There were several winners for Columbus Speedway Go-Kart Racing on June 28 at the Bartholomew County 4-H Fairgrounds at Tony Stewart Speedway in Columbus.

The division winners were Lynx Lawson (junior 1), Macy Staton (junior 2), Conner Smith (junior 3), Robby Young (medium and heavy) and Chris Lewis (pred).

The next event at Tony Stewart Speedway will be July 15.

Bacon wins USAC at Putnamville

Only a select few individuals have been fortunate enough to win a USAC AMSOIL Sprint Car National Championship feature event in their career.

Just three have accomplished the feat Brady Bacon achieved July 3 at Lincoln Park Speedway in Putnamville as the Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, racer earned his 50th career USAC AMSOIL Sprint Car National Championship feature victory.

Tom Bigelow was the first to reach win No. 50 at Winchester Speedway in 1980. Prior to Bacon, Dave Darland was the most recent to hit 50 at Terre Haute Action Track in 2014. Bacon currently stands third all-time in USAC National Sprint Car victories behind those two all-time greats — two behind Bigelow’s 52 and 12 behind all-time leader Darland at 62.

Bacon’s performance during the ninth annual Bill Gardner Sprintacular was perhaps his finest and most dominant of the season on the USAC Sprint trail. From beginning to end, Bacon was never once challenged up front, leading all 40 laps to earn a $10,000 grand prize in his Dynamics, Inc./A & B Sports Bar Café – Tel-Star Technologies – DriveWFX.com/Triple X/Rider Chevy.

After a tumultuous Eastern Storm in mid-June in which he struggled throughout much of a five-race stretch, Bacon has responded in kind by winning each of his last two feature starts after scoring one in Wilmot, Wisconsin, a week earlier. In doing so, he became the first four-time winner of the USAC National Sprint Car points season, and you might say he’s officially back to the Bacon we’re accustomed to seeing.

“We’ve had things not go our way a lot this year, so it looks like things are finally starting to turn around. We’ll definitely take it,” Bacon said. “We got back to basics after struggling in Pennsylvania. Then we got a win in Wisconsin, and now, this one here. It feels good getting back to doing what we know we’re supposed to be doing.”

Darland wins at Kokomo

Dave Darland picked up his first sprint car feature win of the 2023 season on July 3 at Kokomo Speedway.

Colten Cottle came home in second, followed by Cole Bodine, Brayden Clark and Trey Osborne.

This week in racing history

From 70 years ago in 1953 at Columbus Speedway, Red Carmichael won the feature event over Johnny Poore, Freddie Wilbur, Carl Ford and Gerald Hopper.

In 1963, the largest crowd in the history of the Bartholomew County 4-H Fair saw Bob Tattersall win the USAC Midget race at the 25th Street Fairgrounds track.

From 60 years ago in 1963 at Bloomington, Cecil Beavers won the super modified feature over Richard Jackson, Ross Smith, Bob Kinser and Mike Johnson.

The same weekend 60 years ago, Beavers also won the super modified feature at Mitchell Speedrome in Mitchell over Calvin Gilstrap, Larry Miller, Dick Gaines and Mike Johnson. Paul Crockett won the claiming car feature.

In 1963 at Lawrenceburg, Tom Mattlin won the super modified feature over Ross Smith and Billy Teegarden. Whitey Freeman won the stock car feature over Ross Smith and Bruce Gould.

From 50 years ago this weekend in 1973 at Brownstown, Ira Bastin won the late model feature over John Davis, Ezra Bastin, Bob Fleetwood and Dennis Boknecht.

In 1973 at Lawrenceburg, Bobby Black won the sprint car feature over Butch Wilkerson, Junior Smalley, Tony Solomito and Bob Papoy.

Also in 1973, at Twin Cities, a tie was declared in the feature race with Dee Kramer and Mike Stewart both crossing the line in a photo finish. Bill Cummings was third, followed by Jim Raymer and Chuck Gilpin.

From 1973, the Columbus Kart Club winners were Bill Fisher, Kim Smith, Butch Jarrell, James Rose, Gene Wilbur, Mike Tobias and Bill Ault.

From 50 years ago at Paragon, Danny Bowlen won the sprint car feature over Bob Kinser, Larry Curtis, Rex Mitchell and Chet Johnson. Horace Lake won the stock car feature race over Clyde Harris, Junior Pace, Glenn Sheeks and Bob Ham. Lake also won the same weekend at Sweet Owen Speedway in Spencer over Pace, Donald Howard, Barry Pershing and Walt Thompson.

From 40 years ago in 1983 at Brownstown, Carl Collins won the limited late model feature over Ernie Barrow, T.J. Straley, John Mull and Leon Kinser. Rick Hines won the street stock feature over Joe Burdette, Rodney Gaines, Bob Hayse and Don Barnett.

In 1983 at Lawrenceburg, Marvin Deputy won the sprint car feature over Leon Thickstun, D.W. Miller, Tom Bipes and Greg Staab. Danny Eichler won the late model feature over Charlie Sentman, Gary Herbert, Ed Hounshell and John Lawhorn.

Also in 1983, at Twin Cities, Steve Boley won the limited late model feature over Dee Kramer, Merrill Wilson, Johnny Mefford and John Warner. Earl Plessinger won the street stock feature over Bill Franks, Larry Gingery, Willie Sallee and Brad Tobias.

From 30 years ago at Haubstadt, Kevin Claycomb won the late model feature over Doug McCammon.

From 40 years ago at Paragon, Larry Martin won the sprint car feature over Keith Ford, Steve Butler, Kevin Thomas and Jack Zeigler. Jim Nichols won the limited late model feature over Dave Weddle, Gary Barrow, Marvin O’Neal and Bobby Ratts.

From 30 years ago in 1993 at Brownstown, Jim Curry won the late model feature over Don O’Neal, Mike Jewell, Marty O’Neal and Doug Ault. There were two street stock features run with Jeff Wilson winning the first one over Earl Plessinger, Willie Sallee, Keith Deppe and Scott McKeand. Scott Patman won the second feature over Darin George, Randy Petro, Tim Clark and Darren Davis. There were three bomber features contested with Ron Hoffman winning the first one over Bob Schrader, Mike Bowersox, Dale Ayers and Tom Courtney. Bruce Turner grabbed the second feature over Don Walp, David Hudkins, Curtis Knieriem and Mark Bruce. Joe Johnson won the third bomber feature over Murl Robinson, Todd Kempf, Ray Hughes and Troy Cannon.

In 1993 at Lawrenceburg, Kelly Kinser won the Jeff Thickstun Memorial for sprint cars, and Merrill Downey won the modified feature.

Also in 1993, at Haubstadt, Kevin Briscoe won the sprint car feature over Mark Cummins and Joey Nash. Greg Williams took the late model feature over Doug McCammon and Kevin Claycomb.

Upcoming local racing schedule

Today – Brownstown Speedway – Fan Appreciation Night – Indiana Pro late models, pure stocks, super stocks, hornets and crown vics. For information, visit brownstownspeedway.com.

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

Today – Florence Speedway -Union, Kentucky – Super late model special $10,000 to win plus sport mods, hornets and crown vics. For information, visit florencespeedway.com.

Today – Circle City Race3way – Indianapolis – Modifieds, steel-block sprints, hornets, pure stocks and crown vics. For information, visit circlecityraceway.com.

Sunday – Tri-State Speedway – Haubstadt – Summernationals for late models and modifieds.

Wednesday – Eldora Speedway – Rossburg, Ohio – Night One Eldora Million for sprint cars.

Thursday – Eldora Speedway – Rossburg, Ohio – Eldora Million for sprint cars.

Friday – Eldora Speedway – Rossburg, Ohio – Night One Kings Royal for sprint cars.

Saturday – Eldora Speedway – Rossburg, Ohio – Kings Royal for sprint cars. For ticket information, visit eldoraspeedway.com.

Friday – Bloomington Speedway – Sprints, modifieds, super stocks and IMCA racesaver sprints. For information, visit racebloomingtonspeedway.com.

July 15 – Paragon Speedway – MSCS sprints plus All-Star Circuit of Champion TQ Midgets and MMSA mini sprints. For information, visit paragonspeedway.com.

July 15 – Brownstown Speedway – World of Outlaw Late Models plus modifieds and super stocks.

July 15 – Columbus Speedway Go-Kart Racing – Tony Stewart Speedway – Bartholomew County 4-H fairgrounds – Points race.

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