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BLOOMINGTON, IN -RIS- It was Dave
Darland's night to even things up. Round
seven of Indiana Sprint Week was held on the red clay of Bloomington
Speedway and he used the opportunity to put himself back into the
lead for the 2007 title with a masterful win.
Darland started the event trailing Jon Stanbrough by 25 points.
Stanbrough's night was as bad as Darland's was good. Jon got wide
out of turn four and slid off the outside if the front straightaway
at the end of his first lap of qualifying. That ruined both his laps
and put him in in a consey race where he bicycled in the first turn
and lost all hope of transferring to the heats. He was not able to
get a provisional starting position and could not find a qualified
car who's owner was willing to let him take over.
Darland started on the inside of the second row behind polesitter
Jerry Coons Jr. and next to Brady Bacon. At the start of the 30 lap
feature he fell back to fifth while Coons took the lead and took
second. On the second lap Bacon passed Coons and took the lead which
he would hold onto for the first 24 laps. Ricky Stenhouse had moved
into third after starting sixth and Cole Whitt was holding onto
fourth place.
On the third lap caution came out as Brady Short stopped in turn
four.
The racing restarted and Darland passed Whitt four forth place. Then
a second caution was called on lap six. After the restart Darland
quickly passed Stenhouse for third and began to work on Coons. On
the ninth lap second place was his and he could focus on Bacon.
On lap 13 the final caution occurred when Davy Pombo stopped on the
back straight.
Darland began to pressure Bacon as the race wore on and on lap 25 it
paid off. Brady got his right rear off the track as he exited turn
four and he had to lift. Darland blew past him. Whether it was
Bacon's car loosing its handling or just him loosing heart, Bacon
slowed and the next lap Jerry Coons Jr. took second place. Another
driver who had exceptional night was Robert Ballou and he took third
from Bacon after moving up from eighth
place at the half way point in the race. Bacon ended the race in
fourth and Ricky Stenhouse in fifth.
The win was Darland's 63rd USAC feature win and ties him with Bob
Tatersall for tenth on the all time winners list.
"We had a great car and the track was great for us and they
just all came together for us tonight." Said Darland of the
win.
It was another long night for the west coast racers. Scotty Weir
failed to make the feature as did Casey Shuman. Darren Hagen and
Michael Trimble both started on provisionals. Cory Kruseman and
Michael Spencer finished 18th and 19th. Chad Boespflug, Davy Pombo
and Trimble finished 22nd through 24th. Damion Gardner had one of
his better nights after flipping on the second lap of qualifying by
transferring through his heat and 12th. Darren Hagen flipped during
his heat.
Ricky Stenhouse set fast time in qualifying with an 11.149 second
lap. The heat race winners were Dickie Gaines, Jeff Bland Jr., Brady
Bacon and Shane Cottle. Jerry Coons Jr. won the B main while Scotty
Weir and Hunter Schuerenburg won the two last chance races.
As far as the Indiana Sprint Week title goes Darland holds a 43
point lead over Levi Jones and a 44 point lead over Stanbrough.
There are a possible 72 points available in the final event at
Haubstadt Saturday so Darland could be caught, though it would take
a really awful day on his part to let Jones or Stanbrough win.
Saturday, July 21 at Tri-State Speedway is where we will see if
anyone can catch Darland. I will be there to find out!
Report Courtesy motorsportsforum.com
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