This Friday’s “Jim Hurtubise Classic” AMSOIL USAC National Sprint race at the Terre Haute (Ind.) Action Track honors the memory of the driver who scored five consecutive USAC Sprint Car victories at the storied track between 1960 and 1962.
Dave Darland of Lincoln, Ind., who eclipsed Tom Bigelow’s all-time USAC Sprint car victory record Sunday at Kokomo (Ind.) Speedway, has returned to the series point lead and takes a five-point cushion over Brady Bacon into Friday’s race at the track where he claimed the “Tony Hulman Classic” in May.
Bryan Clauson, who stands third in the points, won the “Indiana Sprint Week” feature at Terre Haute in July and will try to give long-time car owner Mike Curb his 100th USAC National feature victory in Friday’s competition.
Darland repeated as the champion of the Stoops Freightliner-Quality Trailer “Sprint Car Smackdown” this past weekend, tying Bigelow’s record with his 52nd career win Saturday, then closing out the four-day racing extravaganza with #53 in Sunday’s 40-lap finale.
Darland started outside B & W “King of the Hill” Champion Brady Bacon in Sunday’s feature, trailed Bacon for five laps, then set sail to lead the final 35 laps in his Racers Advantage Store/Frank Daigh DRC/Foxco Chevy. Robert Ballou finished a close second ahead of Clauson, Bacon and Jon Stanbrough. Sunday’s $10,000-to-win race had been rained out on Saturday night and postponed to the next day.
Darland’s Saturday victory came in a 30-lap feature also delayed from Thursday night, when rains interrupted the program after two heats had been completed. Justin Grant led the first 23 laps before Darland took over. Grant finished second ahead of Ballou, Chris Windom and Stanbrough.
Stanbrough opened the victory celebrations with his 30-lap win Friday night, taking the lead from Bryan Clauson on the white-flag lap and leading the final two circuits in his MP Environmental Services/Indiana Underground Maxim/Fisher. Clauson was second ahead of Ballou, Kyle Cummins and Bacon.
Participants earned numerous special awards, plus lap prizes totaling $10,000. USAC would like to thank all of those who contributed lap prizes as well as the following special award donors: Cooper Tire, Brase Yourself, AllStar Performance, QuickCar Racing Products, The True Grit Award, B & W Auto Mart, Spire Sports & Entertainment, ProSource, Phoenix Racer’s Advantage Store, Arizona Open Wheel Museum, CSI Shocks, Hummel’s Factory Kahne, PPM Titanium Products, Indy Performance Composites, Pace Performance Coatings, Wilwood Brake Systems, American Racing Ministries, DRC Chassis, Weld Racing, Roger & Barb Tapy of Customized Service Trucks, Impact Racing, Rod End Supply, Simpson Racing Products, C & R Racing, Hinchman Racewear, Hoosier Tire, Arizona Sport Shirts, Traxxas, Go Pro, Rugged Radios and USAC.
2014 AMSOIL USAC National Sprint Car Standings: 1-Dave Darland-1,520, 2-Brady Bacon-1,515, 3-Bryan Clauson-1,480, 4-Jon Stanbrough-1,428, 5-Chase Stockon-1,297, 6-Justin Grant-1,230, 7-Chris Windom-1,206, 8-Tracy Hines-1,195, 9-Robert Ballou-1,085, 10-Hunter Schuerenberg-1,067.