TERRE HAUTE —
The 2012 Wabash Valley racing season avoided the potential pitfalls of a sluggish economy and inclement weather to provide fans one of their best and most promising campaigns in recent years.
Rainouts that had plagued activities at the Terre Haute Action Track in recent years were for the most part a non factor, making for a successful year for veteran promoter Bob Sargent and the O’Connor family of Kokomo, who teamed up in their first full season of organizing events at the Wabash Valley Fairgrounds.
The group drew high praise from fans and racers alike for their excellent track preparation, which made for one the most competitive seasons in a number of years — one that generated five first-time feature winners over the course of six shows.
Among the victors were NASCAR standouts Kenny Schrader, Kenny Wallace and Justin Allgaier. Sprint-car action provided possibly the most popular victory when Sullivan County native Chase Stockon won the Jim Hurtubise Classic for USAC sprints.
The year, while providing its share of thrills and excitement on the local half-mile clay oval, also proved to be one of the safest in recent memory.
Attendance, while spotty at times, appeared strong enough to make the year profitable for the promoters, securing the future for continued racing at the nationally recognized racing facility.
Racing at Crossroads Dragway USA remained a viable operation, providing Valley drag racers a favorite location to display their talents and meet their needs to go racing at one of the Midwest’s finest drag-racing facilities.
Over the course of the summer, racing at the oval and drag-racing tracks generated its share of stellar individual and team efforts.
None was bigger than Stockon’s back in October. That victory was one of two for Stockon in USAC competition in 2012 when he tied for seventh in national sprint-car points. It was a season that earned him the sanctioning body’s Most Improved Driver of the Year award.
A second USAC-sanctioned event, the Tony Hulman Classic, also proved a fan favorite as former Valley driver and now car owner Ray Morgan won the prestigious event, with driver Daron Clayton taking the checkered flag in Indiana Sprints Weeks event.
Action wasn’t limited to Fairgrounds as Valley oval tracks and drag strips were a beehive of activity and popular on any given weekend.
Young Braylon Fitzpatrick of West Terre Haute put his name in the Action Track record book when he established a one-lap track record run in qualifications for the Hurtubise Classic
Whether it was taking checkered flags or winning track championships, local racers played a prominent role in the sport on the Wabash Valley and national scene.
At Lincoln Park Speedway, Terre Haute drivers walked off with two of the track’s four point championships. Kenny Carmichael won the Super Stock title in a season that saw the North Terre Haute driver take five feature wins and a second-place finish in the track’s modified division.
No one was a match for C.J. Bryan in the Bomber Class as the Vigo County racer posted an impressive 11-win campaign, notching him the LPS Bomber championship.
At Bakersfield Raceway Park near Linton, Creed Fritz of West Terre Haute won the Restrictor Class and Colten Dooley of Rockville took the Wingless Division, while Drake Turner of Sullivan won in Jr. Sprints and Larry Drake of Terre Haute won the 600 Sidewinder Class.
On the drag-racing scene at Crossroads Dragway USA, Mike Tewell won in Pro Class, Dustin Brenton in Super Pro, Chad Eaton in Sportsman, Tony Virgilio in the Fast 33 Series, Amara Tewell in the High School Division, Chris Miller in Junior Dragster, Adam Price in the Schield Diesel and Stephanie Brenton in Pink Lady.
At Lyons Raceway Park, Super Pro honors went to McColley Young, Greg Dillman in Pro, Bill McCarty in Sportsman, Nathan Jones in Jr. Dragster, Bill McCary in motorcycles, Ron Hayman in Fast 8, Jabin McCarty in High School and Kelly Jo Lanhan in Powder Puff.
Coles County Dragway enjoyed a successful year with Bob Paul taking the Super Pro and Box Track titles and Tom Harlin winning in Pro, Jesse Brant in Sportsman, Eric Cooper in Bike, John Tilford in Quick Series and Eric Willenberg in Jr. Dragster.
Overall, the 2012 season will go down as one of the finest and most competitive in recent years, setting the stage for a promising 2013 at the race track.
Joe Buckles can be reached by e-mail at
jbuckles4@frontier.com.
Sports
TRACKSIDE: 2012 a good year in auto racing in Wabash Valley
- Sports
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Tribune-Star/Jim Avelis Longest: Terre Haute South's Tyler Seibert took just one jump, at 20 feet, 7 and three quarters of an inch, to qualify for the finals of the event in the boys track sectional Thursday evening.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Northview powers way past Terre Haute South in sectional semifinal
Northview unleashed power rarely seen in high school girls softball Tuesday night to eliminate Terre Haute South 8-1 in the Class 4A Sectional at Martinsville High School.
The Knights hit three home runs in an eight-run third inning to reach the championship game. -
TRACKSIDE: Local drivers, owners looking to have strong night at Tony Hulman Classic
In its rich 43-year history, the Tony Hulman Sprint Car Classic has long carried on a strong local racing tradition.
From its early beginnings starting in 1971, the U.S. Auto Club-sanctioned event has been the annual centerpiece of the racing calendar at the Terre Haute Action Track as well as a key stop on the USAC sprint schedule and one of the most sought after wins in big league sprint-car racing. -
Terre Haute North dominates field at regional
Keirra Porter took first place in two individual events and helped Terre Haute North win one of its relays as the Patriots captured the Evansville Central Regional team championship in girls high school track and field Tuesday night.
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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.
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PREP ROUNDUP: South tennis cruises into regional final
Terre Haute South didn’t lose a game en route to blanking Seeger 5-0 in girls high school tennis Tuesday to advance to today’s championship match against Crawfordsville in the Greencastle Regional.
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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. -
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.
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Big group of Wabash Valley boys head to Evansville looking for state berths
- Local Interest
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Coach: Tim Terry is the South Vermillion baseball coach and plays in the senior league on Sunday afternoons.
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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. -
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.
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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.
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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. -
Vigo County Youth Soccer Association to host Indiana Soccer Cup Games
The Vigo County Youth Soccer Association will welcome more than 7,000 people to its Springhill Drive facility through two tournaments in the next five weeks.
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Terry enjoys strong year with Wildcats, and still enjoying suiting up to play
- High School
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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.
- West Vigo comes up short against 19-9 Brown County softball
- Valley baseball teams have been keeping busy heading into sectionals
- Northview powers way past Terre Haute South in sectional semifinal
- Terre Haute North dominates field at regional
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- College
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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.
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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.
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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. -
ISU track sending record 22 to postseason
On the heels of their thrilling double victory at the 2013 Missouri Valley Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships both the Indiana State men and women moved up in the national rankings which were released Tuesday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).
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ISU's athletic treasure trove
Think of every championship that Indiana State has won in each of its sports, past and present. Think of every tournament — postseason or regular season — which the Sycamores have claimed as their own.
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Manaea's shoulder causing him latest pain
- Sports Columns
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TRACKSIDE: Local drivers, owners looking to have strong night at Tony Hulman Classic
In its rich 43-year history, the Tony Hulman Sprint Car Classic has long carried on a strong local racing tradition.
From its early beginnings starting in 1971, the U.S. Auto Club-sanctioned event has been the annual centerpiece of the racing calendar at the Terre Haute Action Track as well as a key stop on the USAC sprint schedule and one of the most sought after wins in big league sprint-car racing. - Shooters compete to fight cancer
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- TODD GOLDEN: Don't give up on ISU baseball just yet
- TRACKSIDE: Terre Haute's Carmichael enjoying strong spring in modifieds, stocks
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TRACKSIDE: Local drivers, owners looking to have strong night at Tony Hulman Classic
- Pro Sports
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Colts hoping for more high marks on draft picks
A year ago, the Indianapolis Colts received high marks for the impact players the team added through the NFL draft.
Of the 10 players selected, five ended up either starting or seeing extensive playing time (quarterback Andrew Luck, tight ends Coby Fleener and Dwayne Allen, wide receiver T.Y. Hilton and running back Vick Ballard) during the Colts’ 11-5 season.
While this year’s class may not rival that group in terms of name recognition and flash, it may produce just as many major contributors once the 2013 season gets underway. - Colts in wait-and-see mode for tonight’s NFL draft
- Colts sign Matt Hasselbeck to back up Luck
- Colts introduce free-agent signees
- Indianapolis franchises punter McAfee
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Colts hoping for more high marks on draft picks
- Terre Haute Rex
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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)
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2012 an up, down season for Rex
The Terre Haute Rex went through plenty of trials and tribulations during the summer of 2012.
The team got off to a sluggish start to settle for third place during the first half of the Prospect League race, but manager Brian Dorsett rallied the troops to a second-half title. - Metro Roundup: Dorsett, Rex players honored in Prospect League postseason awards
- Rex out of playoffs
- Rex mix, match their way to win
- Rex turn eye to Prospect playoffs
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2012 an up, down season for Rex
- Colts
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Colts' coordinators enjoying getting rookies acclimated
While the Indianapolis Colts put their rookies and a handful of second-year players through workouts this weekend at the team’s Indiana Farm Bureau Football Center, a pair of first-year coordinators are getting a chance to do some valuable on-field work as well.
- Werner, 36 others open Colts’ mini camp
- Colts hoping for more high marks on draft picks
- Werner at top of game
- Colts select pass rusher Werner in first round
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Colts' coordinators enjoying getting rookies acclimated
- Auto Racing
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TRACKSIDE: Local drivers, owners looking to have strong night at Tony Hulman Classic
In its rich 43-year history, the Tony Hulman Sprint Car Classic has long carried on a strong local racing tradition.
From its early beginnings starting in 1971, the U.S. Auto Club-sanctioned event has been the annual centerpiece of the racing calendar at the Terre Haute Action Track as well as a key stop on the USAC sprint schedule and one of the most sought after wins in big league sprint-car racing. - Carpenter arrives as Indy 500 threat
- Carpenter wins Indy 500 pole
- TRACKSIDE: Rain still a pain for Wabash Valley racing organizers
- TRACKSIDE: Tough to rise from sprint-car racing, especially in challenging financial times
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TRACKSIDE: Local drivers, owners looking to have strong night at Tony Hulman Classic
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