INDIANA SPRINT WEEK DODGES RAIN AND PUTS ON BIG SHOWS.

Cory Kruseman is beginning to like the USAC trail as he drove the Tony Stewart Racing/Mopar – Vital Express/Eagle # 21 to two big wins at Lincoln Park Speedway and Habstadt after J J Yeley won the opening race at North Vernon. The 17th Valvoline Indiana Sprint Week has the sprint car world waiting to see who will be this years champion.

Check out the pics from the races as I go along. Click here.

In North Vernon, J J Yeley utilized his three adjustment knobs to make his car faster as he started back in 13th spot and worked his way forward. The early battle was between Jay Drake and Josh Wise, who is making great strides in his first year back here. As the race went on, J J dialed himself in and made the dramatic pass on the last lap to win the first Sprint Week race over national points leader Drake.

After a long “sprinkle out” at Gas City, and under cloudy skies at Lincoln Park, the “Kalifornia Kruser” put on a show that even local driver Dickie Gaines couldn’t stop. Cory Kruseman> got better as the night went on in winning the 2nd of 7 Indiana Sprint week races. The Kruser had to run the Semi when he couldn’t get thru the turn one “Wild Toad Ride” in his heat to make the transfer. Cory had his hands full the entire 30 lap feature as Gaines made numerous moves on him, and one lap car almost made Gaines the leader. Cory was on the bottom everywhere except out of turn four, where he banged the cushion each trip around. Gaines, on the other hand, rode the top for all it was worth to the very end!

On to Habstadt, the beautifully prepared track that makes it fun to go to. Again, the Kruser was on his game. He was third fast, won his heat from the back and quickly took control of the 30 lap feature on the 4th lap and “Kruised” to his 2nd consecutive win in two nights. Josh Wise did a great job to grab second and John Scott had his best run of the year with his first podium, in third.

In four race dates the score is 3 to 1 with great racing getting the nod over one rainout. Habstadt was the best racing with the other two still very good as 65, 62 then 49 cars made qualifying tougher as the tracks went away the first two nights. A lot of “local” drivers mixed in with the USAC regulars made for some exciting racing as packed grandstands enjoyed the hot action.

For our “California boys” things have gone some good and some bad. Yeley and Cory have victories to start it off. The Demon, Damion Gardner arrived in town last week and the car he was going to drive was in pieces on the shop floor. After a lot of hard work, they were the last car to check in at the North Vernon track and his first laps were the two qualifying ones. He did OK, but ended up just missing the main. The rainout pushed him into the Tony Smiley # 2A, normally driven by Rickie Gaunt. On as rough a track as you can imagine, he won his heat, but started 18th in the main. It was not a passing track, yet he finished 13th getting used to a new car. At Habstadt he was back in the black # 71 he drove the first race, and last year here, making the main to start 13th. He was running 6th under the white flag and got tangled up with Dave Darland and Bud Kaeding in turn one, leaving him 13th for the 2nd night in a row.

John Scott has been learning a lot recently on his quest to win in Indiana. At the first race he was doing just fine until a car crashed hard in front of him and he couldn’t avoid him. On the restart, John’s header on one side was crushed in, so horsepower he did not have, and he ran in place finishing 15th. The next race he was fast and doing very well running in 6th when he got over the nasty turn one berm, and that little deal put him back to 18th. Habstadt can make any good racer better because the surface means you have more control. John had plenty of that as he was 2nd quick and started at the back of his heat. When another car left him no room when he was near a transfer, he chose to save his front end and run the semi instead of crashing. He won that 12 lapper and was in the hunt in the feature getting third, his best finish this season with USAC.

Mike Spencer doesn’t seem to get any luck in Indiana driving the Hannig # 26. The first night he missed the main when he turned it over on the frontstretch late in the Semi. He missed making the main the second night, but took a provisional and worked it hard for 15th at the end of that nightmare. He finished 17th at Habstadt and now looks for better.

Josh Ford looks like the Indiana life, and Keith Kunz magic touch, have really helped his driving. He looks good and the results are getting better. Josh ran 15th the opening night and followed it up with 9th and 5th for a particularly great run the last race. He continues to improve each time I see him. His teammate, Josh Wise is doing exceptionally well. From a 4th, then 3rd and a 2nd gives him the Sprint Week points lead. This youngster has talent with a capital T and he continues to really impress everyone.

I know Levi Jones isn’t a California boy, but we claim half of him, forgive me Darva, and his third and two 4th’s show great promise in his new ride. He has been right in there with Cory and Wise fighting for the big bucks and could easily get a win next week.

Without Super Rickie Gaunt on this trip, some of the usual hijenks we love are not happening. He always stirs things up, so when I got an opportunity to send him a wake up call to get his self out here, I went for it. We got The Demon to pose in his firesuit, and that was hot! I remember the tricks he and Kruseman have pulled on each other over some of the tours, they are legendary. They include a rental car filled too full with oil, a helmet mysteriously donated to the Union Jack restaurant for display, a fish under the seat in a rental car in 110 degree Indiana heat and a padlock on a hauler with no key being some of the best in memory. Rickie will be here next week, so let the games begin!

The tracks are somewhat different in Indiana than what we are use to on the left coast. Even though they water them, the tracks don’t hold the moisture as well and usually go dry slick, except for Habstadt, which seems to be tacky all night. That doesn’t automatically mean bad racing. No, on the contrary, the racing has been exceptional because of the quality of drivers coming together to grab the Sprint Week crown. At this point it is anyone’s deal with the top five like this: 1-Wise-190; 2-Jones-179; 3-Kruseman-177; 4-Gaines-157; 5-Drake-137. With it continuing on Wednesday with the Gas City raindate and on thru Lawrenceburg, Bloomington and Terre Haute, it will be awesome if the first three are any indication. These drivers have put on their spurs and will kick it up a notch, if I know them, as the Valvoline Indiana Sprint Week continues. Look for more out of my traveling adventures as we go along.

Twin Cities Feature: (30 laps) 1. J.J. Yeley, 2. Jay Drake, 3. Levi Jones, 4. Josh Wise, 5. Shane Cottle, 6. Bud Kaeding, 7. Jon Stanbrough, 8. Dickie Gaines, 9. Cory Kruseman, 10. Brian Lee, 11. Kevin Briscoe, 12. Danny Williams Jr., 13. Marc Jessup, 14. Kevin Huntley, 15. Josh Ford, 16. John Scott, 17. Ted Hines, 18. Brian Tyler, 19. Tony Elliott, 20. Dave Darland, 21. Charles Davis Jr., 22. Kris Deckard, 23. Tom Hessert. NT

Lincoln Park Feature: (30 laps) 1. Cory Kruseman, 2. Dickie Gaines, 3. Josh Wise, 4. Levi Jones, 5. Bud Kaeding, 6. Shane Hollingsworth, 7. Tony Elliott, 8. Brian Lee, 9. Josh Ford, 10. Danny Williams Jr., 11. Jay Drake, 12. Dave Darland, 13. Damion Gardner, 14. Brian Tyler, 15. Mike Spencer, 16. Tom Hessert, 17. Kris Deckard, 18. John Scott, 19. Brad Kuhn, 20. J.J. Yeley, 21. Charles Davis Jr., 22. Brian Gerster, 23. Jon Stanbrough, 24. Critter Malone. NT

Habstadt Feature: (30 laps) 1. Cory Kruseman, 2. Josh Wise, 3. John Scott, 4. Levi Jones, 5. Josh Ford, 6. Kent Christian, 7. Dickie Gaines, 8. Mat Neely, 9. Hud Cone, 10. Tony Elliott, 11. Jay Drake, 12. Tom Hessert, 13. Damion Gardner, 14. Dave Darland, 15. Bud Kaeding, 16. Justin Marvel,17. Mike Spencer, 18. Brian Tyler, 19. Chris Urish, 20. Jon Stanbrough, 21. Eric Shively, 22. Kevin Doty, 23. Critter Malone. NT

NEW NATIONAL SPRINT CAR STANDINGS: 1-Drake-892; 2-Kruseman-755; 3-Kaeding-726; 4-Jones-700; 5-Darland-629; 6-Tyler-605; 7-Elliott-576; 8-Ford-481; 9-Wise-469; 10-Scott-464.

NEW VALVOLINE “INDIANA SPRINT WEEK” STANDINGS: 1-Wise-190; 2-Jones-179; 3-Kruseman-177; 4-Gaines-157; 5-Drake-137.