TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — Kevin Thoms Jr. has emerged as the USAC Indiana Sprint Week leader following an action-packed race at the Terre Haute Action track, which saw Hoosier native Chase Stockton bring home the checkered flag.
Fans at the Terre Haute Action Track didn’t have to wait long for excitement on the track Thursday night as Colin Parker flipped his car during qualifying. Mitchel Moles ended up taking the pole position, followed by Briggs Danner, Kyle Cummins, Kevin Thomas Jr. and Robert Ballou to round off the top five.
The field then began the first of four eight-lap heat races to decide which 24 drivers would take the green flag for the feature race. Each heat race consisted of eight drivers, and only the top five drivers advanced to the feature race. While the other drivers got another shot at the feature race during the 10-lap Elliott’s Custom Trailers and Carts Semi race, where the last four spots of the feature race were decided.
The Car IQ First Heat was won by Robert Ballou. Pole winner Mitchel Moles, Hunter Maddox, Gunner Setser and Kyle Shipley also transferred to the feature race.
The K1 Racegear Second Heat saw Kyle Drake, Charles Davis Jr., Chase Stockton, Logan Calderwood and points leader heading into the night, Briggs Danner, finish in that order, transferring them to the feature race.
Ricky Lewis finished the USAC Gear Third Heat race in first place with Kyle Cummins, Nick Bilbee, Logan Seavey and Travis Millar also moving onto the feature race.
Jake Swanson, Kevin Thomas Jr., Joey Amantea and Brandon Mattox finished second through fifth in the Cook Out Fourth Heat, allowing them to move on to the feature race along with heat winner C.J. Leary.
The final 9 drivers knocked out during the heat races—Kayla Roell, Nate Schank, Saban Bibent, Hayden Reinbold, Kobe Simpson, Bill Rose, Troy Carey, Sam Scott and Aric Gentry— then took the track for the final four spots of the feature race, with Roell, Schank, Bibent and Reinbold advancing.
During the first lap of the 30-lap feature race, Charles Davis Jr. was involved in an incident that left his car flipped over, ending his night early and bringing out an early caution.
After the caution, Chase Stockton maintained his lead for the first 10 laps before another caution came out for a car stopped on the track. During the restart, Robert Ballou took the inside line and overtook Stockton heading into turn two.
Ballou would maintain his lead until lap 23, but its wasn’t an easy task as Stockton stayed glued to his gearbox for most of the night.
During the final eight laps, Stockton and Ballou would trade positions multiple times as their battle headed for a final lap showdown.
As the white flag was waving, Stockton charged up the passenger side of Ballou’s car, overtaking him on the front straight away with one lap to go, but the lap couldn’t be finished as Joey Amantea came to a stop on the exit of turn 4, bringing out the final caution of the night.
After the restart, Stockton pulled away from the field, winning the race in a seemingly easy fashion.
Here are the full field results for the USAC ISW race at the Terre Haute Action Track:
- Chase Stockon
- Robert Ballou
- Kyle Cummins
- C.J. Leary
- Jake Swanson
- Logan Seavey
- Kevin Thomas Jr.
- Mitchel Moles
- Kale Drake
- Ricky Lewis
- Nick Bilbee
- Briggs Danner
- Gunnar Setser
- Kayla Roell
- Hayden Reinbold
- Travis Millar
- Brandon Mattox
- Hunter Maddox
- Joey Amantea
- Kyle Shipley
- Logan Calderwood
- Saban Bibent
- Nate Schank
- Charles Davis Jr.
As USAC heads to the Bloomington Speedway for the second-to-last race of the Indiana Sprint Week, Kevin Thomas Jr. (337 points) has emerged as the points leader, but not by much. Logan Seavey trails Thomas Jr. by only two points with 335 points total, and Briggs Danner is only four points behind Seavey and six behind the leader with 331 points total.
The penultimate round of ISW will be held on August 1 at the Bloomington Speedway. The final round of ISW will be held on Saturday, August 2, at the Tri-State Speedway.
