By T.J. Buffenbarger
New Weston, OH – (September 22, 2012) – Tracy Hines ended the USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car Series portion of Eldora Speedway season just like he started it in victory lane after winning the 4-Crown Nationals main event. Hines started on the front row and led every lap, holding off a last lap challenge by Dave Darland to win in his M.P. Environmental sponsored, Stanton powered car.
Ironically it was Darland who Hines passed on the last lap in April for the feature win at Eldora.
“I’m just excited on my crew.” Said Hines. “ I knew Dave (Darland) was behind me, and I remember the beginning of the year when I passed him on the last lap. I knew a slide job was coming.”
Tracy Hines led the field into turn one with Chase Stockon in tow. Hines quickly opened up a full straightaway advantage with Bryan Clauson on the move. Clauson quickly moved into fourth and attempted to slide Scotty Weir in turns three and four, but Weir held the position. This allowed Dave Darland to close in as well.
On lap five a terrifying moment occurred with midget car winner Kyle Larson got into the fence and flipped in turn two. Mitch Wissmiller had nowhere to go and slammed hard into Larson’s car while it was upside down. A hush fell over the entire facility until Larson emerged from the car under his own power and walked to the ambulance. Wissmiller was also uninjured.
Hines motored away to a sizeable lead during the restart. Darland and Clauson started to battle for fourth when Darland got a run going into turn one and dove past Caulson and Weir to move to third on lap six. On lap eight Darland caught Stockon and began exchanging slide jobs, with Darland taking second for good on lap 12.
Chris Windom was also on the move sliding Clauson for fourth position on lap 10, but Jon Stanbrough took advantage and motored by both on the back stretch to move into third on lap 16.
Hines continued to hold a sizeable advantage with Darland and Stanbrough closing when the red flag came out while working lap 24 for A.J. Hopkins flip in turn four. Hopkins emerged from the car under his own power. When the cars were pushed off for the restart Stanbrough’s left rear tire started to go down and went pit side. Coleman Gulick also pitted just after the cars fired for the restart.
After the restart C.J. Leary looked under Windom for third during the restart as Darland bounced of the back stretch fence. Darland kept going, but Windom had a look under him, but could not make the pass. Leary then dropped back and ended up sliding back and forth with Stockon for the fourth position.
As the final five laps wound down Hines, Darland, and Windom were right together on the track. After taking the white flag Darland dove under Hines in turn one, but could not make the pass. Darland could not get up enough momentum to mount another challenge as Hines went on to victory over Darland, Windom, Stockon, and Clauson.
Bobby East was the fastest qualifier over the 37 car field with a lap of 14.908 second with an average speed of 120.741 miles per hour. Coleman Gulick, Chris Windom, Chase Stockon, and Tracy Hines won the heat race events. During the second heat race Mike Miller flipped in turn two.
Amsoil USAC National Sprint Car Series
4-Crown Nationals
Eldora Speedway – New Weston, OH
Saturday July 22, 2012
Qualifications: 1. 5E – Bobby East, 14.908; 2. 20 – Chris Windom, 15.039; 3. 7 – Bryan Clauson, 15.164; 4. 51G – Scotty Weir, 15.167; 5. 11 – Dave Darland, 15.306; 6. 71 – Damion Gardner, 15.363; 7. 32 – Chase Stockon, 15.371; 8. 4 – Tracy Hines, 15.388; 9. 99 – Brady Bacon, 15.416; 10. 69 – Darren Hagen, 15.500; 11. 81 – Robert Ballou, 15.561; 12. 1w – Mitch Wissmiller, 15.576; 13. 18 – Thomas Meseraull, 15.586; 14. 21x – Jon Stanbrough, 15.591; 15. 9x – Mike Brecht, 15.642; 16. 29K – Bud Kaeding, 15.673; 17. 35 – Hunter Schuerenberg, 15.705; 18. 30 – C.J. Leary, 15.736; 19. 54 – Matt Westfall, 15.746; 20. 21 – Jerry Coons, Jr., 15.780; 21. 14 – Coleman Gulick, 15.880; 22. 9K – Kevin Thomas, Jr., 16.093; 23. 82 – Mike Miller, 16.172; 24. 42G – A.J. Hopkins, 15.737; 25. 78 – Todd Kane, 15.915; 26. 1 – Steve Irwin, 16.015; 27. 2m – Dallas Hewitt, 16.154; 28. 5 – Wes McIntyre, 16.293; 29. 29 – Logan Jarrett, 16.535; 30. 98 – Chad Boesflug, 16.537; 31. 41 – Landon Simon, 16.748; 32. 28 – Brandon Mattox, 16.938; 33. 8G – Dickie Gaines, 17.282; 34. 32M – Derek Hastings, 17.287; 35. 23H – Wesley Gordon, 17.293; 36. 83 – Adam Crucea, 17.422; 37. 8 – Lewie Christian, 17.433
Heat Race #1 (8 Laps): 1. Coleman Gulick, 2. Jon Stanbrough, 3. Brady Bacon, 4. C.J. Leary, 5. Dave Darland, 6. Bobby East, 7. Chad Boespflug, 8. Dallas Hewitt, 9. Derek Hastings. DNS: Thomas Mesearull (First four finishers transferred to the “A” Feature)
Heat Race #2 (8 Laps): 1. Chris Windom, 2. Damion Gardner, 3. Kyle Larson, 4. A.J. Hopkins, 5. Mike Brecht, 6. Todd Kane, 7. Wesley Gordon, 8. Kyle Simon, 9. Mike Miller. (First four finishers transferred to the “A” Feature)
Heat Race #3 (8 Laps): 1. Chase Stockon, 2. Bryan Clauson, 3. Bud Kaeding, 4. Matt Westfall, 5. Robert Ballou, 6. Wes McIntyre, 7. Steve Irwin, 8. Brandon Mattox, 9. Adam Creua. (First four finishers transferred to the “A” Feature)
Heat Race #4 (8 Laps): 1. Tracy Hines, 2. Scotty Weir, 3. Jerry Coons, Jr., 4. Mitch Wissmiller, 5. Kevin Thomas, Jr., 6. Logan Jarrett, 7. Dickie Gaines, 8. Lewie Christian, 9. Hunter Schuerenberg. (First four finishers transferred to the “A” Feature)
Semi-Feature (12 Laps): 1. Dave Darland, 2. Robert Ballou, 3. Mike Brecht, 4. Wes McIntyre, 5. Kevin Thomas, Jr., 6. Steve Irwin, 7. Dallas Hewitt, 8. Todd Kane, 9. Wesley Gordon, 10. Logan Jarrett, 11. Brandon Mattox, 12. Dickie Gaines, 13. Adam Cruea, 14. Lewie Christian, 15. Derek Hastings, 16. Bobby East, 17. Chad Boespflug. DNS: Landon Simon, Mike Miller, Hunter Schuerenberg. (First eight finishers transferred to the “A” Feature)
A-Feature (25 Laps): 1. Tracy Hines, 2. Dave Darland, 3. Chris Windom, 4. Chase Stockon, 5. Bryan Clauson, 6. C.J. Leary, 7. Robert Ballou, 8. Brady Bacon, 9. Wes McIntyre, 10. Scotty Weir, 11. Matt Westfall, 12. Bud Kaeding, 13. Jon Stanbrough, 14. Dallas Hewitt, 15. Steve Irwin, 16. Jerry Coons, Jr, 17. Coleman Gulick, 18. Damion Gardner, 19. A.J. Hopkins, 20. Kevin Thomas, Jr., 21. Todd Kane, 22. Kyle Larson, 23. Mitch Wissmiller, 24. Mike Brecht.
Lap Leaders: Hines 1-30
Hard Charger: McIntyre (+15)
** Darren Hagen qualified the Hoffman 69, Kyle Larson drove it in the heat race and the feature.