Indiana Sprint Week update 2009-07-13

4 MORE INDIANA SPRINT WEEK RACES CLOSE 2009 SERIES; DARLAND, JONES, BOAT ANNEX ISW OPENERS

"Indiana Sprint Week," playing to capacity crowds so far, opened at three Hoosier ovals this past week, with three different feature winners emerging and a point leader still seeking his first win!

Races this week at the Terre Haute Action Track (Wednesday), Kamp Motor Speedway in Boswell (Thursday), Bloomington Speedway (Friday) and Tri-State Speedway in Haubstadt (Saturday) close out the seven-race series.

Dave Darland, Levi Jones and Chad Boat grabbed race wins last week but it was Bryan Clauson who emerged as the series leader after posting three consecutive second-place finishes!

Darland, of Lincoln, Ind., drove a flawless race Friday night at the Lawrenceburg Speedway, leading all 30 laps of the "Robbie Stanley Classic" to kick off the series. The victory in the Rotondo Weirich/Benic Enterprises Maxim/Chevy was Darland's 12th in ISW competition, tying him with Cory Kruseman for the all-time lead in that category. Dave started next to pole starter Damion Gardner but got the jump at the start and withstood repeated challenges from Clauson in the closing laps to win the USAC National Sprint Car race. Clauson finished second ahead of Boat, Jones and Jon Stanbrough.

Jones, of Brownsburg, Ind., grabbed the lead on lap 23 when Darren Hagen's car developed mechanical problems and Jones led the final eight laps to win Saturday night's feature at the Gas City I-69 Speedway. Jones piloted the Chevy/Bass Pro Shops Maxim/Kistler Chevy to the win over Clauson, Scotty Weir, Boat and Blake Fitzpatrick. Clauson set a new track record during qualifying.

Boat, of Phoenix, Ariz., dominated Sunday night's 30-lap feature event at the Kokomo Speedway, leading wire-to-wire in his Billy Boat Performance Exhaust/Impact Racing Maxim/Speedway Chevy. Boat beat Clauson to the stripe, followed by Stanbrough, Brad Sweet and Hud Cone. Clauson has a 15-point lead over Boat going into Wednesday night's race at Terre Haute.

-credit: usac