By Richie Murray
Haubstadt, Indiana (September 11, 2025)………The Haubstadt Hustler is one of the marquee events of the entire USAC AMSOIL Sprint Car National Championship season.
This Saturday, September 13, a whole slew of challengers will be putting it all on the line with a $20,000 prize awaiting at the end of 40 laps on the intense 1/4-mile dirt oval they call Tri-State Speedway in Haubstadt, Indiana.
It’s the 18th running of the event, and here’s six storylines to hustle through!
5-TIME HUSTLER
Kevin Thomas Jr. has won the Haubstadt Hustler a record five times in his career, including the most recent edition in 2024. No other driver has won the Haubstadt Hustler more than twice! He’s also the winningest USAC driver at the track with nine career scores.
The Cullman, Alabama native has won the event in 2013-2017-2018-2021-2024 and never started on the front row any of those previous victories. Oddly enough, all five of his triumphs have come after starting in the second row: 3rd in 2013, 4th in 2017, 3rd in 2018, 4th in 2021 and 4th in 2024.
KTJ also comes in on a personal high at Tri-State after reigning victorious in the most recent USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car appearance there in August of this year during Indiana Sprint Week.
FOUR SCORE & WANTING MORE
Kevin Thomas Jr. is among the four past Haubstadt Hustler winners to do battle this coming Saturday along with Kyle Cummins, Chase Stockon and Jadon Rogers.
For all of Cummins’ seven career Tri-State wins, only one of them has come during the Haubstadt Hustler back in 2016. The current USAC National Sprint Car point leader already won this year’s Spring Showdown at Tri-State.
Chase Stockon achieved Haubstadt Hustler glory in 2020. Before his Terre Haute victory this past July, that had been his most recent USAC score. This Saturday, he’ll try to keep the momentum rolling into The Class Track.
Jadon Rogers’ lone USAC National Sprint Car victory to date came during the Haubstadt Hustler of 2022. For Saturday, he’ll be back in the family owned No. 14, the very same numeral he sported in the 2022 win.
Perhaps, not surprisingly, three of the four past Haubstadt Hustler winners in this Saturday’s field have won sprint car races at Tri-State in 2025 between USAC and the Midwest Thunder 410 Series. Cummins has won twice, Rogers twice and Thomas once.
THE $100,000 TRIFECTA IS IN PLAY
And then there were three!
Justin Grant, Kyle Cummins and Logan Seavey are vying for their share of the USAC NOS Energy Drink Hoosier Trifecta at Tri-State.
Two Trifecta events remain with a pair of $20,000-to-win USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car showdowns on Saturday, September 13, at Tri-State Speedway’s Haubstadt Hustler and on Saturday, October 11, during Lawrenceburg Speedway’s Fall Nationals.
Grant took round one of the Trifecta in August at Kokomo Speedway’s Sprint Car Smackdown ahead of runner-up Cummins and third-place finisher Seavey. Now Grant is chasing a clean sweep worth more than $100,000 in total prize money if he can win at both Tri-State and Lawrenceburg.
The driver with the highest average Trifecta finishing position and also finishes inside the top-three in the trio of events will earn the prize – over 100,000 dollars in total to win all three, a $20,000 bonus to finish second or better in all three and $10,000 bucks to capture a top-three result in all three.
ROELL ON A RAIL
The last time Kayla Roell competed in a USAC National Sprint Car event at Tri-State in August, she made quite a bit of history.
She started things off by becoming the first woman to win a USAC National Sprint Car heat race. In the feature, she crossed the line in the ninth position, the best ever result for a woman in series history.
The Dillsboro, Indiana native and high school wrestling champion has extensive winning experience at Tri-State, scoring five career Midwest Mini Sprint Association wins at the track.
To date, it’s the best run she’s had in USAC Sprint Car competition, and this Saturday, she’ll try to surpass it.
IT’S A BURKS’ KINDA KNIGHT
Wyatt Burks is becoming a hot commodity on the USAC National Sprint Car trail of late. Just last Saturday, the Topeka, Kansas racer finished his race on the podium with a third at Wheatland, Missouri’s Lucas Oil Speedway.
Not only was it his best career finish, it was also his first career top-five with the USAC National Sprint Cars.
For this weekend, the four-time USAC Midwest Wingless Racing Association Sprint Car champion will be back in the seat of the Knight Racing No. 16K as he eyes his Haubstadt Hustler debut.
40 LAPS TO FREEDOM
The Haubstadt Hustler main event is a 40-lapper, 10 more than the usual 30. The event has traditionally featured a 40-lap distance, meaning that the focus, speed, competition and attention to detail is increased to the nth degree.
Two previous 40-lap USAC National Sprint Car events have been held this year, with Justin Grant winning at Pennsylvania’s Action Track USA in June and Carson Garrett at Indiana’s Honest Abe Roofing Lincoln Park Speedway in July.
RACE DETAILS
Saturday’s September 13 Haubstadt Hustler features the USAC AMSOIL Sprint Car National Championship, plus the Midwest Mini Sprint Association. Pits open at 2:30pm Central, grandstands at 3:30pm, drivers meeting at 5:30pm and cars on track at 6pm followed by qualifying and racing. Adult general admission tickets are $35, students (ages 13-18) $20 & children 12 and under free. Pit passes are $40 for all ages.
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HAUBSTADT HUSTLER WINS:
5-Kevin Thomas Jr.
2-Daron Clayton & Kyle Cummins
1-Brady Bacon, Jeff Bland Jr., Bryan Clauson, Casey Riggs, Jadon Rogers, Brady Short, Jon Stanbrough & Chase Stockon
HAUBSTADT HUSTLER WINNERS:
2008: Jeff Bland Jr.
2009: Bryan Clauson
2010: Jon Stanbrough
2011: Casey Riggs
2012: Daron Clayton
2013: Kevin Thomas Jr.
2014: Daron Clayton
2015: Brady Short
2016: Kyle Cummins
2017: Kevin Thomas Jr.
2018: Kevin Thomas Jr.
2019: Kyle Cummins
2020: Chase Stockon
2021: Kevin Thomas Jr.
2022: Jadon Rogers
2023: Brady Bacon
2024: Kevin Thomas Jr.
TRI-STATE SPEEDWAY USAC NATIONAL SPRINT CAR WINS
9-Kevin Thomas Jr.
7-Kyle Cummins
5-Daron Clayton
4-Cory Kruseman
3-Justin Grant & Rick Hood
2-Brady Bacon, Robert Ballou, Hunter Schuerenberg, Brady Short, Jon Stanbrough & Chase Stockon
1-Steve Butler, Dave Darland, Jay Drake, Tony Elliott, Blake Fitzpatrick, Damion Gardner, Tracy Hines, Kenny Jacobs, Levi Jones, Casey Riggs, Jadon Rogers, Stephen Schnapf, Carson Short, Chris Windom & J.J. Yeley
TRI-STATE SPEEDWAY USAC NATIONAL SPRINT CAR WINNERS
1983: Rick Hood (9/4)
1984: Steve Butler (5/28) & Rick Hood (9/2)
1988: Kenny Jacobs (8/7)
1989: Rick Hood (6/3)
2000: Cory Kruseman (7/30)
2001: Tony Elliott (5/13) & Jay Drake (7/22)
2002: Tracy Hines (5/19) & Cory Kruseman (7/21)
2003: J.J. Yeley (7/20)
2004: Cory Kruseman (7/18)
2005: Cory Kruseman (7/17)
2006: Jon Stanbrough (7/15) & Daron Clayton (9/2)
2007: Daron Clayton (7/21)
2008: Hunter Schuerenberg (7/19)
2009: Levi Jones (7/18)
2010: Blake Fitzpatrick (7/17)
2011: Damion Gardner (7/16) & Casey Riggs (9/17)
2012: Hunter Schuerenberg (5/12), Jon Stanbrough (7/21) & Daron Clayton (9/15)
2013: Kevin Thomas Jr. (5/11) & Kevin Thomas Jr. (9/14)
2014: Daron Clayton (4/26), Robert Ballou (7/19) & Daron Clayton (9/13)
2015: Brady Bacon (4/18), Brady Short (7/18) & Brady Short (9/19)
2016: Chase Stockon (4/16), Carson Short (7/16) & Kyle Cummins (9/17)
2017: Chris Windom (4/15), Kyle Cummins (7/15) & Kevin Thomas Jr., (9/16)
2018: Kevin Thomas Jr. (4/28), Dave Darland (7/28) & Kevin Thomas Jr. (9/15)
2019: Kyle Cummins (7/27) & Kyle Cummins (9/14)
2020: Stephen Schnapf (6/14), Kyle Cummins (8/2) & Chase Stockon (9/19)
2021: Kyle Cummins (4/17), Justin Grant (7/31) & Kevin Thomas Jr. (9/18)
2022: Robert Ballou (7/30) & Jadon Rogers (9/17)
2023: Justin Grant (4/15) & Brady Bacon (9/16)
2024: Kevin Thomas Jr. (5/11), Justin Grant (8/3) & Kevin Thomas Jr. (9/14)
2025: Kyle Cummins (5/10) & Kevin Thomas Jr. (8/2)
PAST HAUBSTADT HUSTLER RESULTS
2008 FEATURE: (50 laps) 1. Jeff Bland Jr., 2. Brady Short, 3. Thomas Meseraull, 4. Levi Jones, 5. Hunter Schuerenberg, 6. Darren Hagen, 7. Chad Boat, 8. Jon Stanbrough, 9. Kyle Cummins, 10. Hud Cone, 11. A.J. Anderson, 12. Robert Ballou, 13. Blake Fitzpatrick, 14. Daron Clayton, 15. Chris Windom, 16. Shawn Krockenberger, 17. John Memmer, 18. Shane Cottle, 19. J.J. Yeley, 20. Alex Shanks, 21. Ricky Williams.
2009 FEATURE: (50 laps) 1. Bryan Clauson, 2. Josh Wise, 3. Brady Short, 4. Jon Stanbrough, 5. Damion Gardner, 6. Levi Jones, 7. Scotty Weir, 8. Casey Shuman, 9. Dave Darland, 10. Blake Fitzpatrick, 11. Chris Windom, 12. Hunter Schuerenberg, 13. Jeff Bland Jr., 14. Hud Cone, 15. Kevin Thomas Jr., 16. Kyle Cummins, 17. Mark Perry III, 18. Thomas Meseraull, 19. Nic Faas, 20. Robert Ballou, 21. Danny Holtsclaw.
2010 FEATURE: (50 laps) 1. Jon Stanbrough, 2. Blake Fitzpatrick, 3. Kyle Cummins, 4. Scotty Weir, 5. Hunter Schuerenberg, 6. Levi Jones, 7. Critter Malone, 8. Chase Stockon, 9. Jonathan Hendrick, 10. Thomas Meseraull, 11. Damion Gardner, 12. Kurt Gross, 13. Jeff Bland Jr., 14. Adam Nigg, 15. Jared Harris, 16. Chase Briscoe, 17. Justin Grant, 18. Jonathan Vennard, 19. Kevin Thomas Jr., 20. Brady Short, 21. Daron Clayton.
2011 FEATURE: (50 laps) 1. Casey Riggs, 2. Bryan Clauson, 3. Damion Gardner, 4. Levi Jones, 5. Brady Bacon, 6. Jerry Coons Jr., 7. Hunter Schuerenberg, 8. Tracy Hines, 9. Keith Bloom, 10. Critter Malone, 11. Jonathan Hendrick, 12. Kyle Cummins, 13. Jon Stanbrough, 14. Wes McIntyre, 15. Dave Darland, 16. Daron Clayton, 17. Blake Fitzpatrick, 18. Braylon Fitzpatrick, 19. Robert Ballou, 20. Hud Cone, 21. Brady Short, 22. Chris Windom, 23. Chase Stockon, 24. Chase Briscoe, 25. Shane Cottle. NT
2012 FEATURE: (40 laps) 1. Daron Clayton, 2. Kyle Larson, 3. Robert Ballou, 4. Dave Darland, 5. Chris Windom, 6. Damion Gardner, 7. Kevin Thomas Jr., 8. Jon Stanbrough, 9. Chase Briscoe, 10. Chase Stockon, 11. Thomas Meseraull, 12. Shane Cottle, 13. Dakota Jackson, 14. Hunter Schuerenberg, 15. Bobby East, 16. Jerry Coons Jr., 17. Tracy Hines, 18. Brady Short, 19. Seth Parker, 20. Brandon Mattox, 21. Wes McIntyre, 22. Kyle Cummins, 23. Bryan Clauson (re-positioned due to missing scales). NT
2013 FEATURE: (40 laps) 1. Kevin Thomas Jr., 2. Brady Short, 3. Brady Bacon, 4. Jon Stanbrough, 5. Kyle Cummins, 6. Chase Stockon, 7. Daron Clayton, 8. Tracy Hines, 9. Bryan Clauson, 10. Shane Cottle, 11. Robert Ballou, 12. Blake Fitzpatrick, 13. Jeff Bland Jr., 14. Bradley Sterrett, 15. Nick Drake, 16. Carson Short, 17. Chase Briscoe, 18. A.J. Hopkins, 19. Kurt Gross, 20. Tyler Courtney, 21. Dave Darland, 22. Wes McIntyre, 23. Seth Parker. NT
2014 FEATURE: (40 laps) 1. Daron Clayton, 2. Robert Ballou, 3. Kyle Cummins, 4. Jerry Coons Jr., 5. Chase Stockon, 6. Jon Stanbrough, 7. Bryan Clauson, 8. Brady Bacon, 9. Tracy Hines, 10. Brian Karraker, 11. Dave Darland, 12. Aaron Farney, 13. C.J. Leary, 14. Brady Short, 15. Kevin Thomas Jr., 16. Shane Cockrum, 17. Chris Windom, 18. Donny Brackett, 19. Nick Hale, 20. Carson Short, 21. Brandon Mattox, 22. Hud Cone, 23. Mitch Wissmiller, 24. Jeff Bland Jr. NT
2015 FEATURE: (40 laps) 1. Brady Short, 2. Kevin Thomas Jr., 3. Dakota Jackson, 4. Brady Bacon, 5. Chase Stockon, 6. Dave Darland, 7. Robert Ballou, 8. Chris Windom, 9. C.J. Leary, 10. Thomas Meseraull, 11. Shane Cottle, 12. Aaron Farney, 13. Brandon Mattox, 14. Kent Schmidt, 15. Jon Stanbrough, 16. James Lyerla, 17. Kyle Cummins, 18. Donny Brackett, 19. Chad Boespflug, 20. Tracy Hines, 21. Justin Grant, 22. Hunter Schuerenberg, 23. Mike Terry Jr., 24. Daron Clayton. NT
2016 FEATURE: (40 laps) 1. Kyle Cummins, 2. Tyler Courtney, 3. Shane Cottle, 4. Kevin Thomas Jr., 5. Chase Stockon, 6. Chris Windom, 7. Carson Short, 8. Justin Grant, 9. Brady Bacon, 10. Jon Stanbrough, 11. C.J. Leary, 12. Dave Darland, 13. Brian Karraker, 14. Tyler Hewitt, 15. Brandon Mattox, 16. Tyler Thomas, 17. Daron Clayton, 18. Dakota Jackson, 19. Brady Short, 20. Chad Boespflug, 21. Thomas Meseraull, 22. Donny Brackett, 23. Aaron Farney. NT
2017 FEATURE: (40 laps) 1. Kevin Thomas Jr., 2. Kyle Cummins, 3. Thomas Meseraull, 4. Chet Williams, 5. Tyler Courtney, 6. Chris Windom, 7. Brady Short, 8. Robert Ballou, 9. C.J. Leary, 10. Justin Grant, 11. Chad Boespflug, 12. Carson Short, 13. Dave Darland, 14. Donny Brackett, 15. Chase Stockon, 16. Isaac Chapple, 17. Josh Hodges, 18. Brady Bacon, 19. Dakota Jackson, 20. Aric Gentry, 21. Brandon Mattox, 22. Jon Stanbrough, 23. Shane Cottle, 24. Kendall Ruble. NT
2018 FEATURE: (40 laps, starting positions in parentheses) 1. Kevin Thomas Jr. (3), 2. C.J. Leary (2), 3. Jason McDougal (8), 4. Dave Darland (7), 5. Carson Short (15), 6. Tyler Courtney (16), 7. Robert Ballou (10), 8. Chase Stockon (11), 9. Kyle Cummins (9), 10. Donny Brackett (13), 11. Stephen Schnapf (5), 12. Isaac Chapple (14), 13. Chet Williams (19), 14. Brady Bacon (6), 15. Critter Malone (21), 16. Kendall Ruble (20), 17. Chris Windom (4), 18. Daron Clayton (17), 19. Justin Grant (12), 20. Tony DiMattia (22), 21. Brandon Mattox (23), 22. Kent Schmidt (1), 23. Aric Gentry (18). NT
2019 FEATURE: (40 laps, starting position in parentheses) 1. Kyle Cummins (3), 2. Tyler Courtney (4), 3. C.J. Leary (1), 4. Kendall Ruble (5), 5. Chris Windom (10), 6. Critter Malone (11), 7. Chase Stockon (9), 8. Brady Bacon (19), 9. Brady Short (18), 10. Josh Hodges (6), 11. Stephen Schnapf (23), 12. Max Adams (14), 13. Carson Short (22), 14. Kevin Thomas Jr. (17), 15. Donny Brackett (16), 16. Kent Schmidt (15), 17. Dustin Christie (2), 18. Jason McDougal (21), 19. Brian Karraker (8), 20. Chayse Hayhurst (12), 21. Dakota Jackson (20), 22. Justin Grant (13), 23. Isaac Chapple (24), 24. Collin Ambrose (25), 25. Shane Cottle (7). NT
2020 FEATURE: (40 laps, starting positions in parentheses) 1. Chase Stockon (2), 2. Jadon Rogers (14), 3. Robert Ballou (18), 4. Critter Malone (19), 5. Chris Windom (8), 6. Justin Grant (7), 7. Brady Bacon (12), 8. C.J. Leary (10), 9. Kyle Cummins (1), 10. Brandon Mattox (13), 11. Kent Schmidt (6), 12. Dave Darland (5), 13. Anton Hernandez (16), 14. Dakota Jackson (17), 15. Kevin Thomas Jr. (3), 16. Carson Short (15), 17. Eddie Tafoya Jr. (22), 18. Chayse Hayhurst (24), 19. Aric Gentry (20), 20. Clinton Boyles (9), 21. Shane Cottle (21), 22. Jonathan Vennard (23), 23. Stephen Schnapf (11), DQ. Kendall Ruble.
2021 FEATURE: (40 laps, starting positions in parentheses) 1. Kevin Thomas Jr. (4), 2. Justin Grant (3), 3. Brady Bacon (8), 4. Tanner Thorson (7), 5. Chase Stockon (2), 6. Robert Ballou (15), 7. Brady Short (1), 8. Daison Pursley (12), 9. Jason McDougal (11), 10. Jake Swanson (14), 11. Kyle Cummins (5), 12. Koby Barksdale (20), 13. Jadon Rogers (13), 14. Kent Schmidt (16), 15. C.J. Leary (19), 16. Chris Windom (10), 17. Emerson Axsom (17), 18. Stephen Schnapf (9), 19. Collin Ambrose (23-P), 20. Kendall Ruble (6), 21. Carson Garrett (18), 22. Cindy Chambers (24-P), 23. Max Adams (21), 24. Aric Gentry (22). NT
2022 FEATURE: (40 laps, starting positions in parentheses) 1. Jadon Rogers (1), 2. Kyle Cummins (7), 3. Jason McDougal (3), 4. Chase Stockon (8), 5. Brady Bacon (10), 6. C.J. Leary (2), 7. Justin Grant (15), 8. Emerson Axsom (6), 9. Mitchel Moles (12), 10. Robert Ballou (11), 11. Carson Garrett (13), 12. Daison Pursley (17), 13. Matt Westfall (16), 14. Kendall Ruble (5), 15. Collin Ambrose (9), 16. Dustin Beck (20), 17. Brady Short (14), 18. Kevin Thomas Jr. (4), 19. Stan Beadles (19), 20. Carson Short (21), 21. Adyn Schmidt (22), 22. Brandon Mattox (23-U), 23. Aric Gentry (18), 24. Brandon Smith (24-M). NT
2023 FEATURE: (40 laps, starting positions in parentheses) 1. Brady Bacon (1), 2. Kevin Thomas Jr. (9), 3. Dustin Beck (3), 4. Mitchel Moles (5), 5. Kyle Cummins (15), 6. J.J. Hughes (6), 7. Kendall Ruble (4), 8. Justin Grant (7), 9. Carson Garrett (10), 10. C.J. Leary (11), 11. Logan Seavey (20), 12. Chase Stockon (21), 13. Daison Pursley (12), 14. Emerson Axsom (13), 15. Brady Short (19), 16. Adyn Schmidt (14), 17. Kayla Roell (23-P), 18. Andy Bradley (16), 19. Jadon Rogers (18), 20. Carson Short (17), 21. Matt Westfall (22), 22. Robert Ballou (2), 23. Stephen Schnapf (8). NT
2024 FEATURE: (40 laps, starting positions in parentheses) 1. Kevin Thomas Jr. (4), 2. Robert Ballou (1), 3. Kyle Cummins (5), 4. Mitchel Moles (6), 5. Brady Bacon (8), 6. Logan Seavey (3), 7. C.J. Leary (7), 8. Chase Stockon (10), 9. Justin Grant (2), 10. Carson Garrett (16), 11. Kendall Ruble (24), 12. Daison Pursley (11), 13. Matt Westfall (15), 14. Jadon Rogers (17), 15. Kayla Roell (13), 16. Kale Drake (18), 17. J.J. Hughes (23), 18. Dustin Beck (19), 19. Brady Short (12), 20. Hayden Reinbold (14), 21. Hunter Maddox (21), 22. Joey Amantea (22), 23. Gunnar Setser (9), 24. Brandon Mattox (20). NT