DARLAND NAILS DOWN 3RD STRAIGHT “SMACKDOWN” TITLE;

WINDOM, BALLOU & STOCKON ALSO STAR AT KOKOMO

A real horse race has developed for the 2015 AMSOIL USAC National Sprint Car championship, which now focuses on the September 18 “Jim Hurtubise/Tony Hulman Classic” at the Terre Haute (Ind.) Action Track. The race honors the driver who recorded five consecutive Terre Haute races in the early-1960s and continues the rich tradition of the ”Tony Hulman Classic” which was rained out in May. It’s the 45th running of the “Tony Hulman Classic” and the 15th running of the “Jim Hurtubise Classic.” The USAC/MSCS “Haubstadt Hustler” follows on September 19 at Tri-State Speedway in Haubstadt, Ind.

Robert Ballou, Chase Stockon and Dave Darland are separated by just 52 points after all three posted victories in last week’s “Sprint Car Smackdown IV” at the Kokomo (Ind.) Speedway.

Darland, of Lincoln, Ind., sped to victory in Saturday night’s 40-lap “Smackdown” finale, marking the third consecutive year he has captured the prestigious prize. Wheeling the Phillips/Curb-Agajanian – Trench Shoring DRC/Foxco, he passed Kyle Cummins on lap seven and led the rest of the way to claim the $10,000 prize. Stockon, Cummins, Chris Windom and Kevin Thomas Jr. rounded out the “top-five.” Brady Bacon won the B & W Auto Mart “King of the Hill” shootout to earn the feature pole start.

Stockon, of Elizabethtown, Ind., piloted the Superior Tank & Trailer/Crescent Electric Supply DRC/Fisher to victory in Friday’s Kokomo feature. He passed Chris Windom on lap 28 and led the last two laps to beat Darland, Windom, Tracy Hines and Jon Stanbrough.

Ballou, of Rocklin, Calif., passed Stockon on lap 25 and led the final six laps of Thursday night’s “Smackdown” opener in his Blakesley Auto/Twister X Maxim/Ott. Stockon took second ahead of Bacon, Cummins and Brady Short.

Windom, of Canton, Ill., led all 30 laps of Wednesday night’s race, which concluded the rain-interrupted July 11 Kokomo feature. Trailing his Bates Commodities Maxim/Advanced were Darland, Bacon, Stockon and Ballou.

Darland is the defending winner of the “Tony Hulman Classic” while Bacon won last year’s “Jim Hurtubise Classic.”

USAC would like to thank the following sponsors for their support of the “Sprint Car Smackdown IV”: All those who posted lap prizes which totaled $10,000, plus Team VWAudi.com, Maxim Chassis, Competition Suspension, Hinchman Indy, STIDA.com, Loudpedal Productions, Racers Storage, American Racing Ministries, Pace Performance Coatings, Arizona Sport Shirts, Crume-Evans Insurance, B & W Auto Mart, Race Track Engineering, Claxton Engines, Weld Racing, Elliott's Custom Trailers, Speedway Motors, Hoosier Tire, Simpson Racing, Impact Racing, Lil Moe’s Pizzeria, DRC Chassis, Spire Sports & Entertainment, Frolic Bar & Grill, Lincoln Park Speedway, AMSOIL, Traxxas, SPEED Energy Drink, Rod End Supply, Indy Race Parts, and Buck and Betty Rice of ProSource.

Last week’s ProSource fast qualifiers were Cummins (Thursday) and Darland (Friday).