By Dick Jordan
USAC’s AMSOIL National Sprint Cars are idle this week, awaiting their anticipated return to the East Coast for the June 3-8 “Eastern Storm,” a five-race swing which debuts June 3 at Grandview Speedway in Bechtelsville, Pa.
Dave Darland, currently 29 points behind series point lead Brady Bacon, earned a historic 50th series victory last Wednesday night in the prestigious “Tony Hulman Classic” at the Terre Haute (Ind.) Action Track. The win, in the Phillips Motorsports Racers Advantage Store/Frank Daigh DRC/Foxco Chevy leaves him just two shy of Tom Bigelow’s all-time record USAC National Sprint Car win total of 52.
Darland caught early leader Kevin Thomas Jr. on lap 22 and led the final nine laps for the win, beating Thomas, Bacon, Jon Stanbrough and Chase Stockon to the checkered flag.
Darland’s victory was especially significant since it made him the first driver in USAC history to win a “traditional” event 21 years apart! His first USAC win came in the 1993 running of the “Tony Hulman Classic.”
Bacon was the ProSource Fast Qualifier and continues to lead the standings going into the upcoming Eastern Storm.
Races in the Eastern Storm include the June 3 race at Bechtelsville, June 4 at New Oxford, Pa., June 5 at New Egypt, N.J., June 7 at Port Royal, Pa. and June 8 at Newberrytown, Pa’
2014 AMSOIL USAC National Sprint Car Standings: 1-Brady Bacon-526, 2-Dave Darland-497, 3-Bryan Clauson-492, 4-Tracy Hines-476, 5-Chase Stockon-468, 6-Jon Stanbrough-455, 7-Justin Grant-430, 8-Hunter Schuerenberg-402, 9-Chris Windom-366, 10-C.J. Leary-309.