The Hoosier Race Report: The Greatest of Expectations

By Danny Burton

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

Note: This article was written July 13, 2007

Indiana Sprint Week has finally arrived amid all sorts of controversy, hopes, dreams, expectations, and mostly a good time to be had, especially by race fans. One of our human needs is something to forward to doing, seeing, or having. And Sprint Week, for open wheel race fans from all over, is one of those events that many folks mark on their calendars as soon as they get their hands on a calendar.

It has evolved into more than seven days as tracks, promoters, teams, and fans come and go. But along with events such as the Chili Bowl, the Knoxville Nationals, and the King’s Royal, Indiana Sprint Week has become a major gathering point for sprint car fans and teams, a family reunion of sorts.

The Professors Begin Class

July 11, 2007 at the Lawrenceburg Speedway and one could guess that Jon Stanbrough would be on hand to do to the USAC crowd what he’s been doing at various venues all over the state this year. He didn’t disappoint as he showed the kids and the better funded teams how to do more with “less.” No big sponsors, no fancy haulers, no frills, just a few guys who know how to make a sprint car go fast; this would be Jon Stanbrough and the Fox Brothers’ race team. They took the main event of Sprint Week’s opening night, holding off a closing Dave Darland. Truly the veterans had their way at the ‘burg.

A lovely Wednesday evening it was as I headed east. The corn fields are in full bloom, a lovely sight for the eyes of travelers and wallets of farmers. The familiar hills of southern Indiana made for a comforting backdrop as I moseyed down State Road 46 to Lawrenceburg.

Once there, I found plenty of friends and 43 sprint cars signed in. Having to work late of course, I arrived in time to catch the last few qualifiers. Jon Stanbrough had gone out early and set quick time with a nifty 12.369. As always, with so many good teams on hand, a few hot dogs would struggle. Two of those were Robert Ballou and Cory Kruseman, who started up front for the non-qualifiers’ heat. Ballou dropped out early as Jesse Hockett, Kruseman, Scotty Weir (back home again…), and Josh Ford would tag the tail of their heats.

Darren Hagen, Mat Neely, Neil Shepherd, and Chad Boespflug won their heats. In that fourth heat Daron Clayton and Kevin Swindell had “issues,” which sent both of them to the semi-feature. As always at Sprint Week, the B Main looked like a decent A Main. Clayton ran off with this one, taking Brady Bacon, Swindell, Levi Jones, Kyle Robbins, and Shane Hollingsworth with him to the 30 lap feature. Four of the dreaded provisionals were handed out to Damion Gardner, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Michael Trimble, and Scotty Weir.

The track was as smooth as a tabletop and very dusty for the heats, but Dave Rudisell and crew took a timeout and worked the track some more midway through the program. Their efforts were applauded and made for an even better surface, minus much of the dust (helped along by that pesky breeze from the north).

Bacon and Jones led the gang of 26 to the line with Bacon taking the early lead over Clayton. But steadily, like the shark in “Jaws”, Stanbrough was moving on up. At the eight lap mark he was third with Dave Darland moving to sixth from his 13th starting spot. A couple of laps later Dustin Morgan did a slip tipover, bringing out the red. And at the re-start Stanbrough had taken the measure of Clayton, setting his sights on the other kid, Bacon. Darland and Chris Windom, who had started 12th, were on the prowl as well. Using the outside line Stanbrough did it again, passing the Oklahoma Kid and leading from lap 16 to the end.

As has often been the case this year, behind the plain looking 53, there was plenty of action. Darland was closing on Stanbrough and ran out of laps, but took an equally impressive second. The so-called old guys had shown the kids a lesson for sure. Bacon held on for third. Chris Windom, who doesn’t race like a kid and shows smoothness and a maturity beyond his years, was fourth. Darren Hagen came from 17th to finish fifth. Six through ten were Swindell, Jerry Coons Jr., Levi Jones, Clayton, and West Coast runner Mike Spencer, who started 18th.

Round one was over with predictable results. Round two would be the very next night with more of the same?

Jason Soudrette won the AMSA feature.

Lawrenceburg is taking some time off with its next race on July 26 when the World of Outlaw Late Model Series comes to town.

The Lessons Continue

Night one of Sprint Week had seen Professor Jon Stanbrough take the class on a field trip that they could not enjoy. Night two it would be Professor Dave Darland’s turn as Professor Stanbrough was a victim of a variety of bad breaks, making his night not nearly as much fun.

Another beautiful Hoosier summer’s day and a much bigger crowd was at the ‘burg. 47 cars were on hand and Stanbrough’s first hint that his night would go south was a very late qualifying attempt. Jon was 27th out of 46 cars that took times. Dave Darland gave us a preview of things to come as he ripped off a 12.508.

The non-qualifier’s race had a power packed lineup with Kevin Swindell and Jerry Coons Jr. in the front row. The multi-caution affair was won by Coons with Swindell, Dustin Morgan, and Michael Trimble all moving on to a heat race. Once again, Robert Ballou loaded up early. After tapping Ted Hines, who spun, Ballou was caught up in a scrum and also retired early.

Shane Cottle won the first heat as Jerry Coons Jr. put on a fine show by coming from ninth to second. Levi Jones was mired in traffic until the very end, when he sneaked by Jesse Hockett to take the final transfer spot. It was another smooth and dusty track, but there was also plenty of room to pass and the Coondog did it. Matt Westfall won the second heat. Jon Stanbrough’s qualifying time put him the third heat’s front row and he won by a large margin. Brandon Petty had a yo-yo type race as he started on the pole, dropped back early, and then, after a caution, tried his favorite line, on the cushion, and motored his way back up to third place at the end. The fourth heat will stand out as an excellent race. Duston Morgan started last and steadily worked his way forward, taking the lead at the end. Daron Clayton was second.

Once again, the track crew re-worked the track, which, once again, helped the dust situation and made for even better racing. After that Darren Hagen took the consolation race over Brady Short, Scotty Weir, Chris Windom, Mike Spencer, and Jesse Hockett. Three provisionals tonight and they would be Kevin Swindell, Damion Gardner, and Michael Trimble.

Scotty Weir and Levi Jones were the front row as the green waved. Right away Jon Stanbrough made a bad night worse as he took a rare tumble in turn three. Jon was okay and the open red flag, where crews were allowed to make what changes they could (after less than a lap of racing), allowed the Fox Brothers to get the 53 back into action. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Daron Clayton brought out the race’s only yellow a couple of laps later as the kid from Mississippi tried to do his best snowplow imitation with Clayton and his car as the snow. Clayton was not pleased. Finally, the green waved again and Weir took the early lead. Michael Trimble brought out the race’s last yellow and soon after Short took the lead with Darland on the move again like last night. Short and Weir ran one-two until Darland crashed their little party right around lap 11, taking second from Weir. Short led Darland, Weir, Jones, and Bacon at the halfway mark. Next on Darland’s list was Short and Dave the Rave was up to that challenge, taking the lead on lap 16 and cruising to yet another win for what is probably USAC’s most popular driver these days. Stanbrough, fighting handling problems, could only move up to 13th. He was trailed by Short, Jones, Weir and Shane Cottle, who made a late charge from his 16th starting spot. Sixth was Cory Kruseman from 13th. Chris Windom was seventh, followed by Brady Bacon, Darren Hagen, and Jeff Bland Jr. For Bland, this was his first top 10 of his very young USAC career.

With a first and second, Darland has an early lead in Sprint Week points. But Gas City awaits. Jiggs’ speed palace will no doubt produce its usual thrills and surprises.

We’d be remiss if we didn’t note that two of Dave Darland’s sisters had made the trip to the ‘burg, with Susan coming all the way from cheesehead country, northern Wisconsin. Perhaps these two lovelies brought baby brother good luck? We’ll see.

After a traffic free drive home last night and a delightful breakfast this morning (my wife used me as a guinea pig for her omelette), it’s time for a nap and then head north to see the gang go at it at the Gas City/I-69 Speedway tonight and tomorrow night.

Elsewhere, the IMOD’s ran at Plymouth on Wednesday night with Kurt Allison winning. My man Rich (not Mitch) had a dog in that fight with his driver Mike Kingsma coming home fourth in his very first pavement race.

Keeping busy looking for Robert Ballou’s badge, I’m…

Danny Burton

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