Former Western States champion Robert Dalby deserves an award for perseverance. Robert has suffered horrible luck after moving to Indiana with the intention of competing on the National tour. Dalby made an engine switch late last season which he hopes will pay dividends this season. Many pull for a man who works so hard.
Chris Windom is a member of the Triple Crown club for a reason. That said, look for Buddy Kofoid to give the defending champ a real run for his money.
NATIONAL SPRINTS
When Brady Bacon nailed down the first two nights of the 2020 season, it looked like it would be a long year for his peers. Bacon knew better. He‘s been in these dogfights before and realizes that, even when in the midst of a hot streak, it is likely that some rain will eventually fall.
After the long break forced by the pandemic, it was Justin Grant who jumped to the head of the class. Not only was Grant exuding confidence, but night after night he was starting up front. Because Tyler Courtney was not planning on competing at each USAC event, the top dogs understood that one strong obstacle to their goals had been eliminated. C.J. Leary came in as the defending USAC sprint car champion but, when his plans went awry almost immediately, it signaled that this would be a trying campaign.
One clear contender was Chris Windom, who was set to drive for Hayward Motorsports with trusty sidekick Derek Claxton turning the wrenches. Chase Stockon has held the banner high for privateers for years, but midway through the 2020 season the steady veteran signed on with KO Motorsports and sallied forth to take his first Indiana Sprint Week title. Stockon, USAC‘s ironman, continues to build on his own record of 321 consecutive series starts.
For Justin Grant, 2020 was a bit of a replay of his 2017 season. That year Justin got out front early and stayed there for most of the year only to fall short at the end. In 2020 it looked like his time had come, but a disastrous Kokomo Smackdown dashed his title hopes. By the time the season had drawn to a close, Justin looked discouraged and nothing seemed to go right. While Stockon was able to get within shouting distance of the overall title, in the end it was truly decided between Bacon and Windom.
There has always been one indisputable factor that separates good drivers from great ones — the ability to pass. In 2020, longtime USAC benefactor Buck Rice created the Prosource Passing Master Award, with points awarded in every nationally-sanctioned event in the club‘s inventory. Windom was the runaway winner. That‘s the good news. However, it also meant Chris started deeper in the back than he would have liked over the course of the season.
After all the glee of the Florida openers, Brady Bacon suffered his share of bad luck, but always seemed to bounce back. Magneto problems vexed him on several occasions, but in between there were some clear highlights. Brady came out on top in a spectacular race at Indiana‘s Lincoln Park Speedway on the Fourth of July and then captured his second Corn Belt Nationals at Knoxville in the wee hours of the morning. Bacon relied heavily on 2020 USAC Mechanic of the Year Matt Hummell. Matt somehow got his driver back in the fray after what appeared to be a certain DNF at Plymouth, Indiana, and the team made an engine change before the feature event at Knoxville that enabled them to take home the $20,000 top prize. No matter how good you are, you need a solid group behind you.
Chris Windom would grab his fourth Jim Hurtubise Classic at the Terre Haute Action Track in September of 2020, and left the big half-mile with a two-point lead over Bacon. Two races later, Bacon was back in front and he would never be headed. It was still a nail biter when all signed in at Lawrenceburg Speedway for the finale in early October, with Windom in position to snatch the title away.
It didn‘t happen. Bacon was awarded the victory after apparent winner Tyler Courtney was light at the scales. It was Bacon‘s third USAC championship, and one that was particularly satisfying given that he maintains the car in his Union City, Indiana shop. While the Hoffman family no longer is involved with the team on a day-by-day basis, they still take justifiable pride in the 12th championship under the Dynamics Inc. banner.
Young Jadon Rogers, who had been honing his skills on Indiana bullrings, was the Rookie of the Year.
Given the popularity of traditional sprint car racing in and around the Hoosier State, the total list of drivers who ultimately compete with USAC is a lengthy one. At every track there is a master of that particular oval who is prepared to strike. It is the same process that occurs when the All Star Circuit of Champions and the World of Outlaws head to Pennsylvania. It drives the car count up and makes the competition keen. In an unfortunate development, there were several instances where the illegal treating of tires, as determined by lab results, resulted in disqualifications, including race winners. One hopes that attention to this matter by USAC officials has put a damper on this behavior.
As for this season, USAC brass released a robust 50-race schedule that includes a return to some historic venues after a prolonged absence and dates at four tracks new to the series. As always, marquee events include the popular Indiana Sprint Week, Eastern Storm, and hopefully a chance to race in Arizona and California for the Western World and Oval Nationals to close out the year.
One point of departure in 2021 is two separate east coast swings, primarily in the Keystone State. The Eastern Storm series will make an initial visit to the Bloomsburg Fairgrounds and return to Selinsgrove Speedway, while the Keystone Invasion will bring the USAC sprints to Path Valley Speedway Park and return to Big Diamond Speedway.
In Indiana, the tour will make an initial appearance at Circle City Raceway and return to Paragon for the first time since 1998. With the NASCAR Truck Series coming to Knoxville, the Corn Belt Nationals will be confined to a single day, but the sprint cars will be active in America‘s heartland with two nights at Lakeside Speedway in Kansas, and, as mentioned previously, a big three-night extravaganza at South Dakota‘s Huset‘s Speedway in September. The Kokomo Smackdown is back, this time featuring a $15,000 payday on the final night and, after a year lost to COVID, the popular 4-Crown Nationals returns as well.