By Dick Jordan
USAC history continues with the return of the 9th Annual AMSOIL USAC Eastern Storm opening at the Grandview Speedway on Tuesday night, June 2nd. The Eastern Storm will continue with stops at the Lincoln Speedway on Wednesday night, June 3, New Egypt Speedway on Thursday night, June 4, Port Royal on Saturday night, June 6 and Susquehanna on Sunday night, June 7.
Past Eastern Storm Champions include Brady Bacon, Bryan Clauson, Levi Jones and Cole Whitt. Brady Bacon is one driver who is already gearing up for the 2015 Eastern Storm. Bacon recently confirmed that he’s heading East for the Storm.
The USAC Non-Wing Sprints & ARDC Midgets will share the race card at the Grandview Speedway on Tuesday night, June 2nd when the Eastern Storm opens on the hill. Gates open at 5 PM with race time set for 7:30 PM.
A big night of racing is planned for the Lincoln Speedway on Wednesday night, June 3. The USAC Sprints will have a full show plus, their make-up portion of the rain out from 2014. The 360/358 Sprint Challenge will also be on the race card. The rain out portion of their show will include a “B” Main and the 25 lap, $2,500 to win main event, with the same payoff as posted for the 2014 event.
The eighteen cars that qualified through the heat race events will line up in this order. 25 Josh Weller, 22 Troy Betts, 08 Jason Clauss, 4 Jimmy Stitzel, 28F Davie Franek, 25 Aaron Ott, 7 Ed Aikin, 27 Jay Galloway, 4R Kevin Nouse,, 56 Randy West, 9D Kevin Darling, 88B Andy Best, 2W Glendon Forsythe, 7C Chad Trout, M1 Mark Smith, 5G Curt Michael, 21T Scott Fisher, 8C Brian Carber. The “B” Main line-up includes 28 Keith Prutzman, 5 Tyler Ross, 98 Joe Trenca, 17J Jonathan Swanson, 12 Mark Bittinger, 97 Brie Hershey, 77w Will Eggimann, 9 Wes Irwin, 79 Jordan Thomas, 12B Brad Franks, 16 Matt Campbell, 38 Mark Strickler, 14 Anthony Fiore. In addition, the 360/358 sprints will be offered a second Challenge event that night.
On Thursday night, June 4 the New Egypt Speedway in New Egypt, NJ will host the USAC Eastern Storm. Friday night is an open date at this time. The USAC Non-Wing Sprints will invade the Port Royal Speedway in Port Royal, PA on Saturday night, June 6. In the 2014 event, Brady Bacon of Broken Arrow, OK sizzled the fast Port Royal Speedway.
In 2014, rain was no friend to the Eastern Storm, also forcing a cancellation at the Susquehanna Speedway. In 2015, Susquehanna Speedway Park will close out the Eastern Storm on Sunday night June 7.
More news to come on the 9th Annual AMSOIL Eastern Storm of 2015.