SAN TAN VALLEY, Ariz. – One of the most successful drivers on the USAC national trail is teaming up with one of the top USAC Southwest Sprint Car Series teams for the Western World Championships presented by San Tan Ford at Arizona Speedway, Nov. 13-14.
Chris Windom will pilot the Bill Michael-owned No. 77m sprinter for the two-night event at the third-mile dirt oval. Windom, the 2016 USAC Silver Crown and 2017 AMSOIL USAC National Sprint Car champion from Canton, Ill., has twice won the final night of Western World, doing so with the National Sprints in 2016 and the Southwest Sprints in 2017.
In 2016, Windom swept both classes on the preliminary night with the National and Southwest series.
The Southwest Sprint Car portion of the Western World Championship will be co-sanctioned by the AMSOIL USAC/CRA Sprint Car Series.
Arizona Speedway – and the Western World Championship in particular – have been extremely kind to Windom, who relishes the opportunity to race a sprint car while simultaneously chasing his first NOS Energy Drink USAC National Midget championship.
Windom currently stands 15 points behind Tyler Courtney in the USAC midget title tilt.
“You’ve seen a lot of success with the 77m car, especially in the Arizona area when we go out there,” Windom recalled. “Leland and Bill (Michael) called me and asked if I’d be interested in running out there and I said ‘sure.’ We’re going to have some fun. We’re our there to run for a midget championship, so why not race a sprint car while we’re out there too, and a good one?”
Windom will be among those pulling double duty at Western World alongside his regular duties aboard the Tucker-Boat Motorsports NOS Energy Drink USAC National Midget team.
Windom sought out a sprint car ride for the event and found one with the Chino Valley, Ariz.-based team owned by Michael.
Michael moved with his family to Arizona from his Illinois home in his youth, and a victory in his backyard, so to speak, would mean the world to him.
With Windom in the car, Michael believes he has that chance this year.
“It’s a very big thing for us to have Chris in the car,” Michael exclaimed. “It’s quite an honor to have him in our car and really very exciting for us. Of course, he’s going to already be there in his midget ride, and he was looking for a sprint car ride while he was out here, and he said he’d love to run the car for us. We’re looking to have fun and be as competitive as possible. That’s what we always strive for.”
The Michael team has found a bit of success at Western World, setting quick time in qualifying with Thomas Meseraull in 2018, which happened to be one of the team’s first appearances with a 410 engine, of which Michael estimates they’ve now run about 15 of with their Ford powerplant.
However, a Western World victory has eluded the team thus far, and Windom would love to be the driver that delivers it.
“I’d love to do that for them,” Windom said. “Obviously, I’m sure that’s pretty high on their list being from Arizona. I’m there to win races, so that’s what the plan is when we go, and I know it’s a good race car. I don’t know the guys super well yet, but I’m looking forward to getting out there, meeting them, hanging out with them, and, hopefully, winning a couple races.”
The Michael team has already won twice this year with C.J. Leary as the driver in March in USAC CRA/Southwest competition at Canyon Speedway Park in Peoria, Ariz.
The team’s 39 career USAC Southwest Sprint Car wins have been earned by R.J. Johnson (36), C.J. Leary (2) and Kevin Thomas Jr. (1).
Together with Johnson, Michael earned an unprecedented four consecutive USAC Southwest Sprint Car Series championships between 2013-16.