BIGGIE AT THE BIG E: USAC SPRINTS TAKE ON THE 4-CROWN!
USAC SPRINTS TAKE ON THE 4-CROWN!
Seven past 4-Crown Nationals USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car feature winners head the field for this Saturday night’s 39th edition of the event at Rossburg, Ohio’s Eldora Speedway, presented by NKT.TV. (Rich Forman Photo)
By: Richie Murray – USAC Media
Rossburg, Ohio (September 22, 2021)………Seven past 4-Crown Nationals USAC AMSOIL National Sprintcar feature winners head the field for this Saturday night’s 39th edition of the event at Rossburg, Ohio’s Eldora Speedway, presented by NKT.TV.
Tyler Courtney (Indianapolis, Ind.) enters the September 25 event as the victor in each of the past two 4-Crown USAC Sprintcar main events in 2018 and 2019. The 2018 series champ has, in fact, won five of the past six series races held at Eldora since 2018. His only non-win in that span came in a runner-up finish by a car length to Robert Ballou in May of 2021.
Ballou (Rocklin, Calif.) is a six-time Eldora USAC Sprintcar winner with the second of those six coming during the 4-Crown in 2007. At the 4-Crown, the 2015 series titlist has also chalked up a 3rd in 2017 and a 5th in 2013.
CJ Leary (Greenfield, Ind.) has finished inside the top-two twice in his 4-Crown USAC Sprintcar career, notching a 2017 victory followed by a 2nd place result in 2018. The 2019 series champion came away from his first 4-Crown visit with a 6th in 2012 followed by a 7th in 2014.
Justin Grant (Ione, Calif.) laid down a victory in the 2016 4-Crown Nationals USAC Sprintcar race. The 2020 USAC Silver Crown champ sandwiched the triumph between top-five finishes in 2014, where he finished 3rd, in addition to a 5th in 2017 and a 3rd in 2019. He owns a total of three career USAC Sprint Car wins at Eldora.
Thomas Meseraull became the sixth and most recent driver to capture his first career USAC National Sprintcar feature win during the 4-Crown in 2015, joining Steve Kinser (1981), Kevin Doty (1994), Jimmy Sills (1996), Dickie Gaines (2004) and Brad Sweet (2008) in that regard. He’s also carved out 8th place finishes in 2010 and 2017.
Brady Bacon (Broken Arrow, Okla.) got his 4-Crown USAC Sprint win in a Sunday matinee during the 2014 campaign. The 2014-16-20 series king earned his first career “podium” finish at the 4-Crown in 2006, a 3rd. Since then, he’s added a 2nd in 2017, another 3rd in 2016 and a 5th in 2019. He also scored a second Eldora win in May of 2018.
Chris Windom (Canton, Ill.) doubled up in 2013 by winning both the USAC Sprint and Silver Crown main events at the 4-Crown. The 2017 series champion has been masterful at the 4-Crown in a USAC Sprint Car, adding a 2nd place finish in 2016 and 2019, a 3rd in 2012 and a 5th in 2018.
Kevin Thomas Jr. (Cullman, Ala.) has finished inside the top-five in his last three 4-Crown USAC Midget starts, and he’s done the same in USAC Sprint Car competition as well with a 4th place result in 2017, 2018 and 2019 as he seeks his first Eldora victory.
Chase Stockon (Fort Branch, Ind.) possesses six career 4-Crown top-tens with a best of 4th in 2012, a pair of 6th place results in 2015 and 2018, as well as a 7th in 2016, an 8th in 2019 and a 9th in 2017.
Davey Ray (Davenport, Iowa) makes his return to a 4-Crown USAC Sprint Car entry list for the first time since 2007 where he finished 10th. He did two better back in 2006, finishing 8th. He won his first career USAC Sprint Car heat race at Eldora in 2004 and captured his second earlier this year in Ocala, Fla., a span of nearly 17 years.
Recently crowned, two-time Lawrenceburg Speedway track champ Nick Bilbee (Indianapolis, Ind.) has been a consistent finisher at the 4-Crown with an 8th in 2018 and a 10th in both 2016 and 2019.
Dallas Hewitt (Troy, Ohio), nephew of the all-time king in terms of 4-Crown feature wins with 19 total wins, Jack Hewitt, has had a handful of solid performances in his career at Eldora during the 4-Crown, finishing 6th in both 2016 and 2019, and was 7th in 2015. Back in May of 2017, Hewitt earned his best career USAC Sprint Car finish of 2nd.
On Friday, it’s a full program for the USAC NOS Energy Drink Midget National Championship, plus USAC Silver Crown qualifying and a full program for the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars. Stands open at 2pm Eastern with the drivers meeting at 5pm and hot laps at 6pm.
On Saturday, it’s full programs for the USAC NOS Energy Drink Midget National Championship, USAC AMSOIL Sprint Car National Championship, USAC Silver Crown and the All Star Circuit of Champions. Spectator gates open at Noon Eastern with a driver autograph session scheduled from 3-4 pm in the Fan Zone, followed by the drivers meeting at 5pm and hot laps at 6pm.
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4-CROWN NATIONALS USAC NATIONAL SPRINTCAR WINS:
5-Jack Hewitt
3-Tracy Hines
2-Steve Butler, Tyler Courtney, Tony Elliott, Levi Jones, Bud Kaeding & Steve Kinser
1-Brady Bacon, Robert Ballou, Jerry Coons Jr., Dave Darland, Kevin Doty, Dickie Gaines, Justin Grant, Kyle Larson, C.J. Leary, Thomas Meseraull, Larry Rice, Jimmy Sills, Danny Smith, Tony Stewart, Brad Sweet, Rich Vogler & Chris Windom
IT’S DAY’S USAC MIDGET AFTERNOON AT MERCED