any event. While spotting sprinters, I also had a brief chat with 22 year-old Aaron Orr, a second year driver and the current modified point leader at I-69 Speedway. Yes, Aaron is the younger brother to mod kingpin Scott Orr, who drives as hard as anyone I’ve ever witnessed in all of my years of attending dirt track dates. Many may forget that Scott was a sprint car winner here back in 2002.
Not quite the quality of Perkinsville Pork, I grabbed a tenderloin sandwich at the concession stand and watched hot laps from turn four, soon entering into a local scene “state of the union” discussion with veteran lens man Travis Branch and former driver/mechanic/car owner/media personality Chris Hoyer. Afterwards, Chris and I aimed for the turn three bleachers to absorb heats owned by Shuman, Hendrick, Windom, and Gulick, with Coleman’s romp from third the furthest of the four. Meseraull’s punt of Hines was the first of two heat race spins for Tracy, who would have to charge from row five of the consolation and battle with his older brother just to make the A. Two-wheeling turn three and flipping to a stop during heat four, extensive bolt-on damage called it a night for Crown Point’s Chris Gurley, who has been running extremely well of late.
While entertained by Travis Welpott’s stories surrounding Perkinsville’s Joe Perry, who resides just north of Bonge’s and is currently recovering from a serious stomach ailment, B-main gymnastics were performed by rookie Robbie Seward, with Logan Jarrett and Landon Simon just missing out on a feature transfer.
Snagging a feature seat behind 1990 CRA Midwestern Tour campaigner Dennis Rodriguez (who now calls Carmel, Indiana home), after a 9:40 PM wave lap Coleman Gulick and Billy Puterbaugh filled front row chairs for the 25-lap finale. Hendrick, Wes McIntyre, Burdette, Shuman, Windom, and Josh Spencer all benefited from a top-two redraw from the four heats.
A mix-up at the start swept up heavyweight contenders Windom and Hendrick, as Chris had to cut through the infield grass while Jonathan eventually rolled to a stop atop turn four. Luckily for Windom, he would keep his spot but Hendrick would not be so fortunate, having to come from the tail after two more complete restarts were required.
Puterbaugh’s family-funded DRC would get the jump to turn one, feeding off the bottom and pulling McIntyre, Gulick, and Burdette. On a pleasantly cool and comfortable summer evening, surface conditions were solid, with top, middle, and bottom lanes available. Quick to admit that his own bread and butter is riding the rim, Coleman immediately stepped upstairs and eclipsed the 83 to snatch second. Two laps later, the Binghamton, New Yorker stepped over the western ledge, falling to third as the other orange crush (Windom) came knocking, as the Baldwin Brothers Maxim/Claxton had surged from seventh. The Ice Man and The Bear went wheel to wheel for a few tours, but Windom’s bite from the bottom was most beneficial, soon shooting him past McIntyre and Puterbaugh to P1.
Wes Mac’s top-side tactic would soon make the race for first another side-by-side struggle. But, when Chris abruptly switched lanes in turn three, Wes followed suit with a nifty switcheroo, pilfering the premier position with a low-side launch off four. At the halfway mark, the first-five included McIntyre, Windom, Gulick, Burdette, and Puterbaugh. The fight for fifth on back was wild, with BP, Shuman, Cottle, Weir, Grant (up from 13th), and Spencer involved in the free-for- all.
Experimenting with that lower lane once again, Windom would make it work when escaping with first at the east end. A sprint car sophomore from McCordsville, Indiana, unfortunately bad luck befell McIntyre when his right front torsion arm was dislodged, dropping that corner of his DRC to the dirt and eventually out of the race, narrowly avoiding a major collision with oncoming traffic.
Seventeen of 25 laps were complete when going back to green, with Windom pacing a snarling pack of Burdette, Gulick, Puterbaugh, and Cottle. Although another caution came for Jamie Frederickson, no one could get close enough to Chris, who would be a first-time Gas City winner for 2011. Chasing the Canton, Illinois charger to the 9:56 checkered were Burdette, Cottle, Gulick and Grant, who scaled eight spots. Positions six through ten were claimed by Puterbaugh, Weir, Spencer, a solid Adam Byrkett (up six), and Travis Welpott.
Including his massive Little 500 score and the prestigious Indiana Sprint Week crown, 2011 has been a season of Windom, eight wins altogether at six different speedways, namely Kokomo (2), Bloomington (2), Anderson, Putnamville, Terre Haute, and now The Gas, clearly making a case for driver of the year. National or local, big or small, dirt or pavement, Chris has bagged nothing but bread from this year’s sprint car scene, showing no signs of slowing down any time soon.
All in all, it was an extremely efficient and satisfying evening spent in Gas City, with just four more Friday nights left in the 2011 campaign, the last coming on September 30th.
One night later, only two options for traditional bread and butter existed. One came in Paragon, where 48 cars vied for the Johnson Memorial $1,200 first place prize. But, if you steered southwest on state road 67, north on U.S. 231, and west on U.S. 40 to the tiny town of Putnamville, an all-star cast so similar to Friday would wage war for a $2,000 carrot, adding Dave Darland (who became a grandfather for the second time), Jerry Coons, Jr., last night’s Bloomington winner Chase Briscoe, and Dickie Gaines to an already impressive mix. Jon Stanbrough was still missing in action, apparently taking the weekend off. Racing for the first time since his 92 year-old father Ember passed away, Palmyra, Indiana’s Troy Link took to the track in his familiar Ford powered Dynamite chassis.
Avoiding I-70 paving altogether with a National Road rambling, it’s amazing to note just how much better shape U.S. 40 is in by comparison, loving all those small towns and old motels, wondering what it would have been like to take this same route to the Rocky Mountains fifty years ago. If it weren’t for Plainfield congestion, I’d employ this path to Putnamville every time.
Thirty-three in total took part in Lincoln Park preliminaries, with the track not as wet as I’d witnessed in my two previous visits on the 6th and 20th of August. Relaxing from the comfort of lawn chairs amongst a decent crowd (not as large as last week), Speed Ball and I watched as each of the four heats were won from the pole by Elizabethtown’s Dakota Jackson, Princeton’s Kyle Cummins, Indy’s Casey Shuman (again in the Elson 27), and Fortville’s Jonathan Hendrick, leaving the surface slick from top to bottom when the modifieds made their way onto the paperclip.
Continuing to be amazed by the hustle of second place finisher Braylon Fitzpatrick, the biggest surprise had Darland looking from the outside-in, struggling to a fifth place finish in his heat after bicycling big-time at turn three’s entry during hot laps. Even after a heat race spin, Chris Windom still earned third while rookie Logan Jarrett would take a transfer spot, a feather in his cap given the level of talent on hand. Owning the hardest luck would have to be Mark Harden, who tripped over the turn two cushion but was apparently ok. Ethan Barrow, July 16th winner Seth Parker, Gaines, and Darland just made it out of the B, with Kokomo’s Jamie Frederickson falling one spot short.
To tell you how solid this field was, 14 of the 20 feature starters were sprint car winners in 2011, counting 42 scores among the group. A Jack Hewitt Classic king at Waynesfield, Ohio for the second season in a row, Jonathan Hendrick drew the pole for the final Indiana August A-main, joined again by last week’s winner Casey Shuman. Cummins and Jackson fired from row two, as only the heat winners would redraw for feature starting positions. Heat race finishers two through four would start straight up.
Earmarking the top shelf in the Elson Motorsports Maxim, Shuman immediately commandeered first place, with Hendrick, Cummins, and Jackson giving chase. By lap four, June 9th winner Chris Windom had advanced four spots from 12th while Cummins hauled past Hendrick and let ‘er eat against the huge ledge that normally guards the top of turns three and four. All over Shuman for first, Kyle would have to wait when a three car scrape in turn four flipped two-time 2011 LPS winner Brett Burdette, sending Coleman Gulick to the sidelines and Shane Hollingsworth to the tail. Burdette somehow landed on all fours and would join Shane on the donkey’s end.
With nine in the books, the first five framed Shuman, Cummins, Hendrick, McIntyre, and Coons. Jerry would be the man on the move at this stage, caressing the cushion in the Phillips 71 and pilfering fourth from Wes. Now side-by-side with Hendrick, Jerry remained up top but at turn three, Jonathan abruptly switched lanes and cranked a hard right. With nowhere to go, Coons flew off the track and spun wildly, eventually refiring and pulling even to angrily point a finger.
Now featuring a top-five of Shuman, Cummins, Hendrick, Fitzpatrick, and Jackson, the younger Fitz immediately fired a slider at Hendrick through corner four but the move would not stick. Over the cushion the next lap, he slipped two spots to sixth. However, this would not be the last we’d hear from the West Terre Haute teenager.
Cummins again drew closer to the leader, as Casey preferred to follow the bottom through one and two, climbing upstairs to turn three and four’s unmistakably moist cushion. Kyle exclusively rode the rim and gained even more ground, eventually serving a slide for life on the north end. Exceeding that generous curb in four, his lead would be short-lived, dropping to third and fourth after further faults.
After Logan Jarrett’s turn one dump, only seven laps were left in this Saturday night fight. Hendrick flexed some late race muscle, shadowing Shuman the rest of the way but never having enough juice to make a decisive move. Fitzpatrick was a mover and shaker in the final seven circuits, rocketing from fifth to third with a pair of ruthless dive-bombs at the entrance to turn three. Beginning tenth and sitting seventh at that final restart, Tracy Hines also made some noise, fanning three-wide for third at the checkered in his own Parker Machinery Spike.
But for the second week in a row, it would be Casey Shuman stopping on the front stretch and collecting the largest amount of dough, his fifth LPS win of 2011 for four different car owners (Gerry Cook, Eric Barnhill, Dan Roberts, and Bill Elson). With wrenching from Jake Argo, Hendrick showed well for the second week in a row, settling for a solid second place. Fitz, Hines, and Jackson were rewarded with top-fives while Cummins, Cottle, Windom, McIntyre, and Darland (up ten from last) secured sixth through tenth.
With the sprint feature done before 10:30, I stayed one more time for the mods but left before the super streets (too many mod spins on the slick track). My main reason for watching the Putnamville undercard continues to be Kenny Carmichael, who scored third in the mod but would easily win the super street main in Joe Whisler’s old ride. Not afraid to go wheel to wheel or fender to fender, Kenny is a blast to watch in the iron.
Spending a relaxing Labor Day weekend away from the racetrack, sans internet or cell service, all the way down in Kentucky’s Nolin Lake, the homestretch of the 2011 Indiana bullring scene has now been thrust upon us. Containing at least one large scale show each weekend for the next six weeks, for as long as I can remember, September and early October have always offered so many significant events. But for that matter, haven’t the last few seasons been a continuous blur of big ones?
If equating all of those can’t-miss affairs to a dinner’s main course of steak, seafood, pork, or pasta, the normal, unsanctioned Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays would be your bread and butter, always there to fill you up while on your way to devouring that signature dish. Years ago, Dave Argabright warned me that one day, I would come to realize that these local shows can go on without me being present. Astute in his assessment, his prediction was right on the money, as I have learned to trim some of the fat and unnecessary carbs from both my diet and racing calendar. But, it’s always comforting to know that the bread and butter lies waiting for my consumption whenever I choose, still top notch in quality just like those two massive slices of Shapiro’s rye, unchanged for decades. So even though man can’t live on bread alone, whether you’re talking central Indiana sprint car racing, money, or nutrition, it remains to be a key ingredient in my life. Always has been, always will.
Volume 13, Number 10
Night and Day
Speckled with so many polar opposites, variety is the proverbial spice of life.
Pondering the endless contrasts encountered every day, there’s old and new, good versus evil, positive and negative, happy and sad, hot and cold, fast and slow, skinny and fat, short and tall, and conservative and liberal. I could keep going, but you get the picture. The truth is, if everyone and everything were the same, life would be even more boring and anticlimactic.
So ironic that our own creation is the product of distinctly different human beings, even wedding vows discuss the challenging contrasts that lie ahead: for better or worse, for rich or poor, for sickness and in health.
Growing up a diehard baseball and basketball fan, by the time I was thirteen years old and had tagged along with my oldest brother in his new ESPN Speed Week gig, just one full season of motorsports mayhem had made its mark, switching my ultimate allegiance from stick and ball to the automotive arena. A few years later, I further refined my focus to sprints, midgets, and Silver Crown and my world would never be the same again.
But, as my tastes matured, so did my enthusiasm, eventually dropping from a docket of eighty-plus events to right around fifty, with an infinite list of variables accounting for the rise and fall in my desire to chase tail tanks cross-country. One of those variables is the preparation of the dirt on which these rockets race and adding to that list of contrasts, there’s wet (exciting) and dry (boring). Back in the day, I was too naďve to be concerned about surface conditions. But after attending over a thousand of these engagements, naturally I tend to be a little more jaded.
In this age, it is extremely difficult to stage a race under the scorching sun, as steamroller-sized rear tires, hooked-up handling, and daylight savings time wick away any amount of moisture in no time flat. The Terre Haute Action Track supported such a theory with a disastrous afternoon attempt of the Sumar Classic on Sunday, July 3rd. But back when tread width was narrow, calcium chloride was legal, and surfaces were soaked, classic, daytime affairs were much more common, especially at a place like the Action Track where lights were not installed until 1993.
So when I actually encounter one of those rare, daytime dirt track dates, my immediate reaction is to draw a comparison to its evening counterpart that offers infinitely cooler temperatures, significantly less dust, and an increased amount of entertainment. There couldn’t be a bigger contrast and if ever the term “night and day” applied, this would be it.
Saturday August 20th allowed me to experience such a difference, as a 6 AM departure for Springfield, Illinois’ Tony Bettenhausen 100 would be immediately followed by a Midwest Sprint Car Series production in Putnamville, Indiana. Allowing the larger Silver Crown equipment to stretch its legs on the Illinois State Fairgrounds one mile oval, Springfield’s signature black clay might start out tacky, but the unenviable August sunlight transforms it into a one-lane rubber-down romp come feature time. On surface alone, these two events are a yin and yang, as Putnamville’s 5/16ths mile paperclip normally sports two grooves and a generous cushion that tends to favor the cowboys.
Still pitch dark when I exited Indy, by employing a strategy of 465/865/65 and state road 32 west of Lebanon, I managed to slash a few miles from the excursion, still foggy as I entered I-74 at the eastern edge of Crawfordsville. Aside from crossing the mighty Wabash, an abandoned GM plant in Danville, a decaying row of grain elevators along the Canadian National rail yards in Champaign, and a rail museum in Monticello, there was literally nothing to see in the 74/57/72 corridor, one of the dullest drives in recent memory.
Controlled by the cruise at a fuel-efficient leisurely pace, I arrived at Springfield’s Sangamon Avenue in ample time, stopping to further fuel mind and body with a Sonic breakfast sandwich. Eight summers had expired since I had last invaded this area but with rain dotting my windscreen, I let out a large sigh as I hung a right at the road that parallels the backstretch. Encountering Toledo, Ohio USAC super fan John Nolen, I knew I was in the right place, as John never misses these traditional one mile dirt Silver Crown shows. Noticing that the frugal accountant had parked outside of the fairgrounds property, perhaps I should have followed his lead as I was required to pay the seven dollars for fair entry at gate number 8, but also another five bucks for parking. Adding to an already salty $25 ticket, $37 is simply far too much to pay for Silver Crown entry. For that kind of money, one doesn’t have to wonder why lackluster attendance might be an issue.
Fully aware of these costs ahead of time, there was no griping on my part, realizing that this antiquated amusement is a highly endangered species. Bumping into the always bubbly Chris Pedersen (who had just used the fairgrounds shower facilities), practice was supposed to start around 9:30 but was delayed due to the extra water that was being applied.
Any veteran fan knows that the most excitement for one-mile Silver Crown contests comes in hot laps and after climbing the steep steps to the 33rd and final row of the grandstands, there was Mr. Nolen once again. Back in 1996, John relayed his usual Labor Day weekend grind: attending the Southern 500 in Darlington on Sunday and leaving immediately after the checkered flag to drive through the night just to arrive for DuQuoin, Illinois hot laps on Monday morning. Year after year, that ironman effort came in his stylish yet trusty Volvo P1800 coupe, amassing well over 500,000 miles on its odometer. I would doubt that John still drives that same Volvo today, but as a creature of habit, here he was in his usual Springfield spot, forever a fascinating reminder of the old-school fans that this type of action attracts. Say what you want, but just like this form of racing, the fans are also a dying breed.
Under overcast skies, hot laps were truly the highlight of the day, foaming at the mouth when witnessing the sheer speed that the Silver Crown chauffeurs carried down these chutes. Music to my ears, the sounds of screaming small blocks echoed off the grandstand roof, piercing my eardrums as they backed these long limousines into the corners wide open! With a fairgrounds Ferris wheel serving as the back drop, I snapped iPhone photo after photo, hardly able to contain my enthusiasm and reminded of those days when Springfield king Chuck Gurney would hands-down win hot laps. If only the clouds could stay and keep the sun at bay and if only the surface could be maintained like this for an entire afternoon, I firmly believe that the Silver Crown allure would be completely revived, eliminating the need to manufacture artificial excitement with today’s halfway break. Raising the hair on my arms and giving goose bumps, this is why my alarm rang at 5 AM this morning.
I can’t help but remember when forty to fifty cars vied for the thirty spots in any of the Indianapolis, Springfield, and DuQuoin dirt mile marathons. That is my benchmark for Silver Crown success, so the less than stellar field of 27 served as a disappointment. Unusual pairings included Jon Stanbrough teaming with Jerry Coons, Jr. in a Rontondo-Weirich Beast/Toyota, a departure from his standard Indiana Underground 37. Subbing for ASCS regular Jeff Swindell in the Carl Edwards/R.E. Technologies 99 was USAC midget point leader Darren Hagen. Johnny Heydenreich took the reigns of the Ricky Nix 43, as his normal Sharon Bank 90 was not ready.
Dating back to 1987, this was my eighth time to take it all in, enamored with Jim Childers’s account of the incredibly rich history behind 100-mile dirt champ displays at the Illinois State Fairgrounds. An integral element of the Triple A and USAC championship trail prior to 1971, since 1934 the list of winners is a literal who’s who in motorsports, beginning with Billy Winn (twice), Wilbur Shaw, Mauri Rose, Tony Willman, Emil Andres, Rex Mays, Tony Bettenhausen (thrice), Ted Horn, Myron Fohr, Mel Hansen, Johnnie Parsons, Paul Russo, Bill Schindler, Rodger Ward (thrice), Sam Hanks, Jimmy Davies, Jimmy Bryan (twice), Johnny Thomson, Len Sutton, Jim Packard, Jim Hurtubise (twice), A.J. Foyt (four times), Don Branson, Roger McCluskey, Mario Andretti (thrice), Al Unser (thrice), Tom Bigelow, Larry Rice, Gary Bettenhausen (twice), Bobby Olivero (twice), Pancho Carter, George Snider, Larry Dickson, Chuck Gurney (7 times!), Jack Hewitt (four times), Steve Chassey, Jimmy Sills, Kenny Irwin, Jr., Dave Darland (thrice), Russ Gamester, Paul White, J.J. Yeley, Brian Tyler (thrice – until today), Tracy Hines, Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., and most recently, Cole Whitt.
For guys like me who have an appreciation for these names, I am fully aware of the significance of such an event. But for the newer generation, other than just another stop on the USAC schedule, what does this race really represent? Back in 1987, it was a solid payday ($9,000 to win) and a chance to add your name to an illustrious list, perhaps gaining a bit of notoriety but really not enough to move up the racing ladder. A quarter of a century later, the pay is still the same and the opportunities for advancement are equal, amazed at how little has changed in two and a half decades. The only thing missing from today was the quirky man who always sold those ice cream fiddle sticks from his beaten and battered cooler.
With such a dismal crowd early on (filling in come feature time), I had to wonder what the future held for this event, further disappointed by its dilution as modifieds and sportsman stock cars shared the same card. Promoter Bob Sargent bears the burden of continuing this tradition year after year, as he does in Indianapolis and DuQuoin. Not trying to be negative but instead realistic, what if Bob wakes up one day and decides that he no loner wants to do this? Will anyone be willing to pick up the pieces and continue? Say what you want, but that is a doubtful proposition at best.
My primary reason for attending was to meet up with Sullivan, Illinois traditionalist Wendell Smith. For the 33 years that his daughter Kelly has been alive, she has absorbed a day with her dad at the fair and the races. Sure enough, just in time for qualifications, there they were in their usual seats on the turn four side, Wendell wearing his right arm in a sling after undergoing a painful rotator cuff surgery just a few weeks prior. Attending no more than a handful of races each year, this is one of his “can’t miss” affairs, and no such discomfort was going to stand in his way of keeping the tradition alive for one more year.
A sign of the times, three of the five who clocked quickest in practice had never raced here before, namely Chris Windom (who would claim third in his ARCA stock car debut the next day), Bryan Clauson, and Elk Grove, California’s Kyle Larson, whose sizzling circuit of 29.250 seconds in the Keith Kunz Eagle was actually underneath Tracy Hines’s 2006 rubber-down record of 29.305.
Celebrating his 19th birthday not that long ago, Kyle’s previous five races resulted in victories, beginning with POWRi midgets at Osborn, Missouri on July 31st. Then, it was a two-night sweep of his first-ever Belleville Nationals. Jumping into the Hoffman 69 sprint car for the first-time, he claimed the Ultimate Challenge at Oskaloosa, his first-ever in USAC’s wingless sprint car ranks. Continuing the trend, he added a 360 cubic inch winged sprint car score at Yreka, California on August 12th.
If NASCAR’s Jimmy Johnson is nicknamed “Five Time”, then Kyle should be called “First Time”, as his 2011 Midwestern tour has been a whirlwind of first time visits, ultimately ending up with a collection of quick time awards and either feature wins or podium placements. Talk about the real deal, this kid has certainly got the right stuff.
Fast time and fifth in a sprint car at IRP on May 12th (his first time there), he was third with the USAC sprints at Bloomington on May 20th (leading 20 laps – his first time there). Quick time at Kokomo on May 22nd (his first time there), he was again fastest in qualifying and fifth at the Night Before the 500 on May 28th. After finishes of 7th, 2nd, 1st (Bloomington), 3rd, and 3rd in his initial Indiana Midget Week, he was quick qualifier and 8th in his first Milwaukee Silver Crown showing. Winning in the Keith Kunz midget at IRP on July 28th, two nights later he was again fastest in qualifying with a new track record at the Speedrome (his first visit, of course). As he continues to impress, the accolades just keep coming and if big league owners have been paying attention, he probably won’t be around the USAC circles for much longer. But, what about youthful, current stars like Bryan Clauson and Chris Windom? Don’t they deserve another look as well?
With the sun burning through the cloud cover, daytime conditions came into play for qualifications, as times were over two seconds slower compared to practice. With the cushion pushed dangerously close to the wall, especially in turns one and two, Tracy Hines was bravest of all. Topping the charts at 31.373 seconds in the Lightfoot 16, he impressively did so some seven cars from the end of the order. Much like in May at the Indiana State Fairgrounds, Tony Stewart Racing exhibited true speed as Clauson and defending series champ Levi Jones were second and third, both south of 32 seconds. Coons (last in line), Bobby East, Larson, A.J. Fike, Stanbrough, Windom, and Hagen earned top-ten starting spots. Johnny Heydenreich backed his ride into the turn one fence on his second circuit and called it a day. Tied for the points lead with Coons, Tanner Swanson was a disappointing 23rd in the Team 6R Racing Beast/Toyota.
Waiting out a vintage open wheel racecar parade and a 13 car mod feature won by Bloomington’s Shelby Miles, some light watering gave hope for a decent surface, but all that effort went out the window when that summer sun continued to bake the dark dirt golden brown. With engines fired at 1:46 (nearly 3 PM Indiana time and some 45 minutes behind schedule), I began to feel pressure about the diminishing possibilities of seeing anything but Putnamville’s feature.
From his outside row one start, Bryan Clauson got the jump to turn one, but the cushion could not contain his Maxim chassis as he slid high at turn two’s exit, allowing Hoosier Hundred winner Jerry Coons to claim first place down the back chute. Hines, Clauson, and Jones fell in line at the end of lap one and would soon be joined by Larson. Three-time winner Dave Darland dropped like a rock to 16th, as did Bobby East, falling all the way to 22nd by lap 12. At the opposite end of the spectrum was three-time race winner Brian Tyler, whose 6R squad had to change a Claxton Toyota after the first session of hot laps. Beginning 14th and already up to sixth by lap four, BT and his crew clearly have good setup notes to work from for this joint, as they hit the nail on the head, with surface conditions varying 180 degrees from hot laps.
Finagling fifth on lap five by sweeping to the outside of Larson through corner three, when reaching turn one, Tyler worked wide of Jones for fourth. At lap 12, car 21 again made the middle groove work in three, coaxing third from Clauson. Two laps later, he ducked inside of Hines on the front stretch to steal second. And by turn three of lap 15, he beat Coons to the bottom of turn three to effectively seal the deal. Fourteenth to first in just 15 laps is absolutely unheard of in a Silver Crown chore, especially so for Brian as he normally makes a late race charge when his American Racer tires come in.
For the remainder of the 86 laps, the race for first was virtually nonexistent, as Tyler mauled his competition much like Jack Hewitt or even Chuck Gurney. Nobody, and I mean nobody, had an answer for his combination of handling and supreme Toyota horsepower, able to put that car anywhere he wanted, even as the conditions changed. Thanks to Jay Hardin’s impeccable statistics, his Springfield lap lead total now sits at 285, only four behind Hewitt but 245 behind Foyt.
Back to the feature highlights, Tyler, Coons, and Larson separated themselves from the pack while Clauson fell to 11th after another high-side slip, eventually having to pit for a flat left front tire after his setup went south. Tanner Swanson’s smoke signals forced him to stop and caused the only caution in the first half. As evidence of Tyler’s domination, fourth place was a half-mile behind immediately before that yellow flag.
Aside from right rear swaps for Darren Hagen and Craig Dori, for the second race in a row nobody changed tires, making the halfway break meaningless. The number one problem on these mile tracks is the ability to pass and if it’s a one-lane affair, nobody will take the chance to give up track position. My suggestion for improving the show is to either make the surface more racy (difficult to do during daylight hours) or revert back to the 100 mile endurance test. With no more fans in the stands, it seems obvious that the different format is not functioning as designed. Call me a traditionalist, but I saw nothing wrong with the old way of doing things, as you always had the battle between hard chargers toeing the line of reliability and those who babied their equipment from start to finish. That’s what separated Silver Crown racing from sprint cars and midgets.
Tanner Swanson’s day only got worse in the final 49 miles. Pitting again for an apparent oil leak, once it was shown that there was no more seepage, he pounded the concrete wall in turns three and four at lap 75, essentially throwing away his chance at a national championship.
Hardest charger in the second half was Levi Jones, restarting seventh and working his way to second by lap 80. Shortly thereafter, calamity struck in turn four with a four car pileup, started when Darren Hagen slid sideways and Donnie Beechler launched over Dave Darland’s left rear tire, mangling the cage of Beechler’s Stanton chassis as he tumbled end over end and side over side. Luckily, Donnie was ok.
Once out front, Tyler’s fourth Springfield score was never in doubt, again exhibiting the stranglehold that Toyota power has on the one-mile ovals and American Racer rubber has on these classic daytime duties. Jones got close on that last restart but had to settle for second, moving to within three points of series leader Coons, who rounded out the podium. Larson’s first visit to the Illinois State Fair resulted in fourth place while 2006 winner Tracy Hines settled for fifth. Stanbrough, three-time series champ Kaeding (some 42 markers out of first), Kody Swanson, Russ Gamester, and Chris Windom were sixth through tenth.
Bidding a fond farewell at 3:34 PM and longing for that day and night difference in entertainment, the Illinois state line couldn’t come soon enough, still trying to decide how I was going to get from Interstate 74 to Lincoln Park Speedway, aptly named because of an overnight stay President Abraham Lincoln had in a Putnamville, Indiana hotel way back when.
Deciding that the zigzagging course of U.S. 41, U.S. 36, state road 59, and U.S. 40 more closely resembled a straight line rather than U.S. 231 and 40, although slower I’m almost certain it was the more scenic of the two choices. With so much eye candy, it’s amazing what you’ll find when you bypass the superhighways, such a contrast to the dull drive from earlier this morning and afternoon. Again, it was another of those night and day differences, well worth the delay in reaching my Hoosier racing destination.
As route 41 quickly narrowed to two lanes, signs pointed west for Veedersburg and Yeddo, two towns that begged exploration if I only owned more minutes. Near the state road 32 crossroad, I bypassed a prime-time photo opportunity, as a well worn Texaco gas station sign still held its place along this old road that can amazingly send you from Michigan’s Upper Peninsula all the way to Miami, Florida. Off to the right, I noticed an intriguing and towering statue of bicycles, surely something that Mike Wolfe from American Pickers would have loved to have made an offer on. Past the 234 junction at Kingman, the path turned twisty as I entered the wilderness of Turkey Run State Park, slowing to gaze at the wonder that is Jungle Park, the old speedway that wedges itself into a plot along Sugar Creek and 41. Visiting a few times in the past, I’d like to go back and snap a few shots from that old covered grandstand that manages to survive all those harsh winters. Slipping underneath what would have been the old B&O railroad overpass, several miles later I reached U.S. 36 at Rockville, heading east to find brick-lined streets of a quaint courthouse square, some interesting places to eat, and an old Pennsylvania railroad depot. Eyeing so many signs for covered bridges; Parke County is the covered bridge capital of the world, home to the covered bridge festival that for this year takes place October 14th through the 23rd.
Past Billie Creek Village, seven miles east on 36 took me to the junction of state road 59 at Bellmore, where a vintage roadside ice cream stand saw numerous people waiting in line for a sweet treat, so hard to pass up even when I was in a hurry. Scooting by Mansfield and its historic Roller Mill, after seeing a sign for Carbon, it reminded me that this area was once rich with coal and clay, mined to the hilt in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Spurning humongous growth for Clay County’s capital of Brazil, it earned its short and memorable name thanks to “Yankee Bill” Stewart, who read of revolutions in the South American country.
Located along the famed National Road (U.S. 40), by 1906 Brazil boasted five railroad depots, 13 coal mines and 11 clay factories, with its population booming to 11,600 inhabitants. So much of that old housing and those ancient brick buildings still stand in sad disrepair, a reminder of when times were clearly more prosperous. Spotting the business of Britt Aero (formerly Britt Tool), which fielded winning sprint cars for Eric Burns and Greg Dillion in the late 1990s and early 2000s, this town was once home to a slew of Indiana sprint car racers. About a mile east, Burns now resides in the tiny town of Knightsville and sitting on the same property as Eric’s home was once the old Brazil Speedway, a liquid asphalt half-mile that was constructed in July of 1928 but would only last for three seasons.
On the lookout for various U.S. 40 artifacts, near Reelsville there is a sign that points to a county road that was once the original National Highway, complete with a concrete bridge that spans the Eel River. Just past Manhattan, several similar brick bungalows pointed to the Putnamville Correctional Facility, where at 7:45 PM inmates were out in force in the “yard”, pumping iron and logging laps around the track in their lone form of freedom, with guards closely watching all activity from towers inside and outside of the heavy duty fence. Established in 1915, for 70 years this was known as the Indiana State Farm, transformed in the 1980s into a medium-security prison for approximately 2,400 inmates. Previously reading reports of corruption, abuse, and horrific conditions in the 1960s and 1970s, I felt fortunate to be bypassing this Hell hole and instead making my Putnamville stop at the Lincoln Park Speedway, just a couple of miles down the road.
Finally arriving at the nighttime portion of my daylong excursion, with sun completely over the horizon and modified mayhem on the course, unfortunately I had missed all of sprint car hot laps and heats. Struggling to find a place to park, it was very pleasing to see that Joe Spiker’s facility was abuzz with activity.
Saying hello to long-time pit shack boss Jack McCullough, while heading to the backstretch grandstand I found Paragon Speedway proprietors Keith and Judy Ford sitting at a picnic table, sharing a conversation with Ed Frazier (father to former TQ and sprint car driver Mark and owner of Austin King’s sprint car for so many years). A challenging season filled with five rainouts, a pair of August cancellations, and far too many issues with lower-level competitors, to hear the frustration in Keith’s voice, it was a clear indication of the obstacles each and every track operator must overcome these days in an attempt to make a living. When asked if anyone had approached him about purchasing the place, mum was the word but for sure, next week’s Johnson Memorial would be the final race for 2011. We can only hope that the off-season renews hope for a prosperous 2012.
Like my last trip to Springfield, it had been eight seasons since the MSCS sprint cars came calling to Putnamville, Indiana and a quick tour of the pits found a population of 34, bringing point leader Brady Short to these premises for the first time in a long while. With several eyeing Blake Fitzpatrick’s Spike chassis, closer inspection found bent torsion tubes after a taste of front stretch concrete. Brent Beauchamp found work with John Lucas and John Batts, two long-time open wheel campaigners who finally brought out an appropriately colored and numbered machine. After piloting the Josh Burton 04 on Friday, Jared Fox was assisting on Saturday. Casey Shuman teamed with Dave Darland in a Dan Roberts/Daryl Tate DRC, which had Bobby East in the ride the previous evening. Former LPS sprint car and super stock king Kenny Carmichael appeared awfully busy, overseeing a massive effort that consisted of a sprint car and super stock for son Kenny Jr., not to mention a modified and super stock for himself. By the way, Kenny Sr.’s Bob Franklin-built super stock once belonged to sprint car rookie Joe Whisler.
Walking a paddock packed with hardware and gazing at a grandstand gushing with families, it looked like it was a good night to be Joe Spiker. Instead of scrounging for a seat, while jotting down the B-main lineup I found a spot on the concrete concourse right behind Robert Ballou. The only racer to do the Springfield/Putnamville double, like me Dave Darland did not make it back in time for heat races and was forced to start from the rear. Knifing from 18th to second and nearly stealing the win from Fortville’s Jonathan Hendrick (who now enjoys the services of Jake Argo), Dave is still “The Rave” at Lincoln Park. Beauchamp and 2011 sprint car championship contender Ethan Barrow punched the final feature tickets. Shawn Krockenberger was one spot shy of A-main status.
With big green splotches showing on the western radar, the festivities were moved forward in a flash. Soon enough the sprint car feature would be pushed, with Shuman and “Kentucky Kid” Aric Gentry forming the front row. Fifteen year-old Braylon Fitzpatrick, Wes McIntyre, Kent Christian, and Damion Gardner occupied rows two and three.
Shuman immediately pointed to the infield tires, as the brown bottom of corners one and two offered plenty of bite. Casey’s teammate for tonight was already up four spots by lap two, while eleventh-starting Short was up to seventh and like Shuman, was going where they weren’t. With top groove blackened, the traditional and substantial Putnamville cushion, most notably on the north end, ably supported rim riding romps from guys like Gardner, who surged from sixth to second fairly early.
With Little Shu and The Demon all alone up front, Fitzpatrick took third from Gentry in turn two, mopping up the moisture around the lower lane. Casey began to build a large lead, made even bigger when Gardner clipped one of the tractor tires in turn one, spinning 360 degrees but still able to maintain his second-best status. Chase Briscoe and Kenny Carmichael, Jr. tangled in front of the grandstands, causing caution with twelve laps in the books.
Shuman, Gardner, Short, Fitzpatrick, and Gentry led the twenty-car field back to green, with Darland unable to make any further ground in 15th. In the basement through one and two and stepping upstairs for three and four, Casey again constructed a massive margin, aided in part by Gardner and Short’s scrap for second. Attempting a slide for life through three, DG overcooked the cushion and surrendered runner-up rights, soon having his hands full with Fitzpatrick. Turning my attention a few spots back, August 6th winner Kyle Cummins engaged in a fine duel for fifth with another KC, that being Clayton’s Kent Christian.
Nobody was going to catch Shuman though, who found Putnamville’s victory lane for the fourth time this season, sharing the $3,000 score with the Roberts/Tate team. Short eclipsed nine cars in his sprint to second, with Gardner successfully fending off Fitzpatrick for third. Cummins collected fifth while Jonathan Hendrick was the hardest charger, advancing 11 spots to sixth. Christian, Gentry, Darland (up nine), and Dakota Jackson secured seventh through tenth.
With the feature complete by 9:56, the winner told Brad Dickison, “I’ve got to thank Daryl Tate and Dan Roberts. They called me at about noon. I didn’t even know if I was going to come out here and race tonight. This is Dave Darland’s car and it was awesome. It makes it a lot easier when you have good racecars and Daryl definitely puts together a good racecar. I can’t thank him enough.”
“I’ve always liked this place. There’s times I’ve had my trouble with whoever has owned it or worked on it but I’ve always liked this place. I’ve always gotten around here really well. Next week I’ll probably be in a different car. Hopefully I’ll be on the front stretch with it.”
Just like my visit on August 6th when I stayed for all four classes of competition, due to the efficient program, the defeat of Mother Nature, and the desire to absorb some additional Putnamville pleasure, I am not ashamed to admit that I stayed for the mods and super stocks, entertained by three-wide action and the relentless pursuits of Kenny Carmichael, sixth and third in his features. On this typical Saturday night stage, racing is racing, regardless of the class or size of one’s wallet.
With all of the contrasts of life, none have a bigger impact, at least in the summer months, as night and day. Arising far too early and arriving home just before midnight, Saturday August 20th was a prime example. A dull drive as the sun rose turned awfully interesting by the time it fell, a similar result coming from the pair of open wheel productions that represented both ends of the hourglass.
Never mind the time of day in which these races are run, but Silver Crown cars on a one-mile dirt oval and sprint cars on a quarter-mile paperclip are completely different beasts, and anyone expecting the same amount of action needs a reality check. As evidenced by 2003, 2004, and 2005 DuQuoin Silver Crown hundred milers that were held under the lights, when coupling the evening hours with the right amount of surface prep, this can go a long way to making things much more entertaining, but it will never quite equal the excitement of sprint cars screaming around Indiana bullrings. Thankful to still be able to draw such comparisons, although I love them both, seeing such night and day contrasts simply reinforces the appreciation I have for the numerous options that exist in my backyard. Back home again in Indiana, there’s no place I’d rather be.
Volume 13, Number 9
Supply and Demand
If you don’t use it, you lose it.
Wandering minds can apply this phrase to so many aspects of life, but what I’m specifically referring to is higher education and all those irrelevant classes I had to endure before earning my accounting degree from Ball State University, never again employing so much of that knowledge in real life situations. Always in a hurry in my impatient youth, it probably did not help that my relied upon method of scoring well on exams was to memorize the material the night before. Not truly “learning” the subject matter, after scoring an “A” I was more interested in turning to my Open Wheel magazine, absorbing as much information as I could about the sport that I worshipped more than life itself.
Recently finding a December of 1990 letter from the BSU School of Business, it suggested that I pursue a minor in Economics after passing my first course with flying colors. Of course the powers-that-be may not have realized that I had completed a high school class that covered the same material just six months prior, but on the bright side, such repetition did allow some of these concepts to stick with me. Somewhere in between the blur of X and Y axis graphs, I still remember the lesson that Mitch Steckler taught me in my first day of high school Econ, and that is: “There ain’t no such thing as a free lunch” (conveniently shortened to the acronym TANSTAAFL). And although I may not recall each scenario, the laws of supply and demand managed to make their mark as well.
Even after acing a couple of more Econ classes in Muncie, I chose to go without a minor, wondering what I would ever do with all of those complicated theories. But, some twenty years later, here I am, actually referencing some basic principles in a sprint car blog. Go figure.
Relating supply and demand to Indiana sprint car action, in the last five years I have maintained my stance about the oversaturation of this market. With multiple options three nights each week for the majority of spring and summer, this slices the pizza into awfully narrow slices for what is a finite number of hungry fans and competitors, far too much supply for what I consider to be limited demand. I hope I am dead wrong, but my gut tells me that this will eventually catch up with some unlucky track operators, who are forced to survive with far too little meat left on the bone as it is. These losses can only be accepted for so long and even more depressing, people who are willing to take such a promoting risk just don’t grow on trees, so it makes me wonder when this bubble will finally burst.
Of course, that is viewing the drinking glass from a half empty perspective. But, one such venue that has looked long and hard at the bottom line belongs in Kokomo, Indiana. With the exception of Labor Day weekend, for the last two years most of August and all of September operations have been suspended. By this time of the year, history has shown that the demand from fans and competitors dwindles as higher profile events are staged several states away, smaller squads are constrained by blown bank accounts, maxed out credit cards, and worn out equipment, kids are heading back to school, and some people long to take real vacations that don’t revolve around racing. All those things have accounted for a declining demand for Sunday night sprint car action, as even some of the most hardcore fans are suddenly burned out (Indiana Open Wheel message board faithful excluded). Metaphorically speaking, if you liken sprint car races to a steak dinner, even the best New York strip loses its flavor when you have it night after night.
So instead of ringing up week after week of red ink, Kokomo Speedway sits idle, waiting for the demand to pick back up. By constricting their summertime supply of entertainment, they are thereby creating demand and adding value to their existing schedule, making it imperative to attend each event in May, June, and July. Their final fling before Labor Day weekend was the July 31st Bob Darland Memorial, attracting a superlative 28 sprint cars, a scant ten midgets, and a respectable yet somewhat disappointing crowd. My mention of the latter should be justification enough for their August shutdown, as high heat, the Brickyard 400, and the aforementioned burnout factor could have been to blame for the lower than expected attendance. When you are paying out a very healthy purse in two divisions ($3,000 to win and $200 to start for sprints and $2,000 to win and $150 to start for USAC D1 midgets), you need all the help you can get from both front and back gate receipts. Unfortunately, POWRi’s high stakes affairs in Nebraska and Missouri took its toll on the midget car count, poor timing for a premier offering elsewhere, especially considering that these machines no longer crawl out of Indiana’s woodwork.
Completely oblivious to Brickyard NASCAR nonsense, Dave Argabright rolled up to my humble abode around 3 PM, awfully early when the Kokomo convocation would not start until 5:45. Arriving in his incredibly awesome 1969 Camaro SS, once I figured out how to get buckled into the black beast, it was like taking a trip back in time when I rode to races with photographer Steve Remington, as late ‘60s/early ‘70s rock made me want to “name that tune”, barely audible over a noisy 4.10 rear axle ratio and ear-piercing exhaust. Joyfully slamming through the gears and winding out the small block 350, what a ride it was, windows rolled down for the full nostalgic effect. With a ’67 Firebird sitting in my garage, somehow, some way, I need to find some cash to get my wheels in motion.
Left on Morgan and right on Davis, we had our pick of prime parking spots, soon surprised to learn of Paul Menard’s Indy upset. Here so early, cars were still rolling in for the next hour, seeking refuge from the unrelenting orange disc in the Spencer Racing rig where we pondered the sanity of our incurable addiction, wondering what our worlds would be like without sprint car racing. Sure, there might be more to life than this, but tonight, you’d have a hard time convincing me otherwise.
That time of the year when jockeys climb aboard unfamiliar steeds, one such example included Oakland City’s Hud Cone, again finding work in the Pollock 21 normally assigned to Indy 500 vet and MOWA winged warrior Donnie Beechler. While his Fox 53 was readied for the upcoming USAC swing, Jon Stanbrough took the reins of Monte Edison’s Chalk chassis. Only his third time to compete at Kokomo, Bloomington “Mayor” Jon Sciscoe brought his set of shocks and Ty Deckard as added support, his third evening in a row to wheel the famous 57 for Paul Hazen. Coming highly recommended from chassis builder Joe Devin, Jon replaces Thomas Meseraull, who has taken a job with the Richard Petty Driving Experience and chosen to reduce his racing endeavors. Other Kokomo surprises included Tracy and Ted Hines, “Kentucky Kid” Aric Gentry, Steve Thomas, and Bedford’s Bub Cummings. Finding work in Chris Gurley’s Spike/Esslinger midget (this particular engine won Belleville for Bryan Clauson), Dave Darland doubled his pleasure, the only other double-duty dude aside from Shane Cottle.
Decked out in Fatheadz colors, Cottle’s midget hopes literally went up in smoke, as the little engine that could finally gave up the ghost during practice, reducing the field to just nine. Two of those nine made the long tow from Pennsylvania, as both Tim Buckwalter and Justin Grosz competed against ARDC enemies the previous evening in Mercer. Unless there are a multitude of events staged within close proximity (i.e. Midget Week), it’s really no wonder why there aren’t more midgets left around these parts.
From fourth, third, third, and fourth, sprint heat winners included Hines (Tracy), Andrew Elson, Coleman Gulick, and Darland, while redraw positions were populated by Josh Spencer (who had Monte Edison install a magneto on Saturday afternoon), Gurley (elbowing with Elson for the win), Justin Grant, and Sciscoe. High drama unfolded in turn two of heat two when Chris Windom tagged the left rear of J.J. Hughes, sending Hughes onto his nose and into some brutal barrel rolls. Exiting his tattered ride and raising his arms in the air, it was certainly a tough break for the kid from Columbus whose sprint car inventory is slim. Heat three saw Wes McIntyre’s spin swallow Jon Stanbrough, who was forced to join a stacked semi that included Windom and Cottle (Walker 11). All three would make the A, with Jon having to elevate all the way from eleventh, still struggling to find the handle in this foreign fling.
After spending some time with former Kokomo operator and Bonge’s Tavern fan Kent Evans (whose Sprint Week admission to his old track came free of charge thanks to current O’Connor ownership), I caught a pair of lonely midget prelims that were picked by Gas City sprint winner Brent Beauchamp (Sandy 16) and fifteen year-old Michigan midget sensation Taylor Ferns (guided by Kevin Besecker). Also on hand was former track champ A.J. Anderson, not seen in racing circles in 2011, but catching tonight’s action with new bride Marissa, the tandem calling Tilton, Illinois their home these days.
An 8:15 intermission allowed plenty of time to rework the dirt, with the sun finally dipping below the horizon a half hour later. Thirty laps would determine who would own those prestigious Sunday night bragging rights for the next month, beginning Elson, Gurley, Grant, Sciscoe, Gulick, Spencer, Hines, and Darland from the first four rows. Including point leader Windom, the big three from the B would fire from the final two rows.
Gurley was the first to turn one, but by the exit of two it was Elson’s low-side launch that shot him to the point. An early entanglement between Logan Jarrett, Todd Kirkman, and Jamie Frederickson put the forward progress of Justin Grant on pause, having already stolen second.
Reverting to third for the restart, JG soon dueled with CG for runner-up rights, as the top-three could fit underneath one cozy blanket. Continuing to live the high life, in just four tours Justin gathered enough momentum to slip past the leader in corner one, but a cross-over volley in two retained the top spot for the Carmel, Indiana speedster. Grant’s top-shelf tactic was just too strong to withstand, sweeping past in a fourth turn squeeze play. At the lap eight caution called for Cone, Windom had already advanced from 17th to 10th, plenty of time to make an even bigger dent.
Stabbing and steering Mark Hery’s DRC/Claxton, after the yellow Justin said see-ya, owning a full straight advantage at the crossed flags. With the race for first a runaway, eyes turned to the flock flailing for third through seventh, with Sciscoe, Bloom, Elson, Gulick, and Windom involved in the free-for-all. Half-tracking the field, Grant’s gallop would be interrupted one final time for a Kirkman red flag.
With three lappers between the former BCRA midget champ and second place Keith Bloom, Jr., Chris Windom licked his chops in third, seven circuits left to continue his march. Initially falling to fourth but scaling to second by the white flag, without question The Bear made it an interesting affair. Stanbrough’s final turn, final lap spin attracted Gulick and Brian Karraker, creating chaos at the checkered. But at the end of it all, those bragging rights belonged to Grant, his first-ever Kokomo score that continued a white-hot July that contained collections at North Vernon, Chillicothe, and the previous evening, Eldora. Windom (up 15), Bloom, Gurley, and Hines tallied top-fives while Darland, Cottle (up 11), Sciscoe, Hines (Ted), and Elson earned sixth through tenth.
Speaking to Rob Goodman afterwards, the very happy winner remarked, “Oh, I’m so excited, I can hardly talk! I’ve wanted to win one here worse than I’ve wanted to win anywhere. I finally, finally got one! The forty couldn’t have been better. They put a GREAT car under me. It was awesome. It was fun to drive.”
“I wanted it to go green. I had a pretty good rhythm. I was just cruising. You get to where you are not thinking and just clicking off laps. Then you get a red and you get to sit there and think, wondering who is behind you, wondering if Dave or anyone else is coming.”
Discussing his banner year with Ohio car owner Mark Hery, Grant offered, “He’s given me a great opportunity and I couldn’t be happier with him. We’re having a blast and we’re running good, so it’s been a great year so far, one of the best years that I can remember. This is definitely a special win. It means the most out of any of them. I can’t believe it. I’m way excited!”
All that was left of the Bob Darland Memorial was a 25-lap midget affair, featuring a front row of Matt Westfall and Taylor Ferns with Shane Hollingsworth and Dave Darland firing from the second row. Again, only nine cars competed, leaving me to wonder just how many would wind up finishing. But in actuality, it truly turned out to be a very solid contest for so few cars.
Westfall led from the start in his Ford powered Hawk, but it did not late long for Ferns to flex her Mopar muscle, stepping upstairs in turn two to mop up Matt. Soon thereafter, red lights were lit when Justin Grosz took a nasty tumble through turn one, initially exiting his ride under his own power but having to be lifted into an ambulance once he came to his senses.
Ferns was flying after the restart, leaving Beauchamp to battle for second with Westfall. Hungry for a family score, Darland would enter the picture before Shane Hollingsworth’s spin gathered Tyler Roahrig and Michael Koontz.
After Beauchamp slowed to cause a caution with ten laps left, Ferns and Darland renewed their heat race rivalry. Side by side at the stripe with nine to go, Darland showed how low you can go through the corners, taking the shortest route to snatch first place. Taylor on top, Dave down low, and the Darland family creating all kinds of commotion, although they were wheel to wheel for the next four laps, it was evident that the Ferns 55 owned more speed as the young lady would eventually inch forward late in the game. Darland’s slight slip appeared to solidify her stranglehold, but an untimely gasp of power produced a spin with just a couple of laps left, heavy smoke emanating from under her hood. Despite Taylor’s misfortune, she impressed me immensely on this evening, looking forward to seeing how well she fares next year on the national circuit. So far, it looks like she has what it takes to mix it up quite well.
At the conclusion, Darland would wind up with the trophy, leaving Hollingsworth, Buckwalter, Ferns, and Roahrig in his wake. Having already taken home some Bob Darland hardware in a 2008 USAC Sprint Week union, Dave was awfully excited to celebrate this victory with the Gurley family, giving credit to his competition by stating, “She (Taylor) did a great job. She moved up and passed me back there for a few minutes. I bobbled down there and hit that tire that one time and somehow I was able to keep my momentum and get back by her. She had that problem down here but she drove the wheels off that car and that was pretty impressive.”
Discussing the marriage of two legendary open wheel families from Northern Indiana, Darland said, “It is great. Chris told me this afternoon when we got here that there were only two last names that could drive this car. One of them was a Darland and one of them was a Gurley. So I said, ‘Luckily I’ve got one of those names.’ I’d just like to thank Chris, Van Junior., and Van Senior. They gave me a good racecar tonight. Brian Cripe was back there helping us, giving us a few pointers on things to do. I’d just like to thank everybody involved and the Kokomo Speedway for having us. It was a great racetrack tonight. We just missed it in the sprint car but Chris and the boys had this midget going good. It was a good race in my dad’s memory and honor, to remember him as a great person and a great car owner. We had a lot of fun.”
“I forgot to mention my mom. She was a great race fan for a long time. She supported us all the way and helped us when she could. Mom was a great person too and unfortunately she’s not with us anymore. We’re all just using this moment to remember them.”
The storybook ending was bittersweet when recognizing the fact that the Kokomo Speedway would not be in action for another month, creating separation anxiety and leaving the fans wanting more. Demand has surely risen for the Vince Osman Memorial on September 4th, but for now, all I was left with were the memories of a glorious evening, basking in the glow as Argabright’s Camaro cruised through Kokomo’s endless stoplights, soothed by the cool breeze that drifted across rural Tipton and Hamilton county farmland. Aggressive and seductive push rod power never missing a beat, Carmel came way too soon, my last true summer Sunday sadly vanishing into the starry night. Listening to Dave stand on the gas as I watched his taillights disappear, a limited supply of these feelings surely keeps me coming back for more, hoping for a duplication sooner rather than later.
Just five days later, those laws of sprint car supply and demand were again put to the test with the World of Outlaws invasion of Bloomington Speedway, the first time this series had visited the quarter-mile of red clay in twelve years. This pairing was made possible by long-time Outlaw ally SLS Promotions, teaming with Mike and Judy Miles to put up the large sum necessary to earn the date. If ever a large crowd was necessary, tonight was one of those nights but as it turned out, they need not have worried one bit.
Although Bloomington is better known for Indiana University and its five national basketball championships, it is still home to Steve Kinser, the undisputed King of the Outlaws whose legend seems to grow larger as the years go passing by. One of the last chances to catch the 57 year-old in action at his home track, tonight seemed so much more significant than his last appearance in 2006 with the ill-fated National Sprint Tour. With gates opening at 5 PM on Thursday evening just so fans could lay down lawn chairs and blankets, an unofficial report stated that a line formed at the bottom of the hill, not coming to an end until the Fairfax Road entrance! Paying such a premium ($35) to satisfy the pent up demand from the past decade, the record attendance completely backs up my basic rules of sprint car economics.
Not even a passing shower on Friday afternoon could curb the enthusiasm, as they just kept on filing in, regardless of the standing room only status on top of the hill. I’ve been attending WoO wars here since 1987 and this was without question the largest Bloomington turnout I’ve ever been witness to, including the last ten years of Indiana Sprint Week. Every inch of grass, asphalt, concrete, or wooden bleacher was occupied – such an intoxicating atmosphere and impressive sight to behold. Far out beyond the fence line on the north end, cars and trucks were even sneaking a peak.
Scooping up beaten and battered sprint car rookie Joe Whisler from his Plainfield pad, our wait in the lengthy pit shack sign-in queue was kindly erased by Leslie Prince, sending us to the front of the line as legit locals. Advanced ticket sales offered a pit pass and general admission for forty bucks, thus pre-race pit road turned NASCR amateur hour, as eager fans hungered for t-shirts and autographs from the King and his court.
Trying to peddle some Whisler Racing hats to aid in Joe’s recovery, JW’s primary racing benefactor is Jordan Angle, who spent more sprint car dollars in Plainfield by applying Angle Buildings decals to the front wing of Bill Rose, who earlier installed a Rider engine that had been delivered from PA by Lucas Wolfe. I was in the house when Rose nearly won a wicked-fast Midwest All Stars feature here two years ago.
Of course the largest throng surrounded Steve, spotting Paragon Speedway’s pit gate guard Jim Baker sharing a handshake, requesting a signature on his Kinser Clash photo from 1986. Watching the legend step into his throne while wearing the bare minimum of safety gear, except for his recent broken hand and wrist, it’s amazing just how long he has managed to survive this savage sport without serious injury. While stepping away from the crowd, I bumped into Josh and Mitch Cunningham, the latter leading every lap in his return to sprint car racing the previous Saturday at Paragon, having last driven in the 2007 season.
For the last two seasons, Steve’s Tony Stewart Racing teammate has been Donny Schatz, who was still trying to find himself in the Outlaw food chain of 1999. With sprint car shock absorber technology shooting through the roof in the last couple of seasons, it was interesting to spot old-school, twin-tube Pro Shocks attached to all four corners of the STP J&J chassis, having recently experimented with AFCO, Penske, and Factory Kahne.
Twenty-six sprint cars readied for battle, bolstered by unusual names like Tommy Worley, Jr. (winning that Midwest All Stars meet in 2009), Cole Duncan, Jimmy Stinson, Ty Deckard, Chase Briscoe, Chase Stockon, Kody Kinser, Paul May, Miranda Throckmorton (wearing a decal in memory of Paul Wilson) and Tom Busch, the latter utilizing a flop-tube (rear) 1991 J&J chassis formerly driven to victory by Chase’s dad Kevin at the 1993 Lawrenceburg round of the CRA Midwestern tour. Absolutely unheard of, other than Dave Peperak or the Dick Myers owned 1991 Hoffman chassis driven by Brian Gerster to a new one lap track record in the Must See event at Salem the next night (14.169 seconds), who else runs a chassis so old? Unfortunately, engine issues haunted Busch all night long, preventing a feature start.
Finally making our way up top, while on our way to snag some seats I managed to bump into former Northern All Stars Late Model champ and 2000 HARF sprint car rookie of the year Jeff Wilson, who like so many is itching to get back into the game after being away for a few years. Eleven years ago, Wilson took a nasty ride in what might have been his first Bloomington sprint car outing, nearly scalping the flagman in the process. Having our choice of lawn seats reserved by Angle and my nephew, we went with Danny’s unobstructed view from turn four, a long distance from the dirt but thankfully not requiring the stretching of our necks. Seriously folks, this seemed more like a rock concert at Verizon Wireless Music Center than a race. Other than the World 100 at Eldora, I’ve never seen so many people packed into one small area as this.
A 4 PM shower delayed warm-ups for almost an hour, as Mike Miles and his staff attempted to iron-in the excess moisture, which inevitably required six rounds of hot laps to widen the groove. Four cars from the end of the qualifying line, point leader Jason Meyers clocked quickest at a blistering 9.672 seconds, still a ways off the all-time record set by Joey Saldana (9.373), who was here to watch but still wore a cast from his Kings Royal wreckage. The King was fourth at 9.767 and perhaps the biggest surprise, Ty Deckard (with help from Jared Fox) proudly represented the locals by timing ninth (9.913).
As expected, Outlaw prelims were limited in overtaking, with third-quick Donny Schatz making the most noise in moving from fourth to second in his heat and from fourth to first in the dash. A four-time series champ, Schatz’s speed was certainly no fluke, but over the years he has excelled on the dry-slickies, not the wet and tacky cushions of tonight. Scoring one for the little man, it should be noted that Alex Pettas took the final B-main transfer with a 360 cubic inch steel block underneath the hood.
After winning his heat from third and scoring second in the dash, unofficial Steve Kinser teammate Jason Sides gave “Tequila” Schatz the biggest fight in the forty lap finale. Donny was the rabbit early on, utilizing both top and bottom lanes to cut the quickest laps. While Schatz worked traffic, both Sides and fifth-starting Lucas Wolfe closed to make it a three-car corral. It didn’t take long for Paul McMahan and Jason Meyers to join the party as well, but it would be “Double-Down” who would earn first with a nifty move off the bottom four at lap 13.
A caution for Jimmy Stinson (Fink 41) allowed for the first double-file restart, with an outside sweep of corner four shooting car 15 back out front for good. Sides could not counter and would eventually exit stage left with a broken u-joint, awarding second place to Wolfe. Only a caution on the final lap for Paul May and a corresponding red for Austen Wheatley would make it close, but a sizeable jump by Schatz sealed the $10,000 deal, spoiling the homecoming party for The King, who struggled to find feature speed in his sixth place performance.
Wolfe and McMahan completed the podium with Chad Kemenah and Meyers rounding out the first five. Saldana fill-in Brad Sweet, Danny Smith, Craig Dollansky, and Kraig Kinser (up eight spots) landed seventh through tenth. Hard-working Bill Rose scrounged 13th place money from 21st, earning him $1,100 for his efforts.
Taking a look at the surface afterwards, I was thoroughly impressed, noting that another feature could have been held, reminding me of days of old when heavy was the norm for all dirt tracks. Heading down to the pits to allow the massive throng to dissipate, I overheard Kasey Kahne employee Matt Hummel talk about the drive through the night to Festus, Missouri. Remembering my ultimate desire to chase this tour as a teenager, I was suddenly reminded why I made the correct decision when offered an opportunity to be the tire man on Verlin Chupp’s number 7c back in August of 1993. Had I made that move instead of heading back for my final year at BSU, I can only imagine how much different my life would be right now. Undoubtedly, I would not be pushing papers around a desk and probably would not enjoy a comfortable existence.
Blowing the dust off my college textbooks, can the laws of supply and demand actually be applied to Indiana sprint car racing? I don’t pretend to be an economist or nor do I claim to have the answers to the issues encountered by the Indiana sprint car sphere, but it would appear that limiting the supply of races, whether it is switching to a specials-only schedule or shortening the regular season altogether, would make the most sense in maintaining proper demand, thereby creating value for track operators, fans, and competitors. With the number of Hoosier racing options numbering in the hundreds for a six month span, from whatever side of the fence you are on, it is literally impossible to maintain the enthusiasm and the budget to take it all in.
As they say, you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone, reminded of this worn out phrase with the elimination of Kokomo competition for one month, not to mention the absence of the World of Outlaws from Bloomington for 12 years. Such extremely limited supply created insane demand and transformed these recent offerings into must-see status. Granted, I don’t take pleasure in depriving myself of things I enjoy, but too much of one thing can never be good. If my suggestion actually comes to fruition and can save the sport and several venues from extinction, maybe all of those hours spent in the classroom did do me some good after all. Two decades later, I may not be officially using all of my college education, but I haven’t completely lost it yet either.
Standing outside of Bonge’s Tavern, that’s me, Tom Percy, and Steve Lafond. What a motley crew!
Volume 13, Number 8
The Spirit of Sprint Week
For anyone who has made it through my overly verbose blogs, my reverence for the enigmatic Canadian rock trio Rush has certainly become common knowledge. Their music, along with open wheel racing, automobiles, railroads, and the enjoyment of fine food are the things for which I hold the greatest passion. So, it’s only natural that my ponderings would contain smidges of each one of these subjects, as I can only write about what I feel strongest.
When quizzed about my favorite Rush tune, without question it is the often-played “The Spirit of Radio”, the first release off the band’s 1980 album Permanent Waves, said to be inspired by the slogan for Toronto radio station CFNY. Key to the popularity of the band, this song and album were their first to be widely played on FM stations and this particular piece was named one of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll (the only one from Rush on that list). Recently asked where I was when I first heard the song, I can instantly recall that it was sometime in 1980, walking outside of the Noblesville, Indiana McDonald’s and seeing and hearing some guy in a Pontiac GTO cruise by on Conner Street with the windows rolled down, that exact song cranking from stressed stereo speakers. Even though I was only in second or third grade, I already knew that I had a thing for GTOs. And, I instantly knew that I loved that song. Not much has changed in 31 years.
Winning at Lawrenceburg, third at Gas City, and fourth at Terre Haute, Robert Ballou was sixth in Sprint Week points.
I enjoy all forms of motorsports, but wingless sprint car racing remains closest to my heart. The moment in time that I knew this to be fact was 1997, as for the first time ever I skipped Eldora’s famed King’s Royal for the opening night of USAC’s expanded Indiana Sprint Week, which offered seven races in nine evenings from stops at Lawrenceburg, Kokomo, Terre Haute, North Vernon, Bloomington, Paragon, and Putnamville. With participation from a majority of SCRA’s west coast gassers (similar to those wonderful CRA Midwestern tours of the mid ‘80s and early ‘90s), there was no place I’d rather have been than sweating it out in the sauna-like grandstands of Indiana’s bullrings. Ever since then, my thirst for this form of competition could not be quenched, with the “spirit of Sprint Week” reigniting those passionate flames each year.
The powerful and upbeat “Spirit of Radio” describes music’s mysterious yet magical powers. But how would one define the spirit of Sprint Week? Is it the healthy car counts? Is it the high drama of intense wheel-to-wheel competition? Is it the seven race marathon of late nights and far too early mornings, pushing teams to the brink of exhaustion? Is it the possibility of smaller funded, local squads upsetting the big boys by successfully defending home turf? Is it the massive crowds, caravan of campers, and the legendary parties, with fans flocking from lands afar? Or, is it simply the high humidity and unbearable temperatures of Hoosier summers?
Here’s the winning Indy 500 machine from 1957 for Sam Hanks. What an awesome piece.
Whatever it is, that spirit of Sprint Week has shot this festival to the top of the charts when it comes to desirable sprint car events. Even though car counts have dwindled compared to the late 1990s and early 2000s, attendance has not, as several speedways have simply run out of available seating, truly a good problem to have in this tight economy. Although Ohio’s winged All Star Sprint Speedweek might be the original, it’s hard to argue with the continued success and momentum of Indiana’s wingless version. Labeling it my “zenith” or “summer solstice”, fourteen years later it remains the highlight of my year, the one moment where I can completely escape from all of my troubles and simply focus on the all-out sensory overload of sprint car entertainment. Just as Geddy Lee sings about the radio bearing a gift beyond price, almost free, even though the Sprint Week price of admission is twenty bucks, it is a small price to pay for owning the ability to so easily transform my mood.
So eager and excited about its arrival, like a kid whose summer vacation from school is over, I’m equally devastated when Sprint Week draws to a close. For the third year in a row, the Oldham abode would welcome out of town guests from the golden state of California, as Irvine’s Tom Percy and Campbell’s Steve Lafond made their annual Indiana invasion. A former Ron DiDonato and Junior Holbrook helper, Percy again split his time between Carmel and Columbus, assisting John Hughes and son J.J. in their pursuits. As always, Ded Ringer drummer Lafond brought some musical material as his band has an awesome new release forthcoming in Ded Eye (the official unveiling takes place on August 19th at The Quarter Note Lounge in Sunnyvale, CA). But, the Tear-Off Heaven Fotos founder (www.tohf.com) also brought his camera gear to capture image after image for various publications from around the world, using the late night drives back to our home base to load them into his laptop, employing various tricks of the trade to turn them into absolute masterpieces. The camaraderie of fellow sprint car crazies and the sharing of laughter, good tunes, and great food has ultimately become my personalized spirit of Sprint Week.
Leading laps at Kokomo and Brownstown and making all seven features, Chad Boespflug had an outstanding Sprint Week.
Spending three hours in the office on the fourth of July holiday and tirelessly sewing up the details of a quarter close from Tuesday through Friday, Steve and Tom arrived in my driveway on the eve of Sprint Week in a rented Ford Focus, kicking off the summer spectacular with a marvelous meal at Taste, a unique So-Bro (South Broad Ripple) establishment that’s only open for dinners on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Requiring a forty minute wait for a table, the down time was well worth it as we carefully concocted our eating agenda from the extensive menu, sharing an enticing appetizer of chipotle frites while ordering entrees of bacon chops topped with red cabbage (Tom and Steve) and spicy pulled pork tingas (me). Everything (including the salads) was out of the ordinary and as always leaving room for dessert, Tom inhaled his blueberry cobbler, Steve succumbed to the exotic Pavlova while I made quick work of my bread pudding, bananas, and chocolate sauce.
In between all of the Indiana crisscrossing, there really isn’t much time for fine dining. But, when there was ample time, I tried to make it all about quality, as my guests wound up dubbing this “Indiana Food Week” after enjoying a few hidden gems. Finding all of those one-off establishments that serve such good eats has not only become a passion, but a prime reason for requiring so many trips to the gym. If you’ve got to eat, it might as well be good.
Tuesday’s off night sent us to Perkinsville for Bonge’s Tavern, the premier stop on the Indiana Food Week tour.
Friday July 8th
Staying up far too late and arising way too early for my liking, it was no easy task completing that one final day of work before my vacation, knowing that my guests not only enjoyed a breakfast at Bub’s Café without me, but also angled northeast to Gas City long before I could release the shackles at 4 PM. What a thrash it was just to get to that point, but the freedom of an unencumbered Sprint Week was well worth the sacrifice.
This sunset over Gas City is absolutely breathtaking.
With Ded Ringer rather appropriately selected as my drive-time music, Lafond kept me abreast of the Gas City goings via electronic messaging, relaying that the opening night yielded an impressive assembly of 48 contestants, which would turn out to be the highest of the series. With the unique ability to get so close to sprinters cranking sideways, this I-69 Speedway is the most ideal place for shooters to gain that money shot, as evidenced by the population of 38 photographers in the infield grass. Surprisingly, that number was down from last year’s count of 44.
Surviving the violence of this barrel roll on opening night, Chase Briscoe came back to race at Brownstown.
Arriving just as sprint cars wheel packed, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that two-lap time trials were back after a two year hiatus. If I had to guess, the 2011 arrival of old-school USAC competition director Dave Brzozowski might have had something to do with that, encouraging him to revert to the traditional format during a Monday night Racin’ with D.O. program (www.racinwithdoshow.com) back in April. I will freely admit that I despise group qualifications, so thank goodness they were finally eliminated.
Unfortunately, Sprint Week’s usual bright sunlight, searing heat, and stifling humidity sealed the dark dirt for the timing light tango, so an early qualifying draw meant everything on opening night. Wearing R&B Truckers decals on the hood of his Steve and Carla Phillips DRC chassis (making Sprint Week possible with added funding and right rear tires), Jerry Coons, Jr. was the fifth car in line, clocking the chart-topping mark of 13.175 seconds. Now calling North Vernon home, New Yorker Coleman Gulick was seventh in the order and wound up second. The hottest man alive, Flying Illini Chris Windom came out ninth and timed third. An anomaly in the quick six, Clauson was 24th in the queue and still found fourth. After a Gas City test and tune the previous week, J.J. Hughes drew fourth and flaunted the fifth fastest time. Rare Gas City contestant Chad Boespflug was first out and solidified sixth.
Even at sunset, the sun looks to be broiling in Brownstown, Indiana.
With a Penske coil-over shock attached to his right rear corner, Tony Stewart Racing’s Levi Jones was perhaps the biggest qualifying disappointment with the 30th best time. On the flip side, Jon Stanbrough came out third from the end and was a solid 17th, with literally nothing to grab hold of. Likewise, Bobby East drew dead last but flogged his Maxim/Gaerte for all its worth, elevating to an amazing eleventh. Making something out of nothing, that’s the spirit of Sprint Week that I remember oh so well! The oohs and aahs from Keith Bloom’s big-time bike ride through three and four also added to the ambience, with this year’s crowd similar in size to last year’s absolute sellout.
With Focus midgets, modifieds, and thunder cars serving as unnecessary clutter, I still question why Sprint Week needs any support classes whatsoever. This is the premier wingless sprint car event of the year and so many come from a great distance to watch sprint cars, not modifieds and definitely not street stocks or thunder cars. So, why dilute the experience with such nonsense? Is a packed grandstand not enough to fund the evening’s events? Why not have USAC’s energetic announcer Blake Anderson do interviews with drivers, crew chiefs, or other racing personalities in the down time? Or better yet, why not use the breaks in between for additional track prep? These just aren’t any old weekly sprint car races. It’s Indiana Sprint Week and this destination deserves the same respect that its devoted legion of fans gives it.
Brett Burdette’s lone Sprint Week appearance came at Gas City, where he biked, flipped, and nearly stole a transfer out of the non-qualifier race.
Touring the pit area while the additional classes warmed up, my walk was extended when the surface was completely revived for heat race action. In the process of stretching my legs, I ran into USAC Indiana Sprint Week brainchild Kent Evans, who was up from Kentucky to take in the first weekend of action, including his first at Kokomo Speedway since selling out to Mark Owsley and Dick Bronson after the 1999 season. Brent Goodnight reportedly was fronting the cash for Kent’s admission on Saturday.
After sprint car tours of duty with Kevin Briscoe, Roger Tapy, and most recently Damion Gardner, former Indiana University men’s swimming coach Kris Kirchner was now wearing a USAC jersey, barking out orders from his golf cart. Literally bumping into Kurt Hawkins, who came within a lap or two of claiming a Bloomington Sprint Week victory way back in 1995, the heavy equipment repairman was helping buddy Tony Jarrett and his 17 year-old son Logan, a sprint car rookie who’s already turning heads. A former Kokomo combatant to Tony and Kurt, 1999 Sprint Week champ Tony Elliott was here peddling trailers, golf carts, and tow rigs while Arizona’s Jeremy Sherman, nearly claiming Kokomo Sprint Week glory in 2001 (overtaken on the last lap by Elliott), was in town to represent his customers at the humongous quarter midget event at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. I suspect that 2000 Sprint Week king Jay Drake was here too since his son Nick was competing in the Focus midget division. All told, the men just mentioned all contributed to the construction of today’s spirit of Sprint Week.
Shane Cottle passed more cars than anybody in Sprint Week. By coming from 21st to 5th at Terre Haute, he earned $2,500 from the Jack Kraemer Memorial fund.
Parked next to former employer Dallas Mulvaney and Robert Ballou was Oklahoman Jimmy Jones, here with Dustin Morgan for another Sprint Week soiree. Jones was also advising on the MPHG 81, for which Mulvaney quipped, “We don’t take a piss until Jimmy tells us to.” When Jones was present, Ballou was a bullet.
Back to black and teeming with traction after extensive scratching and watering, restored Gas City clay gave way to a wicked non-qualifier event that flipped four-time 2011 winner Brett Burdette (wearing new Mystery Machine colors). Brett landed on all four wheels and was so quick that he came through the field and nearly stole the final transfer to the heats. Scotty Weir (Gorby G1) stabbed the left rear of Chase Briscoe, chucking Chase into several barrel rolls that destroyed numerous bolt-ons, sending car 5 to the sidelines until Brownstown. Wes McIntyre and even bigger names like Damion Gardner, Hunter Schuerenberg, and Casey Shuman transferred. After timing a dismal 42nd, Matt Mitchell and car owner Jack Yeley didn’t even attempt the NQ – not the ideal way to begin Sprint Week by any means.
On the hammer at Bloomington, in five Sprint Week showings, Bobby East claimed fifth at Lawrenceburg and Brownstown.
Speaking of Shuman, his arrival accounted for some old-school Sprint Week spirit. Unable to get in touch with normal car owner Gerry Cook, by noon on Friday he and Robbie Rice assembled an Eric Barnhill owned Triple X chassis that had been reserved for ASCS winged wars. Installing a Shuman owned 360, they didn’t even know if the thing would fire until pushing off for warm-ups. Talk about a thrash, theirs was of epic proportion. How bad do you want to race? Rice (who owns most everything but the engine and chassis) and Shuman showed just how much.
I’m wearing out this Spirit of Sprint Week theme already, but Gas City heats emanated everything about the intensity that is always reserved for opening night. A heat race transfer means everything to those top-six qualifiers, as the inverted first three rows of the feature are only comprised of those who make the heat race cut.
Three-time Sprint Week champ Dave Darland poses before the Bloomington feature. Claiming third in points, he won at Gas City and took second at Bloomington.
McCordsville, Indiana’s Wes McIntyre aggressively attacked the top in the first heat, claiming an unheard of heat race transfer after coming through the NQ. What a drive by the kid! Desperate people take desperate measures, as evidenced by Levi Jones moving Ted Hines for fourth in heat two. Ted was unhappy with the nudge, chop-blocking on his way back to the pit area. After heavy contact with Todd Kirkman, Gardner junked his rear end, skipped the B, and popped a provisional. Again – this was not the best way to start the most grueling week of the season. Team Automotive salesman Chris Gurley paid back Daron Clayton by sending him to the infield in heat four while Clauson circled Shuman through the final set of corners to steal the final transfer. Hot and heavy, that’s what Sprint Week action is all about.
The Gas City consolation held high drama as well when Shuman attempted a bonsai move in turn three of the last lap. Unable to pull it off, he took Riggs and Robbins with him, with Gurley gassing it through the grass, shooting from 9th to 6th through the final set of corners and earning the lone remaining A-main ticket after spinning on the first circuit. Justin Grant, Blake Fitzpatrick, and Hunter Schuerenberg (provisional) did not make the grade.
Jon Stanbrough really backs it in at Terre Haute, where he earned a solid third place finish. Jon wound up fourth in the Sprint Week standings.
Decisions…decisions… Even though the surface was wearing thin again, would another rework be necessary, especially with the hour growing late? With finicky Sprint Week crowds demanding top-notch competition, Jiggs Thomason rolled the dice and dug it up and although it is easy to say afterwards that it was not necessary, one cannot fault the monumental effort of his staff, as they worked their tails off in trying to make things right for their biggest night of the year.
Either way, the feature was dust-free as 13th fastest qualifier Robert Ballou started from the pole alongside tenth quickest Dave Darland. Yep, that’s right, the 13th fastest qualifier began from the pole after Hughes, Boespflug, Robbins, Clayton, Hines (Tracy), East, and Riggs were unable to finagle a top four in their heat. That’s how the deal works…
Requiring provisionals to start Gas City and Kokomo, Damion Gardner’s horrific week ended on a high note with a big win at Haubstadt.
In the all-green affair, the groove was mainly through the middle, only moving to the bottom when grip began to go away. The top six were tight all throughout the grind and Darland’s entry into lapped traffic kept it close for Windom, who pushed his front end a few times in turn four. Clauson applied heat for second but eventually yielded to Ballou, who nearly won here the week before and gave Windom all he could handle for second. Chad Boespflug started eighth, was looking good in fourth, but fell back a few spots towards the conclusion.
Driving the Leer Racing DRC for Danny Roberts and Daryl Tate, Dave Darland dominated the third Sprint Week opener in a row (a fact donated by “Railroad” Joe Higdon), his record-setting 15th in Sprint Week competition, 34th career USAC sprint car tally, and 76th score in all three national divisions, tying him with Jack Hewitt for seventh on the all-time list. Windom and Ballou completed the podium, with Clauson and hard charger Shane Cottle fourth and fifth, the latter advancing nine spots in the Jeff Walker Maxim/Claxton. Done at an unusually late 11:40 PM (the latest ending of the week), Coons, Boespflug, Gulick, Clayton, and Hines collected sixth through tenth.
With the sun still setting, Bloomington’s show moved so quickly that they had ample time for driver introductions. What a gorgeous picture.
Exiting his ride to the rowdy response of his fanatical followers, Darland offered his traditional victory lane speech, commenting, “I’ve got to thank Jiggs for the race track. It’s just tricky when they rework the track a couple of times a night. Daryl was the man tonight. He gave me a racecar that was capable of getting ‘er done. I’ve just got to thank my team and the track for the preparation. Daryl Tate, Dan Roberts, and Bruce Leer gave me a great racecar. I’d like to thank the fans for coming out. I’m just glad to be here in victory lane tonight.”
Describing what it was like to start from the front row in such a high-profile event, Dave admitted to Blake Anderson, “It certainly is nerve wracking. There’s big guns all throughout the field. There’s probably 30 cars here tonight that could have won this race if it was the right conditions. We’re just glad to be here. Driving this 21x car for Dan Roberts and Daryl Tate, we’ve only ran 20 to 30 races this year, so we’re still learning each other. We entered into Sprint Week with a lot of momentum. We won Putnamville last week and we won Bloomington the week before that, so I’ve been right up front with this thing. It feels great to be here in victory lane for Indiana Sprint Week again.”
Finishing fourth at Kokomo and Lawrenceburg, Justin Grant made quite an impression with his solid Sprint Week performances.
Driving Steve home as Tom headed to a Kokomo hotel with the Hughes family unit, filthy, fatigued, and famished, the only thing open for a late night snack was Steak ‘n Shake. Allowing us to catch up on an interesting evening where Lafond was able to renew so many acquaintances, the spirit of Sprint Week was indeed alive and well, with my mood clearly modified to upbeat, just in time for the most anticipated stop of the tour. Like a kid on Christmas morning playing with his new toys, there is simply no better time than Indiana Sprint Week.
Saturday July 9th
While fueling up with surprisingly satisfying rib eye steaks at Granite City (the restaurant and brewery, not the suburb of St. Louis), a phone call from my father waved the white flag on our Kokomo collaboration due to his sudden hip injury. It is hell getting old and with all the bad news coming from our family in the last few months, I couldn’t help but feel an acute sense of sadness, as Kokomo Sprint Week is one race that you don’t want to miss.
So what was up with Kokomo hosting their Sprint Week round on a Saturday rather than the traditional Sunday? It all had to do with Lawrenceburg, which requested Sunday so not to conflict with nearby Kentucky Speedway’s initial Nextel Cup nonsense. Boy, what a huge mess and cruel joke that turned out to be! Thank God that I grew out of my NASCAR infatuation a long time ago.
New York’s Coleman Gulick made all seven Sprint Week features, earning eighth at Gas City, Kokomo, and Brownstown.
Anyone close to the scene comprehends the magical combination of Kokomo and Sprint Week, so as expected; parking was jam-packed some two hours before hot laps were scheduled to begin. Down eight from opening night, forty cars came to K-Town, with most of the same players available. This time, only street stocks and thunder cars served as support and because these machines kill two birds with one stone by aiding in track prep, I can excuse these normally unnecessary diversions. Thanks to those skinny-tired stockers that renewed moisture, the surface needed nothing all night long – no packing, scraping, or watering – unbelievable in the high heat and sizzling sunlight that made me sweat like a pig. With no dust that I can recall, preparer Reece O’Connor clearly deserves a huge pat on the back for a job well done. Obviously he did his homework by watering well in advance of Saturday’s date and I rate his surface as the best of Sprint Week (although Bloomington was an awfully close second). It’s really no stretch of my imagination when I say it was really that good.
Completely a flip of Friday, a late qualifying draw seemed to help on Saturday, as the majority of the top times were turned at the end of the line. Out 27th, Hunter Schuerenberg rebounded from his sub-par showing by tripping the timing loop at an impressive 12.675 seconds, his Fatheadz Spike nailing the number one spot. Just four cars from the end, Justin Grant raised eyebrows when he gathered second in a new DRC for Mark Hery’s Sunset Meats (where you can’t beat our meats, but you can lick our bones). Out 20th, Jerry Coons wound up third while Shane Cottle was 28th in the queue but clocked sixth. On the flip side, Clayton came out sixth and found fifth. Disappointments again included Jones (21st), Brady Short (27th), and Mitchell (28th).
Driving deep into Gas City’s turn three, Chris Gurley was two for two in making Sprint Week features at Gas City and Kokomo.
Since regaining a Sprint Week date in 2006, Kokomo heats have always been the craziest of any of the seven stops, inciting all kinds of bad behavior among drivers and crew members alike. Case in point, how about this for heat one? Clayton attempted to thread a needle and climbed a wheel in turn one, dumping hard through two. Before the B was pushed, the Hoffman 69 was sent back to Cincinnati while Daron was stuck in the hospital. Piloting Paul Hazen’s 57, Thomas Meseraull threw the nastiest slide job of the week on Jon Stanbrough for third place in turns three and four, an insane win-it-or-wear-it move that was called back for a caution. Obviously agitated, Damion Gardner clearly wheeled Coleman Gulick on the front stretch, with the Ice Man remaining calm, cool, and collected, so much that he stole the final transfer with a last turn, last lap sweep of T-Mez. More than a mouthful, that was only one heat and that’s the kind of Sprint Week action that immediately comes to mind.
In the second event, Grant center-punched Cottle on the back chute, with Shane suffering a flat left rear, unable to make it back in time. Rocketing from the rear to fourth, Justin made a believer out of a lot of people on Saturday night, doing so with a bent frame after the contact.
Check out the lines on Jim Rathmann’s 1960 Indy 500 winner. You’ve gotta love the roadsters.Heat three’s highlight was watching underdog J.J. Hughes fend off a ferocious attack from the bottom-feeding Brady Short, making his second Sprint Week main event in a row on an awfully tight budget and a ten year old engine that once powered another J.J. (Yeley). Running a conservative schedule for 2011, Hughes plans on attending Indiana State University in the fall.
The usual Kokomo meltdown occurred in heat four. Normally reserved for much hotter heads, this time it was Kokomo’s favorite son who was on center stage. Continuing a controversy that flared up a few weeks ago in Paragon, Chris Windom again spun fourth-quick Dave Darland, this time from a key feature transfer position. An angry Darland stormed through the field and appeared to have enough for a transfer but got tied up with Australian Gary Rooke and was forced to stop. Even more agitated; Dave got to Gary on the last lap and threw a nasty slide job in turn three, elbowing the Aussie out of the way. Rooke took exception on the cool-down lap and retaliated with a rap to Darland’s rear, which sent The People’s Champ over the edge. Dave heavily swerved at his counterpart on the front stretch, angled to the pits, and launched over the turn one embankment, reaching out of the cockpit to give the one finger salute to Gary with his right hand, Dukes of Hazzard style! As it always happens here, the grandstands emptied just to catch a glimpse of a pit lane brawl. But unlike years past, there was no such riot. Who says controversy isn’t good for the sport?
Tracy Hines made all seven Sprint Week features on his own merit. Brownstown’s fourth place ended up being his best finish.
Kokomo heat race intensity was magnified by the stat that only one out of the quick six qualifiers transferred through the heats. That only meant one thing: a supremely stacked B-main that was simply a mob scene. Top, middle, and bottom grooves were employed as drivers foamed at the mouth and fanned three-wide, with four and sometimes five cars having at it for the final ticket to the feature. Gardner was again left out in the cold, as were Andrew Elson, Meseraull, Short, Hendrick, East, Morgan, and Mitchell. Two nights in a row, DG was in provisional land. Other than destroying equipment, could it get much worse for one of the sport’s most high profile players?
After his solid showing at the opener, Chad Boespflug (timing 12th) maintained momentum by snatching the pole position. Casey Riggs joined him up front, with Stanbrough and Windom right behind. With feature lap leaders consisting of Riggs (1-2), Boespflug (3-7), Windom (8), Boespflug (9), Windom (10-24), and Schuerenberg (25-30), if you weren’t there, one could easily surmise that it was a great race. And, indeed it was.
J.J. Hughes started off Sprint Week hot, making A-mains at Gas City and Kokomo. After that, his fortunes would make a turn for the worse.
I was thoroughly impressed with Boespflug’s attack of Kokomo’s quarter-mile, first enjoying a slide-fest with Riggs before slugging it out with Windom in a battle-royale. Over the cushion in four, the former Hanford, California “Hornet” fell back to third while Schuerenberg smoothly sailed from seventh to second by living the high life. Attempting to get back into the mix, Boespflug biked to the wall in two and broke his front axle, swallowing a helpless Stanbrough.
With 17 laps left, Hunter restarted third but immediately secured second with an outside swipe. Moving down to find moisture through the middle of three and four, the “head” Hunter gained big ground on The Bear while behind them, Grant galloped to third. Nerf bar to nerf bar at the flag stand with nine to go, Windom moved down to thwart any seizure. Keeping them guessing, the next circuit saw Schuerenberg sneak to the top in three and four, untouchable the rest of the way. After some psycho donuts in turn four, he celebrated in victory lane with his Rock Steady Racing crew of Hank Byram and Tim Spindler, their third USAC triumph of 2011.
Here’s Al Unser’s 1971 Indianapolis 500 winning mount. I totally dig the Johnny Lightning paint!
Second again was Windom while Clauson clawed his way from 15th to third. Grant and Mike Spencer earned their best Sprint Week finishes of fourth and fifth. Riggs, Coons, Gulick (up 14 spots from 22nd), Darland, and Gardner (up 13) were scored sixth through tenth. Perennial Sprint Week master and last year’s Kokomo king Levi Jones was an unusual 11th.
Needing to win the B in order to make the A, a happy Hunter had this to say afterwards: “Last night was a lot of error on my part. I didn’t do what I was supposed to in qualifying. That just really set the tone for the whole night. This was a lot of fun. I’m glad I got a rebound tonight. I knew, as good as Chris is here, that if I showed him a nose, he’d move down and he’d be hard to pass, which he did. Hats off to him for racing me clean. You’ve got to race a guy hard when you’re battling for the lead like that. But, I’ve never seen Chris try to run me over or anything. It was a nice clean race. I was out of breath. I was holding my breath for the last five laps.”
Jon Stanbrough puts on his game face before Terre Haute.
My pick for the number one event of the week, primarily for the number of lead swaps but also for the awesome surface and early exit (10:30), the entire O’Connor family put in an all-star effort on the highest of profile evenings, so indicative of what is simply norm for Sunday nights.
Bumping into former Kokomo Speedway operator and car owner Kent Evans, during our conversation I pressed the record button on my digital recorder, with this being the end result:
KO: This was your first race back to Kokomo Speedway since selling the place in 1999/2000. What did you think?
Evans: The O’Connors have done a nice job here. The race was good tonight. They ran the program very efficiently. They didn’t have any down time. Nice show.
KO: The layout of the track is obviously quite different from before. You have to have an opinion about that. From the racing you saw tonight, what did you think?
Evans: The race track is nice, but I’m still old-school. I do like this race surface. They’ve done a real nice job. I’m old fashioned Kokomo.
Check out that gorgeous sunset at Kokomo. Does it get any better than this?
KO: You’ve owned sprint cars. You’ve owned this track. And, you’ve been a fan of sprint cars. As a fan, would you come back here?
Evans: Oh, definitely. Definitely. Yeah. It was a good race. Good program. They’ve done a nice job. I was teasing them a little bit when I first got here, picking on them a little bit. But, they’ve done a nice job here. The big thing to Sprint Week is, you don’t need all the other support divisions. We just need to run the sprint cars. One class. The people travel from all over the United States to see sprint cars, not to see five or six or four other divisions.
KO: Back in 1996 when you went down to the Waffle House in Martinsville and met with Keith Ford and Mike Miles, did you ever have any idea that it would be anything like this, with packed parking lots and people traveling from all over the world to watch sprint cars in Indiana?
Evans: No. But you know what? Back then, I went to one race of Ohio Sprint Week and I had a vision and the vision was there. I knew it would work. Like I said, it’s a great deal and I’m happy for all of the other promoters. But, I wish I could have reaped some more of the harvest. My biggest thing is the fact that there are a large number of fans who have supported this. They had a lot of young kids here tonight. It’s going well. A lot of the promoters told me in ’97, ‘Well, it will never work. It will never work.’ Well, it’s working.
Levi Jones is hard on the hammer at the Terre Haute Action Track. Need I say more?
Sunday July 10th
Needing to make an early morning clip down to Columbus, Tom was unable to join us for a massive brunch at Bub’s Café, where I gobbled up Graham crusted French Toast, topped with pecans and an unbelievable sauce that nearly demanded no syrup. More like dessert rather than breakfast, a fresh bowl of fruit added some validity to the meal, which was eventually topped off with six glazed Bub Holes, so filling that we had to take two of them home in a Styrofoam box. My better half (Rachael) and her cousin joined us for the feast that as always, never disappoints.
Feeling the need to make a four mile jog on the shaded Monon Trail to work off a portion of the Bub’s banquet, with the hour and forty minute haul required to The Burg, said jog pushed us a little closer than Steve would have liked, as I generally tried to get him there one hour before hot laps commenced. With all of those indulgences of Indiana Food Week, even though I was wiped out energy-wise, I still managed to stumble into the gym every other day.
Mason’s Root Beer Stand was my second favorite stop on Indiana Food Week.
The sprint car count totaled 39 at Lawrenceburg, joined by a lone class of modifieds that numbered 42. Super hot and steamy along the Ohio River, with sun block liberally applied I broiled in the rays that reflected off of the aluminum bleachers. With sweat beading on my arms, forehead, and down my chest, if it wasn’t warm enough at Gas City and Kokomo, then this truly felt like the Indiana Sprint Week oven of old, with no antiperspirant strong enough to withstand such extreme body temperatures.
With such heat and humidity comes increased irritation among drivers and teams, as just two races were in the books when the pairing of Matt Mitchell and Jack Yeley became a thing of the past. A winner at Putnamville the previous evening in his Triple X chassis (with just 360 cubes of power), Casey Shuman bolted his Butlerbuilt seat into the ride, which only lasted through the heat race when the Yeley/Dooling power plant disintegrated. Standing at Terre Haute on Wednesday, Cactus Jack told Randy Mortland that he was awaiting the first Yates 410 Ford as a replacement.
Bryan Clauson had a quiet Sprint Week, claiming second in the standings. His best finish of the week came at Kokomo, where he charged from 15th to 3rd.
In the brief moments leading up to hot laps, I had a chance to speak to Sprint Week’s number one surprise Chad Boespflug, who has looked solid everywhere I’ve seen him race this season. Here’s how our conversation went:
KO: Are you still leading the points here?
CB: Yeah, we gained quite a bit the last time we were here. We ran fourth and the guy in second place had some misfortune. It was a good points night for us and hopefully we can keep it going.
KO: I don’t think I’d seen you much at Gas City and yet you ran really strong at the Sprint Week opener. How many times had you run up there before Friday?
CB: We’ve probably been there two or three times this year – total. We didn’t really have any luck until Indiana Sprint Week when we qualified sixth, started eighth, and missed the transfer out of the heat. We won the B-main, started eighth, got up fifth, but ended up backing up to seventh. It was the best finish for us at Gas City.
KO: You had some momentum going into Kokomo and you ran well there for the KISS show a few weeks ago. Obviously things didn’t work out in your favor but how excited were you to race with Windom for the lead?
CB: Oh, it was fun. We were hoping to get a better jump there. Riggs got out in front of us at the beginning. I got by him and me and Windom duked it out for quite a while. I was pretty pumped. I took the lead coming out of turn four and I remember going down the front stretch, taking a big old sigh, saying to myself, ‘Just keep it smooth’. Then Windom ended up getting back by me and we battled it out again. The car just started getting really tight, getting on the right front real hard. Then, Riggs got by me and I thought I was going to get him back. It just dumped on me on the right front. I felt the left rear come up. When I got it squared back up, I was facing the wall and had nowhere to go. It was unfortunate for my guys, because they work their butts off every day. We were real pumped up, starting on the pole. I thought we had a good shot and it was looking that way until we had a little bad luck there.
KO: But, you sound pretty optimistic today, going into your home track. Is it optimism because of The Burg or is it optimism because of running well in Sprint Week?
CB: Probably because we’ve run well both nights. It’s got us real pumped because we’ve run so well with all the USAC guys. These are the big names in the business. It’s real exciting. I’ve got a lot of friends from California – they’ve been watching on the internet. We’re happy to be here tonight and we’re looking for a good outcome since we do run here week in and week out.
Shown at Brownstown, this is where Casey Riggs scored his first career USAC sprint car victory.
KO: What’s been the key to success so far this year?
CB: We set out this year to have fun, to race a lot and just do the best we can. We communicate really well with the guys we’ve got. Things just seem to pan out better that way, by talking and figuring out what we need to do with the car and the motor, to get everything right for the track. We really discuss things a lot. We’ve been keeping up with the maintenance. Me and Buddy, we work four or five days out of the week, 8 to 5, just working on the car. It’s become more of a full-time thing for me while I’m not working. I do a lot of work in the winter, so this is my summer job. I couldn’t have it any other way.
KO: Your grandfather is the main guy who makes this happen. It seems like you two are on the same page. I’m assuming that he wants this as bad as you. Is that correct?
CB: Oh yeah. This is the year for us. This is what we moved back to Indiana for – to race this many times and to be as successful as we’ve been so far. Next year will be fifteen years of racing together for me and him. We’re really pumped about that. We’re going to have some custom paint for the car and stuff like that. Things are clicking good and we’re just having fun – really.
At Bloomington, when we went from 17th to 7th and back to 10th or 15th, but we were happy. We had fun. We were happy to pass a lot of cars. We didn’t get the best finish, but we had fun. At Kokomo, it was the same way – 15th to 11th – it wasn’t huge, but it was fun. It was a blast. I think that has a lot to do with it.
Shot at Bloomington, this is where Hunter Schuerenberg nailed down his second victory of the week, having already claimed Kokomo.
The motor is running good this year. Two years prior that, we fought a lot of motor trouble and now we’ve got motors running good. Having so many problems, chasing your tail all day long, trying to figure out what the problem is, when everything is in order, it just makes it a lot more fun for us.
I just want to thank Creative Finishing and all my buddies – Jordan, Jeremy, Grandpa, my dad, and all the family and fans that support me. Claxton Engines, Indy Race Parts, and Competition Suspension - all those guys do a lot for me. We’ve got good shocks on the car. With Claxton power under the hood, Jeff is calling me every week. ‘What did it do? Was it good? Was it bad? What’s going on with it?’ We couldn’t do it without all of those guys.
KO: Thanks for your time Chad and best of luck tonight.
Hunter Schuerenberg and Casey Riggs are hot and heavy in Kokomo’s feature.
Much like night one, an early draw was the key, as the high-banks started so hard packed that any available moisture below the upper crust had no way of coming to the surface. Unable to withstand the rigors of daylight savings time, it quickly dried out over the course of qualifications, with the exit of turn two posing as the biggest challenge, inducing wheel spin all the way to turn three.
Here’s all the evidence that substantiates the early draw claim. Out sixth and riding a Kokomo high, Hunter Schuerenberg was quickest at 13.922 seconds. Out seventh, Dave Darland still drove like a man possessed by clocking the second best time. Continuing to exhibit Sprint Week qualification prowess, third was Jerry Coons, Jr., ninth in the queue. Fourth fastest was Bryan Clauson, who was eighth in line. Bobby East and Justin Grant entered 14th and 17th and wound up fifth and sixth quickest. Levi Jones (second to last in line) and Shane Cottle drew poorly and were saddled with largely disappointing results: 18th and 32nd.
Coming all the way from California to start all seven Sprint Week features, a ninth place Terre Haute finish was Mike Spencer’s best effort of the week.
With daytime conditions during the heats, truth be told it became awfully difficult to see the cars through the dust and sun of turns three and four. Schuerenberg got banged twice in the left side nerf bar in heat one and had to go to the B. One of those bumpers was Jon Stanbrough, whose infield excursion on the last lap allowed him to escape with second. Levi Jones’s titanic Sprint Week struggle continued in heat two after failing to make the cut from the front row. Underdog Justin Grant, however, showed well with his win from fifth, hooking up through the slick stuff. With Keith Kunz coming on board to help Tracy Hines with the mechanical chores on his MP Environmental machine, despite such assurance, Tracy still spun in turn four and collected Kyle Robbins and Cottle, the latter flipping and requiring a provisional to take part in the A-main. Trying to wear all hats, including truck driver since he’s the only one on the team with a CDL, this would be the first time that Hines and Kunz have worked together since 1999.
After five modified heats, promoter/operator Dave Rudisell, who is individually absorbing the task of track prep for 2011, briefly quelled the dreaded dust with a light watering and packing up top. The same strategy worked wonders in the June Midget Week affair, but unfortunately things didn’t work quite the same for Sprint Week. I will say this, since the new Lawrenceburg configuration came into being midway through 2008, I have actually seen much better racing when the conditions were drier and the cushion was pushed all the way to the wall. A few of the drivers I spoke to afterwards were pleased with these conditions, citing the ability to pass, something that was an issue in years past. But, as they say, you can’t please everybody, as the finicky Sprint Week fans and photographers hold a higher than normal standard for their surfaces, preferring not to squint through a brown fog. Looking at it from a more positive angle, you never know what you’re going to get when it comes to Indiana dirt tracks during the dog days of summer. From a competitor’s standpoint, the racetrack is the same for everyone. Selfishly speaking, I’d much rather see wetter than drier, but the daunting challenge of having to master both truly makes the title of Indiana Sprint Week champion that much more elusive, requiring skills from not only the driver’s seat, but also with the wrenches. If every track were the same, wouldn’t it be boring?
It has been a long time since I have seen Terre Haute have a full house like this.
Lawrenceburg’s semi-feature was a shocker when learning that heavyweights like Scotty Weir, Levi Jones, and Shane Cottle didn’t make the initial cut to the A-main. The same status befell J.J. Hughes, whose feature start streak ended at two. Since making his first real splash during Sprint Week of 2001, when was the last time that Levi Jones didn’t make one of these features on his own merit? I seem to recall some troubles for Levi at Lawrenceburg in 2003 when he was driving for Jeff Walker, influencing a switch to Scott Benic for the next night. But given his Sprint Week strength of three titles since 2004, I was still mystified by the fact that Jones had to cash in a provisional after picking him as the overall favorite.
Tenth quick Robert Ballou would fire from the pole position, with defending Sprint Week king Jon Stanbrough starting alongside. After running up front at Kokomo and getting taken out, could this be the night that Jon’s luck would turn around?
Predicting some fireworks in the race to turn one, at the start Ballou drove it in deep and slid to the top, essentially winning the battle with that one, solitary move. With the surface blackened for the left rear but still damp for the right, for the most part the entire thirty lapper was operated up top, oh-so-fast in that upper lane. Requiring the employment of bold slide jobs to overtake, at lap eight Stanbrough successfully performed one of those daring moves to slip past Chris Windom for second place. Ballou may have held a big lead, but Jon seemed to close the gap, hooking up strongly on the west end.
Opening Sprint Week with three second place finishes and a win, no one could touch Chris Windom.
But, just like last night, an unavoidable, errant car came directly into Stanbrough’s path. This time, it was Kevin Thomas, Jr. who flipped atop turn one. Car 53 was sucked up into the calamity, as were Dave Darland and Keith Bloom, Jr. Amazingly, all continued except for Thomas, with some minor miracles performed by the Fox brothers to get Jon back into the battle, replacing multiple front end components in a short amount of time.
After a restart with ten tours in the books, fifth place Hunter Schuerenberg crushed the concrete in turn one, heavily damaging his ride and ending his evening. Shortly thereafter, Coleman Gulick blew a left rear tire and took Andrew Elson with him.
Now sitting in second after the Stanbrough mishap, Windom tried low on the ensuing restart but couldn’t make it stick. Moving my eyes through the field, the black and orange 71 of Jerry Coons, Jr. proved to be the passing master, beginning ninth and sliding Justin Grant for third at lap 18. Just a small time operation that didn’t even have the necessary funding to make it through the seven race span, the Steve and Carla Phillips owned machine embodied that old-school spirit of Sprint Week, with Carla scrambling to gather as many $200 sponsors as possible, making those backers proud with their solid performance thus far.
With Chris Windom sitting in his $3,500 rocking chair, he celebrates with his entire Baldwin Brothers team after claiming their first Indiana Sprint Week championship.
With Windom clinging dangerously close to Ballou at the white flag, Chris turned left at turn three to start a slide job but thought better of it, preserving Sprint Week and national title hopes in a veteran move. After Robert and Chris came Coons, Grant, and East (up five spots). Clauson, Hines, Short, Cottle (up 15 spots), and Jones (up 13) settled for sixth through tenth. Jon Stanbrough worked awfully hard for his 11th place money.
More than just a driver, in order to keep the MPHG team moving, Robert Ballou not only maintains the car and chases parts during the week, but he also works on the truck and trailer and drives the hauler to the track. Reflecting on his 2011 Sprint Week thus far, he openly admitted to Blake Anderson, “It’s been up and down. Last night, the track really wasn’t ready to qualify on, but that’s just part of the luck of the draw. Tonight, the guys that went out late didn’t have much of a chance. Thanks to the track prep guys for actually fixing this thing. The last few laps it started laying rubber. I don’t know about everyone else, but I was getting really tight. Hopefully we put on a good enough show for you fans and hopefully it wasn’t too dusty and you guys could see. Thank you for coming out here.”
Dave Darland attacks the thinning Terre Haute cushion.
“Dallas Mulvaney has been contemplating retiring this 81 car. He says he ain’t got enough time to do all of this stuff. So hopefully this win will get him back going in the right direction and hopefully we can keep this thing going for the next ten or so years.”
Speaking of his late-race scare, Robert relayed, “It started to lay rubber and I was getting real tight. I messed up lap after lap after lap. I don’t know if you guys could see it. But, me being in the seat, I could feel it. I could hear him the last few laps. I figured there would be something coming in one of the two corners. I didn’t know it was that close at the end of the race. Hats off to Chris Windom. Those guys are on top of their game. They ain’t run out of the top three in a long time. I’m just glad we got this monkey off our back. We’ve not run very well this year. Normally we’ve got a few wins by now. This is finally the first USAC win other than at Eldora Speedway.”
After changing into clean t-shirts and loading our gear, we aimed for Indy, the lengthy drive allowing ample time for a high-volume session of Rush and a preview of Steve’s images, having a hard time keeping my eyes on the road. If texting and driving is dangerous, then I don’t even want to tell you how treacherous this scenario is when traveling 70-80 mph. Through the lens of Lafond, at least early in the evening, Lawrenceburg looked out of this world. Unfortunately, the moisture really only lasted through hot laps and in days of old, this would have been the traditional “Indiana dry slickie” that would have meant going low and slow in order to move forward. If there was any solace to the arid conditions of Sunday night, it’s that the preferred lane was all the way around the top, still lightning quick but a long way from the killer Kokomo we saw the evening previous. Indiana Sprint Week certainly allows for such side-by-side surface comparisons and it’s a well known fact that not every round can be the shiny gem that we wish for. When hopes are high, naturally there will be a few people left disappointed when not reaching those often unreasonable Sprint Week expectations that have become the norm. But, that’s life and at least there were four more opportunities left to regain that positive spirit.
Monday and Tuesday - July 11th and 12th
I was non-stop busy for the last three days, not to mention the week prior – just to get ready for Sprint Week. Even though I often state that this event would be better served to not have any days off, the two day break was actually welcomed for yours truly. Time to take a deep breath and exhale, Sprint Week is indeed a marathon.
Skipping the pseudo-Sprint Week show at North Vernon where too few of cars (22) and far too much heat (reading 96 degrees at 6 PM) made it an unappealing proposition, Steve and I headed for a Monday night Racin’ with D.O. show at Kelly’s Pub Too instead, relying on texts from Tom to keep us updated from down south. Having served as an American correspondent to an Australian radio program, Lafond was an on-air natural, making for an enjoyable hour. Afterwards, I drove Steve through downtown Speedway, stopping for dinner at Dawson’s on Main, where we ran into former Nor Cal midget racer Travis Berryhill and his significant other, who naturally overheard our sprint car conversation.
With lightning up to the north, during the drive home we learned that Justin Grant had gathered a solid $3,000 score for his Buckeye-based Mark Hery squad and as expected, none of USAC’s heavy hitters even made an attempt. In the morning, Tom came back from Columbus to join us on our tour of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame and Museum, where nearly all of the surviving Indy 500 winning cars were still on display. Unfortunately, many pieces were overseas at the Goodwood Festival, but there was still plenty of awesome equipment on-hand, including the Sam Hanks Belond Special from 1957 and so many of those significant Watson roadsters from the late ‘50s and early ‘60s. Those were indeed the glory days of the Indianapolis 500 and I wish I could have been around in that era to enjoy them.
Unable to take the lap around the track thanks to Davey Hamilton’s two-seater drives, afterwards we headed to Gasoline Alley, picking up a torsion bar for the Hughes 76 at Bernie Stuebgen’s Indy Race Parts. Both hailing from Butler, Pennsylvania, how ironic is it that Tom and Bernie went to the same, tiny high school?
Quizzed about the body of water we crossed on our way past the Sixteenth Street Speedway (a.k.a. Bush Stadium), it was of course the White River, which we would invariably cross many times on our way to dinner at the infamous Bonge’s Tavern in Perkinsville, the crčme de la crčme of our Indiana Food Week tour. Already we’d enjoyed Taste, Bub’s Café, Granite City, the Friendly Tavern (Zionsville), Dawson’s, and Café Patachou, but nothing holds a candle to Bonge’s. Rachael came along for the rare Tuesday night out, allowing us to enjoy the luxury of her Volvo S60 sedan. It was confirmed to be fact that whenever we cross the White River, good things and good times are bound to happen. I had one of Bonge’s awesome signature menu items, the Harger Duck breast that is stuffed with cream cheese and jalapenos, wrapped in bacon, and coated in a tasty plum barbeque sauce. There is simply nothing like it. Yum! Starting with the lettuce wedge covered in an unbelievable homemade bleu cheese dressing and ending with the requisite sugar cream cake, made even better by the warm blueberry topping and homemade whipped cream, it simply doesn’t get any better than that. I’m pretty sure that Tom, Steve, and Rachael agreed with my assessment.
In business since 1951, Mason’s Root Beer Stand is a Washington, Indiana institution.
Wednesday July 13th
After a morning gym session (where Pacer players Josh McRoberts and Jeff Foster were training) whittled away at that sugar cream cake, Wednesday’s feast once again found us at the Friendly Tavern, where I enjoyed a grilled barbeque chicken sandwich that oozed with a unique honey apple BBQ sauce. Owning eyes bigger than my stomach, I also shared a plate of their famous wings with the lords of the left coast, using two cups of that same sauce to dip them in.
After a grocery store stop replenished our inventory of Gatorade, it was time to head back to the Sprint Week grind, heading west where pals George and Dave Robertson brought up the rear of our Terre Haute train. After the recent Sumar Classic fiasco that left USAC with some major egg on their face, what was once an uncertain proposition with little hope for anything but a dust bowl was now a solid engagement, as USAC had successfully engaged Reece O’Connor and Bob Sargent to take over track prep. After Vigo County Fair tractor pulls and a demo derby had been conducted on Monday, O’Connor and Sargent finally got on the track on Tuesday, with only a day and a half thrash to get it ready.
Still watering and packing the track when we arrived at 4:20, things didn’t get going until about two hours later, needing all that time to inject as much water as possible into the long-neglected surface. Herding infield-going fans across the track because the tunnel was flooded, it would have been nice if that pathway had actually been pumped, as it appeared that such a task had not been done in months, judging by the river that flowed beneath. Regardless of such inconvenience, at least a huge crowd was on hand, one of the biggest in recent memory for the Action Track. Wednesday’s attendance certainly gave reason to believe that this place could survive and thrive again.
Shane Cottle gasses Jeff Walker’s wagon at Lawrenceburg, where he would elevate from 24th to 9th.
Thirty-three cars were pitted on the outside of turns three and four, surprised by the absence of Brady Short and Bobby East but noting the addition of southwestern Indiana locals like Chase Stockon, Seth Parker, Brandon Mattox, and the obligatory Krockenberger. For the first time all week, sprint cars were lone form of on-track entertainment and if I had to venture a guess, I think the majority were more than ok with that notion.
Tirelessly arranged by Mike Clark and in conjunction with Ken Wagner, the Jack Kraemer Memorial money would be handed out at Terre Haute, which of course was Kraemer’s favorite speed plant of all. $3,300 in awards was originally posted on the USAC trailer, which grew to $4,525 over the course of a few hours. Most of that pot ($2,500) went to the hardest feature charger while $500 went to a hard luck car owner, $400 to the first feature non-qualifier, and $300 to the quickest qualifier. Additional monies were doled out to crash victims, not to mention the family of Brent Long, the Terre Haute police officer who was tragically shot to death while serving a warrant on Monday afternoon.
All that O’Connor/Sargent work on the dirt paid dividends, as practice times were posted in the 19-second range. Times fell off by nearly a full second in qualifications, as Keith Bloom, Jr.’s 20.640 second blast remained number one after it was all said and done. Seventh in line, Bloom’s mark meant that for the third time this week, an early draw was mandatory for an up front feature start. Back at one of his best tracks, Levi Jones cured his qualifying woes with the second-best clocking of the night, his two lap tango taking place four cars after Bloom. Immediately in line after Jones was Chris Windom, who continued his spectacular Sprint Week when timing third. Nothing to sneeze at, Coons had his worst qualification effort of the week in fourth while Daron Clayton was fifth fastest, back in the same Chalk chassis that he crashed at Kokomo. Jonathan Hendrick’s Sprint Week highlight had to be his sixth-best qualification time, benefiting from coming out fourth. (Hendrick only made two of the six features for which he attempted.) First out was Gary Rooke and his ninth best time accounted for his best effort of the week. Hunter Schuerenberg’s status of feast or famine continued when his machine wouldn’t fire. Brandon Mattox bit the wall in turn three and inverted his mount, a bitter introduction for the hometown boy. After coming out second to last, Shane Cottle’s qualification woes were worsened with the 26th best time.
Chris Windom battles Chad Boespflug for first place at Kokomo.
Whenever sprint cars were not on the speedway, there was some sort of track prep taking place, first evidenced by the post-qualification watering and aerifying. Most of the heat race drama was contained in the first heat, as third running Daron Clayton dropped out with a maligned Mopar. Critter Malone and Coleman Gulick scrapped for feature transfer spots, both earning A-main passes but after the checkered had been waved, Malone climbed a Gulick wheel and flipped in turn two, perhaps unable to see the flag or traffic lights through the dust. Angry about the incident and ensuing damage that hindered the rest of his evening, Coleman’s two-hand hockey shove reportedly sent Critter to the ground.
Schuerenberg’s crew got his car running for the second heat, coming from the back to claim second. After an Eric Krockenberger crash in three, the sun would finally set at 9:08 PM as Chase Stockon scaled from fifth to second in a rim-riding exhibition, abusing a withering cushion that was pushed all the way to the wall. Windom would miss a heat race transfer for the first time all week, as did Stanbrough. In fact, six of Terre Haute’s top-ten qualifiers did not make the cut, but Jerry Coons’s scoot from sixth to second made me wonder why so many were off the pace.
Unfortunately, Wednesday served as a reminder that Indiana Sprint and Food Week had also become Indiana Dust Week, but with additional water and cultivation before the B, conditions drastically improved. All the big names made the cut, with Cottle making an extra effort in elevating from 11th to fifth. Mike Spencer put his Ron Chaffin ride into the feature when he wrenched the rights to the final transfer from former Californian Andrew Elson. J.J. Hughes pushed to the wall on the west end and tumbled, spoiling a solid qualification effort of tenth.
Damion Gardner points to his right rear wheel, damaged at lap nine but still holding enough air to win at Haubstadt.
After some road grader scratching, sprint cars were pushed by 10:30, noting the extreme effort expended to make this place race-ready. These guys really did try and although the dust was somewhat thick, the three available grooves and the supreme amount of passing made it more than acceptable. His last Sprint Week stop before heading home to Oklahoma, Dustin Morgan (12th in time trials) shared front row seats with Chase Stockon.
Morgan would pace the first lap but the second tour was a sight to see, as Jones went three-wide on the front stretch to lead to turn one. Hines inched forward on the backstretch, but it was Windom who had scorched from seventh to first in just two laps. Patiently patrolling the bottom lane, Chris managed to construct a full straight advantage that was erased by a mysterious lap 11 caution.
Restarting fourth, Bloom began to make some noise upstairs as he encroached on the bottom-feeding Windom and Coons. Securing second, Keith led at the exit of turn two for a brief moment, touring the extreme perimeter of the huge half-mile in his Abreu Vineyards Maxim, wrenched by Davey Jones (who had so much success here with Bud Kaeding). Windom protected P1 at turn three as Bloom blasted the top, spraying dust and dirt as he flirted with the wall in turns four, one, and two. Outside of three and four again, he finally surged to first, narrowly leading the next three circuits. Smooth and consistent along the inside rail, Chris would eventually procure first place for good, out front for the final 13 trips around the huge half-mile. Meanwhile, Robert Ballou heavily breathed down the lead duo’s necks in his romp from 13th, making the no-man’s land middle lane work.
After Wes McIntyre gave the spin cycle a whirl, Ballou would briefly battle to second. However, both Windom and Bloom would soon pull away. Living the high life lap after lap and staying within striking distance of the leader, Keith was without question THE show of the night. Advancing well into the top-ten after beginning 22nd, Hunter Schuerenberg was putting on a show of his own, but one more flirt with the fence proved costly, flipping high and hard through three and four.
Operating on a shoestring budget, the Phillips 71 and Jerry Coons, Jr. still earned fifth in Sprint Week points, finishing a solid third at Lawrenceburg.
Coming from tenth, traditional Terre Haute terror Jon Stanbrough made massive gains in the final five laps. Taking the inside line from Ballou, he easily earmarked third but had nothing for Bloom. In turn, Keith could not get close enough to Chris, who finally completed the deal in securing his first-ever Indiana Sprint Week feature victory. Bloom’s second place finish was a USAC career best while Stanbrough had to be happy with third after his super-frustrating week. Ballou settled for fourth but maintained his best Sprint Week showing. And, after eclipsing 16 cars in his climb to fifth place, Shane Cottle took home the $2,500 hard charger bonus.
Gardner (up 11 from 17th), Clauson (up 7 from 14th), Darland (up 8 from 16th), Spencer, and Jones filled positions sixth through ten. Done at just past 11 PM, despite the dreaded dust, it was actually a fantastic race with plenty of passing, as only Bloomington rivaled Terre Haute for forward progress from rearward starters. Making a push for the USAC sprint car title by closing to within 7 points of Jones, it was now Windom’s Sprint Week to lose, up 40 over Ballou and 41 over Clauson.
Earning a traditional Winchester rifle for his monumental Tony Hulman Classic victory, Chris contained his enthusiasm by stating, “Well, it doesn’t get much better than this. The track kept slickening off more and more the whole race. I started out running through the middle and moved down as the track got slicker and slicker. I saw Bloom and those guys running on the outside of me. When they would pull up next to me, I could hold them back a little bit. So, I just stayed on my line. I didn’t want to get out of control and go to the top and lose this race. I was sweating it, running second three nights in a row. I didn’t want to run second again, but we got the win. This is a sweet one.”
Levi Jones and Dave Darland are still slinging mud in Bloomington’s feature. Nice!
“Coming off the corners, that’s where I was gaining all of my speed. There really wasn’t any moisture there but what little moisture there was, I was finding it and that’s where I would pull them on the back stretch. I’ve got to thank everybody over here – Derek Claxton, Kenny and Margo Baldwin, and Yogi. I also need to thank Claxton Engines, Super Shox, and Fox Paving. I want to thank everyone for coming out tonight.”
Worn out after the long day, I had a hard time staying awake on the ride back from the Hut, welcomed home by a stray cat who so desperately wanted to make the Oldham abode his or her permanent home as well. Holding a soft spot in my heart for cats and dogs and as much as I wanted a new pet, I’m still holding out for a beagle, so thankfully the meowing subsided enough to allow me to fall asleep.
Thursday July 14th
Before I ever thought about waking up, Tom was off to Columbus to aid in the assembly of a backup Hughes 76. Starting with last year’s Triple X frame, front end, and rear end, everything else needed to be installed, including engine. For a small time operation, Thursday morning thrashes embody that spirit of Sprint Week that had me so hooked in the late ‘90s. Simply put, you’ve got to want to do this.
Thursday’s lunch came from Carmel’s Pizzology, my preferred pizza palace as I clearly had a hankering for one of their unique pies and awesome crust. Finding a silver Audi S5 coupe parked outside, both Steve and I drooled at our dream car, wondering if it was even suitable to drive to a dirt track. Maybe one day Team Automotive (www.teamvwaudi.com) salesman and sprint chauffeur Chris Gurley can find me a slightly used one (with a manual transmission) at a reasonable price. I’m waiting!
Joined by my nephew for the ride down to Brownstown, he squeezed into the back of the MINI, a longer drive in mileage to the Jackson County Fairgrounds facility when compared to Lawrenceburg. Finding 42 sprint cars on another scorching afternoon, lots of Bloomington support amounted to initial Sprint Week appearances for Ethan Barrow, Chris Babcock, Danny Holtsclaw (Grayson 22), Josh Burton, and Seth Motsinger. Thankfully mini sprints were the only undercard.
Making a run through the pits to eyeball any changes, Levi Jones appeared to go back to basics, replacing adjustable Penske dampeners with non-adjustable AFCOs, complete with a sway bar underneath the front torsion tubes of his Tony Stewart Eagle chassis.
Gazing at the surface as Steve secured his infield spot, it looked wet, but looks can be deceiving, as a massive sheepsfoot was being pulled behind a tractor. After a UMP Summer Nationals event on Tuesday, again there was simply not enough time to prepare for a sprint car event of this magnitude, as the picky Sprint Week crowd demands a moist, dust-free surface all afternoon/evening long. It’s tough enough to do in ninety-degree heat and humidity, but two days after an event that compacted the soil into bedrock, I’m not sure if it’s even a possibility.
Knowing what to expect before our arrival, hot laps immediately revealed the reality. Lap times truly fell off within the first dozen cars of time trials, as all but two of the top-ten timers were within that first 12. Second in the qualifying queue was Levi Jones, whose 14.474 second lap would top the charts. The numbers did not lie, as second through sixth included Stanbrough (first out), Darland (sixth out), Fitzpatrick (fifth out), Schuerenberg (12th out), and Bloom (fourth out). One anomaly was last year’s Brownstown winner Brady Short, who came out 19th, went wide off the front and back stretch, and earned eighth, taking out the receiving end of the timing light in the process. For some reason, the electronic loop was not in service and luckily, USAC had a spare device. Point leader and Sprint Week stud Chris Windom could only muster the 31st best lap. Eleven cars from the end of the line, Bryan Clauson miraculously mastered 20th.
Afterwards, everything but the racing surface was watered, namely the back of the banking and the service lanes. As sprint car fans, it was hard to get any satisfaction early on Thursday evening, not understanding why time wasn’t taken to douse or dig up the upper crust that had already formed. Already, the words to that famous song were burned into my brain: “I can’t get no – satisfaction!”
After mini sprint practice, sprint car heat races were the next to test the demanding layout and once the green cloth was draped, a major dust cloud enveloped the area, making it nearly impossible to even spot the cars. With the yellow flag furiously flying and before the field had even begun to slow, the water truck bounded across turn two and angled for the backstretch, narrowly escaping a collision with oncoming traffic. Never before have I been witness to such chaos at a Sprint Week event and once cars were ordered off the track, the parched soil was finally saturated from top to bottom. I would hardly call myself any kind of a track preparation expert, but like a dog chasing its tail, I wondered why this wasn’t done earlier. Live and learn I guess…
Twenty minutes of ironing in the slop and voila – you had a surface that was worth racing on, featuring three and four wide racing for first on multiple occasions, displaying just how enticing Brownstown’s enormous width can be. Excitement in heat one was had when Keith Bloom climbed an Andrew Elson wheel and flipped. Elson came back to battle for the final transfer, losing out in a photo-finish to underdog J.R. Douglas. In the final heat, Bryan Clauson was shoved up the track, unable to avoid an entanglement with Brady Short, who tumbled several times over the turn three bank. Despite the generous amount of racing room, making the top four was tough, as six of the top-ten qualifiers didn’t make the heat race cut. Seems like a recurring Sprint Week theme by now, doesn’t it?
Short was able to make repairs in time for the B, employing last year’s unique line up and over the bank on the front and back chute to win one of the six final spots in the A. Daron Clayton coaxed fifth from 13th while Blake Fitzpatrick’s nightmare continued when fading from the pole to ninth, forced to cash yet another provisional. Danny Holtsclaw was the first car out of the transfer.
Instead of waiting out a major rework involving tilling and watering, Danny and I walked back to my car where we curiously spotted USAC employee Kirk Spridgeon playing corn hole, sans USAC uniform. Later, it was learned that Kirk had earlier posted via Twitter his disappointment about Sprint Week surfaces. After that particular post was brought to his attention, Brownstown promoter Tim Keithley promptly escorted him out of the speedway. Granted, the post probably could have waited until after the feature was complete, but shouldn’t a promoter be more concerned with the current state of affairs at his facility rather than what people are posting on the internet? Talk about a P.R. nightmare, but I have to wonder how Keith would feel concerning the messages his paying patrons were texting or putting on their Facebook accounts when the water truck nearly collided with the sprint cars. As always, proper preparation is the key to a successful evening.
With a wave lap at a very late 11:16, much like Kokomo where he was 12th quickest in qualifications, Chad Boespflug would wind with the pole, ironically joined again on the front row by Casey Riggs. Out of the seven stops, three times the 12th fastest qualifier would procure that coveted position. The top-three Sprint Week points accumulators started 21st, 13th, and 17th.
Through the middle and with plenty of bite available, Boespflug led to turn one. Riggs immediately served up a slider through four, but his counterpart countered with a crossover, elbowing the Indiana Underground racer with his right rear. Initially pulling away, CB led for the first 16 laps but as conditions deteriorated, Riggs began to reel him in, sliding to the top of a cushion-free turn one at lap 17. Riggs, Boespflug, Darland, and Short (up from ninth) raced under a blanket before a premature caution was called when Chad turned completely sideways in three, nearly stalling the engine but able to continue under his own power.
Afterwards, Short immediately shot to second with a slider on Darland. Starting 11th and restarting sixth, Bobby East was up to third, patiently playing huggy pole. With ten to go, Dave suddenly slowed, victim of a sheared off roll pin in the magneto. While East and Jones argued over third, a gaggle of eight cars went at it for fifth, including Ballou, Boespflug, Schuerenberg, Hines, Gulick, Stanbrough, Douglas, and Cottle.
The race for the win was just a two man battle though, as Riggs and Short ruled the top shelf. Pulling even off the bottom of four, Brady attempted to squeeze Casey off the bank with a ruthless slider through one and two. Staying in the gas, Casey did not budge, using the outside moisture to drive around the Bedford Blaster and retain the premier position. After one more yellow for a J.R. Douglas spin (spoiling his awesome effort from 22nd), a final sprint with six to go saw Riggs block Short’s entry to turn one. Brady eventually exceeded the bank in one, fell to fourth, but came back to joust with Jones for second, yet another photo finish at the line.
Only his second career sprint car score and first with USAC, some might consider the Riggs win an upset. Jones, Short, Hines (his best finish of the week), and East tallied top-fives while Boespflug, Cottle (22nd to 7th), Gulick (16th to 8th), Ballou, and Stanbrough made up the second half of the top-ten. Starting 20th and finding 14th, Chris Windom proved that he is indeed human, carrying a 29 point lead over Ballou into Bloomington.
Done by 11:32, Casey spoke to Blake Anderson and said, “We got that win about a month ago at Haubstadt. I finally got that off my shoulders. After that, it just feels so much easier to strap in and race against these guys. We’ve always done well in these USAC races but had bad luck or screwed up or something. Everybody is saying ‘good job’, but it’s not me, it’s my crew. My crew chief. My dad. All the guys that come and help. All I do is give it the gas and hit the brake, turn left, and drive. That’s it. Everybody else does all the work. It’s really them, not me.”
“This is definitely Brady’s house so I knew that once I saw him, I was like, ‘Man, I don’t know what’s going to happen here.’ I knew once I saw him on the bottom, that’s his place. He’s sweet feet. So I was sitting there thinking, ‘Man, maybe the top is going away. Maybe I need to go down there.’ Before that, the first half of the race, Chad was up there. He ran a good race. He was starting to pull away. I was thinking that he was going to leave us for awhile. After that, we got him and Brady was right there. I knew that if I didn’t go low in this first corner after that yellow, he was going to find me. After he tried to do that down there, it was close. It’s awesome racing with guys like that because you know that you can race clean. You don’t have to worry about him hitting you. You can be inches away, but you know that you are safe. It was fun. I was pretty pumped right there.”
Riggs continued to bask in the spotlight, finishing with, “Thanks to all of my sponsors. I’ve got my dad. If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t have any of this. I wouldn’t have the opportunity. I wouldn’t have the time to be here. I wouldn’t have any of it. Guys like that are the real reason for this. Then there’s my crew chief Mike (Dutcher). He works harder than anybody I know. Not just on the racecar, but anything. I just want to thank all my sponsors that help out and the fans that came out.”
It might have taken all night, but the boys at Brownstown finally got it right come feature time. The race was actually quite entertaining, with all kinds of action throughout the field. In the end, that’s what I will remember most. But the supreme struggle that it took to get to that point, wow, was it ever painful.
Friday July 15th
Trying to forget the fact that my favorite time of the year was coming to a close, while Steve played DJ with his iPhone and selected an interesting array of tunes to experience, I chose an equally interesting array of twists and turns on a scenic route south of Martinsville, leaning left on old road 37. Carved through Morgan-Monroe wilderness, the narrow path allowed my west coast visitor to understand that there’s more than corn in Indiana, truly a feast for the eyes and for the handling of my John Cooper Works MINI. Winding up on College Avenue, our goal was Nick’s English Hut, a Bloomington institution since 1927 where my nephew, his pal Joey, and a full Stromboli sandwich awaited. That was one great sandwich, by the way.
Owning the second largest Sprint Week field at 45 (thus requiring a non-qualifier race), pit road celebrities included Indycar notables Robin Miller and Randy Bernard. From the get-go, the signature Monroe County red clay looked fantastic and unlike last night, those looks were not deceiving. For all of the extra effort required to create such a premium playing field, a huge pat on the back goes to Mike Miles, as from start to finish this was by far the best Bloomington Sprint Week surface since 2008. When sprint cars are still throwing mud come feature time, you know you’ve done this event justice. The small group of mini sprints serving as support certainly helped preserve moisture as well. A special shout-out also goes out to Mike’s wife Judy, who graciously hauled my dad up the hill in her golf cart as he was still dealing with that sore hip.
Hard to find a good seat up top, I watched practice and qualifying while standing in front of the concession stand. Joined by Brent Goodnight and “Coach” Randy Moss, this was of course a prime spot to catch all the action, as these guys know their stuff. Speaking of time trials, qualifying draw really did not matter, as Dave Darland was 27th in line and clocked quickest in the “Tate Wagon” at 11.408 seconds. Aided by “Mayor” Jon Sciscoe, local representation was solid with Ty Deckard’s fifth fastest time. Landing inside the coveted quick-six were Gulick, Jones, Riggs, and Clayton, all in the first half of the queue. Danny Holtsclaw made off with eighth in the Grayson 22, as normal driver Ricky Vaughn spun sockets. Perhaps an omen, Wes McIntyre tallied tenth, his best two-lap performance of the week. Out tenth, Windom could only muster 21st.
Aside from a Gulick bike ride, tight heat races were fairly clean for Sprint Week standards, the biggest surprise coming when Holtsclaw stole a win from Shane Cottle. Big names forced to come through the B included Gulick, Darland, Boespflug, Clayton, Bloom, and Clauson, who barely held on for the final ticket as an extremely patient Chase Briscoe applied pressure. This was by far the best I’ve seen the young Briscoe appear under the bright lights of a big race. In the hunt for the Sprint Week crown, Robert Ballou had to cash his first provisional of the week and was essentially out of the chase, as you can’t earn Sprint Week points when popping a provisional. Blake Fitzpatrick slipped over the edge twice, missing the cut for the third time this week.
With all prelims complete by 8:59, old-fashioned driver introductions were held on the front stretch, prime time photo ops for all the photogs. They may take a long time to pull off, but when you have the time, they are oh-so-cool, building drama for the second to last Sprint Week show.
Wes McIntyre would wind up in the pole position for Friday’s thirty lapper, flanked on the outside by Hunter Schuerenberg. Sporting a cushion at both ends, the very bottom was still tacky, with minor black streaks showing through the middle of turns one and three. Yes, this had the potential for my two-groove happiness – always a good thing of course.
Sprint car sophomore McIntyre ran off and hid, riding the rim and building such a big lead that it appeared he’d have this thing in the bag if it went green to checker. If he could keep hitting his marks, especially along the thinning cushion in turn two, the race was his. Interrupting the apparent McIntyre massacre was a Gulick/Bloom mix-up (inciting a brief pit side scuffle), along with a separate red for Levi Jones, who had been racing hard with Daron Clayton but biked off turn three and flipped.
Unfortunately, that tricky turn two ended up being number 83’s nemesis, slipping over the bank on lap eleven and handing first to Hunter. Fighting back to second, his concentration was clearly shaken when on consecutive circuits, he exceeded the bank in two and fell back through the field. Nevertheless, I was impressed with Wes Mac’s muscle. But, as a result of the kid’s mistakes, Hunter built a big lead while Holtsclaw worked the bottom to secure second. Sixth on back was an absolute riot with Clayton, Clauson, Riggs, Coons, and Stanbrough all going at it. Marching all the way from 18th, Stanbrough soldiered to fifth while Darland found his groove and worked on Holtsclaw for second.
One final caution for a Ballou, Riggs, and McIntyre entanglement resulted in a two lap shootout. Danny made it close for first, but Dave still managed to steal second with a high side surge. The crowd behind me went nuts for Bloomfield’s Holtsclaw, who settled for a fine third behind Darland and Schuerenberg, who produced a second Sprint Week score in a matter of five days. Coons and Clauson rounded out the top-five while Stanbrough, Cottle, Clayton, Boespflug, and Hines hailed sixth through tenth. Chris Windom climbed to 12th from 20th, easily in the driver’s seat for the Sprint Week trophy with just one round remaining.
Made possible by the magic of Mike Miles and his moisture, I witnessed as many hard charges in this feature as any other. All throughout the field, tight packs raced two and sometimes three-wide and there was a lot going on from front to back. As a prime example, Clauson cleared seven cars, Coons ten, Stanbrough twelve, and Cottle nine. Couple all of that overtaking with some late race drama and the earliest exit of the week (10:08) and what you have is complete and utter satisfaction.
After celebrating his fourth USAC win of 2011 with more psycho donuts in turn four, Schuerenberg told the crowd, “Man, I’ve fought these guys that own this car so much this week over impatience and racing other racecars instead of the racetrack. It’s just been an up and down week. It’s been rough a couple of nights but I just keep my faith in God and know that he’s going to see me through. I can’t believe that I’m standing down here. Two in one Sprint Week is awesome. I know we’re out of the points race for Sprint Week, so winning two is great. I’d love to thank Fatheadz Eyewear, Roger and Barb Tapy, the Frolic – I will be there tonight - and everybody that’s standing back here. I can’t say enough. This is a great crowd and we wouldn’t be here without you. I hope that was a good show. I don’t know what was going on behind me, but it was sure fun from where I was at.”
“I struggle here a lot. I made some decisions that I thought would be good, but they weren’t. Then we came back here in Epperson’s car a few weeks ago and I really felt like I gained on a lot of stuff that I was missing. Really, I had to go back to basics and not do anything trick. We changed the least amount on this racecar tonight than we have all week and it worked just as good. I’m happy to be here and thanks to everybody that helps us on this racecar.”
Following such a difficult evening in Brownstown, the precision and care with which Bloomington Speedway carried out their evening emulates the mixed bag that you’ll get with Indiana dirt track racing, a true spirit of Sprint Week since its USAC inception in 1996. So similar to life in general, one day you might be down and the next, you’re up.
Saturday July 16th
The time had come to face the music. Only one more night of Sprint Week existed and without much time to sulk, Steve and I rekindled a 2010 tradition with a pre-race meal at Longhorn Steakhouse, traveling to Castleton after our Carmel store was closed in October. Tom was not quite able to make it back in time from Columbus and settled on Shapiro’s Deli, actually a better choice when it came right down to it. A little pricey but with big portions, I’m not sure why I never suggested it earlier. What was I thinking? At least there’s always next year.
Graciously chauffeuring Steve, myself, and first-time Sprint Week attendee Rachael, Tom performed the ultimate sacrifice by driving to and from Haubstadt, racking up some serious Saturday mileage. While Steve again acted as D.J., I played tour guide from the back seat, showing the group my favorite path to paradise. If we had just one more night together as a group, at least it would take place at the high-quality Haubstadt, where no race track preparer is more in tune with his dirt than Tommy Helfrich.
As was the case for a majority of the second half of Sprint Week, we were mesmerized by the meandering White River that slithered its way along state road 67. Past the tranquil towns of Paragon and Gosport and prior to Spencer, we not only encountered two separate Amish bake sales, but a bunch of trucks and trailers headed the other way, one of them being ageless wonder Johnny Johnson, whose humongous camper shell atop his Dodge pickup stands out among the crowd. Through Freedom (home of Tarzan Babe Pierce) and Worthington, we shot south on 57, with Steve employing his iPhone to download Devo’s quirky version of “Satisfaction”. An odd selection you say? For some reason, that very song came up in a Wednesday conversation and since this was our last day of summer solstice, Tom, Steve, and I just had to hear it through loud speakers. “And I try, and I try, and I try, try, try, try, try, try, try…I can’t get no…” Devo is definitely different.
Although we were satisfied by the quality and quantity of racing thus far, there was no way that we could ever be satisfied that the nine day adventure had to end. Savoring every last morsel of this road trip, we crossed the mighty White via a pair of one lane iron bridges right before Newberry, where that rusting, turquoise ’56 Chevy still sits for sale in front of the colorful mural. After Elnora (where ice cream from the chalet-looking Graham Cheese Shop still awaits) and Plainville (where someone is getting rich from those working oil wells), we actually got buzzed by a crop duster, the first time I can ever recall such a thrill. Eventually arriving in Washington, after a Shell pit stop (within sight of the antique Pepsi sign) we had more than enough time to locate Mason’s Root Beer Stand, which came highly recommended from Melinda Lawyer, who grew up just down the road in Montgomery.
Although the Mason’s Root Beer brand is no longer national (A newly brewed bottle was recently found at Sullivan’s Hardware in Indianapolis), this roadside drive-in has managed to survive and thrive since 1951. Melinda raved about the Butterscotch Shake, so naturally Steve and I each placed an order for one. Tom was enamored with the Peanut Butter Shake while Rachael carefully chose an Oreo Spin (much like a DQ Blizzard, but WAY better, as it was chock full of Oreo cookies). Next time, in addition to ice cream I’m saving room for a coney dog and root beer in a frosted mug. In this corporate world of cookie-cutter franchises, it’s good to know that such one-of-a-kind, mom and pop places still exist. Other than Bonge’s, this was without question my favorite stop during Indiana Food Week.
West on U.S. 50, we again intersected that same rambling river before reaching 241, a spur route that angles over to U.S. 41 and bypasses Vincennes. As I’ve always maintained, from the driver’s seat it remains one of my favorite roads and although not as fun from the back seat, it was still a blast being sloshed around the wide variety of sweepers, esses, ninety-degree bends, and hairpins. Splashed with water from one of those massive farm sprinklers just before Decker, once reaching 41 we crossed the White one last time. As I reminded on Tuesday, whenever you make this crossing, good things are bound to happen.
Twenty-five minutes later, we enjoyed front row parking at Haubstadt’s Tri-State Speedway, with Bubby Jones’s Trail Blazer pulling in behind us. After exiting the Focus, there was no mistaking that this was Sprint Week, the massive oven smacking us in the face with smoking-hot temps that seared well into the nineties. It was a good thing for Gatorade and my sweat rag, because I was immediately dripping.
As expected, the lowest count of the week came at the location furthest from Indy. With literally no junk, rock-solid sprint cars totaled 29, but up the road in Paragon and Putnamville, the count was 39 and 41. Reaching a high of 48 on opening night, Sprint Week’s respectable average was right at 39 cars - not too many, and not too few. Modifieds would help fill tonight’s down-time.
Quickest in time trials was Jon Stanbrough, whose second half of the week was more indicative of what most would have expected from the defending champ. Jon’s 13.233 second circuit was still a long way from Levi Jones’s track record of 12.644, dating back 11 years and oddly acknowledged as a timing light malfunction. Also enjoying their premier performances of the week were Damion Gardner and Tracy Hines, fifth and sixth on the charts.
For the first time in seven races, each one of the top six timers made the A-main through his heat. One of those was Chris Windom, who later only needed to finish 15th to wrap up his first Indiana Sprint Week championship. Making all six A-mains thus far, Chad Boespflug backed up to the rear of heat one but made it a perfect seven for seven after hustling to third. Each earning their initial USAC score here during Sprint Week, Blake Fitzpatrick and Hunter Schuerenberg went wheel to wheel for the win in heat two while 2007 and 2009 Haub ISW winners battled tooth and nail in the third, namely Daron Clayton and Levi Jones. Kyle Cummins, recently racing with a wing at Knoxville, threw the second-most scandalous slider of the week, this one sending Robert Ballou to the B. Surprisingly, Haubstadt’s favorite son (Jones) found himself in the B along with Short, Gulick, and Coons (engine skip). Ballou would miss the main for the second night in a row and reverted to a provisional pass while Hughes, Malone, Briscoe, Brackett, and Vennard loaded up early.
With the championship hardware all but handed to Windom, aside from a few heat race sliders, from my seat it sure seemed like a fairly tame night for Haubstadt standards. With only two reworks necessary, for anal retentive perfectionists, this is still the ideal dirt track and you really never have to worry about a sub-par surface. That’s always nice insurance for the six hours of driving that is demanded to get here and back.
Hines and Gardner shared the front row for the Sprint Week finale, with Tracy’s Shaver Chevy getting the jump to turn one, leading the first four tours in Dave Calderwood’s four. Hot on his heels was The Demon and his familiar Pace Lighting Eagle/Shaver, seizing first with a turn one slider at lap five. Tracy tried to counter in turn four to no avail, with Daron Clayton subsequently closing.
While DG narrowly held first place, Andrew Elson suddenly stopped in turn one. Sliding sideways to avoid Andrew, contact was inevitable as he nailed Elson’s left front with his right rear wheel. Destroying the mud cover and peeling back part of the wheel and bead-lock, amazingly the tire still held air when going back to green.
At lap nine, Gardner led Hines, Clayton, Windom, and Stanbrough and when rolling conservatively through the middle, Damion’s right rear still maintained its shape at the crossed flags. Three-wide for fourth between Windom, Stanbrough, and Fitzpatrick, The Silent Gasser got the spot, moving up one more when Clayton’s slide for life failed. Daron would soon regain the show position while Windom plummeted to tenth with ten to go.
Four laps later, positions one, two and three were tight, with the leader moving even lower as the darkness in Haubstadt’s dirt began to disappear. While approaching Dave Darland’s lapped machine with just three laps left, Hines spun from second and was forced to digest an unsavory 20th place finish.
Inheriting runner-up rights, The Modern Day Cowboy was strong through middle, but his Mean Green Hoffman 69 didn’t have enough to overtake the silver 71, as Gardner gathered his first victory since February in Ocala. Done around 9:30 Central Time, Stanbrough just nipped Riggs for third, the latter advancing eight spots. Short, Jones, Clauson, Fitzpatrick, Boespflug (up eight), and Windom found positions five through ten.
Finally having a first-rate Sprint Week performance, a relieved Gardner summarized his trying season, noting, “We’ve had a tough Sprint Week, a tough beginning of the year. We started off hot in Florida. Florida is good to us. Then we went to PA and had bad luck. I don’t want to say bad luck – what happened, happened. Then we came to Indiana and I’m not the strongest here. I’ve run good. I can win here. But I’m not the most consistent guy here. We got off to a rough start. Things weren’t going our way. We just had to keep digging. I’ve been trying to win here a lot. This is one of my favorite tracks. It’s taken me a long time to win the first one here. It’s like they make me pay the price before I win here. It always has a good surface. They are always trying to do their best. I love coming here.”
“I’ve got to thank my guys. It’s been a really tough week. We’re used to running up front and we haven’t been and it’s been tough. But, these guys are tough and Indiana is tough. I just want to thank Pat and Pace Lighting. He’s an Indiana boy himself and he likes to see me do good here. We always have to take him out of state to do good. I can’t thank my guys enough though. They just kept digging. I want to thank the fans for coming out. I appreciate it. I really appreciate this tonight and I needed a good win to build my confidence. I knew I could come here to get it. If you’re going to start off bad, you definitely want to end on a good note, that way we can take a week off and smile a little bit. We’ve got a lot of work to do to figure out what we missed these past couple of weeks.”
Joining Damion on the front stretch was Indiana Sprint Week champion Chris Windom, who reflected on his monumental week. He happily noted, “We had an awesome first part of Sprint Week - three seconds and a win. The second part hasn’t been the way we wanted it to go. We were really loose tonight. Anytime someone got close to me, I kind of let them go. I knew we weren’t fast enough to win the race. I knew that this was for the Sprint Week title and just tried to bring the car home in one piece. This is pretty awesome to come out here and get Kenny and Margo their first Sprint Week win and my first Sprint Week championship. It’s going to be awesome.”
“I’ve got to thank Derek Claxton and Kenny and Margo Baldwin. My whole family is here tonight - my girlfriend, my uncle, my parents, my sister, my brother-in-law, all of their friends are here, my grandma. Thanks to everybody that’s been to every night of Sprint Week. It’s a pretty awesome feeling.”
Not the most comfortable when a microphone is shoved in front of his face, championship car owner Kenny Baldwin told Blake Anderson, “He’s (Windom) done a good job. He’s really worked hard for this. Actually, the whole team has. It’s expensive, but it’s great. It’s all worth it.”
Chasing Chris, the rest of Sprint Week’s top ten consisted of Clauson, Darland, Stanbrough, Coons, Ballou, Jones, Spencer, Boespflug, and Schuerenberg. Nine guys made all seven features without using provisionals, and they included: Windom, Clauson, Darland, Stanbrough, Coons, Spencer, Boespflug, Hines, and Gulick. Five more made all seven thanks to provisionals, namely Jones, Cottle, Schuerenberg, Gardner, and Ballou.
By virtue of his unbelievably consistent first four races, Windom of course had the best average finish of 6.14, but interestingly enough, Shane Cottle, who had to pass more cars than anyone all week, had the fourth best average of 9.5 (behind Windom, Clauson, and Ballou) but was not in the top-ten in points. His worst finish of the week came at Haubstadt, where he was 21st. Ultimately, it was that provisional at Lawrenceburg that did him in. Either way, his hard work from behind the wheel had the spirit of Sprint Week written all over it.
Sprint Week 2011 ultimately lacked the drama for the battle to be crowned king of Indiana’s two most grueling weekends, but as always, it determines who will contend for the USAC national sprint car championship. At the end of the grind, Jones only led Windom by 38 and Stanbrough by 55, with Clauson and Ballou within striking distance. If Sprint Week is any indication, it should be an entertaining last half of the year.
Weary from the whole week, I stayed awake until the Greencastle exit on I-70. Unable to fight it any longer, it was time to catch some Zs, so I can’t thank Tom enough for doing all that driving. I know how it is and it can be brutal.
Awaking early enough on Sunday for our final spread at Bub’s Café, with so much sadness in my heart I was forced to say goodbye to my friends and my favorite time of the year. Literally falling into a deep depression that afternoon, I’m not sure if anyone can comprehend just how much Indiana Sprint Week means to me in terms of freedom, fun, and friendship. When it’s here, I’m not sure if there is a time when I’m more optimistic and in a better mood. But when the week is gone, it’s a truly devastating blow to my morale.
Just like that 4 minute and 59 second song “The Spirit of Radio”, the spirit of Sprint Week flies by far too quickly. Thanks to technology, I can replay that song over and over, as much as I like, but there’s nothing like hearing it live, either at a concert or so pleasantly surprised when it magically comes over the airwaves. The spirit of Sprint Week is all too similar, as I will always have the memories, photos, and my writings of the occasion, but there’s nothing like living it out day by day, enjoying all those excellent pre-race meals, sweating it out in the stands through all that dust and heat, and then making those late night drives through desolate darkness, only to turn around and do it all over again the next day. So many thrills, so much happiness, and so much camaraderie amongst my closest friends in the racing community, bearing a gift beyond price, almost free, that’s Indiana Sprint Week in a nutshell. And for now, that unmistakable spirit will have to carry me though until next year, when I will be able to bask in the glow of my elusive zenith once again. Much like a meal at Taste, Bub’s, or Bonge’s, it might be a long wait, but it is always well worth it in the end.
Located just west of the intersection of state roads 9 and 28 in Alexandria, Indiana, this was Armscamp Speedway.
Post World War II, it was hard to find a seat for Armscamp Sunday night midget action.
Time Machines
If a picture is indeed worth a thousand words, then Jerry Morgan’s collection of photographs might just total a million.
Except for detailed accounts in diaries, photographs might just be the most effective vehicle to transport us back in time. Often reserved for momentous occasions like birthdays, weddings, and graduations, photo opportunities award us with permanent reminders of our most cherished memories, immediately able to recall such stellar feelings as if they were experienced yesterday. Often our most prized possessions, personal and family photos piece together our life stories, writing an autobiography without a single word.
As a hobby, the art of photography allows us to get close to our passions, whether it is a storm tracker clicking images of a menacing funnel cloud or an outdoorsman snapping shots of a herd of deer dancing across a dew-soaked field. But from my experience, amateur photographers don’t get any more ardent than those in the auto racing arena. It is the work of legendary lensmen like Ken Coles, Jim Chini, Armin Krueger, Tom Dick, John Mahoney, Gene Crucean, Dennis Torres, Gene Marderness, Jack (and Katsue) Gladback, and Mike Arthur that has set the standard for documenting open wheel history, as their images have graced the pages of the most famous racing mags and newspapers for decades upon decades.
All hardcore devotees of their chosen subject, it would only be appropriate that my introduction to the addictive nature of this scene came from former Noblesville, Indiana shooter Steve Remington, whose influence spans shutterbugs like Randy Jones, Max Dolder, Rex Staton, and David Sink. Take a gander at any Indiana infield from spring to fall and you’ll spot about twenty or thirty of these same diehards, whose potential intersection with preparation and opportunity might just manufacture that elusive money shot.
A huge fire destroyed the Armscamp grandstands on September 17, 1946.
Aside from capturing the awe-inspiring, mud-slinging, seriously sideways, and less than four wheels on the ground illustrations, perhaps their most intriguing work is the candid shots of the contestants. Sometimes cracking a smile but often evoking serious expressions and overly tense body language, words need not describe these characters, as the pictures tend to speak volumes on their emotional makeup, adding even more color and clues to figuring out what makes these bad-asses tick.
Paying homage to the photogs by collecting piles of their time machines since the late ‘80s, for the better part of the last decade I have been encouraged to come take a peek at Jerry Morgan’s extensive inventory, focusing on the hotbed that was the 1946 through 1950 Indiana midget racing scene. Located ten miles east of Muncie, Indiana along state road 32, the tiny town of Parker City (once just known as Parker) is where Jerry has called home for the majority of his existence, growing up as the son of a midget racing pioneer and local businessman named Lew Morgan. Likewise, Lew’s brother Bernie successfully mixed business and pleasurable racing interests, so it should be no surprise that Jerry’s apples fell fairly close to the family tree.
Finally taking him up on his offer, my trip back in time ended up serving as a valuable history lesson, ultimately explaining why the sport of midget auto racing is in its current sorry state but also magnifying how different our society is compared to post-World War II.
Midgets stack up on one end of Armscamp’s tight corners.
Other than train whistles blowing on the extremely active, double-tracked CSX railroad line, Parker City sits silent on this balmy November Saturday. These days, about the only excitement in this town comes when a new water tower is constructed or a new convenience store/gas station is opened. Going one better, a stop at Jerry’s Dairy Freezer for a tasty treat in the warm weather months is guaranteed to brighten anyone’s day.
But a little over six decades ago, this typical small town was abuzz with all things automotive thanks to Morgan Motors, which multitasked as a Ford automotive agency, service station, repair shop, and midget auto racing super team. Both Lew and Bernie were involved in this operation that included a staggering fleet of seven midgets, meticulously maintained a few blocks away in a separate, twin-bay garage by Larry Crim.
Except for these non-descript buildings that still stand, little evidence exists at just how much this town and the Morgans ended up shaping Indiana’s version of what was then America’s favorite pastime. Both Bernie and Lew have passed on in recent years, so unfortunately a recount of their event-filled lives can no longer be captured. But, that’s where the value of Jerry’s assembly of vintage midget racing snapshots and scrapbooks comes into play.
Even the best midget racers like Indianapolis native Bob Breading just wore a work shirt when competing.
According to a brittle and yellowed May 3rd, 1947 edition of the Indianapolis News that featured full page coverage of West 16th Street Speedway’s season opener, midget auto racing actually outdrew baseball by ten percent in 1946, at least when federal admission taxes were tallied up at the end of the year. And on Indiana’s six night-a-week Consolidated Midget Racing Association circuit, the twenty week tour grossed a whopping $450,000, with forty percent going to the drivers after promotional expenses were paid. Bear in mind, admission averaged about a buck twenty-five (about $15 today), so that staggering figure becomes even more impressive. However, Indiana was just a microcosm of the nationwide midget madness, as California’s URA Blue and Red Circuits hosted 207 events in that same ’46 season and gathered a mind-blowing $2,158,000 in gate receipts, as crowds of 10,000 were considered small. It’s hard to believe that a good turnout these days is only a third of that.
In this glorious post-war era, Indiana midget speedways continuously needed to expand seating capacity, as the general public was clearly hungry for some real entertainment and excitement. So were the daredevil drivers, with Consolidated champion and Morgan Motors driver Bob Breading accumulating an astounding $14,000 in winnings thanks to his scintillating ’46 season, a big number when compared to an average factory worker’s annual wages that might amount to two or three thousand dollars. Both Breading and the Morgans made good money from midget racing, doing so with affordable, homebuilt chassis powered by the venerable flathead Ford V8-60, competing with engines culled from tractors, boats, and motorcycles. Just like selling cars to the public, Lew and his brother Bernie raced to manufacture greenbacks, employing the best drivers that state had to offer in Breading, Tom Cherry (later a master of the Little 500), and Dick Fraizer (often misspelled Frazier).
Naturally, when there is money to be made, everyone wants a piece of the action. And that’s exactly what happened in 1947, as the Consolidated circuit was split into two factions when Muncie grocer Harry Osborne formed the rival Capitol Midget Racing Association, correspondingly halving fans and drivers. At least when it comes to competitive racing folk, everyone seems to have a grand scheme to improve on something that’s already great. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?
Judging by this Muncie newspaper clipping, Lew Morgan was quite a motorcycle racer in his day.
The weekly Capitol schedule started on Sunday nights at Lew and Bernie’s Armscamp Speedway in Alexandria, another Morgan venture entered into for the sole purpose of making big money. Involved in midget racing in its Indiana infancy, both Lew and Bernie borrowed money from their father and grandfather to purchase the $35,000 speedway just before the ’46 season, hitting a mandatory home run with their initial outing on Easter Sunday, this after having to clear three inches of snow from the track earlier in the week. (The reason I mentioned the word ‘mandatory’ was because a $7,000 payment was due the day after the race!) Estimates had the crowd at an unbelievable 10,000, with people parking a half-mile away just to hear announcer Harold “Dutch” Hurst enthusiastically bark out the words “Roll ‘em over!” Those ten thousand fans helped make that first payment and then some.
Suffering a devastating grandstand fire in September of ’46, without insurance Lew sought the help of Indiana Senator Ralph Harvey to acquire the necessary funds to rebuild the stands, with the loss estimated at a whopping $20,000. Driving all night for a 9 AM appointment in Washington D.C., Morgan was able to land the necessary funds to rebuild the stands with splintery Michigan hemlock. When there was so much money to be made from hosting races for full houses, there was literally no time to waste!
After Armscamp, an ambitious Capitol schedule strutted southeast to the Richmond Stadium for Monday night action, then wandering west to the Indianapolis Speedrome for a Tuesday tussle. Returning north, Wednesday meets were conducted at Muncie’s Velodrome while Friday was back again in Indy at the one year old West 16th Street Speedway, closing the week at Greenfield’s Midgetdrome. All six evenings were asphalt assignments of a quarter of a mile or less and as my dad still reminds me to this day, midgets were truly made for the quarter-miles, sprints for the halves, and champ dirt cars for the miles. It’s amazing just how much we’ve deviated from those norms today.
Muncie’s Tom Cherry was one of the greatest racers to ever come from Indiana, winning in everything from midgets, roadsters, sprint cars, and stock cars. He was also successful as a promoter, car builder, mechanic, fabricator, and businessman.
Consolidated’s scattered schedule for 1947 i
