USAC Sprints at Lawrenceburg and Terre Haute
Photo by Chuck Reed
SPEEDWAY, Ind.—Two of USAC’s most oft-visited dirt tracks are on the USAC AMSOIL Sprint Car National Championship slate this weekend in the state of Indiana.
Both of which present some of the fastest and most exhilarating racing action of the season.
Lawrenceburg Speedway’s 3/8-mile oval presents the third annual Justin Owen Memorial on Saturday, April 11. The Terre Haute Action Track’s 1/2-mile oval showcases the series for the 23rd running of the Jim Hurtubise Classic on Sunday, April 12.
ONE-TWO-GRANT
Eleven of Justin Grant’s 67 career USAC National Sprint Car victories have come at the two tracks on this weekend’s docket – Lawrenceburg (7) and Terre Haute (4).
The Ione, California native is the defending winner of the Justin Owen Memorial. Furthermore, he’s the most recent USAC National Sprint Car winner at Terre Haute last Fall. Additionally, he’s also the winner of the two most recent series races, scoring at Florida’s Ocala Speedway in February and again at Illinois’ Red Hill Raceway last weekend.
His seven career USAC National Sprint Car wins at Lawrenceburg are tied with Dave Darland for the most all-time of any driver. He also owns four USAC National Sprint Car wins at Terre Haute, including the Hurtubise Classic in 2019.
DOWN BUT NOT OUT FOR BALLOU
Last week, Robert Ballou experienced an accident with a grinder that sliced open one of his wrists that required stitches. During last weekend’s feature at Red Hill, he felt the pain but still led 12 laps and finished fourth for his best result of the year thus far.
With another week of healing, the Rocklin, California racer is geared up to take on a pair of tracks in which he was won USAC races at.
Ballou has won three USAC National Sprint Car features in his career at Terre Haute, including the 2015 Hurtubise Classic. He reigned triumphant at Lawrenceburg back in 2011.
OWNING BOTH PLACES
Speaking of winning USAC National Sprint Car main events at both Lawrenceburg and Terre Haute, there are six drivers in this weekend’s field who meet that criteria: Justin Grant, Kevin Thomas Jr., Logan Seavey, Chase Stockon, Robert Ballou and C.J. Leary.
Grant owns 11 series wins between the two places (7 at Terre Haute & 4 at Lawrenceburg). Thomas Jr. possesses eight (6 at Lawrenceburg & 2 at Terre Haute). Seavey has seven (5 at Lawrenceburg & 2 at Terre Haute).
Stockon’s first two career USAC National Sprint Car wins came at these two tracks. Overall, he has five victories between the two joints (4 at Terre Haute & 1 at Lawrenceburg). For Ballou, it’s four (1 at Lawrenceburg & 3 at Terre Haute). It’s three for Leary (2 at Lawrenceburg & 1 at Terre Haute).
BURG, BUT NO HAUTE…YET
On the flip side, there are two more drivers who’ve experienced USAC National Sprint Car victory lane at Lawrenceburg, but a win at Terre Haute has eluded them thus far: Kyle Cummins and Briggs Danner.
Cummins has won twice with USAC at Lawrenceburg in his career, including last Fall. Meanwhile, Danner has one from late in the 2024 season.
At Terre Haute, Cummins has twice finished as the runner-up with USAC in 2021 and 2023, and has finished on the podium on another two occasions in 2024 and 2025. He did win at Terre Haute with the Midwest Sprint Car Series in 2021.
Thus far, Danner’s best Terre Haute performance has come with the USAC Silver Crown in a fourth place run in 2025. His best USAC Sprint Car run so far at T.H.A.T. was an 8th in 2024.
Both Cummins and Danner are vying for their first USAC National Sprint Car wins of the year this coming weekend. Cummins enters on a streak of five consecutive top-five finishes while Danner had his best run of the year, a third, last Friday at Red Hill.
HONORING J.O.
Saturday’s third annual Justin Owen Memorial is a special one, honoring the life and memory of the driver who passed away in a qualifying crash during the April 2023 USAC event at Lawrenceburg.
The 26-year-old Owen was the 2022 sprint car track champion at Lawrenceburg, scoring two feature wins en route to the title at the 3/8-mile dirt oval in southeastern Indiana where he’d long been a regular competitor for several seasons. Among his greatest achievements were a victory in the season-closing Dick Gaines Memorial at Lawrenceburg in 2022. With USAC, Owen made two feature starts, both at Lawrenceburg in 2019 and 2021.
For Saturday, $8,004 will be up for grabs to the feature winner and $804 to start. Bonus money has also been added to the purse courtesy of friends, family, sponsors, donations and t-shirt sales.
Among the bonuses are rewards for second fastest hot lap time, second fastest qualifying time, fourth place finisher in each heat race, first non-transfer in the semi-feature, fourth place in the feature, and more.
Furthermore, Shawn Westerfeld will be on hand to compete in the event as the driver of the Fischesser-Owen Racing #4J, the same team with which Owen drove for.
THE INCREDIBLE HERK
It’s been five years since the last Jim Hurtubise Classic was held. Between 1990-2021, it was a yearly occurrence at the Terre Haute Action Track, but the event returns to the schedule this Sunday.
The race honors the late, great Hurtubise, the 1993 National Sprint Car Hall of Fame and 2015 USAC Hall of Fame inductee who achieved what seemed nearly impossible, winning five consecutive USAC National Sprint Car feature events at Terre Haute between 1960 and 1962.
Hurtubise, of North Tonawanda, N.Y., stood the racing world on its ears in 1960 when he flirted with the 150-mph barrier at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway where he was that year’s Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year. National Championship wins for Hurtubise came at Sacramento, Calif., Langhorne, Pa. and Springfield, Ill. (twice), before suffering serious burns in an accident at Milwaukee, Wisc. in 1964.
He was the last driver to wheel a front-engine car at the Indianapolis 500 in 1968. A spectacular Sprint Car racer, he won 14 USAC features and was also an accomplished stock car racer, having won the 1966 Atlanta 500 NASCAR Cup race.
Rusty McClure, who captured his one and only career USAC National Sprint Car victory during the 1992 Jim Hurtubise Classic at the Terre Haute Action Track, will serve as the grand marshal.
RACE DETAILS
Saturday’s April 11 Justin Owen Memorial features the USAC AMSOIL Sprint Car National Championship, plus the DIRTcar UMP Modifieds. Pits open at 2pm Eastern, with the front gates opening at 5pm, the drivers meeting at 5:15pm and hot laps at 6pm with qualifying and racing to follow.
Advance tickets on sale now at https://www.lawrenceburgspeedway.com/. Grandstand admission for ages 13 & up is $25. Kids age 12 & under are $10. Pit passes are $35. Kids pit passes are $15.
Sunday’s April 12 Jim Hurtubise Classic features the USAC AMSOIL Sprint Car National Championship, plus Modifieds. Pits open at 2pm Eastern with front gates opening at 4pm, the drivers meeting at 5:30pm, hot laps at 6pm with qualifying and racing immediately following.
Tickets are $30 for grandstand seating. Kids age 12 and under are free. Pit passes are $40. Infield admission is $15 and allows for access to the grass infield of the Action Track through the tunnel at the far right (turn one side) of the main grandstand.
This weekend’s two events can be watched LIVE on FloRacing at https://flosports.link/usac2026.
USAC AMSOIL SPRINT CAR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS: 1-Logan Seavey-459, 2-Kyle Cummins-454, 3-Jake Swanson-439, 4-Justin Grant-437, 5-Mitchel Moles-423, 6-Chase Stockon-420, 7-Brady Bacon-402, 8-Kevin Thomas Jr.-401, 9-Briggs Danner-386, 10-Trey Osborne-353.
TRACK RECORDS FOR USAC NATIONAL SPRINT CARS AT LAWRENCEBURG SPEEDWAY:
1 Lap - 7/9/2008 - Levi Jones - 12.926
8 Laps - 9/28/2013 - Tracy Hines - 1:51.91
10 Laps - 7/10/2008 - Cole Whitt - 2:18.19
12 Laps - 10/1/2016 - Stevie Sussex - 2:51.39
30 Laps - 10/1/2016 - Josh Hodges - 7:21.09
JUSTIN OWEN MEMORIAL WINS:
1-Justin Grant & Kevin Thomas Jr.
JUSTIN OWEN MEMORIAL WINNERS:
2024: Kevin Thomas Jr. (4/13)
2025: Justin Grant (4/12)
USAC NATIONAL SPRINT CAR WINS AT LAWRENCEBURG SPEEDWAY:
7-Dave Darland & Justin Grant
6-Kevin Thomas Jr.
5-Logan Seavey & Jon Stanbrough
4-Jack Hewitt
3-Brady Bacon, Kevin Briscoe, Bryan Clauson & Rick Hood
2-Kyle Cummins, Tony Elliott, Levi Jones, C.J. Leary, Danny Milburn & Brian Tyler
1-Robert Ballou, Jeff Bland Jr., Mark Cassella, Jerry Coons Jr., Tyler Courtney, Briggs Danner, Kevin Doty, Jay Drake, Dickie Gaines, Damion Gardner, Josh Hodges, Logan Jarrett, Thomas Meseraull, Rodney Ritter Jr., Brady Short, Chase Stockon, Kevin Thomas, Chris Windom, Josh Wise & J.J. Yeley
USAC NATIONAL SPRINT CAR WINNERS AT LAWRENCEBURG SPEEDWAY:
1983: Danny Milburn (9/18)
1984: Rick Hood (6/9) & Danny Milburn (9/16)
1985: Rick Hood (6/8)
1986: Rick Hood (6/7)
1988: Jack Hewitt (6/4)
1989: Rodney Ritter Jr. (7/1)
1992: Kevin Thomas (8/8)
1993: Jack Hewitt (7/10)
1994: Jon Stanbrough (6/18)
1995: Jack Hewitt (7/1)
1996: Mark Cassella (8/31)
1997: Brian Tyler (7/19) & Brian Tyler (8/30)
1998: Kevin Doty (5/30), Dave Darland (7/18) & Dave Darland (8/29)
1999: Kevin Briscoe (6/5), Jack Hewitt (7/22) & Tony Elliott (8/28)
2000: Kevin Briscoe (7/22) & Tony Elliott (8/26)
2001: Dave Darland (7/26)
2002: Kevin Briscoe (7/25)
2003: J.J. Yeley (5/31), Jay Drake (6/1) & Jon Stanbrough (7/24)
2004: Jon Stanbrough (7/22)
2005: Dickie Gaines (7/21)
2006: Jon Stanbrough (4/22)
2007: Levi Jones (4/21), Jon Stanbrough (7/11) & Dave Darland (7/12)
2008: Jeff Bland Jr. (7/9) & Brady Short (7/10)
2009: Josh Wise (4/18), Dave Darland (7/10), Jerry Coons Jr. (8/22 Special Event) &
Damion Gardner (10/2)
2010: Jerry Coons Jr. (4/17) & Dave Darland (7/9)
2011: Robert Ballou (7/10), Levi Jones (10/1)
2012: Justin Grant (7/15) & Chase Stockon (9/29)
2013: Kevin Thomas Jr. (4/6), Kevin Thomas Jr. (7/14) & Bryan Clauson (9/28)
2014: Justin Grant (4/5) & Bryan Clauson (9/27)
2015: Logan Jarrett (4/4), Brady Bacon (7/12) & Thomas Meseraull (10/3)
2016: Dave Darland (4/2), Bryan Clauson (7/10) & Josh Hodges (10/1)
2017: Chris Windom (4/1), C.J. Leary (7/9) & Kevin Thomas Jr. (9/30)
2018: Tyler Courtney (7/22) & Justin Grant (9/29)
2019: Justin Grant (7/21) & Kevin Thomas Jr. (10/5)
2020: C.J. Leary (7/26) & Brady Bacon (10/3)
2021: Brady Bacon (4/3), Logan Seavey (7/25) & Kevin Thomas Jr. (10/2)
2022: Kyle Cummins (10/1)
2023: Justin Grant (7/24) & Justin Grant (10/7)
2024: Kevin Thomas Jr. (4/13) & Logan Seavey (7/30), Briggs Danner (10/11) & Logan Seavey (10/12)
2025: Justin Grant (4/12), Logan Seavey (7/27), Kyle Cummins (10/10) & Logan Seavey (10/11)
TRACK RECORDS FOR USAC NATIONAL SPRINT CARS AT THE TERRE HAUTE ACTION TRACK:
1 Lap - 5/21/2014 - Brady Bacon - 19.225
4 Laps - 5/4/1986 - Larry Gates - 1:36.18
6 Laps - 5/17/2003 - Kurt Gross - 2:07.21
7 Laps - 5/21/2024 - Shane Cottle - 2:35.29
8 Laps - 10/12/2012 - Hunter Schuerenberg - 2:39.40
10 Laps - 6/17/2000 - Jon Stanbrough - 3:29.13
12 Laps - 9/10/2011 - Jon Stanbrough - 4:02.90
30 Laps - 10/1/2021 - Chris Windom - 10:31.97
40 Laps - 5/4/1975 - Pancho Carter - 15:52.96
50 Laps - 8/13/1967 - Rollie Beale - 22:41.72
JIM HURTUBISE CLASSIC WINS:
5-Chris Windom (2011-16-17-20-21)
3-Jack Hewitt (1990-91-95)
2-Brady Bacon (2014-18)
1-Robert Ballou (2015), Jerry Coons, Jr. (2013), Tony Elliott (1998), Justin Grant (2019), Tray House (1994), Tony Jones (1999), Rusty McClure (1992), Jon Stanbrough (2010), Robbie Stanley (1993), Chase Stockon (2012), Kevin Thomas (1996) & J.J. Yeley (1997)
PAST JIM HURTUBISE CLASSIC WINNERS:
1990: Jack Hewitt
1991: Jack Hewitt
1992: Rusty McClure
1993: Robbie Stanley
1994: Tray House
1995: Jack Hewitt
1996: Kevin Thomas
1997: J.J. Yeley
1998: Tony Elliott
1999: Tony Jones
2010: Jon Stanbrough
2011: Chris Windom
2012: Chase Stockon
2013: Jerry Coons Jr.
2014: Brady Bacon
2015: Robert Ballou
2016: Chris Windom
2017: Chris Windom
2018: Brady Bacon
2019: Justin Grant
2020: Chris Windom
2021: Chris Windom
TERRE HAUTE ACTION TRACK USAC SPRINT CAR WINS:
8-Gary Bettenhausen, Jack Hewitt & Chris Windom
6-Bubby Jones, Sheldon Kinser & J.J. Yeley
5-Jim Hurtubise, Levi Jones, Jon Stanbrough & Rich Vogler
4-Brady Bacon, Justin Grant, Bud Kaeding, Roger McCluskey & Chase Stockon
3-Robert Ballou, Don Branson, Steve Butler, Pancho Carter, Daron Clayton, Jerry Coons Jr., Tyler Courtney, Jay Drake, Cary Faas, Tracy Hines, Rick Hood & Joe Saldana
2-Rollie Beale, Tom Bigelow, Dave Darland, Cory Kruseman, Johnny Rutherford, Logan Seavey, Dick Tobias, Kevin Thomas Jr., Bruce Walkup & Greg Weld
1-Billy Cassella, Steve Chassey, Bryan Clauson, Mel Cornett, Larry Dickson, Ed Elisian, Tony Elliott, Aaron Farney, A.J. Foyt, Richard Griffin, Chuck Gurney, Tommy Hinnershitz, Tray House, Chet Johnson, Tony Jones, Doug Kalitta, Frankie Kerr, Steve Kinser, C.J. Leary, Eddie Leavitt, Andy Linden, Bobby Marshman, Charlie Masters, Rusty McClure, James McElreath, Jim McElreath, Jim McWithey, Jan Opperman, Terry Pletch, Larry Rice, Eddie Sachs, Sammy Sessions, Ron Shuman, George Snider, Robbie Stanley, Brad Sweet, Kevin Thomas & Bobby Unser
TERRE HAUTE ACTION TRACK USAC SPRINT CAR WINNERS:
1957: Ed Elisian (6/16) & Andy Linden (8/18)
1958: Eddie Sachs (6/22) & Tommy Hinnershitz (8/17)
1959: Don Branson (6/21) & Jim McWithey (8/16)
1960: Don Branson (6/12) & Jim Hurtubise (8/21)
1961: Jim Hurtubise (6/11) & Jim Hurtubise (8/13)
1962: Jim Hurtubise (6/17) & Jim Hurtubise (8/12)
1963: Roger McCluskey (6/16) & Bobby Marshman (8/11)
1964: A.J. Foyt (6/14) & Don Branson (8/9)
1965: Johnny Rutherford (6/13) & Johnny Rutherford (8/15)
1966: Roger McCluskey (6/19), Roger McCluskey (6/19) & Roger McCluskey (9/14)
1967: Bobby Unser (6/11), Greg Weld (6/11), Rollie Beale (8/13) & Greg Weld (9/10)
1968: Gary Bettenhausen (6/16), Larry Dickson (8/11) & Gary Bettenhausen (9/8)
1969: Gary Bettenhausen (8/10) & Gary Bettenhausen (10/19)
1970: Jim McElreath (6/21), Dick Tobias (8/9) & Bruce Walkup (9/13)
1971: George Snider (5/1) & Gary Bettenhausen (8/8)
1972: Bruce Walkup (4/30), Charlie Masters (6/11) & Rollie Beale (8/19)
1973: Joe Saldana (5/5), Mel Cornett (6/9) 7 Sammy Sessions (8/5)
1974: Gary Bettenhausen (4/14) & Sheldon Kinser (8/4)
1975: Pancho Carter (5/4), Joe Saldana (6/1), Gary Bettenhausen (8/3) & Tom Bigelow (9/21)
1976: Jan Opperman (5/1), Tom Bigelow (6/6), Gary Bettenhausen (8/1) & Chuck Gurney (10/31)
1977: James McElreath (5/7), Sheldon Kinser (6/5), Bubby Jones (7/31) & Pancho Carter (9/25)
1978: Dick Tobias (5/6), Billy Cassella (6/4) & Bubby Jones (9/24)
1979: Pancho Carter (5/5), Bubby Jones (5/6), Bubby Jones (6/3), Bubby Jones (8/5) & Bubby Jones (9/23)
1980: Eddie Leavitt (5/3), Steve Chassey (5/4), Joe Saldana (6/29), Rich Vogler (8/3) & Rich Vogler (9/21)
1981: Sheldon Kinser (5/3), Rich Vogler (8/9) & Sheldon Kinser (9/7)
1982: Chet Johnson (5/9), Sheldon Kinser (6/20), Steve Kinser (8/8) & Larry Rice (9/5)
1983: Jack Hewitt (5/8), Rich Vogler (6/19) & Jack Hewitt (8/28)
1984: Rick Hood (6/10) & Steve Butler (8/26)
1985: Ron Shuman (5/5), Rick Hood (6/9) & Rick Hood (8/25)
1986: Rich Vogler (5/4) & Sheldon Kinser (8/3)
1987: Steve Butler (5/3) & Steve Butler (5/23)
1990: Jack Hewitt (7/8)
1991: Jack Hewitt (7/7)
1992: Rusty McClure (7/12) & Cary Faas (10/11)
1993: Dave Darland (5/2) & Robbie Stanley (7/11)
1994: Cary Faas (5/1) & Tray House (7/17)
1995: Jack Hewitt (4/30) & Jack Hewitt (7/16)
1996: Doug Kalitta (5/12), Kevin Thomas (7/12) & Jack Hewitt (10/5)
1997: J.J. Yeley (6/27), J.J. Yeley (7/23) & Jack Hewitt (10/4)
1998: Cary Faas (5/29) & Tony Elliott (8/14)
1999: Tracy Hines (5/8), Tony Jones (6/17), Jerry Coons Jr. (6/18), Frankie Kerr (6/19) & Terry Pletch (7/21)
2000: Jay Drake (6/15), Richard Griffin (6/16), Jay Drake (6/18) & Jay Drake (7/28)
2001: Tracy Hines (5/19), Bud Kaeding (10/20) & Bud Kaeding (10/20)
2002: Jon Stanbrough (5/11), Cory Kruseman (7/27) & J.J. Yeley (10/5)
2003: J.J. Yeley (5/17), Tracy Hines (7/26), J.J. Yeley (8/14 Special Event) & J.J. Yeley (10/4)
2004: Cory Kruseman (5/22), J.J. Yeley (7/24) & Bud Kaeding (9/4)
2005: Levi Jones (7/22), Levi Jones (9/30) & Levi Jones (10/1)
2006: Daron Clayton (10/6) & Daron Clayton (10/7)
2007: Jon Stanbrough (5/19)
2008: Levi Jones (5/22)
2009: Levi Jones (5/21), Brad Sweet (7/15) & Jon Stanbrough (9/12)
2010: Jerry Coons Jr. (5/27), Jon Stanbrough (7/14) & Jon Stanbrough (9/11)
2011: Chris Windom (7/13) & Chris Windom (9/10)
2012: Bud Kaeding (5/24), Daron Clayton (7/18) & Chase Stockon (10/12)
2013: Kevin Thomas Jr. (7/17) & Jerry Coons Jr. (8/31)
2014: Dave Darland (5/21), Bryan Clauson (7/16) & Brady Bacon (9/18)
2015: Aaron Farney (7/15) & Robert Ballou (9/18)
2016: Robert Ballou (5/25), Chase Stockon (7/17) & Chris Windom (10/15)
2017: Chris Windom (9/15) & Kevin Thomas Jr. (10/14)
2018: Tyler Courtney (5/23), Tyler Courtney (7/25) & Brady Bacon (9/14)
2019: Chase Stockon (5/22), Tyler Courtney (7/24) & Justin Grant (9/13)
2020: Chris Windom (7/1), Justin Grant (7/29) & Chris Windom (9/18)
2021: Chris Windom (5/26), Logan Seavey (7/28) & Chris Windom (10/1)
2022: C.J. Leary (5/20) & Robert Ballou (5/22)
2023: Brady Bacon (5/23) & Justin Grant (7/26)
2024: Logan Seavey (5/21) & Brady Bacon (8/1)
2025: Chase Stockon (7/31) & Justin Grant (10/3)
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