By Dick Jordan
Consistency paid off for Levi Jones of Olney, Ill., who rode “top-10” finishes in all seven races to the 2012 AMSOIL USAC Indiana Sprint Week championship, his fourth, tying him with Kevin Thomas as the all-time leaders.
Jones trails Jon Stanbrough by just six points in search of a sixth AMSOIL USAC National Sprint Car Championship, the search for which resumes this Saturday with the rich NAPA Auto Parts “Summer Sprint Car Shootout” at Tony Stewart’s Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio.
Stewart, Jones’ Sprint car owner, was on hand for Sunday night’s ISW finale at Lincoln Park Speedway in Putnamville, where Jones finished fifth to outpoint Bryan Clauson by seven and Stanbrough by 20 for the title. Clauson was third and Stanbrough sixth in the finale.
Saturday’s Eldora race salutes the 50-year history of USAC racing at the storied half-mile Ohio oval and offers $10,000 plus bonus position advancement incentives for a victory. Tenth place pays $2,000 and last place $1,000 in the “special event” which will offer only National appearance points due to the unique format which concludes with a symbolic 50-lap feature. Stan Bowman won USAC’s first Eldora race in 1962 and 70 different drivers have won in the 181 USAC Sprint races held there to date.
Dave Darland of Lincoln, Ind. became the only driver with a repeat victory in the 2012 USAC AMSOIL Indiana Sprint Week series, winning Monday’s 30-lapper at Kokomo Speedway and Sunday’s 30-lap finale at Putnamville in his Jam It In Storage/Hoosier Tire Maxim/Claxton. He took the lead on lap 26 at Kokomo from Bryan Clauson, then led the rest of the way to beat Clauson, Jones, Hunter Schuerenberg and Darren Hagen in a memorable main event. At Putnamville, Dave trailed Shane Cottle for 26 laps, then led the final four to beat Kevin Thomas Jr., Clauson, Cottle and Jones.
Daron Clayton of Sikeston, Mo. led all 30 laps of Wednesday night’s “Don Smith Classic” at the Terre Haute Action Track in his Sign Express Stickers/Ray Morgan Motorsports Spike/Chevy. Stanbrough took second ahead of Tracy Hines, Jones and Coleman Gulick.
Thomas, of Cullman, Ala., earned his initial USAC feature win in Friday night’s 30-lapper at Bloomington Speedway, leading the last 25 laps in his Blackjack Oil Company/Indy Metal Finishings Spike/Kistler after passing Darland on lap six. Darland finished second ahead of Brent Beauchamp, Jerry Coons Jr. and Clauson.
Stanbrough paced all 30 laps of Saturday night’s feature at Tri-State Speedway in Haubstadt where Jones took second and Clauson miraculously finished third. Clauson flipped on lap 21 and after hasty repairs came from the back of the pack in the remaining nine laps to make the podium! Stanbrough piloted the Leer Racing DRC/Speedway machine to the win. Jonathan Hendrick and Chase Stockon rounded out the “top-five” at the checkered flag.
2012 AMSOIL USAC NATIONAL SPRINT CAR POINTS: 1-Jon Stanbrough-1,138, 2-Levi Jones-1,132; 3-Dave Darland-1,047, 4-Bryan Clauson-952, 5-Damion Gardner-950, 6-Tracy Hines-880, 7-Hunter Schuerenberg-833, 8-Robert Ballou-824, 9-Kevin Thomas Jr.-817, 10-Chase Stockon-810.
FINAL 2012 USAC AMSOIL “INDIANA SPRINT WEEK” POINTS: 1-Levi Jones-391, 2-Bryan Clauson-384, 3-Jon Stanbrough-371, 4-Dave Darland-352, 5-Jerry Coons Jr.-288, 6-Chase Stockon-279, 7-Hunter Schuerenberg-267, 8-Kevin Thomas Jr.-260, 9-Damion Gardner-254, 10-Shane Cottle-217.