News From Terre Haute, Indiana

Breaking News

Sports

September 15, 2009

TRACKSIDE: Action Track finalé sends fans home buzzing

TERRE HAUTE — It may not have been the Hut Hundred with its traditional 33-car field of midgets, but the final USAC program of the season at the Action Track didn’t disappoint those in attendance Saturday night.

The sprint car card offered all the classic factors needed for an entertaining night at the races.

Under near perfect weather conditions, the show offered a strong field of cars, some excellent wheel-to-wheel racing with a finish that sent a nice fan turnout home buzzing.

Not to mention some bumping and shoving among frustrated competitors and a tinge of controversy that may have added to the lore of USAC racing at the Action Track.

By evening’s end tempers were flaring and the action off the track was at times as heated as that on the half-mile dirt oval.

Jon Stanbrough found a way to make it to victory lane with a late race charge, notching his ninth feature win at the Wabash Valley Fairgrounds.

Toss in the inspired ride of Sullivan County driver Chase Stockon, the controversial run of current points leader Levi Jones, and all too long 30-lap main event made for an evening fans are sure to savor during the lengthy off season.

Those close to the Wabash Valley racing scene are well aware of the trails the Stockon family has gone through this summer.

If they needed an emotional boost Chase certainly provided a run that lifted the spirits of the family rich in racing tradition.

The final results list Stockon with a 15th-place finish in the 30-lap feature, but those in attendance will attest that the young Sullivan County racer displayed all evening that he has the determination and talent to run with the best USAC has to offer.

The Sullivan-based race team used the Action Track show as a test and tune session for their upcoming attack on the USAC Four Crown Nationals to be run at Eldora Speedway in two weeks.

They couldn’t have gone away happier with the way the night played out. If only a series of caution periods hadn’t led to a near 50-lap marathon, Chase wouldn’t had run out of fuel costing him a well-deserved top five showing.

The talented young racer graciously accepted the fate that cost him a better showing in the main event and was upbeat on how the medical fortunes were improving for his mother Laura and grandmother Rosie Stockon.

“Mom is cancer free. She has one more round of chemo and grandmother is getting better. It’s something you think about every day but when you get to the race track you have to put that behind you,” voiced Stockon.

No one will question the third-generation racer’s commitment and concentration to the task at hand when he gets behind the wheel of his Terre Haute First Financial sprinter.

In a relative short time span, Stockon has enjoyed his share of memorable moments. He rates his recent Action Track performance as one of the highlights of his brief racing career.

“It was probably one of the best nights I’ve had in the six years I’ve raced sprint cars,” he would say moments following the Action Track main event.

“You pull into one of their [USAC] shows with your small truck and trailer and people look at you funny. But to qualify fifth and run as many laps up front the way we did out there tonight had to turn a few heads. It really feels great to have been able to do that,” said Stockon.

“Ever since I was a little kid I enjoyed watching USAC races here. I never thought I would get the chance to run up front with these guys much less have a chance to win. This was a good one to lead,” offered Stockon, leader of the first nine circuits of the 30-lap feature.

“That was a heckuva battle I had with Jon [Stanbrough]. He raced me clean. I knew I had the best USAC has to offer chewing at my butt. If it hadn’t been for all those yellows we could have finished the race … maybe with a top five finish,” Stockon added.

It was a rightfully proud father who critiqued his son’s effort. Sam Stockon Jr. never questioned his son’s ability to run up front Saturday night but conceded he never thought the evening would be as rewarding as it played out.

“We missed on the setup all night. That was all driver out there tonight. He put his foot into it. He’s told me all along if we had the right motor in this thing we could run with them. He drove the wheels off the car,” offered the proud dad.

“With what the family has gone through with Laura and mom we needed this big time. It was a boost for everybody’s morale for sure.”

I I I

Disgruntled racers — There are few givens in racing but knowing you’re not going to please every driver is about as close as you’re going to get. Just ask Action Track officials.

Several drivers took track officials to task for what they termed the lack of organization at Saturday’s program.

Their biggest complaint was the work of the wrecker crew. The normally efficient crew had more than its share of anxious moments on the night that made for a longer than normal feature event.

Several competitors charged the extra laps they ran during slow extractions caused them to run out of fuel thus altering the final outcome of the race.

Frontrunners Levi Jones and Jerry Coons Jr. were the most vocal.

“Unfortunately the wrecker crew wasn’t on their game tonight. It caused a lot of guys to run out of fuel. This is the best race track in the country but you can’t have cars out on the track for an hour and half and still send the fans home happy,” voiced Jones, the current sprint points leader.

Coons was one of those who came up dry at the end costing him a chance at the win.

“It doesn’t matter we ran out of fuel because other guys had the same problem. It was an issue of the track being unorganized. They’ve done some great things here but they’ve got to use a little common sense. They made us look like a bunch of amateurs out there tonight,” voiced the unhappy Coons.

Then there was the voice of the big victor on the night, winning car owner Brad Fox.

“This is not NASCAR where you have your own push and safety cars. It’s still sprint car racing,” Fox said amid all the bickering. “You can’t expect [track officials] to have every problem that pops up to be covered. You take care of your own deal and work it out.”

So the USAC portion of the 2009 Action Track season draws to a close. Yes, the Speedway-based organization has its problems, but who in the sport doesn’t? USAC has its shortcomings but at the end of day it’s best thing the Action Track has going.

Here’s looking forward to their return in 2010.



Joe Buckles can be reached at jbuckles4@verizon.net.

Text Only | Photo Reprints
Sports
SPT 052213 JENKINS JUBI.jpg

On the scoreboard: Terre Haute South's Justin Jenkins (6) celebrates the Braves' first run with teammate Jacob Johnson during the Braves' sectional game against North on Wednesday at South.

  • North baseball pulls away from South in sectional opener

    In high school baseball little things mean a lot, and the crack in the door doesn’t have to be open very wide.
    Terre Haute North burst through that crack in the bottom of the second inning Wednesday evening at Terre Haute South, scoring seven two-out runs and going on to a surprisingly easy 12-2 victory over the host Braves.

    May 23, 2013 4 Photos

  • SPT0512213mcmillan.jpg Blank, Mundy named McMillan Award winners

    Posing side-by-side for photos following Terre Haute North High School’s Senior Awards ceremony, seniors Calvin Blank and Chanli Mundy couldn’t look more different.

    May 23, 2013 4 Photos

  • Indiana State baseball now one win from MVC Championship

    Indiana State’s Wednesday morning wish list probably read something like this: a dominant complete game effort from starting pitcher Devin Moore, near-immaculate defense to support him, and a steady diet of clutch situational hitting from lineup spots one to nine.

    May 23, 2013

  • West Vigo baseball advances with 10-0 win behind Stewart's two-hitter

    West Vigo got off to a good start in Class 3A high school sectional baseball action Wednesday evening at Dick Ballinger Field.
    The Vikings scored four runs in the first inning of the first sectional game and went on to defeat Brown County 10-0 in five innings with Kevin Stewart hurling a two-hitter.

    May 23, 2013

  • Terre Haute South tennis claims regional crown

    It was a lot tougher than some thought it would be, but the Terre Haute South girls tennis team won the Greencastle regional for the second year in a row Wednesday evening at DePauw University Tennis and Track Center.

    May 23, 2013

  • evans-jump.jpg METRO ROUNDUP: Rose-Hulman's Evans honored as Great Lakes' top athlete

    Rose-Hulman senior Liz Evans earned her fifth career NCAA Division III Great Lakes Region Field Athlete of the Year honor, according to results released Wednesday by the U.S. Cross Country and Track and Field Coaches Association.

    May 23, 2013 1 Photo

  • Terre Haute's Mascari running 10,000 meters for chance to get to Hayward Field

    Indiana State freshman and Terre Haute North graduate John Mascari is among the enormous group of Sycamores competing this weekend at the NCAA East Preliminary. The top 48 NCAA track and field competitors in each event on this half of the United States are narrowed down to 12 who will compete at the NCAA meet at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore.

    May 23, 2013

  • SPT0511613trackseibert.jpg Big group of Wabash Valley boys head to Evansville looking for state berths

    The top four finishers in each event from last week’s Terre Haute North, Evansville Central, Jasper and Princeton boys high school track and field sectionals will converge on Evansville Central today for regional competition.

    May 22, 2013 2 Photos

  • SPT0512113WVSB mcclain.jpg West Vigo comes up short against 19-9 Brown County softball

    West Vigo got off to a good start but Brown County finished better in Class 3A high school softball sectional semifinal action Tuesday night at Edgewood.
    The Eagles bested the Vikings 7-5 and will meet South Vermillion, a 12-7 winner over Owen Valley, for the sectional championship on Thursday starting at 6 p.m.
     

    May 22, 2013 5 Photos

  • Valley baseball teams have been keeping busy heading into sectionals

    When high school baseball sectionals begin around the Wabash Valley today, one complaint that’s not expected to be heard from any coach is that his team has had too much time off.

    May 22, 2013

Local Interest
evans-jump.jpg

  • METRO ROUNDUP: Rose-Hulman's Evans honored as Great Lakes' top athlete

    Rose-Hulman senior Liz Evans earned her fifth career NCAA Division III Great Lakes Region Field Athlete of the Year honor, according to results released Wednesday by the U.S. Cross Country and Track and Field Coaches Association.

    May 23, 2013 1 Photo

  • SPT 051913 TIM TERRY.jpg Terry enjoys strong year with Wildcats, and still enjoying suiting up to play

    South Vermillion’s Tim Terry is the longest tenured coach in Wabash Valley high school baseball as his Wildcats are set to begin sectional play Thursday against Owen Valley.
    But on the Yankees, a 35-and-over team in the Terre Haute Men’s Senior Baseball League, Terry is “just a youngster” if you ask Larry Roesch, his 68-year-old teammate on the Volkers Group Yankees.

    May 22, 2013 4 Photos

  • softballsecs.jpg Softball sectionals up for grabs

    All three Vigo County high schools and Northview appear to have a realistic chance of winning sectional championships in softball this week.

    May 20, 2013 1 Photo

  • Indiana State baseball series canceled

    Heavy rain from Thursday through Saturday has forced Indiana State and Tennessee Martin to cancel their three-game weekend baseball series in northwest Tennessee.

    April 27, 2013

  • METRO ROUNDUP: Rose-Hulman baseball to play DePauw on Thursday after Tuesday's rain

    The Rose-Hulman baseball team has rescheduled its non-conference game with DePauw to Thursday night.
    The start time remains 7 p.m. for the single nine-inning game that was originally scheduled for today. Tuesday’s scheduled Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference game at Anderson was moved to Sunday because of rain.

    April 24, 2013

High School
College
  • Indiana State baseball now one win from MVC Championship

    Indiana State’s Wednesday morning wish list probably read something like this: a dominant complete game effort from starting pitcher Devin Moore, near-immaculate defense to support him, and a steady diet of clutch situational hitting from lineup spots one to nine.

    May 23, 2013

  • Terre Haute's Mascari running 10,000 meters for chance to get to Hayward Field

    Indiana State freshman and Terre Haute North graduate John Mascari is among the enormous group of Sycamores competing this weekend at the NCAA East Preliminary. The top 48 NCAA track and field competitors in each event on this half of the United States are narrowed down to 12 who will compete at the NCAA meet at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore.

    May 23, 2013

  • Manaea's shoulder causing him latest pain

    Indiana State pitcher Sean Manaea has battled through so many aches and pains during the 2013 season that it can be hard to discern the serious pain from the pain he pitches through.

    May 22, 2013

  • ISU's Negele answers call in big way in wake of Manaea injury

    When Indiana State starting pitcher Sean Manaea slumped on the mound in obvious pain after he took his warm-up pitches, red flags raised for ISU’s Missouri Valley Conference tournament hopes.

    May 21, 2013

  • SPT0511613manaea3.jpg ISU baseball hoping Manaea can get its MVC Tournament moving in right direction

    Indiana State’s baseball team has been waiting all season for its stars to align.
    But this is the 2013 Sycamores, after all, and after a season in which seemingly little has gone right, it appears its stars will remain crossed at the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament.

    May 21, 2013 1 Photo

Sports Columns
Pro Sports
Terre Haute Rex
SPT 071512 DORSETT FILE.jpg

Consultation: Rex manager Brian Dorsett talks with his pitcher and players during a time-out Sunday, July 15, at Sycamore Field. (Tribune-Star file/Bob Poynter)

Colts
Auto Racing
Latest News
Multimedia

Like us on Facebook!
Community Calendar
Loading…
Events by eviesays.com
TribStar.com Poll
Front page
AP Video
George: I slipped up LeBron, Wade on OT win Hill responds after Game 1 loss to Heat Vogel: We've got to play better Spoelstra: Welcome to the Eastern Conference Finals Raw: Kevin Durant Tours Moore After $1M Pledge Trout's cycle a boost for Angels NBA star pledges $1M to help tornado recovery Coach's quick call saves Moore football team Sergio Garcia issues an apology to Tiger Woods Sergio Garcia makes insensitive remark about Tiger Woods Athletes come to aid of Oklahoma tornado victims Tiger Woods on his relationship with Sergio Garcia NBA Draft: Top 5 Prospects VIRAL: Baby makes epic soccer goal Race Preview: Charlotte Motor Speedway Behind the Seams: Big Spenders are Busts Red Wings take 2-1 series lead McReynolds: Johnson Coca-Cola 600 favorite? McReynolds: 48 Team primed for Chase
NDN Video
AK-47-wielding thug may be the most bumbling crook ever Oklahoma Survivors, Heroes Survey Damage Trout's cycle a boost for Angels Raw: New Video of Deadly Oklahoma Tornado Kim Kardashian Flaunts Pregnant Bikini Body in Greece NBA star pledges $1M to help tornado recovery Shakira's Shocking Talent Morgan Freeman falls asleep on air GRAPHIC: Blood-Soaked Machete Killer Caught on Tape Elin Nordegren Furious With Lindsey Vonn For Parading Kids in Public Camera Captures Climber As He Loses Grip And Falls Helen Mirren Meets with Dying Boy in Queen Elizabeth's Place Crowd Chants '¡Si, Se Puede!' After Passage of Immigration Bill DWTS Crowns a Winner Police Ram House to End Hostage Standoff Demi Moore a Rocks Bikini at Harry Morton's Family House Anthony Weiner: I'm running for New York City mayor Kate Middleton's Dress Flies Up VIRAL: Baby makes epic soccer goal The Hangover Baby All Grown Up
Parade
Magazine

Click HERE to read all your Parade favorites including Hollywood Wire, Celebrity interviews and photo galleries, Food recipes and cooking tips, Games and lots more.
  • -

     

    March 12, 2010

activity