ELDON, Mo. — Jacob Allen decided enough was enough on Saturday night.
As he watched the lead slip from his grasp, all of the heartbreaking losses, the close calls, and the what could have beens flashed before his eyes. At that moment, Allen made a deal with himself — “I’m not losing this race. I can’t run second again.”
It was like the 27-year-old shifted into a new man and introduced us to a Jacob Allen who simply refused to lose. He seized every opportunity he saw from the battle through traffic with Brady Bacon down to the lap-27 pass which ultimately decided the race.
Chasing a perfect night at Lake Ozark Speedway, Allen struggled with backmarkers early on and gave the lead away on lap 12. He promptly sat up in the seat and got it back, but another bobble on lap 20 sent him faltering to second again as Bacon appeared ready to claim his first World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series victory.
Allen had other plans, however. He kept the Shark Racing No. 1a within striking distance and when the right-rear tire on Bacon’s No. 21h began going flat, he saw the door open and kicked it right in. The pair made slight contact twice on lap 27 as Allen snuck underneath Bacon and muscled his way to the lead and victory lane.
“I feel like I’ve always been known as Mr. Nice Guy,” an emotional Allen said. “But I felt like I couldn’t lose this, I just couldn’t run second again. I’ve lost so many times and I’ve fallen backward so many times. I knew he might not like me for it, but I had to do what I had to do. I respect Brady [Bacon] a lot and he’s probably one of the winningest guys in the pit area, but I just had to nudge him a bit because I needed this win.”
At the tune of $15,000, the Jason Johnson Classic victory is easily the biggest of Allen’s career. It’s his second World of Outlaws victory and his first since September of 2020. The extra special win at the Jason Johnson Classic presented by FK Rod Ends also came aboard the Bobby Allen throwback scheme with Jacob’s father in attendance to enjoy the moment.”
“Jason Johnson’s program was and is still family-based just like mine,” Allen said. “I have the utmost respect for that entire family and their team. I can’t thank Jack, Tyler, Ron, Ben, Logan, dad, and Hannah enough. They’ve been through everything with me and they could’ve given up, but they don’t. $15,000 is sick.”
Outside of Allen’s return to victory lane, Bacon’s prowess was easily the biggest story of the night. The Broken Arrow, Okla., native is a four-time USAC National Sprint Car champion and one of the most recognized non-winged racers in the world.
In his first race aboard the TKH Motorsports machine, Bacon was nearly flawless at Lake Ozark. He timed in second-quick, ran second in his Heat, finished third in the Dash, and led nine laps before a flat right rear tire spoiled his shot at winning.
“It’s tough to swallow,” Bacon added, after finishing 17th. “It just wasn’t meant to be. I’m really proud of our effort on this new operation with the Hinck’s, though. All you can do is look forward to the next one and find a way to be better.”
Spencer Bayston scored a season-best second-place finish aboard the CJB Motorsports No. 5.
“I think we’re as fast anyone right now,” Bayston said. “Some things haven’t gone our way, but we’ve made the most of the opportunities we’ve been given. This is what these guys deserve to be up here on the frontstretch. The first part of this year is all new to me, but we’ve done a great job of attacking. I’m ready to get that first win out of the way.”
Limping home his own flat right rear was David Gravel, who hung on to finish third.
Allen’s Shark Racing teammate Logan Schuchart and Brad Sweet rounded out the top five.
The finish:
Feature (30 Laps): 1. 1A-Jacob Allen [1][$15,000]; 2. 5-Spencer Bayston [2][$6,225]; 3. 2-David Gravel [4][$3,725]; 4. 1S-Logan Schuchart [7][$3,025]; 5. 49-Brad Sweet [5][$2,725]; 6. 3Z-Brock Zearfoss [6][$2,525]; 7. 24-Rico Abreu [12][$2,425]; 8. 19-Brent Marks [9][$2,325]; 9. 18-Giovanni Scelzi [10][$2,275]; 10. 17-Sheldon Haudenschild [8][$2,225]; 11. 55-Hunter Schuerenberg [11][$1,825]; 12. 15-Donny Schatz [14][$1,625]; 13. 83-James McFadden [18][$1,425]; 14. 8-Aaron Reutzel [17][$1,325]; 15. 21-Brian Brown [13][$1,275]; 16. 41-Carson Macedo [15][$1,225]; 17. 21H-Brady Bacon [3][$1,225]; 18. 7BC-Tyler Courtney [19][$1,200]; 19. 11K-Kraig Kinser [22][$1,200]; 20. 73-Scotty Thiel [20][$1,200]; 21. 35-Zach Hampton [23][$1,200]; 22. 25-JJ Hickle [16][$1,200]; 23. 17B-Bill Balog [24][$1,200]; 24. 15H-Sam Hafertepe [21][$1,200]; 25. 7S-Jason Sides [25
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