Usac: Thomas' qualifying prowess has turned heads in 2018

admin · 11/7/18, 4:00 PM

11/7/18 3:48 PM THOMAS' QUALIFYING PROWESS HAS TURNED HEADS IN 2018

http://usacracing.com/news/sprint-ca...-heads-in-2018

THOMAS' QUALIFYING PROWESS HAS TURNED HEADS IN 2018

By: Richie Murray – USAC Media

Perris, California………When it comes down to the end of a nitty gritty USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car points race, you look for any omens you can spot.

You may look for a titlist in terms of overall victories – 2nd in points Tyler Courtney has 11.* Perhaps it’s in terms of consistency – 3rd in points Chris Windom has a series-leading 35 top-ten finishes in 37 starts.

One that kind of gets overlooked is fast qualifying times.* Series point leader Kevin Thomas, Jr. has a season-leading 14 in 2018, which is 10 more than his nearest competitor.* But, when you think about it, each fast qualifying time pays points – 6 points in fact.* This year, Courtney has a pair while Windom has just one.* All those points add up at the end of the season, not to mention that laying down a good lap sets the tone for the night and will place that driver in the top-portion of the field come feature time.

Against a field as tough as this one is, being in a position where you don’t have to pass as many cars is essential.* A bad qualifying lap puts you behind the proverbial eight-ball, forcing a driver to play the game of catchup all throughout the year.* Plus, starting near the back puts you in more jeopardy of being caught up in an incident that takes you out of contention for feature wins and, thus, max pointage.

One of the more telling facts is that the only three occasions in which a driver has reached double-digits in fast qualifying times during a USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car season, it has resulted in that driver winning the series title: Tom Bigelow in 1978, Rich Vogler in 1989 and Bryan Clauson in 2012.

Kevin Thomas, Jr.’s historical 2018 season has already equaled him with Tom Bigelow’s record of 14 fast times in 1978.* A look inside the numbers reveals that Bigelow scored quick times at eight different tracks: Winchester and Salem four times apiece, and one each at IRP, I-70, Toledo, Sharon, Sandusky and Queen City.

Thomas, meanwhile, has done this at a record 13 different venues, repeating the feat at Bubba Raceway Park in race one and three of the 2018 season, then reeling off a stretch of quick times at Plymouth, Eldora, Terre Haute, I-80, Williams Grove, Port Royal, BAPS, Bridgeport, Bloomington, Tri-State, Kokomo and Tri-City.

Both ripped off streaks of four consecutive fast times at one point in the season.* Bigelow doing four-in-row at Sharon, Sandusky and back-to-back afternoons at Salem in June of 1978.* Thomas did four-straight in four nights this year during Eastern Storm at Williams Grove, Port Roya, BAPS and Bridgeport.

Interestingly, Bigelow’s big qualifying year of 1978 came one year following becoming the winningest driver in the series, but coming up just shy of the title.* Thomas was the winningest driver of 2017 and translated that to more “consistent” runs to put him in contention for the season title.

By no means does any of this mean it’s a foregone conclusion that KT has the title locked up, but qualifying up front regularly certainly pays its dividends and will prove so once again in this week’s 23rd annual Budweiser “Oval Nationals” presented by All Coast Construction at California’s Perris Auto Speedway.* Either way, as is the case in most race you go to, you can see something that’s never occurred before in the history of the series. *Kevin Thomas, Jr. can be a part of that history this week.

On Thursday and Friday, the pits open at noon, front gates open at 4pm, drivers meeting at 4:30pm and cars on track at 5:30pm.* On Saturday, the pits open at noon, front gates open at 3pm, autograph session from 3-4pm, drivers meeting at 4:30pm and cars on track at 5:15pm.

All three nights will be live on http://www.speedshifttv.com/ with live audio also available on the USAC app.

----------------------------------------

MOST FAST QUALIFYING TIMES (SINGLE SEASON) – USAC NATIONAL SPRINT CARS

BY RANK:

1978: 14-Tom Bigelow

2018: 14-Kevin Thomas, Jr.

1989: 10-Rich Vogler

2012: 10-Bryan Clauson

1977: 9-Pancho Carter

1995: 9-Kenny Irwin, Jr.

2002: 9-J.J. Yeley

2003: 9-J.J. Yeley

1976: 8-Pancho Carter

1979: 8-Steve Chassey

2013: 8-Dave Darland

2014: 8-Brady Bacon

2015: 8-Chase Stockon

2000: 7-Jay Drake & Tracy Hines

2017: 7 Justin Grant

1961: 6-Roger McCluskey

1966: 6-Don Branson & Roger McCluskey

1968: 6-Sonny Ates & Larry Dickson

1970: 6-Larry Dickson & Bill Puterbaugh

1971: 6-Larry Dickson

1984: 6-Rick Hood

1990: 6-Steve Butler

1991: 6-Steve Butler

1996: 6-Dave Darland

1997: 6-Richard Griffin

1999: 6-Tracy Hines

2001: 6-Tracy Hines

2016: 6-Bryan Clauson & Chase Stockon

1962: 5-Parnelii Jones

1965: 5-Johnny Rutherford

1973: 5-Sam Sessions & Tom Sneva

1974: 5-Tom Bigelow

1980: 5-Tom Bigelow

1981: 5-Eddie Leavitt

1982: 5-Sheldon Kinser

1983: 5-Rich Vogler

1994: 5-Mike Bliss & Doug Kalitta

1998: 5-Tony Elliott & Brian Tyler

2004: 5-Levi Jones

2005: 5-Levi Jones

2006: 5-Levi Jones & Josh Wise

2008: 5-Tracy Hines

2010: 5-Bryan Clauson

2011: 5-Levi Jones

1964: 4-A.J. Foyt & Jud Larson

1967: 4-Greg Weld

1969: 4-Larry Dickson, Cy Fairchild & Greg Weld

1972: 4-Tom Bigelow

1975: 4-Marvin Carman, Pancho Carter & Larry Dickson

1985: 4-Steve Butler

2009: 4-Bryan Clauson, Tracy Hines & Jon Stanbrough

1963: 3-Don Branson, A.J. Foyt, Chuck Hulse & Parnelli Jones

1987: 3-Rich Vogler

1988: 3-Tray House & Rich Vogler

1992: 3-Jim Keeker & Robbie Stanley

1993: 3-Doug Kalitta

2007: 3-Bryan Clauson, Jerry Coons, Jr. & Levi Jones

1986: 2-Sheldon Kinser

*

MOST FAST QUALIFYING TIMES (SINGLE SEASON) – USAC NATIONAL SPRINT CARS

BY YEAR:

1961: 6-Roger McCluskey

1962: 5-Parnelii Jones

1963: 3-Don Branson, A.J. Foyt, Chuck Hulse & Parnelli Jones

1964: 4-A.J. Foyt & Jud Larson

1965: 5-Johnny Rutherford

1966: 6-Don Branson & Roger McCluskey

1967: 4-Greg Weld

1968: 6-Sonny Ates & Larry Dickson

1969: 4-Larry Dickson, Cy Fairchild & Greg Weld

1970: 6-Larry Dickson & Bill Puterbaugh

1971: 6-Larry Dickson

1972: 4-Tom Bigelow

1973: 5-Sam Sessions & Tom Sneva

1974: 5-Tom Bigelow

1975: 4-Marvin Carman, Pancho Carter & Larry Dickson

1976: 8-Pancho Carter

1977: 9-Pancho Carter

1978: 14-Tom Bigelow

1979: 8-Steve Chassey

1980: 5-Tom Bigelow

1981: 5-Eddie Leavitt

1982: 5-Sheldon Kinser

1983: 5-Rich Vogler

1984: 6-Rick Hood

1985: 4-Steve Butler

1986: 2-Sheldon Kinser

1987: 3-Rich Vogler

1988: 3-Tray House & Rich Vogler

1989: 10-Rich Vogler

1990: 6-Steve Butler

1991: 6-Steve Butler

1992: 3-Jim Keeker & Robbie Stanley

1993: 3-Doug Kalitta

1994: 5-Mike Bliss & Doug Kalitta

1995: 9-Kenny Irwin, Jr.

1996: 6-Dave Darland

1997: 6-Richard Griffin

1998: 5-Tony Elliott & Brian Tyler

1999: 6-Tracy Hines

2000: 7-Jay Drake & Tracy Hines

2001: 6-Tracy Hines

2002: 9-J.J. Yeley

2003: 9-J.J. Yeley

2004: 5-Levi Jones

2005: 5-Levi Jones

2006: 5-Levi Jones & Josh Wise

2007: 3-Bryan Clauson, Jerry Coons, Jr. & Levi Jones

2008: 5-Tracy Hines

2009: 4-Bryan Clauson, Tracy Hines & Jon Stanbrough

2010: 5-Bryan Clauson

2011: 5-Levi Jones

2012: 10-Bryan Clauson

2013: 8-Dave Darland

2014: 8-Brady Bacon

2015: 8-Chase Stockon

2016: 6-Bryan Clauson & Chase Stockon

2017: 7 Justin Grant

2018: 14-Kevin Thomas, Jr.

*

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11/7/18, 4:00 PM	#1 Usac: Thomas' qualifying prowess has turned heads in 2018
admin Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 11,924	11/7/18 3:48 PM THOMAS' QUALIFYING PROWESS HAS TURNED HEADS IN 2018 http://usacracing.com/news/sprint-ca...-heads-in-2018 THOMAS' QUALIFYING PROWESS HAS TURNED HEADS IN 2018 *By: Richie Murray – USAC Media* Perris, California………When it comes down to the end of a nitty gritty USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car points race, you look for any omens you can spot. You may look for a titlist in terms of overall victories – 2nd in points Tyler Courtney has 11.* Perhaps it’s in terms of consistency – 3rd in points Chris Windom has a series-leading 35 top-ten finishes in 37 starts. One that kind of gets overlooked is fast qualifying times.* Series point leader Kevin Thomas, Jr. has a season-leading 14 in 2018, which is 10 more than his nearest competitor.* But, when you think about it, each fast qualifying time pays points – 6 points in fact.* This year, Courtney has a pair while Windom has just one.* All those points add up at the end of the season, not to mention that laying down a good lap sets the tone for the night and will place that driver in the top-portion of the field come feature time. Against a field as tough as this one is, being in a position where you don’t have to pass as many cars is essential.* A bad qualifying lap puts you behind the proverbial eight-ball, forcing a driver to play the game of catchup all throughout the year.* Plus, starting near the back puts you in more jeopardy of being caught up in an incident that takes you out of contention for feature wins and, thus, max pointage. One of the more telling facts is that the only three occasions in which a driver has reached double-digits in fast qualifying times during a USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car season, it has resulted in that driver winning the series title: Tom Bigelow in 1978, Rich Vogler in 1989 and Bryan Clauson in 2012. Kevin Thomas, Jr.’s historical 2018 season has already equaled him with Tom Bigelow’s record of 14 fast times in 1978.* A look inside the numbers reveals that Bigelow scored quick times at eight different tracks: Winchester and Salem four times apiece, and one each at IRP, I-70, Toledo, Sharon, Sandusky and Queen City. Thomas, meanwhile, has done this at a record 13 different venues, repeating the feat at Bubba Raceway Park in race one and three of the 2018 season, then reeling off a stretch of quick times at Plymouth, Eldora, Terre Haute, I-80, Williams Grove, Port Royal, BAPS, Bridgeport, Bloomington, Tri-State, Kokomo and Tri-City. Both ripped off streaks of four consecutive fast times at one point in the season.* Bigelow doing four-in-row at Sharon, Sandusky and back-to-back afternoons at Salem in June of 1978.* Thomas did four-straight in four nights this year during Eastern Storm at Williams Grove, Port Roya, BAPS and Bridgeport. Interestingly, Bigelow’s big qualifying year of 1978 came one year following becoming the winningest driver in the series, but coming up just shy of the title.* Thomas was the winningest driver of 2017 and translated that to more “consistent” runs to put him in contention for the season title. By no means does any of this mean it’s a foregone conclusion that KT has the title locked up, but qualifying up front regularly certainly pays its dividends and will prove so once again in this week’s 23rd annual Budweiser “Oval Nationals” presented by All Coast Construction at California’s Perris Auto Speedway.* Either way, as is the case in most race you go to, you can see something that’s never occurred before in the history of the series. Kevin Thomas, Jr. can be a part of that history this week. On Thursday and Friday, the pits open at noon, front gates open at 4pm, drivers meeting at 4:30pm and cars on track at 5:30pm. On Saturday, the pits open at noon, front gates open at 3pm, autograph session from 3-4pm, drivers meeting at 4:30pm and cars on track at 5:15pm. All three nights will be live on http://www.speedshifttv.com/ with live audio also available on the USAC app. ---------------------------------------- MOST FAST QUALIFYING TIMES (SINGLE SEASON) – USAC NATIONAL SPRINT CARS *BY RANK:* 1978: 14-Tom Bigelow 2018: 14-Kevin Thomas, Jr. 1989: 10-Rich Vogler 2012: 10-Bryan Clauson 1977: 9-Pancho Carter 1995: 9-Kenny Irwin, Jr. 2002: 9-J.J. Yeley 2003: 9-J.J. Yeley 1976: 8-Pancho Carter 1979: 8-Steve Chassey 2013: 8-Dave Darland 2014: 8-Brady Bacon 2015: 8-Chase Stockon 2000: 7-Jay Drake & Tracy Hines 2017: 7 Justin Grant 1961: 6-Roger McCluskey 1966: 6-Don Branson & Roger McCluskey 1968: 6-Sonny Ates & Larry Dickson 1970: 6-Larry Dickson & Bill Puterbaugh 1971: 6-Larry Dickson 1984: 6-Rick Hood 1990: 6-Steve Butler 1991: 6-Steve Butler 1996: 6-Dave Darland 1997: 6-Richard Griffin 1999: 6-Tracy Hines 2001: 6-Tracy Hines 2016: 6-Bryan Clauson & Chase Stockon 1962: 5-Parnelii Jones 1965: 5-Johnny Rutherford 1973: 5-Sam Sessions & Tom Sneva 1974: 5-Tom Bigelow 1980: 5-Tom Bigelow 1981: 5-Eddie Leavitt 1982: 5-Sheldon Kinser 1983: 5-Rich Vogler 1994: 5-Mike Bliss & Doug Kalitta 1998: 5-Tony Elliott & Brian Tyler 2004: 5-Levi Jones 2005: 5-Levi Jones 2006: 5-Levi Jones & Josh Wise 2008: 5-Tracy Hines 2010: 5-Bryan Clauson 2011: 5-Levi Jones 1964: 4-A.J. Foyt & Jud Larson 1967: 4-Greg Weld 1969: 4-Larry Dickson, Cy Fairchild & Greg Weld 1972: 4-Tom Bigelow 1975: 4-Marvin Carman, Pancho Carter & Larry Dickson 1985: 4-Steve Butler 2009: 4-Bryan Clauson, Tracy Hines & Jon Stanbrough 1963: 3-Don Branson, A.J. Foyt, Chuck Hulse & Parnelli Jones 1987: 3-Rich Vogler 1988: 3-Tray House & Rich Vogler 1992: 3-Jim Keeker & Robbie Stanley 1993: 3-Doug Kalitta 2007: 3-Bryan Clauson, Jerry Coons, Jr. & Levi Jones 1986: 2-Sheldon Kinser * MOST FAST QUALIFYING TIMES (SINGLE SEASON) – USAC NATIONAL SPRINT CARS *BY YEAR:* 1961: 6-Roger McCluskey 1962: 5-Parnelii Jones 1963: 3-Don Branson, A.J. Foyt, Chuck Hulse & Parnelli Jones 1964: 4-A.J. Foyt & Jud Larson 1965: 5-Johnny Rutherford 1966: 6-Don Branson & Roger McCluskey 1967: 4-Greg Weld 1968: 6-Sonny Ates & Larry Dickson 1969: 4-Larry Dickson, Cy Fairchild & Greg Weld 1970: 6-Larry Dickson & Bill Puterbaugh 1971: 6-Larry Dickson 1972: 4-Tom Bigelow 1973: 5-Sam Sessions & Tom Sneva 1974: 5-Tom Bigelow 1975: 4-Marvin Carman, Pancho Carter & Larry Dickson 1976: 8-Pancho Carter 1977: 9-Pancho Carter 1978: 14-Tom Bigelow 1979: 8-Steve Chassey 1980: 5-Tom Bigelow 1981: 5-Eddie Leavitt 1982: 5-Sheldon Kinser 1983: 5-Rich Vogler 1984: 6-Rick Hood 1985: 4-Steve Butler 1986: 2-Sheldon Kinser 1987: 3-Rich Vogler 1988: 3-Tray House & Rich Vogler 1989: 10-Rich Vogler 1990: 6-Steve Butler 1991: 6-Steve Butler 1992: 3-Jim Keeker & Robbie Stanley 1993: 3-Doug Kalitta 1994: 5-Mike Bliss & Doug Kalitta 1995: 9-Kenny Irwin, Jr. 1996: 6-Dave Darland 1997: 6-Richard Griffin 1998: 5-Tony Elliott & Brian Tyler 1999: 6-Tracy Hines 2000: 7-Jay Drake & Tracy Hines 2001: 6-Tracy Hines 2002: 9-J.J. Yeley 2003: 9-J.J. Yeley 2004: 5-Levi Jones 2005: 5-Levi Jones 2006: 5-Levi Jones & Josh Wise 2007: 3-Bryan Clauson, Jerry Coons, Jr. & Levi Jones 2008: 5-Tracy Hines 2009: 4-Bryan Clauson, Tracy Hines & Jon Stanbrough 2010: 5-Bryan Clauson 2011: 5-Levi Jones 2012: 10-Bryan Clauson 2013: 8-Dave Darland 2014: 8-Brady Bacon 2015: 8-Chase Stockon 2016: 6-Bryan Clauson & Chase Stockon 2017: 7 Justin Grant 2018: 14-Kevin Thomas, Jr. *