By Bob Miller
The 8th Annual Amsoil USAC Eastern Storm is quickly approaching with the series opener set for the Grandview Speedway and the NAPA Auto Parts Thunder on the Hill Racing Series on Tuesday night, June 3. The opening event will pay tribute to one of racings’ all-time greats, Jesse Hockett who lost in life in a garage accident in 2010, just prior to leaving for the 2010 running of the Eastern Storm. The year prior, Hockett made a clean sweep, winning the Twin 20 lap USAC features at Grandview.
Following Grandview, the AMSOIL USAC Eastern Swing will include stops at the Lincoln Speedway Wednesday, June 4, New Egypt Speedway, Thursday, June 5, Port Royal on Saturday, June 7 with the finale set for Sunday, June 8 at the Susquehanna Speedway.
In the history of USAC, they presented sixty-six events in Berks County, seven of those races were at the Grandview Speedway and the balance took place at the Reading Fairgrounds Speedway in Reading, PA. It way Oley, PA driver Tommy Hinnershitz, who won the first three USAC events in Berks County starting way back in 1956 at Reading.
The list of Berks County USAC event winners is rich in history to include Johnny Thomson, AJ Foyt, Jim Hurtibise, Roger McCluskey, Greg Weld, Red Riegel, Jud Larson, Johnny Rutherford, Bobby Unser, Bruce Walkup, Toby Tobias, Larry Dickson, Gary Bettenhausen, Lee Kunzman, Larry “Boom-Boom” Cannon, Pancho Carter , Lee Osborne and Fred Linder just to name a few of the history makers. In more recent years (2007 – 2013), USAC Thunder on the Hill feature winners include Levi Jones, the late Jesse Hockett, “The Beast” Bobby East, Bryan Clauson and the 2013 winner, the “Modern Day Cowboy” Daron Clayton.
The 2013 USAC event at Grandview was just an absolute crowd pleaser with Daron Clayton, Bryan Clauson and Levi Jones putting on a three car race for the win that went on the final fifteen laps of the feature. Clayton won the thriller!
Grandview Speedway and Thunder on the Hill will open the USAC Eastern Storm Series on Tuesday night, June 3rd with the “Jesse Hockett Classic”, a 40 lap feature event that will pay $6,000 to the winner. The ARDC Midgets will be part of the Grandview Speedway Eastern Storm opener that will get underway at 7:30 PM.
The USAC Eastern Storm Series will then shift to the Lincoln Speedway in Abbottstown, PA on Wednesday night, June 4. The MACH 1 Chassis sponsored event will showcase the URC 360/358 Super Series event with a 25 lap feature. Race fans visiting the track in the “pigeon hills” will get to see non-wing and winged sprint cars on the same night.
New Egypt Speedway in New Egypt, NJ will open their doors to the USAC Eastern Storm joined by the ARDC Midgets on Thursday night, June 5. USAC reports that their phone just rang off the hook with requests from fans and competitors to return to the New Jersey facility, so it will happen again in the coming Eastern Storm.
USAC will take Friday night off then return to racing on Saturday night, June 7, when the Eastern Storm will head to the Port Royal Speedway with ARDC being part of the show at the always fast and furious half-mile. The Eastern Storm Finale is set for Sunday night, June 8th at the Susquehanna Speedway in Newberrytown, PA. In the 2013 Eastern Storm at Susky, Shane Cottle won a thriller that had the crowd on their feet for the final laps.
All championship contenders are expected to return to action in USAC for 2014 including Clauson, who will defend his title in the Tony Stewart/Curb-Agajanian Racing #20 team. He will again be challenged by Dave Darland, who looks to close in on the all-time National Sprint Car win record, as he trails Tom Bigelow by just five, with 47 triumphs of his own. “The People’s Champ” from Lincoln, Indiana has finished second to Clauson each of the last two years in the National Championship.
Bryan Clauson is the current USAC point leader followed by Brady Bacon, Chase Stockon, Justin Grant and Dave Darland. USAC feature winners this season include Dave Darland with two wins and single event winners include Brady Bacon, Bryan Clauson, Justin Grand, Tracy Hines and Daron Clayton. Darland scored his second win the season on May 2 at the Eagle Speedway in Eagle, NB as Hunter Schuerenberg of Sikeston, MO won Saturday night at the Junction Motor Speedway in McCool Junction, NB
Previous Eastern Storm Champions
2014 8th Annual
2013 Bryan Clauson/Nobelsville, IN
2012 Bryan Clauson/Nobelsville, IN
2011 Levi Jones/Olney, IL
2010 Levi Jones/Olney, IL
2009 Cole Whitt/Alpine, CA
2008 Cole Whitt/Alpine, CA
2007 Levi Jones/ Olney, IL