| Jerry Shaw |
7/15/16 1:31 AM |
Re: Lincoln Park Speedway - Indiana Sprint Week!
I left earlier than I usually do, so I could nab me a good parking spot, because I knew that at some point they would be hard to come by. I took the right turn off of Hwy 243 at 5:20 and it was apparent that I should have left earlier. There were cars parked all the way out on US 40 this early and as I rolled up to the the lot closest to turn one I could see there were as many cars on that side of the facility as it was possible to fit in the space available. But some creative race fans had already started forming another row by backing up the hill right behind the ad sign boards that circle turns one and two. So I was in. Then, as I went up the hill I was greeted by a long line waiting at the box office. It moved quick, though. Then, just as soon as walked through the entrance onto the LPS deck, it became even more apparent that Joe and his were going to be rewarded by a huge crowd, on this night. And 50 sprinters in the pits meant that he had drawn the largest field yet, during Sprint Week 2016. This was all payback back for taking back their track from Mother Nature and removing a lake that she had deposited there. Come hell or high water (literally) they were going to race there tonight. There was never any doubt.
The track was really fast, but drawing early was definitely a good thing for qualifications, as times were slowing as the session went on. Although someone forgot to tell CJ Leary and Chad Boesplug, because they both went out late and were notable exceptions to this trend. While this was bad for most who hadn't drawn well, anybody who's been to more than a few races knew what else it also meant. We were going to have a feature that started ringers like Brady Short, Robert Ballou, Thomas Meseraull, Brady Bacon, Shane Cottle and Chris Windom starting way back in the field. On a track that had remained racy throughout the night.
At the drop of the green, Chase Stockon jumped out and grabbed the lead, but was being pressured by Dave Darland, who had started on the pole. Sunshine Tyler Courtney was just screaming around the top, as he had all night and would be a threat the leaders in a few laps. But just that quick, Courtney bounced to a stop in turn three and would find himself on the tail. At that yellow Brady Short had gone from quietly from 11th to 7th. I remember thinking "uh-oh" during that lull in the action. Then, when they went green again the next developing story was that the Madman and TMez were fast around the top and were tearing a path through the field. And Short continued to pick them off, one by one. Stockon and Boespflug remained strong and Tyler Thomas was starting to fade. After a few more laps, Short had wrestled positions away from Chad and Chase and everybody knew Dave's lead was living on borrowed time. Then Brady caught the leader and just drove away. More than once. At that point the battle for the lead had been settled and the fight for positions 2 through 8 or 9 would become one of the real highlights of the race. Ballou and Meseraull were far up into this pack already and Courtney had joined them from the back of the field, as well. There were several yellows late, so Chase and the others had several chances to undo that Brady had done to them, but it wasn't to be. Short was in a class by himself. Stockon and Boespflug were too tough for Ballou to overtake and rounded out the podium finish. The Madman passed 12 cars and didn't even get the Hard Charger. That belong to TMez, who had started two positions behind him and was just glued to Robert the entire race. Cottle and Coons passed quite a few cars and ended up with a decent night. And the winner had dominated a USAC field, from his 11th starting position.
It was a hell of a show, especially since it's a show that might not have ever happened if it weren't for a track operator and his team that just decided that there is no way in hell that this race was not going to happen tonight. Bravo to you Joe Spiker. As someone else said in another thread, you're probably the MVP on Sprint Week, to this point.
Jerry
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