By Richie Murray
Terre Haute, Indiana (May 18, 2022)………
With his first career victory at the Terre Haute (Ind.) Action Track last July, the Sutter, California native surpassed his entire win output throughout his first three seasons by scoring a third consecutive victory at the famed half-mile.
Entering this weekend’s Terre Haute double on Friday and Saturday night, May 20-21, Seavey finds himself looking to break into the win column for the first time this season. By all indications of his recent performances, he’s well on his way.
The Don Smith Classic opens the weekend this Friday night with Seavey among the three past event winners expected to compete in the 12th annual event along with 2020 winner Justin Grant and 2016 victor Chase Stockon. Seavey will attempt to become the second driver to repeat as a Don Smith winner, following Tyler Courtney in 2018-19.
During his 2021 Don Smith Classic post-race celebration, Seavey described the exhilaration that winning a USAC National Sprint Car race at Terre Haute provides.
“To win at Terre Haute is unlike anything I’ve ever done in my career; this is awesome,” Seavey exclaimed.
And it takes every bit of 110 percent to get the job done. He’s one of three drivers to finish inside the top-ten in all six events run this year along with Grant and series point leader Emerson Axsom and he’s finished both of his Don Smith Classic starts inside the top-seven with a 7th in his first outing during the 2020 season.
Grant (Ione, Calif.), meanwhile, has finished inside the top-10 seven years in a row at the Don Smith Classic, including inside the top-three in each of his last four outings, with a 3rd in 2018 followed by a 2nd in 2019, a win in 2020 and another 2nd in 2021. The two-time USAC Sprint Car winner and two-time USAC Silver Crown winner at Terre Haute is also coming off a recent Sumar Classic Silver Crown victory on May 1 at Terre Haute.
Stockon, from nearby Fort Branch, Ind., owns three USAC National Sprint Car victories at Terre Haute in his career, among them being the 2016 Don Smith Classic. He’s been stout throughout his career in the event with a 3rd in 2017 and 2020 to go along with a 5th in both 2013 and 2015.
Robert Ballou (Rocklin, Calif.) has been achingly close to breaking through for a Don Smith Classic victory to add on to his two career USAC National Sprint Car victories at Terre Haute. The 2015 USAC National Sprint Car champ, and last Saturday’s I-70 Motorsports Park winner, has placed 2nd in the event an astounding four times in 2014-15-16-18 in addition to a 4th in both 2011 and 2013.
Brady Bacon (Broken Arrow, Okla.) resides in a similar boat as Ballou, being a two-time USAC National Sprint Car winner at Terre Haute, but absent in the Don Smith Classic win column. In nine “Don Smith” starts, the four-time series champion has never finished outside the top-seven. He owns a 3rd in 2013 and 2014, a 4th in 2016-17-18-19-21, a 6th in 2020 and a 7th in 2015.
C.J. Leary (Greenfield, Ind.) scored a USAC Silver Crown victory at Terre Haute back in 2016, but is still on the warpath to tracking down a first USAC Sprint Car win at T.H.A.T. He was a best of 4th back in 2020.
Shane Cottle (Kansas, Ill.) was 5th during the inaugural Don Smith Classic in 2011 and equaled that performance with a 5th in 2020.
Jason McDougal (Broken Arrow, Okla.) aims to follow fellow Broken Arrow native Bacon as a Terre Haute USAC Sprint Car winner after notching a 5th for himself in 2021 and a 7th back in 2018.
Max Adams (Loomis, Calif.) collected a best of 8th in the Don Smith Classic for 2019 while Kyle Cummins (Princeton, Ind.), a Midwest Sprint Car Series winner at Terre Haute in May of 2021, was 9th in the 2017 Don Smith Classic and 10th in 2019.
Looking to move up the charts and improve upon their past Don Smith Classic performances are USAC National Sprint Car feature winners Jake Swanson and Matt Westfall. Swanson (Anaheim, Calif.) has been stuck on 12 with three consecutive 12th place finishes in the event in 2018-20-21. Westfall (Pleasant Hill, Ohio), meanwhile, was a best of 15th back in 2018.
Lawrenceburg Speedway track champ Nick Bilbee (Indianapolis, Ind.) was 13th in the 2021 Don Smith Classic. Mitch Wissmiller (Saybrook, Ill.) was the event’s fastest qualifier and a 22nd place finisher back in 2015. Hometown hero Brandon Mattox (Terre Haute, Ind.) took 15th in back-to-back years in 2019 and 2020. Nate McMillin (Rosedale, Ind.) scored a 17th in 2020. Mario Clouser (Auburn, Ill.), coming off a career-best 6th place performance at I-70, snared a 19th at the 2021 Don Smith Classic.
Seeking their first career Don Smith Classic starts on Friday are series point leader Emerson Axsom (Franklin, Ind.) who recently finished 5th in his Terre Haute debut on May 1 in a Silver Crown, after restarting 26th. Jadon Rogers (Worthington, Ind.), 12th in the standings, was the 2020 series Rookie of the Year, but spies an A-Main start in this particular event for the first time as is 2022 Rookie Alex Banales (Lafayette, Ind.), teammate on the Baldwin-Fox Racing team to defending race winner Seavey.
Mitchel Moles (Raisin City, Calif.) was recently tabbed by Reinbold-Underwood Motorsports to make his series debut this Friday at Terre Haute, replacing the departing Tanner Thorson who left to pursue other racing endeavors. The Reinbold-Underwood ride, with Thorson at the wheel, finished 8th in the 2021 Don Smith Classic and 6th with C.J. Leary in 2019.
The Don Smith Classic honors the man who has been enshrined in both the USAC Hall of Fame and the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame. Smith was the longtime promoter of the Terre Haute Action Track as well as a successful car owner of the Sumar Special on the AAA and USAC National Championship trails while maintaining his status as a successful businessman in the city of Terre Haute.
This weekend presents the 12th running of the $5,000-to-win Don Smith Classic on Friday night, May 20, and closes with the 52nd annual $10,000-to-win Tony Hulman Classic on Saturday night, May 21.
On the docket for Friday’s Don Smith Classic, the pits open at 3pm Eastern, front gates at 4pm, drivers meeting at 6pm and hot laps at 6:30pm with qualifying and racing immediately following. UMP Modifieds will also be in action. A concert by country music recording artist Jake Dodds will follow Friday’s racing festivities.
For Saturday’s Tony Hulman Classic at Terre Haute, the pits open at 1pm Eastern, front gates at 3pm, drivers meeting at 6pm and hot laps at 6:30pm with qualifying and racing immediately following. RaceSaver 305 Sprint Cars will also be on the event card.
Each night, general admission grandstand tickets are $30. Kids age 10 and under are free. Infield tickets are $20. Kids age 10 and under are free. Pit passes are $35.
A rain date (if needed) has been established for Sunday night, May 22.
Both nights of racing at Terre Haute can be watched live and on-demand on FloRacing at https://bit.ly/3u7ID2N.
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USAC AMSOIL SPRINT CAR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS: 1-Emerson Axsom-417, 2-Justin Grant-396, 3-Brady Bacon-392, 4-Chase Stockon-364, 5-Robert Ballou-361, 6-Logan Seavey-359, 7-Jason McDougal-333, 8-C.J. Leary-326, 9-Matt Westfall-275, 10-Kyle Cummins-238.
DON SMITH CLASSIC WINS:
2-Tyler Courtney & Kevin Thomas Jr.
1-Bryan Clauson, Daron Clayton, Aaron Farney, Justin Grant, Logan Seavey, Chase Stockon & Chris Windom
DON SMITH CLASSIC WINNERS:
2011: Chris Windom (7/13)
2012: Daron Clayton (7/18)
2013: Kevin Thomas, Jr. (7/17)
2014: Bryan Clauson (7/16)
2015: Aaron Farney (7/15)
2016: Chase Stockon (7/17)
2017: Kevin Thomas, Jr. (10/14)
2018: Tyler Courtney (7/25)
2019: Tyler Courtney (7/24)
2020: Justin Grant (7/29)
2021: Logan Seavey (7/28)
TRACK RECORDS FOR USAC NATIONAL SPRINT CARS AT THE TERRE HAUTE ACTION TRACK:
1 Lap – 5/21/2014 – Brady Bacon – 19.225 – 93.628 mph
4 Laps – 5/4/1986 – Larry Gates – 1:36.18 – 74.860 mph
6 Laps – 5/17/2003 – Kurt Gross – 2:07.21 – 84.899 mph
8 Laps – 10/12/2012 – Hunter Schuerenberg – 2:39.40 – 90.339 mph
10 Laps – 6/17/2000 – Jon Stanbrough – 3:29.13 – 86.071 mph
12 Laps – 9/10/2011 – Jon Stanbrough – 4:02.90 – 88.925 mph
30 Laps – 10/1/2021 – Chris Windom – 10:31.97 – 85.447 mph
40 Laps – 5/4/1975 – Pancho Carter – 15:52.96 – 75.554 mph
50 Laps – 8/13/1967 – Rollie Beale – 22:41.72 – 66.093 mph
TERRE HAUTE ACTION TRACK USAC SPRINT CAR WINS:
8-Gary Bettenhausen, Jack Hewitt & Chris Windom
6-Bubby Jones, Sheldon Kinser & J.J. Yeley
5-Jim Hurtubise, Levi Jones, Jon Stanbrough & Rich Vogler
4-Bud Kaeding & Roger McCluskey
3-Don Branson, Steve Butler, Pancho Carter, Daron Clayton, Jerry Coons Jr., Tyler Courtney, Jay Drake, Cary Faas, Tracy Hines, Rick Hood, Joe Saldana & Chase Stockon
2-Brady Bacon, Robert Ballou, Rollie Beale, Tom Bigelow, Dave Darland, Justin Grant, Cory Kruseman, Johnny Rutherford, Dick Tobias, Kevin Thomas Jr., Bruce Walkup & Greg Weld
1-Billy Cassella, Steve Chassey, Bryan Clauson, Mel Cornett, Larry Dickson, Ed Elisian, Tony Elliott, Aaron Farney, A.J. Foyt, Richard Griffin, Chuck Gurney, Tommy Hinnershitz, Tray House, Chet Johnson, Tony Jones, Doug Kalitta, Frankie Kerr, Steve Kinser, Eddie Leavitt, Andy Linden, Bobby Marshman, Charlie Masters, Rusty McClure, James McElreath, Jim McElreath, Jim McWithey, Jan Opperman, Terry Pletch, Larry Rice, Eddie Sachs, Logan Seavey, Sammy Sessions, Ron Shuman, George Snider, Robbie Stanley, Brad Sweet, Kevin Thomas & Bobby Unser
TERRE HAUTE ACTION TRACK USAC SPRINT CAR WINNERS:
1957: Ed Elisian (6/16) & Andy Linden (8/18)
1958: Eddie Sachs (6/22) & Tommy Hinnershitz (8/17)
1959: Don Branson (6/21) & Jim McWithey (8/16)
1960: Don Branson (6/12) & Jim Hurtubise (8/21)
1961: Jim Hurtubise (6/11) & Jim Hurtubise (8/13)
1962: Jim Hurtubise (6/17) & Jim Hurtubise (8/12)
1963: Roger McCluskey (6/16) & Bobby Marshman (8/11)
1964: A.J. Foyt (6/14) & Don Branson (8/9)
1965: Johnny Rutherford (6/13) & Johnny Rutherford (8/15)
1966: Roger McCluskey (6/19), Roger McCluskey (6/19) & Roger McCluskey (9/14)
1967: Bobby Unser (6/11), Greg Weld (6/11), Rollie Beale (8/13) & Greg Weld (9/10)
1968: Gary Bettenhausen (6/16), Larry Dickson (8/11) & Gary Bettenhausen (9/8)
1969: Gary Bettenhausen (8/10) & Gary Bettenhausen (10/19)
1970: Jim McElreath (6/21), Dick Tobias (8/9) & Bruce Walkup (9/13)
1971: George Snider (5/1) & Gary Bettenhausen (8/8)
1972: Bruce Walkup (4/30), Charlie Masters (6/11) & Rollie Beale (8/19)
1973: Joe Saldana (5/5), Mel Cornett (6/9) 7 Sammy Sessions (8/5)
1974: Gary Bettenhausen (4/14) & Sheldon Kinser (8/4)
1975: Pancho Carter (5/4), Joe Saldana (6/1), Gary Bettenhausen (8/3) & Tom Bigelow (9/21)
1976: Jan Opperman (5/1), Tom Bigelow (6/6), Gary Bettenhausen (8/1) & Chuck Gurney (10/31)
1977: James McElreath (5/7), Sheldon Kinser (6/5), Bubby Jones (7/31) & Pancho Carter (9/25)
1978: Dick Tobias (5/6), Billy Cassella (6/4) & Bubby Jones (9/24)
1979: Pancho Carter (5/5), Bubby Jones (5/6), Bubby Jones (6/3), Bubby Jones (8/5) & Bubby Jones (9/23)
1980: Eddie Leavitt (5/3), Steve Chassey (5/4), Joe Saldana (6/29), Rich Vogler (8/3) & Rich Vogler (9/21)
1981: Sheldon Kinser (5/3), Rich Vogler (8/9) & Sheldon Kinser (9/7)
1982: Chet Johnson (5/9), Sheldon Kinser (6/20), Steve Kinser (8/8) & Larry Rice (9/5)
1983: Jack Hewitt (5/8), Rich Vogler (6/19) & Jack Hewitt (8/28)
1984: Rick Hood (6/10) & Steve Butler (8/26)
1985: Ron Shuman (5/5), Rick Hood (6/9) & Rick Hood (8/25)
1986: Rich Vogler (5/4) & Sheldon Kinser (8/3)
1987: Steve Butler (5/3) & Steve Butler (5/23)
1990: Jack Hewitt (7/8)
1991: Jack Hewitt (7/7)
1992: Rusty McClure (7/12) & Cary Faas (10/11)
1993: Dave Darland (5/2) & Robbie Stanley (7/11)
1994: Cary Faas (5/1) & Tray House (7/17)
1995: Jack Hewitt (4/30) & Jack Hewitt (7/16)
1996: Doug Kalitta (5/12), Kevin Thomas (7/12) & Jack Hewitt (10/5)
1997: J.J. Yeley (6/27), J.J. Yeley (7/23) & Jack Hewitt (10/4)
1998: Cary Faas (5/29) & Tony Elliott (8/14)
1999: Tracy Hines (5/8), Tony Jones (6/17), Jerry Coons Jr. (6/18), Frankie Kerr (6/19) & Terry Pletch (7/21)
2000: Jay Drake (6/15), Richard Griffin (6/16), Jay Drake (6/18) & Jay Drake (7/28)
2001: Tracy Hines (5/19), Bud Kaeding (10/20) & Bud Kaeding (10/20)
2002: Jon Stanbrough (5/11), Cory Kruseman (7/27) & J.J. Yeley (10/5)
2003: J.J. Yeley (5/17), Tracy Hines (7/26), J.J. Yeley (8/14 Special Event) & J.J. Yeley (10/4)
2004: Cory Kruseman (5/22), J.J. Yeley (7/24) & Bud Kaeding (9/4)
2005: Levi Jones (7/22), Levi Jones (9/30) & Levi Jones (10/1)
2006: Daron Clayton (10/6) & Daron Clayton (10/7)
2007: Jon Stanbrough (5/19)
2008: Levi Jones (5/22)
2009: Levi Jones (5/21), Brad Sweet (7/15) & Jon Stanbrough (9/12)
2010: Jerry Coons Jr. (5/27), Jon Stanbrough (7/14) & Jon Stanbrough (9/11)
2011: Chris Windom (7/13) & Chris Windom (9/10)
2012: Bud Kaeding (5/24), Daron Clayton (7/18) & Chase Stockon (10/12)
2013: Kevin Thomas Jr. (7/17) & Jerry Coons Jr. (8/31)
2014: Dave Darland (5/21), Bryan Clauson (7/16) & Brady Bacon (9/18)
2015: Aaron Farney (7/15) & Robert Ballou (9/18)
2016: Robert Ballou (5/25), Chase Stockon (7/17) & Chris Windom (10/15)
2017: Chris Windom (9/15) & Kevin Thomas Jr. (10/14)
2018: Tyler Courtney (5/23), Tyler Courtney (7/25) & Brady Bacon (9/14)
2019: Chase Stockon (5/22), Tyler Courtney (7/24) & Justin Grant (9/13)
2020: Chris Windom (7/1), Justin Grant (7/29) & Chris Windom (9/18)
2021: Chris Windom (5/26), Logan Seavey (7/28) & Chris Windom (10/1)
PAST DON SMITH CLASSIC RESULTS:
2011 FEATURE: (30 laps) 1. Chris Windom, 2. Keith Bloom, 3. Jon Stanbrough, 4. Robert Ballou, 5. Shane Cottle, 6. Damion Gardner, 7. Bryan Clauson, 8. Dave Darland, 9. Mike Spencer, 10. Levi Jones, 11. Jerry Coons Jr., 12. Wes McIntyre, 13. Dustin Morgan, 14. Chad Boespflug, 15. Critter Malone, 16. Blake Fitzpatrick, 17. Tracy Hines, 18. Hunter Schuerenberg, 19. Chase Stockon, 20. Justin Grant, 21. Jonathan Hendrick, 22. Daron Clayton, 23. Coleman Gulick. NT
2012 FEATURE: (30 laps) 1. Daron Clayton, 2. Jon Stanbrough, 3. Tracy Hines, 4. Levi Jones, 5. Coleman Gulick, 6. Robert Ballou, 7. Damion Gardner, 8. Jerry Coons Jr., 9. Bryan Clauson, 10. Chris Windom, 11. Darren Hagen, 12. Shane Cottle, 13. Dave Darland, 14. Chase Stockon, 15. Hunter Schuerenberg, 16. Blake Fitzpatrick, 17. Wes McIntyre, 18. Thomas Meseraull, 19. Chad Boespflug, 20. C.J. Leary, 21. Kevin Thomas Jr., 22. Justin Grant. NT
2013 FEATURE: (30 laps) 1. Kevin Thomas Jr., 2. Jon Stanbrough, 3. Brady Bacon, 4. Robert Ballou, 5. Chase Stockon, 6. Hunter Schuerenberg, 7. Brady Short, 8. Wes McIntyre, 9. Chris Windom, 10. Shane Cottle, 11. Christopher Bell, 12. Bryan Clauson, 13. Ryan Bernal, 14. C.J. Leary, 15. Bill Rose, 16. Tyler Courtney, 17. Dave Darland, 18. Gary Taylor, 19. Jerry Coons Jr., 20. Casey Shuman, 21. Jake Simmons, 22. Tracy Hines, 23. Justin Grant. NT
2014 FEATURE: (30 laps) 1. Bryan Clauson, 2. Robert Ballou, 3. Brady Bacon, 4. Chris Windom, 5. Brady Short, 6. Justin Grant, 7. Dave Darland, 8. Tracy Hines, 9. Shane Cottle, 10. Chase Stockon, 11. Jerry Coons Jr., 12. Chase Briscoe, 13. Aaron Farney, 14. C.J. Leary, 15. Tyler Courtney, 16. Kevin Thomas Jr., 17. Logan Jarrett, 18. Thomas Meseraull, 19. Brody Roa, 20. Casey Shuman, 21. Kody Swanson, 22. Brian Hayden, 23. Jarett Andretti, 24. Jon Stanbrough. NT
2015 FEATURE: (30 laps) 1. Aaron Farney, 2. Robert Ballou, 3. Dave Darland, 4. Chad Boespflug, 5. Chase Stockon, 6. Jon Stanbrough, 7. Brady Bacon, 8. Justin Grant, 9. Jerry Coons Jr., 10. Shane Cottle, 11. Hunter Schuerenberg, 12. Kevin Thomas Jr., 13. Jarett Andretti, 14. Chris Windom, 15. Scotty Weir, 16. J.J. Hughes, 17. Landon Simon, 18. Logan Jarrett, 19. Thomas Meseraull, 20. Carson Short, 21. Brady Short, 22. Mitch Wissmiller. NT
2016 FEATURE: (30 laps) 1. Chase Stockon, 2. Robert Ballou, 3. Tyler Courtney, 4. Brady Bacon, 5. Aaron Farney, 6. Chris Windom, 7. Logan Jarrett, 8. Jerry Coons Jr., 9. Bryan Clauson, 10. C.J. Leary, 11. Max McGhee, 12. Chad Boespflug, 13. Dave Darland, 14. Thomas Meseraull, 15. Jon Stanbrough, 16. Carson Short, 17. Riley Kreisel, 18. Jarett Andretti, 19. Tyler Thomas, 20. Bret Mellenberndt, 21. Kevin Thomas, Jr., 22. Tom Harris. NT
2017 FEATURE: (30 laps) 1. Kevin Thomas Jr., 2. Chris Windom, 3. Chase Stockon, 4. Brady Bacon, 5. Dave Darland, 6. Tyler Courtney, 7. Justin Grant, 8. C.J. Leary, 9. Kyle Cummins, 10. Jerry Coons Jr., 11. Jarett Andretti, 12. Chad Boespflug, 13. Stevie Sussex, 14. Josh Hodges, 15. Scotty Weir, 16. Kyle Robbins, 17. Joe Bares, 18. Brandon Mattox, 19. Joss Moffatt, 20. Dylan Shaw, 21. Shane Cottle, 22, Robert Ballou. NT
2018 FEATURE: (30 laps – starting positions in parentheses) 1. Tyler Courtney (5), 2. Robert Ballou (9), 3. Justin Grant (10), 4. Brady Bacon (2), 5. Kevin Thomas, Jr. (3), 6. Chris Windom (14), 7. Jason McDougal (13), 8. Timmy Buckwalter (15), 9. Jerry Coons, Jr. (17), 10. Dave Darland (11), 11. C.J. Leary (4), 12. Jake Swanson (7), 13. Chase Stockon (6), 14. Chad Boespflug (16), 15. Matt Westfall (12), 16. Thomas Meseraull (21), 17. Isaac Chapple (20), 18. Scotty Weir (8), 19. Josh Hodges (19), 20. Carson Short (22), 21. Tyler Thomas (1), 22. Tony DiMattia (23), 23. Shane Cockrum (18), 24. Robert Bell (24). 12:03.22
2019 FEATURE: (30 laps, starting position in parentheses) 1. Tyler Courtney (6), 2. Justin Grant (2), 3. Kevin Thomas, Jr. (4), 4. Brady Bacon (14), 5. Chris Windom (1), 6. C.J. Leary (5), 7. Carson Short (12), 8. Max Adams (16), 9. Chase Stockon (8), 10. Kyle Cummins (3), 11. Josh Hodges (10), 12. Isaac Chapple (11), 13. Dustin Smith (18), 14. Scotty Weir (20), 15. Brandon Mattox (15), 16. Brian VanMeveren (7), 17. Brody Roa (17), 18. Nate McMillin (22), 19. Dustin Christie (21), 20. Jason McDougal (19), 21. Terry Richards (13), 22. Tom Harris (9). NT
2020 FEATURE: (32 laps, starting positions in parentheses) 1. Justin Grant (4), 2. Chris Windom (7), 3. Chase Stockon (2), 4. C.J. Leary (6), 5. Shane Cottle (8), 6. Brady Bacon (3), 7. Logan Seavey (10), 8. Kevin Thomas Jr. (5), 9. Dave Darland (13), 10. Robert Ballou (19), 11. Kyle Cummins (14), 12. Jake Swanson (1), 13. Charles Davis Jr. (17), 14. Carson Short (11), 15. Brandon Mattox (16), 16. Matt Westfall (20), 17. Nate McMillin (22), 18. Clinton Boyles (15), 19. Dennis Gile (9), 20. Dustin Smith (21), 21. Chase Johnson (12), 22. Max Adams (18). NT
2021 FEATURE: (30 laps, starting positions in parentheses) 1. Logan Seavey (1), 2. Justin Grant (4), 3. Chris Windom (7), 4. Brady Bacon (12), 5. Jason McDougal (15), 6. Chase Stockon (3), 7. Kevin Thomas Jr. (6), 8. Tanner Thorson (8), 9. Shane Cottle (13), 10. C.J. Leary (5), 11. Kyle Cummins (21), 12. Jake Swanson (10), 13. Nick Bilbee (2), 14. Shane Cockrum (16), 15. Tye Mihocko (9), 16. Brandon Mattox (20), 17. Charles Davis Jr. (18), 18. Matt Westfall (19), 19. Mario Clouser (11), 20. Max Guilford (22), 21. Robert Ballou (14), 22. Eddie Tafoya Jr. (17). NT