By: Ron Burt
Sprint car fans were treated to one the Midwest’s best open-wheel racing shows of the year at Eldora Speedway last week. Eldora Hosted the Four Crown Nationals Friday night kicked off the weekend with the USAC National Midgets and the World of Outlaw Sprints. On Saturday night the USAC Midgets returned along with the USAC Sprints and the USAC Silver Crown cars.
USAC Midget racer Mitchel Moles had never been to Eldora Speedway before Friday night. After the feature he was standing in victory lane as a first-time winner at the Rossburg half-mile dirt oval. He set fast time to begin the night, then raced from his sixth starting position to the front of the field in the 25-lap main event. He had been struggling the last couple of weeks and really needed this win. Moles finished his winning performance by a 1.107 second margin over Bryant Wiedeman in second and Buddy Kofoid in third. Rico Abreu is once again a winner with the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series. His #24 led the final 24 laps of Friday’s race earning his ninth career win with The Greatest Show on Dirt and snapping a four-year winless streak with the Series. Abreu is now a four-time winner of Eldora’s #4Crown Nationals, adding a WoO win with an All-Stars triumph and pair of USAC National Midget victories. He hopes this win will give him momentum looking ahead towards the 2023 Kings Royal. Rounding out the 30-lap feature was James McFadden, Donny Schatz, Brad Sweet and Carson Macedo.
On Saturday Chris Windom captured victory of his second consecutive USAC NOS Energy Drink Midget National Championship feature. He found the fastest way around the ½ mile oval was the topside of the track and earning himself $10,000.00. However, the night before, during Friday’s USAC Silver Crown practice, Windom hit the turn one wall and flipped several times, ending his weekend prematurely in the champ cars (Silver Crown). He also missed the final transfer spot in the USAC Sprint Car National Championship portion of the program earlier Saturday evening. Windom became the sixth driver to reach five overall victories at the 4-Crown after previously winning the USAC Silver Crown race in 2013 and 2016, the USAC Sprint Car main event in 2013 and now the USAC Midget feature in both 2021 and 2022. Rounding out the top three was Bryant Wiedeman and Alex Bright. Justin Grant became the 26th driver to reach 50 USAC national feature victories as he won his second career 4-Crown Nationals USAC AMSOIL Sprint Car National Championship race. This was Grants 4th overall USAC National Sprint Car victory at Eldora came during the 300th USAC national open wheel points paying event ever held at Eldora. Grant earned $10,000.00 for the feature win. C.J. Leary and Brady Bacon rounded out the top three. Headlining the weekend was the USAC Silver Crown cars. Logan Seavey kept his unblemished, undefeated USAC Silver Crown record at Eldora. Seavey’s fifth career USAC Silver Crown victory put him 25th on the all-time series win list beside many of the greats of the sport, including Mario Andretti, Donnie Beechler, Pancho Carter, Jay Drake, Tony Elliott, Bud Kaeding, Sheldon Kinser and Larry Rice. He controlled the final 42 laps of the 50-lap race to get his 3rd victory of the year. C.J. Leary, Justin Grant, and Matt Westfall were the top 4 finishers.
Next week I will recap Oakshade Raceways final night of the 2022 racing season. Until then, keep your wheels down. Ron Out! ohiosportsblitz@yahoo.com
