The Hoosier Race Report: It’s Levi’s Time

By Danny Burton

Danny Burton’s Hoosier Race Report appears courtesy of OpenWheelRacers.com

Terre Haute, IN… As it has been with others before him, it has seemed to be, up to now, Levi Jones’ year. He hasn’t really dominated USAC’s Sprint Car Series, but he has done well enough to at least call it a breakout year. He is getting closer and closer to taking the point championship and this weekend at the Terre Haute Action Track he took some big steps in that direction. The affable and talented young man has been on the USAC scene for what seems like a good while, but is still only 23. Each year he has improved and his rides have been better and better. And this year with Scott Benic, he is poised to join an illustrious group of racers as a USAC champ. It’s his time.

September 30, 2005 and 38 sprint cars were on hand for the opening night of a high powered race weekend at Terre Haute. The Tony Hulman Fall Harvest Classic, one of this area’s longest running events would be a two day affair this year, with Friday’s top six qualifiers finding themselves locked into the Saturday night feature.

Shane Cottle ripped off a 19.457 qualifying lap not long after I showed up. Yet again this half mile, slightly banked, oval was in an outstanding condition, as it would remain for both nights. With all that it was tough to pass in the heat races on Friday. Critter Malone won the first heat, and Mark Jessup took the second. Daron Clayton was able to do some serious passing, coming from eighth to win the third heat. Bud Kaeding won the fourth and final heat.

The last chance 12 lap race was loaded with heavy hitters. Levi Jones won it and took Mat Neely, Tracy Hines, Kent Christian, Tom Hessert III, and Bill Rose to the main event with him. Casey Shuman led a group of good racers loading up early.

Tonight’s feature would be only 20 laps as 16 year old Bryan Clauson, Neely, Don Droud Jr., Clayton, Jones, Cottle, Hines, Hessert, Josh Wise, and Jon Stanbrough, along with 14 of their good friends, thundered to the green flag. Right away the caution, then a red flag flew as Shane Cottle stopped in turn one, victim of an errant rock which found his face shield on his helmet. Shane may have received a broken nose out of the encounter, and was done for the night. (He would return for Saturday’s racing.)

On the complete re-start Neely took the early lead and maintained it for the first 15 laps. But Levi Jones was on the move, patiently picking off cars. By the halfway mark at lap 10 he was second to Neely, trailed by Clayton, Clauson, Jerry Coons Jr., and Rose. A lap 16 caution, which came right after Jones had taken over the lead, gave the field one last chance to catch the kid from Olney, Illinois. But Levi would have none of that, taking the win, his second sprint car win in a row. Neely was a strong second, followed by Clauson, Stanbrough, Coons, and Clayton nipping Dave Darland (from 15th) for sixth and the final lock-in spot for Saturday. Eighth was Hines, with Kaeding and Hessert making up the rest of the top 10.

And it was only just past 10 p.m., a good, well-run program to be sure.

After Friday nights’ racing was done, I drove through Terre Haute and made my way to my nephew’s bachelor pad. When he arrived, 15 minutes later, we stayed up late into the night, laughing, talking, and hoisting a few cold adult beverages. Needless to say, it was a short night. 7:30 Saturday morning came very early.

I had planned to mosey down to the track, find some shade, and take a lazy afternoon nap. Keith and Tim had other ideas. The two Buckeyes found me wandering around in my old truck and beckoned me to join them for a lazy afternoon bull session. There was no sleep to be had, but it was still time well spent as we talked about the night before (they had found a great band at local watering hole), racing, past and present, and anything else that came to mind. We sat and watched teams and fans arrive. Tim and I made a side trip to the local Dairy Queen. Keith was smarter; he drank water.

Night two saw 31 cars taking time trials, with the previous night’s top six finishers getting a free pass from qualifying. And right off the bat, we saw a new track record. Again, it was Shane Cottle, in the Edison 10e, turning quick time at 19.242 seconds, though it wouldn’t really count since not everyone had qualified. Go figure.

Tonight’s format would make the heat races a bit more intense. Only the top three would transfer to the feature, joining Friday night’s top six. And only the top four would transfer from the B Main, making for a USAC 22 car field, plus the dreaded provisionals. As an added bonus, it was a Hoosier Auto Race Fans’ night, with members getting in for half price.

For the second night the Banks of the Wabash Chorus gave us the best rendition of our nation’s Anthem (though it was only a recording as they were away for a competition of their own) and it was time to race. Rex Norris III won the first heat with Johnathan Vennard and Justin Marvel also moving to the feature. Local boy Shawn Krockenburger had a much better time of it tonight as he took the second heat. Mark Jessup and Josh Wise trailed. Ryan Pace won the third heat, up to then the best of both nights, as he beat Dickie Gaines and Billy Rose to the line. And the fourth heat was even better, featuring several laps with six cars battling for second place. At the end it was Tom Hessert III winning over Brady Short and Dave Darland. The fifth “heat” had Friday’s nights top six running for starting spots for Saturday night. Daron Clayton won over Jerry Coons Jr., Levi Jones, Jon Stanbrough, Bryan Clauson, and Mat Neely. Clayton would be on the pole for the 30 lap main event. And Cottle won the B Main, taking Bud Kaeding, Jay Drake, and Darren Hagen with him to the big show.

During the modified heats I was fortunate enough to meet up with a few old friends and some new ones behind the grandstands. Some I’d see on occasion in the off-season; others I may not see until next April, but hopefully sooner.

The top six were ahead of Cottle, Drake, Rose, and Darland in the lineup as the field roared to the green. Super race fan/buddy Jerry Shaw got it right, as he often does, as he commented to me that the last parade lap is maybe his favorite time of the whole night. Any true race fan can feel the tension as the cars circle slowly around the track one more time, two by two, the big engines with their low rumble, and the flagman ready to wave the green flag.

Coons took the early lead, but the Arizona kid would only lead the first lap as Stanbrough took over. With Jones starting near the front (third) and the roll he had been on lately, it almost seemed inevitable that he would get around the quiet Hoosier hot foot. Stanbrough did hang on to the top spot, leading at the halfway mark over Jones, Clayton (who gave us all a bunch of thrills as he tested the highest groove Terre Haute can offer), Neely, Coons, Clauson, Cottle, Darland, and Kaeding. Jones swept into the lead on lap 18 and many might have been tempted to leave early, thinking that Levi would check out. Well, he didn’t, though he did hang on and win. As it turned out, Stanbrough wasn’t done. Jon made the winner work hard for his win, his third straight in USAC action. A lap 28 red flag for a spectacular Clayton flip, a result of his finally getting into the turn four wall, stopped things for the first time. The kid from Missouri was okay, though no doubt a bit steamed. On the re-start Stanbrough very briefly edged ahead of Jones, but could not hold his car down in the low groove. Jones took a close victory over Stanbrough, with Clauson third for the second night in a row. Neely was fourth (after coming in second the night before) and Kaeding was fifth after starting 12th. Darland, Coons, Dickie Gaines, Cottle, and Rose made up the rest of the top ten.

And it was only 10:15 or so.

Elsewhere around the state it was Corey Smith winning up at Gas City on Friday night with 30 sprint cars on hand. Others winners at Jiggs’ place were Terry Hull and Dan Meyers. Last week, September 24, it was Kevin Besecker with a popular win at Lawrenceburg while I was up at Eldora. This most recent Saturday it was Brandon Petty winning the feature at the ‘burg. Seth Hull and Matt Hamilton were the other winners. Tony Anderson, Roger Williams, and Shannon Reed were Friday night winners at Tom Wieck’s racy bullring. Winners up at Kamp’s Speedway were Kevin Weaver, Scott Bull, Rick Hufford, and Jerrad Krick. 2005 champs at Lincoln Park are Kenny Carmichael, Sr., the sprint car champ. Other champs at LPS are Paul Bumgardner, Kenny Carmichael Jr., and Lloyd Walls.

Keeping busy using my own restricter plate as a sieve, I’m…

Danny Burton

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