I mean what more could you ask for? The final race of Sprint Week. The two guys that had been the best, over that two week period, tied. At Haubstadt. On a 70 degree day.
First off, as always, Tommy and his crew hit it out of the park and set the stage perfectly, for these guys to settle the score. BC was bending his Maxim around the tires on both ends, in a way that looked to defy the laws of physics. Levi could seemingly make his go where ever want to go, when ever he wanted to. And, in the last half of the race especially, Chad Boat was just screaming around the top in a way that demonstrated just exactly what they call these things sprint cars. Another lap or two and he might have bested both of this series' top dogs. The bottom line is that this greatest series came down to the last lap. At the last race. On a perfect day. At perhaps the best little race track ever.
Now, going into this, I told several people that whoever won this would have to do so, by out-Levi'ing Levi. And Levi was in true form in this series, with not a single bad finish. Punctuated by grabbing the trophies at two of ISW's events, including the series finale, last night. This guy is and always will be champion, in the truest sense of the word. The Levi Jones-TSR combo is the gold standard in USAC Sprint racing. And has been for a while.
What an effort and testament to the character of Bryan Clauson this series turned out to be, as well. Not only in the way he competed in the top echelon every event. But also, by the way he got off of the canvas and came up swinging, after the couple of setbacks he had. The uncharacteristic poor finish at Terre Haute and having the cards stacked against him by Bland's early race blunder @ Haubstadt, would have finished many a competitor. Not this one. When you consider sprint and midget, dirt and pavement, there isn't a better all-around driver than BC. And Tim puts a better BC on the track, than anybody else has.
And lastly, Chad Boat. This youngster became a star in the last two weeks. There is a watershed event in most racers' careers. One that just, for one reason or another, just flips the switch and ignites things. IMO, the Bob Darland Memorial-Midget double feature wins will turn out to be that event for Chad. From that day forward, this guy and his dad (what an asset it is to have Billy Boat in your pit) will be a bear to have to compete with and beat.
How lucky I am to live right here in the middle of all of this and to have gotten to see all the races in this year's Indiana Midget Week and Indiana Sprint Week. 2009 is a great year, so far. If you're one of those people who insist the sky is falling and racing is dying, look me up at the track, sometime. I would love to debate against that perspective.
Jerry