CRAZY FAST HIGH BANKS: USAC SILVER CROWN’S BEST DESCRIBE WINCHESTER SPEEDWAY

By: Richie Murray – USAC Media

Winchester, Indiana (July 7, 2022)………Eastern Indiana’s Winchester Speedway conjures up a myriad of revelations from competitors who’ve tackled the half-mile paved oval’s 37-degree banking.

“High banks,” “Crazy,” “Fast” and even a wordless expression of ventilation are among the adjectives that some of the top USAC Silver Crown racers of today expressed when posed the question, “What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the words ‘Winchester Speedway?’”

Justin Grant, Kody Swanson, C.J. Leary and Bobby Santos are frequent frontrunners with the series and can count themselves among the favorites to score victory in the Thursday night, July 21, Rich Vogler Classic Presented by The Pallet Builder at Winchester.

Even though this four-pack has grown accustomed to taming racetracks and taking checkered flags on a regular basis in their careers, for them, Winchester Speedway brings out a different set of emotions and response than practically any racetrack in the United States of America, and they revealed to us their feelings about the renowned “World’s Fastest Half Mile,” which began operations more than a century ago.

JUSTIN GRANT | “Fast”

“Fast.”  That’s an inherent attribute at Winchester Speedway and there’s only one driver to have won a USAC Silver Crown race at Winchester Speedway.  That’s Justin Grant.  Furthermore, not many drivers can lay claim to winning in their first visit to track, but the Ione, Calif. driver did just that after leading the final 43 laps of the 100-lapper.  The 2020 series champion has notched scores of victories in Silver Crown, Sprint Cars and Midgets, but the one at Winchester, well, that stands among the most memorable.  It just hit a little bit different.

“The first time I walked into Winchester, I thought, ‘oh boy, this is going to be a lot of fun,’” Grant remembered.  “I think it’s a fairly intimidating joint.  The banks are tall and you’re ripping around there at a pretty good clip.  There’s a ton of history with all the big names that have won races there.  It certainly has that feel when you walk in; it feels a bit hallowed and there’s the red and white everywhere.  It almost feels eerie; it feels still.  There’s a lot of big moments that have happened there and I think you can feel it in the place when you’re there.”

KODY SWANSON | “(Deep Breath)”

Kody Swanson didn’t have one word in particular when describing Winchester Speedway.  Just a deep inhale and exhale.  Ironically, that’s something he didn’t quite do when he made his qualifying run in the 2021 event as he held his breath for two full laps, clicking off a blistering 14.459 second lap on his second go-around, which translated to 124.490 miles per hour.  The six-time series titlist and all-time winningest driver established the track record and finished a car length away from the victory there in 2021.

“(Inhales and exhales), maybe it’s just that - a deep breath,” Swanson stated when asked his first thoughts on Winchester.  “It’s one of the wildest places to me.  I started on the west coast, and we didn’t have anything that even had a percent of Winchester’s banking.  Winchester is an animal all its own.  It’s a tough, daunting place to get around.  It demands your attention and respect and takes everything to the next level.  For a lap, I don’t know if I took a single breath or not, and when I turned onto pit road, I was huffing and puffing.  I was hoping it was a good lap because I don’t think I could’ve tried any harder.”

C.J. LEARY | “High Banks”

“High banks” was the first phrase that came to the Greenfield, Ind. driver’s mind.  He will enter the Winchester event as the series point leader after capturing his first career pavement USAC victory at Wisconsin’s Madison International Speedway in late June.

“I ran a CRA Super Late Model there,” Leary recalled of his 2011 Winchester start in the World Stock Car Festival 100 at the age of 15.  “Going there in an open wheel car will probably feel more like home than the late model did, but I’m a dirt guy who grew up running at Bloomington, Gas City and Kokomo, so it’s just a bit different.  I’ve never ran anything open wheel there, so the speed and lack of downforce will be different, but I think it’ll be right in my wheelhouse, though.  I’m really looking forward to it even though I’ve never really looked forward to the pavement a whole lot, but (car builder) Bob East has made it more fun, and to be competitive and racing for wins.”

BOBBY SANTOS | “Crazy”

Bobby Santos describes Winchester Speedway as “Crazy.”  The silky smooth and fast pavement specialist is regularly among the top-three when it comes to the asphalt in USAC competition and snared a convincing victory back in May at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.  A year ago, he led 18 laps at Winchester early before finishing 3rd in his first Silver Crown experience at the track.  The Franklin, Mass. native took 3rd there in a 2019 Auto Value Super Sprint race and has started three USAC Sprint Car features at the track with a best of 6th in 2011.  Progressively getting better on the high banks, Santos seems poised for a breakthrough come July 21.

“It’s crazy and it’s definitely a unique racetrack, that’s for sure,” Santos noted.  “I’ve raced at Winchester a handful of times and, honestly, I don’t have the results that I’ve wanted to this point.  I’ve got to keep working harder to do a better job there, so I’m looking forward to it and coming away with a good result.”

EVENT DETAILS:

The Rich Vogler Classic presented by The Pallet Builder featuring the USAC Silver Crown National Championship takes place on Thursday night, July 21.

USAC Silver Crown rig unloading and parking takes place from 9am-3pm Eastern.  Vintage car parking will be in the display area from 11am-2pm.  Pits open at 2pm with a sweep at 3:40pm.  Spectator gates open at 4pm.  Vintage cars will be on track from 4:10-4:45pm.

Silver Crown practice begins at 5pm.  Vintage cars and the Thunder Roadster heat race will hit the speedway from 6-6:40pm.  Silver Crown qualifying commences at 7pm followed by the Thunder Roadster feature from 7:40-7:50pm.  USAC Silver Crown cars will be gridded on track at 8pm with an autograph session on the front stretch from 8:10-8:25pm, followed by pre-race ceremonies at 8:30pm and the 100-lap Silver Crown main event at 8:45pm.

General admission tickets are $28 for ages 13 & up.  General admission tickets are free for ages 12 and under.  Pit passes are $35 for members and $40 for non-members.  Fans can save $5 by purchasing advance tickets online at www.eliteracingpromotions.com.  There is no reserved seating.  All tickets will be available at the gate on race day.