BLOOMINGTON & TRI-STATE FEATURE USAC SPRINTS MAY 9-10

(Josh James Artwork Photo)

By: Richie Murray – USAC Media

Speedway, Indiana (May 8, 2025)………The Red Clay & The Class Track.

That’s two tracks located in southern Indiana that you can instantly recognize simply by stating those two monikers.

This weekend’s United States Auto Club (USAC) AMSOIL Sprintcar National Championship rounds take us to Bloomington Speedway on Friday, May 9, for the Larry Rice Classic. The following night, Haubstadt’s Tri-State Speedway will host the 12th running of the Spring Showdown on Saturday, May 10.

Here’s a glance at the storylines on this annual Bloomington/Haubstadt Spring Showcase for USAC Sprint Car racing!

DOUBLE DIPPIN’ IN SOUTHERN INDIANA

A combined 102 USAC National Sprintcar events have been held between Bloomington Speedway and Tri-State Speedway since each track debuted on the series schedule more than four decades ago.

Fourteen different drivers have won USAC National Sprintcar main events at both tracks: Kevin Thomas Junior, Dave Darland, Brady Bacon, Tony Elliott, Chris Windom, Kyle Cummins, Jay Drake, Tracy Hines, Rick Hood, Cory Kruseman, Hunter Schuerenberg, Brady Short, Jon Stanbrough and JJ Yeley.

However, no driver has ever won USAC National Sprintcar features at both tracks on consecutive nights. There have been 22 such occasions that Bloomington and Tri-State have been paired up on the same weekend, which has resulted in exactly zero back-to-back winners.

In fact, only three drivers have won USAC National Sprintcar main events at both tracks in a single season: J.J. Yeley (2003), Dave Darland (2018) and Kevin Thomas Jr. (2017 & 2021)

KTJ’S RESUME OF SUCCESS

Kevin Thomas Junior is the leader among active drivers at both tracks in USAC National Sprintcar competition. In all, he’s been victorious four times in his career with the series at Bloomington and a whopping eight occasions at Tri-State, which ranks number one all-time.

This season certainly hasn’t been to his liking thus far as he currently sits 13th in USAC National Sprintcar points with an average finish of 12.4 in nine starts.

However, the combination of Bloomington and Tri-State together on the same weekend could prove to be his honey hole. A breakout weekend very well could be in store for KTJ this weekend.

THE RACE TO THE TOP

Yes, it’s early. We know. But the points race is already an intriguing one with the top-two of Kyle Cummins and Justin Grant virtually pulling away from the rest of the pack. The early dominance between the two has them more than 100 points up on their nearest peer, defending series champion Logan Seavey in third.

Cummins enters the weekend up by two points on Grant after the pair have routinely matched each other by recording top-tens in all nine of their starts thus far in 2025 to go along with eight top-fives. The only slight difference is Cummins’ three victories to Grant’s two.

Overall, Cummins holds the upper hand at both tracks with six victories at Tri-State and one Bloomington. Grant, on the other hand, has won three at Tri-State, but is still vying for Bloomington win number one.

PHILLIPS BACK IN THE SADDLE

Steve and Carla Phillips’ black #71p has been absent from the USAC National Sprintcar ranks since Cannon McIntosh piloted their car during the summer of 2021.

But now, after a nearly four year absence, the team is returning for this Friday’s Bloomington round with driver Chelby Hinton of Dubberly, Louisiana. The event will mark his USAC Sprint Car debut after a few handful of appearances in the Klatt Enterprises USAC Midget over the past few years.

Phillips owns 19 career USAC National Sprintcar feature victories as car owners with Dave Darland and Jason McDougal. That ranks 32nd place all-time. It’s a homecoming of sorts for the Phillips teams whose first USAC National Sprint Car victory came in May of 2013 at Bloomington.

WINNING ON THE MENU

Several drivers have won at either Bloomington or Tri-State, while some are shooting for their initial USAC score at both venues on this weekend’s docket.

CJ Leary, Logan Seavey and Briggs Danner have all notched Bloomington USAC National Sprintcar victories but have thus far come up empty handed in the win column with USAC Sprintcars at Tri-State. Interestingly, these same three all own fast qualifying awards at Tri-State and have run up front, demonstrating the fact that they have the capability to get that elusive first TSS USAC triumph here shortly.

Conversely, Robert Ballou and Jadon Rogers are among the past Tri-State winners who are aiming to put a first USAC victory together at Bloomington this weekend. With that said, both drivers have experienced their fair share of wins at Bloomington over the years outside of USAC.

Meanwhile, a string of current top-10 ranked USAC National Sprintcar drivers are looking to make some noise this weekend with their first USAC victories of the season. Mitchel Moles finished 2nd, 3rd and 4th in his three USAC starts at Tri-State during the 2024 campaign. Jake Swanson has won multiple non-USAC-sanctioned races at Bloomington in his career. Kale Drake has been highly improved this season, and a first USAC Sprint win could be on the horizon.

Meanwhile, series newcomers Hayden Reinbold, Gunnar Setser and Kayla Roell all look to position themselves in the USAC National Sprint Car Rookie of the Year battle.

 BUSCHHHHH!

Carson Garrett’s new look car struck a chord with many in the audience when it was unveiled earlier this week. His BGE Motorsports #15 will sports the mix of blue colors with sponsorship from Busch Light.

Garrett owns two career Midwest Sprintcar Series victories at Tri-State in 2023, and it was the same place in which he earned his first USAC top-10 finish that same year. He’s finished within inches of his first USAC National Sprint Car career in recent times and hopes this weekend could provide that big USAC breakthrough.

Garrett will have a dual ride situation this weekend and will drive the Epperson Racing #2E on Friday at Bloomington and the BGE #15 on Saturday at Tri-State.

RACE DETAILS

Friday’s Larry Rice Classic on May 9 at Indiana’s Bloomington Speedway features the USAC AMSOIL Sprintcar National Championship and the Huntley’s Hoosier Winged 360 Sprint Cars. Pits open at 4pm Eastern with the grandstands opening at 5pm, drivers meeting at 5:45pm & cars on track at 6:30pm with qualifying and racing to immediately follow. General Admission tickets are $30. Ages 10 and under are free with proof of age. Pit passes are $35. Ages 10 and under are $15.

Saturday’s Spring Showdown on May 10 at Haubstadt, Indiana’s Tri-State Speedway presents the USAC AMSOIL Sprintcar National Championship and the Midwest Mini Sprint Association. Pits open at 3pm Central, grandstands at 4pm, drivers meeting at 5:15pm and cars on track at 6pm followed immediately by qualifying and racing. Adult general admission tickets are $30, students (ages 13-18) $20 & children 12 and under free.

Both events can be watched LIVE on FloRacing both nights at https://flosports.link/usac.

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USAC AMSOIL SPRINTCAR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS: 1-Kyle Cummins-659,

2-Justin Grant-657, 3-Daison Pursley-543, 4-Logan Seavey-508, 5-Mitchel Moles-491, 6-Briggs Danner-480, 7-C.J. Leary-479, 8-Jake Swanson-478, 9-Robert Ballou-466, 10-Kale Drake-457.

SPRING USAC NATIONAL SPRINTCAR WINS AT BLOOMINGTON SPEEDWAY:

2-Bryan Clauson & Dave Darland

1-Brady Bacon, Chad Boespflug, Bobby East, Jack Hewitt, C.J. Leary, Logan Seavey, Kevin Thomas Jr. & Chris Windom

SPRING USAC NATIONAL SPRIN CAR WINNERS AT BLOOMINGTON SPEEDWAY:

1986: Jack Hewitt (5/2)

2011: Chris Windom (5/20)

2012: Bobby East (5/18)

2013: Dave Darland (5/17)

2015: Bryan Clauson (4/17)

2016: Bryan Clauson (4/15)

2017: Chad Boespflug (4/14)

2018: Dave Darland (4/27)

2019: Brady Bacon (4/12)

2021: Kevin Thomas Jr. (4/16)

2022: Rained Out

2023: C.J. Leary (4/14)

2024: Logan Seavey (5/10)

USAC NATIONAL SPRINT CAR WINS AT BLOOMINGTON SPEEDWAY:

5-Bryan Clauson

4-Kevin Thomas Jr.

3-Dave Darland

2-Brady Bacon, Kevin Briscoe, Tony Elliott, C.J. Leary & Chris Windom

1-A.J. Anderson, Emerson Axsom, Brent Beauchamp, Chad Boespflug, Jerry Coons Jr., Kyle Cummins, Briggs Danner, Jay Drake, Bobby East, Brad Fox, Jack Hewitt, Tracy Hines Rick Hood, Bob Kinser, Cory Kruseman, Sheldon Kinser, Larry Martin, Hunter Schuerenberg, Logan Seavey, Brady Short, Jon Stanbrough, Kevin Thomas, Rich Vogler & J.J. Yeley

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SPRING SHOWDOWN USAC NATIONAL SPRINTCAR WINS AT TRI-STATE SPEEDWAY:

3-Kevin Thomas Jr.

1-Brady Bacon, Daron Clayton, Kyle Cummins, Justin Grant, Stephen Schnapf, Hunter Schuerenberg, Chase Stockon & Chris Windom

SPRING SHOWDOWN USAC NATIONAL SPRINTCAR WINNERS AT TRI-STATE SPEEDWAY:

2012: Hunter Schuerenberg (5/12)

2013: Kevin Thomas Jr. (5/11)

2014: Daron Clayton (4/26)

2015: Brady Bacon (4/18)

2016: Chase Stockon (4/16)

2017: Chris Windom (4/15)

2018: Kevin Thomas Jr. (4/28)

2019: Rained Out

2020: Stephen Schnapf (6/14)

2021: Kyle Cummins (4/17)

2022: Rained Out

2023: Justin Grant (4/15)

2024: Kevin Thomas Jr. (5/11)

TRI-STATE SPEEDWAY USAC NATIONAL SPRINTCAR WINS:

8-Kevin Thomas Jr.

6-Kyle Cummins

5-Daron Clayton

4-Cory Kruseman

3-Justin Grant & Rick Hood

2-Brady Bacon, Robert Ballou, Hunter Schuerenberg, Brady Short, Jon Stanbrough & Chase Stockon

1-Steve Butler, Dave Darland, Jay Drake, Tony Elliott, Blake Fitzpatrick, Damion Gardner, Tracy Hines, Kenny Jacobs, Levi Jones, Casey Riggs, Jadon Rogers, Stephen Schnapf, Carson Short, Chris Windom & J.J. Yeley