SOMERTON, Ariz. — Brady Bacon possesses a sensational record throughout his career at the Western World Championships.
He’s already gotten off on the right foot to begin his quest for another Western World success story after recording the fastest lap during Thursday night’s open practice for the USAC AMSOIL Sprint Car National Championship and the AMSOIL USAC CRA Sprint Cars at Cocopah Speedway.
Bacon’s time of 16.019 around the three-eighths-mile dirt oval bested the 34 cars that were in attendance for the open practice, which served as the final tune up before the running of the 55th Annual Chapman Chevrolet of Yuma Western World Championships Presented by Yuma Insurance and Avanti on Friday and Saturday night, October 28-29.
In fact, the Broken Arrow, Oklahoma native’s lap was under the official USAC CRA track record of 16.213, set in January of 2022, by Cody Williams. Bacon turned the quick lap during the second round of Thursday’s practice in his Dynamics, Inc./Fatheadz Eyewear – Cressman Sanitation – DriveWFX – Tel-Star/Triple X/Rider Chevy.
Bacon won the opening night feature during the 2021 Western World held at the now-defunct Arizona Speedway. He’s also won two 360 c.i. non-wing sprint car races at Tucson, Arizona’s USA Raceway in 2009 and repeated in the same division there once more in 2010 with the ASCS Canyon Region series.
Furthermore, at Peoria, Arizona’s Canyon Speedway Park in 2012, Bacon was an ASCS Winged 360 Sprint Car feature winner. He returned to USA Raceway in 2015 to add a USAC National Sprint Car triumph on a prelim night. When Western World migrated to Arizona Speedway in San Tan Valley, Ariz., Bacon’s winning ways continued with USAC Southwest 360 Sprint Car scores in 2016-17-18, followed by a USAC NOS Energy Drink National Midget win in 2019.
C.J. Leary timed in second quickest at 16.038 while USAC CRA point leader Damion Gardner was third at 16.250. USAC National Sprint Car point leader Justin Grant took eighth at 16.386 while reigning Western World champion Logan Seavey was 14th.
Practice Results:
1. Brady Bacon, 69, Dynamics-16.019; 2. C.J. Leary, 77m, Michael-16.038; 3. Damion Gardner, 1, Alexander-16.250; 4. Mitchel Moles, 19AZ, Reinbold/Underwood-16.261; 5. Kevin Thomas Jr., 17GP, Dutcher-16.310; 6. Robert Ballou, 12, Ballou-16.334; 7. Matt Westfall, 33m, Marshall-16.343; 8. Justin Grant, 4, TOPP-16.386; 9. Matt Mitchell, 37, Mitchell-16.476; 10. Kyle Cummins, 2J, Yeley/Petty-16.575; 11. Emerson Axsom, 47BC, Clauson Marshall Newman-16.622; 12. Tommy Malcolm, 5x, Napier-16.632; 13. Jadon Rogers, 14, Engler-16.649; 14. Logan Seavey, 42, Cheney-16.720; 15. Jake Swanson, 21AZ, Team AZ-16.734; 16. Shon Deskins, 20, SDR-16.753; 17. Chase Johnson, 8m, May-16.769; 18. Sterling Cling, 34, Cling-16.778; 19. Ricky Lewis, 41, Stensland/Halley-16.822; 20. Logan Williams, 5w, McCarthy-16.829; 21. Chris Bonneau, 15, Bonneau-16.867; 22. Brody Roa, 91R, BR-16.925; 23. Eddie Tafoya Jr., 51T, Tafoya-16.948; 24. R.J. Johnson, 51, Johnson-17.046; 25. Charles Davis Jr., 47, Davis-17.056; 26. Tye Mihocko, 8, Ream-17.074; 27. Kyle Edwards, 39E, Edwards-17.265; 28. Austin Grabowski, 72, Grabowski-17.287; 29. Mike Martin, 16, Martin-17.673; 30. Wayne Siddle, 007, Siddle-18.089; 31. Shane Sexton, 74, Sexton/Gatlin-18.282; 32. Matt McCarthy, 28m, McCarthy-NT; 33. Austin Williams, 2, Williams-NT; 34. Justin Zimmerman, 1J, Zimmerman-NT.