It’s just human nature that when you have a bad experience with someone or something, the next time you deal with that person or thing, that you should be suspicious or at the very least leery. The funny thing about today, is that I didn’t walk into this situation feeling that way at all. Despite what may have happened there a short time ago, when I arrived I stepped out of my car, stood up, took a great big breath of Action Track air and thought to myself “I love this place!” And I had faith today was going to be a memorable one.

I didn’t even have to look at the track. Which is a departure from most of the times I had been there in recent history. That was always the first thing you had to do, just so you could prepare yourself to adjust your expectations, either up or down. More often than not, down. When I finally did, after I had been to the ticket booth, gone to the pits and back, had visited with quite a few friends and went to take my seat, what I saw was even better than I expected. It looked heavy, but smooth. Well watered, but firm and not sloppy or greasy, at all. It looked like a great track that had been well manicured and given it’s proper respect. And I’ve been around this place all my life and knew this all meant one thing. It meant that the perfect stage was set for the best drivers in the world to wage a classic war and bring the house down.

Right off the bat, the first hot lap session went green and they looked fast. When they gave the times and Keith Bloom, Jr. was in the 20 second range, that was confirmed. We had a fast track on our hands. The other sessions further confirmed this.

Individual qualifications at the Action Track are one of my favorite things in all of racing. The way they sound, especially. With the long straightaways, you get to hear these magnificent machines in their full-throated roar and at the same time get to appreciate each drivers individual method or lifting and then getting on the gas again, to deal with the fairly tight, semi-banked turns. Bloom would serve notice that he was the fastest man in the joint and that his hot lap times were no fluke.

Then, this set of heat races showed why they call these things ”heat races”. In the first one, Bloom looked strong, again. Clayton stopped on the backstretch, after being strong in third. And Malone and Gulick, went at it tooth and nail both during the race and after. And then again, even after they had wrecked. In the second, Boespflug won, while Schurenberg looked lightning fast, grabbing second, from the back row. And Cottle and Spencer would get sent to the B-Main. The third one was probably the best of them all. Ballou easily won, as Stockon, Hines, Fitzpatrick and Windom spent almost the entire heat swapping positions. At one point, Stockon looked for sure to be the one who would be the odd man out, but he turned that thinking on it’s head, by putting in up in the cushion and just standing on it. He ended up second and the hottest driver in the country would be headed to the B. The fourth was a little less eventful, with Darland the clear winner and surprisingly with Stanbrough looking flat and getting sent to the Semi.

The B-Main had two clear themes. First, Windom and Stanbrough’s teams had obviously made some changes and they were flying. And secondly, Spencer and Cottle would engage in a great battle, even though they were both already in the last two transfer spots. To me, this duel was a harbinger of things to come. The Action Track was primed and ready for a great feature.

Dustin Morgan led the first lap, but Chris Windom was making power moves within the Top 5, from the very beginning, so you knew the shelf life on his lead would be short. Chris grabbed the lead on the second lap and brought Jerry Coons with him. After a few laps, Windom began to stretch his lead out and looked to be in the process of checking out. While this was happening, there were a few subplots beginning to unfold.

Robert Ballou was on the hunt and started to take positions, right from the get go. Lap by lap, he was tracking down some tough hombres, catching them and taking their spots away. The ones with Jones, Hines, Morgan and Coons were especially riveting. And the one with Stanbrough was one of the better battles of the race. He passed Jon a couple of times, only to have him come bouncing back, having to fight him off, again. Ballou had worked his way up to third place and just when it looked like he might be the man to beat, here came Stanbrough, again. This time, when he took Robert’s spot away, he wouldn’t give it back, again. While all this was going on, Shane Cottle, who had started in the back was starting to tear a path through the field. And after a slow start, Hunter Schurenberg went on an even faster rampage and he had Damion Gardner in tow. And Dave Darland, also started deep in the field and at one point you looked up and he was only two positions behind Ballou. And all these fast movers converged and that resulted in great battles breaking out all over the place. The battle between Schurenberg and Cottle was fantastic! So was the one between Cottle and Gardner. And Gardner and Darland. And a late race recovery from Clauson resulted in another great one between him and Darland. And Stanbrough was trying to take second away from Bloom. And Bloom, who was way up there on the part of the track that is reserved only for those who have a big set of ‘em, wasn’t done with Windom yet. And in the end, Chris Windom was the man, but my God, was Keith Bloom Jr. ever impressive, tonight! He stood up to and beat probably the greatest driver of this generation, who is a lock to go to the Hall-of-Fame, on a night he was really on his game, at a track he’s great at and was all that the current hottest driver in the sport could handle.

Track conditions were great, tonight. They provided the perfect place for these great drivers to just go out there and knock one out of the park. And that they did. And this race was had so much going on, so many drivers just throwing down with each other simultaneously, that there’s no way that I could possibly keep track of everything that was going on and do this race justice, in describing the action. I’m just glad I was there. And I hope I never have to go back there again when Sargent and O’Connor AREN”T doing the track prep.

And Jack Kraemer would have loved this one.

Jerry

Great story, great report, great news from a somewhat troubled place......glad everything went well for a change!! USAC and THAT needed it!!

THAT was always a favorite track for alot of us OLE TIMERS also I am very HAPPY for Vigo co. sounds like a great show.

Hate that I missed it. Probably could have made it but after the SC disaster, I wasn't too worried about it. Sounds like my loss.

Sounds like Hunter put on a show up top! Hopefully he can start putting some more consistant finishes together. He has been one of the fastest cars all week. Sounds like those Pennsylvania engines are good ones! Best of luck to him.

As far a Levi goes, the entire TSR operation hasn't been quite up too par compared to years past. Schatz and Kinser have one a few times but they havent been as dominate like in the past. Hopefully he can get it turned around. Hard to run against guys that are racing three nights a week.

It definately has to be a good feeling to be Chris Windom and the Baldwins. He is blazing fast and consistant every night. He has definately turned that team around.

Been loving these write-ups Jerry! Keep up the good work!

Congrats go out to Chris Windom & Team. Looks like this years ride swap is working out pretty well for those guys. He appeared to have reserve power whenever he really needed it last night. Car was a rocket off of turn 2 all night. Bloom also looked very impressive as well, trying Windom on the high side multiple times.
Another 10 laps and I think Jon Stanbrough would have been a serious threat for the win, as he seemed to have more backstretch speed than anyone. Ballou is always a serious contender and ballz out on the big tracks.
Nice big crowd for the mid-week show. Track held up nicely considering their available prep time and equipment. Wreckers seemed to struggle removing damaged cars in a timely fashion. But they always seem to struggle up there. Wouldn't the aerator on the back of the tractor be more productive if it was adjusted differently or had some more weight added to it? Tines were barely penetrating the surface. Do not misunderstand as track was still pretty good.
Glad I was not close to the fence the one time when the water truck was watering the spectator side of the fence.
Had a nice conversation w/ USAC flagger about Sumar debacle. He deserves more credit than he normally gets from fans. Enjoyed my evening conversations with the older couple from Texas. The Gentleman noted that they wanted to do the complete ISW before they died. That is my kind of racefan.
All in all one of the better races that I have seen at THAT. Escaped out the back exit for a speedy retreat out to US 41 S. Oh yeah, Fair Vendor Philly Steak Sandwich was awesome. See ya at B-Town and Tri-State.

it was my first time at the action track and it was great to see all the great passing and all around great event. was glad to be on hand for a great night of racing

Damn skippy he would have

I'm not sure what race you guys were watching but I thought it was kinda boring...

Good article Jerry!

Jerry In your story you talked about hitting one out of the park. Well every story you write to me is a grand slam. Thanks for write them .