Story By: BOB MILLER / THUNDER ON THE HILL – BECHTELSVILLE, PA – Broken Arrow, Oklahoma’s Brady Bacon picked up his fifth Grandview Speedway win with the USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car Eastern Storrm Series, as the NAPA Auto Parts Thunder on the Hill Racing Series kicked off the Eastern Storm week of racing.
The win marked Bacon’s fifth straight Eastern Storm Jesse Hockett Classic win.
“I had a good shot starting up front – I just had to not mess up,” Bacon said during Victory Lane ceremonies.
Bacon did more than just ‘not mess up’ – he grabbed the lead on the initial start and led every circuit of the 40 lap main event. But it wasn’t without challenge.
Allentown, PA’s Briggs Danner gave the hometown crowd and hero something to cheer about when he quickly advance to the second position on the initial start.
“Briggs definitely put some pressure on us,” Bacon said of the Pennsylvania native aboard the No. 5G machine.
Danner made his move around the outside of Bacon’s No. 69 on lap 14 and the hometown crowd erupted when he claimed the top spot – but contact with the outside wall handed the lead back to the 2021 USAC defending champion.
The caution flew on lap 20 for Shane Cottle, who slowed aboard the Hogue-owned No. 39 machine.
On the restart, Bacon and Danner left everyone by the wayside, setting a wild pace on the field.
The caution flew again seven circuits later for Logan Seavey – who was running in the top-5 – with a flat right front tire.
It was all Bacon from the lap 28 restart uncontested claiming the $6,000-to-win Jesse Hockett Classic. Briggs Danner finished in second, Chase Stockon came home in third position, Justin Grant finished in fourth, and Robert Ballou in the fifth position.
USAC Heat races were won by Charles Davis Jr., Matt Westfall and Thomas Meseraull. CJ Leary set the quick time with a lap of 13.713 – Leary received $150 courtesy of Clever Girl Winery and $200 courtesy of the drivers at the Keystone Quarter Midget Club.
The NAPA Auto Parts Thunder on the Hill Racing Series races back into Grandview Speedway on Tuesday, June 28 when Levan Machine and Truck Equipment presents Pennsylvania 410 Sprint Car Speedweek and the Greg Hodnett Cup. The only winged 410 Sprint Car appearance of 2022 will be co-headlined by the NASCAR 358 Modifieds.
USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car Series
Time Trials – 1. CJ Leary – 13.713 2. Logan Seavey – 13.734 3. Briggs Danner – 13.831 4. Robert Ballou – 14.078 5. Chase Stockon – 14.114 6. Brady Bacon – 14.193 7. Jadon Rogers – 14.213 8. Justin Grant – 14.228 9. Thomas Meseraull – 14.269 10. Emerson Axsom – 14.299 11. Matt Westfall – 14.303 12. Timmy Buckwalter – 14.332 13. Charles Davis Jr. – 14.342 14. Alex Bright – 14.361 15. Shane Cottle – 14.410 16. Brandon Mattox – 14.582 17. Korbyn Hayslett – 14.586 18. Jake Swanson – 14.616 19. Alex Banales – 14.801
Heat 1 (10 Laps) – 1. Charles Davis Jr. 2. CJ Leary 3. Jadon Rogers 4. Brandon Mattox 5. Steven Drevicki
Heat 2 (10 Laps) – 1. Matt Westfall 2. Justin Grant 3. Korbyn Hayslett 4. Chase Stockon 5. Logan Seavey
Heat 3 (10 Laps) — 1. Thomas Meseraull 2. Shane Cottle 3. Brady Bacon 4. Jake Swanon 5. Briggs Danner
A-Main (40 Laps) – 1. Brady Bacon 2. Briggs Danner 3. Chase Stockon 4. Justin Grant 5. Robert Ballou 6. CJ Leary 7. Thomas Meseraull 8. Jadon Rogers 9. Jake Swanson 10. Emerson Axsom 11. Charles Davis Jr. 12. Matt Westfall 13. Logan Seavey 14. Shane Cottle 15. Brandon Mattox 16. Alex Banales 17. Alex Bright 18. Tim Buckwalter 19. Korbyn Hayslett 20. Steven Drevicki