The 2016 version of Indiana Sprint Week is now in the books and with it we have gained a first time champion along with four new USAC feature winners.
The week began at Gas City I-69 Speedway on July 8. After spinning on the first lap of the 30 lap feature not many would have thought it would only take "Sunshine" a little over 20 laps to pass all 23 competitors but that's exactly what happened.
Courtney rolled the bottom as the top went away and was able to get by two-time USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car champion Bryan Clauson in route to his first series victory. Courtney was followed by Clauson and 2011 Indiana Sprint Week champion, Chris Windom.
Sprint Week continued on July 9 at Kokomo Speedway. For the second straight night it was a new winner in victory lane as Princeton, Indiana's Kyle Cummins picked up the win. Cummins was able to hold off last years Indiana Sprint Week champion Robert Ballou in a photo finish at the line after running the bottom nearly perfect for the final 8 laps. Kevin Thomas Jr. finished third.
Rounding out the first half of Indiana Sprint Week cars next appeared in Lawrenceburg where Bryan Clauson led all but the first five laps of the feature to pick up his seventh USAC sprint car feature victory of 2016. Tyler Courtney and Chris Windom rounded out the podium.
Indiana Sprint Week was scheduled to resume in Terre Haute on July 13 but rain forced drivers and fans to wait until the following night at Lincoln Park Speedway in Putnamville.
This time it was Brady Short picking up his 7th Indiana sprint car win of the season on a track, that just 24 hours earlier, had been flooded. Short picked off 10 cars in the first 10 laps and was able to get around Dave Darland to lead lap 12 and would never relinquish the position. Chase Stockon was second followed by Chad Boespflug in third.
Last Friday night took the series to Bloomington Speedway where we were once again treated to a first time USAC winner when Brent Beauchamp out-dueled USAC's all-time winningest sprint car driver in Dave Darland. The pair traded blows for much of the feature and officially there were seven different lead changes between the two until Beauchamp pulled away over the final 10 laps.
Brady Bacon, continuing a string of consistent finishes would come home second in the #69 while Dave Darland finished third.
The week's trend of first time winners continued on Saturday night when Carson Short picked up the victory at Tri-State Speedway in Haubstadt.
Short led all 30 laps en route to the victory while Kokomo winner Kyle Cummins finished second followed by Chase Stockon. The finish set up a dramatic climax to Indiana Sprint Week with Brady Bacon leading defending USAC sprint car champion Robert Ballou in the Indiana Sprint Week standings by just 10 points.
As usual, the legendary Action Track at Terre Haute did not disappoint on Sunday in the Indiana Sprint Week finale. Chase Stockon became the seventh different winner in the seven race series after holding off numerous challenges by Robert Ballou. Bryan Clauson had been charging hard before losing a right rear and being forced to restart from the tail and finishing with a top ten.
In the process Brady Bacon won the Indiana Sprint Week title for the first time in his career behind consistent runs over the seven race series. Bacon did not score a win but tallied multiple top fives and finished outside the top ten only once when he finished 11th at Putnamville.
Final Indiana Sprint Week standings
1. Brady Bacon
2. Robert Ballou (-9)
3. Tyler Courtney (-58)
4. Chase Stockon (-66)
5. Chris Windom (-89)
Updated USAC AMSOIL Sprint Car standings
1. Brady Bacon
2. Robert Ballou (-170)
3. Chase Stockon (-214)
4. Thomas Meseraull (-244)
5. Dave Darland (-364)
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