USAC “Eastern Storm” Had Something For Everyone

Story By: NICHOLAS FILLMAN / RPW – MACUNGIE, PA – For the 11th straight year, the USAC National Sprint Cars made their annual trek east to battle on some of Pennsylvania’s toughest and most famous race tracks.

The week started off strong on Tuesday night in Bechtelsville, at the 1/3rd mile, high-banked bullring of Grandview Speedway. Grandview allowed a number of local drivers with different engine combinations to try their hand at battling with USAC’s best.

Thirty-four Sprint Cars entered the pit area on Tuesday night and the feature did not disappoint. After a violent flip by local 358 sprint racer Chandler Leiby would force a red flag, and a medical emergency in the stands, a lengthy open red would set up a 20-lap dash to the finish in the “Jesse Hockett Classic.”

The last 15 laps would see an incredible battle of USAC’s finest, including a two-car duel for the win between CJ Leary and Brady Bacon. Ultimately, Bacon would collect the win and bring the Dooling/Hayward 63 machine back to victory lane at Grandview.

The victory for the team would be the first since the passing of Bryan Clauson. Clauson, ironically, was the defending winner of the race.

Chris Windom, Kevin Thomas Jr. and Justin Grant rounded out the top five finishing positions on Tuesday.

From the 1/3rd mile of Grandview, the series headed west to the Pigeon Hills of Lincoln Speedway in Abbottstown, PA. The feature event saw “T-Mez” Thomas Meseraull have the most dominant performance of the week.

Meseraull was aboard a newly-founded team that was lead by prominent local car owner Michael Heffner along with Gene Franckowiak and Sean Michael.

Young Jarett Andretti would finish second and record his best career USAC national series feature finish. Kevin Thomas Jr, Chad Boespflug, and Chris Windom completed the top five.

The series would again stay localized as they would take the relatively short trip to the famed Williams Grove Speedway, which had not hosted a USAC sprint car feature event since the 90’s and last hosted a wingless sprint car event in 2002.

Coleman, AL driver Kevin Thomas Jr. would use his front row starting position to jump out to the early lead. Thomas Jr would face some challenges, however, as Chris Windom would hunt down the Pace Lighting 44 machine. At one point, Windom threw a slider in turns one and two before Thomas slid back under to retake the lead.

From that point on, Thomas would be unchallenged as he would collect the feature event win over Chase Stockon, Windom, Justin Grant, and Brady Bacon.

Also on the card Thursday was the first of two nights of racing for the USAC / ARDC midgets. The Midget super team owned by Keith Kunz made the tow, bringing along five cars. Bacon, Meseraull, Alex Bright, and Trevor Kobylarz all did double duty on the night.

Thursday’s feature would see Spencer Bayston take the win with Bacon victorious on Friday.

Friday was day two of racing at Williams Grove as USAC’s premier series, Silver Crown, return for the second straight year.

Damion Gardner would be the dominant car for the first three quarters of the 100-lap Horn-Schindler Memorial event. A caution with 25 to go set up a short dash to the finish.

With 12 laps to go, Kody Swanson, aboard the famous 63 machine, would pass Gardner for the top spot and went on to collect the feature event win over, Jerry Coons Jr, Windom, and Bacon completed the first five.

Saturday saw the sprint cars back in action…this time at the fast, sweeping half-mile Port Royal Speedway. The evening featured a double headlining event with the winged 410 sprint cars also on the card.

Racing at “The Port” was intense with drivers like Robert Ballou, Justin Grant, and Chris Windom all being stuck together at the front of the field.

Ballou was the leader until around five laps to go. That’s when Windom took over. Ballou, who had fallen back to third, tried to slide Justin Grant with two to go for second. Unfortunately, he caught the turn three wall and flipped.

Windom took home the win over Grant, Bacon, Tyler Courtney, and Dave Darland.

Sunday was the finale for the “Eastern Storm” at Susquehanna Speedway. Although the tour may have been winding down, the action was spectacular with a well-prepped track featuring a high line cushion allowing for many “Slide Jobs.”

Thomas Meseraull would work his way out front and have a solid lead on the rest of the field until the closing stages. That’s when “Sunshine” Tyler Courtney aboard the TOPP Motorsports entry would throw a slider on him with two laps to go as the cars headed into turn one.

Meseraull would not be able to get back to Courtney to try and return the favor and had to settle for second. Rounding out the top five were Justin Grant, Brady Bacon and Kevin Thomas Jr.

USAC Tidbits: Alex Bright made his sprint car debut the week before the Eastern Storm during Indiana Midget Week. Bright was impressive every night aboard the Rick Kaylor-owned 13k machine. He qualified for four out of the five events, winning the hard charger award Wednesday at Lincoln (22nd to 11th).

Trevor Kobylarz, a former ARDC Midget champion, has run the past few years with USAC when they make their yearly trip to Pennsylvania. He was impressive every time the car hit the track this past week.

Kobylarz collected his first ever sprint car win at the Mercer Raceway Park in western PA with the Buckeye Outlaw Sprint Series (BOSS).

Central PA 410 hotshoe Danny Dietrich made his USAC debut during the Eastern Storm for established car owner Tom Buch. Buch has had his cars driven by the late Jesse Hockett, and Jason Leffler along with the likes of Daryn Pittman and Kyle Larson.

Dietrich ran through Thursday at Williams Grove before the team opted to regroup to head to Ohio for their Speedweek. He qualified for his first show Wednesday at Lincoln before loosing brakes and finishing 22nd. He also won his heat race at “the Grove” but finished just outside of the top 10.

Results.
Grandview: 63 BRADY BACON, 30 CJ Leary, 5 Chris Windom, 44 Kevin Thomas Jr, 11 Justin Grant, 12 Robert Ballou, 32 Chase Stockon, 39 Jerry Coons Jr, 23c Tyler Courtney, 18 Jarett Andretti, 54 Matt Westfall, f15 Aaron Farney, 27 Thomas Meseraull, 13k Alex Bright, 17r Kyle Robbins, 71 Dave Darland, 69 Chad Boespflug, 52 Isaac Chapple, 50 Tony DiMattia, 14k Trevor Kobylarz, 119 Chandler Leiby, B1 Joey Biasi.

Lincoln: 27 THOMAS MESERAULL, 18 Jarett Andretti, 44 Kevin Thomas Jr, 69 Chad Boespflug, 5 Chris Windom, 23c Tyler Courtney, 3 Shane Golobic, 30 CJ Leary, 17r Kyle Robbins, 39 Jerry Coons Jr, 13k Alex Bright, 32 Chase Stockon, 12 Robert Ballou, 63 Brady Bacon, 99m Kyle Moody, f15 Aaron Farney, 52 Isaac Chapple, 21 Carmen Perigo, 71 Dave Darland, 11 Justin Grant, 77 Dustin Smith, 13 Danny Dietrich.

Williams Grove (Sprints): 44 KEVIN THOMAS JR, 32 Chase Stockon, 5 Chris Windom, 11 Justin Grant, 63 Brady Bacon, 3 Shane Golobic, 27 Thomas Meseraull, 18 John Andretti, 39 Jerry Cooons Jr, 21 Carmen Perigo, f15 Aaron Farney, 99m Kyle Moody, 13 Danny Dietrich, 52 Isaac Chapple, 69 Chad Boespflug, B1 Joey Biasi, 23c Tyler Courtney, m1 Mark Smith, 71 Dave Darland, 30 CJ Leary, 17gp Steve Sussex, 14k Trevor Kobylarz, 12 Robert Ballou, 17r Kyle Robbins.

Williams Grove (Silver Crown): 63 KODY SWANSON, 6 Damion Gardner 20n Jerry Coons Jr, 92 Chris Windom, 48 Brady Bacon, 4 Joe Ligouri, 95 Patrick Bruns, 16 Austin Nemire, 91 Justin Grant, 71 Shane Cockrum, 54 Mark Smith, 30 CJ Leary, 53 Steve Buckwalter, 27 Dave Darland, 201 Dakota Jackson, 40 David Byrne, 120 Hunter Schurenberg, 31 Dave Berkheimer, 8 Johnny Petrozelle, 32 Joss Moffatt.

Port Royal: 5 CHRIS WINDOM, 11 Justin Grant, 63 Brady Bacon, 23c Tyler Courtney, 71p Dave Darland, 27 Thomas Meseraull, 32 Chase Stockon, 44 Kevin Thomas Jr, 3 Shane Golobic, 39 Jerry Coons Jr, 18 Jarett Andretti, 99m Kyle Moody, 13k Alex Bright, 52 Isaac Chapple, 30 CJ Leary, f15 Aaron Farney, 69 Chad Boespflug, 12 Robert Ballou, 50 Tony DiMattia, 17r Kyle Robbins, 21 Carmen Perigo, 14k Trevor Kobylarz.

Susquehanna: 23c TYLER COURTNEY, 27 Thomas Meseraull, 11 Justin Grant, 63 Brady Bacon, 44 Kevin Thomas Jr, 69 Chad Boespflug, f15 Aaron Farney, 32 Chase Stockon, 5 Chris Windom, 3 Shane Golobic, 18 Jarett Andretti, 30 CJ Leary, 71 Dave Darland, 13k Alex Bright, 99m Kyle Moody, 54 Matt Westfall, 39 Jerry Coons Jr, 17r Kyle Robbins, 50 Tony DiMattia, 42au Gary Rooke, 52 Isaac Chapple, 14k Trevor Kobylarz.