Zeb Wise Wins Pursuit, Alex Bright High Point Main In BC39 Opener At IMS

Story By: RICHIE MURRAY / USAC – SPEEDWAY, IN – Wednesday’s opening night of the Driven2SaveLives “BC39” presented by NOS Energy Drink began a new era of racing at the Dirt Track at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, set inside turn three of the surrounding world-famous 2.5-mile paved oval.

15-year-old Zeb Wise captured the victory in the Stoops Pursuit, a 20-lap elimination race in which you would be eliminated if you were passed. Coming to the white flag, the Angola, Ind. native went on the offense, sliding by Alex Bright in turn four on the penultimate lap to win the $1500 payday, plus $100 for each of the 17 cars he passed from his 18th starting position. In doing so, he put the 39BC in victory lane at the BC39, a fitting tribute to the late, great USAC champ in which the event is named for.

In preliminary action, Tyler Courtney completed an IMS Dirt Track version of a spin and win to become the first official winner of a race at the quarter-mile dirt oval, sliding to halt midway through the ten-lapper while leading, but the Indianapolis, Ind. driver got up on the wheel and drove it back to the front to capture the win in heat race one. Meanwhile, David Prickett and Tyler Nelson were involved in a tangle that resulted in a double-flip. Both walked away.

In heat race two, Macdoel, California’s Maria Cofer, subbing for the injured Spencer Bayston, became the first female winner in the history of the Dirt Track at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, getting to the point on the second lap from her outside front row starting spot.

Cullman, Alabama’s Kevin Thomas, Jr. shot from fifth to first by lap two and never looked back, dominating heat race three to take the victory.

Shane Cottle of Kansas, Ill. wired the field in heat race four, leading all 10 laps to score the victory. Behind him, a torrid battle ensued as Dillon Welch ripped the fence lap after lap alongside Brian Karraker, but Karraker was able to get the spot to finish second on the final lap behind Cottle.

Tucker Klaasmeyer drove from seventh to first by halfway as the Paola, Kansas driver cruised to a two-second victory in heat race five.

An enthralling heat six saw USAC Triple Crown champ J.J. Yeley and Shane Golobic dip and dive, exchanging the front spot numerous times, with Yeley spraying the concrete with soil as he flirted with the turn two concrete each time he exited turn two in his journey to victory lane.

Jason McDougal and Steve Buckwalter banged wheels, nerf bars, you name it, in their torrid battle for the lead for the majority of heat race seven. A wheel-to-wheel, slider fest raged on until McDougal slipped on the berm near the end. Buckwalter, of Royersford, Pa. took control and raced on to victory. Zach Daum walked away from a turn two flip during the heat.

When Norman, Oklahoma’s Christopher Bell starts from the pole, it’s trouble for pretty much everyone else. The 2013 USAC National Midget champ put it to the competition, winning heat race eight handily.

It was a tale of two different lines in heat nine between Chad Boat and Tyler Thomas. But, the difference in this one was the two repeatedly swapped the lead back and forth, exchanging slider after slider after slider before Collinsville, Oklahoma’s Thomas rode the rim in turn four to nip Boat at the line for the victory.

Foresthill, California’s Ryan Robinson controlled heat race 10 from the outset, leading every lap despite starting fifth. Brayton Lynch followed suit, advancing from eighth to a second-place finish, rapidly closing on Robinson during the final laps as Robinson biked it on the cushion and motored on.

Alex Bright of Collegeville, Pa. was the lone winner from the back row, taking heat race 11 from the ninth starting spot after engaging in a furious battle with Davey Ray in the early going. Bright became the night’s high-point man heading into Thursday’s finale.

Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. made a late rally to challenge Brady Bacon on the final lap, but Bacon, the two-time USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car champ out of Broken Arrow, Okla. was perfect, leading the final nine laps to win heat race 12.

The “BC39” continues Thursday night, September 6 at IMS with the final events taking place, beginning with the eight qualifying races before moving into the main events and concluding with the 39-lap A-Main. The pits open at 8am, drivers meeting in the pagoda at 3pm and cars hitting the track at 5pm. All times Eastern.

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USAC P1 INSURANCE MIDGET NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP RACE RESULTS: September 5, 2018 – The Dirt Track at Indianapolis Motor Speedway – Speedway, Indiana – Driven2SaveLives “BC39” presented by NOS Energy Drink

FIRST HEAT: (10 laps) 1. Tyler Courtney (#7BC Clauson Marshall), 2. Dave Darland (#1BR SFHR), 3. Randi Pankratz (#8 Pankratz), 4. Matt Lux (#7K K & R), 5. Payton Pierce (#37x Felker), 6. Brian Peterson (#7p Peterson), 7. Tyler Nelson (#88 Nelson), 8. David Prickett (#24x Neverlift), 9. Bryan Drollinger (#71x Drollinger). NT

SECOND HEAT: (10 laps) 1. Maria Cofer (#97 Kunz/Curb-Agajanian), 2. Zeb Wise (#39BC Clauson Marshall), 3. Chris Windom (#35 Petry), 4. Nick Drake (#55 Cline), 5. Zane Hendricks (#27z Tucker/Boat), 6. Shane Cockrum (#91 Harris), 7. Austin O’Dell (#97A O’Dell), 8. Presley Truedson (#5T Daum), 9. Kyle May (#39 May). 2:15.21

THIRD HEAT: (10 laps) 1. Kevin Thomas, Jr. (#63 Dooling), 2. Jerry Coons, Jr. (#25 Petry), 3. Logan Seavey (#67 Kunz/Curb-Agajanian), 4. Cole Bodine (#57BC Clauson Marshall), 5. Daniel Robinson (#57D McCreery), 6. Chris Urish (#77u Casson), 7. McKenna Haase (#14s RAMS), 8. John Heydenreich (#22 Heydenreich), 9. Ethan Mitchell (#19m Bundy Built). NT

FOURTH HEAT: (10 laps) 1. Shane Cottle (#1ST Saucier), 2. Brian Karraker (#29J Jarrett), 3. Dillon Welch (#99p Ronk), 4. Holly Shelton (#67K Kunz/Curb-Agajanian), 5. Kevin Studley (#57K Studley), 6. Robert Dalby (#4D Dalby), 7. Andy Bradley (#49 Bradley), 8. Jesse Vermillion (#5v Vermillion), 9. Billy Wease (#12w Wease). NT

FIFTH HEAT: (10 laps) 1. Tucker Klaasmeyer (#27K Kunz/Curb-Agajanian), 2. Terry Babb (#37 Felker), 3. Casey Shuman (#4A RAMS), 4. Andrew Felker (57A Ecker), 5. Karsyn Elledge (#83 Tucker/Boat), 6. Critter Malone (#7CH Seven), 7. Braydan Willmington (#89 RayPro), 8. Nate Foster (#57F Foster), 9. Landon Cassill (#21x Shuman). NT

SIXTH HEAT: (10 laps) 1. J.J. Yeley (#63D Dooling), 2. Shane Golobic (#17w Clauson Marshall/Wood), 3. Chase Jones (#33c RayPro), 4. Sam Johnson (#72 Kunz/Curb-Agajanian), 5. Landon Simon (#24 LSR), 6. Dakota Jackson (#17D Koontz), 7. Gio Scelzi (#25x Malloy), 8. Rich Drangmeister (#18 Drangmeister), 9. Tracy Hines (#11 Leader Card). NT

SEVENTH HEAT: (10 laps) 1. Steve Buckwalter (#0 Buckwalter), 2. Jake Neuman (#3N Neuman), 3. Matt Westfall (#54 Bordner), 4. Jason McDougal (#15 Petry), 5. David Budres (#23 Manic), 6. Riley Kreisel (#37K Felker), 7. Dylan Peterson (#25p Peterson), 8. Roy Caruthers (#5x Boyle), 9. Zach Daum (#5D Daum). NT

EIGHTH HEAT: (10 laps) 1. Christopher Bell (#21 Kunz/Curb-Agajanian), 2. Korey Weyant (#99w Mounce), 3. Lance Bennett (#10 Bennett), 4. Tyler Shoemaker (1T Mounce), 5. Carson Garrett (#15c Garrett), 6. Anton Hernandez (#11A Gray), 7. Glenn Waterland (#11c Waterland), 8. Justin Dickerson (#21D Dickerson), 9. Chris Baue (#35x Baue). NT

NINTH HEAT: (10 laps) 1. Tyler Thomas (#91T Thomas), 2. Chad Boat (#84 Tucker/Boat), 3. Gage Walker (#7 Walker), 4. Chase Briscoe (#5B Briscoe), 5. Kyle O’Gara (#67F SFHR), 6. Tanner Carrick (#71K Kunz/Curb-Agajanian), 7. Olivia Bennett (#77x Bennett), 8. Jeb Sessums (2ND Harris). NT

TENTH HEAT: (10 laps) 1. Ryan Robinson (#71 Kunz/Curb-Agajanian), 2. Brayton Lynch (#1K RKR), 3. Russ Gamester (#51 Gamester), 4. Ryan Smith (#67R SFHR), 5. Andrew Layser (#35L Bright), 6. Chase McDermand (#57B Ecker), 7. Logan Arnold (#43 Arnold), 8. Johnny Petrozelle (#8c Cornell), 9. Conor Daly (#1 LSR). 2:17.93

ELEVENTH HEAT: (10 laps) 1. Alex Bright (#77 Bright), 2. Travis Young (#11Y Young), 3. Davey Ray (#33 RayPro), 4. Trey Osborne (#11T Taylor), 5. Mark Chisholm (#56x Fifty6x), 6. Alex Schriever (#25s Davis), 7. J.B. Gilbert (#56Y Fifty6x), 8. Robby Spino (#46 Johnson), 9. Nick Hamilton (#32 Hamilton). NT

TWELFTH HEAT: (10 laps) 1. Brady Bacon (#76m FMR), 2. Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. (#17s Clauson Marshall), 3. Justin Grant (#17BC Clauson Marshall/Wood), 4. Aaron Leffel (#11L Taylor), 5. Matt Sherrell (#2D Harris), 6. Ray Seach (#31 Budres), 7. Austin Langenstein (#7CG Seven), 8. C.J. Leary (#5 Baldwin), 9. Joey Moughan (#29 Casson). NT

ALSO AT THE TRACK: Michael Koontz (#17K Koontz)

STOOPS PURSUIT RACE: (20 laps) 1. Wise, 2. Bright, 3. Stenhouse, 4. Yeley, 5. Coons, 6. Klaasmeyer, 7. Lynch, 8. Westfall, 9. Cottle, 10. Boat, 11. Weyant, 12. Young, 13. Lux, 14. Jones, 15. R. Robinson, 16. Bacon, 17. T. Thomas, 18. Karraker, 19. Babb, 20. Cofer, 21. Buckwalter, 22. C. Bell, 23. Grant, 24. Courtney, 25. K. Thomas. NT

REMAINDER OF PROGRAM TO BE COMPLETED THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2018

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**Koontz flipped during practice. Prickett and Nelson flipped during the first heat. Daum flipped during the seventh heat. Sessums flipped during the ninth heat. C. Bell and Jones flipped during the pursuit.

NEW USAC P1 INSURANCE MIDGET NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS: 1-Seavey-830, 2-Bacon-732, 3-Bayston-728, 4-Boat-727, 5-Grant-689, 6-Courtney-679, 7-Carrick-652, 8-K. Thomas-634, 9-Wise-533, 10-R. Robinson-480.

BC39 POINTS: 1-Bright-160, 2-Klaasmeyer-155, 3-Babb-153, 4-Weyant-148, 5-Lynch-148, 6-Courtney-145, 7-K. Thomas, 8-R. Robinson-145, 9-Wise-143, 10-Buckwalter-135.

NEXT USAC P1 INSURANCE MIDGET NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP RACE: September 6 – The Dirt Track at Indianapolis Motor Speedway – Speedway, Indiana – Driven2SaveLives “BC39” presented by NOS Energy Drink