On Saturday night at Tri-State Speedway in Haubstadt, he finally did it.

Brady Bacon won his first World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car race.

The grandstands were packed April 29, but hardly a seat was used when Bacon threw a slider for the lead with less than three laps to go. The same fans who rose to their feet and roared had seen him come so close to glory at the southern Indiana bullring in the past.

There was 2015 when “The Macho Man” led 32 laps before a late pass made him settle for second. The next year brought Bacon another runner-up. In 2017, Bacon was leading the Dash before getting upside down.

This year, there would be no heartbreak. Bacon wheeled the Kelly and Lora Hinck owned TKH Motorsports #21 from sixth to the front, sealing the deal on his inaugural World of Outlaws win with a late race pass on series star Sheldon Haudenschild. The fans met Bacon with a thunderous roar as he climbed atop his wing in victory lane.

Bacon cemented a place in Sprint Car history with the win. The Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, native became the 150th different driver to win with the World of Outlaws. It took Bacon 65 feature starts to get the job done as he became the 20th different driver to win at Tri-State Speedway.

“I feel like I’ve had several slip through my fingers here,” Bacon said. “I haven’t raced (with the World of Outlaws) a whole lot in the last few years. Thanks to Kelly and Lora Hinck giving us the opportunity to race more so we can get in contention to win these races. I knew with my guys and the equipment we put together that if we could just race a little bit, then we could win some races and win a World of Outlaws race. It has been on my bucket list for quite awhile. It was kind of my last one to check off. Glad to get it done here, and it’s fitting I get it done here, where I’ve always ran really well.”

The early part of the race was controlled by pole sitter and winner of the previous three Tri-State Speedway World of Outlaws races, Carson Macedo. The current series point leader maintained the top spot throughout a flurry of stoppages in the first half of the 40-lapper while battles raged on behind him all over the track.

When the second half of the race began, the action for the lead intensified.

Eighth-starting Haudenschild had driven his way into second and closed on Macedo as the duo entered traffic. On Lap 22, Haudenschild rolled the bottom of turns 1 and 2 perfectly to secure the top spot and wasted no time checking out.

Like Bacon, Haudenschild also was starved for a Tri-State triumph. Entering Saturday, the Wooster, Ohio, native had led laps in three different World of Outlaws features at the quarter-mile but never won.

The pilot of the Stenhouse Jr./Marshall Racing #17 looked as if he’d claim that elusive victory once he grabbed the top spot. Haudenschild was smooth as he sliced through lapped traffic and extended his advantage.

A late red flag set up a 12-lap dash to the finish, and Bacon knew he was primed to make a move while running third.

“The track was kind of coming to me, and my car was coming to me,” Bacon said. “Starting on the inside, I knew I was going to be good to get a good restart.”

Getting a good restart was exactly what he did as he moved by Macedo for second and set his sights on Haudenschild with five laps remaining.

Haudenschild squeezed between two lapped cars with less than four laps to go, which looked as if it may have been the winning move. But in the next set of corners, Bacon utilized a perfect line to drive between the same two cars and get a run on Haudenschild down the front straightaway. Heading into Turn 1 after crossing the line with three laps to go, Bacon tossed a perfect slider to grab the lead.

“Once Sheldon hit traffic there, I could kind of smell it,” Bacon said with a smirk. “I think I found that extra over 100% to make it happen and get by him. I knew he was going to get held up, and I just kind of drove the crap out of it to get there and was able to hit it right with lapped traffic. We had a really maneuverable car, probably more than anybody else, and that helped me in traffic.”

After making the pass, Bacon drove away and claimed the checkered flag by more than a second. He made it official. He’ll forever be a World of Outlaws winner.

Behind Bacon, Haudenschild held onto the runner-up spot, his third podium of the year in the NOS Energy Drink #17. Despite another tough pill to swallow at Tri-State, Haudenschild was in good spirits afterwards and even equipped with a sense of humor about the outcome.

“Them non-wing boys got this place figured out,” Haudenschild said with a smile. “Hats off to Brady. He did a great job. We had a really good car all night. I didn’t get with it in that Dash. I should’ve been more aggressive, but I don’t think it mattered. We had a really good car, and I was able to get up through there early in that feature.”

Completing the podium was Brad Sweet aboard the Kasey Kahne Racing #49. The four-time and defending champion now owns top fives in five of his last six races in Haubstadt. The result gave the California native sole possession of 10th on the all-time World of Outlaws podium list, breaking a tie with former teammate Daryn Pittman.

Completing the top five was Macedo and Tyler Courtney. Courtney took a wild route to his result. After early contact with another car, “Sunshine” made a trip to the Federated Car Care Work Zone and drove through much of the field to earn the strong finish.

Macedo remains the championship points leader, while Brad Sweet moved into second, only 12 markers behind.

This week in racing history

From 60 years ago in 1963 at Mitchell Speedrome in Mitchell, Calvin Gilstrap won the super modified feature over Roy Robbins, Dick Gaines, Orville Yeadon and Bob Papoy. Kenny Baker won the stock car feature over Larry Miller, Cliff Cozart and Jerry Poole.

From 50 years ago this weekend in 1973 at Brownstown, Don Hobbs won the late model feature over Jim Curry, Jack Owens, Mack Pace and Paul Crockett

Also, from 50 years ago at Twin Cities, Johnny Robbins won the feature race over Hillbilly Ogle, Rick Kramer, Dee Kramer and Bill Smith.

From 1973 at Haubstadt, Russ Racine won the sprint car feature, and Jerry Inmon took the late model feature race.

From 50 years ago at Whitewater Valley Speedway in Liberty, Bruce Merz won the late model feature over Chick Hale, Ron Edwards, Red Harvey and Al Woodard.

From 30 years ago in 1993 at Brownstown, Jim Curry won the odd late model feature race over Mike Jewell, Dan Sturgeon, Lee Fleetwood and Earl Plessinger. Dion Deason took the even late model feature over Doug Ault, Paul Crockett, Garry Mahoney and Mike Bechelli. Tim Clark won the street stock feature over Darin George, Jeff Wilson, Scott Patman and Brad Schlehuser. Tony Godsey took the modified feature over mark Barber, Terrence Johnson, Butch Shay and Dusty Chapman. Murl Robinson won the bomber feature over Bret Ezzo, Jerry Adams, Don Walp and Roger Vanosdol.

From 20 years ago in 2003 at Brownstown, Mark Barber won the late model feature over Brad Barrow, Frankie Coomer, Scott Graham and James Huff. Matt Boknecht won the modified feature over Earl Plessinger, J.D. Roberts, Ray Humphrey and Brent Londeree. Steven Godsey took the bomber feature over Matt Cummings, Jason Combs, Darrell Burton and Rusty Smiley.

Upcoming local race schedule

Tonight – Brownstown Speedway – Scott Patman Memorial for super stocks, plus Indiana Pro late models, modifieds, hornets and crown vics. For information, visit brownstownspeedway.com.

Tonight – Florence Speedway – Ralph Latham Memorial Race for the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series — $15,000 to win, plus crate late models and modifieds. For information, visit florencespeedway.com.

Tonight – Eldora Speedway – World of Outlaw Sprint Cars and USAC National Sprint Cars. For information, visit eldoraspeedway.com.

Tonight – Tony Stewart Speedway – Bartholomew County 4-H Fairgrounds – All-Star Circuit of Champions TQ Midgets

Tonight – Lawrenceburg Speedway – Sprints, modifieds, pure stocks and hornets. For information, visit lawrenceburgspeedway.com.

Tonight – Paragon Speedway – Sprints, super stocks, bombers and hornets. For information, visit paragonspeedway.com.

May 12 – Bloomington Speedway – Roddy Harris Memorial for modifieds, plus sprints, super stocks and IMCA Racesaver sprints. For information, visit racebloomingtonspeedway.com.

May 13 – Brownstown Speedway – Super late models, modifieds, super stocks, pure stocks and hornets.

May 13 – Paragon Speedway – Sprints, super stocks, bombers and TQ midgets

May 13 – Lawrenceburg Speedway – Sprints, modifieds, pure stocks and hornets.

James Essex writes a motorsports notebook for The Tribune. Send comments to [email protected].