Courtney Scores $10,000 Victory at Circle City Raceway

Tyler Courtney. (Bob Buffenbarger photo)

From Tyler Altmeyer

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (May 21, 2021) – Padding a stretch of success that now includes three victories in his last four FloRacing All Star Circuit of Champions presented by Mobil 1 starts, “Sunshine” Tyler Courtney represented his hometown fanbase well on Friday evening and steered his Clauson Marshall Racing, NOS Energy Drink, Turbo, No. 7BC sprint car to another All Stars Indiana Invasion presented by Rayce Rudeen Foundation win at Circle City Raceway, officially sweeping the weekend and collecting a total winner’s share equaling $16,000; $6,000 during the Thursday opener and $10,000 during the Friday finale.

In addition, Courtney’s Friday night win allowed the Indianapolis, Indiana-native to take control of the All Star Circuit of Champions points lead, simultaneously extending his Indiana Invasion points standings lead to 12 markers over “Hunter Percent” Hunter Schuerenberg. The Indiana Invasion overall champion will earn a $10,000 bonus.

“This is surreal,” Tyler Courtney said in Circle City victory lane. “These guys make my job so easy. This team gives me the best opportunity to come out here and compete with the best, as well as be at the top of our game. It’s my job to capitalize and right now we are hitting on all eight cylinders. We still have two more races this weekend and a lot more money up for grabs.”

Courtney, who now owns five consecutive top-two finishes with Tony Stewart’s All Stars, was forced to fend off St. Helena, California’s Rico Abreu during his route to Circle City victory lane. Starting alongside Abreu on the front row, the top two exchanged positions on two occasions during the 40-lap blockbuster, the first with Abreu sling-shotting around Courtney to take command on lap 14. Eleven laps later, Courtney was back in control, utilizing the bottom groove at the exit of turn four to sneak back by Abreu on lap 25.

Despite the first 22 laps being slowed for five cautions, laps 23 through 40 went non-stop, ultimately creating what would be an exciting duel in traffic between Courtney and Abreu. Although Courtney remained on top until the conclusion, Abreu did his best to get back by the former USAC National Sprint Car champion, pounding the cushion all the way around Circle City’s quarter-mile.

Lapped traffic with ten to go created one last opportunity to Abreu, but despite the attempts, Courtney persevered, eventually extending his lead to just shy of one second by feature’s end. Hunter Schuerenberg would climb eight spots to finish third, followed by Scotty Thiel, and recent high school graduate, Zeb Wise.

“Getting to win in your home city, in front of all of your friends and family, is really cool,” Courtney continued. “To come to a place that is brand new with a lot of unknowns and be this fast says a lot about our team right now. I’m having a blast out here.”

The four-night Indiana takeover will continue on Saturday, May 22, with a visit to Gas City I-69 Speedway. Only the second All Star appearance in Series history, the Saturday night showstopper will award a $6,000 payday. Dale Blaney, the all-time win leader with “America’s Series,” was the first and only All Star to win at Gas City, scoring a victory on September 17, 2004.

Floracing All Star Circuit of Champions presented by Mobil 1
Circle City Raceway
Indianapolis, Indiana
Friday May 21, 2021

Ford Performance Heat Race #1 (8 Laps)
1. 14-Kerry Madsen[3]
2. 26-Cory Eliason[2]
3. 18-Giovanni Scelzi[4]
4. 8M-TJ Michael[1]
5. 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr[5]
6. 69-Brady Bacon[9]
7. 21-Carson Short[6]
8. 91X-Cale Thomas[7]
9. 02-Brandon Long[10]
10. 22-Ryan Broughton[8]

All Pro Aluminum Cylinder Heads Heat Race #2 (8 Laps)
1. 7BC-Tyler Courtney[2]
2. 55-Hunter Schuerenberg[1]
3. 4-Cap Henry[5]
4. 73-Scotty Thiel[3]
5. 10-Zeb Wise[4]
6. 19AZ-Tanner Thorson[7]
7. 20G-Noah Gass[8]
8. 98-Clinton Boyles[10]
9. 91-Kyle Reinhardt[9]
10. 00-Thomas Meseraull[6]

Hunt Brothers Pizza Heat Race #3 (8 Laps)
1. 5-Paul McMahan[1]
2. 13-Justin Peck[2]
3. 11-Ian Madsen[5]
4. 17B-Bill Balog[3]
5. 24-Rico Abreu[4]
6. 21BP-Brinton Marvel[6]
7. W20-Greg Wilson[7]
8. 7-Critter Malone[8]
9. 55M-McKenna Haase[10]
10. 6-Chris Phillips[9]

Dixie Vodka Qualifying
1. 18-Giovanni Scelzi, 11.450[1]
2. 10-Zeb Wise, 11.453[5]
3. 24-Rico Abreu, 11.459[9]
4. 14-Kerry Madsen, 11.532[3]
5. 73-Scotty Thiel, 11.608[15]
6. 17B-Bill Balog, 11.622[4]
7. 26-Cory Eliason, 11.635[24]
8. 7BC-Tyler Courtney, 11.646[12]
9. 13-Justin Peck, 11.668[22]
10. 8M-TJ Michael, 11.719[7]
11. 55-Hunter Schuerenberg, 11.723[16]
12. 5-Paul McMahan, 11.729[18]
13. 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr, 11.733[29]
14. 4-Cap Henry, 11.744[17]
15. 11-Ian Madsen, 11.765[25]
16. 21-Carson Short, 11.797[30]
17. 00-Thomas Meseraull, 11.862[26]
18. 21BP-Brinton Marvel, 11.915[2]
19. 91X-Cale Thomas, 11.923[14]
20. 19AZ-Tanner Thorson, 11.926[27]
21. W20-Greg Wilson, 11.927[21]
22. 22-Ryan Broughton, 11.979[8]
23. 20G-Noah Gass, 12.048[10]
24. 7-Critter Malone, 12.055[6]
25. 69-Brady Bacon, 12.079[19]
26. 91-Kyle Reinhardt, 12.124[23]
27. 6-Chris Phillips, 12.179[11]
28. 02-Brandon Long, 12.181[20]
29. 98-Clinton Boyles, 12.218[13]
30. 55M-McKenna Haase, 12.238[28]

Kears Speed Shop Dash #1 (4 Laps)
1. 24-Rico Abreu[1]
2. 7BC-Tyler Courtney[3]
3. 5-Paul McMahan[4]
4. 73-Scotty Thiel[2]
5. 17B-Bill Balog[5]
6. 10-Zeb Wise[6]
7. 14-Kerry Madsen[7]
8. 18-Giovanni Scelzi[8]

Classic Ink USA B-Main (12 Laps)
1. 21-Carson Short[1]
2. 00-Thomas Meseraull[2]
3. 20G-Noah Gass[4]
4. W20-Greg Wilson[3]
5. 91X-Cale Thomas[5]
6. 98-Clinton Boyles[7]
7. 7-Critter Malone[6]
8. 55M-McKenna Haase[10]
9. 91-Kyle Reinhardt[8]
10. 02-Brandon Long[9]
11. 22-Ryan Broughton[11]
12. 6-Chris Phillips[12]

FloRacing A-Main (40 Laps)
1. 7BC-Tyler Courtney[2]
2. 24-Rico Abreu[1]
3. 55-Hunter Schuerenberg[11]
4. 73-Scotty Thiel[4]
5. 10-Zeb Wise[6]
6. 5-Paul McMahan[3]
7. 69-Brady Bacon[18]
8. 17B-Bill Balog[5]
9. 13-Justin Peck[10]
10. 4-Cap Henry[12]
11. 8M-TJ Michael[14]
12. 19AZ-Tanner Thorson[17]
13. 14-Kerry Madsen[7]
14. 26-Cory Eliason[9]
15. 00-Thomas Meseraull[20]
16. 11-Ian Madsen[13]
17. 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr[15]
18. 21-Carson Short[19]
19. 20G-Noah Gass[21]
20. 91-Kyle Reinhardt[25]
21. 98-Clinton Boyles[24]
22. 91X-Cale Thomas[23]
23. W20-Greg Wilson[22]
24. 21BP-Brinton Marvel[16]
25. 18-Giovanni Scelzi[8]