Tyler Courtney picked up the Sprintcar win while Chris Windom won the Midgets to finish out USAC back to back double headers at two of Indiana’s best bullrings.
The Kokomo Speedway last played host the USAC Sprintcars in the “Smackdown” event won by Courtney so there were no surprises to see him Parked in the Bryan Clauson Victory Lane. After setting quick time in his qualifying group just 0.083 ahead of first time winner in at Tri-State Speedway Kendall Ruble Courtney started 6th and finished 3rd in his 10-Lap heat race. Heat race winners were Thomas Meseraull, Robert Ballou, Scotty Weir and Kyle Cummins.
Courtney started 5th in the 30-Lap Feature with front row pairing Shane Cottle and Brandon Mattox, 2nd row Chase Stockon and Brady Bacon ahead of him. Mattox used the width of the track and outside starting position to lead early. Bacon slotted in behind as the field spread across the slickening track.
Courtney worked the low line and got by Cottle and into 3rd then repeated the treatment for Stockon to advance himself to 2nd. By the halfway mark Bacon 1.351 seconds ahead of Courtney and in traffic. This was negated by a Caution for a spinning car that reformed the field line astern with 12 laps remaining.
At the restart Bacon went high and Courtney went low. The pair swapped lines with Bacon pulling ahead for a few laps until Courtney got into a rhythm and back to Bacons bumper to throw a slide job for the lead. Bacon tuned back alongside Courtney and the pair swapped the lead multiple times in the closing laps.
With 3 laps to go the pair caught lap traffic and Courtney came off the corner lower and close behind the bumper of the lapped car ahead, snookering Bacon who was forced to linger behind and ultimately settle for 2nd.
Stockon was 3rd with Mattox and Cottle in the top 5. Ballou, Cummins, Dave Darland, Windom from 18th and Justin Grant all in the top ten.
In the USAC NOS Energy Drink National Midget portion of the show Tanner Thorson put the King/Ed Pink Toyota to the top of the time sheets with Courtney just 0.0065 slower. Windom was 10th fastest in time trials and crossed the line 2nd in his heat after starting 4th. Heat race wins went to Buddy Kofoid, Meseraull, Kaylee Bryson and Daison Pursley.
Grant and Bacon were the front row of the 30-Lap Feature with Emerson Axsom and Andrew Layser in row two. Cortney and Throson were in row 3 with Windom back in 14th.
As the race got underway Grant and Bacon ran side by side for the opening laps until Grant edged ahead. The low line in turns 1 & 2 was fastest and a game of Midget limbo – who could go lowest- took place.
After an early race caution the field restarted only to have Layser catch a bad hop and engine stall in front of Meseraull and Pursley. Windom was now 12th. When the race resumed Grant led Courtney who had gotten by Bacon.
Courtney tried to get under Grant for the lead but Grant was already on the bottom. Grant left half a gap and Courtney punished the Californian by taking the lower line lead in a ‘rubbin’s racin’ pass.
At the half way mark 4th running Axsom stopped bringing out the yellows. Windom was now 4th as the race restarted. He worked the low line and passed Bacon and Grant the tracked down Courtney to pull alongside with 10 laps to go. Courtney fought back looking to make it two wins for the night.
A late race caution with 3 laps to go gave Courtney a final chance to use the middle of the track but it was of no use as Windom crossed under the chequered flag 1.015 seconds ahead of Courtney and Thorson. Last night’s winner McIntosh was 4th with Kofoid 5th. Bacon, Logan Seavey from 18th, Cummins, Chase Johnson and Grant rounded out the top ten.
“The track wasn’t anywhere but around the bottom. I had to try something. I just got lower than everybody else.“ Said Windom of his winning efforts.
USAC NOS Energy Drink National Midget Series Points
1-Brady Bacon-1,658
2-Chris Windom-1, 628
3-Chase Stockon-1,618
4-Justin Grant-1,550
5-C.J. Leary-1,542
6-Kevin Thomas Jr.-1,302
7-Dave Darland-1,214
8-Carson Short-1,210
9-Kyle Cummins-1,111
10-Robert Ballou-1,067
For live and on demand footage visit https://www.floracing.com/
