By Dick Jordan
“Indiana Sprint Week” concludes this week with four straight races Wednesday through Saturday. If the points race remains as tight as it is now, the finale at Tri-State Speedway in Haubstadt Saturday should be memorable.
Drivers Dave Darland, Chris Windom and Justin Grant are separated by just four points in the ISW standings, following races last Friday and Saturday and Sunday night’s abbreviated event at Lawrenceburg Speedway which succumbed to rain after three heat races had been conducted.
Similarly, Darland has closed Brady Bacon’s AMSOIL USAC National Sprint lead to just three points going into Wednesday night’s race at the Terre Haute Action Track. Subsequent races are Thursday at Lincoln Park Speedway in Putnamville, Friday at Bloomington Speedway and Saturday at Haubstadt.
Jon Stanbrough earned his 16th career “Indiana Sprint Week’ victory in Friday night’s 30-lap opener at Gas City I-69 Speedway. He led all 30 laps in the MP Environmental Services/Indiana Underground Maxim/Fisher to beat Grant, Windom, Tracy Hines and Chase Stockon.
Darland responded with his all-time leading 18th career ISW victory Saturday at Kokomo Speedway, passing Kevin Thomas Jr. on lap six, then leading the final 25 laps to beat Grant, Windom, Hunter Schuerenberg and Bryan Clauson. Darland slipped behind Grant in turns one and two on the final lap but was able to regain the lead entering turn three and scored a narrow victory at the checkered flag.
Darland’s win was also his 51st in USAC National Sprint car competition, now just one shy of Tom Bigelow’s all-time leading mark of 52.
Rain fell at Lawrenceburg Speedway Sunday after the third heat race and that race was subsequently cancelled. Stockon was the fastest qualifier before the weather interrupted the event.
2014 AMSOIL USAC National Sprint Car Standings: 1-Brady Bacon-1,160, 2-Dave Darland-1,157, 3-Jon Stanbrough-1,070, 4-Bryan Clauson-1,066, 5-Chase Stockon-1,041, 6-Tracy Hines-999, 7-Justin Grant-970, 8-Chris Windom-927, 9-Hunter Schuerenberg-909, 10-C.J. Leary-802.
2014 USAC “Indiana Sprint Week” Standings: 1-Dave Darland-188, 2-Chris Windom-186, 3-Justin Grant-184, 4-Bryan Clauson-164, 5-Jon Stanbrough-163, 6-Brady Bacon-162, 7-Chase Stockon-152, 8-Tracy Hines-149, 9-Robert Ballou & Hunter Schuerenberg-141.