J J YELEY WINS LAST RACE CONVINCINGLY.

The annual USAC Valvoline 7 days in Indiana Sprint Week saw a little different weather than we left coasters are used to, two double winners from the west coast and two Indiana winners on the 10 day, 8 event wagon train procession all over the Hoosier state. Two visits to Gas City didn’t get a feature completed, but used up some budget nevertheless to get there for teams and fans. Habstadt was the plum of the week with great racing there and plenty more at the opener at North Vernon with other tracks having their moments as well. Track conditions hurt many as early qualifying draws made some racer’s day, so that the pill drawing was often like an extra helping hand when the track went away.

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The weather was almost terrific except for a few showers at Gas City, twice, that left fans unhappy with the lack of a feature. The motorhomes that followed the event around seemed to increase as each race unfolded and the crowds were nearly full houses everywhere. Over 100 different sprinters made the average nearly 60 cars per race and made for plenty of action along the way. The tracks went from the roughest of the rough at Lawrenceburg, to the best prepared at Habstadt. In between there were the extremely slick surfaces like Terre Haute plus the Putnamville “wall of terror” cushion that claimed many bent parts. In all, you had to be really on your game to keep up front, and only a few went unscathed during the week.

Starting at North Vernon, the 65 cars that attacked the track were ready to get er’ done. The track got somewhat dusty and slick late, but the racing was pretty special. When the 30 lap feature started, J Yeley was in the 7th row and some might have counted him out of a chance to win. J J used his three adjustment knobs during a couple of yellows and dialed himself in. He passed his way to the victory and put the 28 lap battle between Jay Drake and Josh Wise behind him.

Putnamville was extremely rough at one end, enough to move a few cars over a lane or two without warning. In the feature, Cory Kruseman jumped from his 2nd row starting spot into the lead and ran a wide diamond pattern on the slick track keeping Dickie Gaines at bay, after passing him early, until the checkered flag flew. The Kruser used the fourth turn berm to keep himself on the track and angle him back to the bottom where he spent most of his seat time.

You can’t say enough good things about the Habstadt Tri Cities track, it is beautifully prepared and maintained and the banking makes for some great racing. Again Cory Kruseman moved up from his 3nd row starting spot to chase down early leader Mat Neely and go on to win his second in a row. Cory was 3rd quick in qualifying and stormed from the back of his heat to win and eventually beat the field effortlessly.

A second Gas City storm made it impossible to race there again so it was on to Lawrenceburg. The grandstands there are among the best I’ve seen at any dirt track, with easy viewing, seat backs and a roof to keep off the rain that stalled the night for over an hour. The track looked pretty good during wheel packing, but took on severe ruts when the right rears began spinning on it and rooting out chunks of mud. Qualifying was an event in itself, as not many cars actually made full on passes for even a lap on the unbelievably bronco busting track. It was interesting watching the shocks and suspension parts going up and down like a yo yo, but they all had to drive on it. The blade they brought out to fix things wasted a lot of time as they tried to repair the track, but the time used up made the rains come before the semi went off. The heats were “ride em’ cowboy” fun for some and devastating for others. After a long delay, the track looked smooth and off went the feature with Jon Stanbrough winning wire to wire. He earned it, but it was a real battle for most to just endure the long night and finish.

On to the next stop things looked great at the very scenic Bloomington track like normal. Sure, the red clay track looked ready as the trees make it very nice and calming, but would it stand up to 60 cars pounding it? The track is high banked and small, so everything happens so fast there. When you get off the track on this one, you either go for a big ride or slide backwards as the train moves on by. On this night the track got slick by feature time and the track record holder, Kevin Briscoe said thanks. Kevin came from the third row to chase down and pass Dickie Gaines and no one could catch the # 5 on his way to another victory after he had a bad night the race before. Jon Stanbrough made several valiant attempts to get by him, but eventually got bumped out of bounds only to come back on the track and get bumped on his head.

When we arrived at Terre Haute, it was another cloudy day like most before it this week, so a little wind wasn’t alarming. Nor was the light and unexpected sprinkles that happened briefly during the night. The pits had 47 sprinters, but we were short some 20 drivers who were at Milwaukee running Silver Crown (Jay Drake the winner) and Midget (J J Yeley the winner) events on this day. They tried to make it easier for the drivers by making the IRL plane available to move them up and back for the two days, but the schedule conflict was not a good move for fans or the traveling drivers. The modified’s had to placate the big crowd until the arrival of the travelers at almost 8 PM. Not only were they late, but the procession of the 8 cars or so was led by a police car with lights flashing and sirens going, right to the pit gate! Where else but in Indiana!

The track was already dry slick from the modified’s, so the qualifying was simply, first in and fastest out. The top five qualifiers were from the first ten cars to go and the track glazed over well before the last chance race started. It was billowing dust in the grandstands as the heats were run with the slick track experts doing the best as usual. When the race started, J J Yeley was on the outside of the 4th row. So far, few could make the top work for more than part of one lap and the faster way around was on the bottom. Don’t tell that to J J as he pulled a Steve Kinser like move on the start. While everyone was coming down the frontstretch as fast as they could, and looking for a gap to dive to the bottom in, Yeley stayed right on the top and was in the lead before he came out of turn two. He didn’t stop there as he stayed on the top no one else could master and pulled out to a half a lap lead over Cory Kruseman before it was over. Done deal! The battle was for second and eventually Jon Stanbrough used a restart to sneak under Cory to get 2nd and the crowd was done and headed home.

The other “war” had it’s moments as Dickie Gaines came in leading the sprint week points with Josh Wise, Cory and Levi Jones not too far behind. Josh hurt his car in a hot lap crash and was done for the night. The battled was between Levi and Dickie, if Gaines could move forward from his 9th row starting spot, he could win it all. When it ended with Levi in 4th and Gaines in 10th, it was Levi your champion by 2 points over Gaines with Cory 10 behind him.

The 10 days were pleasant and fun with plenty of good racing in spite of the rain and tricky tracks. The numbers of different cars and big crowds made it another success, but some concerns should be looked into for next year. This event is one of the best, so why don’t they make sure the tracks are prepared to last instead slick over like outlaw tracks? Maybe send an expert track preparer ahead to get the tracks ready. Too may use the “it looks like rain so we didn’t work it” excuse. So, make the track right and if it rains, it is done anyway! Why not make the traveling easier by going in one big circle instead of jumping around Indiana like your drawing a 5 star symbol on a piece of paper? It is perhaps the best 7 races you can see, but it could be better, just my humble opinion.

On the California front, Cory did the best with his two wins and 3rd in points. J J got two wins, with Jay Drake, Josh Ford and Josh Wise really doing well. Mike Spencer and Damion Gardner just got a bit of a look with Spencer’s best 15th at Putnamville and Damion two 13th place finishes. John Scott had a third his best effort as he had no luck on other nights. Charles Davis Jr ran hard for some good efforts, yet teammate Super Rickie couldn’t get his slick set-up working for himself and barely missed the three features he tried for. My traveling companion, Mike Clark, took care of all my car and motel needs making it a smooth trip and a lot of fun. Highlights, besides the racing, included the great Tenderloins at his Brother Pat’s house, great weather and only one mosquito bite, so the trip was fun. Where were those pesky chigger’s that usually like to dine on me?

The Skagit race is this weekend and I know Steve Bietler has cranked up the expectations for the USAC/CRA visit there. A long trip, but the racy place showcased great racing the last time this group went there. That was when Lealand McSpadden swept both nights, and that after crashing twice the first night before he even got to race a lap. Look for Tony Jones to be in a local car as the big boys of CRA come calling to put on a show for the Northwest fans. I wonder if that great restaurant in LaConner is still there with the fresh Salmon? I aim to find out! See you there.

NEW NATIONAL SPRINT CAR STANDINGS: 1-Drake-1,023; 2-Kruseman-904; 3-Jones-859; 4-Kaeding-857; 5-Darland-714; 6-Elliott-649; 7-Ford-609; 8-Tyler-607; 9-Wise-552; 10-Scott-483.

FINAL VALVOLINE “INDIANA SPRINT WEEK” STANDINGS: 1-Levi Jones-338; 2-Dickie Gaines-336; 3-Cory Kruseman-326; 4-Josh Wise-273; 5-Jay Drake-268; 6-Bud Kaeding-265; 7-Josh Ford-250; 8-Jon Stanbrough-245; 9-Tony Elliott-192; 10-J.J. Yeley-184.