By T.J. Buffenbarger
ROSSBURG, Ohio (July 17, 2019) — After 67 days since his first victory of the 2019 season with the USAC Amsoil National Sprint Car Series during the first night of the #letsracetwo program at Eldora Speedway Tyler Courtney was able to complete his sweep winning the makeup event on Wednesday.
Courtney took the lead with a daring move on the opening lap and drove away from the field for the victory. The win was Courtney’s third overall this season with the USAC National Sprint Cars and came with an increased $10,000 pay day in honor of the 200th USAC feature event held at Eldora.
“It seems like we win every race that doesn’t pay any money,” said Courtney of his lack of success recently in the better paying races. “It’s really cool to win $10,000. Thank you to Roger Slack, Tony Stewart, and everyone here at Eldora for the money. It was cool to win the 200th USAC race here. People that appreciate the history like myself, that’s cool to put my name in the record book doing that.”
Kevin Thomas Jr. and Chase Stockon led the field to the green with Stockon leading down the front stretch before Courtney swept by them into the lead. Courtney quickly built up a sizeable lead as C.J. Leary and Brady Bacon dropped Stockon back to fourth on lap three.
Courtney started to overtake slower cars by lap nine as Bacon and Leary diced for the second position. Bacon attempted to drive under Leary on lap 15 going into turn one but could not make the pass.
When the caution flag came out on lap 16 Courtney had four lapped cars between himself and Leary during the restart. This allowed Courtney to quickly build up his lead again while Leary and Bacon picked their way through the slower cars.
While trying to keep pace with Leary, Bacon hit the wall in turns three and four and bent a front axle before hitting the wall harder in turn one. Somehow Bacon managed to keep going and did not lose third position.
Up front it was all Courtney driving away to the victory over Leary, Bacon, Stockon, and Windom.
Courtney hopes the Eldora victory will give him momentum going into the opening of Indiana Sprint Week on Friday at Gas City I-69 Speedway.
“Surrounding yourself with good people. You put all of the right things together and normally good things happen,” said Courtney. “Rizzy (Tyler Ransbottom, crew chief) is on his game right now. He messed up a little at Knoxville, but he was determined to make right on that. I think we did that tonight. To get this momentum going into Sprint Week the next few nights, hopefully we can keep going.”
#LetsRaceTwo
USAC Amsoil National Sprint Car Championship
Eldora Speedway
Rossburg, OH
Wednesday July 17, 2019
Qualifying:
1. 4 – Justin Grant, 15.957
2. 19AZ – C.J. Leary, 15.988
3. 7BC – Tyler Courtney, 16.040
4. 69 – Brady Bacon, 16.210
5. 32 – Chase Stockon, 16.241
6. 21 – Carson Short, 16.265
7. 19 – Kevin Thomas Jr, 16.391
8. 27 – Zane Hendricks, 16.459
9. 5G – Chris Windom, 16.471
10. 33M – Matt Westfall, 16.526
11. 71P – Jason McDougal, 16.585
12. 91R – Brody Roa, 16.593
13. 52 – Issac Chapple, 16.670
14. 75 – Dustin Christie, 16.726
15. 42 – Dave Darland, 16.729
16. 20N – Kody Swanson, 16.843
17. 23S – Scotty Weir, 16.849
18. 84 – Tom Harris, 16.900
19. 18 – Dallas Hewitt, 16.926
20. 2DI – Dustin Ingle, 16.931
21. 66S – Corey Smith, 17.042
22. 24 – Brian VanMeveren, 17.081
23. 87 – Paul Dues, 17.159
24. 39 – Matt Goodnight, 17.190
25. 19C – Matt Cooley, 17.358
26. 44 – Michael Fishesser, 17.484
27. 99 – Gage Etgen, 17.775
28. 17 – Nick Bilbee, NT.
Heat Race #1 (8 Laps):
1. 69 – Brady Bacon
2. 52 – Issac Chapple
3. 4 – Justin Grant
4. 20 – Kody Swanson
5. 19 – Kevin Thomas Jr
6. 33M – Matt Westfall
7. 18 – Dallas Hewitt
8. 24 – Brian VanMaveren
9. 19C – Matt Cooley.
(First five finishers transferred to the A-Main)
Heat Race #2 (8 Laps):
1. 23S – Scotty Weir
2. 19AZ – C.J. Leary
3. 75 – Dustin Christie
4. 32 – Chase Stockon
5. 27 – Zane Hendricks
6. 71P – Jason McDougal
7. 2DI – Dustin Ingle
8. 44 – Michael Fichesser
9. 87 – Paul Dues.
(First five finishers transferred to the A-Main)
Heat Race #3 (8 Laps):
1. 7BC – Tyler Courntey
2. 42 – Dave Darland
3. 5G – Chris Windom
4. 84 – Tom Harris
5. 91 – Brody Roa
6. 21 – Carson Short
7. 66S – Corey Smith
8. 39 – Matt Goodnight
9. 99 – Gage Etgen
(First five finishers transferred to the A-Main)
B-Main (12 Laps):
1. 33M – Matt Westfall
2. 21 – Carson Short
3. 18 – Dallas Hewitt
4. 71P – Jason McDougal
5. 39 – Matt Goodnight
6. 66S – Corey Smith
7. 44 – Michael Fischesser
8. 99 – Gage Etgen
9. 19C – Matt Cooley
10. 2DI – Dustin Ingle
11. 24 – Brian VanMeveren.
(First seven cars transferred to the A-Main)
A-Main (30 Laps):
1. 7BC – Tyler Courtney
2. 19AZ – C.J. Leary
3. 69 – Brady Bacon
4. 32 – Chase Stockon
5. 5G – Chris Windom
6. 33M – Matt Westfall
7. 84 – Tom Harris
8. 19 – Kevin Thomas Jr.
9. 27 – Zane Hendricks
10. 52 – Issac Chapple
11. 18 – Dallas Hewitt
12. 23S – Scott Weir
13. 21 – Carson Short
14. 71P – Jason McDougal
15. 75 – Dustin Christie
16. 42 – Dave Darland
17. 91 – Brody Roa
18. 39 – Matt Goodnight
19. 44 – Michael Fischesser
20. 66S – Corey Smith
21. 4 – Justin Grant
22. 24 – Brian VanMeveren
23. 20 – Kody Swanson.