DARLAND SETS USAC MARK WITH "WINTER CHALLENGE” VICTORY
Peoria, AZ……..Dave Darland of Lincoln, Ind. now stands atop the all-time list of drivers who have won at least one USAC feature victory in consecutive seasons! His 30-lap “Winter Challenge” USAC Southwest/West Coast “special event” Sprint car win Saturday at Canyon Speedway Park marked the 22nd consecutive year he had found a USAC victory lane! He trailed his Casey Minks teammate Ryan Bernal for the first 17 laps, then led the final 13 for the win over Bernal, R.J. Johnson, Josh Pelkey and Brady Bacon. Pelkey has vaulted to the lead in the “Winter Challenge” standings going into round three Sunday night. Darland’s consecutive win streak snapped a tie with A.J. Foyt (1959-1979) and Mel Kenyon (1962-1982), each of whom also earned USAC wins in 21 consecutive years! Darland can also extend that streak to 22 consecutive years with a “National” victory with his first “National” win of 2014!
USAC SOUTHWEST/WEST COAST “Special Event” SPRINT CAR RACE RESULTS: January 25, 2014 – Peoria, AZ – Canyon Speedway Park – “2014 Winter Challenge”
FIRST HEAT: (8 laps) 1. Charles Davis Jr., (#50 Massey), 2. Tye Mihocko (#5 Mihocko), 3. Jimmy Crawford (#51X Crawford), 4. Ryan Bernal (#111 Minks), 5. Aaron Reutzel (#21A Miller), 6. Josh Grady (#12J Grady), 7. Dalten Gabbard (#5D Baldwin), 8. Colby Copeland (#74 Williams). NT
SECOND HEAT: (8 laps) 1. Dave Darland (#1X Minks), 2. Mike Martin (#16 Martin), 3. Brady Bacon (#99 Bacon), 4. Matt Rossi (#02 Rossi), 5. Nic Faas (#73 Ford), 6. R.J. Johnson (#51 Martin), 7. Jason Grady (#45 Grady), 8. David Dykes ( #55NM Dykes). NT
THIRD HEAT: (8 laps) 1. Casey Shuman (#21X Pollock), 2. Josh Pelkey (#12 Allen), 3. Stevie Sussex (#4 Price), 4. Shon Deskins (#20 Deskins), 5. Josh Hodges (#74X Hodges), 6. Mitch Mack (#92 Mack), 7. Michael Curtis (#11C Turner/Wheeler), 8. Ryan Linder (#9 Linder/Whitney). NT
SEMI: (10 laps) 1. Mack, 2. Gabbard, 3. Curtis, 4. Copeland, 5. Jo.Grady, 6. Dykes, 7. Ja.Grady, 8. Linder. NT
FEATURE: (30 laps) 1. Dave Darland, 2. Ryan Bernal, 3. R.J. Johnson, 4. Josh Pelkey, 5. Brady Bacon, 6. Aaron Reutzel, 7. Charles Davis Jr., 8. Tye Mihocko, 9. Nic Faas, 10. Josh Hodges, 11. Mike Martin, 12. Casey Shuman, 13. Dalten Gabbard, 14. Shon Deskins, 15. Stevie Sussex, 16. Jimmy Crawford, 17. Matt Rossi, 18. Michael Curtis, 19. Mitch Mack, 20. David Dykes, 21. Josh Grady, 22. Colby Copeland. NT
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FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-17 Bernal, Laps 18-30 Darland.
WINTER CHALLENGE POINTS: 1-Pelkey-124, 2-Bacon-119, 3-Bernal-117, 4-Johnson-114, 5-Darland-109, 6-Shuman-109, 7-Davis-100, 8-Reutzel-95, 9-Hodges-89, 10-Faas-82.
NEXT USAC SOUTHWEST/WEST COAST “Special Event” SPRINT CAR RACE: January 26 – Peoria, AZ – Canyon Speedway Park - “2014 Winter Challenge”
