By Richie Murray
Lawrenceburg, Indiana (September 29, 2021)………For Brady Bacon, it was an unconventional way to celebrate a victory, standing beside his hauler with his crew, family and friends by his side as the winner’s trophy was presented to him following the 2020 Fall Nationals at Lawrenceburg Speedway.
Bacon will try to repeat his feat, in a more conventional manner, in this Saturday night’s 14th running of the $10,000-to-win Fall Nationals featuring the USAC AMSOIL Sprint Car National Championship at southeastern Indiana’s Lawrenceburg Speedway on October 2.
At the time, one year ago, Bacon was already cognizant of being crowned the 2020 USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car championship by virtue of, what appeared to be, a second-place finish. Yet, after initial winner Tyler Courtney was found to be 15 pounds underweight during post-race tech inspection, Bacon was elevated to first place while Courtney was repositioned to the 22nd and final position in the results.
Any way the cookie crumbled for Bacon, he’d take it, especially when it pays $10,000, which he pocketed after emerging victorious in the event. While last year’s Fall Nationals served as the season finale, this weekend’s event holds the position as the Midwest finale before the series heads west for the final five events in Arizona and California in November.
Bacon (Broken Arrow, Okla.) finds himself in the driver’s seat once again as the leader of the championship race heading into the Fall Nationals. The three-time champ owns three USAC scores at Lawrenceburg, with additional victory lane visits coming in the summer of 2015 and the spring of 2021.
At the Fall Nationals, Bacon has been the fastest qualifier in 2011 and has finished in the top-four four times over the years, including 2nd in 2014, 4th in 2015 and a runner-up finish in 2018 where he led 11 laps. He also scored a local victory at the track in May of this year.
Two-time Fall Nationals winner Robert Ballou (Rocklin, Calif.) won the first two editions of the event under Midwest Sprint Car Series sanction in 2007 and 2008, the first one coming on the former 1/4-mile and the latter coming on the 3/8-mile version. Ballou has been a Lawrenceburg USAC Sprint winner once before in his career, scoring the “W” during 2011 Indiana Sprint Week. At the Fall Nationals, the 2015 series champion has also finished 4th in 2017 and 5th in 2020.
Kevin Thomas Jr. (Cullman, Ala.) will join Ballou in their respective quests to become the first three-time Fall Nationals victor. Thomas has four career USAC National Sprint Car feature wins at Lawrenceburg, twice in 2013, then scored a first career Fall Nationals victory in 2017 followed by another in 2019. He also secured a 4th at the Fall Nationals in 2013, a runner-up finish in 2015 and had a 5th place run in 2018.
The very first of Chase Stockon’s 13 career USAC National Sprint Car victories came at the Fall Nationals in 2012. He’s started all 11 Fall Nationals under USAC sanction since 2009. The Fort Branch, Ind. native, who holds the ultimate ironman streak of 320 consecutive USAC National Sprint Car feature starts, also finished as the runner-up in the Fall Nationals during the 2013 race. He took 10th at the event in 2019.
Thomas Meseraull (San Jose, Calif.) hasn’t appeared in the Fall Nationals since his 2015 triumph six years ago. His first start in the event resulted in a solid 6th place finish back in 2012. His next came in 2015 when he took over the lead on lap two and dominated the rest of the distance in what was his second career series win at the time.
Justin Grant (Ione, Calif.) was triumphant in the 2018 Fall Nationals where he led the first lap and the final 18 mired in a spirited duel with Bacon. Four of Grant’s 28 career USAC National Sprint wins have come at Lawrenceburg, with additional victories in 2012, 2014 and again during Indiana Sprint Week in 2019. He has six career top-five finishes at the Fall Nationals, including a 5th in 2013, a 4th in 2014, a 5th in 2016, a 3rd in 2017, a 1st in 2018 and a 3rd in 2019. He was the winner with the Buckeye Outlaw Sprint Series at The Burg in May of this year.
Logan Seavey (Sutter, Calif.) enters as the most recent winner of a USAC National Sprint Car feature at Lawrenceburg, scoring a decisive victory during July’s Indiana Sprint Week round. Back in June of 2021, Seavey swept both ends of the night, taking wins in both the USAC NOS Energy Drink National Midget portion and the ensuing Lawrenceburg Sprint car feature. The 2018 USAC National Midget champ’s Fall Nationals debut in 2020 resulted in an 18th.
Chris Windom (Canton, Ill.) is the only driver to finish inside the top-five in the past six editions of the Fall Nationals, and likewise, is the only driver to start all previous 15 Fall Nationals feature events since 2007. He’s finished in the top-ten in all 11 previous Fall Nationals run under the sanctioning of USAC, but the Spring 2017 Burg USAC Sprint winner remains on the hunt for his first Fall Nationals triumph. Windom was 2nd and 3rd in 2009, 2nd in 2011, 2nd in 2012, 10th in 2013, 9th in 2014, 5th in 2015, 2nd in 2016, 7th in 2017, 4th in 2018, 5th in 2019 and 3rd in 2020.
C.J. Leary (Greenfield, Ind.) has raced to a pair of Lawrenceburg USAC Sprint Car victories during the Indiana Sprint Week round in both 2017 and 2019. The 2019 series champion also won the 2013 Lawrenceburg Speedway track championship and has finished in the top-three twice at the Fall Nationals in his career. He was 3rd in 2015 and 2nd in 2017. He has been 4th in each of the last two years in 2019 and 2020. In both 2015 and 2018, he was the fastest qualifier at the Fall Nationals.
Nick Bilbee (Indianapolis, Ind.) captured his second consecutive Lawrenceburg track championship this season by virtue of his four victories in weekly sprint car competition. He earned a USAC career best finish of 6th in the 2019 Fall Nationals and was the fastest qualifier in USAC Sprint Car competition at Lawrenceburg during the summer of 2018.
Likewise, Max Adams (Loomis, Calif.) has won at Lawrenceburg on the local level in each of the past two years, including once more this past May. His best Fall Nationals results in two career starts came via a 12th in the 2020 race.
Dickie Gaines (Mitchell, Ind.) captured a big USAC National Sprint Car victory at Lawrenceburg in 2005. The 2003 and 2019 Lawrenceburg track champion finished a best of 16th at the Fall Nationals in 2008.
Shane Cottle (Kansas, Ill.) took 7th in the Fall Nationals of 2012. His ride for the Fall Nationals, the Hodges Motorsports No. 74x, won the event with Josh Hodges as the driver during the 2016 season. In fact, the Hodges car has finished in the top-10 at the Fall Nationals in 2016 (1st), 8th in 2017 and 10th in 2018. The 2016 run still stands as the fastest 30-lap USAC Sprint Car race in the history of Lawrenceburg Speedway at 7:21.09.
Kyle Cummins (Princeton, Ind.) owns three career top-six results in his Fall Nationals career, led by a 4th in 2016, followed by a 5th in 2009 and a 6th most recently in 2020.
Tanner Thorson (Minden, Nev.) has twice been a runner-up finisher during Indiana Midget Week at Lawrenceburg, in both 2017 and 2018. The 2016 USAC National Midget driving champion and leading USAC Sprint Car Rookie also earned fast qualifying honors at Lawrenceburg’s IMW round in 2014. In USAC Sprint Car competition at Lawrenceburg, he finished a solid 3rd during July’s Indiana Sprint Week round this year in which he also led a lap.
Jake Swanson (Anaheim, Calif.) was the fastest qualifier and a 9th place finisher in his Fall Nationals debut in 2020. This past July, Swanson came painfully close to his first career USAC National Sprint Car win at Lawrenceburg, finishing 2nd after leading a race-high 22 laps.
Top-10 finishers returning to the Fall Nationals lineup are Scotty Weir (Marion, Ind.), 8th in 2015, 9th in 2019 and 10th in 2009. Three-time track champion in 2007-09-15, Joss Moffatt (Columbus, Ind.), was a 5th place finisher in 2008. Cole Bodine (Rossville, Ind.) scored a 10th during the 2020 Fall Nationals, which was his first career USAC National Sprint Car feature start.
Further Fall Nationals veterans in the field include two-time USAC National Sprint Car winner, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma’s Jason McDougal (17th in 2018); Pleasant Hill, Ohio’s Matt Westfall (15th in 2018); Rushville, Indiana’s Garrett Abrams (17th in 2017); and Columbus, Indiana’s J.J. Hughes (17th in 2019 & 2020).
USAC National Most Improved Driver for 2020, Brandon Mattox (Terre Haute, Ind.), is prepared to make his first Fall National starts this Saturday night as is 2020 USAC National Sprint Car Rookie of the Year Jadon Rogers (Worthington, Ind.) who set fast time during Fatheadz Eyewear Qualifying at Lawrenceburg’s USAC Sprint Car show in April of 2021. Saban Bibent (Cincinnati, Ohio) is in the same boat as Mattox and Rogers, trying to crack his first Fall Nationals starting field after winning locally at the track back in June.
Pits open for Saturday’s Fall Nationals at 4pm Eastern with front gates opening at 5pm, drivers meeting at 5:15pm and hot laps at 6pm with qualifying and racing immediately following.
The event features the USAC AMSOIL Sprint Car National Championship and KOI Auto Parts UMP Modifieds. Adult general admission tickets are $30, kids 7-12 are $7, children 6 and under are free. Pit passes are $30 for members and $35 for non-members.
Saturday’s Fall Nationals from Lawrenceburg can be watched LIVE on FloRacing at https://bit.ly/3frPoW6.
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FALL NATIONALS WINNERS AT LAWRENCEBURG SPEEDWAY:
2007: Robert Ballou (MSCS)
2008: Robert Ballou (MSCS)
2009: Damion Gardner (USAC) & Jon Stanbrough (MSCS)
2010: Rained Out
2011: Levi Jones (USAC)
2012: Chase Stockon (USAC)
2013: Bryan Clauson (USAC)
2014: Bryan Clauson (USAC)
2015: Thomas Meseraull (USAC)
2016: Josh Hodges (USAC)
2017: Kevin Thomas Jr. (USAC)
2018: Justin Grant (USAC)
2019: Kevin Thomas Jr. (USAC)
2020: Brady Bacon (USAC)
TRACK RECORDS FOR USAC NATIONAL SPRINT CARS AT LAWRENCEBURG SPEEDWAY:
1 Lap – 7/9/2008 – Levi Jones – 12.926 – 104.441 mph
8 Laps – 9/28/2013 – Tracy Hines – 1:51.91 – 96.506 mph
10 Laps – 7/10/2008 – Cole Whitt – 2:18.199 – 7.692 mph
12 Laps – 10/1/2016 – Stevie Sussex – 2:51.399 – 4.521 mph
30 Laps – 10/1/2016 – Josh Hodges – 7:21.09 – 91.818 mph
USAC NATIONAL SPRINT CAR WINS AT LAWRENCEBURG SPEEDWAY:
7-Dave Darland
5-Jon Stanbrough
4-Justin Grant, Jack Hewitt & Kevin Thomas Jr.
3-Brady Bacon, Kevin Briscoe, Bryan Clauson & Rick Hood
2-Tony Elliott, Levi Jones, C.J. Leary, Danny Milburn & Brian Tyler
1-Robert Ballou, Jeff Bland Jr., Mark Cassella, Jerry Coons Jr., Tyler Courtney, Kevin Doty, Jay Drake, Dickie Gaines, Damion Gardner, Josh Hodges, Logan Jarrett, Thomas Meseraull, Rodney Ritter Jr., Logan Seavey, Brady Short, Chase Stockon, Kevin Thomas, Chris Windom, Josh Wise & J.J. Yeley
USAC NATIONAL SPRINT CAR WINNERS AT LAWRENCEBURG SPEEDWAY:
1983: Danny Milburn (9/18)
1984: Rick Hood (6/9) & Danny Milburn (9/16)
1985: Rick Hood (6/8)
1986: Rick Hood (6/7)
1988: Jack Hewitt (6/4)
1989: Rodney Ritter Jr. (7/1)
1992: Kevin Thomas (8/8)
1993: Jack Hewitt (7/10)
1994: Jon Stanbrough (6/18)
1995: Jack Hewitt (7/1)
1996: Mark Cassella (8/31)
1997: Brian Tyler (7/19) & Brian Tyler (8/30)
1998: Kevin Doty (5/30), Dave Darland (7/18) & Dave Darland (8/29)
1999: Kevin Briscoe (6/5), Jack Hewitt (7/22) & Tony Elliott (8/28)
2000: Kevin Briscoe (7/22) & Tony Elliott (8/26)
2001: Dave Darland (7/26)
2002: Kevin Briscoe (7/25)
2003: J.J. Yeley (5/31), Jay Drake (6/1) & Jon Stanbrough (7/24)
2004: Jon Stanbrough (7/22)
2005: Dickie Gaines (7/21)
2006: Jon Stanbrough (4/22)
2007: Levi Jones (4/21), Jon Stanbrough (7/11) & Dave Darland (7/12)
2008: Jeff Bland (7/9) & Brady Short (7/10)
2009: Josh Wise (4/18), Dave Darland (7/10), Jerry Coons Jr. (8/22 Special Event) & Damion Gardner (10/2)
2010: Jerry Coons Jr. (4/17) & Dave Darland (7/9)
2011: Robert Ballou (7/10), Levi Jones (10/1)
2012: Justin Grant (7/15) & Chase Stockon (9/29)
2013: Kevin Thomas Jr. (4/6), Kevin Thomas Jr. (7/14) & Bryan Clauson (9/28)
2014: Justin Grant (4/5) & Bryan Clauson (9/27)
2015: Logan Jarrett (4/4), Brady Bacon (7/12) & Thomas Meseraull (10/3)
2016: Dave Darland (4/2), Bryan Clauson (7/10) & Josh Hodges (10/1)
2017: Chris Windom (4/1), C.J. Leary (7/9) & Kevin Thomas Jr. (9/30)
2018: Tyler Courtney (7/22) & Justin Grant (9/29)
2019: Justin Grant (7/21) & Kevin Thomas Jr. (10/5)
2020: C.J. Leary (7/26) & Brady Bacon (10/3)
2021: Brady Bacon (4/3) & Logan Seavey (7/25)
FALL NATIONALS USAC NATIONAL SPRINT CAR RESULTS AT LAWRENCEBURG SPEEDWAY
2007 FEATURE: 1. Robert Ballou, 2. Kevin Swindell, 3. Dave Darland, 4. Casey Shuman, 5. A.J. Anderson, 6. Shane Cottle, 7. Dakoda Armstrong, 8. Kyle Wissmiller, 9. Jeff Bland Jr., 10. Kevin Thomas Jr., 11. Derek Franks, 12. Ricky Williams, 13. Brady Bacon, 14. Sammy Imel, 15. Kevin Briscoe, 16. Darren Hagen, 17. Matt Westfall, 18. Alex Shanks, 19. Kyle Cummins, 20. Joss Moffatt, 21. Jerry Coons Jr., 22. Kent Christian, 23. Brett Burdette, 24. Chris Windom.
2008 FEATURE: 1. Robert Ballou, 2. Jon Stanbrough, 3. Dave Darland, 4. Daron Clayton, 5. Joss Moffatt, 6. Ricky Williams, 7. Chris Windom, 8. Damion Gardner, 9. Jeff Bland Jr., 10. J. J. Yeley, 11. Lance Grimes, 12. Logan Hupp, 13. Ryan Pace, 14. Critter Malone, 15. John Memmer, 16. Dickie Gaines, 17. Bobby Stines, 18. Kyle Cummins, 19. Kurt Gross, 20. Kevin Thomas Jr., 21. Hunter Schuerenberg, 22. Brett Burdette, 23. Kyle Robbins, 24. Josh Clemons.
2009 NIGHT ONE FEATURE: 1. Damion Gardner, 2. Cole Whitt, 3. Chris Windom, 4. Jon Stanbrough, 5. Kyle Cummins, 6. Levi Jones, 7. Jerry Coons Jr., 8. Tracy Hines, 9. Hunter Schuerenberg, 10. Scotty Weir, 11. Dave Darland, 12. Jeff Bland Jr., 13. Nic Faas, 14. Bobby East, 15. Darren Hagen, 16. Casey Riggs, 17. Brady Short, 18. Bryan Clauson, 19. Jesse Hockett, 20. Brady Bacon, 21. John Memmer, 22. Chad Boat, 23. Robert Ballou, 24. Chase Stockon.
2009 NIGHT TWO FEATURE: 1. Jon Stanbrough, 2. Chris Windom, 3. Damion Gardner, 4. Shane Cottle, 5. Tracy Hines, 6. Chad Boat, 7. Brady Bacon, 8. Brady Short, 9. Jeff Bland Jr., 10. Dave Darland, 11. Robert Ballou, 12. Coleman Gulick, 13. Casey Riggs, 14. Jonathan Hendrick, 15. Ty Deckard, 16. Ricky Williams, 17. Shawn Westerfeld, 18. Blake Fitzpatrick, 19. Hud Cone, 20. Scotty Weir, 21. Jesse Hockett, 22. Hunter Schuerenberg, 23. Jerry Coons Jr., 24. Joss Moffatt.
2010 FEATURE: Rained Out
2011 FEATURE: 1. Levi Jones, 2. Chris Windom, 3. Hunter Schuerenberg, 4. Casey Riggs, 5. Tracy Hines, 6. Jon Stanbrough, 7. Jerry Coons Jr., 8. Ted Hines, 9. Bobby East, 10. Bryan Clauson, 11. Jac Haudenschild, 12. Brady Short, 13. Chad Boespflug, 14. Blake Fitzpatrick, 15. Damion Gardner, 16. Matt Westfall, 17. Logan Hupp, 18. Chase Stockon, 19. Jonathan Hendrick, 20. Brady Bacon, 21. Coleman Gulick, 22. Justin Grant, 23. Robert Ballou, 24. Critter Malone. NT
2012 FEATURE: 1. Chase Stockon, 2. Chris Windom, 3. Damion Gardner, 4. Bryan Clauson, 5. Hunter Schuerenberg, 6. Thomas Meseraull, 7. Shane Cottle, 8. Tracy Hines, 9. Kevin Thomas Jr., 10. Jerry Coons Jr., 11. Jon Stanbrough, 12. Bobby East, 13. Logan Hupp, 14. C.J. Leary, 15. Robert Ballou, 16. Scotty Weir, 17. Brady Short, 18. Wes McIntyre, 19. Dave Darland, 20. Jonathan Hendrick, 21. Dakota Jackson, 22. Daron Clayton, 23. Coleman Gulick.
2013 FEATURE: 1. Bryan Clauson, 2. Chase Stockon, 3. Dave Darland, 4. Kevin Thomas Jr., 5. Justin Grant, 6. Gary Taylor, 7. Jerry Coons Jr., 8. Chad Boespflug, 9. Brady Bacon, 10. Chris Windom, 11. Shawn Westerfeld, 12. Daron Clayton, 13. Kyle Cummins, 14. Robert Ballou, 15. Jarett Andretti, 16. Aaron Farney, 17. Joss Moffatt, 18. C.J. Leary, 19. Ted Hines, 20. Scotty Weir, 21. Tyler Courtney, 22. Tracy Hines, 23. Matt Westfall.
2014 FEATURE: 1. Bryan Clauson, 2. Brady Bacon, 3. Tracy Hines, 4. Justin Grant, 5. Jerry Coons Jr., 6. Chase Stockon, 7. Jon Stanbrough, 8. Robert Ballou, 9. Chris Windom, 10. Dave Darland, 11. Jac Haudenschild, 12. Hunter Schuerenberg, 13. Chad Boespflug, 14. Daron Clayton, 15. Jarett Andretti, 16. Scotty Weir, 17. Kevin Thomas Jr., 18. Thomas Meseraull, 19. C.J. Leary, 20. Logan Jarrett, 21. Landon Simon, 22. Shane Cottle. NT
2015 FEATURE: 1. Thomas Meseraull, 2. Kevin Thomas Jr., 3. C.J. Leary, 4. Brady Bacon, 5. Chris Windom, 6. Kody Swanson, 7. Chase Stockon, 8. Scotty Weir, 9. Jon Stanbrough, 10. Robert Ballou, 11. Tracy Hines, 12. Chad Boespflug, 13. Justin Grant, 14. Jarett Andretti, 15. Dave Darland, 16. Aaron Farney, 17. Max McGhee, 18. Jerry Coons Jr., 19. Dustin Ingle, 20. Logan Jarrett, 21. Garrett Abrams, 22. Kyle Cummins.
2016 FEATURE: 1. Josh Hodges, 2. Chris Windom, 3. Dave Darland, 4. Kyle Cummins, 5. Justin Grant, 6. Tyler Courtney, 7. Jon Stanbrough, 8. Stevie Sussex, 9. Brady Bacon, 10. Jarett Andretti, 11. Chase Stockon, 12. Kevin Thomas Jr., 13. Carson Short, 14. Bret Mellenberndt, 15. Nick Bilbee, 16. A.J. Hopkins, 17. C.J. Leary, 18. Chad Boespflug, 19. Isaac Chapple, 20. Aaron Farney, 21. Joss Moffatt, 22. Landon Simon, 23. Drew Abel. 7:21.09 (NTR)
2017 FEATURE: 1. Kevin Thomas Jr., 2. C.J. Leary, 3. Justin Grant, 4. Robert Ballou, 5. Tyler Courtney, 6. Brady Bacon, 7. Chris Windom, 8. Josh Hodges, 9. Jerry Coons Jr., 10. Jon Stanbrough, 11. Nick Bilbee, 12. Scotty Weir, 13. Joss Moffatt, 14. Chase Stockon, 15. Kyle Robbins, 16. Isaac Chapple, 17. Garrett Abrams, 18. J.J. Hughes, 19. Tony McVey, 20. Dave Darland, 21. Aric Gentry, 22. Shawn Westerfeld, 23. Chad Boespflug. NT
2018 FEATURE: 1. Justin Grant (2), 2. Brady Bacon (4), 3. Tyler Courtney (7), 4. Chris Windom (18), 5. Kevin Thomas Jr. (5), 6. Dave Darland (1), 7. Jarett Andretti (11), 8. Chase Stockon (3), 9. Isaac Chapple (8), 10. Josh Hodges (9), 11. Dallas Hewitt (19), 12. Tyler Thomas (20), 13. Dakota Jackson (13), 14. Nick Bilbee (16), 15. Matt Westfall (14), 16. Justin Peck (15), 17. Jason McDougal (12), 18. Shane Cottle (10), 19. Dickie Gaines (17), 20. Brandon Spithaler (21), 21. C.J. Leary (6). NT
2019 FEATURE: (30 laps, starting position in parentheses) 1. Kevin Thomas Jr. (5), 2. Tyler Courtney (6), 3. Justin Grant (1), 4. C.J. Leary (3), 5. Chris Windom (8), 6. Nick Bilbee (10), 7. Brady Bacon (2), 8. Jarett Andretti (13), 9. Scotty Weir (14), 10. Chase Stockon (4), 11. Josh Hodges (7), 12. Dustin Clark (16), 13. Mario Clouser (15), 14. Isaac Chapple (17), 15. Max Adams (9), 16. Dustin Smith (11), 17. J.J. Hughes (19), 18. Tyler Kendall (21), 19. Justin Owen (18), 20. Garrett Abrams (20), 21. Kyle Cummins (12), 22. Aric Gentry (22). NT
2020 FEATURE: (30 laps, starting positions in parentheses) 1. Brady Bacon (2), 2. Kevin Thomas Jr. (9), 3. Chris Windom (1), 4. C.J. Leary (5), 5. Robert Ballou (19), 6. Kyle Cummins (11), 7. Justin Grant (3), 8. Dave Darland (18), 9. Jake Swanson (6), 10. Cole Bodine (8), 11. Scotty Weir (14), 12. Max Adams (10), 13. Shane Cottle (12), 14. Tye Mihocko (16), 15. Chase Stockon (22), 16. Carson Short (17), 17. J.J. Hughes (7), 18. Logan Seavey (15), 19. Nick Bilbee (21), 20. Mario Clouser (13), 21. Joss Moffatt (20), 22. Tyler Courtney (4) (Courtney was initially declared the winner but was repositioned to 22nd for being 15 pounds underweight in post-race tech inspection.) NT