USAC SPRINTS AT ELDORA MAY 5-6

(Josh James Photo)

By: Richie Murray – USAC Media

Rossburg, Ohio (May 1, 2023)………It almost seems as if it’s been an eternity since we last saw the USAC AMSOIL Sprintcar National Championship in action.

After feeling the wrath of Mother Nature for four consecutive events last week, the sight of Rossburg, Ohio’s Eldora Speedway on the horizon is more than a feeling; it’s a sight for sore eyes; it’s a sight to behold.

#LetsRaceTwo presents us all with two consecutive nights of full programs on Friday and Saturday, May 5-6, culminating in a pair of $10,000-to-win USAC National Sprintcar main events at the famed half-mile dirt oval, which has hosted more USAC National Sprintcar events than any other venue with 204 since 1962.

Saturday’s event will also be race number one of the Bubby Jones Master of Going Faster 10-race mini-series presented by Spire Sport + Entertainment, which will reward the champion driver with a $10,000 prize and the title-winning crew chief with a $2,500 bonus.

THREE PAST #LETSRACETWO WINNERS

The seventh edition of #LetsRaceTwo is also a welcome sight for more than just the aforementioned. This weekend will mark the first installment of the event since 2021 after last year’s races were marred by the pesky spring weather.

No driver owns more #LetsRaceTwo USAC Sprintcar wins than Robert Ballou who is one of three past #LetsRaceTwo USAC winners competing in this weekend’s field along with Justin Grant and Brady Bacon.

Ballou (Rocklin, Calif.) boasts a total of six USAC Sprint wins at Eldora dating back to 2007, tied for sixth all-time alongside Rollie Beale, Tom Bigelow, Tyler Courtney and Bubby Jones. His most recent of those six victories came in the most recent #LetsRaceTwo event when he scored in an epic late-race duel. He returned from devastating injuries to win #LetsRaceTwo in 2017 and even captured the inaugural running of the event during his championship season of 2015. Ballou also holds the 8-lap track record for USAC Sprint Cars at Eldora with a time of 2:05.51, set on 4/21/2012.

Current point leader and reigning USAC National Sprintcar Champion Justin Grant (Ione, Calif.) is also the reigning winner on the series trail at Indiana’s Tri-State Speedway in mid-April and the reigning USAC Sprint Car feature winner at Eldora, taking his fourth career Big E sprint triumph at the tail end of 2022. His 30-lap run on the second night of #LetsRaceTwo in 2015 came in track record fashion at 8:26.25, which also came on a last lap pass in traffic. Grant scored again at #LetsRaceTwo in 2017 with another 30-lap feature victory and was the fastest qualifier in 2019.

Four-time USAC National Sprintcar Champion Brady Bacon (Broken Arrow, Okla.) won the #LetsRaceTwo opener in 2018. He’s won twice at Eldora in USAC Sprint Car competition in his career, also taking a 4-Crown matinee in 2014, and added a Silver Crown score in 2019. Bacon has finished inside the top-six in each of his past seven #LetsRaceTwo starts, including 3rd in 2017, 4th in 2018 as well as a pair of 3rds in both 2019 runs. In the event, he’s also finished as the runner-up in 2016 and 5th in 2016 and was the fastest qualifier on both nights in 2017 and in the 2021 opener.

CRACKING THE CODE IN THE MONTH OF MAY

CJ Leary (Greenfield, Ind.) has won both a USAC Sprintcar and Silver Crown feature at Eldora, in 2017 and 2018, respectively, but, as of yet, hasn’t cracked victory lane at #LetsRaceTwo. He’s been oh-so-close over the years in the event, finishing 2nd four times, including 2015, 2016 and on both nights in 2019. The 2019 USAC National Sprint Car king has been the fastest qualifier on three occasions in the event, in 2018 and twice in 2019, and also owns a 3rd place result in 2015 and a 4th in 2016.

Matt Westfall’s success at Eldora runs the gamut from open wheel cars to fendered machines. The Pleasant Hill, Ohio driver won his lone USAC National Sprintcar feature at Eldora in 2006. He backed that up with a pair of Eldora track championships in a modified in 2014 and in a late model in 2015. His 2019 #LetsRaceTwo run resulted in his best finish in the event, a 6th, and more recently, he garnered a 9th in the 2021 opener. He was also 8th in 2018. The 1998 NAMARS Midget titlist is also the holder of USAC’s 6-lap Sprint Car track record at Eldora, a 1:37.56 set on 6/19/2004.

TRANSLATING ELDORA SUCCESS

Logan Seavey (Sutter, Calif.) has been a stud in the past two USAC Silver Crown events at Eldora, winning in both 2021 and 2022. Seavey’s lone #LetsRaceTwo appearance thus far resulted in a 10th place finish in 2021. Also in 2021, he ran second at the 4-Crown Nationals with the USAC Sprint Car. Seavey even possesses Eldora experience in a NASCAR Truck, leading a race-high 53 laps before finishing 8th. He’ll be behind the wheel of the 2B Racing machine owned and operated by Scott Benic who scored a USAC Sprintcar triumph at Eldora via an above-the-cushion ride by Levi Jones in 2005.

The first time Mitchel Moles ever raced at Eldora, he won the thing. That came in a USAC NOS Energy Drink Midget National Championship event in September of 2022. Moles (Raisin City, Calif.) was impressive in his lone USAC Sprintcar appearance at Eldora that same weekend, charging from 10th to 1st to win his heat, then climbed to 7th in the feature.

CHECKING THE ELDORA BOX

When a driver speaks about winning at Eldora, they say there’s not really anything that can compare to it. It just hits differently. Several USAC stars are keen on experiencing that feeling for themselves for the first time this weekend at #LetsRaceTwo.

Chase Stockon (Fort Branch, Ind.) has only finished outside the top-ten twice in 12 career #LetsRaceTwo starts, anchored by a personal-best 3rd place result in 2018 and 4th place runs in 2017 and 2019, plus a 6th in 2017, a 7th in both 2018 and 2019, an 8th in 2021, a 9th in 2015 and 2016, and a 10th in 2015. Stockon twice has been the fastest qualifier at #LetsRaceTwo, both occurring on back-to-back nights in 2015, and is the most recent USAC Sprint Car fast timer at Eldora, doing so in September of 2022 during the 4-Crown.

Kevin Thomas Jr. (Cullman, Ala.) is another driver highly eager to experience that breakthrough moment to win his first USAC race at Eldora. He’s finished 2nd twice in the Silver Crown series in both 2018 and 2019. His 3rd place result in 2017 is the best of his #LetsRaceTwo finishes. KTJ was also 5th in 2018, 6th in both 2018 and 2019, 7th in 2021, 8th in 2019, and 10th in 2015. He’s garnered fast time honors twice at #LetsRaceTwo in 2018 and 2021.

Emerson Axsom (Franklin, Ind.), the 2022 USAC National Sprint Car Rookie of the Year, made his first Eldora USAC Sprint Car voyage at Eldora in late 2022 with a 13th place finish. He’ll pilot a car for Clauson Marshall Racing, which has won six of the past eight Eldora USAC Sprint Car events dating back to 2019, all with Tyler Courtney in the seat. Axsom’s best Eldora run of them all so far came in a midget, finishing 8th in 2021. 

Kody Swanson (Kingsburg, Calif.) last made a USAC National Sprintcar start in 2019, but he’s back in the seat aboard the Wedgewood Motorsports No. 98 for this weekend’s Eldora contest. The seven-time USAC Silver Crown champ returns to the site where he recorded his best career dirt USAC Sprint finish of 2nd during the 2015 4-Crown. Swanson also pegged a pair of top-tens during #LetsRaceTwo in 2016, finishing 7th and 10th.

Jadon Rogers (Worthington, Ind.) made his first career #LetsRaceTwo start a fine one in 2021 as he tallied a solid 3rd place finish under the sunlight. Kyle Cummins (Princeton, Ind.), already a USAC Sprint winner in 2023, picked up 9th and 10th place #LetsRaceTwo results in 2018, which were his most recent appearances in the event. Jake Swanson (Anaheim, Calif.), a Florida special event winner this past winter, grabbed 8th at #LetsRaceTwo in 2021.

The USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car portion of the event from Eldora can be watched LIVE on FloRacing both nights at https://flosports.link/3ZjeooQ.

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USAC AMSOIL SPRINT CAR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS: 1-Justin Grant-303, 2-C.J. Leary-278, 3-Emerson Axsom-270, 4-Brady Bacon-266, 5-Kyle Cummins-250, 6-Kevin Thomas Jr.-243, 7-Chase Stockon-234, 8-Logan Seavey-223, 9-Jake Swanson-216, 10-Matt Westfall-204.

TRACK RECORDS FOR USAC NATIONAL SPRINT CARS AT ELDORA SPEEDWAY:

1 Lap – 9/22/2006 – Jerry Coons Jr. – 14.712 – 122.349

4 Laps – 7/29/1962 – Don Davis – 1:22.39 – 87.389

6 Laps – 6/19/2004 – Matt Westfall – 1:37.56 – 110.701

8 Laps – 4/21/2012 – Robert Ballou – 2:05.51 – 114.732

10 Laps – 8/6/2005 – Bill Rose – 2:40.19 – 112.367

12 Laps – 4/1/2006 – Jay Drake – 3:10.23 – 113.547

15 Laps – 8/7/2004 – Josh Wise – 4:42.31 – 95.640

30 Laps – 5/9/2015 – Justin Grant – 8:26.25 – 106.667

40 Laps – 6/10/1972 – Sam Sessions – 12:27.59 – 96.309

50 Laps – 10/6/1974 – Pancho Carter – 16:57.72 – 88.433

ALL-TIME #LETSRACETWO USAC SPRINT WINS:

3-Robert Ballou & Tyler Courtney

2-Justin Grant

1-Brady Bacon, Chad Boespflug, Bryan Clauson & Chris Windom

ALL-TIME #LETSRACETWO USAC SPRINT WINNERS:

2015: Robert Ballou (5/8) & Justin Grant (5/9)

2016: Bryan Clauson (5/6) & Chad Boespflug (5/7)

2017: Justin Grant (5/12) & Robert Ballou (5/13)

2018: Brady Bacon (5/11) & Chris Windom (5/12)

2019: Tyler Courtney (5/10) & Tyler Courtney (7/17)

2020: Not Held

2021: Tyler Courtney (5/8) & Robert Ballou (5/8)

2022: Rained Out

ALL-TIME ELDORA USAC SPRINT CAR WINS

13-Jack Hewitt

9-Larry Dickson & Tracy Hines

7-Pancho Carter & Rich Vogler

6-Robert Ballou, Rollie Beale, Tom Bigelow, Tyler Courtney & Bubby Jones

5-Dave Darland & Jac Haudenschild

4-Steve Butler, Kevin Doty, Jay Drake, Tony Elliott, Justin Grant, Kevin Huntley & Sammy Sessions

3-Billy Cassella, Rob Chaney, Jerry Coons Jr., Rick Hood, Frankie Kerr, Sheldon Kinser, Lee Kunzman, Jud Larson, Greg Weld & J.J. Yeley

2-Brady Bacon, Gary Bettenhausen, Don Branson, Larry Cannon, Derek Davidson, Levi Jones, Bud Kaeding, Steve Kinser, Jan Opperman, Larry Rice, Mickey Shaw, George Snider, Bruce Walkup & Chris Windom

1-Mario Andretti, Chad Boespflug, Stan Bowman, Bryan Clauson, Allen Crowe, Dickie Gaines, Tray House, Jackie Howerton, Arnie Knepper, Kyle Larson, C.J.

Leary, Eddie Leavitt, Roger McCluskey, Thomas Meseraull, Don Nordhorn, Dave Peperak, Jerry Poland, Bill Puterbaugh, Byron Reed, Boston Reid, Red Riegel, Johnny Rutherford, Joe Saldana, Terry Shepherd, Jimmy Sills, Danny Smith, Jon Stanbrough, Robbie Stanley, Tony Stewart, Brad Sweet, Clark Templeman, Brian Tyler, Rick Ungar & Matt Westfall.

ALL-TIME ELDORA USAC SPRINT WINNERS:

1962: Stan Bowman (4/22) & Roger McCluskey (7/29)

1963: Allen Crowe (5/12)

1964: Johnny Rutherford (4/5) & Jud Larson (7/5)

1965: Jud Larson (4/18), Jud Larson (5/9), Red Riegel (7/3) & Don Branson (10/17)

1966: Arnie Knepper (4/3), Larry Dickson (4/17), Don Branson (7/3) & Mario Andretti (9/4)

1967: Rollie Beale (4/16), Mickey Shaw (7/2) & Rollie Beale (7/22)

1968: Rollie Beale (4/7), Larry Dickson (7/20) & Mickey Shaw (9/29)

1969: Tom Bigelow (4/6), Larry Cannon (6/8) & Greg Weld (7/26)

1970: Gary Bettenhausen (4/5), Greg Weld (5/2), Larry Dickson (7/25), Greg Weld (8/15) &

Larry Dickson (9/11)

1971: Gary Bettenhausen (4/4), Sammy Sessions (6/12), Larry Dickson (7/24) & Bill Puterbaugh (9/19)

1972: Rollie Beale (4/2), Sammy Sessions (6/10), Lee Kunzman (7/22), Jerry Poland (9/17), Sammy Sessions (10/22) & Don Nordhorn (10/22)

1973: George Snider (4/1), Sammy Sessions (4/29), Lee Kunzman (8/11), Pancho Carter (9/16), Lee Kunzman (10/21) & Pancho Carter (10/21)

1974: Jan Opperman (3/31), Bruce Walkup (7/13), Pancho Carter (10/6) & Larry Cannon (10/6)

1975: Tom Bigelow (4/13), Rollie Beale (6/21), Billy Cassella (7/12), Rollie Beale (10/5) & Larry Dickson (10/5)

1976: Sheldon Kinser (3/28), Larry Dickson (4/11), Jackie Howerton (6/19), Clark Templeman (6/20), Jan Opperman (7/10), Tom Bigelow (8/7), Pancho Carter (9/19), Tom Bigelow (10/9), Pancho Carter (10/10) & Pancho Carter (10/10)

1977: Tom Bigelow (4/10), Bubby Jones (4/17), George Snider (4/17), Tom Bigelow (6/18), Bruce Walkup (6/19), Pancho Carter (7/9), Bubby Jones (9/18), Eddie Leavitt (10/9) & Bubby Jones (10/9)

1978: Joe Saldana (6/17) & Bubby Jones (9/17)

1979: Bubby Jones (4/29), Bubby Jones (6/2), Larry Rice (8/25), Billy Cassella (10/14) & Billy Cassella (10/14)

1980: Rich Vogler (4/6), Larry Dickson (7/26), Sheldon Kinser (10/12) & Larry Dickson (7/12)

1981: Dave Peperak (4/25), Sheldon Kinser (6/20), Rich Vogler (7/3) & Steve Kinser (10/11)

1982: Jack Hewitt (4/24), Jac Haudenschild (7/17) & Steve Kinser (10/3)

1983: Rich Vogler (6/4) Jack Hewitt (8/2) & Jack Hewitt (9/25)

1984: Jac Haudenschild (4/1), Steve Butler (4/28), Rick Hood (7/14) & Jack Hewitt (8/16)

1985: Jac Haudenschild (4/27), Rick Hood (4/28) & Larry Rice (10/6)

1986: Rich Vogler (4/5), Rick Hood (4/26) & Rich Vogler (9/28)

1987: Rich Vogler (3/28), Rick Ungar (4/25), Rich Vogler (6/13) & Tony Elliott (9/27)

1988: Jac Haudenschild (3/27), Jack Hewitt (4/23), Jack Hewitt (5/14), Jack Hewitt (6/18), Steve Butler (7/16) & Steve Butler (9/25)

1989: Steve Butler (9/24)

1990: Jack Hewitt (4/7) & Jack Hewitt (9/30)

1991: Jack Hewitt (9/22)

1992: Terry Shepherd (3/28) & Danny Smith (10/4)

1993: Robbie Stanley (3/27), Jack Hewitt (8/11) & Tony Elliott (10/3)

1994: Frankie Kerr (4/2), Tray House (6/25), Frankie Kerr (8/10) & Kevin Doty (9/25)

1995: Kevin Doty (4/1), Byron Reed (8/9) & Tony Stewart (9/23)

1996: Frankie Kerr (8/7) & Jimmy Sills (9/28)

1997: Kevin Huntley (3/29), Kevin Huntley (6/22), Brian Tyler (8/6) & Jack Hewitt (9/20)

1998: Kevin Doty (5/2), Dave Darland (5/24), Kevin Doty (6/20) & Jack Hewitt (9/26)

1999: Derek Davidson (3/27), Derek Davidson (5/1), Tracy Hines (5/30), Tracy Hines (7/28) & Dave Darland (9/25)

2000: Jay Drake (4/1), Dave Darland (4/29), Tony Elliott (5/28) & Tracy Hines (9/30)

2001: Tracy Hines (4/28), Jay Drake (6/22), J.J. Yeley (6/23) & Bud Kaeding (9/22)

2002: J.J. Yeley (5/26), Tony Elliott (6/22) & Bud Kaeding (9/21)

2003: Boston Reid (5/3), J.J. Yeley (5/25), Jon Stanbrough (6/21) & Jac Haudenschild (9/20 – SE)

2004: Jay Drake (6/19), Kevin Huntley (8/7) & Dickie Gaines (9/25)

2005: Jay Drake (4/30), Rob Chaney (5/29), Kevin Huntley (6/18), Rob Chaney (8/6) & Levi Jones (9/24)

2006: Jerry Coons Jr. (4/1), Rob Chaney (4/29), Matt Westfall (6/17) & Tracy Hines (9/23)

2007: Robert Ballou (4/28) & Robert Ballou (9/22)

2008: Tracy Hines (5/10), Tracy Hines (6/14) & Brad Sweet (9/20)

2009: Jerry Coons Jr. (4/11) & Jerry Coons Jr. (9/26)

2010: Robert Ballou (5/12) & Levi Jones (9/25)

2011: Kyle Larson (9/24)

2012: Tracy Hines (4/21), Dave Darland (7/28) & Tracy Hines (9/22)

2013: Chris Windom (9/21)

2014: Dave Darland (4/19) & Brady Bacon (9/21)

2015: Robert Ballou (5/8), Justin Grant (5/9) & Thomas Meseraull (9/26)

2016: Bryan Clauson (5/6), Chad Boespflug (5/7) & Justin Grant (9/24)

2017: Justin Grant (5/12), Robert Ballou (5/13) & C.J. Leary (9/23)

2018: Brady Bacon (5/11), Chris Windom (5/12) & Tyler Courtney (9/22)

2019: Tyler Courtney (5/10), Tyler Courtney (7/17) & Tyler Courtney (9/28)

2021: Tyler Courtney (5/8), Robert Ballou (5/8) & Tyler Courtney (9/25)

2022: Justin Grant (9/24)

#LETSRACETWO USAC SPRINT RESULTS (2015-PRESENT):

2015 NIGHT #1 FEATURE: (30 laps) 1. Robert Ballou, 2. Jon Stanbrough, 3. C.J. Leary.

2015 NIGHT #2 FEATURE: (30 laps) 1. Justin Grant, 2. C.J. Leary, 3. Tracy Hines.

2016 NIGHT #1 FEATURE: (30 laps) 1. Bryan Clauson, 2. C.J. Leary, 3. Thomas Meseraull. 

2016 NIGHT #2 FEATURE: (30 laps) 1. Chad Boespflug, 2. Brady Bacon, 3. Thomas Meseraull. 

2017 NIGHT #1 FEATURE: (30 laps) 1. Justin Grant, 2. Dallas Hewitt, 3. Kevin Thomas Jr.

2017 NIGHT #2 FEATURE: (30 laps) 1. Robert Ballou, 2. Chris Windom, 3. Brady Bacon.

2018 NIGHT #1 FEATURE: (30 laps, starting position in parentheses) 1. Brady Bacon (8), 2. Robert Ballou (1), 3. Chris Windom (2). 

2018 NIGHT #2 FEATURE: (30 laps, starting positions in parentheses) 1. Chris Windom (2), 2. Tyler Courtney (5), 3. Chase Stockon (3). 

2019 NIGHT #1 FEATURE: (30 laps, starting position in parentheses) 1. Tyler Courtney (7), 2. C.J. Leary (6), 3. Brady Bacon (5).

2019 NIGHT #2 FEATURE: (30 laps, starting position in parentheses) 1. Tyler Courtney (4), 2. C.J. Leary (5), 3. Brady Bacon (3).

2021 NIGHT #1 FEATURE: (30 laps, starting positions in parentheses) 1. Tyler Courtney (1), 2. Robert Ballou (4), 3. Jadon Rogers (2).

2021 NIGHT #2 FEATURE: (30 laps, starting positions in parentheses) 1. Robert Ballou (1), 2. Tyler Courtney (7), 3. Chris Windom (3).