Qualifying is everything in USAC. You need to be in the top 8-10 to have a good shot at a good finish. There are exceptions.

Lawrenceburg Last Night:
QUALIFICATIONS: 1. Justin Grant, 5B, Baldwin-13.367; 2. Bobby East, 5, Klatt-13.387; 3. Kurt Gross, 1x, Gross-13.420; 4. Damion Gardner, 71, DG-13.529; 5. Levi Jones, 20, Stewart-13.542; 6. Blake Fitzpatrick, 10F, Fitzpatrick-13.594; 7. Dave Darland, 39, Goodnight-13.612; 8. Matt Mitchell, 37x, Mitchell-13.631; 9. Ricky Williams, 11w, Williams-13.645; 10. Brady Short, 36, Short-13.647; 11. John Memmer, 4m, Memmer-13.738;

Main finish (start)
Darland(3) Short(2) East(7) Jones(4) Gardner(5)

Memmer started on the pole lead most of the race til he fell out.
Grant was fast time, was running 6th til last lap.
Gross qualified great, didn't catch what happened to him in main???
East was 2nd quick, didn't make it out of his heat, started on pole of B. Started 7th in the main, (fastest qualifier transferring out of B starts 7th). Another reason to Qualify good.

Qualifying is **IMPORTANT** in USAC, that is #1, then you have to run top 4 in your heat race. (Levi(4), Gardner(5) and Grant(1) made it out of their heats). (East(2), Gross(3), Fitz(6), Mitchell(8), and Williams(9) didn't make it out of heats, allowing Memmer(11), Short(10), and DD(7) to move into the inversion.

'burg Side Notes:
Hunter was the exception last night, he had a great run to 6th. He came through the pack and got by Grant for 6th on the last lap.
Great Job to Hunter, good run!

Congrats to DD for yet another victory. Hard to find a better race car driver on and off the track.

Hard Luck award has to go to Memmer. (hate to see that happen)
Hope Bloom is doing OK, and Elson, Hmeil, Riggs get cars fixed for Gas City.

Hate to see drivers get out of their car and hit another driver on the track. Is USAC doing anything about the "Road(Track) Rage" last night?
Take it to the pits, on the track is no place to have a temper fit.

Thought my Dark Horse pick, (Justin Grant), had a chance to pull it off. Congrats to JG for fast time, and a great run in his heat race, (6th to 2nd). Just kind of hung where he started in the main til the last lap, when he biked and ran 8th.

Good Start to Speedweek, and good luck to all at Gas City.
Dave