BACON BANKS $15,000 BC39 VICTORY AT IMS
By: Richie Murray – USAC Media
Speedway, Indiana………Brady Bacon has won quite a few big races thus far in his racing career, but Thursday night, he put himself into a stratosphere unclaimed by any other: feature winner on the dirt track at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
The Broken Arrow, Okla. native made his winning move in traffic with just eight laps remaining to score the Driven2SaveLives “BC39” presented by NOS Energy Drink victory worth $15,000, his first series win of 2018.
But if you’re going to win one, and only one, all year, make it one to remember. Bacon relishes that fact for not only himself, but for his FMR Racing crew who’ve been through the battlefields with him for four years now, a group of individuals he doesn’t take for granted.
“This is definitely up at the top,” Bacon exclaimed. “It’s a first-year event, but it’s the first win on the dirt track at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and no one can ever take that away. Obviously, there’s a lot of things that make it special for me, the team, Bob (East), Brad (Noffsinger) and Frank (Manafort). As many years as those guys have been together and to still be winning, it’s an honor to work with guys like that. To still want to work this hard takes a lot to be at the top. They’ve done all the work, made the investment in me and still think I’m at the top. This one’s probably going to take a while to sink in.”
After a lengthy rain delay that pushed the evening’s event back several hours, the A-Main pushed off just after midnight for the Inaugural 39-lap race where Bacon set forth all the way back in the seventh position.
Pole sitter Kevin Thomas, Jr. was masterful early, spurting out front from the drop of the green to lead the first baker’s dozen of laps, working the bottom as Tyler Courtney blitzed the top just about one to two car lengths behind Thomas in a lap-after-lap battle for supremacy.
Thomas created some separation between he and Courtney in the first-third of the event until a six-car melee ensued between turns three and four on the 14th lap, resulting in Tucker Klaasmeyer toppling over on the 14th lap. He was uninjured and did not restart.
Once racing resumed, second-place Bacon made his presence felt as a contender, serving as Thomas’ largest foil thus far, putting pressure on the Alabama driver as the two gapped the field.
On the 20th lap, Bacon fired his first shot across the bow, going stride-to-stride with Thomas into turn three, but Thomas was able to muscle his way back to the bottom to secure the line and the position. Bacon’s move for the lead seemed imminent and, a lap later, he took another jab at Thomas off turn two, this time pulling the wheels off the ground, with a tad too much tightness at the moment, as his Brown & Miller Racing Solutions – Black Watch Farms – Mobil 1/Beast/Toyota roared to life.
The pressure was on Thomas as the pair hit lapped traffic. Thomas’ line swung a little wider off the bottom as time wore on while Bacon’s arching line stuck him to the bottom on exit like glue. Thomas’ lead clung to life as he ripped from the high side of four off exit, swinging low like a sweet chariot across the nose of Bacon into turn one on lap 24 to retain the lead.
Traffic was plentiful on the bottom, forcing Thomas and Bacon to occupy the unclaimed high side nearing ten to go as Chad Boat suddenly entered the fray in third. Thomas slid out in turn four on lap 31 as Bacon tethered himself to the bottom and powered to the lead by a car length at the start/finish line. Thomas immediately darted to the bottom entering turn one as both he and Bacon put on a dueling Tokyo drift display through the corner while Boat emerged on the bottom to make it three-wide for the race lead down the back straight entering turn three.
“He wasn’t leaving the door open for me until it got a little slicker,” Bacon recalled. “He kept opening it wider and wider, and I was getting a better run. I just had to time it right. I got under him once and I thought I might’ve given it away by not staying in front of him. We were able to put enough pressure on him and made him think and move around a little bit, which allowed me to sneak underneath him. It was not over by any means because he had a really good racecar too and traffic could’ve gone in a number of ways.”
Indeed, it did, as Bacon remained on the high side and established some personal space, climbing the ladder to the top and ever-so-slightly, subtly pinning Thomas and Boat behind the lappers between turns one and two.
Boat’s attack was relentless, and Bacon had to be as suave as possible down the stretch. The veteran two-time USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car champ was unflappable, keeping Boat at bay in the final laps to win by a half-second over Boat, Thomas, Courtney and KSE Racing Products/ProSource Hard Charger Christopher Bell from 17th.
“I thought we had a really good car from the start,” Bacon explained. “I knew I was going to be a little tight at the beginning. We had some wheelies going on, but I knew it was going to come to me. I could see some black come in on the track. We had a really good line where we could throw it sideways and come off straight on the bottom.”
Bacon, who is expecting to become a father once again in the coming weeks with baby number three on the way, is eager to look at the big picture of things through what has been a tumultuous season in some ways with switching Sprint Car teams in the middle of the season and a series of misfortunes in the Silver Crown car despite being strong the majority of time, but without the results to show for. The results came through Thursday at IMS as he and his crew came to the forefront to notch down a prestigious victory.
“It’s been a season of adversity and overcoming obstacles,” Bacon detailed. “Having a solid deal here in the midget helps a lot. Everyone who’s involved has pitched in and done their part above and beyond what anyone should expect anyone to do.
Driver Robert Dalby of Anaheim, Calif. was transported to IU Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis for non-life-threatening injuries following his accident during the fourth qualifying race.
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From Wednesday's preliminary events:
WISE WINS PURSUIT, BRIGHT HIGH POINT MAN IN BC39 OPENER
By: Richie Murray – USAC Media
Speedway, Indiana………Wednesday’s opening night of the Driven2SaveLives “BC39” presented by NOS Energy Drink began a new era of racing at the Dirt Track at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, set inside turn three of the surrounding world-famous 2.5-mile paved oval.
15-year-old Zeb Wise captured the victory in the Stoops Pursuit, a 20-lap elimination race in which you would be eliminated if you were passed. Coming to the white flag, the Angola, Ind. native went on the offense, sliding by Alex Bright in turn four on the penultimate lap to win the $1500 payday, plus $100 for each of the 17 cars he passed from his 18th starting position. In doing so, he put the 39BC in victory lane at the BC39, a fitting tribute to the late, great USAC champ in which the event is named for.
In preliminary action, Tyler Courtney completed an IMS Dirt Track version of a spin and win to become the first official winner of a race at the quarter-mile dirt oval, sliding to halt midway through the ten-lapper while leading, but the Indianapolis, Ind. driver got up on the wheel and drove it back to the front to capture the win in heat race one. Meanwhile, David Prickett and Tyler Nelson were involved in a tangle that resulted in a double-flip. Both walked away.
In heat race two, Macdoel, California’s Maria Cofer, subbing for the injured Spencer Bayston, became the first female winner in the history of the Dirt Track at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, getting to the point on the second lap from her outside front row starting spot.
Cullman, Alabama’s Kevin Thomas, Jr. shot from fifth to first by lap two and never looked back, dominating heat race three to take the victory.
Shane Cottle of Kansas, Ill. wired the field in heat race four, leading all 10 laps to score the victory. Behind him, a torrid battle ensued as Dillon Welch ripped the fence lap after lap alongside Brian Karraker, but Karraker was able to get the spot to finish second on the final lap behind Cottle.
Tucker Klaasmeyer drove from seventh to first by halfway as the Paola, Kansas driver cruised to a two-second victory in heat race five.
An enthralling heat six saw USAC Triple Crown champ J.J. Yeley and Shane Golobic dip and dive, exchanging the front spot numerous times, with Yeley spraying the concrete with soil as he flirted with the turn two concrete each time he exited turn two in his journey to victory lane.
Jason McDougal and Steve Buckwalter banged wheels, nerf bars, you name it, in their torrid battle for the lead for the majority of heat race seven. A wheel-to-wheel, slider fest raged on until McDougal slipped on the berm near the end. Buckwalter, of Royersford, Pa. took control and raced on to victory. Zach Daum walked away from a turn two flip during the heat.
When Norman, Oklahoma’s Christopher Bell starts from the pole, it’s trouble for pretty much everyone else. The 2013 USAC National Midget champ put it to the competition, winning heat race eight handily.
It was a tale of two different lines in heat nine between Chad Boat and Tyler Thomas. But, the difference in this one was the two repeatedly swapped the lead back and forth, exchanging slider after slider after slider before Collinsville, Oklahoma’s Thomas rode the rim in turn four to nip Boat at the line for the victory.
Foresthill, California’s Ryan Robinson controlled heat race 10 from the outset, leading every lap despite starting fifth. Brayton Lynch followed suit, advancing from eighth to a second-place finish, rapidly closing on Robinson during the final laps as Robinson biked it on the cushion and motored on.
Alex Bright of Collegeville, Pa. was the lone winner from the back row, taking heat race 11 from the ninth starting spot after engaging in a furious battle with Davey Ray in the early going. Bright became the night’s high-point man heading into Thursday’s finale.
Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. made a late rally to challenge Brady Bacon on the final lap, but Bacon, the two-time USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car champ out of Broken Arrow, Okla. was perfect, leading the final nine laps to win heat race 12.
The “BC39” continues Thursday night, September 6 at IMS with the final events taking place, beginning with the eight qualifying races before moving into the main events and concluding with the 39-lap A-Main. The pits open at 8am, drivers meeting in the pagoda at 3pm and cars hitting the track at 5pm. All times Eastern.
The event will be streamed LIVE via pay-per-view on http://www.SpeedShiftTV.com/ while LIVE audio can be heard for FREE on the USAC app. A one-hour show recapping both nights of the “BC39” will air this Friday, September 7, at 6pm Eastern on NBC Sports.
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USAC P1 INSURANCE MIDGET NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP RACE RESULTS: September 5, 2018 – The Dirt Track at Indianapolis Motor Speedway – Speedway, Indiana – Driven2SaveLives “BC39” presented by NOS Energy Drink
FIRST HEAT: (10 laps) 1. Tyler Courtney (#7BC Clauson Marshall), 2. Dave Darland (#1BR SFHR), 3. Randi Pankratz (#8 Pankratz), 4. Matt Lux (#7K K & R), 5. Payton Pierce (#37x Felker), 6. Brian Peterson (#7p Peterson), 7. Tyler Nelson (#88 Nelson), 8. David Prickett (#24x Neverlift), 9. Bryan Drollinger (#71x Drollinger). NT
SECOND HEAT: (10 laps) 1. Maria Cofer (#97 Kunz/Curb-Agajanian), 2. Zeb Wise (#39BC Clauson Marshall), 3. Chris Windom (#35 Petry), 4. Nick Drake (#55 Cline), 5. Zane Hendricks (#27z Tucker/Boat), 6. Shane Cockrum (#91 Harris), 7. Austin O’Dell (#97A O’Dell), 8. Presley Truedson (#5T Daum), 9. Kyle May (#39 May). 2:15.21
THIRD HEAT: (10 laps) 1. Kevin Thomas, Jr. (#63 Dooling), 2. Jerry Coons, Jr. (#25 Petry), 3. Logan Seavey (#67 Kunz/Curb-Agajanian), 4. Cole Bodine (#57BC Clauson Marshall), 5. Daniel Robinson (#57D McCreery), 6. Chris Urish (#77u Casson), 7. McKenna Haase (#14s RAMS), 8. John Heydenreich (#22 Heydenreich), 9. Ethan Mitchell (#19m Bundy Built). NT
FOURTH HEAT: (10 laps) 1. Shane Cottle (#1ST Saucier), 2. Brian Karraker (#29J Jarrett), 3. Dillon Welch (#99p Ronk), 4. Holly Shelton (#67K Kunz/Curb-Agajanian), 5. Kevin Studley (#57K Studley), 6. Robert Dalby (#4D Dalby), 7. Andy Bradley (#49 Bradley), 8. Jesse Vermillion (#5v Vermillion), 9. Billy Wease (#12w Wease). NT
FIFTH HEAT: (10 laps) 1. Tucker Klaasmeyer (#27 Kunz/Curb-Agajanian), 2. Terry Babb (#37 Felker), 3. Casey Shuman (#4A RAMS), 4. Andrew Felker (57A Ecker), 5. Karsyn Elledge (#83 Tucker/Boat), 6. Critter Malone (#7CH Seven), 7. Braydan Willmington (#89 RayPro), 8. Nate Foster (#57F Foster), 9. Landon Cassill (#21x Shuman). NT
SIXTH HEAT: (10 laps) 1. J.J. Yeley (#63D Dooling), 2. Shane Golobic (#17w Clauson Marshall/Wood), 3. Chase Jones (#33c RayPro), 4. Sam Johnson (#72 Kunz/Curb-Agajanian), 5. Landon Simon (#24 LSR), 6. Dakota Jackson (#17D Koontz), 7. Gio Scelzi (#25x Malloy), 8. Rich Drangmeister (#18 Drangmeister), 9. Tracy Hines (#11 Leader Card). NT
SEVENTH HEAT: (10 laps) 1. Steve Buckwalter (#0 Buckwalter), 2. Jake Neuman (#3N Neuman), 3. Matt Westfall (#54 Bordner), 4. Jason McDougal (#15 Petry), 5. David Budres (#23 Budres), 6. Riley Kreisel (#37K Felker), 7. Dylan Peterson (#25p Peterson), 8. Roy Caruthers (#5x Boyle), 9. Zach Daum (#5D Daum). NT
EIGHTH HEAT: (10 laps) 1. Christopher Bell (#21 Kunz/Curb-Agajanian), 2. Korey Weyant (#99w Mounce), 3. Lance Bennett (#10 Bennett), 4. Tyler Shoemaker (#1T Mounce), 5. Carson Garrett (#15c Garrett), 6. Anton Hernandez (#11A Gray), 7. Glenn Waterland (#11c Waterland), 8. Justin Dickerson (#21D Dickerson), 9. Chris Baue (#35x Baue). NT
NINTH HEAT: (10 laps) 1. Tyler Thomas (#91T Thomas), 2. Chad Boat (#84 Tucker/Boat), 3. Gage Walker (#7 Walker), 4. Chase Briscoe (#5B Briscoe), 5. Kyle O’Gara (#67F SFHR), 6. Tanner Carrick (#71K Kunz/Curb-Agajanian), 7. Olivia Bennett (#77x Bennett), 8. Jeb Sessums (2ND Harris). NT
TENTH HEAT: (10 laps) 1. Ryan Robinson (#71 Kunz/Curb-Agajanian), 2. Brayton Lynch (#1K RKR), 3. Russ Gamester (#51 Gamester), 4. Ryan Smith (#67R SFHR), 5. Andrew Layser (#35L Bright), 6. Chase McDermand (#57B Ecker), 7. Logan Arnold (#43 Arnold), 8. Johnny Petrozelle (#8c Cornell), 9. Conor Daly (#1 LSR). 2:17.93
ELEVENTH HEAT: (10 laps) 1. Alex Bright (#77 Bright), 2. Travis Young (#11Y Young), 3. Davey Ray (#33 RayPro), 4. Trey Osborne (#11T Taylor), 5. Mark Chisholm (#56x Fifty6x), 6. Alex Schriever (#25s Davis), 7. J.B. Gilbert (#56Y Fifty6x), 8. Robby Spino (#46 Johnson), 9. Nick Hamilton (#32 Hamilton). NT
TWELFTH HEAT: (10 laps) 1. Brady Bacon (#76m FMR), 2. Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. (#17s Clauson Marshall), 3. Justin Grant (#17BC Clauson Marshall/Wood), 4. Aaron Leffel (#11L Taylor), 5. Matt Sherrell (#2D Harris), 6. Ray Seach (#31 Budres), 7. Austin Langenstein (#7CG Seven), 8. C.J. Leary (#5 Baldwin), 9. Joey Moughan (#29 Casson). NT
ALSO AT THE TRACK: Michael Koontz (#17K Koontz) & Spencer Bayston (#57 Kunz/Curb-Agajanian)
STOOPS PURSUIT RACE: (20 laps) 1. Wise, 2. Bright, 3. Stenhouse, 4. Yeley, 5. Coons, 6. Klaasmeyer, 7. Lynch, 8. Westfall, 9. Cottle, 10. Boat, 11. Weyant, 12. Young, 13. Lux, 14. Jones, 15. R. Robinson, 16. Bacon, 17. T. Thomas, 18. Karraker, 19. Babb, 20. Cofer, 21. Buckwalter, 22. C. Bell, 23. Grant, 24. Courtney, 25. K. Thomas. NT
**Koontz flipped during practice. Prickett and Nelson flipped during the first heat. Daum flipped during the seventh heat. Sessums flipped during the ninth heat. C. Bell and Jones flipped during the pursuit.
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USAC P1 INSURANCE MIDGET NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP RACE RESULTS: September 6, 2018 – The Dirt Track at Indianapolis Motor Speedway – Speedway, Indiana – Driven2SaveLives “BC39” presented by NOS Energy Drink
FIRST QUALIFIER: (10 laps) 1. Logan Seavey (#67 Kunz/Curb-Agajanian), 2. Christopher Bell (#21 Kunz/Curb-Agajanian), 3. Shane Golobic (#17w Clauson Marshall/Wood), 4. Zeb Wise (#39BC Clauson Marshall), 5. Alex Bright (#77 Bright), 6. Cole Bodine (#57BC Clauson Marshall), 7. Anton Hernandez (#11A Gray), 8. Nick Drake (#55 Cline), 9. Karsyn Elledge (#83 Tucker/Boat), 10. Roy Caruthers (#5x Boyle), 11. Austin Langenstein (#7CG Seven), 12. Jesse Vermillion (#5v Vermillion). NT
SECOND QUALIFIER: (10 laps) 1. Jake Neuman (#3N Neuman), 2. Tyler Thomas (#91T Thomas), 3. Gage Walker (#7 Walker), 4. Jason McDougal (#15 Petry), 5. Tucker Klaasmeyer (#27 Kunz/Curb-Agajanian), 6. Tanner Carrick (#71K Kunz/Curb-Agajanian), 7. Ryan Smith (#67R SFHR), 8. Riley Kreisel (#37K Felker), 9. Ray Seach (#31 Budres), 10. Presley Truedson (#5T Daum), 11. Olivia Bennett (#77x Bennett), 12. Ethan Mitchell (#19m Bundy Built). 2:06.99
THIRD QUALIFIER: (10 laps) 1. Jerry Coons, Jr. (#25 Petry), 2. David Budres (#23 Budres), 3. Critter Malone (#7CH Seven), 4. Brian Karraker (#29J Jarrett), 5. Sam Johnson (#72 Kunz/Curb-Agajanian), 6. Terry Babb (#37 Felker), 7. Tyler Nelson (#88 Nelson), 8. Justin Dickerson (#21D Dickerson), 9. C.J. Leary (#5 Baldwin), 10. Trey Osborne (#11T Taylor), 11. Travis Young (#11Y Young), 12. Matt Lux (#7K K & R), 13. Chase McDermand (#57B Ecker). NT
FOURTH QUALIFIER: (10 laps) 1. Holly Shelton (#67K Kunz/Curb-Agajanian), 2. Dillon Welch (#99p Ronk), 3. Zane Hendricks (#27z Tucker/Boat), 4. Matt Westfall (#54 Bordner), 5. Dakota Jackson (#17D Koontz), 6. Korey Weyant (#99w Mounce), 7. Jeb Sessums (2ND Harris), 8. Andy Bradley (#49 Bradley), 9. Aaron Leffel (#11L Taylor), 10. Lance Bennett (#10 Bennett), 11. Robert Dalby (#4D Dalby), 12. Kyle May (#39 May), 13. Daniel Robinson (#57D McCreery). NT
FIFTH QUALIFIER: (10 laps) 1. Chad Boat (#84 Tucker/Boat), 2. Andrew Layser (#35L Bright), 3. Brayton Lynch (#1K RKR), 4. Davey Ray (#33 RayPro), 5. Austin O’Dell (#97A O’Dell), 6. Russ Gamester (#51 Gamester), 7. Glenn Waterland (#11c Waterland), 8. Alex Schriever (#25s Davis), 9. Tyler Shoemaker (#1T Mounce), 10. Landon Cassill (#21x Shuman), 11. Bryan Drollinger (#71x Drollinger). NT
SIXTH QUALIFIER: (10 laps) 1. Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. (#17s Clauson Marshall), 2. Justin Grant (#17BC Clauson Marshall/Wood), 3. Tyler Courtney (#7BC Clauson Marshall), 4. Matt Sherrell (#2D Harris), 5. Braydan Willmington (#89 RayPro), 6. Kyle O’Gara (#67F SFHR), 7. Mark Chisholm (#56x Fifty6x), 8. Brian Peterson (#7p Peterson), 9. Chase Jones (#33c RayPro), 10. Payton Pierce (#37x Felker). NT
SEVENTH QUALIFIER: (10 laps) 1. Kevin Thomas, Jr. (#63 Dooling), 2. Shane Cottle (#1ST Saucier), 3. Andrew Felker (57A Ecker), 4. Gio Scelzi (#25x Malloy), 5. Chase Briscoe (#5B Briscoe), 6. Chris Baue (#35x Baue), 7. Kevin Studley (#57K Studley), 8. Robby Spino (#46 Johnson), 9. Maria Cofer (#97 Kunz/Curb-Agajanian), 10. John Heydenreich (#22 Heydenreich), 11. McKenna Haase (#14s RAMS), 12. Randi Pankratz (#8 Pankratz). NT
EIGHTH QUALIFIER: (10 laps) 1. Chris Windom (#35 Petry), 2. Brady Bacon (#76m FMR), 3. Ryan Robinson (#71 Kunz/Curb-Agajanian), 4. Landon Simon (#24 LSR), 5. J.J. Yeley (#63D Dooling), 6. Dave Darland (#1BR SFHR), 7. Dylan Peterson (#25p Peterson), 8. Carson Garrett (#15c Garrett), 9. David Prickett (#24x Neverlift), 10. Chris Urish (#77u Casson), 11. J.B. Gilbert (#56Y Fifty6x), 12. Conor Daly (#1 LSR), 13. Nate Foster (#57F Foster). 2:09.30
ALSO AT THE TRACK: Johnny Petrozelle (#8c Cornell), Casey Shuman (#4A RAMS), Logan Arnold (#43 Arnold), Rich Drangmeister (#18 Drangmeister), Zach Daum (#5D Daum), Nick Hamilton (#32 Hamilton) & Shane Cockrum (#91 Harris)
FEATURE: (39 laps) 1. Brady Bacon (7), 2. Chad Boat (10), 3. Kevin Thomas, Jr. (1), 4. Tyler Courtney (2), 5. Christopher Bell (17), 6. Alex Bright (8), 7. Justin Grant (6), 8. Holly Shelton (9), 9. Jerry Coons, Jr. (5), 10. Ryan Robinson (3), 11. Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. (11), 12. Chris Windom (22), 13. Logan Seavey (23), 14. Zeb Wise (14), 15. Shane Cottle (13), 16. Jason McDougal (25), 17. Maria Cofer (24), 18. Terry Babb (20), 19. Brayton Lynch (4), 20. David Budres (19), 21. Brian Karraker (21), 22. Tyler Thomas (18), 23. Tucker Klaasmeyer (15), 24. Jake Neuman (16), 25. Dillon Welch (12), 26. Dave Darland (26). NT
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**Young flipped during the third qualifier. Dalby flipped during the fourth qualifier. Klaasmeyer flipped on lap 14 of the feature.
FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-30 K. Thomas, Laps 31-39 Bacon.
KSE RACING PRODUCTS/PROSOURCE HARD CHARGER: Christopher Bell (17th to 5th)
WILWOOD BRAKES 13TH PLACE FINISHER: Logan Seavey
NEW USAC P1 INSURANCE MIDGET NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS: 1-Seavey-830, 2-Bacon-732, 3-Bayston-728, 4-Boat-727, 5-Grant-689, 6-Courtney-679, 7-Carrick-652, 8-K. Thomas-634, 9-Wise-533, 10-R. Robinson-480.
NEXT USAC P1 INSURANCE MIDGET NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP RACE: September 22 – Eldora Speedway – Rossburg, Ohio – 37th Annual “4-Crown Nationals”